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PROTECTION WAS PART OF THE COWBOY CREED

Fate brought Texas rancher Durk Lambert face-to-face with his ex-lover, Meghan Sinclair. The reckless but gorgeous P.I. had been beaten and left for dead, with no memory of her attacker, of Durk…or herself. Years ago she’d broken his heart, but no cowboy walked away from a woman in need.

While Durk kept her safe on his Bent Pine Ranch, his own memories threatened him—laughing with Meghan, making love. He still wanted her, but he feared Meghan was the one woman he could never have—and the one he’d lay down his life to protect. Because while Durk wanted her to remember, a killer needed her to forget.…

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

23 people are currently reading
55 people want to read

About the author

Joanna Wayne

187 books59 followers
Real name: Jo Ann Vest
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.

Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.

Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.

Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.

She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.

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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
2,323 reviews38 followers
November 15, 2012
Big Shot by Joanna Wayne
4 STARS

Big Shot is a romance mystery. It keeps up the suspense till the end. I like how Durk Lambert even gets right in thier when he sees a need and takes care of it.
Durk is rich, CEO of his family oil company. When he has time off for vacation he plans to head out to the family ranch.
Before he can leave his Aunt is taken from the ranch to hospital by ambulance. Durk heads for the emergency to see how she is. While he is waiting for news from the doctor another patient is brought in on a stretcher yelling about the car. Durk recongizes Meghan Sinclair a old girl friend that broke up with him two years ago. He went to see how she was and found out she was attacked in her condo.
Meghan was lucky that when she was attacked and yelled her big nieghbor came running and chased him off her. The nieghbor decided that getting Meghan medical help was needed more than chaseing the guy.
The nurse asks him to help feel out paperwork on Meghan since she was not making any sense. Durk did not remember her sister Lucy's last name but knew she lived out of town. Durk said he would make some phone calls to find out more.
Durk called Meghan's office and it rang busy it was not far from hospital so he decides to stop by and talk to Ben Meghan assistant. He found Ben murdered and picked up the gun to defend himself if needed. Then called the cops.
Meghan wakes up and can't remember her name or anything. She trusts Durk.
The police question Durk again but his albie about being at the hospital checks out.
It must be scary to not remember anything and know someone out thier wanted her dead. Also killed her co-worker that she does not remember. Who do you trust? I like that
Meghan does not give up and is determined to find out who killed Ben. She does not want to be a burden to Durk.
this was a fast read. I would love to go back and read about Durk's brothers story.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
11/01/2012 Pub Harlequin Imprint Harlequin Intrigue 9780373696505 ISBN
Profile Image for Susan.
4,806 reviews125 followers
November 1, 2012
Good book. I liked both Durk and Meghan. Durk was at the hospital with his aunt when Meghan was brought in after being beaten. They had broken up two years before, but Durk still cared and made sure he was there for her. In order to protect her while she was trying to recover her memory he took her home with him. As they spent time together he was reminded of all the things he loved about her, but also of what had torn them apart. I really liked his protectiveness and how he tried to keep her safe. I also liked the way he tried to make her see how her activities tore him up with worry about her. Meghan was a very determined woman. She was very good at her job and never let anything stop her from doing what she felt was needed to get it done. Her loss of memory was frustrating for her because she was sure that if she could remember the events she would be able to solve the case. She also wished she could remember her relationship with Durk. She was still attracted to him and would like to see where it might go, but can't think about it until she can remember. When the final showdown occurs and she regains her memory she finally realizes what is most important.
Profile Image for Paula Legate.
Author 17 books25 followers
September 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the suspense of the story, and the romance between Meghan, and Durk. Two years has passed since Meghan and Durk ended their relationship. Time has not dimensioned the feelings Durk has for Meghan. Durk shows up to the hospital to see his aunt. While he is waiting on information he glances to see paramedics rolling a stretcher by. His heart tightened in his chest, as he realized it was Meghan. She had been attacked. She woke up in the hospital with amnesia, and a sexy cowboy sitting in a nearby chair. She found out she was a private I, and her job may have been the reason she was attacked. She was shocked to find out Durk was not just a cowboy. He was the CEO of the Lambert family's billion dollar oil company. I loved the way Durk stayed by her side while she recovered. You will have to read to see if her memory returns before the madman strikes again. Can she stop the madman the second time around? Will Meghan and Durk get a second chance at love?
Profile Image for Shai Williams.
875 reviews13 followers
November 3, 2012
It has been years since I have read one of the more 'classical' Harlequin romances and I did enjoy my trip to the past. I used to devour these books when I was younger. I think that my tastes have changed as I have matured however. I really did expect some more tension in a romantic suspense then was served up. Instead if I will think of this line as romantic suspense lite I will know just what Harlequin line to grab when I am in the mood.

Overall I did enjoy the story. Durk is all that a man should be with his strong sense of honor and protectiveness to those that are physically weaker and those that he loves. The sense of warmness that one gets from the Lambert family is a true delight and Meghan as she recovers her memories is one that fits well within that clan.

The book was cleanly written with the exception of one misspelled word that the editor should have caught as it is a common mistake. The pacing was great and kept my interest.

I rate this book a 3 as it was an enjoyable way to pass the time but it doesn't have that special spark that would prompt me to hunt out the previous books in this series.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Profile Image for Hsiau Wei.
1,812 reviews7 followers
October 26, 2012
This book is of the mystery thriller genre and it started with Durk who is in hospital found Meghan who was being admitted after someone trying to killed her. She loses her memory and doesnt seem to recall anything much less of him. From the beginning, the plot has indicated that Durk seems to be holding onto his feeling (albeit in part of the story, he seems to be unsure of his feeling) for Meghan even after their relationship ended 2 years ago. Durk make it his business and soon, took over to take care of her. The story then progresses on finding the killer who has not only trying to kill Meghan, but has also killed Ben, Meghan's assistant. I like Durk. He is a good man with a good heart and i like the way he treated Meghan. Overall, this book contained element of excitement especially when the killer is still not found and i like the way the author dedicated few pages where it tell the thoughts of the killer which allow the reader to understand and anticipate his next move.
Profile Image for Debbie Heaton.
Author 4 books20 followers
October 24, 2012
In Wayne’s romantic suspense novel, Texas rancher Durk Lambert comes unexpectantly face-to-face with ex-lover, Meghan Sinclair at the hospital following the brutal beating she took from a masked intruder. Years ago she’d chosen a career over Durk but he wasn’t raised to walk away from a woman in trouble.

Moving Meghan to the Bent Pine Ranch for safety purposes, Durk was overwhelmed with feelings for her and the fear that she was the one woman he could never have. As memories begin to surface, a killer moves in for the kill.

Fast-paced, action-packed, hard to put down until the last page—a great addition to the Big D Dads series.


Profile Image for D.A. Cairns.
Author 20 books53 followers
August 2, 2021
This was my very first Mills and Boon. I know, unbelievable, right? I picked it up for free somewhere, from someone, and thought...why not? Big Shot is a part of the Intrigue series which features thriller plots. What did I think?

Aside from the cookie cutter hero, Durk, who I'm afraid sounded too good to be true (I get the heroes in these stories are meant to be like that), and the lack of substance in the other characters, there was some really engaging melodrama and suspense. The way the author told the story, starting with the assault on Meghan, then the final explanation of what happened, kept me reading. I was into it. The whole amnesia experience was really well written and believable.

I liked it, not because it was special or profound or original, but because it was a good story, well told. I was entertained, and I'm pretty sure that is the point.
486 reviews41 followers
November 11, 2012
Durk is heading to the ranch for a nice week off when he gets a call from his mom to check in on his aunt. When he gets to the hospital he steps out of the way of a gurney with a badly beaten woman on it and his heart stops. The woman is someone he thought he would never see again and the woman who holds his heart even though they split over two years prior, Meghan. He steps in and knows he has to help even though they aren't together any more. He's a very sexy man and when the truth starts to come out about him and Meghan you wonder why she ever let him go. Oh yeah… she thought her career was more important than her safety and him… oopsie. I liked that he just wanted to keep her safe but realized that she would do what she felt was right even at the expense of self. He didn't want to control her but wanted her to stop taking so many risks that would eventually catch up to her. I guess you could say this latest risk did catch up to her but not in the way he feared.



Meghan has been working as a PI and is very good at her job. Unfortunately she takes a lot of risks but is willing to do so if it means getting put in the line of fire. She's beaten almost to death and has lost her memory of almost everything including her family and her time with Durk. She's also lost her assistant as he was killed in her office shortly after her beating by the gun she always carries. She's hurting and confused but wants to help figure out what exactly happened and is very attracted to Durk. She wants him but isn't sure why he would want her since he is amazingly handsome and wealthy. I enjoyed watching her put together the pieces of her life and realize what truly was important. My only complaint was I wanted to see more time put in to their relationship than what was given. I know with the little history we get they had an amazing connection so the whole yes we are meant to be together wasn't overly hurried but...



Anyway thanks to NetGalley.com and Harlequin for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. Please check the sidebar for the link to the Harlequin shop at Amazon if you wish to check this one out.
Profile Image for Sarah - Exploring All Genres.
219 reviews16 followers
January 10, 2013
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review via NetGalley.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Big Shot was one of those books that I enjoyed and yet have a hard time explaining why that is. The beginning of the book really grabbed my attention as it instantly tosses action and several questions at the reader, so of course you want to keep reading and find out whats happening. I did enjoy the characters, and having one of the main characters being affected by amnesia throughout a large chunk of the story due to the initial events did put an interesting twist on things. The romance was slow building, but that is to be expected considering Meghan was suffering from amnesia.

A large portion of the story revolves around Meghan and her struggles to not only recover from the attack that left her with amnesia but to recover her memories as well. Along this journey she also needs to figure out what do about Durk, who is an old friend and an ex-lover, though the latter doesn't get revealed to her until later on, and her growing feelings for him as she recovers.

The part that kept the story really going was the investigation into Meghan's attack. Meghan is a P.I. by trade but with her lost memories she can't really do much to begin with, but as she slowly starts to remember things she gets more actively involved in the case, well in a way since she tends to do things without allowing the police to do their duty. While this was a large portion of the story I can't say that it was the strongest part. I realize with the loss of memory they couldn't just instantly have her figuring things out yet I felt like there weren't enough clues given along the way to even give the reader a chance to try and figure out who the attacker was. It was all pretty much trust at the reader at the end and while it did have an interesting twist when they did find the attacker I did feel a bit disappointed that the events leading up to it were lacking.


Overall it was an enjoyable read that had a bit of a mystery to it as well as a good romance feel. With an easy flow to the story I would seek out more novels from this author in the future.
Profile Image for Cherry-Ann.
492 reviews3 followers
September 27, 2015
This book started with much promise and then it slid into an oblivion of vagueness, fakeness and improbabilities to the end.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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