Protect and Serve

Rookie K-9 Unit #1

by Terri Reed

PERSON OF INTEREST When rookie K-9 officer Shane West and his German shepherd partner find the lead police dog trainer murdered, he's determined to bring the killer to justice. But then he discovers Gina Perry hiding nearby—a pretty junior trainer who had the motive, means and opportunity to kill her boss. Gina insists her troubled brother is the real murderer…and this isn't the first time he's killed. And when Gina's brother comes after her, Shane is assigned to protect her and uncover the truth. Suddenly, Shane—a cop who always hoped to join a big-city force—vows to stay by Gina's side as a murderer lurks in the small-town shadows. Rookie K-9 These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Love Inspired Suspense, Love Inspired, Christian, Contemporary, Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 5, 2016

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Terri Reed’s romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publishers Weekly top 10 Romance Mass Market Paperback and Publishers Weekly top 10 Religion Fiction, Nielsen’s Bookscan top 50, Amazon #1 Bestseller, featured in USA Today and a Fresh Pick at FreshFiction.com. Her 2016 novel, A Family Under the Christmas Tree, was adapted into the Hallmark movie and retitled Picture a Perfect Christmas.
She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband and when not writing, she enjoys agility with her Australian shepherd.
For updates about Terri and her books sign up for her newsletter https://bit.ly/3Ihz48q
Be sure to follow Terri on BookBub for updates on her new releases
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/terri...

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts off with the murder of one of the police dog trainers (Veronica). Heroine Gina, also a dog trainer, thinks her evil murderous twin brother is the killer. Gina’s brother killed their father two years ago and now he’s after Gina since she was the one who turned him into the police. Hero Shane is a rookie K-9 officer who becomes Gina’s protector. This was such an enjoyable read with two likable leads. I enjoyed Gina’s evil twin brother. It was interesting having recently graduated rookie K-9 officers this time around. I truly loved the dogs in this one—Shane’s wonderful K-9 partner Bella, and the two adorable puppies in training, Lucy and Ricky. There’s another mystery involving a missing puppy named Marco, and a wonderful Desert Valley, Arizona setting. Some storylines wrap-up while others will still continue on throughout the Rookie K-9 Unit series.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and at times both scary and gripping! From the first word shivers went down my back. I liked both of the main characters who had been smitten with each other before this book started. Secondary characters are strong and add to the story line. The fact that this is only the beginning of a series makes me smile. This book was written in 2016 so I don't have to wait to read the other books in the series. Definitely edge of seat reading. This book ends off with some things left in the air. This only makes me want to grab book two ASAP.
Gina Perry trains puppies for K-9 service. She enjoys her job and community where she lives. But she has a past that she has ran away from. Her twin brother Tim Perry murdered their father in front of her and now he seeks revenge against her because she called the police on him. He has escaped and found her hiding place and is intent on taking her life.
Shane Weston has just completed his training as a Rookie K-9 officer. His trainer was the pretty Gina Perry who he'd become smitten with. He had been assigned Bella as his K-9 partner. Shane is waiting to be sent out to a permanent location to serve. He has requested to work under his Father in Arizona but when Gina's brother attacks her and she escapes from him, Shane gets temporarily assigned to protect Gina instead. Other murders had happened in this area in the past two years and the local police chief wants answers to these unsolved crimes. This is not what Shane Weston had in mind so why isn't he disappointed?
I recommend to readers who love suspense thrillers and to fans of Terri Reed. This is a six book series and this book is the first book to get you started.
I downloaded a copy from the Amazon Prime Library. A favorable review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Protect and Serve is the first book in the Rookie K-9 Unit and what a great book it was!! I absolutely loved the dogs...and that cover -- isn't it adorable?!? I just want to give those dogs some hugs and kisses. :D

The villain was SO creepy and the beginning lines of the story were chilling. I will say that while part of the mystery wrapped up in the end, it did leave me with a couple questions and I can't wait to read the next book in hopes that it answers them. The romance was good and it ended satisfactorily. :)

All in all, a great book and I definitely recommend it! If you like romantic suspense or are an animal lover, I think you'll love it!

