Into Dust - B.J. Daniels (HQN - Aug 2016)

Series: Montana Hamiltons (Book 5)

He's meant to protect her, but what is this cowboy keeping from her about the danger she's facing?

As the daughter of a presidential candidate, Cassidy Hamilton left the Montana family ranch to escape notoriety and live her own life. But when someone tries to abduct her off a Houston sidewalk, Cassidy finds protection in the tall, dark and sexy form of cowboy Jack Durand. The gorgeous Texan doesn't recognize her, wants nothing from her and is determined to keep her safe.

Jack hates keeping secrets from the beautiful Cassidy, but he knows more about her kidnapping attempt than he's admitting. Forced on the run, Jack and Cassidy begin piecing together a jagged family puzzle, exposing a plot years in the making -- one that will either tear them apart or bring them closer together than ever.

Another very good entry into the Montana Hamiltons series. This one centers on Cassidy, one of the twin sisters who are the youngest of the family. She has been staying as far away from her father's campaign for president as she possibly can. While walking to visit friends, she is attacked and nearly kidnapped. If not for the action of a passerby, she would have been in trouble.

Jack was not exactly there by chance. While visiting his mother's grave, he had seen his father hand cash to a suspicious looking man. Worried about what his father was mixed up in, he followed the man, and was there to see him attempt to kidnap a young woman. Jack rushes in to save her, and determined to keep her safe, they go together to see if Jack can discover what his father is up to. What they find out is that Jack's dad isn't who he thought he was, and was mixed up with Cassidy's mom years ago.

As Jack and Cassidy try to evade the people who are after them, the sparks fly between them. The intensity of the danger they are in draws them closer together. I liked the support they gave each other as they learned more about what their parents were/are involved in. Their love happens quickly, but all does not go smoothly. They are captured twice, and the second time separates them for what seems like forever. Though they do come back together, because of the actions of Prophecy members, they don't remember each other. The romance part of the story felt unfinished because of it. I hope the next book gives them their HEA.

The series storyline, involving Sarah Hamilton's apparent return from the dead, continues to reveal new bits of information. More members of the group, The Prophecy, are introduced and their fanaticism exposed. There are some truly nasty people at work and it still hasn't been revealed just what their plan is. As Sarah regains some of her memories, she is more certain she wants no part of what they have planned. But because of threats to her family, she is forced to comply with their demands. It will be very interesting to see how this all works out in the end.

There was also some time spent with Sheriff Frank Curry and his wife Nettie. Frank is still dealing with the psychopathic young woman who is bent on killing him. We get more evidence of just how evil she is and her determination to have her revenge. I really thought she was going to succeed this time, but all worked out for the best.

I'm really looking forward to the next book and seeing what everyone does.

Hard Rain - B. J. Daniels (HQN - Mar 2016)

Series: Montana Hamiltons (Book 4)

Sooner or later, every family secret comes to light…

When Brody McTavish sees Harper Hamilton's runaway horse galloping across the pastures, he does what any good cowboy would do -- gives chase and rescues her. Unfortunately for him, the woman he's secretly loved for years didn't need saving, and she's just reached her limit with people treating her as hopeless. But they soon have bigger problems when they make a gruesome discovery -- human remains revealed by a recent rainstorm. Remains that will dredge up old Hamilton family mysteries…and bring about a scandal that could threaten all Harper's loved ones.

With her father running for president, every move Harper makes is under scrutiny. But despite the risks, she's determined to uncover the truth about her family's role in a long-ago murder. If she can trust him enough, Brody will be more than an ally. He could be the only thing standing between Harper and an enemy intent on keeping the past buried forever.

Fantastic book. The trials and tribulations for the Hamilton family just keep piling up. Harper has been away for most of the time since her mother's return from the dead, finishing school and doing some traveling. Now she's back on the ranch, and in an expression of her frustration over what is happening in her life she goes for a ride, galloping across the fields and screeching. What she didn't know was that Brody was nearby, and thinking that she's in trouble comes riding to her rescue. She lets him know that in no uncertain terms, but once they get past that dust-up, it becomes apparent that there is something flaring between them.

Harper has had a crush on Brody since she was nine years old, and has been waiting for the chance to do something about it. She's tired of feeling like she's invisible around him, and makes it clear that she's interested. Brody is stunned to say the least. He's been interested in Harper since she was sixteen, but she was way too young for him. Now, not only is she older, but it turns out she is just as into him. However, there is one obstacle, and that is the enmity between their two families.  It is about to get worse, when they stumble on the remains of a human body. Those remains are of Brody's cousin, Maggie, who had disappeared thirty-five years earlier, and Harper's grandfather was believed to be responsible. Both Brody and Harper are determined to uncover the truth. Harper can't believe her grandfather would murder anyone. Brody isn't so sure, but he won't let Harper put herself in danger.

I liked both Harper and Brody. Both are strong-willed and won't let anyone discourage them from doing what they think is right. Harper tends to be a little on the naive side, I think, as she puts herself into some dangerous situations. Both of them are honorable, and want the truth, no matter what it turns out to be. I also loved the development of their relationship. Because of the resistance of their families, they have to fight harder to be together. Brody's determination to maintain his relationship with her, as well as pursue the truth about Maggie's murder, puts him at odds with his father and uncle. I hurt for him, and loved the way he stood up to them. Harper gets lectures from various members of her family, but it's the one from her mother that strikes closest to home. Can she take her happiness at the expense of his relationship with his family? I did like the end and seeing how both are determined to make it work for them.

