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Stowaway
He’s handsome, hot, hunted and hurt... a plea for help from this detective is one her heart can’t refuse.
Keri Merritt desperately needs her long-overdue vacation, preferably as far as she can get from anyone with a badge. It’s not that she doesn’t respect those modern knights, but between her job as a trauma nurse and her overprotective law enforcement family, she’s overrun.
When she finds something in the back of her truck she definitely didn’t pack, all hope of a peaceful break from reality burns away in the heat of a dark, fevered gaze. Behind those chocolate eyes lies everything she wants to avoid.
Nick Lamanto is in trouble. He’s tracked the mastermind of a gunrunning operation from Florida to Tennessee, only to wind up with an attempted murder warrant hanging over his head, a bullet in his arm and no one he can trust. Except the sheriff’s petite, strong-willed daughter, whose jittery finger is on the trigger of the .45 pointed between his eyes.
Lucky for Nick, Keri’s healing instinct kicks in. And so does a powerful attraction sharper than the needle with which she stitches him. As the threads of his investigation connect with unanswered questions about Keri’s past, keeping her safe matters more to him than his next breath. Even if it’s his last...
Warning: If you have a weakness for dark-haired, dark-eyed law enforcement officers with strong protective instincts, prepare to lose your heart.
Keri Merritt desperately needs her long-overdue vacation, preferably as far as she can get from anyone with a badge. It’s not that she doesn’t respect those modern knights, but between her job as a trauma nurse and her overprotective law enforcement family, she’s overrun.
When she finds something in the back of her truck she definitely didn’t pack, all hope of a peaceful break from reality burns away in the heat of a dark, fevered gaze. Behind those chocolate eyes lies everything she wants to avoid.
Nick Lamanto is in trouble. He’s tracked the mastermind of a gunrunning operation from Florida to Tennessee, only to wind up with an attempted murder warrant hanging over his head, a bullet in his arm and no one he can trust. Except the sheriff’s petite, strong-willed daughter, whose jittery finger is on the trigger of the .45 pointed between his eyes.
Lucky for Nick, Keri’s healing instinct kicks in. And so does a powerful attraction sharper than the needle with which she stitches him. As the threads of his investigation connect with unanswered questions about Keri’s past, keeping her safe matters more to him than his next breath. Even if it’s his last...
Warning: If you have a weakness for dark-haired, dark-eyed law enforcement officers with strong protective instincts, prepare to lose your heart.
351 pages, ebook
First published December 20, 2011
3 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Becky Barker
40 books73 followersBecky Barker is an Amazon bestselling, award-winning romance author whose books have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages, published in large print library editions and in many electronic formats. She makes her home in central Ohio where she's surrounded by a big, close-knit family.
Sign up for Becky's newsletter or email her at: write@BeckyBarker.com
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 2, 2013
Nick Lamanto is undercover in Tennessee uncover a gunrunning operation when he is wounded and on the run. He doesn't know who to trust and ends up in the backseat of Keri Merritt's SUV. Keri Merritt is an ER nurse and also the daughter of the sheriff and sister of a cop. She is ready for vacation and no one is going to tell her otherwise! She takes off for the mountain cabin unaware that she has a passenger on board.
I really liked this one. The characters were likable and the plot interesting. A little predictable in places and a few surprises in others. I would highly recommend this to Romantic Suspense fans!
I really liked this one. The characters were likable and the plot interesting. A little predictable in places and a few surprises in others. I would highly recommend this to Romantic Suspense fans!
March 2, 2012
This review posted at Guilty Pleasures
RECOMMENDED READ
Once again Becky Barker delivers a treat for both suspense and romance fans.
Nick is a sexy, confident, astounding man, who just happens to be a first-rate cop. He is invited to Thornbury, TN to help investigate a gun smuggling operation. Something goes horribly wrong one night and he ends up with a gunshot wound and is suspected of shooting a fellow officer.
Keri is a highly respected trauma nurse from a small town in TN. She comes from a family with a long history of law enforcement. She has vowed to never get involved with a man that has a badge.
Nick stows away in her SUV as she is heading out to the family cabin for some R&R. He needs some place to hide out while he tries to rest and heal from his injury.
After a few strange things occur in the woods surrounding the cabin, it is clear there is some shady business happening with the surrounding neighbors. Nick and Keri are forced to trust one another as they try to figure out just what exactly is going on.
