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The Protectors #29
A Time To Die
A Time to Die While covering a big story in Africa, journalist Lexie Murrough is caught in the crossfire between local soldiers and undercover British and American agents and is left paralysed. Ten years later, Lexie has worked hard to bring herself back from the brink. But everything changes when she becomes the target of a psychopathic terrorist. Full description
Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
34 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Barton
298 books706 followersBeverly Marie Inman was born on 23 December 1946 in Tuscumbia, Alabama, USA. Daughter of Doris Marie and Walter D. Inman Jr. A born romantic, she fell in love with The Beauty and the Beast epic at an early age, when her grandfather bought her an illustrated copy of the famous fairy tale. Even before she learned to read and write, her vivid imagination created magical words and fabulous characters inside her mind. Movies fascinated her, and by the time she was seven she was rewriting the movies she saw on television and at the local theater to give them all happy endings. By the age of nine she'd penned her first novel. She wrote short stories, TV scripts, poetry, and novels throughout high school and into college.
After her marriage to Billy Ray Beaver, the "love of her life", and the births of her two children, Beverly continued to be a voracious reader and a devoted moviegoer, but she put her writing aspirations on hold until her children were teenagers. At every age of their lives, from infancy to adulthood, the children had been a true joy to her. She devoted herself to her husband and children and considered herself one of the many selfless "supermoms" who put their family's needs first. She believed she had had it all, just not all at the same time.
In her mid-30s, Beverly returned to her former passion — writing — as a hobby, but before 40, she decided that she wanted to make writing a full-time career. And when she rediscovered an old dream — of becoming a published writer — no one was more supportive of her aspirations than her family. Her children were her greatest cheerleaders and her husband was her biggest supporter. After writing over 40 books and receiving numerous awards and nominations, as well as having books on the USA Today list and consistently on the Waldenbooks bestseller list, her career was indeed a dream come true. Having a fantastic family and fabulous friends, as well as making a living doing the one thing she had loved doing since childhood, she considered herself truly blessed. Beverly died suddenly of heart failure on 21 April 2011.
After her marriage to Billy Ray Beaver, the "love of her life", and the births of her two children, Beverly continued to be a voracious reader and a devoted moviegoer, but she put her writing aspirations on hold until her children were teenagers. At every age of their lives, from infancy to adulthood, the children had been a true joy to her. She devoted herself to her husband and children and considered herself one of the many selfless "supermoms" who put their family's needs first. She believed she had had it all, just not all at the same time.
In her mid-30s, Beverly returned to her former passion — writing — as a hobby, but before 40, she decided that she wanted to make writing a full-time career. And when she rediscovered an old dream — of becoming a published writer — no one was more supportive of her aspirations than her family. Her children were her greatest cheerleaders and her husband was her biggest supporter. After writing over 40 books and receiving numerous awards and nominations, as well as having books on the USA Today list and consistently on the Waldenbooks bestseller list, her career was indeed a dream come true. Having a fantastic family and fabulous friends, as well as making a living doing the one thing she had loved doing since childhood, she considered herself truly blessed. Beverly died suddenly of heart failure on 21 April 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 13, 2008
A Time To Die is a great romantic suspense book. I'd give it a solid 4 stars, probably 4.5 if I could. But it's not quite a 5.
The story starts off with young reporter Lexie in the African country of Gadi where a brutal tyrant is about to be inaugurated president. While she's reporting, an assassination team kills the president and in the crossfire, Lexie is seriously wounded, nearly paralyzed for life. She's saved by one of the soldiers, Deke...who just might also be the same man who accidentally shot her.
Ten years later, she's recovered as much as she ever will. But she's never forgotten the gray-eyed soldier who risked everything to save her. Deke, however, has never gotten over the guilt. He secretly kept track of her for 5 years, but stopped when she was better. Now he's an investigator/bodyguard for the Dundee agency...and is shocked when his new assignment makes him the bodyguard of Lexie, who has been receiving terrorizing death threats. There's instant chemistry between the two, but Deke can't get over what he did to her. And once Lexie finds out the truth, she doesn't know what to think or to do. Of course, none of that will matter if the psycho after her succeeds.