The suspense of the story was excellent. Interspersed throughout were flashbacks to Maggie, JD, his wife Grace, and Harper's parents, Buck and Sarah. Each scene brings out a bit more of the events that led up to Maggie's death. In the current time, Brody and Harper, as well as Sheriff Curry, are trying to figure out who is responsible. Unfortunately for them, the suspect list gets longer instead of shorter. Every time I thought I had it figured out, someone else would come along and look more promising. A couple of attacks on Brody and Harper showed that someone believed that they were getting too close to the truth. The final confrontation was intense, with a twist I hadn't seen coming. I liked the way that Brody and Harper were able to stay pretty calm while it was happening and work together to bring the killer down. Loved Brody's ingenuity in bringing in help.

Also running through the book is the ongoing mystery of where Sarah has been for the last twenty-two years and what has brought her back. Russell is still working on a way to prove his theory, and uncovers some new information. Buck is happy to have Sarah back, but can't help having some questions of his own. Some of the things that came out in the flashbacks add to the feeling that there is something fishy going on. Even Russell is still working to figure out where she has been, though he has a more personal reason going on. An unexpected arrival at the end adds to Sarah's distress and complicates things even more. I'm really looking forward to the next two books and finally getting the truth.

Lucky Shot - B.J. Daniels (HQN - Nov 2015)

Series: Montana Hamiltons (Book 3)

He's determined to uncover the truth behind a decades-old disappearance -- even if it kills him

When hotshot reporter Max Malone gets a rare shot of Buckmaster Hamilton with a blonde woman near Beartooth, Montana, he chases down one of the senator's daughters to verify that the woman is his supposedly long-dead first wife. But Kat Hamilton won't give him the time of day, let alone any information about her mother.

With his tousled blond hair, sexy stubble and an old straw cowboy hat topping off his long, lean frame, Kat can just tell Max isn't used to female sources denying him anything. But when her own life is put in jeopardy, it's Max who comes to her rescue. Seems someone is prepared to kill to keep the past in the past. Kat can't deny she needs Max to find out what happened to her mother, but will getting closer and closer to each other lead them to the truth…or to danger?

Another exciting entry in the series. Max is one of the reporters that has been haunting the Hamiltons since Buckmaster Hamilton's first wife returned from the dead. When he snaps a picture of the two of them together, he goes to Kat Hamilton to confirm the identity of the woman in the picture. But Kat isn't cooperating. Kat has had enough of reporters pestering her for information about her mother, and Max especially rubs her the wrong way. But when he tells her of the information he has, she discovers that she wants the answers as much as he does.

I really liked Max. He's an investigative reporter with a sense of honor, not a gossip rag paparazzi. Though he first just wanted to use Kat for information, he soon found himself liking her as a woman. This made his investigation harder in a way, because he doesn't want to hurt Kat, but finding out the truth is important. I also really liked Kat. She is independent and stubborn. She may be one of the "Hamilton Girls" but she lives her life her own way. She knows she should be happy that her mother is alive and well, but she has questions that haven't been getting any answers until Max showed up. 

I loved the sparks that flew between them from the beginning. Max really tries to resist because he has a rule about getting involved with someone who's part of a story he is working on, but finds himself too deeply drawn to her. I liked the way that he saw behind the surface toughness that she showed the rest of the world to the woman beneath. He had the patience to bring her out of her shell. He was also protective of her, as the danger of their investigation increased, and he was impressed by her ability to remain focused on their goal in the midst of that danger. Kat doesn't want to feel the things she does around Max. She's spent a lot of years protecting herself from the hurt she experienced before, but Max is working his way past her protective walls. Because he is a reporter, she is also extra wary of him at the beginning, but quickly finds herself trusting him. They get closer as the book goes on, but each is fully aware of their own issues that hold them back from opening up completely. I really loved their honest appraisal of their relationship at the end of the book, and the steps they took to see if it was real.

The mystery of Sarah Hamilton's return continues from the previous two books. The information that Max and Kat uncover indicate that she may have been part of a domestic terrorist group years earlier, but her lack of memory makes it impossible to confront her about it. The more information they uncover, the worse it looks for Sarah. There's also someone out there who doesn't like what they are doing and multiple attempts are made at stopping them. At the same time, local sheriff Frank Curry has been doing some investigating of his own, with his wife's help. The things he discovers, when added to what Max and Kat have found, bring up serious questions about just why Sarah reappeared now. Meanwhile, Buckmaster himself is caught between two women - his current wife, Angelica, and his first wife, Sarah. He has never stopped loving Sarah, but he also cares for Angelica, who has been beside him in his bid for the presidency. He is increasingly frustrated by her focus on digging up whatever dirt she can find on Sarah. Angelica's inquiries are stirring up trouble for her also. Buck can't seem to stay away from Sarah, who has apparently moved on with a neighboring rancher. A confrontation at the end of the book stops those who have been attacking Max and Kat, and though answers are apparently found to some of the questions about Sarah, Max and Kat are still suspicious. The book ends with a twist and a cliffhanger.