Don't Keep Silent (Uncommon Justice, Book 3)

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, pub. 2020

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts:  And now we have the third McKade brother's story. I loved the first two books in this series, and this third story lives up to them. Liam McKade is a former DEA agent who has come home to Wyoming after having his cover blown and getting shot during his last assignment. He's mulling over his future, and whether to stay at the ranch and help his brother run things, or accept a job as head of security at a local ski resort. Rae is an investigative reporter. Her sister-in-law has disappeared, and her brother asks her to use her investigative skills to help find Zoey. Rae finds herself going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to find and question Zoey's mother. The last place she wants to be. Because that's where Liam is. But Liam saved her life once, and if anyone can help her find Zoey, it would be Liam.

Liam wants nothing to do with Rae, but is reluctantly drawn into her investigation. As the story progresses we're given little glimpses and tidbits of their shared history. Both Liam and Rae are wonderfully written characters, as all of Ms. Goddard's characters are. The plot moves along briskly, with plenty of twists into unexpected directions. I feel like my reviews of her books are just repeating the same things, but they are all truly engrossing. Her descriptions of the surroundings, in this case snow covered mountains with a chase on skis, are so evocative you feel you are there with the characters.

I'm sad there are no more McKade brothers, but I'm looking forward to her new series, “Rocky Mountain Courage”, and I really need to hunt down some of her earlier books.

Goodreads synopsis: Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. A former DEA agent, Liam thought he could find peace at his Wyoming ranch, but he doesn't feel at home anywhere anymore. When the reporter who blew his cover on an important investigation inserts herself back into his life, he's less than thrilled. But Rae's keen investigative skills have led her down the right path--and directly into the dragon's mouth--leaving Liam no choice but to protect her.
As the danger increases, the past they both tried to flee catches up to them, along with the feelings they once had for each other . . .

The Detective and the Burglar

KIRSTEN PAUL

Stats for my copy: pdf review copy; pub. 2020   

How acquired: BookSirens

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I requested this book because it sounded like a light, fun, romantic comedy, and the book delivered! Emily is an appraiser for an auction house, and is in King Court to help appraise furniture at an inn for an upcoming auction. In her younger years, she did some breaking and entering, but has been on the straight and narrow for the past ten years, and is focused on her career. Then she sees a small wooden train car at the local antique shop, which may help unlock some secrets about her biological family, and before she can talk herself out of it she steals the train car. Armand is a detective with the local police, investigating several car thefts, and when Emily's rental car is stolen, their paths cross, in a very unforgettable way. 

I was pretty captivated from the first few pages. Armand and Emily are, of course, attracted to each other right away, but both have reasons for not acting on that attraction. Armand is a morally upstanding officer of the law, and Emily is a victim and a witness in his car thefts investigation, which makes her off limits. Emily just broke the law when she stole that train car, so of course she wants to stay as far away from Armand as possible. The last thing she needs to be arrested and loose her job and her professional reputation. I smiled a lot, and laughed occasionally, while reading about their antics and escapades. And when they finally give in to the attraction? Hoo boy, worth the wait!

The author’s writing is a little on the breezy side (that’s a good thing!), and when I finally had some time over the weekend to just sit and read I sailed through the book fairly quickly. There are quite a few supporting characters, and while they weren’t all as fully fleshed out as Armand and Emily, they were often amusing. Looking at the author’s other books, I noted that one of the characters had her own story in THE HOCKEY PLAYER AND THE ANGEL, which came out in 2019, and I definitely want to read it also. 

Overall, a a fun and quite enjoyable story. 

Goodreads synopsis: Former burglar on demand, Emily Atterberry has left her life of crime behind. Or so she thinks until she stumbles on a piece of her past holding clues to her biological family's identity. She feels guilty but steals it, hoping it will lead to the answers she is searching for. Detective Armand Lecavalier is investigating recent luxury car thefts and is convinced Emily knows more than she's saying. He needs to find out what she knows to prove to the big-time police precincts he's more than just a small-town officer. Thrown together, Emily and Armand find it hard to remain professional. All they want to do is have fun—with and without handcuffs. But can Armand look past his code of conduct for love or is Emily facing time behind bars?