Book picks similar to
Justified Burden by Lori Matthews


romance
romantic-suspense
suspense
romance-suspense

Intimate Strangers


Laura Taylor - 2011
    Nevada wilderness. Ignoring posted No Trespassing signs and the property's angry owner, she dismisses his threats and demands that he reveal her missing brother's location.Nicholas Benteen, ex-mercenary and former CIA covert operative, assumes she is yet another adversary intent on exacting lethal revenge for his past deeds. He will fight to the death to protect the sanctuary he has created for himself and those from his past he has vowed to safeguard. Even as Hannah penetrates Nicholas's isolation and melts the ice that encases his weary heart, she is seduced by the sensual, battle scarred veteran and the dark secrets of his past.

Untraceable


Laura Griffin - 2009
    TURNS OUT, SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive cop husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst, and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on -- including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy Austin PD detective -- Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth. As far as homicide cop Nathan Deveraux is concerned, no body means no case. But as much as he wants to believe that Alex's hunch about Melanie's murder is wrong, his instincts -- and their visceral attraction -- won't let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, Nathan realizes this investigation runs deeper than they could ever have guessed. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear....

Snowed in at Silver Lake


Stephanie Fowers - 2020
    There’s only one problem. He’s a fugitive running from the law.Barron Hart has a plan to bring his brother’s killers to justice, and it does not involve Gracie. But when the snowy winds batter the backwoods cabin he’s using as his hideout, he has no choice but to wait out the storm with the Sheriff’s daughter. Against her will. Although, if he’s being honest with himself, she’s the one holding his heart captive.After their first explosive encounter, nothing will warm Gracie up… or stop the sparks flying between them. There are too many secrets keeping them apart. Barron is further dismayed when Gracie uncovers his tragic past. She has the faith to help him heal, but he’s not ready to give up his revenge. Will the mysteries that brought them together, now have the power to tear them apart?

Fighting for Marcy


M.J. Nightingale - 2021
    A lying, cheating, soon-to-be-ex-husband and his newest “girlfriend” won’t stop her from pursuing a happy life. The last thing she's ready for is a new relationship with the sexy addition to the Banderas Sheriff’s Department. But when crazy things start happening in Tarpley, around her and her children, she comes to depend on the gorgeous man she met in the produce department more and more.Former Detective Blake “New York” Levine comes to Texas to continue his career of catching criminals and putting them behind bars. As a new deputy and member of the Tarpley Volunteer Fire Department, Blake's determined to unravel the mysteries of the cold cases he is asked to solve. His first one, a murdered artist whose skeletal remains were found in the desert, has him stumped. So far, the best thing to happen to him is meeting the strikingly beautiful Marcy.Juggling his caseload becomes a whole lot harder when he is tasked with bringing down a heinous criminal attempting to hire MC members to kill a local. When he finds that Marcy and her kids are in the crossfire, will he be able to solve the crime in time to save them?

Relentless


Tina Donahue - 2018
    Her grandfather died in a suspicious accident, she nearly lost the ranch to foreclosure, and now mysterious mutilations are killing her cattle. She suspects her supremacist neighbor is behind the crimes, but can’t prove it. When Ghost arrives on her land, offering to get justice, she’s hard-pressed to refuse his help. He’s sexy as sin and a former Army Ranger, his talents as a sniper unequaled. The way he looks at her unmatched. Ghost can’t help himself. He’s never met a more determined woman, her courage and intelligence captivating him. As a Blackfoot, he’s always called Montana home. With Nic here, he’s not going anywhere. Good thing as the attacks escalate. Facing insurmountable odds to save her land, Nic and Ghost form a formidable defense, while also surrendering to passion neither can resist.

Every Little Piece of Him


Debra Kayn - 2018
    She takes you into the lawless mountain life where rugged men with a past leave you gripping your chair and holding your breath as she emotionally and physically strips down the most unlikely characters.Anders Stone trusts no one, except the other four who escaped with him to the Bitterroot Mountains to hide from their past. Cocooned at Stone Lair and in the wilderness around him, he can keep his crimes hidden as long as he never becomes involved with anyone else.Then, he hears Iliana sing, and he jeopardizes everyone's freedom.She's an addiction he can't quit, even when the danger surrounding him grows closer.The moment Iliana finishes her last song for the night and accepts the invite to meet the owner of Stone Lair, she knew there was something special between them. His age gives her security. His rugged, sexy looks turn her on. His reign over what he's built for himself on the mountain amazes her.He's everything she's ever wanted, but it's not enough.He's a loner, and she wants every little piece of him.

Protecting Hawk


LeTeisha Newton - 2017
    She explored her creativity, lived her life on the edge, and never apologized for it.Needless to say, she made enemies along the way, and now one of them wants her dead. Eric “Hawk” Standing can’t get the screams out his ears, or visions of what he’s done out of his head. When a string of missions hits too close to home, he loses the thin hold he had on his spiraling PTSD. Under Medical Review, and faced with losing his military career, he’s offered a job by Brotherhood Protection to get away and relax. But a rich socialite isn’t what he finds in Lana, nor the easy mission he originally thought it’d be. Instead, he finds a temptress with the heart of an eagle, and a blazing love that singes away the pain. He just has to keep her alive long enough to keep what he’s found.

Guarding Lauren


Barb Han - 2020
    He quickly realizes that things aren’t always as they seem when his assignment, Lauren James, cleans out her bank account and heads to a known drop spot in the Caribbean. Is she in deep with the criminal brother she supposedly barely knows?