*I received a complimentary ebook copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sqqqueeeallll! New continuity series centred around K-9s....and this one has puppies!!!!! Don't know what has me more in a tizzy -- the canines or the hero. That's a good conundrum for dog lovin' bibliophile to be in. Reed does a great job of setting up the intrigue for the series. There's more than one mystery to solve and some suspense threads will carry over into the next books though there's closure for Gina and Shane in this one. Love the even blend of romance and suspense. Both build to an exciting conclusion and while I'm blissfully satisfied on behalf of Gina and Shane's happily ever after, the author has given me a lot to think about where other characters are concerned. Can't wait to read their stories and see if my amateur sleuthing skills are up to the task of solving the major suspense thread.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start of a new series with the winning formula of romantic suspense and police dog handlers. I've read the two previous series set in Texas and Washington DC and the linked books each focus on one crime while there is a bigger overarching menace partially resolved in each tale. This series is set in Arizona.

In this tale we meet a woman who stumbles on a dead body at the police dog training centre, where the star pup has also been stolen. What to do when you are being stalked by a family member who won't take his meds, and how one police dog and handler are assigned to protect a potential witness after her home is attacked, also feature. The romance can be read by any reader and the tale could be classed as a psychological thriller.

I downloaded this book from Net Galley for an unbiased review.
Personally I believe a lot of the town's problems could be resolved by CCTV cameras. If you believe the technothrillers no town or police car is without them.

[Trixi · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, this book is chilling from the first word! If you’ve watched “The Shining” in the past, then you will know the sheer terror of Jack’s voice calling out “Here’s Johnny!”. Same with Tim Perry’s voice calling out to Gina, his twin sister! He’s found her after 2 years & is out to kill her for reasons unknown. If that wasn’t bad enough, someone also killed Veronica, her boss, at the K-9 dog training facility! What ensues is a story filled with suspense, unsolved crimes, and spine-tingling scenes tempered with cute K-9 officers. Not to mention the two legged kind!

Shane West is the kind of hero any woman would be honored to have by their side. But he’s also riddled with doubt and the need to prove himself to his dad & brothers! He’s a rookie K-9 officer wanting to live up to his family’s aspirations for him. He’s hoping he’ll get his big break and be assigned to Flagstaff, Arizona where his dad works for the PD. Instead, his dream is delayed when the police chief assigns him to guard Gina until her brother is caught.

As these two work closely together, along with other K-9 officers, to bring Tim to justice and solve Veronica’s murder, they begin a friendship born of necessity & trust. Shane also shows his faith in God, thus encouraging Gina to cling even closer to Him. The author kept me invested in both the characters & the story. I enjoyed getting to know all the other officers as we delved into their lives. While some things weren’t quite solved at the end, the need to find out more makes me want to get the next book in this continuation series! If you are a lover of romantic suspense stories laced with faith and plenty of action, this is the one for you!

**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review which I have provided here. Thank you Terri Reed for the ride of my life & an introduction to some sweet four-legged K-9’s! **

[Caren · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun read

This was a really sweet and fun read, with a murder mystery as well. I loved hearing about the K9 and how they worked with their partners.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letting go of fear and the past and trust in God is the main theme of this first installment in an interesting series. Granted, it came out a few years ago, but I had it on my list to read and finally got around to it.
I'm a fan of any book which involves dogs, as I love those four-legged furballs, and the idea of a good Christian based mystery is always a huge plus for me.
It starts with Gina Perry running away from her mentally unstable brother, who swore to kill her for turning him in after witnessing him brutally kill their father. While running away from him, she stumbles upon the dead body of her boss and immediately, she is questioned. Because her brother may have killed her boss, she is placed under the protection of a rookie K-9 officer, Shane Weston. They already have an intense attraction, as she trained his dog, a German Shepard named Bella. Through attempts on her life, adorable moments with puppies, and an eventual kidnapping, they discover a love that surpasses fear and together they realize that even with all their planning for their lives, God is truly the one in control and even though we may not see the reasons for His decisions, it all works out.
Unfortunately, the killer of the lead Police dog trainer is not revealed by the end of the book. Though, it gives a great introduction to the rest of the series, which is next on my list to read!

