Twice a Target

by Susan Vaughan

Disaster strikes DEA Agent Holt Donovan twice, when a gunfight ruins his mission and a car crash kills his brother and sister-in-law. Home on the Colorado ranch to raise his infant nephew, Holt enlists a nanny—Maddy McCoy, the woman who once jilted his brother. The world-traveling photographer never expected to return to Colorado, the only real home she ever had, and to the man she never forgot. Burned out from covering too many starving children and refugees and short on funds, Maddy agrees, vowing to keep her heart safe. What neither of them knows is that by bringing her into his home, Holt has placed her in the crosshairs of a killer. As Holt and Maddy cope with their desire for each other and the resentments of the past, their investigation into the brother’s death leads them into escalating danger and a shocking discovery.

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2025

About the author

I wanted to write as soon as I learned to read. I dabbled with stories and poems for years, but didn't start writing seriously until many years later. My favorite books have always been mysteries and romances, so the mix in romantic suspense was a natural. I love writing romantic suspense because it throws the hero and heroine together under extraordinary circumstances and pits them against a clever villain.
My books have been both a Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Nominee and a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award. Reviewers have called my books fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed, sizzling, and highly emotional.
I have also published two children's picture storybooks, Sleigh Magic and Stowaways: a Maine Pirate Tale.
I am a West Virginia native but I have lived for many years on the coast of Maine.
For more information about my books, please visit me at www.susanvaughan.com or as Susan Vaughan, Author on FaceBook.

Reviews

[Evelyn B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey Susan,

From the very first chapter, Twice a Target had me hooked. Holt is such a layered hero tough and protective, but also grieving and suddenly thrust into fatherhood. My heart ached for him as he tried to hold it all together for his baby nephew. Then Maddy comes back into the picture, and the history between them makes every interaction charged with emotion. I loved how she wasn’t just a love interest, but a woman dealing with her own pain and burnout from the work she’s done around the world. Their journey toward healing felt believable and heartfelt, even as danger followed them at every turn. The suspense kept me guessing until the end, and I loved the way the mystery tied everything together. It’s the perfect blend of danger, romance, and emotional depth. Thank you for writing this❤️.

[Elara Veyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The story hooked me right from the start Holt’s loss is heartbreaking, and watching him step into the role of raising his nephew felt so real and touching. I loved the mix of family, danger, and second-chance romance.

Maddy was such a strong character. Her struggles and the way she tried to protect her heart made her easy to connect with, and her chemistry with Holt was both sweet and full of tension. The suspense side of the story kept me guessing, and there were twists I didn’t see coming.

Overall, Twice a Target has the perfect balance of romance and action. Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down. Highly recommend if you like romantic suspense with genuine emotion and characters you can root for!

[Evie Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the beginning, there was great sexual tension and a mystery I cared about, but things really took off in the second half. Holt was the perfect blend of a tough, sexy cowboy twisted up by his emotions. Maggie was kind, but also authentic. I loved them both with the baby. Action, danger, teamwork and physical attraction. Overall, a fantastic read.

[Isabella Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Twice a Target! From the very beginning, the mix of heartbreak, danger, and romance pulled me right in. Holt is such a strong yet vulnerable hero, trying to balance his duty as a DEA agent with suddenly raising his nephew after such a devastating loss. And Maddy… I loved her from the start. She’s flawed, resilient, and the chemistry between her and Holt just leaps off the page.

What I liked most was how the story gave equal weight to the suspense and the romance. The action kept me on edge, but the emotional depth kept me invested. The Colorado ranch setting made everything feel so vivid and real, and the twists in the mystery kept me guessing until the end.

If you’re a fan of second chances, sizzling chemistry, and suspense that keeps your heart racing, this is definitely a book you’ll want to pick up.