Claire Wallace is on the run after witnessing a murder and it's clear the person who is behind this is now after her Luke Patterson is someone she knew in the past and is now a security expert and he will do everything he can to keep her safe and put this person behind bars.

I love action mystery novels and this book really was great for me. I loved getting to know the characters with their bit of backstories and kind of rooting for the two to pair up as a couple. Before that happens they have to figure out a way to clear Claire's name because things are being turned on her and it was so interesting seeing how they work together to solve what was happening. There was never a dull moment and I really enjoyed reading this one.

Texas Bodyguard Luke is the start to a new series by Janie Crouch and wow this is a great start to a brand-new series and can't wait for more.
Janie Crouch is known for her action pack, loveable a character who are not related but are family non the less.
Start to finish Texas Bodyguard is a enjoyable start to a new series. If you are a new reader to Janie Crouch this is a perfect start!
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Texas Bodyguard Luke.

Anytime Janie Crouch has a new series, I'm on board. Okay, anytime Janie Crouch has a new book, I'm on board. I know I'm going to find great things between the covers of her books, and she hasn't disappointed me a single time. Texas Bodyguard: Luke is no different. It's a good mix of romance and suspense with characters I can't wait to visit again. This first in the San Antonio Security series introduces us to the Patterson brothers and their parents. This is a wonderfully blended family who knows that love and family ties are about more than blood. Then we have the romance between Luke and Claire, along with the danger and intrigue she brings with her. Of course, we get plenty of suspense, which I'm not going to ruin with spoilers. What I will say is this is a brand-new series full of terrific characters who will steal your heart, including a Maine coon who is a character in his own right and is even a bit of a scene-stealer.

Texas Bodyguard: Luke is the first in a new series by the talented Janie Crouch. Luke gets the surprise of a lifetime when Claire, the girl he never stopped thinking about, walks in scared and needing his help. She just witnessed her boss get killed and now they are after her and they will stop at nothing to accomplish their goal. Will they be able to out smart the bad guys before time runs out? Read Texas Bodyguard: Luke to find out.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick paced romance with just the right amount of suspense thrown in to make it interesting.

A fast-paced, non-stop action start to a new series. Luke is our introduction to San Antonio Security, with edge of the seat suspense and his hate of paperwork. Claire has gotten herself in a bit of trouble and seeks out Luke, one of her “foster brothers” from a former group home. We are introduced to all four foster brothers and will get all of their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Intrigue for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Fantastic start to the new series. The San Antonio Security series is about four men, adopted as youths from the foster care system, who form their own security company. The adoptive parents who raised them are a fantastic couple, and I enjoyed meeting them all. This book focuses on Luke and the girl he never forgot. After Claire was sent to another home and Luke was adopted, they lost track of each other. Luke leans on the introverted side of the spectrum and is least likely to be asked to deal with their customers. He's gruff and grumpy (especially when it's his turn to deal with the paperwork) but has a talent for reading people that has served the company well. He has a great relationship with his brothers and his parents.

Claire has been an introvert all of her life, preferring to live her life and do her job with as little attention as possible. A computer genius, she has a job writing software and apps for a big company. When she and her boss, Julia, figure out that the CEO plans to use the app Claire has been working on to steal personal and financial information from its users, they know what they must do. As Julia gets the proof they need to stop him and sends it to Claire, she is murdered, and Claire witnesses it all on the video link. She knows she is in danger and goes to the only person she can trust for help - Luke.

I liked the first meeting between Luke and Claire. Luke never forgot the sweet girl he nicknamed "Kitten" and protected from the bullies at their foster home. He is determined to protect her and clear her name when she comes to him. He doesn't expect the burst of attraction he feels for her or the stirring up of emotions he's buried for years. Claire discovers that even after years apart, Luke is still her hero. I liked seeing them get to know each other as they worked together. I loved seeing Claire soften Luke's rough edges and laughed out loud at his brothers' teasing. At the same time, Luke's belief in Claire, her intelligence, and her strength gave her confidence and helped bring her out of her shell. I loved the scenes with Luke's parents, their unquestioning love and acceptance of Claire, and its effect on her. I loved the ending and seeing them come together.

The suspense of the story was outstanding. The intensity never let up from the minute Claire connected with her friend and boss. When Claire finds out her boss plans to do something illegal with the program she wrote, she is more than willing to help get the information to the authorities. She was not expecting to witness her friend's murder and find herself the next person in the crosshairs. She knows she's in danger, which is driven home when she goes home to get her cat, Khan, before going on the run and barely escapes the thugs sent after her. She runs to Luke for help.

I was on the edge of my seat as she and Luke barely stayed a step ahead of the men after them. The bad guy's influence and resources enable him to do anything he wants to stop Claire from exposing him. But Luke and Claire aren't in it alone. I loved seeing how his brothers had his back and worked with him. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as it looked like the bad guy might succeed in his quest. But not only is Claire smarter than he is, she also has a secret weapon that saves her life. I loved seeing it all go down, and the resolution was excellent.

