Big Sky Slayer - Juno Rushdan (HI #2321 - Nov 2025)

Series: Ironside Protection Services (Book 1)
 
Can he protect a cop
willing to risk her life against a killer?
 
When the bullets start flying, Winter Stratton's only mission is to apprehend the rampaging shooter before more people die. When it's over, the woman who gave up a big-city badge to protect her Montana town now owes her life to investigating attorney Chance Reyes. Fighting their attraction while trying to take down a sniper tests them both to their limits. But with the trail going cold and too many suspects, Winter and Chance are up against a killer who now has them in the crosshairs.

This book started with a bang, literally, and didn't let up until the last page. In addition to the intensity of the suspense, the chemistry between the two main characters, Winter and Chance, is undeniable.
 
Winter is a recent arrival in Montana, moving there from Texas to be closer to her two sisters. Prior military, and then a big-city cop, she now works for the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation. She's just met with Chance, part of the Ironside Protection Service, when a shooter takes aim at people on the street. Winter's immediate instincts are to locate and stop the shooter, while Chance is close on her heels, trying to protect her.
 
Small-town politics and jurisdictional jealousy lead to them working together to identify and apprehend the shooter. The fast-paced action and twists in the investigation kept me glued to the pages. The more they uncover, the more complicated the mystery becomes. It isn't long before Winter and Chance discover that they are targets, too. Attacks on them ramp up the intensity as they close in on the sniper. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, though the outcome was never truly in question.
 
I enjoyed watching the development of Winter and Chance's relationship. Chance has a reputation as a serial dater, rarely spending more than a short time in a relationship. He isn't afraid of commitment; he's looking for the right person and doesn't believe in giving false hope. When he met Winter, something about her made him think she was it. The problem is convincing her that he is serious. Winter hasn't had good luck in relationships, so she is wary of Chance. She has trouble taking him seriously when he flirts with her. But the more time they spend together, the more she realizes that there is more behind the flirty façade. The sparks of attraction grow stronger, and Winter must decide if she's willing to trust Chance with her heart. I loved the ending, especially seeing how each character faced their vulnerabilities and looked to the future together.
 
I liked the secondary characters. We see a little more of Logan and Winter's sister, Summer, from the previous book. I loved the family barbecue scene with them. Winter's other sister, Autumn, plays a significant role in this book, offering a little more insight into her character. I hope to see her get a story of her own. I also liked getting to know some of Chance's IPS coworkers. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the following books.