An unexpected family A once-in-a-lifetime reunion in danger… After a bitter breakup, FBI agent Everett Colton never expected to see his ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Bartholomew, again. Suddenly, tragedy reunites them–and makes them guardians of an orphaned baby girl. Everett suspects that her parents’ deaths were anything but innocent. When his instinct for danger proves correct, it’s his job to … it’s his job to protect the child he’s grown to love…and the woman he never forgot.
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MS Godman writes a great romantic suspense story filled with emotion, here we meet Everett Colton and his ex-girlfriend Alyssa Bartholomew, when they are given custody of six month old Kennedy Dodd after she is orphaned in tragic circumstances, this beautiful child will bring them together for a second chance at love and this time with a gorgeous daughter.
Everett is stunned when he walks into the lawyer’s office and is joined by his ex-Alyssa , he is also very shocked when he hears the reading of Sean Dodd’s will they grew up together but had not been friends for many years and now it appears the he and the woman he never forgot are going to be parents. Being an FBI agent gets Everett’s mind working on how Kennedy’s parents dies.
Alyssa is beyond shocked at meeting up with Everett again after four years apart, there were reasons why they broke-up but not loving Everett was never one of them and now they are being reunited by this gorgeous baby girl and Alyssa is determined to be a good mother and work out their past together, that is if they can stay alive.
There is lots going on in this fast paced story, murder, mayhem and an investigation into the deaths of Kennedy’s parents and a lot from the past to get over, Everett is doing all he can to keep Alyssa and Kennedy safe when someone is out to kill them. Alyssa has to come to terms with Everett’s job and as he works to protect them at all costs she finally understands and she also gets him to open up and let his emotions out. A great story with fabulous characters, a beautiful romance and a fantastic HEA and there is nothing like a Christmas story to make me smile anytime of the year I do highly recommend this one.
A good mix of suspense and second chance romance. Four years after breaking up, Everett and Alyssa were brought together when they became co-guardians of a baby girl. Everett believes that her parents’ deaths were suspicious, and threats against baby Kennedy soon prove him right.
I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Everett and Alyssa. As it turned out, neither got over their breakup, with subsequent attempts at relationships never measuring up to the memories of what they had. Neither was blameless in the breakup, with events from the past affecting their relationship. Alyssa lost her father when he was stabbed to death. Her fear of Everett getting hurt in his job as an FBI agent exacerbated her fear of losing someone she loved. At the same time, Everett is wracked with guilt over something that happened in his previous job, and he keeps tight control over his emotions because of it. Thrown together to raise baby Kennedy, I loved seeing them adjust to being instant parents while at the same time trying to figure out their own relationship.
I liked both Everett and Alyssa. Alyssa won my heart when she immediately accepted the responsibility of raising Kennedy. She’s understandably nervous about being with Everett but will do whatever necessary for the baby. Everett also got points when he stepped up in spite of his doubts. I loved seeing how their care for Kennedy brought them together. An added four years of experience and maturity helped move their relationship along. I especially liked seeing Alyssa’s attitude toward Everett’s job change as she experienced his protectiveness toward her and Kennedy. Everett was a slightly harder nut to crack, but it wasn’t long before his control over his emotions began to slip. I ached for him when he finally opened up to Alyssa about what had caused his withdrawal and loved her support of him. I liked the sparks that flew between them, the feeling of family that both felt immediately, and how they combined to show them that they belonged together.
The suspense of the story was terrific. We first met Sean and Delilah Dodd, and his sister Claudia, in Caught in the Crossfire, where they were caught and arrested for cattle rustling and murder. This book begins with the deaths of Sean and Delilah and Everett’s suspicions about it. While Sean and Delilah earned their arrest in the previous book, this book showed that there were at least a few redeeming qualities about them. These traits added to Everett’s questions and motivated his investigation. Things became more complicated when he and Alyssa began receiving threats against Kennedy’s life and attempts on theirs. There was a steady increase in the tension with each threat or attack and Everett’s determination to put an end to them. Suspicion as to who was behind them came quickly, but the problem was finding the evidence. The final confrontation was intense. Everett and Alyssa’s cool heads kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how they were going to handle it. I loved Everett’s quick thinking and how it all turned out.
4 1/2 STARS!
With the sixth book in the Colton 911 series, Jane Godman brings us an unorthodox reunion story with FAMILY UNDER FIRE. An FBI agent and his ex-girlfriend are reunited when they are left co-guardianship of his former best friend turned criminal’s baby girl.
Everett has no idea why Sean would leave him to look after his daughter, much less why he would include the woman who dumped him four years ago as part of the equation.
Alyssa might have been the one doing the dumping, but it’s easy to see she still has feelings for Everett when they are reunited. It doesn’t take long for playing house with little Kennedy to feel way too real!
I recommend this story to anyone loving a fast paced reunion story that has a bit of a crime to have to solve in the midst of all of the emotion and drama. The characters were easy to like and get behind cheering for.
Love of family is a very strong motivation!
Alyssa Bartholomew and Everett Colton haven’t seen each other in the four years since their relationship ended. When Everett walked into the reception area of the law office of Raymond Torrington he thought he was imagining things as he smelled the scent of violets. Acqua Viola. It couldn’t be. He is here for the reading of the last will and testament of Sean Dodd and Delilah Kennedy Dodd. He walks into the office and is shocked to see Alyssa Bartholomew sitting there. He sat as they both waited for the attorney to show up. The shock of seeing each other once again was more than doubled when the will indicated that they are now the guardians of the Dodd’s six-month-old daughter, Kennedy. The requirement is to raise her together. They both fell in love with the sweet baby so it looks like they will take up this challenge. What a challenge it turns out to be. There are notes threatening baby Kennedy. There are attempts on the parents’ lives. It’s time to find out who is behind this evil and stop it.
Colton 911: Family Under Fire by Jane Godman is part of Harlequin’s Colton 911 series. As I read this story I realized that there is a book before this one which features Everett’s twin brother Casey, Colton 911: Caught in the Crossfire. I plan to pick up that one soon as the hints from this book about Casy are intriquing. Speaking of intrigue, this story has lots of intrique and suspense. But what really caught my attention was the relationship between Alyssa and Everett. I like how Jane Godman develeoped these characters and described their strengths and weaknesses so well. Their relationship broke up initially due to issues festering from their pasts. Alyssa feared the danger of Everett’s job and Everett was too closed off and didn’t reveal what bothered him. They worked hard after Kennedy came into their lives to overcome their issues. Through threats and danger they perservered and the end result was a happy family.
This story takes place during the Christmas season and the spirit of Christmas exhibited even through all the stress added to my enjoyment of this book.