Protecting His Own

Couldn't put it down -- had to finish it in one day --- loved the characters but seemed like there was a lot of screaming? from just high spirits -- make those kind of kids go away.Definitely recommend this book -- and will look for more.

Molly Rice returns from an almost three year absence with what may be her best Intrigue yet, "Protecting His Own." Katelynn Adams was only the babysitter, until a desperate call from the children's mother sent her on the run with them. The mother's body was found later that night, and Kate has been in hiding ever since, raising another woman's children as her own... Joe Riley never knew about the twins he'd fathered, and his search to find them leads him to Kate's door. It also brings back the danger she'd been fleeing all those years ago. Suddenly, the family is on the run again, with Joe forced to protect the children he never knew, and the only mother they've ever known.It's always nice to find an Intrigue that has the power to truly surprise me, and this was one. Rice tells a taut, suspenseful tale sure to keep readers riveted, and just when you think she's settled into a groove and you know where the plot's going, she delivers a jolt that sends her characters in another direction. There were about three times when I had to put down the book and recover from a sudden plot twist (although in retrospect, at least one of them shouldn't have been so surprising. More savvy readers than me might catch on quicker). The climax alone contains a horrifying moment sure to send shivers down your spine. Anyone who's grown weary of predictable category romances: Get to your bookstore now!While that element is what makes "Protecting His Own" such a standout, it also fulfills the requirements of romantic suspense. Although throwing the reader right into the action means the character development doesn't start until a ways in, Rice does take the time to show Joe's growing devotion to his children and the possibility that these people can truly form a family. The six-year-old twins, Robbie and Ashleigh, are more "real" than the too-cute kids in so many romances and played a key part of the story. The heroine does have an unfortunate tendency to be slow on the uptake at times, but with her inner strength and determination to keep her children safe no matter what, she is a true heroine. These are four characters it is impossible not to care about, which makes the sudden circumstances they're caught in so much more compelling.Now that I've said all that, buy the book for the thrills. Although not one of the bigger name authors, Rice has written a book worth getting for anyone looking for a story both surprising and heartwarming.