“Count on Lori Foster for sexy, edgy romance.” — Jayne Ann Krentz , New York Times bestselling author
He had it all planned…until she showed up.
Jedidiah Stephens came to the Colorado Rockies for one to uncover the truth behind the fire that killed her family. She’s been chasing down clues, and everything has led her to an isolated campground. Her plan is to get a job there so she can investigate who comes and goes. Getting involved with her boss, Memphis Osborn, the ruggedly handsome groundskeeper, is definitely not part of the plan.
When Jedidiah arrives on the scene, Memphis just knows she's up to something. He can see the desperation in her eyes and warily agrees to hire her. As they work side by side, Diah triggers his deepest protective instincts—and the chemistry between them ignites.
But the more Diah digs into her family’s past, the more secrets she unravels…and the more afraid she becomes. She lost everything once before. She’ll never forgive herself if now she loses Memphis, too.
Osborn Brothers
Book 1: The Dangerous One Book 2: The Fearless One
Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Good story but bugged me that it took forever to get to the main plot issue. Didn’t grab me like typical. ~~~~~~~~~ With a female main character, Diah showing up out of nowhere on the male character’s property begging for work, protection and protectiveness kicks in for Memphis. That’s always a good sign that you’re going to find a little suspense sprinkled into the story
Both of the main characters are super strong and well developed. I love their connection to each other. My issue mainly is with the plot, and the fact that you continually had to guess what the problem is and what is hiding in the background.
I did not fully grasp why Memphis randomly buys a campground and is refurbishing it so bad guys can come to it. I kept thinking that maybe he was undercover law-enforcement or something.
He had no job, but had money, however, we don’t know why. There was just something missing in the story I could not connect to. At about 50% or so, Foster started dripping the foreshadowing of the reason but it was not a strong one in my opinion.
The other portion of the suspense line included the female main character and what she was hunting for and running from. This did have a good plot line and was more believable. For me, it was easy to figure out who was who but a little bit confused over the bad actor issue and the tie-in.
Together the two of them do have a great connection and that is what saved the story for me. I loved how much they balanced and played off each other. They are both strong and sweet and that shows up easily. Plus, the Happily Ever After is lovely.
Normally, I am a huge Foster fan and while the story is entertaining, a little bit steamy, and has great characters plus a wonderful dog, it just doesn’t grab me like her other stories usually do. I needed something more in-depth with the plot to suck me in entirely.
While The Fearless One is the second novel in the Osborn Brothers series and contains its own suspenseful story & romance, it could technically be read on its own. You’ll get minor spoilers about previous characters/couples and villains. I, however, recommend reading them in order, since I enjoyed them both.
Memphis has bought a camp ground and has a plan to clean up the area, so he is shocked to find Jedidiah “Diah” Stephens and her dog staring at him while he uses the outdoor shower. Even more so when he discovers his brother & his new wife sent Diah for a job. I adored the meet cute and was already grinning as Memphis accepted his fate and showed her to a cabin.
Diah has nothing but the backpack she carries, her dog, and a lot of secrets. She isn’t her just for the job. This campground might hold the answers to why her family was killed. Of course, Memphis has his own share of secrets, like the reason he opened this campground and what he intends to catch with it.
The tale that unfolded delivered a slow-burning, pretend couple romance with plenty of suspense, new and old characters. Some from the first Osborn book and some from the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. (one of my favorite series by Foster)
As Diah and Memphis get to know each other, they slowly open up, but they’ll need to be more forthcoming for their relationship to grow and to stop the danger that is closer than they think.
Secondary characters added to the tale from humor to suspense. There were also hints of a second romance and I hope Foster explores it. As is true of all the Foster books I’ve read, I closed this book with a smile. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
“….your eyes are incredible, but they’re just a reflection of you,”
Memphis Osborn is a very smart man. So when Diah Stephens arrives at his campgrounds looking for a job, he can see right through her. Diah has her reasons for insisting that Memphis hire her. Although she starts off being a woman of mystery, apparently being all alone in the world, she did not show up at Memphis’s campgrounds by happenstance. She is there for a reason, but Memphis does not let that get in the way of growing quite fond of her.
Diah isn’t alone. She is there with her faithful dog Tuff, and he has been a strong source of comfort to her. It doesn’t take Diah long to see that her relationship with Memphis can be more than employer and employee. However, her guard is up, and hiding behind her sunglasses throws a shield between her and anyone she comes across. However, Memphis just has to look into Diah’s eyes to see what an amazingly warm woman she is.
This may be a romance, but Lori Foster has an incredible way of making the story personal. She really pulled at my heartstrings when it came to Diah. While thoroughly engaged with regard to the romance between Memphis and Diah, I loved the sense of intrigue as it increased as the book was reaching its stunning climax. I am loving this Osborn Brothers series and cannot wait tofor the next book.
