Brenda Jackson (1) (1953–)

Good conclusion to The Protectors series. There has been a connection between Joy and Stonewall since they met in Forged in Desire, but their work schedules have prevented them from even having a date. Stonewall was determined, however, and his chance finally came when he and Joy attended Margo and Striker's wedding. I loved how he went all out to impress her with an incredibly thoughtful and romantic event. It was no surprise that the attraction between them lit up like the Fourth of show more July.

As deep as their connection went, both Stonewall and Joy are wary of any kind of commitment. Stonewall doesn't believe in forever. He lost his parents and his grandfather in a short space of time when he was a youth. The pain of those losses has made him determined to keep his encounters emotion-free. Joy was engaged to a man who resented her career and the time she spent on it. Convinced that relationships are impossible for her, Joy only agreed to the occasional "diversion." I loved the development of their relationship. Though both believed it was simply physical at first, it was clear that the connection between them went much deeper. I loved how Stonewall's way of taking care of her made Joy feel cherished, without diminishing her independence and strength. At the same time, Stonewall's growing feelings for Joy made him reconsider his beliefs about forever. But it took nearly losing each other for them to realize the depth of their feelings. I loved the ending and seeing them open up to each other about their love.

I really liked both Stonewall and Joy. Stonewall turned his life around while in prison. I loved his commitment to helping others the same way that Seth Granger helped him. He is also a man with a kind and loving heart, which is easy to see in his relationships with his grandmother and sister. One of the things I liked best about him was his vocal support of Joy and her career. I loved the scene in the restaurant after her promotion and how he shut those men down. Joy was amazing. I loved her commitment to her work and the protectiveness she felt for the people. I loved how she didn't let the naysayers in the department get to her; she simply did what she did best and proved her worth. I loved how tenacious she was when it came to solving her cases.

The suspense of the story was very good. I loved how one new piece of information gave Joy the key to unlocking the mystery of the unidentified dead woman. Following Joy's investigation was fascinating as she put all the pieces together, trusting in her instincts as well as the clues. Getting the point of view of the various bad guys gave excellent insight into how convoluted the whole thing was. It was also interesting to see the connection between the surrogate scheme and the events of the first two books. The final confrontation was intense and had me on the edge of my seat until everyone was safe.

I loved seeing more of Striker and Margot, and Randi and Quasar. The strength of the friendship among the three men was fantastic. It was wonderful to see how they were always ready to back one another up if needed, but that they could also cut loose with some hilarious teasing. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Grangers and how they are doing since Seth's acquittal. The hospital scenes at the end were great. show less

Two years earlier, Carmen saw Redford at a wedding and told her friend Leslie (What He Wants for Christmas), "That's the man I'm going to marry." Leslie tried to explain that she knows Redford and he will never marry. Carmen insists they are soulmates and it will happen. Redford hears about it and laughs but carefully avoids her.

After a brutal betrayal when he was younger (a senior in high school), Redford swore he would never marry or have children. He has kept his promise and is well show more known for his "one and done" approach to women. Fast forward to the present and they meet again at another wedding. The sparks between them are intense, and Redford wants her in his bed. Carmen believes that the right woman can tame a heartbreaker. "She would not pursue him. When the time was right, he would pursue her."

Meanwhile, Redford's confidence in his plans to seduce her is unwavering. She's been warned of his reputation. A starlit picnic leads to a passionate night, but Carmen's optimism takes a hit when he leaves without a word.

Shaken and confused, Redford doesn't understand why he can't get Carmen and their night together out of his mind. He's determined to regain control and knows what to do. His plan comes to a screeching halt when Redford learns Carmen is pregnant and at high risk of losing the baby. Though he had made his aversion to marriage and fatherhood clear to Carmen, he wouldn't turn his back on her and his child.

I enjoyed watching Carmen and Redford's relationship develop. Redford is determined to care for Carmen and prove to her that he wants to be part of their child's life. Understandably wary, Carmen agrees to let him stay. Redford's care for her is unexpectedly tender and intense, right down to his compulsive research on the best foods to aid with her sickness and giving her a pedicure. However, he still fights his feelings for her, attributing their growing connection to friendship. Carmen knows she loves him but won't say anything because she won't risk a repeat of his rejection. I liked the ending and the advice that got them past the fears and misunderstandings that held them back. show less

Good book. Durango Westmoreland and Savannah Claiborne met at the wedding of his cousin Chase to her sister Jessica. Their attraction was instant and intense, and they snuck away from the reception to enjoy it. Two months later, Savannah shows up at his Montana ranch to let him know she's pregnant.

Durango was stunned at the news and reacted like a complete jerk. Years earlier, he'd fallen for a city woman who had used and manipulated him, destroying his trust in women. With that at the back show more of his mind, his suspicious and dismissive comments made his opinion clear. Savannah was hurt and furious. She came to tell him in person because it was the right thing to do, but she didn't need him. I loved seeing her push back and walk away.

But it isn't over. Durango quickly realizes that the baby is his, he acted like a jerk, and as a Westmoreland, he has to step up and take responsibility. He immediately goes after Savannah and catches up with her at the airport, where she's just learned all flights are canceled because of an impending blizzard. Durango offers the use of his guest room and says it will give them a chance to talk.

Durango wants to be involved in Savannah's pregnancy and their baby's life. He proposes that they marry now and plan to divorce when the baby is six months old. Savannah is wary. She doesn't believe in love and marriage thanks to her father and doesn't see the need to marry Durango. He eventually wins her over when he agrees that it will be a marriage in name only. This made me laugh because it's clear that he wants her back in his bed.

The sparks of attraction between Durango and Savannah are just as intense as before. Durango accepts it and plans to use the attraction to get her back in his bed while she's living there. Savannah also feels the sparks but believes that she can resist them. It was fun to watch her try to fight the battle against Durango's campaign of sexy kisses. Eventually, they give in to the power of the attraction, both believing that it's just for fun while they are together. With their time together and getting to know each other, the attraction deepens into stronger feelings. Both fight hard against admitting those feelings until forced to do so in conversations with others. I loved those conversations - Durango and Jared, and Savannah and Jessica - who brought the voice of experience to the situation.

Thanks to a document Savannah received in the mail, there's a bit of a hiccup in the prospect of a future together. Believing Durango doesn't share her feelings sends her fleeing into the teeth of a blizzard. I loved Durango's big moment and the emotional confession of his feelings. The epilogue was fantastic. I loved the big family get-together and Durango's meeting with the other Westmoreland men. I especially enjoyed the tagline, "Which one of you will be next?" show less

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 show more 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. show less