Black Canyon Conspiracy - Cindi Myers (HI #1590 - Sept 2015)

Series: Ranger Brigade (Book 4)

He'd rescued a beautiful hostage, now he needed to keep her alive

Former Special Forces soldier Marco Cruz has no time for messy emotions. But the beautiful TV reporter he saved from a hostage ordeal now faces graver danger. Someone wants Lauren Starling dead -- and the sinfully handsome Ranger wants to be the one to protect her.

Teaming up to find a killer and bring Lauren's kidnapper to justice, Marco and Lauren go on the run -- outside the law -- in a harrowing race for their lives. Before long, Marco begins to have unfamiliar feelings for Lauren -- admiration, sympathy…and a powerful lust. He knows what's going on between them is unprofessional. But also undeniable.

Excellent conclusion to the series. Lauren is the reporter who had gone missing in the first book, and who was rescued at the end of Colorado Bodyguard. She is determined to see the man responsible brought to justice, but he is rich and powerful and very good at evading consequences for his actions.

Marco is one member of the Ranger Brigade and the one who helped rescue Lauren. He has spent years burying his emotions in order to do his job, but something about Lauren has those feelings reappearing. When it becomes apparent that someone wants her dead, Marco is the one determined to protect her.

Throughout the previous books, all clues led to Richard Prentice being the mastermind behind the crime wave in the area, but hard evidence was impossible to find. Even after Lauren's rescue he was able to sway public opinion against her. His diatribes against the government in general and the Ranger Brigade in particular end up getting the task force disbanded. But being the good guys that they are, the whole crew and their ladies refuse to go down without a fight. Taking the investigation private they come up with an unorthodox plan. Lauren and Marco will beard Richard in his own home and attempt to find the proof that they need. What happens then sends Lauren and Marco out into the wilderness on their own, trying to evade capture. They stumble upon something so unexpected and frightening that they realize they are the only ones who can prevent a huge disaster. I loved their creativity and resourcefulness as, working together, they are finally able to bring an end to Richard's delusions. The entire last third of the book had me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how they would get out of one crisis after another. The final confrontation was intense and scarily realistic in today's world.

I loved the relationship that grew between Marco and Lauren. Lauren has had an especially rough time lately, and recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder is finally getting her life back on track. She is dealing with the stigma of mental illness, which makes her reluctant to believe that someone like Marco could ever be interested in her. I loved the way that Marco not only didn't look down on her, he admired her strength and her courage and made sure she knew it. He had his own insecurities, thanks to his youth in gang ridden LA and his later activities in the Special Forces. He was sure that Lauren could do much better than someone like him. I loved the ending as they confessed their feelings for each other, but also accepted the truth that their lives together would probably never be easy, but if they were together it would all be worth it.

Colorado Bodyguard - Cindi Myers (HI #1586 - Aug 2015)

Series: Ranger Brigade (Book 3)

The rugged terrain of Colorado wouldn't make their mission easy. Nor would the attraction between them.

Sophie Montgomery's sister was missing and her trail stopped dead in the Black Canyon -- which was firmly in Rand Knightbridge's jurisdiction. Part of the Ranger Brigade, he could lead Sophie on a search deep into this remote part of Colorado. Although afraid to disappoint the desperate beauty, Rand couldn't ignore her determination. But it was clear she needed protecting after shots rang out and Sophie barely escaped with her life. Now, as the job he'd reluctantly agreed to became a very personal mission, Rand knew he'd do anything to bring Sophie's sister home. Because seeing Sophie happy was the only outcome he'd allow. Or accept.

Good addition to the series. Sophie has come to Colorado to search for her sister, reporter Lauren Starling, who has been missing for more than a month. She goes to the team at the Ranger Brigade to find out what progress has been made with the search and isn't happy with what she finds out. When she states her intention to start investigating on her own, Rand steps in to try to stop her. Instead, he finds himself wanting to help her.

Sophie has found some clues that give the team some more things to look at, including their number one suspect in most of their troubles. After she drags Rand along on an interview with Richard Prentice, the two of them find themselves dodging bullets later that evening. Then Sophie's room at her hotel was broken into and her things destroyed. It's obvious that someone doesn't like what she's doing and Rand is determined to keep her safe.

Rand is attracted to Sophie, her beauty and her love and loyalty to her sister. I loved seeing how protective he became of her and how quickly he started to believe in her conviction that Lauren was still alive. I also liked seeing how sensitive he was to her fears and worked to overcome them. Sophie was also attracted to Rand, but she had a hard time believing that he was really interested in her. Even though she is older than her sister, she feels that she doesn't measure up to her in beauty and appeal. I liked seeing the growth of the feelings between them and how Rand's love gave Sophie the confidence to believe in him.

The suspense and action of the story was good and kept a good pace through the book. Each new piece of information brought them a little closer to finding out what happened to Lauren. There were also more things that linked to Richard Prentice, but never the proof that they really needed. There were several times when things got really intense, such as when Sophie sneaked into Richard Prentice's house to look for her sister and again when she and Rand were trapped in the mine. The conclusion was exciting, with one more mystery solved, but one part still hanging fire. I'm looking forward to seeing how it finishes.

