Locked, Loaded and SEALed - Carol Ericson (HI #1703 - Apr 2017)

Series: Red, White and Built (Book 1)

A navy SEAL sniper turned bodyguard, he'll protect his target…at any cost…

The SEAL's secret assignment had been to protect a certain important doctor. But when the man is murdered, Austin Foley's mission changes. The navy sniper must now protect the doctor's protégé, the irresistible Sophia Grant, at any cost. For Sophia has information that could endanger the entire country. There's only one problem: Sophia has no idea what those secrets are.

With lethal terrorists on their heels, Austin and Sophia must embark on a covert operation. But it will mean placing Sophia even more in harm's way -- a sacrifice not even the steel-hearted SEAL may be able to make.

Good start to the new series, with plenty of action and romance. Sophia is the assistant to a doctor in Boston when she discovers him dead in his office and the office ransacked. Devastated by the loss of a man she thought of as a father, she is more than willing to help Austin find out who did it. Austin is a navy SEAL who had been sent to protect Dr. Fazal, but arrived too late. Instead he discovers Sophia, who may have information that the killers want, so he steps in to protect her. Unfortunately, Sophia has no idea what they are looking for, which puts she and Austin in the position of trying to figure it out and stay alive at the same time.

I liked Sophia. She is feisty and independent. Growing up in the foster system, daughter of substance abusers, she has learned to depend on herself. She's wary of trusting people, but her instincts tell her she can trust Austin. She's also able to think fast and adapt to what happens around her, which comes in handy during the story.

Austin was terrific. He and his team had helped get Fazal out of Pakistan when he was targeted by terrorists. He's not happy that he was too late to save him, and the failure bothers him. Realizing that Sophia is in danger gives him a chance to redeem himself in his eyes. Austin grew up in a large and loving family and demonstrates the gentlemanly manners he was raised with. I loved seeing how kind he was to Sophia and the respect with which he treated her.

I liked seeing the relationship grow between them. There's definitely attraction between them, but there is also genuine liking and respect. It was really sweet to see the way that Austin worried about Sophia, and took care of her. He also wants to be careful not to let his growing feelings distract him from keeping her safe. I liked that Sophia had good insights into Austin and understood his feelings about not saving Fazal. She's also quite sure that once the danger is over, Austin will be gone and she won't see him again. But when the shooting is all over, they realize that they belong together.

The suspense of the story was really good. From the moment Sophia discovers Fazal's body the amount of danger steadily increases. There is the question of what is the information they think she has? Does it have something to do with Fazal's secretive patient? Austin is pretty sure Fazal was targeted because of his connection to Austin and his SEAL team, but who is behind it? I enjoyed seeing Sophia become just as involved in the hunt as Austin is, in spite of his attempts to keep her safe. I was pretty sure I knew where the hidden information was, and turned out to be right. I was a bit more surprised by the identity of one of the bad guys, though it made sense once I knew. The final confrontation was intense, and I really liked Sophia's calm under fire reactions. I have a feeling that the pursuit of the main antagonist is going to be a theme throughout the series and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Fully Ignited - Shannon Stacey (Carina Press - Feb 2016)

Series: Boston Fire (Book 3)

When Jamie Rutherford takes a temporary assignment as lieutenant of Boston Fire's Engine 59, she doesn't anticipate any problems. She's been in the fire service for a long time and, even though she's fairly new to Boston, she knows how to make any firehouse her home. What she's not prepared for is her reaction to firefighter Scott Kincaid.

Scott is looking for a wife. It's been a fun ride as a single guy, but he's tired of being the third wheel, and nearly losing his brother-in-law finally made him realize just how much he wants a family of his own. When the new guy at the firehouse turns out to be a capable, confident and very attractive woman, his plan is completely derailed.

Hooking up with a fellow firefighter has never been part of Jamie's plan, but she's tempted by Scott -- even though getting involved with him could tarnish the reputation she's worked so hard for. And Scott can't stop thinking about Jamie, despite the fact that she's his superior and not sticking around. Chemistry can crush the best-laid plans, though, and while Jamie and Scott might not be each other's future…there's no resisting the right now.

Good book. Scott Kincaid is a sixth generation firefighter. He is young, good looking, and has quite a reputation as a ladies' man. He's also a really nice guy under that player exterior. Nearly losing his brother-in-law in a fire-related accident has him realizing that he wants more in his life. And discovering his last girlfriend was more interested in his benefits than in him showed him that he was dating the wrong women. So he has taken a break from dating until he figures out just what he wants. When the substitute lieutenant turns out to be a really sexy, confident woman, he's facing unexpected temptation.

Jamie has been a firefighter for quite a while. Some assignments have been easier than others, as far as fitting in with the other firefighters. She's happy to feel right at home with the crew at Engine 59. But her reaction to Scott is unexpected and not entirely welcome.

The chemistry between Scott and Jamie is hot from the start, but both do their best to ignore it. Scott knows that getting involved with his boss is a very bad idea. Plus, she'll only be around for a few weeks, so it isn't like she could be a permanent part of his life. For her part, Jamie has always been very careful not to get involved with fellow firefighters. It's hard enough being a woman in the profession without getting the reputation of sleeping with your coworkers. But an unexpected and smoking hot kiss has them rethinking their plans.

I really liked the way that they handled their relationship. Both are determined to keep their professional and personal lives separate, and they do a really good job of it. It isn't easy, but both are motivated. I loved seeing the easy camaraderie within their days at the firehouse. The respect they have for each other's abilities is obvious. They handle their personal time together with the same kind of respect. I loved seeing how much fun they had together. Though both went into the relationship expecting a simple, short-term affair, neither expected to have deeper feelings develop. And therein was the problem. As much as Scott respected Jamie's abilities, when it came to the idea of marriage, he had a hard time accepting that she had as much of a chance of being injured on the job as he did. On her side, there was no way that Jamie would give up the career she loved any more than she would ask him to give up his. When Scott allows his personal feelings to interfere during a fire, then compounds the problem with an ill-timed declaration, it looks like the end of their relationship. I hurt for them both as they had to face a future without each other. I loved Scott's big moment as he went to her and made his case.

I really enjoyed the two family relationships - the blood family of the Kincaids and the firefighter family. Scott is the youngest and has a close relationship with his sisters. There is realism in their treatment of each other, which has plenty of laughter but also some more tension filled times. I loved how Scott's sisters bonded with Jamie right away. The dress shopping scene was so much fun. The relationships among the firefighters were just as tight. The teasing was a riot, especially when some of it landed on Scott and his search for his "television wife". I liked how they respected Jamie, and also accepted her as one of them. They also had each other's backs, and not just during fires. I loved the way the whole crew reacted to the gossip they heard.