The Baby’s Bodyguard by Stephanie Newton
Harlequin/Love Inspired Suspense
Mass Market: $5.75; ebook: $4.99
ISBN: 9780373444533
Favorite Lines: He unzipped her and nearly gagged. “What kind of crime scene do we have here, little miss? I think we might need the hazmat team.” (p. 56, egalley)
A SHOCKING DISCOVERY
When an anonymous text message arrives with photos of tiny hands and feet—and GPS coordinates—Florida cop Ethan Clark believes it’s a prank. Then he follows the coordinates to an abandoned toddler. Handing Janie Doe over to caring child services worker Kelsey Rogers, Ethan thinks his job is done…until the little girl turns out to be a kidnap victim. To protect the child, Ethan and Kelsey stumble into an investigation that digs up a tragedy from Ethan’s past. Will they uncover the truth before the kidnappers bury the trail forever?
Emerald Coast 911: Saving lives and finding love on the Florida coast.
BLAM! That’s how this story began. With a knockout punch that promised me a kick ass story. After the explosive prologue, The Baby’s Bodyguard had a lot to live up to and I felt like I was guaranteed a winning story.
I was right. From beginning to end, there were no moments when I even considered setting the book down. Because The Baby’s Bodyguard is a love inspired romance expect slight references to God. The story isn’t preachy, but it makes you think. Think about second chances and the ripple effect. You know how one small thing can have an effect on many people.
I can’t say that the plot was hard to figure out, but the story was enjoyable and short. The book has 218 pages, but they practically fly by. From an abandoned baby to a woman running for her life while carrying a toddler, the story is full of adventure and danger. However, it also has moments of absolute clarity such as when the hero, Ethan, considers how his discovery (can’t tell you of what) will affect other people. He wonders at how one thing can make one person so happy while destroying another person. It’s sad and something I hadn’t thought of because I selfishly fixated on wanting a happy hero.
The Baby’s Bodyguard isn’t a complicated romance, but it’s a story about two people forced into close proximity finding comfort in one another. That comfort eventually leads to closeness and romance. It was nice to read a romance in which I genuinely liked both the hero and the heroine. There was never a moment when I wanted either one to die and that is saying a lot.
Read it or Skip it? Read it if you want to enjoy an inspirational, romantic suspense. There are mentions of God’s will and prayer, but the story is not preachy or in your face religious. The comments are well written and sound like they are part of the character’s personality instead of a gimmick.
Scooper Speaks 