Rane Smith has a secret. A big one she can't ever reveal without compromising her father.
Jon Garretson also has a secret. The undercover cop moves into an apartment above prime suspect Rane Smith's home. He's on the trail of justice, but he's also helping his brother get payback.
Jon discovers Rane is not who she seems to be, and that the drug lord Jon's working to take down also has Rane in his sights.
Complicated past relationships keep Rane from revealing any truths, even when she's beginning to trust Jon. Then she learns he's been deceiving her - that he's really an undercover cop – and that trust is shattered.
Fighting a desperate battle on three fronts, Jon must protect Rane, win back her trust, and build a case against the powerful drug lord.
Jon's fallen for the stubborn beauty. He'll put his life on the line to keep her safe, and hopes his heart is the only casualty.
Parts of this story have been previously published.
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.
Borrowed Time is the story of a cop who suspects the heroine of dealing (in heroin) with her boyfriend (pun intended!). It is Book One of the Brothers Garretson.
Trigger Warning: Kidnapping, Violence
Synopsis: Jon Davidson suspects Rane Smith of drug smuggling due to her relations with the DiNardos family. He goes undercover and rents the apartment above Rane's place. What he never expected was to fall for her, and hard.
Rane is wary of her neighbourhood in Seattle, especially since her ex, Kyle DiNardo, got out of jail. Even though she has Cooper, the purebred German shepherd, and now a tenant in the form of Jon, she doesn't know when she will feel safe again.
Review: Book One of the Brothers Garretson, the story has been narrated in the third-person. The way it jumped right into the action, I loved that about it. There is Jon's big brother Nathan, Rane's dangerous and crazy ex, and her cop father who did something not by the books years ago.
Rane is a certified emergency nurse. The rising incidents of drug abuse coming into the hospital are making her feel helpless. And with Kyle out of prison, she can't be sure that she isn't endangering Jon as well. Seeing that there have been attempts to break into her house.
Borrowed Time is romantic suspense, but there is this normality to it. It felt kind of old school, with Jon and Rane's off-the-charts chemistry. The gradual development of their relationship was so sweet and believable.
This was my first read by Diane Benefiel and I can't wait to read all her books. Yep, it is that good.
The climax is thrilling and the ending...however many words I use to describe it is less. Especially the epilogue, which was breath-taking, heart-warming, and charming, all at once! Such a beautiful story, and rounded up so nicely.
P.S. The author has also given hints at the ending for the next book!
Rane's new neighbor may not be who he says he is. But can Rane trust him? She has a secret, a huge secret, but it's not one she can share with anyone, especially the man she's fallen so hard for. His secret means her secret is the last thing she can ever tell him. Will she give him a second chance to win back her heart, though? Her trust?
Jon figures out soon enough that Rane should not be a suspect in the case he's undercover on. She may be hiding something, but she's definitely not guilty of what what she's suspected to be involved in. Falling headlong for her was not in his plans, but once he does fall? He knows he won't be giving up on her, he will win her back, and protect her at the same time.
Fast-paced, entertaining storyline, and a compelling relationship made this great reading. Jon and Rane are a wonderful couple with serious chemistry.
Jon is on an undercover assignment and Rane is the suspect of a drug related case. In order to know about her involvement in this Jon rents an apartment above Rane's place. As he gets to know her he realises how innocent she is in this whole case. Rane's involvement in this case was mainly because of her ex-boyfriend. Rane knows about some important things regarding her ex but due to her father's involvement in sending her ex to jail, she cannot tell this secret to anybody. Though she is skittish initially, (her past gives us enough reason of why she has build walls around her heart) Jon slowly crumbles those walls. The story is action packed and readers who loves a dose of suspense in romantic novels should give this one a try. The only thing that stopped me from giving this novel full five stars was because I wanted to see more romantic scenes between the couple and how they evolved later.
Thank you Grey's promotions for the ARC. OPINION EXPRESSED ABOVE ARE MY OWN.
This story is a suspense filled thriller with romance too.The secrets that Rane Smith holds are to protect her father.Her father was a police detective but now is in assisted living because she's not able to care for him.He has early onset dementia.One day he knows her they laugh and talk the next he doesn't know who she is.Another thing she's worried her ex boyfriend is getting out of prison an she doesn't know what he's gonna do.She rents the apartment behind the house to Jon a really handsome guy Jon Garrison is working undercover trying to take down a drug cartel.The task force wants him to get close to Rane to see if she's involved.Rane is a emergency room nurse it tears her apart every time a patient teenagers an college students come in overdosed on heroin some they can't save.She know her ex's brother is behind it.As Jon gets to know Rane he falls for her when he says she's not involved they still want her watched.There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page and leave you begging for more.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and you can feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
Diane Benefiel is a new to me author, and after reading Borrowed Time, I'm a fan. See, while I tend to love romance, there's nothing better to me than romantic suspense since everything seems more potent in my eyes. Jon is undercover, and rents the apartment above a woman named Rane, who is a suspect in a huge drug trafficking case. It doesn't take him long to figure out that she's innocent of anything they suspected of her, but Rane has some secrets, and they won't make her any friends.The sparks are flying between these two, but Rane has some serious trust issues, and since there are secrets all over the place, they tend to threaten the fragile connection they have as they start coming out. All of the twists from lies & deception had my f-bombs dropping while the danger coming in hot kept me on the edge of my seat with heart racing. There's so much goodness to unpack with this story that I'll revisit Borrowed Time again to see if I may or may not have missed clues while reading so fast because I had to know. Anyway, I'll definitely be reading more of this author immediately & HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
This exciting action packed suspense filled romance story. The story will pull you in an have you on the edge of your seat .The characters will captivate you.Rane has so many secrets.She used to date a drug kingpins brother. Her father was a detective who she had to put in assisted living because he has memory loss an early dementia.Some days he knows her an other days he doesn't know who she is.She's afraid of her ex getting out of prison.Jon doesn't believe Rane is involved in the drug trafficking.She is a nurse in the Emergency room.She is devastated by all the drug over doses they have everyday .Jon an his brother are detectives trying to close down the drug ring.Jon has fallen fast an hard for Rane.this story has it all action,danger,suspense,hot sex scenes and healing an love .There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page and leave you begging for more.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and you can feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
Suspense, danger and romance. This is a quick, easy read with interesting characters in cop's daughter and ER nurse, Rane, and undercover hunk, Jon. The setup has Jon living in the upstairs apartment of Rane's home while investigating her ties to the local drug lord. It moves fast with his cover blown and a fast lane to romance for Rane and Jon. Both have secrets that come out during the investigation. The danger ramps up as Rane's ex is in the mix and the drug lord is in the know. The suspense was sort of cookie cutter and the romance on the light side. I liked the characters and Jon's cop brother, Nathan. There's a future story with Nathan and Rane's bestie Lily. An exciting read that kept my interest with a few twists and danger as the cops and the baddies fight it out. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC. 3.5 stars
Borrowed Time was a pretty easy romantic suspense story with an interesting plot line and likable characters. It is written in third person, which is not my preferred POV so it took me a little longer to really get into the story and connect with the characters. There were parts of the book where the pace lulled a bit but otherwise kept me interested enough to keep going. It really picked up towards the end and was full of suspenseful action. There were a few pieces of the story that felt a little too cookie cutter for my tastes but it is still an enjoyable read. Overall I liked this book and would recommend to anyone who's looking for something on the lighter side of the romantic suspense trope!
This is the debut novel for this author it is a romantic suspense.
Jon is on undercover assignment and rent his an apartment from Rane who he suspects is a drug dealer which he quickly finds out is not the case after a couple of incidents and quickly goes into protection mode. The sexual tension between these two is off the charts hot! However both of them had secrets and every time they made it two steps forward a secret would come out and they’d be back at the beginning.
I loved how these two immediately fell for one another. This was a fantastic story line, great characters definitely a page turner that keeps you in the edge of your seat until the very end!
Borrowed Time by Diane Benefiel kept me on my toes till the very last page. This romantic suspense had some intriguing characters with some intense feels. The action packed storyline with plenty of heat and sweet emotions made this an enjoyable story.
Jon has rented the apartment above Rane's place as undercover assignment. Rane is a suspect in a big drug trafficking case he is trying to crack along with his brother and colleagues. Soon he realises Rane is innocent. But Rane's life is far from simple. She has secrets and her life is in danger. Can she trust Jon to help her through this mess?
The storyline of this book was smart and addictive. Rane was in a pretty complicated situation. Her past with the kingpin's brother. The secret about her father. She was in a tough place. I admire her bravery and strength and loyalty. Jon is an amazing guy. Honest..Caring. Alpha. Rane can be a bit stubborn and closed off but he pushed and pushed till she gave in and allowed him to take care of her. Both of them had secrets and trust issues. And each time one of the truths came out, it was two steps back for them. It was finally a solid partnership built through fighting lies, deception and dangers together. They are so sweet and adorable together. I found myself getting a bit distracted with all the police action and suspense details and I felt I didn't have enough romance between them. The first spark was instant and I would have loved to see more about how the relationship evolved. I felt like I am going from one crime scene to another with some heated moments in between.
If you are a fan of romantic suspense, Borrowed Time by Diane Benefiel is worth reading.
This is the first book that I have read by this author. This first half of the book for me was hard to get into but once I did it went a lot smoother. I just had a hard time connecting with the characters. I thought that this was going to be a DNF but I’m glad that I pushed through. This book follows Jon and Rane and they have an interesting story because Jon is a detective who goes under cover in hopes of arresting a drug lord. When he finds out there’s a connection to the suspects brother’s ex-girlfriend who wants nothing to do with him. This book was filled with a mini rollercoaster of emotions. I highly recommend this book.
This book is my first by this author and I'm glad I chose to read the arc and give a review.
This is the story of Jon and Rane. Jon is a detective who goes undercover to gain info in hopes of arresting a drug lord. He finds a connection to the drug lord through Rane, as she is the ex girlfriend of the suspects brother. Jon rents an apartment from her and slowly starts to build a friendship with her while fighting his attraction to her. Rane wants nothing to do with her ex or his family. She knows how dangerous they are, but she knows things about them that puts her at risk. There is a lot of action in this story as well as a lot sexual tension between Jon and Rane. Can she trust him? Can he trust her? It's an exciting story with many twists and turns.
I would recommend this book to those interested in romantic suspense.
Diane Benefiel knows how to write a good suspenseful story. Her villain had just enough of a creepy ick factor and her hero was the alpha of all alphas.
This is a story about Jon and Rane, to say they have a special relationship is putting it mildly, you have a super alpha and a strong female who needs no one when in fact she really does.
The relationship between these two is just part of this story of twists and turns. It’s got all you are looking for in a good story. Don’t miss out on this one!
Good writing pulled me in and great storytelling kept the pages turning, or whatever ebooks do. (Forgive me, I was up almost until dawn reading a good book.) Suspense, stormy nights, protective, hunky dog and cop. The only thing better would be a sequel with Nathan's story!
This twisty tale is filled with action, suspense and romance! Borrowed Time hooked me on page one and never let go. In this gripping story, an undercover cop (Jon Garretson) rents an apartment from Rane Smith, a woman suspected of being involved with drug trafficking in Seattle. As Jon gets to know her, he realizes that Rane--an ER nurse--is not trafficking illegal drugs. But she does have a secret.
Rane's violent ex-boyfriend, (Kyle Dinardo) served three years in prison because Rane's father (also a cop) planted heroin in Kyle's car, figuring Kyle would be convicted and Rane would be safe. But Kyle--the younger brother of drug lord Simon DiNardo--has just been released, and Rane fears retribution from the DiNardo brothers and their cohorts. She needs protection, not only for herself but also for her father, who has early-onset Alzheimer's and is living in a care facility.
Can Jon and his team protect Rane and her father from the DiNardo family, Seattle's largest illegal drug organization? It seems unlikely, because one member of Jon's team is in cahoots with the DiNardos, leading to Rane's kidnapping and a twisty, nail-biting rescue mission along Seattle's wharves. Jon will do anything to save the woman he loves, but will it be enough?
Kudos for immersive settings, limited profanity, one semi-steamy love scene, Rane's lovable dog (Cooper), and especially for Jon's hunky brother, Detective Nathan Garretson. I hope Nathan gets a book of his own sometime soon!
Borrowed Time was such an outstanding read. There is so much action, twist, turns, heat, feels, and surprises. This is the first time reading Diane Benefiel, author, and I enjoyed her writing so much. I think that Diane will become an author that I will be reading more of in the future. I can’t wait to read all about Nathan and Lily. Borrowed Time captured my attention from the start and didn’t let go till the last page. I couldn’t put it down. I ended staying up till very early morning as I didn’t want to stop reading so I could find out what would happen next. Rane and Jon were very likable characters and it was so easy to love them both and to feel their emotions and empathize with them. The glimpses that I got from Lily, Rane’s friend and Nathan, Jon’s older brother that I want more of them and I am hoping they will have a story of their own. Highly recommend Borrowed Time. Enjoy your reading!!
When an solid, good guy like cop Jon Garretson starts falling the lady he is investigating in an undercover assignment, it doesn’t set well for him. He almost immediately knows Rane isn’t part of the DiNardo family drug operation, but he does have a feeling she isn’t being 100% truthful. When two people are harboring secrets, it doesn’t set the best foundation for a new relationship, even if the chemistry is hot between them. The suspense elements are well developed and the ending was full of thrills. Be prepared for a ruthless villain. The romance is sweet with a touch of heat. The addition of Jon’s outgoing, more wild brother added more enjoyment to the storyline. I hope Nate’s book is next.
I got about halfway through, and that was tough. Couldn't finish. Too much of it just didn't make sense. Her father, a cop, sets up a gut. Now he has Alzheimer's, and she doesn't restrict his visitors? And why does the brother wait until his brother is out of prison before he goes after her and her father? Just too much didn't make sense. Even their relationship seemed to cone out of nowhere.
Borrowed Time by Diane Benefiel is one good read. I Liked the overall story, the chemistry between the characters is the highlight, I Really Enjoyed reading it.
I Highly Recommend all Readers to one click this book now.
Diane Benefiel never disappoints. Strong heroines, alpha heroes and danger are key components of her novels and each one seems to be better than the previous. I hope that this is the first of a new series.
## Loved it. Another fabulous story written by DB. The story was intriguing and the characters likeable. Rane & Jon have fantastic chemistry. I will definitely be on the lookout for a book about Nathan. Well done.
This was a good read. The capture of Simon was a little unbelievable because a drug kingpin would have had more security. They never said who the hospital inside person was either. Good read with not enough romance.
I loved this story up to the point where she signs a confession to the police. The author really lost me there. This book has good bones, but that scene did not work for me.