One of the things I loved about this book was the unique dynamic between Lexie and Deke. With Deke mostly likely being the man who fired the bullet that nearly severed her spine. You don't usually get such an interesting situation between characters. It was interesting to read how things worked out between them. They had a really great chemistry and I really wanted them to work things out(which of course they would).
I also really enjoyed the secondary couple of Bain/Cara. Now they had some serious chemistry. But I got the feeling as I was reading that they wouldn't work things out, which was disappointing. Then I read on Barton's website that they would be a secondary couple for her next book, the last Protectors book, Dying For You. So I'm excited to see how things go with them in that book.
Storyline-wise...Barton always knows how to draw me in with the plots of her books. She did a great job in this one casting suspicion onto the various suspects. I was pretty sure who it was, but she made me second guess myself more than once.
The only thing I would liked to have seen was a more thorough resolution between Lexie and Deke regarding the past and the shooting. I felt like she skimmed past that a little bit. I wanted them to have a serious conversation about what happened, and it didn't come. So that's really the only thing that seemed missing to me. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one, as is usual with Barton's long romantic suspense books.
The story starts off with young reporter Lexie in the African country of Gadi where a brutal tyrant is about to be inaugurated president. While she's reporting, an assassination team kills the president and in the crossfire, Lexie is seriously wounded, nearly paralyzed for life. She's saved by one of the soldiers, Deke...who just might also be the same man who accidentally shot her.
Ten years later, she's recovered as much as she ever will. But she's never forgotten the gray-eyed soldier who risked everything to save her. Deke, however, has never gotten over the guilt. He secretly kept track of her for 5 years, but stopped when she was better. Now he's an investigator/bodyguard for the Dundee agency...and is shocked when his new assignment makes him the bodyguard of Lexie, who has been receiving terrorizing death threats. There's instant chemistry between the two, but Deke can't get over what he did to her. And once Lexie finds out the truth, she doesn't know what to think or to do. Of course, none of that will matter if the psycho after her succeeds.
One of the things I loved about this book was the unique dynamic between Lexie and Deke. With Deke mostly likely being the man who fired the bullet that nearly severed her spine. You don't usually get such an interesting situation between characters. It was interesting to read how things worked out between them. They had a really great chemistry and I really wanted them to work things out(which of course they would).
I also really enjoyed the secondary couple of Bain/Cara. Now they had some serious chemistry. But I got the feeling as I was reading that they wouldn't work things out, which was disappointing. Then I read on Barton's website that they would be a secondary couple for her next book, the last Protectors book, Dying For You. So I'm excited to see how things go with them in that book.
Storyline-wise...Barton always knows how to draw me in with the plots of her books. She did a great job in this one casting suspicion onto the various suspects. I was pretty sure who it was, but she made me second guess myself more than once.
The only thing I would liked to have seen was a more thorough resolution between Lexie and Deke regarding the past and the shooting. I felt like she skimmed past that a little bit. I wanted them to have a serious conversation about what happened, and it didn't come. So that's really the only thing that seemed missing to me. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one, as is usual with Barton's long romantic suspense books.
September 6, 2008
A Time to Die is the first book in the Protectors series that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last. I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel by Beverly Barton at least as much as I did her Cherokee Pointe trilogy. This novel had a likeable, sensitive heroine, and a protective hero who was tortured by the knowledge of what his actions cost the heroine years ago. I enjoyed the storyline, and the book had great secondary characters as well.
Ten years ago Deke Bronson was a member of a bi-government task force sent to assassinate a dangerous dictator. The assassination takes place, but innocents are caught in the crossfire. When Deke realizes that he has most probably shot an American female reporter, he defies his orders, rescues her, and sees her to safety. Not able to escape his guilt, he keeps tabs on her without her knowledge for the next five years. When she recovers as much as possible and moves on with her life, Deke stops following her life, but can't get past the guilt. Deke has settled into life as a bodyguard/investigator for the Dundee Agency, and he is stunned when his newest assignment turns out to be Lexie Murrough, the reporter he inadvertently shot. Deke decides that this could be his chance to redeem himself, so he resolves to keep Lexie safe.
