The Fearless One - Lori Foster (HQN - Jan 2024)

Series: Osborn Brothers (Book 2)

He had it all planned…until she showed up.
 
Jedidiah Stephens came to the Colorado Rockies for one reason: to uncover the truth behind the fire that killed her family. She's been chasing down clues, and everything has led her to an isolated campground. Her plan is to get a job there so she can investigate who comes and goes. Getting involved with her boss, Memphis Osborn, the ruggedly handsome groundskeeper, is definitely not part of the plan.
 
When Jedidiah arrives on the scene, Memphis just knows she's up to something. He can see the desperation in her eyes and warily agrees to hire her. As they work side by side, Diah triggers his deepest protective instincts -- and the chemistry between them ignites.
 
But the more Diah digs into her family's past, the more secrets she unravels…and the more afraid she becomes. She lost everything once before. She'll never forgive herself if now she loses Memphis, too.
 
Terrific blend of action, suspense, and romance. It can be easily read as a standalone, but reading the first book will fill in some of the gaps regarding the secondary characters in this book.
 
Memphis is a tech geek who purchases a rundown campground notorious for the shady characters who used it. He secretly plans to use his over-the-top security to identify and stop illegal activity. The site was still under renovation when Jedediah (Diah) showed up looking for a job. He's reluctant to hire her, but his brother insists she's perfect for the job. I loved that conversation between the two men. Memphis appears to be a laid-back guy, but there are moments where an unexpected intensity shines through.
 
Diah has been on the run for ten years and on her own for two, always looking over her shoulder for the danger she left behind. She is looking for the truth about the deaths of her family, and that search leads to Memphis's campground. All she needs is to get hired so she has the opportunity to search for it. I liked Diah a lot. She is much stronger and braver than she thinks she is. She is also intelligent and intuitive.
 
I loved the first meeting between Memphis and Diah. Memphis is unflustered at being caught in the outdoor shower while Diah brazens her way through her surprise. The banter between them was funny as each tried to hide their immediate attraction. Neither trusts easily, and I enjoyed watching them get to know each other. Memphis senses that Diah is hiding something but he's willing to give her the space and time she needs. From the start, he feels protective of her, and that protectiveness doesn't always sit well with the very independent Diah.
 
I liked the slow building of Memphis and Diah's feelings for each other. The chemistry is there and acknowledged, but there needs to be trust before they are ready to do anything about it. I loved their interactions, from arguing over Memphis's protectiveness to Diah needling him about the way they met. But once they've earned each other's trust, there is no holding back.
 
The suspense of the story was good. Diah is looking for information about the fire that killed her family. Unfortunately, she doesn't know exactly what she is looking for. At the same time, the local crime boss has plans for the campground. This guy is seriously creepy and evil in how he runs his business in town. The tension builds slowly until it explodes in a nail-biting confrontation at the end.
 
My favorite secondary character is Diah's dog, Tuff. Like Diah, he is wary of strangers and is as protective of her as she is of him. He has excellent instincts and takes to Memphis right away. Tuff's trust in Memphis is sweet and helps Diah trust him, too. Remmy runs a close second as a favorite. He is a former thug, so he still gives off bad-guy vibes but tries to live a better life. I liked the growing friendship between him and Memphis and his surprise that Memphis trusts him. After getting off to a rough start, Remmy and Diah also become friends. I laughed out loud at Diah and Remmy's conversation about her relationship with Memphis.
 
I liked seeing Hunter, Jodi, and Madison from the first book. Hunter and Memphis have a terrific relationship as brothers, and I liked their mutual respect. I liked the teasing between Jodi and Memphis. Madison fascinates me. I need to find that series and read it. 

The Dangerous One - Lori Foster (HQN - Feb 2023)

Series: Osborn Brothers (Book 1)
 
Being alone is what he wanted… All he needed was her.
 
Hunter Osborn left his family, his friends and his job as a park ranger after uncovering a disturbing crime scene. Haunted by nightmares and harrowing memories, Hunter relocated to an isolated property near Triple Creek, Colorado, where he lives alone and keeps his interactions with people to a minimum.
 
Still, Hunter can spot trouble from a mile away, and when he encounters Jodi Bentley, he knows she's trouble of the most tempting kind -- even more tempting when she moves into the run-down cabin next door. Jodi is tough as nails, sexy as hell -- and clearly struggles with her own traumatic past. Hunter tries to keep his distance, but when Jodi's life is threatened, he can't help being drawn out of his own darkness and into hers.
 
Terrific slow-burn romance mixed with intriguing suspense. The female character, Jodi, was a secondary character in an earlier series that I have yet to read. I found both main characters to be easy to like and relate to.
 
Hunter is a former park ranger haunted by the memory of a disturbing crime scene. He left his job, family, and friends to move to an isolated property in a small community. He lives alone with his dog, Turbo, for companionship and his work restoring classic cars to keep him busy. His ability to spot trouble is undiminished, and his first impression of Jodi is that she is trouble with a capital T.
 
Jodi has moved to Triple Creek, looking for a fresh start. With the help of her friends/found family, she's started her landscaping business and is looking forward to a "normal life." She, too, is fighting the demons of a traumatic past and struggling to put it behind her.
 
I loved the first meeting between Hunter and Jodi. He notices her while arguing with the owner of his latest car restoration, Worth Linlow. He sees her beauty first and her take-no-prisoners attitude when Linlow tries to pull the same scam on her. As soon as they meet, they recognize each other as kindred spirits thanks to their traumatic pasts. Each bought their properties to give them the peace and solitude to deal with their demons. When Hunter realizes that Jodi has moved into the property next door, he is dismayed by the loss of that prized solitude.
 
A slow-growing friendship develops as they begin to lean on each other a little bit, but it isn't easy for either to accept help. I loved the banter between them as they got to know each other and slowly developed the trust that allowed them to share their pasts. There are some sweet scenes between them as their friendship deepens and the sparks between them grow. Hunter has a more romantic soul than I expected, and I enjoyed watching him take on Jodi's wariness. Jodi is surprisingly naïve about some things, notably her effect on Hunter. She has little experience with love, and it takes her a while to catch on to Hunter's effect on her. I loved Hunter's patience and support of Jodi as he earned her trust. The ending was terrific, and I loved seeing them realize they belonged together.
 
When trouble comes knocking on Jodi's door, Hunter's protectiveness comes to the surface. There is some head-butting going on as Hunter wants to keep her safe, and Jodi refuses to be the helpless damsel-in-distress. Jodi is a kick-butt woman with some serious skills and more than a bit of stubbornness. Hunter refuses to let her face the trouble alone, and it takes some effort for them to hammer out a working solution.
 
The story's suspense begins when the local crime boss discovers that the property where he's been stashing his ill-gotten gains is now occupied, making it impossible to retrieve his latest package. He's determined to drive Jodi away or put an end to her, and his minions are willing to use any method to accomplish that goal. There are tense moments as the attacks on Jodi intensify the more desperate the bad guy gets. The final confrontation was terrific, thanks to some fantastic teamwork by Hunter, Jodi, and her McKenzie "family."
 
I loved the secondary characters of Hunter's dog, Turbo, and his brother, Memphis. Turbo was adorable with his "broken" howl and immediate fascination with Jodi. He's a bit of a goof until one of his people is threatened, then he turns super protective. I liked getting to know Hunter's brother, Memphis. The closeness of the two brothers was evident, as was Memphis's worry about Hunter's withdrawal. Memphis is the techie in the family, and I enjoyed seeing him jump in to help Hunter and Jodi deal with their problems. It was also fun to see him interact with Madison McKenzie. I'm looking forward to reading his book.