Playing with Danger - Deborah Fletcher Mello (HRS #2236 - July 2023)

Series: Sorority Detectives (Book 1)
 
Murder on the bayou
…forcing rivals to unite.
 
When a young woman is found in a Louisiana swamp, police detective King Randolph finds his investigation hindered by private investigator Lenore Martin. He's loath to share this murder investigation with such a problematic person. But despite mutual distrust, they forge a combative alliance. Soon, as more bodies drop, heat rises between the partners. And grave danger threatens from every corner of New Orleans.
 
This was a gripping, frequently dark suspense story lightened by an often humorous romance.  A serial killer is preying on high school students in New Orleans, and it is Detective King Randolph's job to find out who it is and stop them. King is newly arrived in New Orleans from up North and still getting used to how things are done in the south. And nothing makes that more evident than dealing with the latest victim.
 
Lenore Martin is a private investigator, the oldest of four daughters, all working for their mother's private investigation company. She is stubborn, controlling, and follows her own set of rules. She is also beautiful, compassionate, and intelligent. As the book opens, a family friend contacts the agency looking for help finding her missing granddaughter. Lenore is at Mama Hattie's when King arrives with the news of the girl's murder.
 
Lenore and King notice each other, but their time is spent dealing with Mama Hattie and King's news. There is an immediate distrust between them. King doesn't know how to take the "family friend," who seems more interested in the details of the murder than in comforting her friend. Lenore distrusts a member of the police force that too often blows off calls from members of poorer communities. An encounter later that evening adds to King's frustration. His conversation with fellow detectives back at work is eye-opening and makes him realize he will have to find a way to work with her if he's going to get anywhere in his investigation.
 
I loved seeing these two work together. They start as barely speaking, sharing only the minimum amount of information. Still, as more bodies turn up, their mutual determination to stop the killer makes them more willing to work together. Both are used to being in charge, and learning to share had a steep learning curve. Once they made that decision, there was no stopping them, and I loved watching their fantastic teamwork.
 
Simmering under the surface of their teamwork is attraction and a fascination with each other. Lenore doesn't trust men, but it isn't long before King slips past her barriers. He is the first man she's encountered who she can respect and isn't driven off by her attitude, bossiness, and volatility. I loved watching King around Lenore. He's equally amused and frustrated by her and wholly fascinated. Even better, he understands her. Their banter was fantastic, often providing a few moments of relief from the darkness they faced during their investigation. They are cautious about getting involved with each other, wary of the intensity of their attraction, but the sparks are impossible to resist. I was impressed by their ability to separate their personal and professional actions. I loved the ending and seeing them able to trust each other with their hearts.
 
The suspense of this story was outstanding. The intensity of the investigation sucked me in from the first pages, and didn't let go until I finished the book. I could feel Lenore and King's frustration at the beginning as they tried to find the connection between the victims. I liked how they trusted their instincts as little things began to add up. Several twists exposed the likelihood that the case was more complicated and closer to home than expected. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with Lenore in danger and an unraveling that blew me away.
 
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Lenore's family dynamics are fascinating. The four sisters are very close, with equal parts of support and teasing. Their parents are an intriguing pair. They are divorced but still involved in each other's lives. Claudia doesn't suffer fools gladly and keeps iron control on everything to do with her business, including her daughters. She trusts them, but they have no doubt who is boss. A shocking revelation late in the book gives the girls a new perception of her. Josiah has a background you'll have to experience for yourself. No description here would do him justice. I especially enjoyed seeing King's meeting with Josiah and Claudia.

French Quarter Fatale - Joanna Wayne (HI #2131 - Feb 2023)

Her return to the Big Easy
Makes her a target
 
A year after her famous mother disappeared during Mardi Gras, Josette Guillory is back on Bourbon Street. She's looking for answers, even if that means putting herself at risk. Law enforcement failed her, which is why she pushes FBI Agent Keenan Carter away -- until their mutual attraction makes her pull him close. She trusts him with her life, but that doesn't mean she trusts him with her heart…
 
A fast-paced book spanning a mere five days that kept me intrigued from start to finish. Josette hasn't returned to New Orleans since her mother disappeared during Mardi Gras the previous year. Now she's headed for her best friend's wedding, with a side of looking for answers.
 
Keenan is an FBI agent on medical leave after being injured. He is the best man at the wedding where Josette is the maid of honor. He first noticed her on the flight to New Orleans, though his attempt at flirting didn't get him very far. It was when they arrived that they learned of their connection.
 
I loved the scenes with Josette, Addison (the bride), and the other bridesmaids. Friends during college, they are still close, and I enjoyed their light-hearted reminisces. The wedding preparation scenes in popular New Orleans locations were terrific, especially with the added excitement of Mardi Gras. I liked that the reason Josette was there was nicely balanced with the mystery.
 
Almost as soon as Josette arrives in New Orleans, rumors circulate that the missing Isadora will stage a triumphal return. The local detective, Max, knows nothing about it and cautions Josette not to get her hopes up. When someone has been missing that long, the outcome is rarely good.
 
Meanwhile, Josette tries to contact her father, Antoine, a shrimper on a nearby bayou. She's disturbed by his refusal to see her and more so by the news he shares with her. Max offers to go with her as moral support when she plans to visit him. Their trip to Alligator Cove raises more questions than answers. Mixed in among wedding activities, Josette and Keenan put their minds to finding out what Antoine is hiding, and when they do, why it doesn't make sense. 

The stakes go up when a woman's body is found floating in the bayou, and Keenan and Josette run into danger while searching a deserted cabin. The final confrontation is a nail-biter but leaves one central question unanswered. Because of the length of time elapsed, the why of the explanation was no surprise when the resolution came. After all was said and done, it was a bit anti-climactic, but I still enjoyed it.
 
I loved seeing the relationship between Keenan and Josette develop. The sparks of attraction were there from the moment they met, but doing anything about them didn't seem like a good idea. After the wedding, Keenan would return to DC, and his job with the FBI, and Josette would return to Nashville and her successful career as a fashion designer. But Keenan's protective instincts were aroused and second only to his desire to spend as much time as possible with Josette. 

After a year of dealing with various law enforcement types, Josette isn't inclined to trust Keenan initially, but it isn't long before he wins her over. I loved how Keenan was there to support her however she needed it. Over the time they spent together, their attraction continued to grow, leading to some very intense kisses and an unexpected deepening of the feelings growing between them. While the danger they experienced made them realize they didn't want to be apart, they still needed to figure out how to make it happen.

The House on Blueberry Lane - Brenda Jackson (HQN - Aug 2022)

Series: Catalina Cove (Book 6)
 
The biggest mistake of Jaye Colfax's life was letting Velvet Spencer leave him. For three years, they were together exclusively -- and it was great. But Jaye wouldn't commit to anything more. He just didn't believe in falling in love or marriage. When Velvet left him without so much as a goodbye, Jaye realized he'd been too foolish to see he loved her. But it was too late. His stubbornness had cost him the love of his life.
 
It took Jaye two years to find where Velvet had gone. Now he's come to Catalina Cove to prove his love and win back her heart -- but will Velvet have him?
 
Terrific second chance love story. Jaye and Velvet knew each other very well back in Phoenix. They were in a three-year relationship there, where Jaye was upfront about his unwillingness to commit to anything more than a physical relationship. Despite his frequent reminders of that position, Velvet fell in love with him anyway, hoping he would change. When she finally realized it wasn't going to happen, she left him and left Phoenix without telling him where she was going.
 
I cheered for Velvet, happy to see her stand up for her needs and dreams. She moved to Catalina Cove at the invitation of a family friend and became a ninth-grade algebra teacher. She has good friends and is content with her life now that she's gotten over her love for Jaye. The last thing she expected was to have him show up in the Cove as the bank's new owner.
 
It didn't take long after Velvet left him for Jaye to realize that he'd made a huge mistake. He had allowed his past to color his beliefs, but it was too late. However, Jaye is a stubborn and resourceful man, and though it took two years and the help of a private investigator, he finally found her. Now he must prove his love and win back her heart and trust.
 
I loved watching the rekindling of the relationship between Jaye and Velvet. Jaye has his plans all set. He's bought the bank, which will keep him in town for at least six months. He's arranged to rent the other part of the duplex she lives in, and he is determined to convince her of his love. One thing in his favor is the attraction that is still as strong as ever, but he wants more than that. Meanwhile, Velvet decides that since she doesn't love him any longer, that leaves the door open to resume their sex-only relationship. It was undoubtedly karma-like for Jaye to be on the other side of that coin and see him realize that he didn't like it.
 
Most of the attention is on Jaye's attempts to show Velvet that he's changed. In their previous relationship, he kept her at a distance, separating their relationship from his personal and professional lives. They rarely did anything together outside of the bedroom. Now, he waits for her to initiate any intimacy, asks her to jog with him in the mornings (previously his "alone" time), talks about his day at work and asks about hers, and involves her in his life in a myriad of ways. I especially liked the rocking chairs on the back deck and their quiet time together. His favorite thing to tell her was, “Whatever you want, Velvet, I will give it to you. No matter what it is.”
 
Velvet fights hard against the realization that she still loves Jaye. Her constant reminders to herself that she doesn't love him any longer feel like a case of protesting too much. Her friends Ruthie and Sierra try to convince her, but Velvet has a strong streak of stubbornness. When Jaye finally comes clean about his feelings, Velvet refuses to believe him. She accuses him of everything from lying to manipulation and pushes him away. I liked that Jaye gave her the space to come to terms with what he said, but I could also feel his frustration.
 
Velvet has a lot to think about, and I was happy to see that she calmed down enough to look at his actions and see them for what they were. Matters became complicated when a surprise he planned for her came to the attention of a scorned wannabe boyfriend, who attempted to use it against her. Being called before the school board is no small matter, especially when someone has it out for you. What made it particularly tricky/amusing was that this guy has no idea of Velvet's background. I loved Velvet's coolness under fire, her calm responses to the accusations, and the support shown by her friends. Jaye's arrival was the icing on the cake, as was town patriarch Reid Lacroix and his lambasting of those responsible. I was a little disappointed that he revealed Velvet's secret, as I didn't think it was his place, but it all worked out in the end. I loved the ending and seeing Velvet and Jaye moving forward into the future they wanted together.
 
There were a couple of subplots that ran throughout the book. One was Webb Crawford and his "I'm God's gift to women" pursuit of Velvet. He's a slimy, entitled creep, and he's fortunate that neither Velvet nor Jaye decked him when he pulled some of his tricks. The other was Velvet's issue with one of her students and his father. I felt terrible for young Lenny, whose dad pushed him to follow in his baseball footsteps. Lenny used failing his math class to fight back. In the meantime, his dad pressures Velvet to "go easy" on Lenny because "he won't need algebra to play pro ball." I loved that Velvet didn't cave in, but she did offer to help Lenny. I also loved the support she gave him to stand up for his dreams. There was an interesting twist involving the dad, and I liked how Velvet handled it.