Lexie's life underwent dramatic change when she was shot ten years ago. After she recovered from partial paralysis, she began running a charitable organization mostly funded by a wealthy young woman. Lexie has vague memories of being rescued by a grey-eyed soldier, and she has yearned for him ever since. Lexie is shocked and dismayed when a bomb goes off in her office, and then is even more stunned to discover that the perpetrator is directing his violence at those close to her. He begins to call and send Lexie messages, letting her know that he harbors a deep hatred for her. As bodies pile up, and incidents continue to occur, it is all Deke can do to keep Lexie safe.
Deke and Lexie are strongly attracted to one another, but Deke refuses to act on their feelings. As Lexie's tender feelings toward Deke continue to grow, she is saddened that he doesn't seem to feel the same for her. Deke cares deeply for Lexie and feels that it would be the ultimate betrayal for the man who shot her to become her lover. Deke must not only keep Lexie safe and find the person who is after her, but he must also decide if he will take the risk of telling her that he was the man who shot her.
This was a very fast paced and interesting book. The story behind the antagonist was not one that is common in romantic suspense novels. I thought that the hero's devotion to the heroine was very touching, and I enjoyed reading about their deepening feelings for one another. I will be looking for more books in the Protectors series.
Ten years ago Deke Bronson was a member of a bi-government task force sent to assassinate a dangerous dictator. The assassination takes place, but innocents are caught in the crossfire. When Deke realizes that he has most probably shot an American female reporter, he defies his orders, rescues her, and sees her to safety. Not able to escape his guilt, he keeps tabs on her without her knowledge for the next five years. When she recovers as much as possible and moves on with her life, Deke stops following her life, but can't get past the guilt. Deke has settled into life as a bodyguard/investigator for the Dundee Agency, and he is stunned when his newest assignment turns out to be Lexie Murrough, the reporter he inadvertently shot. Deke decides that this could be his chance to redeem himself, so he resolves to keep Lexie safe.
Lexie's life underwent dramatic change when she was shot ten years ago. After she recovered from partial paralysis, she began running a charitable organization mostly funded by a wealthy young woman. Lexie has vague memories of being rescued by a grey-eyed soldier, and she has yearned for him ever since. Lexie is shocked and dismayed when a bomb goes off in her office, and then is even more stunned to discover that the perpetrator is directing his violence at those close to her. He begins to call and send Lexie messages, letting her know that he harbors a deep hatred for her. As bodies pile up, and incidents continue to occur, it is all Deke can do to keep Lexie safe.
Deke and Lexie are strongly attracted to one another, but Deke refuses to act on their feelings. As Lexie's tender feelings toward Deke continue to grow, she is saddened that he doesn't seem to feel the same for her. Deke cares deeply for Lexie and feels that it would be the ultimate betrayal for the man who shot her to become her lover. Deke must not only keep Lexie safe and find the person who is after her, but he must also decide if he will take the risk of telling her that he was the man who shot her.
This was a very fast paced and interesting book. The story behind the antagonist was not one that is common in romantic suspense novels. I thought that the hero's devotion to the heroine was very touching, and I enjoyed reading about their deepening feelings for one another. I will be looking for more books in the Protectors series.
July 29, 2017
My first ever BB and I liked it. I know it was dated but that's what you get when you read older books. I had it all figured out with the "who dunnit" and then changed my mind..again and again. Reading as many mysteries has I have this one still had me changing my mind a few times until the near end.
July 21, 2012
Shoddily written, with perhaps the most egregious error being "There was only one word to describe....utter chaos". That's too. Repetitive writing, poorly drawn characters, amd harlequin romance worthy sex scenes.
April 1, 2022
Steamy and suspenseful 😎
May 4, 2016
A great plot, turned into a good story, then drowned in lusting female sexual hormones.
December 4, 2019
I sort of liked this book and read it through to the end to see what would happen. The book was published by Harlequin so that in itself gave me a hint of what to expect. But it is not normally my kind of thing.
I liked the concept of a former Black Ops Commando who was now a security officer protecting the life of a non-profit organization executive whom he shot and crippled ten years earlier during a covert operation, then later saved her from death. Ten years later a terrorist with ties to the African nation where the shooting took place is out to scare her and then kill her. It might sound confusing but that was the thrust of it.