Many thanks to HQN Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Non-stop action, twists and turns, emotional, touching, gripping, intense, and riveting. All words to describe this latest book by Lori Foster. It features Memphis Osborn and Jedediah Stephens, and includes Memphis’s brother, Hunter, and characters from the McKenzie’s series. A wonderful collection of characters, I was hooked from the first page. I loved every page!
I enjoyed The Fearless One. I love romantic suspense and I liked the suspenseful elements here, like trying to find out why Diah was intent on getting a job at the campground. Diah is alone in the world after losing her family in a fire. The man who rescued her and was a surrogate father is now dead as well, so she’s out searching for answers.
Memphis Osborn is revamping the campground, hoping to open soon. I wondered what his motivations were since it was clear it wasn’t just financial/business considerations. Memphis and Diah’s plans intersect. He hires her for handywork and they dance around their mutual attraction.
I wish it didn’t take so long to unravel the whys of what was driving Memphis and Diah. I feel like I would’ve been more invested if I knew sooner. I think most of the focus was on their romance, and I was more interested in the mystery.
Still, it was an entertaining mystery, heavy on the romance, and I enjoyed how it all worked out. A copy was kindly provided by Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free copy of The Fearless One from NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review which is honest and unbiased.*
The Fearless One is set in the same universe as The Road to Love series, and I absolutely loved it! Diah is my kind of heroine for sure. She's a survivor, and she does what's necessary to keep on going. Her life has been anything but easy, but now, on Memphis' campground, she has a fragile hope for some peace.
Memphis has bought the campground with ulterior motives, but he's not ready to share those with his new employee. At the same time, Diah is looking for something important, but she's not sure what it is.
Love is in the air, as it's practically crackling whenever Diah and Memphis are close to each other physically. The pace is rather slow at first, so I got to know the characters well. Then, it sped up with the suspense parts, and other characters showing up on the campground who were definitely not there to have a good time.
Foster masters romantic suspense, and The Fearless One is well written with strong, well-rounded characters, hot looks and amazing chemistry.
This one quickly drew me in and that was due to Jedidiah or Diah, as she wanted to be called. She was a hoot, very spunky and sassy and more than able to hold her own around Memphis. Right from the start you could tell Memphis knew he was in for it with Diah, but he didn't step back. It was fun as they each got to know the other, seeing how hard they could push and as they shared their past. It was more fun when things went from friendship to more. By then most of Diah's past was out and Memphis knew he wanted to protect and help her. Things really came to a head as Diah's past came rushing back, but Memphis and his family were able to take care of business and Diah was safe and able to plan a future with Memphis.
I've been reading Lori Foster's books for years and they never disappoint! They're filled with romance, suspense, and strong yet compassionate characters. There are always adorable animals, too. This book is a great example of her talent! Memphis and Diah are one of my favorite couples. Their chemistry is off the charts and they're people I'd love to get to know in real life. It's great to get to see some of the characters from her previous books, like Jodi and Madison. If you haven't read Lori Foster's books then this series is a good one to start with! The Osborn brothers are awesome! I received an ARC of this story and this is my honest opinion.
If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first: The Dangerous One (Osborn Brothers #1)
This is Jedidiah and Memphis's story. She is in town to uncover the whole truth behind the fire that killed her family. She is determined to get all the answers. She went through the clues and knew what she needed to do next. She needs Memphis to hire her. He can see things she is hiding but agrees to hire her. But when she really starts to get to the truth someone wants to make sure she does not find out. Can she figure out everything before she loses someone else? Or will she dig to deep and lose Memphis along the way to the truth?
The Fearless One by Lori Foster Book 2 Osborn Brothers
When Jedidiah (Diah) Stephens and her dog Tuff arrive at the broken down campgrounds in the Colorado Rockies the last thing she expects to see is owner Memphis Osborn singing while taking an outdoor shower. And Memphis sure hadn’t expected company in this remote area. To say it was a memorable first meeting would be an understatement. To make things even stranger Diah, as she prefers to be called, is insistent she was sent there for a job as a maintenance person. Memphis has no idea what she is talking about and has no intention of hiring her! Where did she come from and why was she really here? Memphis has his own reasons for opening the often unsavory camp grounds but what reason could Diah possibly have for wanting to work in such an out of the way area? And what was she running from? Diah has her own tragic secrets and exploring the campgrounds was part of her plan to find the answers, but only if she could get Memphis to hire her! The interaction between these characters is amazing and I enjoyed every moment of this action packed story. Add in a fabulous cast of characters, and you won’t want to put this book down! Give yourself an after Christmas treat!
The Fearless One is the second book in the Osborne Brothers series. This one is Memphis and Diah's story. Like his brother Hunter, Memphis has a plan and never counted on a woman to be a part of it. Diah has been moving all her life and now she is back at a familiar camp site to try to figure out why her family died in a fire. This one works well as a stand alone. Characters from the previous book do show up in this one, but you won't be lost.
It's been a pretty busy December, so this will probably be the last book I finish reading this year. What a way to end the year. I always love Lori's books and this one was no exception. She always writes strong heroes who fall for strong women. The chemistry between Memphis and Diah was intense. I loved watching them fall for each other. Diah's story was heart breaking, but she landed in just the right place. There is a little bit of a mystery with a twist at the end. As I said before, characters from the first book, The Dangerous One, and the series before this one (The Mackenzie's of Ridge Trail) show up here. I love Memphis's "BFF", Madison. She is just so much fun. I highly recommend this one. I can't wait to see what comes next. I hope that Remy gets his own story!
These people are full of secrets. Memphis is opening a campground where creepy drug dealers and criminals might use. He had cameras set up everywhere to catch them planning. When Dish (Jedediah) shows up she says she wants a job. But, her main goal is to find some information hidden by her family years ago. She wasn't sure what the info wss but she knew it might be important and save her from whoever seemed to be chasing her all these years. Memphis is a strong, resilient man used to doing things on his own. Faced with Diah's lack of trust of anyone he works hard to gain his trust. The longer they are together the stronger their feelings grow. But the closer to the campground opening they feel like things are getting more dangerous. When things come to a head, friends come to help just in time. Together they face the danger from an unexpected enemy and live to tell the tale. After all that, you can't help but celebrate their Happily Ever After.
In this exciting and engrossing contemporary romantic suspense, Lori once again gives us a strong heroine that you can't help but love. Despite being part of a series, it works just as well as a stand-alone, so readers new to Lori Foster's world can pick this up no problem. Familiar side characters, and those I desperately hope to see again in a future book, weave in and out of the story, and they are just as charming. While I do think the main characters fell in love maybe a little too fast for my taste, these characters have gone through a lot, and I could really feel their emotions and their passion for one another.
I already can't wait for the next Lori Foster book!
Honestly, I read this as something quick while my power was out for a couple days and it was cute little romance novel. I know some other Lori Foster books so its details weren’t very surprising. I know her characters, at least the male ones, tend to have some kind of special training or connection to it, so it went pretty as expected. Sometimes I was more interested in the side characters than the main ones but it was inoffensive and fun.
This was so good. Diah and Memphis are awesome! Diah is trying to figure out what happened with the fire that killed her family and Memphis is trying to protect her while at the same time falling for her. I love their chemistry and Memphis is such a great guy. I absolutely loved the book. Lori always knows what I want in a story.
I liked story featuring dogs and humans and this one was a good one. The author did a good job in delivering this romantic suspence novel, there's a lot of chemistry between the characters and I loved the dog. The first one I read in this series, it can be read as a stand-alone and it's a compelling novel. Recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
THE FEARLESS ONE by Lori Foster, Osborn Brothers Book 2
Memphis Osborn had it all planned…until Jedidiah “Diah” Stephens showed up. THE FEARLESS ONE is a sexy, edgy romance where there is secrets, distrust, and evil from Diah’s past lurking in the shadows. Remmy is a marvelous secondary character who first appeared in THE DANGEROUS ONE and given a second chance of redemption with the help of his boss’ BFF Madison from THE MCKENZIE OF RIDGE TRAIL.
Lori Foster never disappoints me. Her suspenseful novels are so perfect. I really liked Memphis as a character and thought he had a lot of great qualities that matched well with the female love interest. I really hope Remmy gets a book. He is such an interesting side character with lots of depth.
Memphis Osborn is a tech wizard and new owner of a run down campground. Memphis has plans to fix up the campground to keep eyes on possible illegal activities in the area. Jedidiah Stephens is looking for a job and is sent to the campground by Hunter, Memphis' brother and his wife, Jodi. On the urging of Hunter and Jodi, Memphis agrees to employ Diah. Diah has come to the campsite looking for something but doesn't know what it is. The sparks fly between Diah and Memphis from the moment they set eyes on each other. Will Diah trust her past with Hunter? Will Memphis give Diah the freedom to search the campgrounds for what she is looking for? Will a person from her past leave Diah in danger? Can Memphis convince Diah he loves her and wants her to stay with him forever. I loved The Fearless One by Lori Foster. The chemistry between Memphis and Diah is scorching hot! I loved seeing Hunter, Jodi, Remmy, and Madison making appearances and interacting with Memphis and Diah. Can't wait for Remmy's story. I would highly recommend getting The Fearless One and the other book in the Osborn Brothers series by Lori Foster. I received an ARC copy of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Diah and Memphis’ love story in by Lori Foster, book two in the Osborn Brothers series, is an emotional, non-stop action, twists and turns, emotional, touching, gripping, intense, and riveting tale; one I struggled to put down. Jedidiah (Diah) Stephens is a woman on a mission; arriving in the Colorado Rockies with one plan, to find out what happened to her family; the details about their deaths has bothered her for years. Looking for answers, she applies to work at a campground, left as a clue for her. While she's working she can do her own investigating and see what she can find. It’s the perfect way to find the answers she needs; except she never expected to also find love.
While Diah, and her dog Tuff, searches for clues about her family, she befriends her boss Memphis Osborn; a man she could easily fall for. Her life does not have room for love in it, as she is always on the run; never feeling safe, or settled, enough to put down roots. Then again, she has never met a man like Memphis; he could be the one to finally make her want to stay. These two share a sizzling chemistry and a magnetic attraction draws them to each other. Memphis knows that Diah is hiding something.
Ms. Foster once again has given us a well written and emotionally rich tale to get lost in, and characters we don't want to let go of when the last page comes. The intrigue is exciting, the characters are good-hearted and well-developed and the adventure brings familiar faces and high octane danger. I loved every minute of Memphis and Diah. I highly recommend The Fearless One to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
The Fearless One By Lori Foster Release Date December 26 2023
Another great book in the Osborne Brothers series. But no worries this book and definitely be read as a standalone. However, why would you want to miss out on anything. You have plenty of time to catch up with the first book in the series. THE DANGEROUS ONE
This story is about Jedediah, Stevens, a.k.a. Diah. She is a woman on a mission. And Memphis Osborn is also on a mission of his own.
Diah comes from a very troubled past. She has been on the run for most of her life. But especially for the past two years. She has basically been living off the land with her backpack, her tent, and her dog Tuff. She needs to find answers. She needs to stay undercover. And she needs to find a job because she is almost out of money.
Memphis buys a run down campground and he has big plans for it. These plans are definitely not what you would think they would be. The campground is very isolated and it just so happens that Jedediah was actually heading to this campground to find some answers. When Jedediah shows up at the campground Memphis is a bit suspicious. But Diah is not leaving! Memphis ends up, giving her a job after finding out that she came recommended by his sister-in-law. They are immediately drawn to each other. And Memphis definitely knows that Diah is hiding something. This is an absolute page turner. It’s one of those books that you just cannot put down. There is so much going on that you just cannot stop reading. I absolutely loved this story between Jedediah and Memphis and I highly recommend it! Thank you to Lori Foster for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.
Jedidiah was a wandering woman. She had been on the move for so long she didn’t know how to function without complete uncertainty. Grabbing her dog Tuff, and jumping off the back of a strangers truck at her newest job was the latest greatest adventure. Except this one should help clear up her tragic past. Now to just get hired.
Memphis set to reopen the campgrounds in a more honest way than the previous owner had run things. He knows that trouble would surely follow as soon as he was up and running. He just didn’t know how quickly it would find him, and bet set behind piercing aqua eyes.
Diah and Memphis have their hands fun, trying to each keep secrets from one another and stop themselves from falling in love, all while dodging bad guys and former bad guys turned goodish.
Another great story from Lori Foster in the Osborn Brothers series. Book one was titled The Dangerous One but you don’t need to have read it to follow along. They both read as standalone but do yourself a favor a read it anyway, you won’t regret it.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I can say that it exceeded any expectations I may have had.
Memphis was introduced in previous books, but you never really knew much about him. Diah is a totally new character in this book. The way they just "click" from the beginning makes for a very enjoyable book. There's plenty of banter and "bickering" as well as both characters second guessing things a lot, but Foster is adept and making it all work for a great story.
Another great book by Lori Foster. Memphis, Hunter's brother, is up for his story to be told. This one had me right from the beginning and I didn't want it to end. I mean Diah and Memphis' first meeting is quite memorable. Diah hasn't had the easiest life and learning her backstory broke my heart. Memphis is reopening the campground for more then it's intended use. He wants to help do the work his BBF and her family do. Along side his brother as well. We get some more of Remmy to my delight. Diah and Remmy create an unlikely bond, but one you could easily see happen. Watching Memphis be a supporting pillar for Diah enough to make her and her dog feel safe really warmed my heart. This book also has the romantic suspense elements to the book and boy do they cause twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Diah will realize how much inner strength she does have when secrets of her past some to light. It's so good!!! We also get a visit from Memphis' BBF Madison and her family. That made me giddy. This is a book I highly recommend. It has the perfect combination of heat, heart, humor, and suspense.
Great story! Lori manages to combine danger and suspense with a love story with two compelling characters that are fun to root for. Part of a larger series, it was fun to see some of those characters again. I hope there will be more.
Suspense, edge of your seat action, amazing characters. Throw in some romance, family interference, lower than dirt creepy henchmen and you get an awesome story. Love Lori Foster. Her books never disàppoint.