Series:
Arkansas Special Agents (Book 3)
The only thing between her and a murderer
Is the special agent assigned to keep her safe
Targeted by her husband's killer, injured and pregnant
widow Kayla Powers needs a protection plan -- pronto. But 24/7 bodyguard detail
challenges Special Agent Ryan Hastings's security skills…and professional
boundaries. The determined heiress will do anything to neutralize the threat to
her unborn child, even offer herself as bait. But will her plan to step out of
the shadows jeopardize Ryan's mission and his heart?
Terrific conclusion to the series. We met Kayla in the
previous book,
Ozarks Double Homicide, as the widow of one of the victims. Much
to the dismay of her husband's other family members, Kayla inherited his entire
estate and the family law firm. As this book opens, it is a few weeks later,
and Kayla has taken time off from the business to grieve. Her friend Michelle,
also from the previous book, is running the company.
Besides the death of her husband, Kayla has had an
emotional few weeks. She spent time in rehab to overcome her alcohol problem, dealt
with the scandal of a money-laundering associate, and is fending off challenges
to her husband's will. Spending time at the family's lake house is all that's
keeping her on an even keel. That serenity goes up in smoke when someone shoots
her while she's out on a walk. Michelle and detective Ethan Scott insist that
she needs 24/7 protection, and Ethan calls in his friend to do the job.
Ryan is a member of the Arkansas State Police Protective
Services Division, currently on desk duty as he recovers from an injury. He's
happy to return to the field until he runs up against the stubborn Kayla. The
sparks flew between them as Kayla resisted every suggestion Ryan made for her
safety. Kayla is strong-willed and used to making her own decisions as an
attorney. Allowing someone else to take control is difficult; the push-and-pull
over that control creates interesting situations.
I enjoyed watching Ryan and Kayla learn to deal with each
other. Ryan respects her intelligence and resilience while frequently
frustrated by her stubbornness and impatience. Kayla respects Ryan's experience
and abilities but is frustrated by what she feels is his overprotectiveness.
Underneath the contentiousness is a simmering attraction that both try to
resist. Ryan won't let personal feelings interfere with his duty, and Kayla
feels guilty about her interest in Ryan so soon after her husband's death. I
liked the ending and the prospect of a relationship between Kayla and Ryan. I
wish there had been an epilogue showing the three couples further down the
road.
The suspense of the story kept me hooked from start to
finish. This book carries on with the investigation into the murders from the
previous book and adds the question of whether the attacks on Kayla are
connected to the murders. A leading suspect is identified early in the book
with the action involving trying to find him. The tension increases as the
threats continue to pile up. Kayla's desire to end the search runs up against
Ryan's need to keep her safe. It wasn't a surprise to see Kayla take matters
into her own hands, and I felt Ryan's frustration and worry when she ditched
him. The final confrontation was a nail-biter. I loved seeing Kyla pull off a
terrific set-up and bring the bad guy down.
My favorite quote from this book is this one:
"Mrs. Powers, you have to know by now the case
involving the deaths of your husband and his son are the criminal investigation
division's number-one priority at this time. If Ethan Scott told the higher-ups
he needed a purple unicorn with a polka-dotted mane to close this case, they'd
be out spray-painting a horse as we speak."
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