The guilt felt by Deke (the ex-commando) over what he did to Lexie (the executive) was evident but his long buried feelings for her erupted later when he was unknowingly assigned to keep her safe. She fell in love with him almost immediately but could not shake the feeling she knew. He fell for her too and when he finally confessed his deed of the past she was crushed at first but still deeply in love. Okay, I never read Harlequins so maybe this is par for the course.
The book was full of sexual tension that seemed to go no where until about 50 pages shy of the end of the book. Of course the steamy scenes are not my main interest when I read. I often choose books in which some past incident or clue leads to a modern day story like this one did.
I think the terrorist was shown to the reader very early in the book as he plotted his next moves. His name wasn't clear to me until the end but I sort of figured it out.
The writing in this book seemed repetitive often. There were a number of other secondary characters whose romantic desires played out during the course of the book. There was a kind of unrequited love in one instance. The relationships of these secondary characters interested me as much as the main couple. The finale seemed like it happened too quickly. It was almost a disappointment having read the first 25 chapters only to have everything wrapped in a few pages of Chapter 26.
There were some Goodreads reviews that panned this book and said Beverly Barton wrote many better books. I do not plan to go looking for any of her other books but if one falls into my lap as this one did, I might check it out.
I liked the concept of a former Black Ops Commando who was now a security officer protecting the life of a non-profit organization executive whom he shot and crippled ten years earlier during a covert operation, then later saved her from death. Ten years later a terrorist with ties to the African nation where the shooting took place is out to scare her and then kill her. It might sound confusing but that was the thrust of it.
The guilt felt by Deke (the ex-commando) over what he did to Lexie (the executive) was evident but his long buried feelings for her erupted later when he was unknowingly assigned to keep her safe. She fell in love with him almost immediately but could not shake the feeling she knew. He fell for her too and when he finally confessed his deed of the past she was crushed at first but still deeply in love. Okay, I never read Harlequins so maybe this is par for the course.
The book was full of sexual tension that seemed to go no where until about 50 pages shy of the end of the book. Of course the steamy scenes are not my main interest when I read. I often choose books in which some past incident or clue leads to a modern day story like this one did.
I think the terrorist was shown to the reader very early in the book as he plotted his next moves. His name wasn't clear to me until the end but I sort of figured it out.
