Sheriff's Runaway Witness

Scandals of Sierra Malone #1

by Kathleen Creighton

Pregnant and on the run, Rachel Malone Delcorte is the only witness to the murder of two federal agents. Mob boss Carlos Delcorte wants her baby - his grandson - and he wants Rachel dead. But as fate would have it, sheriff's deputy Jethro "J.J." Fox gets to Rachel first.

After delivering her baby and seeing her safely to her billionaire grandfather's estate, he's sworn to protect the beautiful widow. Keeping mother and son safe isn't the problem for J.J. - he's used to handling the bad guys. Matters of the heart - that's a whole different story. He's always had his own agenda. One he's not sure Rachel can accept.

Genres: Harlequin, Romance, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Harlequin Romantic Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author

Reviews

[CORRI GRYTING · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great escape

Sheriff's Runaway Witness proves to be a heartwarming read with action and romance in just the right amounts. J.J. got more than he bargained for when he rescued the stranded motorist. He had not been content in the desert, but perhaps the role he takes on as protector will save both their lives,. The mountain ranch is such a peaceful change from the desert and from the city. Only time will tell, but first they have to live through escaping a crime boss bent on silencing a witness.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love a gorgeous guy named Jethro--especially when he's a dedicated lawman and loving owner of a devoted hound dog named Moonshine. "Sheriff's Runaway Witness" is the first book in author Kathleen Creighton's "Scandals of Sierra Malone" series, and it's a very entertaining romantic suspense read. When Rachel Malone married Nick Delcorte, she married the son of a high-powered crime boss and tried her best to believe the innocent image her husband projected. However, when Nick is killed in a shoot-out with federal agents, Rachel finds herself pregnant, widowed, and a prisoner of her very own father-in-law. Carlos Delcorte cares little for his son's widow, and he will stop at nothing to gain control over his unborn grandchild. When Rachel escapes captivity with the help of a friend, she winds up stranded in the California desert just as she is about to give birth. When Sheriff Jethro "J.J." Fox rides to the rescue, he winds up delivering Rachel's child and finding himself drawn to the battered and beautiful mother and her newborn son. J.J. is stuck on desert detail after a disastrous twist to his career as a big city homicide cop. He longs to return to his former beat, and he thinks that persuading Rachel to testify against Carlos Delcorte will be his ticket out of the desert heat and back to the work he truly loves. He just has to persuade himself that he only feels the need to protect Rachel and stay oh-so-close as a part of his professional plan and not out of unexpected personal need. Rachel never knew that men like "J.J.", who is so like her ideal man, John Wayne, really existed outside the silver screen. She finds herself questioning her real feelings for her late husband, and she wonders if she and her son could have a future with a certain handsome and heroic man of the law. Complicating matters even further is the letter Rachel received from her wealthy grandfather, Sam Malone, a former film star whom Rachel has never met. His invitation to join him at his estate comes at just the right time for a woman on the run, so J.J. escorts Rachel to the fabulous ranch home of the mysterious Sam Malone. Brought together under urgent, intense circumstances, Rachel and J.J. must decide which comes first--duty or desire? The other three entries in the "Scandals of Sierra Malone" series each introduce the reader to another Malone grand-daughter. All four books from talented storyteller Kathleen Creighton are sure to be greatly enjoyable for lovers of romantic suspense!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story begins with the heroine Rachel escaping the home of her father-in-law, we discover that Rachel was married to the son of a very powerful and dangerous mafia boss. She is also witness to a shooting, which killed two federal agents and her husband, and she is nearly 9 months pregnant. Fearing for her life she escapes but her car breaks down in the desert where she collapses from exhaustion. The hero J.J., the local Sheriff, finds Rachel and tries to get her to safety but when Rachel goes into labour he helps deliver her son. When he discovers Rachel's identity he sees her as a chance to regain his former life as a homicide detective by persuading her to testify what she knows about the federal agents murder. When Rachel and her son are threatened in the hospital, J.J. takes her into his protective custody and takes her to the home of her reclusive grandfather. Rachel and J.J. grow close to each other and both develop feelings, however J.J. is still determined to convince Rachel to testify against her father-in-law.

This was a riveting read, and at times quite exciting. Rachel was a great character, she started off lonely and unsure of herself but as the story progressed she became stronger and stronger. J.J. was an OK character although at times I felt he wallowed in his own self pity a little too much. I felt the 'action' sequences didn't quite work and seemed a little rushed. The romance between Rachel and J.J. was well written and believable.

This is the first book in the 'Scandals of Sierra Malone' mini-series, running alongside Rachel and J.J.'s story is also that of Rachel's grandfather, who after years as a recluse has decided to reach out to his grandchildren. The parts with his story were really interesting and I will be interested in seeing how his story plays out.

Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....

[Mombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheriff JJ Fox is such a normal guy and through difficult circumstances, he becomes the terrific hero he was meant to be. It's pure serendipity that he meets Rachel and eventually realizes after many trials that he has fallen in love.

Those trials including rescuing Rachel who has become stranded in the desert and although she's pregnant, she is also wearing a nun's habit (seriously, I'm not making this up) and things spiral from there.

The talented Sheriff delivers her baby in the back seat of a car, rescues her from an assasination attempt at the hospital, takes her and the baby safely to her reclusive grandfather's home in the mountains, and then brings a mobster to his knees.

Is law enforcement in California really that good? If so, I am definitely living in the wrong part of the world.

Seriously, SRW is a terrific story and the segue into the grandfather's issues in further Scandals of Sierra Malone should be good.

[Te · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually rate a Harlequin Romance but this is an exception. It's neither trashy nor bland. I've been reading a lot of bad Harlequin books over the past few months and I picked this one up just because I wanted a break from reading a seriously info loaded psych book.

I loved the characters, especially Moonshine and Sam Malone. The story has the right dose of humor, sweetness and suspense.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Scandals of Sierra Malone

"Good book. ... I like Sam Malone, and am looking forward to seeing more of him in the later books." from a review posted by an eHarlequin.com member, to read more, go here. (reviewer gave it 4 stars)

[Ann (Noumena12) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay...I want to know more about Sierra Sam Malone....

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I have no idea why it took me so long to finally pick up this book.
I now have to go out and get the rest in the scandals of sierra Malone series.

[Nona K. Wendland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the series!.

There are two stories in each book. First is the grandfather and then the grandchild. It's a story of love and danger.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent reed!!!