Reckonings - Cynthia Eden (HI #1593 - Oct 2015)

Series: Battling McGuire Boys (Book 4)

New town, new name…more trouble!

Dr. Jamie Myers has tried outrunning her past, but now someone is stalking her, leaving her deadly messages. Once, she'd trusted the wrong man. So how can she rely on Davis McGuire, the fiercely handsome ex-SEAL she's hired as a bodyguard? And how can she ignore the way his hands-on attention excites her?

One of McGuire Securities' best, Davis wants to protect the sexy doc 24/7 and play by the rules. But as Jamie's stalker grows bolder, Davis's desire grows stronger. Soon he's breaking all his rules -- so he can uncover Jamie's secrets in order to protect her…and discover the key to her heart.

Very good book, with plenty of action from the very beginning. Davis has been attracted to Jamie for a year, ever since she became the vet for the family ranch. He's just made his move at his sister's wedding (hilarious scene!) when their dance is interrupted. Jamie gets a call from her security company that her house has been broken into. He sees her fear and insists on going with her.

Jamie has been running from her past for a long time, but she's just started to feel safe. Dancing with Davis reminds her of everything she's missed, but also that she's been burned in the past. But when her house in broken into, she's afraid that her past has come back to haunt her. She asks for Davis's help, and gets so much more than she expects.

I loved Davis. He may be a big, bad, former SEAL, but he's also a pretty sensitive guy. He saw her wariness from the beginning and took his time, getting to know her a little first. When the trouble began he was determined to keep her safe, even though his brother Sullivan had doubts about what Jamie told them. Jamie was terrific also. She had been through so much, and came through it much stronger than she believes. She wants Davis's help, but she is also afraid that he could get hurt because of her. I really liked seeing how Davis's confidence in her helped her gain the strength of will to stand up to her stalker and stop running.

Their romance moved quickly, thanks to the danger they were in. I loved how Davis's belief in her helped Jamie to open up to him. I was a bit frustrated that she held back at first, but it was believable because of her past. Davis was a little slow to admit his feelings, but he suspected that he was in pretty deep. It was fun to see the teasing he got from his brothers, but the support was there too. Jamie took a little longer to realize the strength of her feelings, I think mostly because of the guilt she felt for bringing her trouble to him. I especially liked how Jamie told him how she felt, even in the middle of the final confrontation. 

The action and suspense in the book was great. The escalation of the stalker's actions kept me turning the pages. There were also several twists and turns that made identifying the stalker a little more difficult. I loved the involvement of Davis's brothers, and how they supported him even when they had some doubts about what was happening. The final confrontation was intense, and the stalker really creepy. There were also some really interesting things that came out about the events of Jamie's past. It was a very good ending. The epilogue was terrific, and I loved the part with Jamie's bouquet.

Suspicions - Cynthia Eden (HI #1588 - Sept 2015)

Series: Battling McGuire Boys (Book 3)

Mark Montgomery will never forget the night Ava McGuire galloped onto his ranch terrified out of her mind. Once he'd saved his best friend's sister from harm, the hardest part was letting her go. Now she's seeking safe haven again -- and rekindling desire that will engulf them both.

Uncovering the truth about that long-ago night plunges Ava into a world where no one can be trusted. Except maybe the rancher she has loved for years… But with a vengeful killer stalking them and passion drawing them inexorably closer, will Mark's secrets be their downfall…?

Excellent book with fantastic suspense. Six years earlier, Ava had seen her parents murdered and fled for safety to the neighbor's ranch. Mark was her brother's best friend and she'd always had a crush on him. But the memories of that night wouldn't allow her to stay, so she went away to school and stayed away. 

Now Ava has come back. She's decided it's time to take her life back, and one way is to help her brothers find out who killed their parents. Shortly before she left to come home, she started having problems with a stalker, one who appears to have followed her home. The first person she thought of to help her was Mark (because her brothers would over react) so she went to him. And now that she's no longer a teenager, she wants more than just protection from him.

Mark has been in love with Ava for years, but she's his best friend's little sister, so doing anything about it would be tricky. But when she comes to him for help, he can't tell her no. And he's no longer willing to ignore what he feels for her. 

I loved Ava. She survived a horrific experience, and has the scars and nightmares that don't let her forget. I liked the way that she had made the decision to face her fears and take control. One of the things I really liked about her is that she stood up to her brothers' overprotective attitudes. She also didn't let Mark shut her out. 

Mark was great. He was protective, but he also respected her. He had loved her for a long time, but waited to do anything about it. He's also not sure that he's good enough for her. He had been abused by his stepfather, and left home as soon as he could and joined the military, then became a mercenary. He's done things that he doesn't want her to know about. He's also kept some secrets about the deaths of her parents, all in the name of protecting her. 

I loved the heat between Mark and Ava. They'd both been burying it for too long, and the intensity of the situation they're in just makes it stronger. I enjoyed seeing how they both stood up to her brothers so that they could continue their relationship. As things intensified, there came a point where Mark's secrets had to be faced, and Ava had to decide what to do. Ava also had to face her own fears of losing those she loved, as the stalker got closer. I loved seeing how circumstances made them see that their love was more important than their fears.

I loved the closeness of the McGuire family. Even though the guys are perhaps a little too protective of Ava, it is obvious that they love her and want what is best for her. It was fun to see the stare downs between Mark and various brothers, especially Davis. I also like the support they have for each other. No one is ever left to face trouble alone.

The action and suspense of the story was great. It started from the beginning with the flashback and never let up. Each new attack was more intense. I liked the sections that showed the stalker's point of view. As the book progressed, two people became the most likely suspects. I constantly bounced back and forth between the two. It wasn't until the very end that I settled on one of them, but even then there was still some doubt in my mind. The final confrontation was really intense, with the stalker finally stopped. However, there are still questions to be answered about the deaths of the McGuire parents, leaving me anticipating the next book.

Secrets - Cynthia Eden (HI #1552 - Mar 2015)

Series: Battling McGuire Boys (Book 2)

In a world of lies, he's the only man she can trust

Navy SEAL Brodie McGuire's orders were clear: Get the hostage out alive. After spiriting Jennifer Wesley to safety, their terror and need ignited into passion. Mission over, haunted by memories of their night together, Brodie didn't expect to see the Louisiana society girl again. Then she showed up at McGuire Securities.

Six years ago, Brodie saved Jennifer's life. Now she needs his protection again. But he has no idea who she really is. On his family's Texas ranch, attraction flares, taking them over the edge. As Jennifer's violent past explodes in the present, she has to find a way to earn Brodie's trust before her deadly secrets get them both killed.

Very good book. Six years earlier, when Brodie was still a SEAL, his mission had been to rescue Jennifer. He got to her right before she was going to be killed. There had been an immediate flare of attraction between them, which they gave in to, but then it was over. Brodie never expected to see her again.

Now Jennifer has shown up at the security firm that he and his brothers run. She is being stalked and Brodie is the only one she feels she can trust. But in order for him to protect her properly, she's going to have to come clean about her past.

Brodie had never forgotten Jennifer and often wondered how she was. His protectiveness kicked in when she came to him for help, and the attraction flared hot again immediately. When he found out the truth about her past, he had a brief period of wondering if she could be trusted, but that didn't last too long. I loved watching him stand up for her to his brothers, and how he got them involved in helping too. Brodie's passion and protectiveness grew to the point where he realized that his heart was involved also. He swore that he wouldn't let her walk away again.

Jennifer was an amazing woman. She had been an undercover agent for years, until she couldn't stand the life anymore. She, too, had never forgotten Brodie. As she revealed her past to him, she was worried that it would drive him away from her. As the danger increased, she felt guilty about the trouble she had brought to his family. Her love for him grew to where she'd rather leave him than have him and the family hurt because of her. I loved seeing them come together, and trust each other to be what they needed.

The action and suspense in the book was great. From the moment that Jennifer reappeared in his life, the action didn't stop. I figured out part of the stalker problem pretty quickly, but there ended up being more to it. The additional danger was intense and the final confrontation kept me riveted until I was through it. There were some interesting twists, including a possible connection between Jennifer and Brodie's parents. There was a surprise player in the trouble that Jennifer was having, and we're left hanging a bit about what his complete involvement was. There's also a new clue in the deaths of the Maguire's parents that is a lead in to the next book.

Confessions - Cynthia Eden (HI #1545 - Feb 2015)

Series: Battling McGuire Boys (Book 1)

Desperate to prove she's being framed for murder, Scarlett Stone entrusts her reputation -- and her life -- to the man who once broke her heart. Grant McGuire, a sexy former army ranger turned detective, has never been the same since military action. But behind his cold demeanor, he still burns for Scarlett.

Taking her case is an easy but dangerous decision for Grant. Together they must race against the clock to find the real killer, who now wants them both dead. More dangerous, however, is their sudden, reignited passion. Grant will do anything for a second chance with Scarlett…while she'll do everything to keep the secret she never wants him to know…

Good book with lots of action, good second chance romance. Scarlett and Grant had been high school sweethearts. After he graduated, Grant joined the army and became a ranger. The summer Scarlett graduated, Grant was home for a visit and broke things off with her. He claimed he didn't love her, but in reality he was trying to protect her from himself. With the things he had seen and done, he wouldn't be any good for her. The last thing he told her was that he'd be there for her if she ever needed him.

Ten years later both have moved on with their lives. Grant is back home, running a security company with his brothers. They all left the military after their parents were murdered, coming home to take care of their younger sister and try to find out who killed their parents. Scarlett went to college, became a teacher, and got engaged. They haven't been in contact, though they've seen each other at a distance. One night she shows up at Grant's office, begging for his help. She's about to be arrested for her fiance's murder, and she needs him to help her prove her innocence.

There's heat between them right away, showing that the old feelings are still there. Grant is determined to earn a second chance with Scarlett, but first he has to find out who set her up. As the days go on, the attacks on Scarlett escalate and Grant becomes a target as well. As they search for the real killer, they get to know each other again, and things from their pasts come out that create new stresses between them. I found it interesting that each had kept secrets in order to protect the other. Both have to find a way to let go of the past before they can have a future.

The suspense was well done. Though Scarlett was cleared fairly early, the issue of finding out who had set her up and was still out to get her continued. I loved the introduction of Grant's brothers into the story, as each of them did their part to support the investigation. By the middle of the book I had a good idea of who the culprit was, but there was enough going on to create some doubt. The final confrontation was quite intense and I was on the edge of my seat until they were out of it. The epilogue contained an interesting twist that was the result of that confrontation and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.