Lawman Protection - Cindi Myers (HI #1578 - July 2015)

Series: Ranger Brigade (Book 2)

One lawman is determined to keep his enemies close…and an innocent woman even closer…

A killer lurked in the Colorado wilderness, and now Captain Graham Ellison had some reporter sniffing around the crime scene. And not only did Emma Wade know the victim, she never dropped an investigation once she started it. But all Graham saw was an independent streak that would get the gorgeous redhead killed. As much as he didn't like allowing a civilian access to his case, he needed to keep Emma close if he also hoped to keep her alive. And he very much did. After all, she was an innocent victim who needed his protection. Nothing more. Or so he kept telling himself.

Very good book that kept me hooked from the very beginning. Graham is the head of a task force that is investigating crime in and around Colorado park lands. When the book opens, he is unwillingly giving a press conference, at which Emma is one of the members of the press. She confronts him about a woman that has gone missing and that law enforcement doesn't seem to be making an progress in finding.

Graham detests the press because of their habit of stirring things up. He's not happy with Emma's questioning of their dedication. He makes it clear to her that they have done what they can, but that they also have other cases they are working on. Emma doesn't give up once she's started investigating a story and Graham agrees to meet with her and talk. Something that he finds immensely frustrating is that he is also very attracted to the beautiful reporter.

Emma is someone who is very independent and very driven. She doesn't let anything get in her way when she is on the trail of a story, and that includes attractive FBI agents. She finds him extremely appealing, but also very frustrating when he tries to warn her off her investigation,

Emma and Graham realize that she might be onto something when someone takes shots at them while they are out to dinner, and then arrive at her home to discover that someone has broken in and stolen her research files. Graham's protectiveness kicks in and he takes her to his house that night to keep her safe. Their mutual attraction starts making itself felt almost immediately. But that attraction doesn't lessen their conflicts over her investigation, and a story she writes brings their differences back front and center.

The attraction between Graham and Emma is fierce and impossible to resist. I loved seeing how they admitted it and accepted it. Their first time together was incredible. One of the things I liked best about them as a couple was that they accepted each other as they were. Emma is not a petite twig and has accepted and embraced the body that she has. Graham is a tall and muscular man himself and appreciates Emma's curves. Emma likes being with a man that she doesn't intimidate.

Their first encounter comes to an abrupt end when someone sets her house on fire with them still in it. At this point, both Emma and Graham are determined to find out who is behind the attacks and why, but they have some trouble agreeing on how to accomplish it. Graham worries about Emma's safety, and finds the best way to keep her safe is to keep her with him, even while doing investigations. Emma tries to maintain her independence and works some investigative angles of her own, one of which gets her kidnapped. I loved seeing how Graham and his team found her, and the rescue itself was really intense. Graham and Emma have to learn how to reconcile his protectiveness and her independence to make their relationship work.

The suspense of the story, as the task force continues to try to identify who is behind the crime wave, builds in intensity throughout the book. From the death of a pilot and the identification of his missing cargo, they discover that they may be dealing with more than drugs and trafficking. Emma's linking of the missing woman to their chief suspect may be the motivation behind the attacks on her, but finding the proof they need continues to be a problem. The culmination of this book was intense, with part of the mystery solved, but another part still unresolved. I'm looking forward to the other books and seeing how it all ends.

The Guardian - Cindi Myers (HI #1572 - June 2015)

Series: Ranger Brigade (Book 1)

Memories of rescuing her fueled his dreams. Seeing her again fueled his desire.

Far from the mountains of Afghanistan, Abby Stewart found solace in the wild country of western Colorado. But after finishing one war, she was caught in another. In securing the crime scene, Lieutenant Michael Dance was more surprised to see Abby than the dead body. How could he forget her face after caring for her wounds and saving her life? And yet she didn't remember him at all. That wouldn't stop him from embarking on a high stakes investigation leading to much worse than murder. And if it helped jog Abby's memory and soften her toward him, he wouldn't leave her side until she was safe once more…

Good story with some fairly intense suspense. Abby was in Colorado working on her master's degree in environmental science. She likes being outdoors and on her own after her time in the military, which left her scarred physically and emotionally. While on her hunt for plants, she met a young Hispanic woman who seemed afraid, and then stumbled upon a body in the woods. 

When Abby showed up at the task force headquarters to report the murder, Michael was surprised to see her. He had been a pararescueman in Afghanistan and part of the team that rescued Abby when she was wounded. Michael has never forgotten the woman whose life he had saved. Now it looks like he'll be protecting her again.

I really enjoyed the interactions between them. Abby has no memory of Michael, but there's something about him that she trusts. She's also attracted to him, something she hasn't felt since she came back from the war. Abby is a strong and independent woman, well able to take care of herself. She isn't always happy with his protectiveness and has no trouble standing up to him when she thinks she needs to. I loved the way they worked together when they were stranded out in the backcountry. She's also still cautious with her emotions, having been hurt by people who couldn't see past her scars. Michael is impressed by Abby's resourcefulness and her ability to stay calm in a crisis. He's also frustrated by her unwillingness to stay back and out of danger. When that danger turns deadly, both of them realize that it's time to put their fears aside and take what fate has offered them..

I liked the suspense side of the story. The task force has been given the mission of dealing with crime on the national park and other lands in the area. They are dealing with drugs, human trafficking, and immigration issues among others. Abby's information gives them hope that they've finally had a break in the case. The danger increases as Abby's encounter with the young woman and the baby put them on the trail of the man who is bringing in illegal aliens to work the drug fields. The final confrontation was intense, with Abby at the mercy of the bad guy. This portion of the story wraps up well, but there are still questions to be answered. They suspect a local bigwig is a key player, but have no proof. I expect that he is going to play a part in future books as the team continues its efforts to stop what is happening. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.