[Bertha Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Cool plot and characters catch you early. Lucky I could take afternoon to finish the book . Anxious to read the next in series.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Protect and Serve Rookie K-9 Unit Book 1
Author: Terri Reed
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Published: 4-5-2016
Pages: 220
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance; Police Procedurals; Inspirational
ISBN: 9780373447336
ASIN: B015W85I2E
Reviewed For NetGalley and Harlequin
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.75 Stars


PERSON OF INTEREST

When rookie K-9 officer Shane West and his German shepherd partner find the lead police dog trainer murdered, he's determined to bring the killer to justice. But then he discovers Gina Perry hiding nearby—a pretty junior trainer who had the motive, means and opportunity to kill her boss. Gina insists her troubled brother is the real murderer…and this isn't the first time he's killed. And when Gina's brother comes after her, Shane is assigned to protect her and uncover the truth. Suddenly, Shane—a cop who always hoped to join a big-city force—vows to stay by Gina's side as a murderer lurks in the small-town shadows.

Rookie K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.



Those wonderful brave dogs and their courageous handlers are back in an all new series. New adventures with new lead characters that are strong, independent personalities to inspire the readers with their desires t protect those in need around them. A well developed plot and vivid writing will bring the story to life and draw you in to the point you will feel you are there experiencing it with the characters.


My rating of "Protect and Serve Rookie K-9 Unit Book 1" is 4.75 out of 5 stars.


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[Cathy Beckett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually gave this book 3.75 rating. Couldn't give it a 4.0 rating because there was a lot of repetition and several grammatical errors. Other than that I found the story to be pretty good and it didn't preach at me every other page like some Christian genre romances do. I like the K-9 unit novels and hope they will resume writing them.
Gina Perry was an interesting heroine to Shane Weston. He has graduated from the rookie K-9 training course. He and his partner, Bella, are given the job of protecting Gina from her psychopath twin brother Tim. Tim is trying to kill her because she called the police and filed charges against him after killing their father. Through all the turmoil Gina not only found her boss, Veronica, murdered but she also finds the benefactor of the training center after she is attacked. All evidence points to her brother until he tells her he wasn't involved in either attack. He admits to following and attacking Gina on several occasions but nothing else so there is a serial killer on the loose in the little town of Desert Valley, Arizona.

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
🚨TW: loss of love one, mention of sibling having mental health problems, mention about being locked in the room , murder,

Gina who was running away from her brother Tim who was trying to kill her, however when she was hiding from him an incident happened and she was considered as a suspect since she kind of have a motive. Her subordinate Veronica was killed and she thinks it was her brother who kill her. And Shane and his K-9 partner Bella is set to protect her from her brother and also at first he doubted her a little however as the investigation goes on, he knows that she is not the one who killed Veronica. The K-9 unit worked together to try to find the culprit and also as it goes on someone managed to open his safe which have his grandfather's gun in it and because the needs his thumbprint to open, he is also considered as a suspect however, Gina still felt that he is innocent. And then they were twist and turns in this case.

They both rely on God too for whatever is happening.

Can't wait to read the next book to continue to find the mastermind of this series.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the dogs, the police work, and the suspense. Bella, the German Shepherd, is a wonderful K-9 Officer and the little puppies in training were super adorable. Shane and Gina each have an interesting backstory and I liked the “Protection Detail” assignment. Gina’s brother Tim, is super creepy, and his initial attempt on her life at the beginning of the story is a very good setup for the rest of the story. The romance was a little more physical then I expected, but that could just be due to the fact that I've recently been reading a lot of Christian Regency where everything is very proper and I'm not used to people touching. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I also enjoyed the way some of the mystery is left unsolved to encourage you to read the rest of the series.

[Teresa Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder and mayhem.....Will they discover whodunit?

Terri Reed did it again with her Protect and Serve (Rookie K-9 Unit Book 1). Gina, a K-9 trainer and K-9 officer Shane are paired together as protected and protector with K-9 officer Belle in the very unpredictable book murder, attempted murder, missing puppy, and break-ins at Gina's home, the K-9 training center, and an attack on a very wealthy benefactor to the police force at her home. So much more mayhem including Gina's "crazy" brother who everyone believes is the killer and attacker. Is he? Did he do all of the evil underfoot in this book? Get this one ya'll and read it. You won't be disappointed but may be wanting to read more......

[Raquel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this. The point of view that jumped between characters from one paragraph to the next was disorienting. The characters motivations felt inadequately supported. And the insta-love was just too much for me. They went from professional setting acquaintances to In Love and willing to change goals and ways of living in less than 10 days. I never bought in.

The characters themselves were likable and well developed enough to seem realistic. It was the fantastical plot progression and rapid internal and relational transformations that sunk this for me.

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read about a rookie K-9 officer, his partner Bella, and the dog’s trainer. The action is intense, and the suspense of not knowing when the brother of the dog trainer might reappear kept me reading. I appreciated the way the author wove a thread of faith through the story as the trainer started opening her heart to the possibility that she was letting her past control her. The officer was letting the expectation of others, namely his father and older brothers, control him. The life lessons about not allowing others to have control of your life were on target.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romantic suspense. Very quick read, fast-paced. I enjoyed the story of the puppies, even though I am more of a cat-person. But there are some plot lines that are not wrapped up, obviously in an attempt to get readers to continue the series. Also one point that never quite made sense to be, but I still enjoyed the book.


Since Gina's job is training dogs for the police, wouldn't they have done a background search before hiring her, and found out about her brother?

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was very good but I was very disappointed that it ends on a cliffhanger and the ending is rushed. I realize other authors are supposed to continue the series, but reading the first chapter of the next book it doesn’t seem like there’s any continuation of the story. If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have read this one… 4 star rating for the quality of the writing and most of the storyline, although I am very disappointed with the ending.

[Dianne Sidebottom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shane and Gina's story. I haven't read this series in order. As I was reading this 1st book I was trying to remember what or who turned out to be the mystery people that were the badies that filters through the series. The puppies n working dogs were great characters. Such short lives to give their handlers love and companionship and a job well done.

[Ryan Mackay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Idk what the fuck i did to end up in Christian romance thriller recommendations world but i would like to undo it immediately. If you are Christian/pray/all that, power to you but i am not and i freaking hate reading an interesting story that’s just constantly interrupted with “i don’t feel close to god” or “i pray...” goodreads take me off this list!!

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of action in this novel which is the introductory novel for the Rookie K-9 Unit series. I enjoyed learning about the dogs and their abilities. I did think the relationship between the hero and heroine needed more development. There were a lot of characters in the novel too, who will probably appear in later novels in the series. I enjoy Ms. Reed's books and the K-9 series.

[Charline Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Rookie K-9 Series. I really like this books even though they are written by different authors. I am amazed how they manage to carry the story line using multiple authors. Very well done.

[charmaine White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing

Action,action and more action,I couldn't put this book down it was just that good.Mystery,suspense and thrills every time I thought I knew who the bad guys were something else happened.I will be looking forward to reading more from this author.

[angela yargus · Rating 5 out of 5]

She did it again!

Terri Reed knows her readers desires, and boy, does she deliver!
I have to admit, I realized early that Tim...well
HE has problems, but then he was out of control!
Well, anyway, you will enjoy this story... And the puppies!

[Karen Brasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beginning

The beginning to a series but it ends with a cliff hanger so to speak. Don’t know how many of the books you have to read in order to resolve the question. Also had some typos.

[Jan Fore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Terri Read's book, interesting but easy with good suspense. They are more of a comfort mystery that helps me let down after a long read that is fairly intense. Enjoyed this one in the series and will move on to the next, Picture Perfect Murder by Rachel Dylan.

[sandy moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

prove t a nd serve

This. Story was so good . the relationship between dog and handler is awe inspiring and the way the author has all the different personalities work together wow! Differently would recommend

[Inger Cierniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and concise

If you want the facts and just the facts this story is a short version of a mystery and a fast track on call g in love with a clean quick romance and a little faith mixed in.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Inspired suspense.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Terri Reed's books and I love K-9 dogs so this was a perfect book for me.