Personal Security - Lisa Childs (HRS #2325 - May 2025)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 15)
 
He'll risk anything to protect her…
Even his heart.
 
Watching over Blair Etheridge as she reopens her family's art gallery is Ivan Chekov's first chance to prove himself as a bodyguard. He hopes it's also a chance to start over. But this job brings up bad memories, and Blair doesn't want him anywhere near her. Ivan overcomes her stubborn streak after an attack on her life proves she's in danger. The undeniable attraction sizzling between them makes posing as her boyfriend easy, while the thought of losing her frightens him more than he's willing to admit.
 
Good addition to the Bachelor Bodyguards series. This book features Ivan Chekov of Payne Protection Agency and Blair Etheridge, a woman determined to reopen her family's art gallery.
 
Ivan is coming off weeks of desk duty after being injured on a previous case (Hostage Security) and is looking forward to his first case as lead bodyguard. He feels he has a lot to prove, starting with his name. As a child, he witnessed his father's murder by his uncle, then forced to work for his uncle, a local crime boss. He escaped but is still attempting to redeem himself. Providing security for an art gallery owner should be an easy start.
 
Blair spent the time since her father's death preparing to reopen his art gallery. She invested everything she had, determined to make it a success. She's not happy that her insurance company insists on hiring the Payne agency to protect her and the gallery. She gives in when an attack proves her life is in danger.
 
Things get off to a rough start for Blair and Ivan. Ivan and his coworker arrive at the gallery to discover an attack in progress. They stop the attack, but Blair doesn't trust them, especially when she learns Ivan's name. She holds his uncle responsible for the trouble that ultimately caused her father's death. Ivan is equally wary, as he isn't sure if Blair is involved in the gallery's previous activities.
 
The story's suspense kept me turning the pages. The escalating attacks threaten the upcoming gallery opening, and Blair refuses to let that happen. There are multiple suspects to complicate the investigation, paintings of dubious origin, and a twist at the end I didn't see coming. The final confrontation kept me turning the pages. There are some unanswered questions that I expect will be addressed in subsequent books.
 
I enjoyed the development of Blair and Ivan's relationship. Sparks of attraction flared between them despite their initial mistrust. They can't ignore the attraction, but Ivan fears the distraction will affect his ability to protect her. Blair's realization that Ivan puts his life on the line for her softens her heart, but both must overcome their pasts before they can think about a future together.
 
I enjoyed seeing characters from past books. Garek and Milek, who run this branch of Payne Protection, are still feeling their way. They catch some flak about the people they hired to work for them but are steadfast in their support. Penny Payne and her new husband, the police chief, play important roles. I have issues with one of the law enforcement characters, Sheila Carlson, who I thought was extremely judgmental about Ivan and his coworkers. Judging by the interactions between her and one of the bodyguards, I suspect that there may be a surprise in her future. 

 

Hostage Security - Lisa Childs (HRS #2316 - Mar 2025)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 14)
 
He'll risk anything
To save the child he didn't know he had…
 
After five years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, Josh Stafford gets a fresh start as a security specialist. When work takes him to his ex-fiancée's jewelry store, he does everything he can to keep his distance. And then the son he's never met is kidnapped… Josh understands why Natalie Croft doesn't trust him. He broke his promises to her and couldn't tell her why. He's ready to push emotions aside until their little boy is safe -- no matter how much he still loves her.
 
Terrific second chance romance with intense suspense. Five years ago, Josh and Natalie were in love and planning their future together. Then Josh went to prison after pleading guilty to a crime he didn't commit, all to protect those he loved. He went so far as to tell Natalie that he didn't love her and to forget him, not knowing that she was pregnant.
 
Now, Josh is out of prison and working as a security specialist with Payne Protection. His first assignment is to monitor the security at Croft Jewelry, Natalie's family business. The store has had many diamonds go missing, and the insurance company insists on upgrading security.
 
Natalie has spent the last five years raising her son with her parents' help and working for the family business. She is shocked to discover that Josh is part of the security team and suspicious of his presence. But not nearly as shocked as Josh when he receives a note telling him to find the diamonds or he'll never see his son and Natalie's mother again.
 
The action and suspense are intense as Josh tries to bury all his emotions while searching for his son. He and Natalie must work together to discover who is behind the thefts. The emotional rollercoaster kept me glued to the pages as Josh dealt with the news he's a father and worked to regain the trust of the woman he never stopped loving. Natalie struggles with the resurgence of her love for Josh and her fear of trusting him with her heart. I was frustrated by her lack of faith in him before she learned the truth but happy when she finally admitted the depth of her feelings. I liked seeing them come together and lay the past to rest and plan for the future they should have had.
 
The mystery of the missing diamonds kept me intrigued from start to finish. The lack of clues frustrated Josh and Natalie and kept the team scrambling for leads. Attacks and threats from the thief/kidnapper increased the intensity as they began to close in on the truth. Several edge-of-the-seat confrontations led to my suspicion of the perpetrator's identity. There was one twist I didn't see coming until almost the end. The final confrontation was an eye-opener on several levels, bringing the mystery to a terrific conclusion.
 
I enjoyed meeting Josh's half-sister, Sylvie. She had a fascinating past that made her a strong and resilient woman. She plays a crucial role in the story, and I loved her interactions with other characters. The end reveals an unexpected connection with the newest branch of Payne Protection, ensuring that she will likely turn up in a later book.

 
 
 
 

Guarding His Witness - Lisa Childs (HRS #2029 - Feb 2019)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 9)
 
Protecting a murder witness…
 
Former vice cop Clint Quarters is haunted by the memory of an informant he couldn't save. And the victim's devastated sister, Rosie Mendez, hasn't forgiven him, either. But when the bodyguard must protect murder witness Rosie, the danger they face is only rivaled by the red-hot electricity between them. Can Clint keep Rosie safe, or will her testimony lead to certain death -- for them both?
 
Rosie witnessed the murder of her brother, Javier, an informant against a local drug kingpin. Luther may be in jail awaiting trial, but he still pulls strings. He wants Rosie and the other people involved in his arrest dead. Clint is a former vice cop working as a bodyguard for Payne Protection. When the police chief hires the agency to protect those in danger, Clint draws Rosie as his protectee. The trouble is that Clint was Javier's contact, and Rosie holds him responsible for his death.
 
Clint also blames himself. He promised Javier he would protect Rosie and nothing will stop him from keeping that promise, not even Rosie herself. Rosie irritated the heck out of me. First, with her stubborn insistence, she wasn't in any danger, even though she knew better. Then, the actions that exposed her to that danger, from insisting on going to the hospital where she works as a nurse to sneaking out on her own. The icing on the cake was when she attempted to make a deal with Luther, actually believing he would keep his word.
 
The suspense was intense as Clint tried to keep Rosie safe. Despite using safe houses, the bad guys were either right on their heels or a step ahead of them. I could feel the frustration as it became more difficult to know who they could trust. Their last confrontation in the book proves that point and leads to a desperate decision. A final scene with Luther shows his frustration and serves as a lead-in to the next book.
 
The development of Clint and Rosie's relationship was volatile. Rosie's insistence on blaming Clint helped her ignore the attraction she felt whenever she was near him. However, their proximity made it difficult for her to maintain her anger as she was forced to admit that Javier's death was not Clint's fault. Clint has had feelings for Rosie since he met her but believes it is hopeless because of Javier's death. But the more time they spend together, the stronger the sparks between them become. I liked the ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings for each other.