Carter


Adrienne Bell - 2015
     Ally Weaver is used to following the story, but she’s never had a lead blow up on her before…literally. Now one of her confidential sources has been murdered, and she’s determined to find out why. But Ally can’t risk drawing anyone else into this violent mess…no matter how skilled--or gorgeous--he may be. But a girl can’t always get what she wants. And when the pair find themselves thrust into the crosshairs of a corrupt politician who would do anything to stay in power, they must work together to expose a deadly conspiracy before they become the next victims. But while both Ally and Carter are willing to put their lives on the line to discover the truth, neither is prepared for the danger the other poses to their heart. *** Part romantic comedy, part thriller, and filled with plenty of intrigue, CARTER is the first novel in the Sinner Saints contemporary romance series. ***

Texas Marine Mayhem


Cynthia D'Alba - 2018
    The Few. The Proud. The toughest of badasses. And a Marine never, ever cries, even if she wants to. Vanessa Britt loves her job with Brotherhood Protectors until she gets her next assignment…guarding her ex-husband, or as she thinks of him, that dirty, rat-bastard who broke her spirit and her heart. She has never turned down an assignment, not in the Marines nor Brotherhood Protectors, but protecting her ex might be harder than being a Marine. Bestselling author Craig Devlin has money, prestige and a seriously deranged stalker who wants him dead. When the love of his live shows up as his personal bodyguard, he decides to seduce her back into his life and his bed. Once dead bodies start turning up, Craig and Vanessa must join forces to keep him from being dead body number three.

Montana Moon


Silver James - 2018
    Man and beast have one goal in mind—protect their mate from the enemies chasing her tail. A LONE WOMAN ON THE RUN… Lauren Reilly is exceptional at her job as a historical archivist at the Pentagon. Except her mad skills lead to discovering files so top secret that her life is now forfeit. That old joke “If I tell you, I have to kill you”? Yeah, turns out it’s not so funny when it’s real. After an attempt on her life, she reaches out to a friend of a friend for help. When assistance arrives in the form of a hot bodyguard from the Brotherhood Protectors, Lauren is so far out of her comfort zone she wants to turn tail and run. DISCOVER THEY AREN'T ALONE AFTER ALL. Under a Montana Moon, a moonstruck Wolf can depend on friends old and new to help rescue the woman he loves. Even if they have to burn down the world saving her from their enemies.

Harris


Jasinda Wilder - 2016
    Ex-Army Ranger, former personal security for the one and only Valentine Roth, mercenary, assassin, pilot, and my lover. After Roth and Kyrie holed up in their island fortress estate in the Caribbean, Nick started a private security contracting company: Alpha One Security. He hired the best of the best, the scariest, nastiest, toughest—and sexiest—security experts in the business. And now he has the mission of a lifetime: the three year old daughter of two A-list celebrities has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. The twist? The mercenary and Russian mafioso who snatched the sweet, innocent little girl is a vicious, evil, sadistic thug with a grudge against Nick. And the fallout from this mission will be jet fuel on the flames of that grudge, pulling everyone around Nick into the vortex of violence and vengeance. Good thing we have the seven deadliest and most badass men on the planet on our team… And oh yeah, there’s little ol’ me: Layla Campari, mercenary-in-training.

Rescuing Samantha


Nicole Flockton - 2019
    A career in turmoil. A life teetering on the edge. Empty and lost, former Navy SEAL Beck, stands at a crossroad. A job opportunity in New York is as far away from his previous world, as he can get. Only life has other plans for Beck and he finds himself back on the West Coast doing personal security for an up and coming Hollywood actress. Samantha needs help, but won’t admit it. Her lifestyle has put her family in the line of fire. To protect them, she cut ties with everyone and decides to go it alone. After an accident on set, she concedes she needs help and agrees to a bodyguard following her every move. The simmering attraction between Samantha and Beck escalates until they can’t ignore it. But when Samantha’s life is put in danger, can Beck face his shortcomings and keep her safe?

Watch Me


Cynthia Eden - 2014
    Chance Valentine had tried to keep his distance from the sexy socialite for years, but when her father hired him to keep watch on her—as a twenty-four, seven bodyguard—Chance knew his control was about to be pushed to the limit.He’d never wanted another woman the way he desired her. Hot. Intense. Consuming. Being so close to Gwen, Chance knew that he wouldn’t be able to resist her. So he gave into his need, her need, and he took them both to the edge of a dark and consuming desire.But Chance soon realizes that he isn’t the only one watching Gwen. Someone else is out there, a stalker who won’t rest until Gwen is destroyed. Every day, every moment…Gwen is in danger. And Chance knows that if he can’t unmask the stalker, then he may just lose the only woman he has ever loved.

Secrets in the Sand


Carolyn Brown - 2021
    Not when they are deep within the heart like Angela Conrad's. Ten years ago, Clancy Morgan broke her heart and even though she's made a successful life for herself, she's never gotten over that pain. Angel didn't intend to ever go back home, but when the Alumni Association asked her to return to her hometown to play for the dance at their alumni gathering, she agreed.Clancy wasn't planning to attend, but he does, and he recognizes Angela immediately. He never expected to see her again, and definitely didn't expect to see her standing up there looking like a movie star and singing like a seasoned famous country artist. She's the Angel he walked away from and has been kicking himself ever since.He made a big mistake, but maybe he can mend it, if only she'll let him. She's not so easily inclined, but he gets to know her posse of protective girlfriends, and they cook up a scheme to help her get over him once and for all. Or, maybe she'll let him win her back.