Stay low.Don’t get close.Anne Taylor has been living her life by these two simple rules since she moved to Imminence in an attempt to disappear from her previous life. She works full time for the Bounty County Public Defender’s office as a legal assistant, but she’s spent the past five years faking smiles and keeping secrets. Save for a few shallow friendships, Anne is alone and that’s just the … that’s just the way she needs to keep it.
Richard “Smitty” Smith is the opposite of alone. His work as a Bounty County deputy sheriff keeps him busy and lets him work with his best friend, Wesson. When he isn’t saving his beloved home town of Imminence from crime, he’s working to bring home a state football championship with the Imminence High School Iron Eagles. But now that the mysterious and beautiful Anne Taylor has come into his life, he wants more than just to work from sunup to sunset.
He’s easy on her eyes, soothing to her soul, and impossible to resist. It’s not that she doesn’t want to tell him everything.
It’s that, for Smitty’s safety, she can’t.
Will Anne’s secrets be too much to bear? Will Smitty be able to protect her from the danger she swears still lurks? Will he be able to protect his own heart in the process?
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I have been waiting for Smitty’s and the mysterious Anne’s story. And it was so worth the wait!! It was unbelievably amazing!! The emotional punch that Maren gives you as she tells Anne’s story. I had to put it down, and start it again. It was heartbreaking that Anne didn’t allow herself to get close to anyone because of her fear.. Stay low.. Don’t get close… That is until Rich. It was so good, from the slowish start to the very first kiss. Richard will make you swoon and laugh at the same time!! The officially second time they are together I laughed way to hard during that scene!!
Then the story continues with searching for the Russian. I loved every second of it and couldn’t read it fast enough, then I didn’t want to finish my favorite Bounty County’s sheriff’s department.
The ending had me gasping as I couldn’t believe it was happening. It was unexpected and so glad it ended like that…. The ending was freaking perfect!! RICHAD IS DA MAN!!
This is my new favorite of Maren Lee’s Bounty County series. This book starts with a trigger warning for domestic violence which I always find so kind and important when an author includes because I’ve dealt with my own past trauma and many books do trigger me. I will say, this one handled the issue so beautifully and carefully that I found myself crying because it was so relatable but then moving on with Anne and rooting for her to find the man that could help her heal and put her back together and make her happy. I don’t want this review to seem like the whole book is about this though, because it’s not, not even close. This story features the usual cast of Bounty County characters offering up comic relief, friendships and understanding, some outlandish matchmaking from Sierra and of course the super sexy, super happily ever after ending that we’ve come to expect from Lee. Other people can give you a more in depth review of the plot, for me, having gone through some of what Anne deals with, I wanted to let readers know that there is no reason to shy away from this book because of the trigger warning. This book might even just help you heal right along with Anne too. Highly recommended read.
Smitty and Anne were AMAZING!!
I feel like I’ve cheated on my man Wesson by loving this book SO much.
Dealing with such a sensitive subject, this book has a ton of heart and love and laughter and you get to get see all the old faves from this series.
And now Smitty is my book boyfriend on the side because he’s just so damn perfect.
Detour is the next installment in the Bounty County series and this one will have you tied up and captivated right from the start. Smitty and Anne have a connection, one that gave her the confidence and strength when she needed it most. Anne’s past is confronting and one that haunts her every step of the way. Smitty will make you swoon, breathless and have you falling in love with this gentle giant. He wants to uncover her secrets, show Anne that she can trust him with not only her heart but her safety. Their story is off the charts with chemistry, passion and heat. Detour is a story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster and as you go to unclip the harness at the end of the ride you will be wearing the biggest grin ever.
The boys of Bounty County are back y’all! I freaking love this series and these characters so hard I couldn’t wait for Smitty to get his own story!
As per usual with this series Anne and Smitty were explosive right off the bat, no matter how hard Anne tried to fight their connection, as a reader you just need them to be together cause their chemistry is next level! There’s not much I love more from a book boyfriend than a sweet hearted, Deep deep core level good guy with an affinity for a bit of kink just as Smitty is. Just enough to keep interesting as the Bounty County boys seem to do.
Detour was full of laughs (I chuckled out loud a few times) great friendship, some freaking hot sexy time scenes and a good dash of danger looming over their lives. Such a wonderful read, I can’t recommend it enough along with the whole series. A must read!
-MacKenzie
Out of all the Bounty County books, this one is by far the most emotional read. This story does deal with domestic abuse and a strong woman who was bound and determined to and escape her abuser. She couldn’t have met a better man than Smitty when she makes it to the small town of Imminence, Montana. I thought Wesson was my all time favorite character from these books but dang it, Smitty grabbed my heartstrings.
Super excited for Tanner and Charlie’s story!
Lovedddd this Bounty County book. Anne’s story was good! And i loved how she fought and never gave up in the end. Smitty… lorddd I’ve love that guy since the first time he was brought up in this series. This book was so good. It was sexy and sweet with a touch of danger. There was SO MANY HAPPY moments in this book with the rest of the gang. I can’t wait for more!!