Keri finds out that Nick is not just a cop, but also part of a very wealthy family. They try to hold out on the attraction they both feel for one another. They come from two separate worlds and she knows when this investigation is wrapped up, he will go back to Miami. The sexual tension that builds between them is intense and then when the inevitable happens and they both give in to the burning desire, we are treated the smoking hot sex scenes that Ms. Barker is so incredibly good at writing. The romance in this book is full of lust and passion as Nick and Keri give in to their cravings for each other. Through the course of the book they evolve into a man and woman falling in love, yet fighting those passions and making mistakes, and at the same time desperately trying to each find their way to a happy ending.
I have been a fan of Becky Barker’s for a long time. I love the way she writes. She has a way to make you feel as you are part of the story and keeps you hanging on until the very last word. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
RECOMMENDED READ
Once again Becky Barker delivers a treat for both suspense and romance fans.
Nick is a sexy, confident, astounding man, who just happens to be a first-rate cop. He is invited to Thornbury, TN to help investigate a gun smuggling operation. Something goes horribly wrong one night and he ends up with a gunshot wound and is suspected of shooting a fellow officer.
Keri is a highly respected trauma nurse from a small town in TN. She comes from a family with a long history of law enforcement. She has vowed to never get involved with a man that has a badge.
Nick stows away in her SUV as she is heading out to the family cabin for some R&R. He needs some place to hide out while he tries to rest and heal from his injury.
After a few strange things occur in the woods surrounding the cabin, it is clear there is some shady business happening with the surrounding neighbors. Nick and Keri are forced to trust one another as they try to figure out just what exactly is going on.
Keri finds out that Nick is not just a cop, but also part of a very wealthy family. They try to hold out on the attraction they both feel for one another. They come from two separate worlds and she knows when this investigation is wrapped up, he will go back to Miami. The sexual tension that builds between them is intense and then when the inevitable happens and they both give in to the burning desire, we are treated the smoking hot sex scenes that Ms. Barker is so incredibly good at writing. The romance in this book is full of lust and passion as Nick and Keri give in to their cravings for each other. Through the course of the book they evolve into a man and woman falling in love, yet fighting those passions and making mistakes, and at the same time desperately trying to each find their way to a happy ending.
I have been a fan of Becky Barker’s for a long time. I love the way she writes. She has a way to make you feel as you are part of the story and keeps you hanging on until the very last word. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
January 20, 2012
Nick Lamanto has been shot and is also a person of interests in another shooting. He has been uncover in Tennessee trying to track down the leaders of a gunrunning operation when things went bad. He decides the only way he is going to get out of town is by stowing away in the back of trauma nurse Keri Merritt vehicle since she is on her way out of town for vacation and she is the daughter of the sheriff figuring no one would stop her.
When Nick wakes up from passing out from blood loss its to Keri pointing a .45 at him. She decides maybe he isnt the bad guy and stitches him up and realizes there is alot of sexual attraction between them but along with Nick being in law enforcement she has a few other hangups that make her resist the Italian charms of Nick.
There was plenty of action and suspense in this book but its wasnt the forefront of the story. The romance was. I had not seen it done this way before - normally in a romantic suspense the suspense is from beginning to end and that is where and how the H/H fall in love. In this book they got to learn alot of things about the other - spend time away from the "suspense" part and when that part was concluded the book still continued on. It was almost like 2 books in one and the merging worked great.
When Nick wakes up from passing out from blood loss its to Keri pointing a .45 at him. She decides maybe he isnt the bad guy and stitches him up and realizes there is alot of sexual attraction between them but along with Nick being in law enforcement she has a few other hangups that make her resist the Italian charms of Nick.
There was plenty of action and suspense in this book but its wasnt the forefront of the story. The romance was. I had not seen it done this way before - normally in a romantic suspense the suspense is from beginning to end and that is where and how the H/H fall in love. In this book they got to learn alot of things about the other - spend time away from the "suspense" part and when that part was concluded the book still continued on. It was almost like 2 books in one and the merging worked great.
January 14, 2012
Love new books from Becky Barker! This one is a Great read. The characters are good and the suspense story line is Great!! Loved it.
