Monthly Archives: July 2021

Home to Texas by Kaki Warner – a Review

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Home to Texas by Kaki Warner – a Review

 

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Description:
She’s his last case, he’s her fresh start—two troubled ex-soldiers find new purpose and a second chance at love in this new contemporary western romance from award-winning author Kaki Warner.

Lieutenant KD Whitcomb had mapped out her career from West Point to the Pentagon. But when an injury under questionable circumstances forces her to leave the army, her dreams fall dead at her feet. Feeling lost and needing to rediscover the tough woman beneath the uniform, she heads back to the family ranch in Rough Creek. Only two things get her through the nightmares and sleepless nights: the support of her family and the CID officer investigating the incident in Afghanistan. He infuriates her. Makes her laugh. Gives her hope.
 
Richard Murdock is struggling, too. There’s something fishy about this last case…and the threats coming from Afghanistan aimed at both him and KD. He’s ready to leave the army and make a new start. But how will he protect KD? And what should he do about the growing attraction between them? He’s been burned before. But there’s something about KD’s vulnerability and strength that calls to him, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her and give her a chance to build new dreams…including helping her start a PTSD equine therapy program at the Texas ranch.
 
If they can overcome the threats against them and heal old wounds, this second chance might be better than they ever dreamed.

 

 

Review:

Home to Texas by Kaki Warner is the second book in her Brides of Rough Creek Texas series. This started with bang, as we meet KD Whitcomb, our heroine, as she is a soldier stationed in Afghanistan. When KD’s superior officer goes to help free a young boy kidnapped and being brutalized by a powerful Afghanistan leader, she goes with her. All hell breaks loose, as her superior officer is killed, and KD was shot in the back, but she was able to return the fire against the leader in self-defense.  KD is sent to a hospital to recover from very serious life-threatening injuries, both physically and mentally. 

Richard Murdock, our hero and CID officer, is assigned to this case to interview KD, when she awakes from her unconscious state.  After getting all the facts, Richard believes KD was acting in self-defense, but the army worries about the consequences, especially from Afghanistan leaders. The leader, whose son was killed threatens Richard, as well as KD and promises revenge, even though the son was evil.  Richard is not happy, and makes a decision to leave the army and restart his life. 

KD returns home to the family ranch at Rough Creek, with her family watching over her recovery.  Richard decides to stay close to KD, and help her through the army investigations, which in a short period she is cleared, but at the same time, is forced to leave the army and keep everything classified. Richard and KD slowly find themselves attracted to each other, and he is determined to keep a close eye on her, as he fears her life is in danger, as he stays with her at Rough Creek. I really liked Richard and KD together, as they had great chemistry, but I knew they each had their own issues that could complicate their relationship. It was great to see all of KD’s family, her mother, sisters, brother-in-law, and ranch hands. It was also nice to see KD bond with some of those she met through PST meetings.  I loved how the family all accepted Richard, especially Dalton, who made sure Richard told him the truth and what they might face at the ranch. What follows is an exciting, tense, action packed last half of the book, when the enemy comes closer.

It was an edge of your seat thriller that held our breaths worrying who will survive the attack. Home to Texas was a wonderful addition to this series. I loved Dalton and Raney in the first book, as well as Richard and KD, and I look forward to learning more about the rest of sisters.  I will note that the beginning of the book I did find stressful for a romance, but it turned out to be a great story. Warner created wonderful characters, as I loved them all. If you want a pure romance, great couple, wonderful characters and a background storyline of horses, training and competition, then you should be reading this book.  Home to Texas was very well written by Kaki Warner.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton – a Review

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The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton – a Review

 

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Description:
Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection—that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira.

When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o’clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself.

The Keepers is an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you’ll want to root for.

 

Review:

The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton is the 2nd book in his Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series. Mason (Mace) Reid, our hero, trains dogs that can hunt for dead bodies. He works with the police, and in the last book, he trained Vira, a golden retriever that also had unique abilities to sense things besides dead bodies, such as a slight paranormal element of sensing the murderer.  Vira lives with Mace, and the other three trained dogs, Sue, Maggie and Delta as well as a newbie dog, Bill, who loves to roll in the mud. Vira is an amazing dog, with special skills, as well as a terrific bodyguard.

Kippy Gimm, our heroine and detective, who worked with Mace in the previous book, and asks him for help on a murder case that she and her partner are in the middle of.  Kippy and Mace have feelings for each other, though Kippy is gun shy from a previous relationship, so now they are just friends.  When another murder happens, this being a federal prosecutor, Kippy, Mace and Wabs (her partner) suspect a corrupt and powerful person in a top position for the police, as well has his enforcer driver (who they feel is the killer).

What follows is a wild adventure, as things escalate when Mace and Kippy bring their opinions to a high up official, who turns the table on them, and they have to flee for their lives.  They both, with the dogs, go into hiding, as the news media (fed false information) has them being wanted and dangerous.  There were so many tense parts that held my breath if they can escape. Will they survive?

What follows is a wonderful exciting, tense thriller, with non-stop action, edge of your seat suspense, and a few twists along the way.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and this is the kind of book you need to read to enjoy.  I will say I loved the scenes with the dogs, as they were fun and even humorous. Mace was a wonderful hero, and I really liked Kippy, as she was strong and tough; I really hope they up their romance. Despite two great characters, Vira remains the star of this series, being an amazing dog.

The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton was another great addition to this series, as the story was exciting, suspenseful, intriguing and very well written.  If you enjoy murder mystery thrillers, with great characters and wonderful specialized cadaver dogs, you need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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