Anne is trying to stay under the radar. She doesn’t want to make friends or date or call attention to herself. Her one semi-social indulgence is crushing from afar on Deputy Smith, aka Smitty. He’s sweet and charming and all kinds of handsome. But she doesn’t want to get involved. She can’t.
For a guy who can bring the intensity when it’s warranted, Smitty is quite laid back. He loves living in Montana, he loves being a deputy sheriff, and he loves his life. He’s got his world sorted. The one thing he can’t figure out is Anne. But he wants to put in the time to do so, if she’ll just open up to him.
Wesson fans!! If you adored lovable goofball Wesson from Gridlocked, he’s back! He gets plenty of “screen time” in Detour, since he and Smitty have been besties since grade school. And he comes bringing plenty of shenanigans and all new Wessonisms.
Smitty. Ahhh Smitty. I will never look at a man in a pair of grey sweatpants again the same way. Smitty is really into Anne. Anne is guarded..she was abused by her cop husband and she ran. Smitty slowly starts to break down her defenses and treats her with care….and soon she cant imagine leaving him or the friends she has come to care about. These friends are friends from last books….and we get a LOT of Wesson, Smitty’s partner. He is just plain funny. And Smitty. What a fantasy he is in his dirty talking alpha protective ways. If you are a KA fan, this will be right up your alley. Great read!
I’ve read every book in this series, and while I am a whole hearted lover of Wess and Molly, Smitty and Anne now have stolen he limelight.
Their story is sweet and oh, so sexy!
From page one all the way until the end, I was entranced, I was turning the page with eagerness to find out what happened next.
Pick up this series and fall in love with the crew in Bounty County today, you won’t be disappointed.
Even though this is my first time reading this author, it’s safe to say Ms Lee nails the small town romance genre, with a good helping of heat between the sheets and an adequate dash of action and drama.
What’s also worth mentioning about her writing, is that despite not having met Anne and Smitty, or any of the supporting characters before I was prepared to be a little confused at times with this story given this is Book #5 in this series; but this is a true standalone in that you are given adequate background and information about all their connections and personalities making the story flowed really well.
Both central characters were developed at a respectable pace and their conncection deepens and smoulders to the point that Anne is no longer able to resist the larger than life Deputy who has quite the closet Alpha personality going on! He is, in fact, absolutely adorable, and I challenge anyone not to love his protective and fun loving manner.
Anne was at first abrasive and standoffish enough to be believable as the runaway battered wife, but Smitty was determined enough to break through her walls and what ensues is a sweet story peppered with some great humour and sizzling chemistry.
The only thing I didn’t enjoy was her tendency to argue with herself in her head, it became a bit tedious and I didn’t feel it overly necessary.
All in all this is a charming read that will pretty much tick all your romance boxes in one read
An easy 4.5 stars!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!
I am not one bit surprised that this book was perfect! Oh, Maren you just keep getting better and better. And that says a lot because you were great from your very first, Ride Along.
Detouris the fifth book in the Bounty County Series. This, and all the previous books can be read as stand-alones. However, you will have an even better reading experience if you read them in order. Maren’s Bounty County characters are unique. They are all lovable, funny, and endearing. All her heroes are protective alphas. Not to mention they are so dang sexy! I love them all but Wesson from Gridlocked is my favorite. This book features Smitty, Wesson’s best friend. Oh the bromance between these two is adorable and oh so funny!
Smitty (Rich) and Anne…..
Smitty is one of the few remaining BC bachelors. But he has his eye on Anne Taylor. An unapproachable woman with heartbreaking secrets. Anne has every reason to keep a low profile. And while she has slowly made friends with the women in the series, Anne is not in the market for a man. But Smitty is persistent and he slowly breaks down her walls. The truth is, Anne has always thought of him as attractive.
Their relationship develops slowly. They start as friends but eventually become more. But Anne has big secrets and what will happen when Smitty finds out? What will happen when Anne’s secrets become reality? I’m sorry but because this book has a good amount of suspense, you’ll just have read yourself to find out. I don’t want to spoil it for you. In addition to suspense, this book is angsty, tense, emotional and even funny. Maren’s awesome characters bring so much entertainment to this book. All the feels, people!
The ending? Oh my! Loved every minute of it. I couldn’t be more happy how things turned out. Smitty was the perfect swoon-worthy hero. Holy cow was he hot! I loved everything about his character. I think next to Wesson, Smitty holds the number two spot in my heart.
Maren, if your reading this, please, please don’t make us wait too long for Tanner’s book. I can honestly say, my patients is non existent when it comes to your books.
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. 🙂
It’s always a pleasure to return to Bounty County, seeing all those familiar faces again, it’s like coming home. The underlying story that has been playing out throughout the series is coming to a head in this book and we’re treated to romance, hotness, action as well as some fantastic laugh out loud moments.
The chemistry between Smitty and Anne steams right off the page and their story is both heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time.
Some delicate issues handled extremely well and in all, a fantastic addition to Bounty County.
What a fantastic story!! Smitty and Anne were perfect for each other and their story was very well written. Anne’s past was heartbreaking and, of course, made her very guarded. Smitty is patient and breaks through her walls, showing her how a true man loves and takes care of his woman. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend reading it, well the whole series!
Let me start off by saying Maren Lee did an amazing job with a hard subject to write or read about, domestic violence. I absolutely LOVED how much Smitty protected Anne without making her feel like she had no control of what was happening to her. Smitty and Anne had such incredible chemistry that I had to fan myself and the banter between all the characters me laughing out loud. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it had to end! I highly recommend Detour and the entire Bounty County series.
A fantastic read from this AMAZING Author! I have been waiting for Smitty and Anne’s story and let me tell you… it was SO WORTH the wait!
Smitty and Anne’s story is one that will stay with me forever. Anne’s sass and Smitty’s sweetness was absolutely perfect and they balanced each other so well.
The author tackled a hard subject with such respect and beauty, while mixing it in with the lightness and humor that I love from her.
It was so nice to go back to one of my favorite Fictional Towns and see everyone. We got to catch up with everyone from Bounty County in this one and I loved it!
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
This is Book 5 in the Bounty County Series.
Smitty, never would have thought you had it in you. That man is a smooth talker and fierce protector. Anne, this lady has a serious secret she’s carried for five years. She’s a lot snarkier that I figured, almost gives Sierra some competition. Great to have the group together, lots of babies and marriages. The tension surrounding Anne’s secret had a short and sweet resolution, was looking for something a bit more frightening. But, we did meet Tanner “Mountain Man” Wyld and I assume he’s the next hottie. Received an early copy and wrote my unbiased review voluntarily.
FANTASTIC!!! Oh my goodness, I LOVE Detour! Smitty’s love for Anne just overflows, and she adores him right back. It’s awesome to see their relationship flourish. Seeing all the characters again and interact with Anne and Smitty, marks this book as my favorite, so far, in the Bounty County Series. Can’t wait to read more!
I have been waiting for this one. Patiently waiting. Let me tell you it was so worth the wait. I absolutely love this series. I have to say this is the best one . Anna has finally had enough of the life she is not living. She runs. She runs right into the same town where Officer Rick is. 5 years after first meeting her finally talks her into a date. Will these two make it into a happy relationship or will the past she ran from take her from Rick? Intense gripping romantic funny at times. I absolutely loved this one. Karen had me on the edge of my seat with this one. She does such an amazing job writing these books. I can’t wait to see what happens with Tanner and Charlie.Highly recommend reading this one . This whole series.
This book. Gah. I’ve been sitting on this review for over a week now trying to come up with words that do this book justice. I’m still not sure I have them, but I’ll do my best.
I was introduced to Maren Lee back in 2017 when someone suggested her Bounty County series in a Facebook group. I read the first three books in the series back to back in as many days and fell in love. I’ve been a fan ever since.
I’ve been waiting what seems like forever for this fifth book in the series and let me tell you, it was worth every minute for this return to Imminence, Montana. Detour is, in my opinion, Maren Lee’s BEST BOOK TO DATE. This one is much deeper and has a more serious tone than the previous books. If you have triggers, please make sure that you read the warning at the beginning of the book. This book includes some really difficult topics.
“Stay low. Don’t get too close. That had been Anne’s mantra for the last five years.”
Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say that Anne went through some horrifying things that would break most people. She’s carrying a lot of baggage and secrets and tries her best to not bring anyone else into her life because of that. She has a big heart and so much courage, it left me in awe. I love strong heroines.
“He wanted to be her barrier from the outside world, from whatever it was that was scaring her.”
And Smitty! That man is definitely swoon-worthy. He’s a deputy. He coaches the high school football team. And. He. Is. A. Cowboy. He’s also the type of hero that I love–sweet, hot, alpha, protective, dirty–all wrapped up in a pair of Wranglers? Yes. Please. And it’s worth mentioning over and over–he gets an A+ in dirty talk. Then he goes and says something like this:
“You’ll be safe with me, I swear to you.”
and I about melted on the spot.
I loved watching Anne and Smitty’s relationship grow. Their chemistry was off the charts and had such a great mixture of hot and sweet. It was also nice to see all of the Bounty County crew again. I love he bromance between Smitty and Wesson.. Wesson and Sierra gave a lot of needed comic relief to the book. And if you have read the previous books, yes, there are plenty of new Wessonisms to keep us giggling. And, like all Maren Lee books, this one is hot enough to melt your e-reader. We also get a glimpse of a new character and a little teaser of his book, which of course, I’ll be waiting not-so-patiently for. After this book, Maren Lee is really going to have to up her game–it will be hard to top this one.
While this can absolutely be read as a stand-alone, I feel like it will be enjoyed more after reading the first four books of the series.