Colton 911: Target in Jeopardy

I always enjoy the depth of characters in Carla Cassidy’s exciting books. 🙂

Target in Jeopardy is the first novel I’ve read in the Colton 911 series, and I requested an advance reader copy of it because I can always rely on Carla Cassidy to deliver an exciting, well-plotted, and well-written romantic suspense novel, and she did exactly that in Target in Jeopardy, which gets 5 stars from this reader.

Avery Logan is a dedicated and talented prosecuting attorney in Whisperwood, Texas, and while standing outside the courthouse one morning, she spots the last person she expected to see, Dallas, a one-night stand with whom she had spent the night and had unprotected sex with 7-1/2 months earlier. On that night, she was depressed and went to a bar with her best friend, Summer, because she was grieving the death of her younger brother, Zeke, who died tragically from drug overdose, a death that made Avery vow to never fall in love or marry because she couldn’t bear the pain of losing someone she loved. After Summer left the bar, Avery stayed behind, where she caught the eye of Dallas, a strikingly handsome military man, who was home on leave and at the bar because he was also grieving. He’d lost his soul-mate and the love of his life, his late wife, Ivy, who was also in the military, and who lost her life to an IED in Afghanistan, a tragedy that left Dallas vowing to never to fall in love again, because the pain of losing a loved one was simply more than he could bear. Long story short, Dallas and Avery had an amazing one-night stand at a nearby motel, and when Avery awoke the next morning, she’d have liked to see where this relationship led, but Dallas made it clear that it was a one and done, and left her alone in a motel room, knowing only that Dallas was in the military, but not knowing where he was stationed or even his last name.

When Dallas sees Avery on the courthouse steps, he’s more than a little shocked to see that she’s obviously quite pregnant, and when he learns that she’s 7-1/2 months along, he knows that the child she’s carrying is his. Since their one night together, he’d left the military and returned home to work on the family ranch, but his attraction to beautiful Avery and the knowledge that she’s carrying not just his only child, but twins, he steps up and realizes that his life is about to change because he wants to be a good father to his unborn children, and he and Avery come to an understanding. She never meant to keep her pregnancy a secret from him, but also had no way to find him. She doesn’t want to trap him either, and doesn’t want anything from him, but she does want him to be a good father to their children, something he wants too, and she is willing to allow him to co-parent once the babies are born.

Because Avery has made enemies by successfully prosecuting drug dealers, among others, she’s not terribly surprised when first her small poodle, Lulu, is attacked, and there’s a note attached to her warning her of further acts of retribution. Dallas goes into protective mode after the next attempt on Avery’s life and moves into her small home to protect her and his unborn children. As the attacks continue, Avery and Dallas get to know one another, and it’s not long before their no-strings attraction becomes more than that. But who is behind these continuing attacks? Avery has managed to successfully prosecute more than a few criminals, but which one wants her dead?

I loved the slowly building romance between Dallas and Avery, and his dedication to being to good father to his children. I loved Avery’s independence and competence, and the way she tries so hard not to let herself fall in love with Dallas. As the attacks continue, and the suspense deepens, so too does the affection between these two admirable characters, both of whom are slowly coming to terms with their mutual attraction–such a nice change from the insta-love I’ve taken issue with when reading and reviewing other romance novels.

In addition to the recent attacks on Avery, she’s also been searching for a serial killer while on maternity leave. We learn that 7 women were murdered in and around town 40 years earlier, that a man was charged with the crime, sentenced to life in prison, and who died while serving his sentence. But when new bodies turn up with the same signature, did they prosecute and imprison the wrong man, or is there now a copycat serial killer in their midst, and is Avery his next target?

As romantic suspense novels go, this one has it all in spades, and I’m happy to recommend it. Although it’s part of a multi-author series, it worked just fine for me as a standalone from its beginning to the shocking ending of this masterfully written novel. Quite simply, it’s an excellent read.

As stated earlier, I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Very good book. Dallas and Avery had an unusual start to their relationship. They met in a bar, both of them trying to escape the pain of recent losses. There was an immediate connection between them, including an especially strong attraction. Uncharacteristically for both of them, they spent the night together. The next morning, though Avery would have liked to see where it would go, Dallas was overcome with guilt and made it clear that it was a one time only event. Seven months later, Dallas was back home to stay. He was stunned to encounter Avery and discover that she was pregnant.

I loved Dallas and Avery. Avery makes it clear that she isn’t out to trap Dallas and is quite able to handle things on her own. I loved that she was honest in her desire that he be a part of the babies’ lives, but only if that’s what he wants. I ached for Dallas and the grief that he still suffers. It has sucked the joy out of his life, but news of the babies brings a faint flicker of hope to his heart. I loved how he stepped up right away, intent on being involved. It was interesting that neither Avery nor Dallas is looking for a relationship between them because of the babies. Both prefer their single lives but agree that they need to get to know each other and hopefully become friends if they are going to be successful as parents.

I loved seeing them get to know each other, sharing bits of their lives and beliefs about raising children. Just as they are at the beginning of this process, Avery begins to receive threats against her life. As a prosecutor she is accustomed to being disliked by those she puts in jail, but when the threats escalate into physical attacks, Dallas steps in. I loved his protectiveness and determination to keep Avery safe. Becoming her 24/7 bodyguard adds a complication to their determination to maintain their single lives. Avery’s grief over the loss of her brother made her determined not to risk her heart on loving someone else. Dallas’s grief over his wife’s death made him believe that he had had his one and only love of his life. But the more time they spent together, the deeper their involvement became, and the harder it was to keep their distance. I loved the gradual way it happened, as their caring built day by day. But both of them had fears to overcome before they could accept that they belonged together. There was also someone determined to keep Avery from that happy outcome.

The suspense of the story was terrific. Avery is on a mission as a prosecutor to bring as many drug dealers as possible to justice. She has succeeded in angering more than a few people and once again receives threats against her life. The first physical attack on her was a nerve-wracking event, and I was on the edge of my seat, hoping that she would get out of it safely. I loved Dallas’s reaction of moving in with Avery to protect her. Dallas is also involved helping the sheriff’s department with the ongoing investigation of a serial killer, and Avery gets involved with that while she is on leave from her job. There is an interesting turn to that case that she is instrumental in discovering. At the same time the attacks on Avery intensify. The final confrontation is intense, with an unexpected twist in who was behind it all. There were some terrifying moments, but it all ended well. The scene in the hospital was a beautiful ending to the story.