Book Description:
After barely escaping an attempted abduction, Houston attorney Riley Hudson is forced to accept her wealthy father’s demand for private security. The last thing she wants is a bodyguard—especially one as maddeningly arrogant, bossy … and handsome as Colton Blankenship. Yet as the threat against her escalates, she begins to rely not only on his skills, but his steadfast presence.
Colton isn’t thrilled about giving up his hard-earned holiday vacation to protect a spoiled heiress. But he soon learns Riley is nothing like he expected. Fierce, independent, and unwavering in her faith, she’s everything he thought he’d left behind after tragedy shattered his own beliefs. As the unknown threat circles closer, the tension between them ignites into something deeper … and far more perilous.
When a second attempt on Riley’s life nearly succeeds, Colton faces a terrifying truth. Protecting her means risking more than just his life. Haunted by a past he can’t outrun, and a faith he’s all but lost, he must decide if he can trust God again … before he loses Riley—and his heart—for good.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Mistletoe and Malice, the first book in Lori DeJong’s Guardian Hearts series set in Houston, Texas. Riley is an heiress with a heart of gold who does pro bono attorney work to help wrongly convicted felons get their freedom in addition to her charity work.
An attempted abduction turns Riley’s life upside down. She relocates to her childhood home on a sprawling estate and isn’t happy when her father insists she needs round the clock security. Colton leads the security team protecting Riley and temporarily lives onsite.
Colton and Riley’s meet cute is fiery and their romance is sweet. They quickly become friends who can’t ignore the sparks of attraction. Unknown danger is a constant threat. I loved how Colton cared for Riley and acknowledged that he couldn’t afford to get distracted by his feelings. They both have emotional baggage to unpack during the story and obstacles to overcome.
The suspense plot kept me guessing and I loved putting together the puzzle pieces to work out why Riley was being targeted. The side characters were interesting and played important roles in the story. I loved journeying with Riley and Colton and seeing their faith journeys. Justice and forgiveness themes are explored in the story.
I recommend Mistletoe and Malice to romantic suspense readers who like friends-to-more bodyguard romances with forced proximity, unknown danger, a stalker with a twist, intriguing mysteries and strong faith elements in the story.