The writing in this book seemed repetitive often. There were a number of other secondary characters whose romantic desires played out during the course of the book. There was a kind of unrequited love in one instance. The relationships of these secondary characters interested me as much as the main couple. The finale seemed like it happened too quickly. It was almost a disappointment having read the first 25 chapters only to have everything wrapped in a few pages of Chapter 26.
There were some Goodreads reviews that panned this book and said Beverly Barton wrote many better books. I do not plan to go looking for any of her other books but if one falls into my lap as this one did, I might check it out.
January 13, 2025
คนที่รู้จักแม็กซ์ดีก็คงพอรู้ว่าแม็กซ์บ้าหนังสือชุด The Protectors ของเบเวอรี่ บาร์ตันมากแค่ไหน (ถึงขนาดเอาทั้งชุดมารีวิวในบลอกนี้ให้อ่านกันเกือบสามสิบเล่ม)
แต่หลังจากอ่านเล่มล่าสุดในชุดเรื่อง A Time to die จบลง แม็กซ์ก็ชักจะคิดว่าบางทีอาจจะถึง A Time to Quit แล้วล่ะ เพราะสามเล่มหลังสุดในชุดนี้มัน... ไม่ได้เรื่องจิงจิง
หนังสือชุดนี้ไม่ใช่ว่าจะหนุกไปทุกเรื่องหรอกนะ อันนี้แม็กซ์ทำใจไว้แล้ว แต่ก็ไม่มีครั้งไหนเลยที่ความไม่สนุกมันยาวนานอย่างนี้ และที่สำคัญแม็กซ์รู้สึกว่าคนแต่งเอาพล็อตเรื่องสืบสวนแบบโหด ๆ ชนิดเดียวกับที่เธอเขียนให้กับเคนซิงตันมาใช้ในหนังสือชุดนี้แล้ว และนั่นเป็นการทำลายหนังสือชุดนี้ลงไปเลย
ไม่ใช่ว่าเดอะโพร์แท็คเตอร์ไม่โหดหรอกนะ แต่บรรยากาศมันไม่ได้เป็นอย่างที่ปรากฎในเรื่อง A Time to Die เลย ลักษณะของตัวร้ายก็ถอดแบบตาลีบันมาอย่างไม่เหตุผลอะไรเลย
และตัวร้ายนี่แหละที่เป็นจุดอ่อนที่สุดของเรื่อง ตัวร้ายที่แบนราบชนิดที่เกิดมาจากท้องพ่อท้องแม่ก็คิดได้อย่างเดียวว่า "กูจะเป็นตัวร้าย กูจะเป็นตัวร้าย" ไม่มีมิติ ไม่มีความลึก ไม่มีเหตุผลเพียงพอที่จะต้องมาจงเกลียดจงชังนางเอกสักนิด
ในเรื่องลิซซี่ (ไม่แน่ใจหรอกนะว่าชื่อนางเอกไหม เพราะมันไม่น่าจดจำเท่าไหร) เป็นนักข่าวที่เข้าไปทำข่าวในประเทศสมมุติในแอฟริกา แล้วเจอการลอบสังหารประธานาธิบดีของที่นั่น นางเอกโดนลูกหลงทำให้เป็นอัมพาตชั่วคราว และต้องหัดเดินใหม่ กระสุนที่ยิงโดนนางเอกก็ไม่ใช่ของใครหรอก ก็เป็นของพระเอกนั่นเอง และนั่นเป็นเหตุการณ์ที่เชื่อมทั้งสองเอาไว้ด้วยกัน
สิบปีผ่านไป นางเอกโดนคุกคามชีวิตโดยคนร้ายที่อยู่ในเหตุการณ์การลอบสังหารเมื่อสิบปี ก่อน (โดยให้เหตุผลว่าเกลียดนางเอกที่อยู่ในเหตุการณ์ ซึ่งแม็กซ์ก็งง แค่นี้เขาก็ซวยแ��้วนะ โดนลูกหลงไปด้วย ทำไมต้องมาตามฆ่ากันด้วย ประสาท และประหลาดมาก) และพระเอกที่มีอาชีพเป็นบอดี้การ์ดก็เป็นคนเข้ามาคุ้มครองนางเอก พล็อตมันก็เหมือนหนังสือชุดนี้เล่มอื่น ๆ นั่นแหละ (และนั่นไม่ใช่ปัญหาเลย ก็อ่านชุดนี้มันก็ต้องทำใจว่า พล็อตไม่สร้างสรรนักหรอก)
แต่เสน่ห์ของเรื่องมันขาดไป นอกจากผู้ร้ายที่เลวไร้เหตุผล ก็คงเป็นปฏิกริยาระหว่างพระเอกกะนางเอกที่อ่านยังไงมันก็ไม่สป๊าร์ค ไม่รู้สึกว่ามันโรแมนซ์ตรงไหนเลย
คะแนนที่ 57
แต่หลังจากอ่านเล่มล่าสุดในชุดเรื่อง A Time to die จบลง แม็กซ์ก็ชักจะคิดว่าบางทีอาจจะถึง A Time to Quit แล้วล่ะ เพราะสามเล่มหลังสุดในชุดนี้มัน... ไม่ได้เรื่องจิงจิง
หนังสือชุดนี้ไม่ใช่ว่าจะหนุกไปทุกเรื่องหรอกนะ อันนี้แม็กซ์ทำใจไว้แล้ว แต่ก็ไม่มีครั้งไหนเลยที่ความไม่สนุกมันยาวนานอย่างนี้ และที่สำคัญแม็กซ์รู้สึกว่าคนแต่งเอาพล็อตเรื่องสืบสวนแบบโหด ๆ ชนิดเดียวกับที่เธอเขียนให้กับเคนซิงตันมาใช้ในหนังสือชุดนี้แล้ว และนั่นเป็นการทำลายหนังสือชุดนี้ลงไปเลย
ไม่ใช่ว่าเดอะโพร์แท็คเตอร์ไม่โหดหรอกนะ แต่บรรยากาศมันไม่ได้เป็นอย่างที่ปรากฎในเรื่อง A Time to Die เลย ลักษณะของตัวร้ายก็ถอดแบบตาลีบันมาอย่างไม่เหตุผลอะไรเลย
และตัวร้ายนี่แหละที่เป็นจุดอ่อนที่สุดของเรื่อง ตัวร้ายที่แบนราบชนิดที่เกิดมาจากท้องพ่อท้องแม่ก็คิดได้อย่างเดียวว่า "กูจะเป็นตัวร้าย กูจะเป็นตัวร้าย" ไม่มีมิติ ไม่มีความลึก ไม่มีเหตุผลเพียงพอที่จะต้องมาจงเกลียดจงชังนางเอกสักนิด
ในเรื่องลิซซี่ (ไม่แน่ใจหรอกนะว่าชื่อนางเอกไหม เพราะมันไม่น่าจดจำเท่าไหร) เป็นนักข่าวที่เข้าไปทำข่าวในประเทศสมมุติในแอฟริกา แล้วเจอการลอบสังหารประธานาธิบดีของที่นั่น นางเอกโดนลูกหลงทำให้เป็นอัมพาตชั่วคราว และต้องหัดเดินใหม่ กระสุนที่ยิงโดนนางเอกก็ไม่ใช่ของใครหรอก ก็เป็นของพระเอกนั่นเอง และนั่นเป็นเหตุการณ์ที่เชื่อมทั้งสองเอาไว้ด้วยกัน
สิบปีผ่านไป นางเอกโดนคุกคามชีวิตโดยคนร้ายที่อยู่ในเหตุการณ์การลอบสังหารเมื่อสิบปี ก่อน (โดยให้เหตุผลว่าเกลียดนางเอกที่อยู่ในเหตุการณ์ ซึ่งแม็กซ์ก็งง แค่นี้เขาก็ซวยแ��้วนะ โดนลูกหลงไปด้วย ทำไมต้องมาตามฆ่ากันด้วย ประสาท และประหลาดมาก) และพระเอกที่มีอาชีพเป็นบอดี้การ์ดก็เป็นคนเข้ามาคุ้มครองนางเอก พล็อตมันก็เหมือนหนังสือชุดนี้เล่มอื่น ๆ นั่นแหละ (และนั่นไม่ใช่ปัญหาเลย ก็อ่านชุดนี้มันก็ต้องทำใจว่า พล็อตไม่สร้างสรรนักหรอก)
แต่เสน่ห์ของเรื่องมันขาดไป นอกจากผู้ร้ายที่เลวไร้เหตุผล ก็คงเป็นปฏิกริยาระหว่างพระเอกกะนางเอกที่อ่านยังไงมันก็ไม่สป๊าร์ค ไม่รู้สึกว่ามันโรแมนซ์ตรงไหนเลย
คะแนนที่ 57
February 27, 2020
I remember finding Beverley Barton’s books so romantic when I was younger but now they just seem overly syrupy to me now and very unbelievable. Not to mention the fact that you are somehow supposed to like the main love interest even after he twice says that “he has accidentally shot innocent bystanders before but never an American”. I’m sorry, what the hell? Americans are somehow a bigger deal than all the other innocent people he has shot or killed? Yuck, no thanks.
March 17, 2018
Not bad, not as good as the back page suggests though
More of a love story than a thriller, it’s the first in its protector series I have read, I wouldn’t go out specially to buy. Only read to the end because I always do
More of a love story than a thriller, it’s the first in its protector series I have read, I wouldn’t go out specially to buy. Only read to the end because I always do
November 23, 2017
A Time To Die
Great book . Love her writing style. Mixes legal drama with romance. This is her first book that I have read.
I intend to read all of her books.
Great book . Love her writing style. Mixes legal drama with romance. This is her first book that I have read.
I intend to read all of her books.
February 18, 2019
romance mystery - blah
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this book!!
July 27, 2009
A Time To Die is the first book in The Protecters series that I've read and I'm happy to say that it won't be the last.
