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Trusting the Bodyguard is a very average series romance featuring a pair of former lovers who get back together under a very serious threat. It features characters who don’t seem to like each other a whole lot, and some very eyebrow raising incidents. I can’t say I liked this one very much.
Marisa Vasquez grew up poor. Her single mother worked two jobs to keep a roof over their heads and Marisa and her older sister Vanessa were mostly left to themselves. Vanessa had a wild streak and, although she loved and protected her little sister, she succumbed to the lure of the good life promised her by Ruben Ortiz.
Ruben’s gang runs all kind of vice and he is ruthless, cruel, and rich. He appealed to Vanessa’s wild side and they began an affair which estranged Marisa from her sister. She had no desire to get involved with Ruben’s evil lifestyle and she sensed that it was really her that he wanted. Marisa became a lab technician and began to date Archer Brant, a government agent. They loved each other, but Marisa wanted no part in a dangerous lifestyle and Archer was devoted to his job. Seeing no future, they parted ways.
As the book begins, Archer opens the door to his remote mountain cabin. He plans to stay there to recover from a mission that went bad, but to his surprise there’s someone in the shower. It’s Marisa and she has a baby with her. Vanessa’s relationship with Ruben had gone sour when she became pregnant and after she had the baby, Ruben had her killed. Marisa went to him, and with a combination of seduction and stealth, she stole baby Jenna from him and went on the run. She remembered Archer’s cabin, and thought that would be a safe place. She never expected him to be there.
Archer and Marisa are still hurting from their breakup, but they still have feelings for each other and they resume their relationship although they still fight over the old problems – she wants peace and security, and he does not want to give up his work. But outside events are going to bring things to a head. Ruben is angry and cunning and he has tracked down Marisa.
Trusting the Bodyguard has a hero and heroine who fight more than almost any pair I’ve encountered in some time. Both of them verge on being purely nasty to each other and Archer in particular treats Marisa very cruelly at times, even sending her into harm’s way without adequate protection. She’s a more sympathetic character since most of what she does (sticking with her sister, kidnapping baby Jenna) is motivated by love and loyalty. I found Archer’s backstory to simply too sketchy for me to really understand him and thus he came across as more of a jerk than a tortured hero.
While I normally enjoy series romances with a touch of romantic suspense, I can’t say I enjoyed this one very much. The animosity between Marisa and Archer went on for so long that I can’t say I believed in their HEA and Archer’s grovel at the end was too little, too late.
Grade: C
Book Type: Romantic Suspense|Series Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 04/06/10
Publication Date: 2010/04
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.