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Shelter of Secrets #1
Her Undercover Refuge
He protects the vulnerable
But his new employee might also need his help
Scott Sherridan is an undercover cop offering vulnerable people a safe place to hide. When Scott hires former LAPD officer Nella Bresdall, he tells himself that his growing feelings for her won’t be a distraction. But when a threat against Nella’s life arises, Scott realizes he might have to lose her to keep her safe…
From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.
Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the Shelter of Secrets series:
Book 1: Her Undercover Refuge
But his new employee might also need his help
Scott Sherridan is an undercover cop offering vulnerable people a safe place to hide. When Scott hires former LAPD officer Nella Bresdall, he tells himself that his growing feelings for her won’t be a distraction. But when a threat against Nella’s life arises, Scott realizes he might have to lose her to keep her safe…
From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.
Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the Shelter of Secrets series:
Book 1: Her Undercover Refuge
- GenresRomance
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2021
31 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Linda O. Johnston
132 books464 followersLinda O. Johnston's first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year. Since then, Linda has had more short stories and novellas published, plus, by the end of 2018, she will have had fifty novels published, including mysteries and romance.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 3, 2024
This is the 1st book I read by Linda O. Johnston. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story 📖 at chapter 3 because it didn't grab my interest.
December 30, 2021
As a fan of Linda O. Johnston's pet sitter and pet rescue series I was eager to read about a pet shelter. It is also a human shelter. Interesting premise. While I thought I had figured out the bad guy I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of the mystery. More involved than anticipated, even though the clues had been there. Nice to read about a strong capable female protagonist.
August 3, 2021
Interesting theme for a story. Future books in this series should be intriguing. Scott and Nella connected immediately. I felt Scott should have been in more control as the person in charge. Nella acted too bossy for someone just starting a new position and learning the guidelines and routines. I would have liked to seen more interaction with other managers in the story.
November 10, 2022
I loved this book! An amazing story that intrigued me from the very beginning. The characters pulled me in and soon I was right there in the midst. I really enjoyed the way the relationship evolved between Nella and Scott. And the last chapters had my jaw dropping in astonishment.
This book is definitely one that I will recommend and reread.
This book is definitely one that I will recommend and reread.
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July 1, 2021Categories
Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Shelter of Secrets (Book #1)
Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Shelter of Secrets (Book #1)
March 15, 2022
An excellent book!! I loved the surprise twist at the end. Terrific characters and a great plot. I can't wait to see what happens next in the Shelter of Secrets series!!!
March 28, 2025
The beginning was just so boring I couldn’t get past it. Conversations wereshort and abrupt. The was no connection between characters
February 8, 2022
Good book with an interesting concept. I liked the idea of an animal shelter also doubling as a shelter for people in danger. Scott is a cop with the local police department, but his primary duty is running the Chase Animal Shelter. His "managers" are also law enforcement, while the "staff" are the people who need protection. I loved seeing the detail Scott and the Chase PD put into making the shelter as safe as possible.
Nella is a former LAPD officer who left the department after losing her partner during a gang-related shooting. Her boss recommended the shelter as a good place for her to work, and Nella's enthusiasm for it is evident as she arrives for her interview. As Nella waits for her interview, another woman comes looking for a "job" and is obviously afraid. Even though she doesn't yet work there yet, Nella's actions show she's a good fit.
I liked the development of the relationship between Scott and Nella. The attraction is there from the start, though neither intends to do anything about it. Both are cognizant of the employer/employee dynamic and how inappropriate it would be. But the connection between them won't be denied, and they can't stay away from each other. When the texted threats start, Scott's normal protectiveness toward the shelter and its inhabitants ramps up even further to keep Nella safe. While Nella appreciates Scott's protection, she isn't one to stand back and let someone else take all of the risks. She makes it clear that she has a stake in her own safety. As the days go on, Scott and Nella spend a lot of time together, both alone and with the others, and it is easy to see their feelings grow stronger. Despite a speedbump in their relationship caused by Nella's reluctance to endanger the others, their big moment at the end was great.
The suspense of the story was well done. When the first threat arrives, Scott and Nella aren't sure who it is directed to. I liked seeing Nella use her newness at the shelter to get to know the others' stories and see if those lead anywhere. Once the threats focus on Nella, the tension steadily grows. I could feel their frustration at the lack of progress in identifying the source of the threats. Nella is convinced that it is one of the gang members from her last operation, but her former boss doesn't make any progress either. As the book neared the end, I suspected the source of the threat and the reason. However, I never saw the twist that came along with the final confrontation. I was on the edge of my seat until it was over and loved how it happened.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the prominent part the animals played. I loved meeting the various critters and how they had their own personalities. My favorites were Spike and Baby. It was sweet to see how Nella connected with them. I also liked the attention paid to their training and the vetting of the potential adopters. I enjoyed getting to know the human residents and look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
Nella is a former LAPD officer who left the department after losing her partner during a gang-related shooting. Her boss recommended the shelter as a good place for her to work, and Nella's enthusiasm for it is evident as she arrives for her interview. As Nella waits for her interview, another woman comes looking for a "job" and is obviously afraid. Even though she doesn't yet work there yet, Nella's actions show she's a good fit.
I liked the development of the relationship between Scott and Nella. The attraction is there from the start, though neither intends to do anything about it. Both are cognizant of the employer/employee dynamic and how inappropriate it would be. But the connection between them won't be denied, and they can't stay away from each other. When the texted threats start, Scott's normal protectiveness toward the shelter and its inhabitants ramps up even further to keep Nella safe. While Nella appreciates Scott's protection, she isn't one to stand back and let someone else take all of the risks. She makes it clear that she has a stake in her own safety. As the days go on, Scott and Nella spend a lot of time together, both alone and with the others, and it is easy to see their feelings grow stronger. Despite a speedbump in their relationship caused by Nella's reluctance to endanger the others, their big moment at the end was great.
The suspense of the story was well done. When the first threat arrives, Scott and Nella aren't sure who it is directed to. I liked seeing Nella use her newness at the shelter to get to know the others' stories and see if those lead anywhere. Once the threats focus on Nella, the tension steadily grows. I could feel their frustration at the lack of progress in identifying the source of the threats. Nella is convinced that it is one of the gang members from her last operation, but her former boss doesn't make any progress either. As the book neared the end, I suspected the source of the threat and the reason. However, I never saw the twist that came along with the final confrontation. I was on the edge of my seat until it was over and loved how it happened.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the prominent part the animals played. I loved meeting the various critters and how they had their own personalities. My favorites were Spike and Baby. It was sweet to see how Nella connected with them. I also liked the attention paid to their training and the vetting of the potential adopters. I enjoyed getting to know the human residents and look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews