Living in Durango, Colorado for the past eighteen years allowed Ollie Rizzo to build her own business and carve out a quiet existence for her and her teenage daughter. She’s used to going it alone. However, their new silver-haired neighbor might present a problem—not only is he handsome—he’s also Durango’s new chief of police; a complication she can’t afford.For recently widowed Joe Benedetti, … Benedetti, the job offer as Durango’s new chief of police came at the right time. With life, the new job, and his two young sons settling into a comfortable routine, he does his best to ignore the beautiful and intriguing woman across the street. Yet when he discovers she’s caught the attention of the FBI, there is no way he can stay away.
Their worlds collide with the appearance of FBI Special Agent Cruz Livingston. The agent has a warning to deliver, one that spins life in Durango out of control, giving Joe a crucial mission—keep Ollie alive.
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This author delivers another suspenseful romance with just the right amount of spice, wit, and humor that shows second chances are possible no matter how long and hard you try to avoid them.
Widower Joe Benedetti has settled in as Durango’s new chief of police. Though he’ll never get used to department budget cuts, staff shortages or the political schmoozing that comes with the job, he knows he’s made a positive step toward a fresh start for himself and his two young sons.
He even lucks out when the snarky teenage girl across the street, Trinity, introduces herself and offers her babysitting services.
Trinity lives with her mom, whom Joe has noticed… from across the street, but notice is all it will ever be. He still mourns his wife, and he’s got sons to raise and a new job to handle.
Olivia “Ollie” Rizzo has worked hard to provide for herself and Trinity. The forty-year-old landscape architect even snaps a blade to the front of her pickup and does snow removal during the winter. She is independent, self-sufficient… and closed off.
Was good to see Ollie’s “disabilty” not treated as such. When it’s addressed, there is a discussion (sometimes ‘glib’), then it’s on to the next thing. Kudos to the author!
Joe and Ollie meet when Trinity has an accident, and it doesn’t go well, but they do settle into a neighborly friendship.
However, when a familiar face from the FBI comes calling with news that Ollie’s past is no longer in the past, Joe goes into protect-mode. Not just as the chief of police, but something about the quirky force-of-nature makes him want to keep her and Trinity safe.
Loved the pacing of this read. As the level of danger grows, so do emotions, and not just Joe and Ollie’s.
Joe’s boys, Ryder and Mason, are still adjusting to losing their mom, his parents show up and everyone has to adjust to Rita Benedetti (HA!), and more familiar law enforcement faces are trying to make Joe see what’s right in front of him while doing their jobs.
By far my favorite character is Grace, Ollie’s friend and confidante of eighteen years.
They met when Ollie was a young girl alone with an infant daughter and are as close as any family.
Though she’s seventy-five, the eagle-eyed Grace doesn’t miss much… or have any problem sharing her “bits of wisdom.”
But she goes to the top of my list when Joe and Ollie invite her to dinner on her Bingo night. When they arrive to pick Grace up she says, “This better be good. Tonight was my night to take the Bingo Queen title away from that ho, Lettie Driver, from the third floor. Bought all new dabbers for it too.”
OMG! I need Grace to have her own story! LOL!
If you follow the series by this author, you’ll love seeing the friendly faces of Tony, Dylan, Keith and even Autumn.
We don’t get to actually “see” Luna Roosberg, but her actions near the end of this read had me cheering.
There’s also plenty of folks to despise here with Josh Carey being slimeball number one. The wealthy mama’s boy’s unwanted attention to Ollie gives the word creeper new meaning, but Ole Josh will prove himself to also be the weakest link.
Covering Ollie is a solid, satisfying read full of strong characters making the best of bad situations (excluding Josh, of course). Even the children have intestinal fortitude! Loved how Trinity stepped up near the end. I highly recommend it.
Enjoy!
Covering Ollie (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) is book 2 in the On Call series and follows Burning for Autumn and is available today – 5/14/19.
Freya Barker has written a thrilling, funny, sexy story that combine two my favorite tropes – second chances and neighbors! Two forty-something single parents – Joe, a widowed police chief with two boys, and Ollie (Olivia), a landscape architect with an older daughter – who live across the street from each other, find themselves thrown together when Ollie’s past comes roaring into town to find her. “Covering Ollie” deals with grief and loneliness with a sensitive realism that’s neither melodramatic nor flippant, and there are just the right comic touches (usually from side characters, but also plenty from the mains) keep the book from becoming overly sentimental. Plus, there’s enough action and suspense to keep the reader guessing.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Covering Ollie” and recommend it to lovers of romantic suspense and stories that feature mature, realistic characters.
I am new on the Freya Barker train but I am so glad to be here. This author can pen a story that’s not only got characters that have depth but they are also characters we see every day. That’s part of what makes this book awesome. Add in the Italian mom and the feisty senior Grace and that means inappropriate and territorial come head to head!! They are a hoot and so are the main characters along with the kids. Each of them play a vital part in the story that comes together from so many angles kept in a nice package. I love a strong female character that not only rocks as a single parent but she doesn’t fall apart into a blubbering whimpering female who can’t get it together. He’s strong but also appreciates the fact that she’s needs and deserves to be in on everything. With great friends and support and family, two become more and it all fits. It’s a great read and a standalone to boot.
COVERING OLLIE (On Call Book 2) by Freya Barker is an exciting romantic suspense and the second book in the On Call series. This is an emotional, suspenseful romance with Freya Barker’s signature mature H/h characters and writing that pulls you in, grabs your complete attention and makes you sad if you have to put the book down before ‘The End’. This book can easily be read as a standalone romance, but characters do crossover from the first book, “Burning for Autumn”.
Joe Benedetti has relocated with his two young sons to fill the vacant position of Chief of Police in Durango, Colorado. After the death of his wife from cancer, he wants a more manageable job and routine for himself and his boys. He is lucky to find teenager, Trinity (Trinny) across the street, who introduced herself right away for babysitting duty. He has noticed Trinny’s beautiful mother, but he does not want to get involved.
Olivia (Ollie) Rizzo moved to Durango eighteen years ago and has built a new life. As a freelance landscape architect Ollie has done well and lived quietly with her daughter. She cannot help but hear about the boys and the police chief from her daughter, but waving from a distance is the extent of her interaction.
When Special Agent Cruz Livingston arrives at Ollie’s door, her past collides with her quiet existence. Joe becomes involved immediately when he is briefed on the danger Ollie and her daughter may be in. As Joe, his officers and the FBI work to eliminate the threats to Ollie’s life, the two begin to let down their walls and become close. Will Joe be able to keep Ollie safe and grab hold of a future together?
Ollie and Joe, the kids and all of the secondary friends and family could walk off the page, they feel so real to me. Ms. Barker knows how to write about couples that have lived and have baggage, but in the end are willing to work at building a new life together. They have lived life and are not perfect physical specimens, but they are real and beautiful to their love interest. The sex is explicit, hot and sexy and always builds in a realistic way.
I have loved all of Ms. Barker’s romances and romantic suspense books. I cannot recommend this author enough especially if you like your H/h a little more mature and written with just the right amount of suspense and sex to spice up the romance. I highly recommend this book and series!
Fast paced, edge of your seat romantic suspense. Great read!
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of Freya Barker’s latest installment of her police and fire on-call series, based on Susan Stoker’s characters. Here we get the backstory of Joe Benedetti, the new Durango, CO, police chief, who we met briefly in the previous book, Burning for Autumn. Joe is the widowed father of two young boys, a former police commander in Denver, CO. After losing his wife from ovarian cancer, he’s taken the job for a change of environment and pace for him and his sons. Olivia “Ollie” Rizzo is the single mother of 17 year old, Trinny, who babysits for Joe. They are next door neighbors, but barely know each other. Ollie works from home, and is a self-prolaimed hermit, after running from a major mafia family over 18 years ago. She lost her leg in a car bombing and just wants to raise her daughter in peace.
The relationship between Ollie and Joe begins very slowly, more friendly acquaintances than anything else, but when Ollie is harassed by the entitled rich son of a town benefactor, Joe steps in to help. They are both hesitant and wary of entanglements, but are consistently thrown together in both personal and professional matters.
I really enjoy Ms. Barker’s writing, and the way she brings her characters to life. You love with them, cry with them, and truly feel that they could be your best friends and neighbors. The relationships are mature and rational, even in the midst of personal crises and action-packed suspense. You understand their feelings and desires, given how realistically Ms. Barker draws her characters and plotlines. We connect with them and their lives on a deeply personal level.
Joe Benedetti is a silver fox, a widower with two preteen boys and he’s allergic to single moms.
Ollie’s 17 year old daughter babysits for Joe. When she’s injured on a ski trip, Joe finally gets to know his neighbor across the street.
Ollie is the strong single mom, a landscape architect with a prosthetic leg.
Joe is tasked with keeping her safe.
Can he?
Or is he out of practice in so many places?
Recommend for real adults with tragic pasts, doing their best as single parents.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is action packed, suspenseful, emotional and totally entertaining. This is the second in the On Call series and features Police Chief and Joe Benedetti and landscape architect Olivia “Ollie” Rizzo. Joe is widowed with 2 boys and Ollie has a 17 year old daughter who is a sitter for Joe’s children. When trouble comes Ollie’s way Joe has his hands full with the outspoken feisty woman. There is also lots of handsome FBI Agents and cops, a pseudo mother who is a hoot, a crazy man who thinks he’s God’s gift to women, a “blue-haired, nose ring toting teen”, 2 rambunctious boys, a dog, a typical Italian mother and sweet patient father, some seriously hot steamy scenes and two people who keep denying their feelings
Covering Ollie is dramatic, exciting, suspenseful, emotional and filled with amazing characters. There are a few unexpected twists that will surprise you. I loved that Joe and Ollie were two forty somethings with a lot of life experience behind them. They both have had tremendous joy and heartbreaking sorrow in their lives. Joe thought he wasn’t ready to move on after his wife’s death but every time he’s with Ollie she worms her way a little further into his heart. For her part, Ollie can’t believe the sexy Durango Chief of Police would even give her a second glance. She is damaged goods afterall. Boy did she get that one wrong. In order to keep Ollie, her daughter and his sons safe Joe assembles a contingent of law enforcement professionals to investigate who’s behind the threats to Ollie and protect everyone from danger.
I’ve had this book on my radar for a long time and I’m not sure why I haven’t already read it. But now, after spending the afternoon completely absorbed by these characters, I’m kicking myself. This has some of the most perfect moments I could ever hope for in a romance.
Ollie was the type of heroine who was strong and confident. Despite some things in her past that made her vulnerable, she never yielded to that vulnerability. She was such a fighter and I loved that about her.
Joe was amazing! I loved the way he spoke to Ollie. The words he used made me melt when added to the way he said them. I’m not one to swoon too often, but Joe absolutely had me in a swoon numerous times. He was alpha protective and delicious in every way.
This was a fast paced read that involved a lot of drama and an edge of danger throughout it. I loved the way the plot opened up layer by layer. And holy heck…the smexy times were FIRE! So glad I remembered this was on my list and picked it up.
He signs up for the job of chief of police he has her teenage daughter stay with his boys the teenager starts getting messages they figure out its the uncle trying to get to her mom good mystery he protects all of them they fall in love sizzling romance wonderful happy ending
An excellent read. Author as an eye for details in this story. Joe is a widowed dad with two young boys and a police chief. Ollie is a single mom and a business in landscaping. She left San Antonio 18 years ago after a bombing where her boyfriend was killed and she lost her leg. But the bad part is she found out her brother was involved with the mafia. So now the past has come back to haunt and threaten her. As she and Joe get close, trouble really gets heated. Lots of action, danger, heat towards the end, which is fine by me, I love a good story. HEA.
Covering Ollie by Freya Barker is the second book in her Police and Fire: Operation Alpha On Call series. I loved this book because the couple is older in their 40s, not perfect either because Ollie is curvy with a 17 year old daughter and Joe is a widow with two young boys. So my perfect kind of book with characters from Susan Stoker’s Badge of Honor and new Durango, CO folks that you’ll love.
Ollie has been in Durango, CO for 18 years with her daughter Trinity who immediately offers her babysitting service to her new neighbor Joe and his two boys. Boy does this bring back memories of my childhood although without the drama that comes to Ollie because of her brother who got involved with the wrong folks.
Joe is the new police chief who is learning who’s happy to have Trinity watch his boys during the summer and it helps that Ollie who prickly at first seems to be warming up. But put her in danger and you get not only Joe, Cruz Livingston and the local FBI office but also the fire department as well because when the threats come hot and heavy he’ll need everyone on board to keep Ollie and her daughter safe from the Mafia.
Fantastic book with non stop action plus a slow burn of romance between Joe and Ollie. Totally worth 5 stars and I can’t wait to read the next book.
Loved this storyline! Ollie and Joe have their own issues and pasts, she comes with a daughter and him 2 sons. The adventure is in following them all to see how they work things out and come together. Mature adult romance with some suspense thrown in. Loved the ending.
This book was gripping, well written & the chemistry between the characters sizzled throughout this wonderful read.
Well done Freya. I look forward to more!
Loved this book a lot. The characters had me loving them more as the book went on and I just could not put down or get enough of them at all
An excellent read. Author as an eye for details in this story. Joe is a widowed dad with two young boys and a police chief. Ollie is a single mom and a business in landscaping. She left San Antonio 18 years ago after a bombing where her boyfriend was killed and she lost her leg. But the bad part is she found out her brother was involved with the mafia. So now the past has come back to haunt and threaten her. As she and Joe get close, trouble really gets heated. Lots of action, danger, heat towards the end, which is fine by me, I love a good story. HEA.
I thoroughly enjoyed Burning Autumn, the first book in Freya Barker’s On Call Series so I didn’t waste time before nabbing Covering Ollie. This book is about Joe, the new police chief, who relieved poor Keith Blackburn (from the first book) from being the interim chief, a job he hated.
Joe lost his wife to cancer eighteen months ago and has two young boys. He took the job to give them a chance to start anew after suffering such a big loss. But he’s struggling, trying to juggle the needs of two grieving boys and the demands of his new job. Thankfully, he has the help of Trinny, his new neighbor’s daughter, who babysits the boys after school and has brought a breath of fresh air to the home.
It’s too bad he doesn’t give her mom, Ollie, the best first impression when he makes assumptions not once, but twice. I guess this will be a theme in this series, but I’m good with that. I love watching an alpha male get twisted up and have to grovel a bit as they are falling for their heroine.
Ollie has a past filled with some big secrets which eventually unravel as danger makes its way to her front door. Thank goodness the hunky new police chief is now not only invested in keeping her daughter safe, but he’s got some serious hots for the mother too.
Joe does make some major boneheaded mistakes. Being a widower, there is guilt and then worry about his boys, which is understandable but the hot and cold routine got old. It’s good Ollie was easygoing, but I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally put her foot down. Still, I would have liked to see some more talking and groveling on his part when he screwed up huge.
I liked how respect was shown for Joe’s late wife and how every step of the way, the children and their reactions were at the forefront of the couple’s mind. They came first no matter how good the chemistry was between Ollie and Joe.
Speaking of the chemistry, even while Joe was getting his head screwed on straight, you could almost feel the smoke billowing out every time they were together. And when they finally acted on it they were scorching hot together.
I felt, considering the circumstances, the angst level was amped up a skosh higher for this book and while the suspense was there, the action wasn’t as prominent. It was all good though, but I do prefer more action.
Covering Ollie was a page turner with great characters I’m coming to care about, and just enough action and suspense to keep me coming back for more. With this being my second solid read by Ms. Barker, I’ll be checking out even more of her backlist soon while I wait for more books in this series.
Rating: 4 Stars
Keeping a low profile was supposed to be easy for the new chief of police and for Ollie, they didn’t count on the FBI and their quite little town is a blaze of chaos and suspense. Now Ollie is hoping the new silver haired chief of police can keep her alive long enough to see tomorrow. They try to stay away from romance but that is just impossible with these two especially with neighbors, friends and family interference.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Freya Barker does it again! Every single man on the planet should be Joe Benedetti, dedicated, loving, loyal and all man. RAWR!
After a devastating loss, in the best interest of himself and his two young boys, Joe finds himself making life changes, little did he know tough as nails Olivia ‘Ollie’ Rizzo would come crash landing into that new life.
Managing on her own and taking care of her daughter, Trinity, Ollie is less than thrilled to accept help from Durango’s new Chief of Police Benedetti. But, when her past finds them and it becomes clear it’s her only option, it doesn’t take her very long to figure out both she and her daughter are in very good hands.
Once again I urge you to discover Barker’s brand of adult romance…I’m so glad I did!