Principal Dancer Lyla Markovik-Avery is always on the go. Grueling practices and endless performances rule her busy days—and things are about to get more hectic. Russia is rolling out the red carpet for their beloved star, despite the string of violent terrorist attacks that have rocked the nation.
Bodyguard Collin Michaels’ life is falling apart. His long-time relationship recently ended. He’s … ended. He’s trying to start over, but that’s easier said than done. Luckily, Collin has a new assignment on the horizon: keeping a beautiful ballerina safe for the next three weeks.
Collin finds comfort in Lyla’s easy friendship, but that all changes after a night out on the town. Simple feelings become complicated—something Collin can’t afford, especially when tragedy strikes and Collin realizes Lyla’s caught in the middle of a dangerous plot for revenge.
Collin and Lyla are forced to flee. They need to reach the border before it’s too late, but the odds are stacked against them in a country that wants them dead. With time running out, Collin formulates a risky plan that might be their only chance of making it out alive.
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This book is an exciting and emotional read with an American/Russian ballet dancer and a bodyguard pretending to be her boyfriend. Lyla Markovik-Avery is also known as Russia’s Princess after her mother known as The Queen of Dance died giving birth to her. Her life is full of intense practice and physio and pushing her body past its limit. Lyla’s father, the US Ambassador to Russia hires Collin Michael’s to pose as her boyfriend so he can protect her on her trip to a troubled Russia. The two hit it of great and quickly become the media’s Princess and Prince Charm but tensions are rising as terrorist bomb innocents and threaten more violence. Collin has his hands full as Lyla try’s to pulls away from him and danger increases. We have action, suspense, the beautiful sites of Russia, a nasty dance partner, an equally nasty and devious reporter, a mostly absent father who wants his daughter happy and safe, a woman who has done what was expected of her and a man who wants her to be whoever she wants to be.
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Finding Lyla by Cate Beauman is the tenth book in the series and I am lovin’ every minute I spend with them. Each book can stand alone, but past characters make visits into current and future novels, so I recommend you begin at the beginning so you don’t miss anything.
Finding Lyla (The Bodyguards of L.A. County, #10)
Amazon / Goodreads
MY REVIEW
Finding Lyla by Cate Beauman is the tenth book in the LA Bodyguard series and I have been lovin’ each and every one. It’s good to be back with the gang and watch as two characters find each other, adding to the Bodyguard family.
The men may be strong, but so are the women, each with their individual personalities that makes for a new storyline and romance that slowly develops, filled with difficulty. If it isn’t their own need to protect themselves, it is a bad guy trying to make their life hell.
Lyla struggled to enter the world, being delivered by Caesarean. When Cate Beauman described the delivery, her being tied down, I had flashbacks. My child was born in the ’70s and the times sure were different than they are now. I too was tied down, then gassed. Does not make for fond memories.
Her mother, Mina was the a prima ballerina in Russia, so when Lyla was born she was labeled as the Princess of Russia, expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps, which she did. She made a name for herself with her amazing talent and was now dancing for the Manhattan Ballet. Trouble arises when she returns to Russia during a turbulent and dangerous political climate. Her father is the US Ambassador to Russia, so she feels she has no choice.
Collin is a bodyguard with Ethan Cooke Security. When he is tasked with being Lyla’s bodyguard, he jumps at the chance. Just coming out of a bad relationship and a previous job, he doesn’t look forward to returning to an empty apartment.
I found myself laughing at their dialogue from the moment they met.
I immediately fell in love with the characters. They are beautiful, inside and out. I think you may find yourself enamored with them too.
WOW. The danger, intensity of the suspense, and sexual tension is off the charts. The political intrigue kept me on my toes and I’m glad Collin is well versed in survival. They will need it.
Lyla is naive in the ways of the world. She has devoted her life to ballet. She does have some wonderful friends, very little romantic experience, but ballet is her be all, end all.
Nail biting, edge of the seat, nonstop action that threatens lives across international lines. Brutal moments are tempered with sweet ones. Every time I think I am reaching the happy ever after, Cate Beauman delivers another blow.
Finding Lyla, even though I expected a LOT, delivered more than anticipated. That is why Cate Beauman is a master of her craft.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Finding Lyla by Cate Beauman
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I really love this series and until now I liked, and in some cases loved, the books in The Bodyguards of L.A. County series. That is why it saddens me to say I was not a big fan of this one. I just didn’t connect to either of the main characters and found that their romance wasn’t very believable. It felt a little forced to be honest.
Lyla Markovik is daughter of US Ambassador and a famous ballet dancer Mira Markovik who has died giving birth to Lyla. Lyla has followed in Mira’s footsteps and became famous ballet dancer. She is to travel to Russia to perform her mother’s dance, but due to troubles her father had hired Collin to accompany her.
While the story idea was good, I felt like the characters were all over the place. They didn’t seem to know what they want. Collin kisses Lyla but then when his ex-girlfriend freaks out over seeing them on the TV and calls him, he tells her that Lyla means nothing to him, that she is just a client. Lyla, on the other hand, drills the point that ballet is her life and won’t let anything get in a way of that throughout the majority of the story line, then turns and decides she wants to have a baby through in-vitro-fertilization. Wait, what?! Where did that come from? Both characters came across a bit wishy-washy, jumping from one thing to the next without really thinking things through.
