Can he keep the key witness from harm…before it’s too late?After escaping a terrifying encounter with a serial killer, RN Kiera Connell lands in the protection of US Marshal Travis Johnson. In order to make sure she stays alive to testify, Travis has to thwart whatever danger comes her way. Normally, for a pro like Travis, that’s not an issue. But focusing on the mission becomes his greatest … mission becomes his greatest challenge as Kiera’s exposure threatens to unravel all his best-laid plans.
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WANTED BY THE MARSHAL (American Armor Book One) by Ryshia Kennie is a new Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense by a new to me author. This is the first book in the American Armor series featuring a US Marshal sent to watch over the sole survivor of a serial killer.
Kiera Connell is a nurse practitioner who loves her job at the Prairie Seniors’ Care Home in Cheyenne Wyoming. She is on her own, but she views the seniors as her family. One night as she is walking home after work she is abducted.
Kiera escapes and is able to direct police to where she was kept. The police arrest Eric Solomon and discover he is the serial killer the FBI has been looking for. The only problem is, Kiera heard two voices, but without evidence, the authorities just believe it is PTSD and they have their man. The FBI is afraid Kiera may take off before the trial, so she is to be watched by US Marshals.
US Marshal Travis Johnson is assigned to lead Kiera’s case. Travis’ job is to keep watch over her until she appears in court. As Travis gets to know Kiera and strange phone calls occur, he begins to believe her about there being two abductors against all the physical evidence. When Travis is attacked, they move to a safe house, but will it be enough? As the threat to Kiera escalates, Travis and Kiera find their attraction does the same.
I loved the suspense plot with the idea of a second abductor that there is no physical evidence of and the authorities are skeptical of the witness’ memory. It was a good twist that kept the suspense growing. Kiera is a strong heroine who is determined to stand up for herself, while also having a very kind and loving heart towards her patients and Travis. I did not feel a strong enough attraction for the romance to jump to sex scenes. I felt the trope of the bodyguard falling for his charge was written well for the shortness of the story, but I did not like when Travis left Kiera alone for the plot points of bad things happening to her. For me, it was not believable since his main job was to protect her and it felt forced. Overall, it was just an O.K. romantic suspense read for me.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
I enjoyed reading this book. the story line drew me from the beginning and I had to keep reading to find out what is happening and how it turns out. I recommend this book!!!!
After being abducted, Kiera Connell escaped her kidnappers before they could kill her. She was able to lead the police to the house where she had been held. There they arrested a serial killer they had been tracking for years. When she told the police there were 2 killers, they didn’t believe her. As the only survivor of a serial killer, it was US Marshal Travis Johnson’s job to keep Kiera safe (and to make sure she didn’t run) so she could testify at the trial. When Kiera got odd phone calls, Travis started to believe that there really were two killers, and one of them was after her. When Travis was attacked, they moved to a safe house. But the threat to Kiera got worse. As they got to know each other better, their attraction grew. They tried to fight it and be professional but that was easier said than done.
Even though Kiera was a kind-hearted woman, always helping others and volunteering often, I didn’t like her much. She wasn’t the least bit concerned about her safety or being found by someone wanting to kill her and even went jogging by herself after being told not to leave the house. I never felt a connection to Travis either. We were told how good he was at his job but Kiera was kidnapped (again) on his watch. We were told about the attraction between Travis and Kiera but I never felt it.
This was a tense, action-packed story with a HEA. I liked this book, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.
This book hooked me from the beginning. Full of action, intrigue, and romance. Great storyline and wonderful character development. Kiera and Travis have great chemistry. I received a copy and I am giving my honest review.
Good mix of romance and intense suspense. The intensity starts immediately as Kiera is abducted while walking home from work late one night. The precariousness of her situation is clear from the outset as she wakes bound and gagged only to hear what her captor has planned for her. She is terrified, but she also refuses to go down without a fight. I was incredibly impressed by Kiera right from the start because of her determination to escape, and I was glued to the pages as I rooted for her success.
As the only survivor of this serial killer, Kiera’s testimony is vital to the conviction of the suspect. She is understandably on edge, which makes her introduction to the lead marshal on her protection detail unexpectedly intense. I had to laugh at Travis’s chagrin at being caught unaware and liked that he kept calm and understood Kiera’s wariness. There is tension between them as Travis, who believes that this is more of a babysitting detail than protection, gets an earful of Kiera’s disgust over law enforcement’s refusal to believe her when she tells them there was more than one abductor.
I liked both Kiera and Travis. Kiera is strong, determined, and more than a little stubborn. She also has a kind and loving heart, as shown by the way she cares for her patients and how selflessly she gives of herself in various volunteer pursuits. Travis is dedicated to his work, quick-witted, and honorable. He is close to his family and protective of those he cares about.
I liked the development of the relationship between Travis and Kiera. There were sparks between them from the start, but both tried to ignore the attraction and keep to a professional relationship. That became more difficult as the danger increased, and Travis found himself emotionally invested in keeping her safe. I laughed a little at his realization that he followed in the footsteps of other family members who fell fast and hard for their mates. For Kiera it was the kindness and comfort Travis offered that worked its way into her heart, filling a hole she hadn’t realized was there. The ending was terrific, especially Travis’s acceptance and enjoyment of Kiera’s quirks.
The suspense of the story was gripping all the way through. As readers, we know that there was a second person involved in Kiera’s abduction, which makes it doubly frustrating that law enforcement blows off Kiera’s story. I liked that she never gave up on making them see the truth. Though skeptical at first, it didn’t take too long for Travis to realize that she was telling the truth. The escalating attempts on Kiera’s life kept the story moving along, with very little let-up in the tension. I was a little surprised at the mistakes Travis made, something I didn’t expect from an experienced marshal like him. The same with two of his fellow marshals. James especially bugged me with his refusal to believe that Kiera was telling the truth. The final confrontation was a nail-biter to the very end.
Kiera Connell is a nurse practitioner who works at the Prairie Seniors’ Care Home in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She loves her job and often works extra hours. Her car is in the shop for repairs and even though it is almost midnight and she has worked a long shift she decides to walk home. Halfway home she stops to give some money to a seemingly harmless homeless guy sitting on the curb begging. Next thing she knows a hooded figure is approaching very quickly and then it is lights out. She wakes up to find her wrists and ankles tied with rope. She is very tightly bound. Then the threats of horrible things to come start. The next time she wakes up she is confined in a small space. She knows she needs to escape…
Wanted by the Marshal by Ryshia Kennie is the first book in her new series, American Armor. In this story we meet US Marshal Travis Johnson who is assigned to protect Kiera. Kiera is the only woman to have escaped this particular serial killer. I really enjoyed meeting both of these main characters. Kiera is a stong woman filled with determination. Travis is a dedicated US Marshal who thinks fast on his feet. The path to Kiera and Travis’ HEA is strewn with danger but these two won’t let that stand in their way. There’s lots of action and tense moments in this story so I am sure readers will enjoy this book.
Wanted by the Marshal
Ryshia Kennie
Action packed from the beginning to the end. Kiera is attacked, escapes, and isn’t believed as to the number of people who kidnapped her and wanted to kill her. Can she get U. S. Marshal Travis Johnson to believe her before it’s too late and the ‘one who got away’ fulfills what could have been.
Non-stop action from beginning to end that had me reading late in the night to find out what happens.
Love Kiera and Travis as the main characters.
Looking forward to the next book.
Wow! Wanted By The Marshal by Ryshia Kennie is a fabulous romantic suspense. Ms. Kennie has provided readers with a well-written book and furnished it with an outstanding cast of characters. Kiera is a nurse at an elder care facility and is attacked and kidnapped on her way home from work. Travis is the marshal in charge of keeping Kiera safe, and making sure she doesn’t run away from testifying against the man that attacked her. Travis and Kiera’s story is packed with drama, humor, spice, action and suspense. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to my next book by Ryshia Kennie. Wanted By The Marshal is book 1 of the American Armor Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.