June 25, 2022
Sizzling chemistry, compelling and captivating plot with plenty of angsts and actions.
Do you need a gripping romance that will leave you guessing all the way through to the end? then you must read this book. This is steamy and filed with suspense, conspiracies, betrayals, greed, and actions which led to dangerous, life threatening situations. There are also some unexpected twists that will surprise you.
Nick Lamanto and Keri Merritt was definitely not looking for love or did they expect the blazing heat and deep emotional attachment they developed. Their journey to love matured through shared heartache, warmth, loyalty, sizzling chemistry, a passion to find the truth, and some compelling actions to defeat common enemies .
Engaging storyline, amazing characters, great narration and I loved the HEA.
Do you need a gripping romance that will leave you guessing all the way through to the end? then you must read this book. This is steamy and filed with suspense, conspiracies, betrayals, greed, and actions which led to dangerous, life threatening situations. There are also some unexpected twists that will surprise you.
Nick Lamanto and Keri Merritt was definitely not looking for love or did they expect the blazing heat and deep emotional attachment they developed. Their journey to love matured through shared heartache, warmth, loyalty, sizzling chemistry, a passion to find the truth, and some compelling actions to defeat common enemies .
Engaging storyline, amazing characters, great narration and I loved the HEA.
July 7, 2020
I’m reviewing the audio edition. This is the first time I’ve read/listened to a story by this author. It’s a combination between romance and mystery. I found the characters Keri and Nick both likable. They are accidentally thrown together and its entertaining to see how they handle the new relationship. As they find out more about each other while trying to find answers I found them both more lovable especially when Keri outs Nick to his parents. I think the narrator Johnny Peppers made this story realistic. His voice made this an enjoyable listen. I received a free copy from Audiobook Boom and this is my voluntary review.
June 21, 2025
Stowaway was a good book to listen to if you enjoy non stop action with romance and suspense. Nick is undercover, when he jumps into Keri's car. From that moment on, sit back and enjoy the ride.
I was gifted this book by the author.
I was gifted this book by the author.
June 28, 2012
This was really good! I liked how Keri handled herself when she first met her stowaway. She didn't immediately shoot him. She didn't call her daddy or brother to come get him. And she didn't jump to the conclusion that he was guilty. And I liked how Nick treated her with a bit of deference as well. He recognized that she wasn't an idiot. And he let her fix him up... then he got hold of the gun and turned the tables on Keri. Though it really wasn't to hurt her... just to ensure he got a bit more time to heal and figure out his next steps. And I liked how the trust grew on both sides. I also liked that he was so humble about his family and their wealth. Not that he hadn't taken advantage of it in his youth, but he always wanted to be his own person, and once he became an adult, he took care of himself.
I thought the suspenseful story line was great as well as the growing attraction and then love between Keri and Nick. I wanted to smack her when her dad said "Don't open the door to anyone" and then she does. Duh, lol! And I also really thought she was going to try to leave at the end. Which would have made me extremely sad. I absolutely loved that Nick came up with a plan and how he went about executing it and how he went about revealing it to Keri. It was a nice love story, great chemistry, and a good mystery to boot.
I thought the suspenseful story line was great as well as the growing attraction and then love between Keri and Nick. I wanted to smack her when her dad said "Don't open the door to anyone" and then she does. Duh, lol! And I also really thought she was going to try to leave at the end. Which would have made me extremely sad. I absolutely loved that Nick came up with a plan and how he went about executing it and how he went about revealing it to Keri. It was a nice love story, great chemistry, and a good mystery to boot.
September 4, 2012
Keri is a nurse who desperately needs a vacation. Nick is a cop who, while working undercover, got shot. It is suspected that he has gone rogue so he has to get out of town quickly. Unbeknownst to Keri, Nick hides in the back of her SUV as she heads up to the family cottage for two weeks. As she nurses him back to to health, they get to know and trust each other. With Keri's help, he continues to investigate what brought him to Tennessee, which was a terrorist plot.
This book read like a racy Harlequin Romance with some mystery and cop drama. Despite this (I like more substance than a Harlequin), I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. The leads (Keri and Nick) were strong but I found the villains a bit weak ... there wasn't a lot of time spent developing their characters. Though everything happened quickly, I found the interactions between Keri and Nick believable.
