Guarded Obsession

by Brenda Murphy

Celeste Choi swore she’d never take another protection job, especially not after the betrayal that almost destroyed her. But when her best friend begs for help, she can’t say no. Lou Chavez is on the run from her vengeful ex—a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants. Hiding out in a remote cabin, Celeste and Lou find themselves locked in a fight for survival and for each other. Lou doesn’t believe she’s worth saving, but Celeste refuses to let her die on her watch. As their enemies close in and an old rival resurfaces with her own deadly agenda, their undeniable attraction ignites into something dark, intimate, and dangerous. To survive, Celeste and Lou must stand together, risk everything, and decide if the love they’ve found is worth the ultimate price.

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2026

About the author

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not swilling gallons of hot tea and writing, she wrangles two kids, two dogs, and one unrepentant parrot. She reviews books, blogs about life as a writer with ADHD and publishes photographs on her blog Writing While Distracted.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Unpopmary · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐

One word: Mistress.
I swear I’ve never heard it used so much in my entire life... it was infuriating. And that’s saying something, since I’ve read my fair share of BDSM books!

[RNPride · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Murphy did it again! This read was engaging and quickly grabbed my attention from the first chapter.
This book had me on the edge of my seat. I love the characters and they were well developed. The erotica scenes were steamy as they always are. The author kept me engaged with the characters and plot twists throughout. I've enjoyed every one of this author's books that I've read and this is no exception. Highly recommend!

[Lis Reads Everything]

I am a massive fan of everything Brenda has written and I think this has become my new fave. Lou and Celeste's chemistry was so sizzling, right from the very start and only grew deeper as the book progressed. Full of tension, and spice, and suspense, this book was an absolute pleasure to read!

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this one! I was drawn in completely as this exciting and suspenseful tale unfolds. Celeste has left personal protection after having been betrayed by a client and a lover. Lou is ignoring the fact that people involved in a huge art forgery case have been dying and she could be among them. Yvonne a friend of both is worried and brings them together. The danger is real and it quickly becomes apparent that Celeste hasn't arrived a moment too soon. Celeste and Lou are immediately attracted to each other and try to fight it. They are VERY compatible with Celeste being dominant and Lou being submissive. The attraction quickly becomes a relationship as they connect on deep leveles. This novel combines great suspense and worry and excellent characters with really hot scenes in a compelling way and it should not be missed.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re wanting a book to read while the snow has you cooped up, may I suggest this one. Brenda’s writing has only gotten better through the years. The mystery written in this work will keep you reading through the night. Her characters have been brought to life and oh what lives they live! The attraction that they feel comes through the pages and takes us on a romantic roller coaster. Celeste’s ability to protect is brought to light, as are Lou’s strengths and vulnerabilities. The steamy parts of the book are smoking hot and Brenda's scene writing will have you squirming in your seat. I think you will enjoy this work as much as I did! Grab this one if you’re looking for an escape from the cold. It will definitely warm you right up. *wink wink

[Thenemesisqueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining