Deadly Protector (Red Stone Security #19)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

He’s a former thief.

Dimitri’s world is turned upside down when he meets Zamira. The sweet single mom knows nothing about who he used to be. He should stay away, because he’s the last thing she needs in her life. But when she’s targeted by a threat from her past, he can’t keep his distance any longer.

She’s been burned before.

Zamira is a widow raising her twins with the help of her big family. After a devastating betrayal by her deceased husband, dating hasn’t been on her radar in years—until she meets a man who makes her feel alive again. But before she can think about taking the next step with him, a deadly secret threatens to rip her world apart. She knows she can’t handle things alone, yet when Dimitri steps in she realizes he has secrets too. He’s more dangerous than anyone she’s ever met. And the biggest threat he poses is to her heart.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

The Red Stone security series is one that fell off the radar for a while as Katie Reus built and developed several other series, but I am thrilled to say it is back in a big way. This latest installment revolves around the sister of one of the previous heroines and one of her acquaintances who has developed a bit of a tendre for her. Katie takes us through the past mistakes and the dangerous forgiveness needed for two people to find their way in love and happiness in this story of two people finding love. Zamira has buried a husband, raised two children to teenagers, and is settled into a career, she doesn’t see herself as a sexy woman much anymore, but when she looks at her therapy client Dimitri, she still feels that little tug. Dimitri has been attracted to Zamira from the beginning but between being her client and all the tangled webs of her relationships with Red Stone members, he is hesitant to begin a courtship. When a unique opportunity present itself, however, Dimitri can’t resist the opportunity to show her a few exciting nights out of the town—and hope it might lead to more. But when danger begins stalking the sensual single mother, Dimitri will pull out all the stops to keep her safe and eliminate the danger at her back so that she can decide if she’s willing to risk her heart on him. I really enjoyed seeing Zamira come out of her shell as a woman and find her footing again, with the help of her family and friends, and remembering what it was like to just be. She was sassy, sexy, and lovable, without being a total pushover which made her perfect for Dimitri. Seeing her interacting with her slightly crazy family was fun for sure, but the best part was when her children were pushing her out of the nest, kind of the opposite of what usually happens. Dimitri is a man with a hard past, one that has led him down some shady paths, but when he finds a woman that he can fall for he seems willing to pull out all the stops to protect her and keep her safe. I really loved seeing that and it was intriguing to see him working with the Red Stone guys to protect her and bring the bad guys down. The passion between these two once they finally stopped fighting themselves was intense and intimate and you could tell it would last a long time. I am really looking forward to the next in the series for sure.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.