Guarded Secrets

by Diane Benefiel

BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE

Everyone in the mountain town of Sisters, California loves Keeley. Or do they?

When she's attacked, and a woman she knows is murdered, the one person in her life who acts like he can barely tolerate her, swoops in to become her avenger.

A bossy, overbearing avenger.

Keeley should be used to Owen mood swings, but now he's ratcheted it up to a new level, and she's not amused. She's been taking care of herself for years, and doesn't need him managing her life.

But, there's this little problem. With him around all the time, how will she quash the Owen crush she's been harboring for far too long?

Owen figures he can protect Keeley, find and deal with the person who's trying to ruin her life, and then return to his solitary existence. But the woman is pure mountain sunshine, and keeping her safe means keeping her close, and that risks exposing his heart to the greatest danger he's ever faced.

You have to get this book now! If you enjoyed Breakaway, you're going to love Guarded Secrets, Book Four in the Payback Mountain series, which can be read as a standalone.

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2024

About the author

Murder? Stalker? Mayhem? Are bad guys coming to get her? Nope, Diane is just a retired school teacher with a laptop. She’s been married for decades. Decades. She walks Finn every morning (mostly). She FaceTimes with her grandkids. The most excitement she’s had lately is a bumpy ride on a plane, and that’s not the fun kind of excitement. But her heroines? They have all the thrills. Scary things happen to them. Hot, compelling men find them fascinating. And they always find their HEA.

An avid reader for as long as she can remember, Diane has always favored stories with strong female characters who go on adventures and can think themselves out of the most dangerous situations. It’s no surprise that those are the kinds of books she enjoys writing.

Diane’s love of the outdoors is reflected in her books. Born and raised in Southern California, family vacations meant camping in locations ranging from Big Sur to Death Valley to Zion. Two of her series are set in fictional towns in her happy place, California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her love of travel took her to Sweden as an exchange student when she was sixteen and backpacking around Great Britain (after a week in Paris) while in college. She and her husband have enjoyed pulling their little trailer to the National Parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Pinnacles.

Winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award in Romantic Suspense and a USA Today Bestselling author, Diane has recently retired from a career teaching high school history. She now has all the time in the world for writing, gardening, and travel. That's the theory, anyway. She is a member of the Orange Country Romance Writers.

***Note to readers: Looking for High Sierras, Book 4? Burnover, High Sierras Book 4, is a novella you can find included with Already Gone, Book 3.

Check out her website at dianebenefiel.com.

Reviews

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guarded Secrets is a fantastic book! Keeley and Owen have incredible chemistry, and their dynamic made for a fun read. I enjoyed the blend of romance, humor, and a touch of mystery throughout the story. The descriptions of the town and surrounding areas bring the book to life. My favorite stories are in small-town settings, I feel these settings add an extra layer of charm. Diane Benefiel is one of my favorite authors, because of her talent for developing compelling characters and engaging storylines. Her writing style is truly wonderful. I’m always excited to start one of her books, and Guarded Secrets didn’t disappoint.

[Elise Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guarded Secrets is an intriguing blend of mystery, suspense, and slow burn romance. I enjoyed returning to the mountain town of Sisters and getting reacquainted with other characters in the Payback Mountain Series. In this story, a pretty teacher (Keeley) drives toward her hometown to start a new job, but a punctured tire strands her on a mountain road in the dark. She's rescued by our hero (Owen), a hunky but grumpy fellow who owns a bar in Sisters.

Keeley tries to squelch her growing crush on Owen, who pretends to dislike her. But when he discovers that someone had deliberately punctured all four tires on her car, Owen's protective nature takes over. Someone is targeting Keeley, and Owen--a former Marine and cop--will do anything to keep her safe. With that in mind, he hires Keeley to wait tables at his bar for the summer, so he can keep an eye on her. Naturally, close proximity leads to a slow burn romance.

When threats toward Keeley escalate to physical assault, Owen takes charge, bringing Keeley to his secluded house for her safety (which inevitably leads to some steamy romantic encounters). But Owen refuses to fall in love, because he can't stop feeling guilty for a tragedy in his past. Owen's unwarranted self-blame becomes downright annoying at times. Will he ever open his heart to love?

I enjoyed the clever plot, with twists and revelations I never saw coming. Kudos for flawless proofreading, immersive mountain settings, likable small-town characters, and that gorgeous cover! I look forward to reading the next book in this exciting series.

[Michele James · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the day Keeley drives back to her small mountain hometown of Sisters, Calif, strange things happen. Her car's tires are slashed, and she's mugged in a parking lot of the local bar, Easy Money. To top it all off, Owen Hardesty, the handsome but grumpy bar owner she's had a "little crush" on for years and who she's sure doesn't like her one bit, declares himself her protector. Without asking her permission or her opinion on the matter.
Owen has more than a "little crush" on Keeley, but a past tragedy convinces him that he's no good for her, or anyone, for long term. Short term, he's determined to keep her safe until they figure out who's after her and why.
I love me a good, brooding, terse, protective hero, and Owen fits the bill as well as does his tight tee's and faded blue jeans. And while Keeley is Little Miss Sunshine, she also has a spine of steel. Guarded Secrets, book four of the Payback Mountain series is a fun, sexy read with sparks flying between the two romantic leads.

[Lisa Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit by this author! I am really enjoying this series because the author has a great way of bringing out a characters’s vulnerabilities and flaws. And this couple is no exception. Keeley is an outgoing, spunky teacher who is genuine sweetheart. Unfortunately, she is having no luck finding Mr Right. Owen is a hardened ex cop with a tragic past which prevents him from truly connecting with others. Put them together and you have some great moments and a few laughs. Already looking forward to the next book!

[Linda J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book in the series I've read, and I wasn't lost, so a standalone. Great main and secondary characters and many villains. The whodunit will keep you guessing until the end.

Lovemaking outside of marriage - heat level 4+ out of 5. I felt a connection to this couple, and they had a slow burn. Crude words and Lords name used in vain.

Story is suspenseful, many twists, intrigue and a great storyline. No cheating, no cliffhanger, romantic, great banter, HEA and steam.

I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you extra tidbits to decide whether to purchase or not. (ljb)

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeley has had a crush on Owen forever, but he is moody and standoffish and she believes he doesn't like her. When she is in trouble and doesn't understand the source, Owen is there for her and won't let her face danger alone. Keeley learns that Owen is had encased his heart in stone due to the death of his son and former wife. While fighting for their lives, they learn that trust and love are also worth fighting for and they get their HEA's. Can't wait to read more about Sisters, California.

[Toni · Rating 1 out of 5]

I managed to get to page 17 and was enjoying the banter between the characters. On that page the author chose to take the Lord's name in vain. I was doing okay with the f-bombs and other curses. I refuse to read an author who breaks a commandment. "... the Lord will not leave unpunished someone who misuses His name." I jumped to chapter 22 and skimmed the rest of the book so that it would not have been a total waste of my money.
This author goes on my never read this author again.

[Stella Pye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love your books

I loved Owen and Keely's story ... I can't wait for the next one ... I love happy ever afters ... there's not enough of that in this world!

[Patricia Akins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book - ended too early into the hea but loved the characters and storyline

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book. It had the romance and the suspense. I gave it 4 stars because Owen kept repeating how he wasn't good enough. The therapy that he had didn't seem to help him. Really good read.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read!!!!:)

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! This is a new to me author. I really enjoyed Owen and Keeley's story.

[Liz Underdown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owen and Keely have had an attraction to each other, but Owen denies and rebuffs Keely’s interest using his grumpy personality to rebuff her. Keely presents a sunny disposition to the world but underneath she has had her share of heartbreak as has Owen. Keely is back home to teach in the local school and help her Mom with her Dad’s Alzheimer’s which is progressing all too quickly. Keely is low on funds until school resumes in the fall and when one of his waitresses falls skiing and breaks her leg, Owen offers the job to Keely. Owen realizes his mistake right away…his past has caused him unwillingly to commit to another relationship even though he wants Keely. Enter Jaxon Keely’s ex boyfriend who was just a brief acquaintance to Keely but not to him…apparently …incidents keep happening to Keely and Owen’s alpha personality cannot leave Keely unprotected. This book grabbed me from the first page …well written, Diane’s characters and stories leave disappointed the book has ended and wanting more. I was hooked Diane’s style of storytelling from the first book on!