Although this one was a bit disappointing, I cannot wait to read the next installment in the series.
I loved the characters in this book! I read it in one day, and it kept me up until the wee hours to finish it!
WOW!!! I couldn’t stop reading this until the end. Great story line.
This series is one of my favourites, I enjoyed every book. I don’t want to put them down once I start one, they have great story lines, well developed characters, action and romance. Collin and Lyla’s story was one of my favourites in the series. The story was romance and suspense at it’s best.
It wasn’t as great as her other books in the series.
The daughter of Russia’s favorite Prima Ballerina and an American Diplomat Lyla often finds herself caught between the expectations of others and what she wants for herself, but never never dares to even think about.
US/Russia relations are in the news on the constant and that makes great canvas for this story. Lyla is constantly being torn between making it alright for everyone else and keeping her own sanity. She allows herself to be talked into performing in Moscow, despite her father trying to convince her that it too dangerous. Enter Collin Michaels. At the request of Lyla’s father Collin will be traveling to Russia providing protection, undercover as her boyfriend. Being in such close quarters with her, he begins to realize that there is more to Lyla than meets the eye and while she will bend over backwards to take care of everyone else, she doesn’t give her care a second thought. His natural inclination to protect kicks in and he finds himself falling for her.
When terrorists strike, it becomes a race between Collin finding a way to get Lyla home before those who would use her for their own twisted get hold of her.
I whined in my last review for this series that there didn’t seem to be ‘quite’ enough action in the story. I certainly can’t say this about Finding Lyla. This story showcased the bodyguard in protection mode that has made this series so great from the beginning. From riots to foot chases to an icy showdown, Collin’s escape and evade background comes in handy in more ways than one. Along the way he and Lyla make some heat of their own as they learn that they are probably exactly what the other needs.
The end was sweet if a little quick. Obviously when Lyla sets her mind she moves full speed ahead.This story is completely focused on the would be lovers. Secondary characters, while still well written, don’t drive and enhance the story as much as in past books. It let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding in the moments when Lyla found herself, because like Collin I spent most of the book wondering why she didn’t see how others were always her focus and it wasn’t really fair. This story is dynamic, alternating between the whirlwind of celebrity and danger, and the idyllic of passion and friendship. It is terrifically balanced.
I have enjoyed each of the installments of this series I have read and I really need to get my hands on the rest
Excellent
Ok here I go. This might be short because I don’t want to give anything away. Heart pounding, pulse racing suspense.
Lyla is a famous ballerina. She’s beautiful, sweet, and generous. Her father is the Ambassador for Russia. She was born in Russia but her mother, who was a famous ballerina, died in childbirth. She always goes after the new year but her father wants her to cancel due to bombings nearby. She tells a reporter that she’s going and performing her mother’s dance.
Collin is former Army but works for a security company now. He’s big, handsome, and sweet. Collin just gets out of a relationship and is not ready for another. He agrees to be her bodyguard while she’s in Russia. He can’t believe how beautiful she is. As they go to Russia, they get closer. But the longer they stay, the more dangerous it becomes. Collin will do anything to protect the woman he loves.
Loved the flow of the story. It was hard to put down.
Russian ballerina, Mira Markovik was married to the US Ambassador to Russia, Jonathan Avery. Mira was a famous prima ballerina who died giving birth to Lyla. We jump 25 years later where Lyla was now a prima ballerina with the Manhattan Ballet. Because of whom her parents were many expectations were put upon Layla. One of which was to visit Russia. Because of the political unrest at the time, her father was concerned with her safety and wanted her to postpone her trip. Lyla felt the people of Russia expected her to go and she didn’t want to disappoint them so she was determined to go.
Lyla’s father was concerned with her safety so he hired a bodyguard for her. That man was Collin Michael who worked for Ethan Cooke Security. He posed as Lyla’s boyfriend so that they could be together all the time, without drawing suspicion.
Collin and Lyla really liked each other and enjoyed spending time together. But it got harder and harder for them to make everyone believe their story. Especially when Lyla is in danger and a country wants her dead. It gets exciting when they try to get out of the country and Collin has to use some of his bodyguard training to keep them safe.
This was a well-written romance with an unusual plot and setting. The terrorists chasing after a ballerina in Russia was exciting. Lyla was a beautiful, accomplished dancer who always did what was expected of her, without consideration for her own safety. I did find some of the descriptions of ballet to be a bit tedious and not necessary to the story at times. But they did help to tell us how disciplined Lyla was with her dancing. That was her life. I really liked Collin. He was great at “playing his part” as Lyla’s boyfriend. And he was so considerate of her. He was just an all around nice guy. I liked that they both saw the good in each other, becoming friends before having deeper feelings.
Good read but missing something to make it a great read.
It was hard to put this book down definitely would like more by this author
I have enjoyed many books by this author. They are in my “did not want to put it down” category
Realistic characters with intrigue, suspense and romance made a beautiful story!
This book was an easy read. The characters were likable However it was not a book you couldn’t put down.
I really enjoyed this book. It took you into the world f body guards, ballerinas, terrorists and Russia’s political climate
I really liked this book. The story line was intriguing and kept me interested. It’s fast paced and original.
Very interesting story that quickly pulled me in. I signed up for the author’s mailing list and received the 1st and 2nd books in the series at no charge. After reading them, I will likely be purchasing some of the other books in the series.
Great romance