Ten years ago, Deke Bronson was a member of an American and British task force sent to a small African country to assinate a newly inaugaurated president. As the assination takes place innocent people are caught in the crossfire. Upon realizing that his bullet probably hit a female American reporter Deke defies all orders, rescues her and brings her to safety. Plagued by guilt, he keeps close tabs on her for the next five years without her knowledge. When Deke sees that she's made as much recovery as possible he drops it and becomes a bodyguard/investigator for Dundee Security. He receives a new assignment to protect Lexie Murrough, the reporter he believes he shot ten years ago. Seeing it as a chance to overcome his guilt he accepts the assignment and has to keep her safe from a madman intent on killing her.
The characters in this novel were really strong and interesting. There was a lot of strong attraction between Deke and Lexie. They both captivated my interest as I read.
I was kept guessing at who the madman was throught out the novel. I had a feeling who he was and for once, my initial feeling was right. Despite the fact that my idea of who the madman changed once or twice I ended up jumping back to the first character. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I really want to read some other ones in The Protectors series.
Ten years ago, Deke Bronson was a member of an American and British task force sent to a small African country to assinate a newly inaugaurated president. As the assination takes place innocent people are caught in the crossfire. Upon realizing that his bullet probably hit a female American reporter Deke defies all orders, rescues her and brings her to safety. Plagued by guilt, he keeps close tabs on her for the next five years without her knowledge. When Deke sees that she's made as much recovery as possible he drops it and becomes a bodyguard/investigator for Dundee Security. He receives a new assignment to protect Lexie Murrough, the reporter he believes he shot ten years ago. Seeing it as a chance to overcome his guilt he accepts the assignment and has to keep her safe from a madman intent on killing her.
The characters in this novel were really strong and interesting. There was a lot of strong attraction between Deke and Lexie. They both captivated my interest as I read.
I was kept guessing at who the madman was throught out the novel. I had a feeling who he was and for once, my initial feeling was right. Despite the fact that my idea of who the madman changed once or twice I ended up jumping back to the first character. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I really want to read some other ones in The Protectors series.
March 20, 2008
I always enjoy Beverly Barton's novels and this was no exception. I would give this 3 and 1/2 stars though. I liked the storyline, the romance was good and included at a great pace. The suspense did keep me guessing (just when I thought I figured it out, I would change my mind). However, I thought that with all of the deaths in Lexies life there should have been a bit more angst or feeling coming from her. Even though the book stated her feelings, I never really sensed them for myself. By the end of the book, I just wanted it to hurry up and finish, which is not how I usually feel about a Barton novel. After all is said and done, though, this was a great addition to the Protector series and I look forward to her next one.
December 9, 2007
I enjoyed readig this book. Found it entertaining, with action, a dash of romance, and suspense. The suspense was good! I kept guessing who was doing the killings and really didn't figure it out until the end. Well done! This is the first "Protectors" book I have read and plan on looking for more from this author
November 5, 2012
Great romantic suspense story! Even if you don't follow Ms. Barton's THE PROTECTORS series, you'll really enjoy this emotional story of Deke Bronson and Lexie Murrough.
Great suspense and intrigue, great romance, and some steamy sexual tension!
Great suspense and intrigue, great romance, and some steamy sexual tension!
November 21, 2011
I did not think this was as good as most of Barton's books. Our bad guy did not come across as well trained or smart enough to be the super villain he was supposed to be. No way he would have gotten away with so much for so long.
March 12, 2014
Viel zu viele Wiederholungen, eintönige Charaktere, banale Liebesdialoge nach girlie Art
Mitteläßig.
Ach ja, beim Lesen wollte ich mir diesen Aprikose - farbigen Lipgloss auch zulegen, den die Hauptprotagonistin und ihre Freundin immer benutzen... =) Er kommt zu oft vor...
Mitteläßig.
Ach ja, beim Lesen wollte ich mir diesen Aprikose - farbigen Lipgloss auch zulegen, den die Hauptprotagonistin und ihre Freundin immer benutzen... =) Er kommt zu oft vor...
March 23, 2008
This may be one of her earlier books. Not as good as the other ones I have read. It's a quick read however, and will keep your interest.
August 3, 2012
loved
March 31, 2016
Not a brilliant story, but OK. There was little pretense to hide the culprit so there was no surprise ending. Not as good as Sandra Brown, but similar type.
Want to read
October 23, 2008A Time To Die by Beverly Barton (2007)
August 27, 2010
So so read.Hoping the others of hers that I have are better.
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