I would never have read this book based on the cover ... it's not indicative of the story. Looking at it, you assume it's just a romance. What the terrorist part? And it makes it seem like someone was stowed away on a boat when, in fact, Nick had stowed away in Keri's SUV.
I enjoyed this book and would check out others by this author.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/09...
This book read like a racy Harlequin Romance with some mystery and cop drama. Despite this (I like more substance than a Harlequin), I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. The leads (Keri and Nick) were strong but I found the villains a bit weak ... there wasn't a lot of time spent developing their characters. Though everything happened quickly, I found the interactions between Keri and Nick believable.
I would never have read this book based on the cover ... it's not indicative of the story. Looking at it, you assume it's just a romance. What the terrorist part? And it makes it seem like someone was stowed away on a boat when, in fact, Nick had stowed away in Keri's SUV.
I enjoyed this book and would check out others by this author.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/09...
July 29, 2016
Keri Merritt desperately needs her long-overdue vacation, preferably as far as she can get from anyone with a badge, given her over-protective law enforcement family. When she finds something in the back of her truck she definitely didn’t pack, she loses all hope of a peaceful break from reality.
Nick Lamanto is in trouble. He’s tracked the mastermind of a gunrunning operation from Florida to Tennessee, only to wind up with an attempted murder warrant hanging over his head, a bullet in his arm and no one he can trust.
Lucky for Nick, Keri’s healing instinct kicks in. Using her training as a trauma nurse, Keri stitches him up and is convinced to keep him hidden As the threads of his investigation connect with unanswered questions about Keri’s past, the couple realize that they aren't safe in her small Tennessee town, but escaping won't be easy.
After a slow start, the story picks up steam and charges forward. Lots of action, steamy romance and plot twists hold the reader's attention to the very end.
Nick Lamanto is in trouble. He’s tracked the mastermind of a gunrunning operation from Florida to Tennessee, only to wind up with an attempted murder warrant hanging over his head, a bullet in his arm and no one he can trust.
Lucky for Nick, Keri’s healing instinct kicks in. Using her training as a trauma nurse, Keri stitches him up and is convinced to keep him hidden As the threads of his investigation connect with unanswered questions about Keri’s past, the couple realize that they aren't safe in her small Tennessee town, but escaping won't be easy.
After a slow start, the story picks up steam and charges forward. Lots of action, steamy romance and plot twists hold the reader's attention to the very end.
July 13, 2012
As always, just a couple thoughts. I liked that small town country life was portrayed as a mix of the racist, uninformed crazies and of good, hardworking wonderful people. It's an interesting dichotomy in our country right now, and the book accurately reflected my impressions of the south right now. It's easy to get caught up in the people that make the news and not so easy to remember that they aren't always reflective of the society in which they live. I thank Barker for reminding me of that.
I liked both Keri and Nick, as well as both their families. I liked that their relationship had to build the trust and that they both had issues with that.
The love story felt pretty real to me, even if it was fast. But the HEA didn't come after a couole weeks, thankfully. It gave me the touch of reality that so many rom susp lack - the characters had time to come down off their adrenaline highs, build a relationship over time (and distance) and cement a trust and love.
Well done.
I liked both Keri and Nick, as well as both their families. I liked that their relationship had to build the trust and that they both had issues with that.
The love story felt pretty real to me, even if it was fast. But the HEA didn't come after a couole weeks, thankfully. It gave me the touch of reality that so many rom susp lack - the characters had time to come down off their adrenaline highs, build a relationship over time (and distance) and cement a trust and love.
Well done.
September 5, 2012
5 STARS
I have been a fan of Becky Barker’s for a long time. I love the way she writes. She has a way to make you feel as you are part of the story and keeps you hanging on until the very last word. I loved this book and highly recommend it. Full review posted here: http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
I have been a fan of Becky Barker’s for a long time. I love the way she writes. She has a way to make you feel as you are part of the story and keeps you hanging on until the very last word. I loved this book and highly recommend it. Full review posted here: http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
May 5, 2016
I had never read a book by Becky Barker, but I am now a huge fan. It was hard to put down, your interest never waivers. When you think you knew who did something or know how something was going to come out, you were wrong. Love it...Great read
June 18, 2012
awesome, awesome and awesome
December 11, 2016
Enjoyable read. A little light in the suspense, but the romance more than made up for that.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews