Sunday, February 19, 2017

Mountain Shelter - Cassie Miles (HI #1682 - Dec 2016)

A mountain hideaway is all that stands between a bodyguard and the killer after his beautiful client…

As a highly skilled cyber security expert and bodyguard, there are few dangers Dylan Timmons can't handle. But his next assignment brings unexpected risks. Hired to protect brilliant -- but socially reclusive -- neurosurgeon Jayne Shackleford, Dylan seeks answers in what he suspects was a foiled kidnapping attempt. As the daughter of an oil tycoon, Jayne is the perfect target for ransom, so retreating to the mountains is the first step in keeping her safe. The second step is remaining vigilant in their secluded surroundings -- and resisting the beautiful brunette with a target on her back.

Good book that starts with intense action and never really lets up. Jayne is a neurosurgeon who escapes an attempted kidnapping. Dylan is the cyber security expert she hires to be her bodyguard. Together they work to find out who is after her and why.

I really liked both Jayne and Dylan. Jayne is brilliant, having gone through her schooling to become a doctor in a very short time. She is incredible at what she does, but outside the hospital not so much. Because she had concentrated on her studies from a very young age, she never really learned how to interact with people her own age. A few dating disasters have put her off romantic relationships also. But she recognizes her attraction to Dylan for what it is and is determined to pursue it.

Dylan is a brilliant computer programmer and has put his talents to good use with the security company he runs with his brother and friend. He is not the typical bodyguard type, instead he is a tall, lanky, glasses-wearing geek. His strength seems to be in out-thinking the bad guys rather than beating them up. He is attracted to Jayne right away, not just to her physical beauty, but also to her brilliant mind.

I loved the development of their romance. Both are incredibly smart and find that sexy in each other.  Dylan takes his job seriously and is determined to protect Jayne without getting involved with her, because that would be a distraction that could get them both killed. Jayne is equally determined to have her way with him. She doesn't expect anything to go past his time of protecting her, because nobody has ever wanted her for real. It was so much fun to see them connect on their nerd levels - the scene where she got excited over him having a 3D printer was priceless. I also enjoyed their time on the RSQ ranch and seeing Dylan teach Jayne how to have fun. It was such an unusual experience for her that my heart ached for her. Both of them tried to protect their hearts by attempting to ignore the depth of their feelings, but in the end they couldn't be denied. I loved the ending and the matter-of-fact way they made their decision.

The suspense of the story was also good. Once they knew who was after her, they had to figure out why. Many of the actions of Koslov didn't make sense in light of what they knew about him. As more information was uncovered it became pretty obvious who was behind it and why, the only question was how it was going to happen. I loved the intensity and fast pace of the final confrontation. It was great to see how her time with Dylan had given Jayne more confidence in her ability to handle herself, and she used that ability to hold off disaster. I loved seeing her medical talents hold true and how it brought about a satisfactory ending for most.

Jayne's relationship with her father was also a big part of the story. Their interactions had always been painful for Jayne, who felt that her father never appreciated her for who she was. I got the feeling that part of the problem was that he simply didn't know how to relate to her. The final scene with them was pretty sweet, and I have high hopes that the future will be very different for them.

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