One of my favorite secondary characters was Claire's Maine coon cat, Khan. He is a large cat and acts more like a dog than a cat. It was fun to see other characters interact with him. I loved the moral support that Khan provided Claire, as someone she could confide her fears and dreams and who kept her company in her lonely life. I liked seeing his antics as a guard cat-dog, plus he was an excellent judge of character.

I liked Luke's brothers. From what has been revealed so far, it sounds like all four men had rough lives in the foster care system. Luke's story was heartbreaking. The book's prologue was an emotional look at what it meant for him to be adopted by the Pattersons. I can't wait to read the stories of the other brothers.

I was enthralled by the chemistry and history between Claire and Luke. From the very first page, I was taken on a thrilling journey filled with action and adventure, with a hint of romance sprinkled in. I'm eagerly anticipating reading about the rest of the Patterson boys!

Lots of suspense, and endless love throughout this entire book. Luke and Claire deserve every ounce of love between them and others surrounding them! Can't wait to read the rest of the brothers.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy

This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the first book in the San Antonio Security series. This book was heavy on the suspense and action with a little bit of romance mixed into it. I really loved the characters in this book, and I loved the background of the characters. This book really brings light to foster care. The mystery in this book was done very well, and the cat was one of my favorite characters. I loved the fast paced in this book, and I loved the main characters in this book. The two main characters were very different which was perfected. I just did not want to put this book down, and I flow through it. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Intrigue) or author (Janie Crouch) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

This is a romantic suspense, one of my favorite reading tropes and this is my first time reading anything by Janie Crouch. This is an entertaining fast paced easy quick read that is action packed, suspenseful, drama filled, pager turner, mystery and mayhem, murder, second chance at romance, great characters and a plot that held me captive. Luke is one of the Patterson brothers and they run a security company. Claire works at a computer software company. Luke and Claire have a history the two were in a foster group home; Claire didn’t get adopted but Luke and his brothers did. Claire and Luke also shared a childhood crush. Claire is in need of help as she has witnessed a murder and she seeks Luke’s help. When the two see each other again they recognize each other and their crush on each other is front and center. Vance is hot on Claire’s trail as she witnessed him committing murder. I enjoyed reading about Claire and Luke and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Can Luke and his brothers protect and keep Claire safe; will Claire and Luke have a second chance at romance?

I received an ARC via NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada), Harlequin Intrigue Mystery & Thrillers Romance and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Book:Texas Bodyguard: Luke
Author: Janie Crouch
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: romantic suspense
Spice Level: closed door, kissing only
Pub Date: February 21st, 2023


Claire Wallace, tech/app creator, witnesses her supervisors murder. The killer is doing everything in their power to dismantle her quiet life. Desperation leads her to her childhood protector Luke, she doesn’t even know if he’ll remember her, but she’s out of options.

Security expert Luke Patterson never expected to see Claire Wallace again, he couldn’t forget her if he tried. Now she’s in danger and running for her life and all those protective feelings come rushing back. Will they be able to clear her name so they can have a feature together?

I really enjoyed the chemistry and history between Claire and Luke. The found family with Luke and his brothers and their willingness to have each others backs no matter what. Luke’s parents who seem to be the sweetest couple. There is action and adventure from page one with a little bit of romance sprinkled in between. This is a closed door romance, kissing only but you can still feel the love 💕 This is the first book in the San Antonio Security Books and I can’t wait to read about the rest of the Patterson boys!

Texas Bodyguard Luke releases tomorrow 2/21/23!

A great start to a new series that has Luke, part owner of a security business with his brothers, reconnecting with a childhood friend, Claire. Back in foster care, he protected the quiet shy Claire from bullies and now many years later she needs his protection again and Luke does not hesitate. The men after Claire will stop at nothing and have the resources to hunt her down but Luke and his brothers thwart the killer’s plans to eliminate her, going on the run and evading them…but they can only run for so long until their luck runs out.
A great read from the first page to the last with suspense, danger, action, surprises, love and amazing characters. The story flowed beautifully without skipping a beat and had me flipping the pages, not wanting to put it down till I was done. Can’t wait for the rest of the brothers to get their story!!!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*

Texas Bodyguard: Luke is the start of a new series focused on 4 foster brothers who now run a security agency. Luke and Claire met briefly as children, and when she is in trouble as an adult, he is the first person she thinks of. She is a witness to a murder and knows she is in danger.

Claire is socially isolated and doesn't really have anyone to run to when she is in trouble. She is a sympathetic character for sure, and Luke doesn't hesitate to help out, because he is that kind of guy! I liked both characters, but they felt flat to me. The plot is really focused on the action and danger, and less on character development. That will appeal to people who like suspense more than romance. This is also a "closed door" story, so there is no sexual activity on page.

Crouch's books are always a hit for me. The ones she writes for Harlequin are typically "closed door" but full of action and adventure. I have enjoyed them, despite my love for steamy books. I'm interested to get the rest of this series!

She saw something, on her computer, that she shouldn’t have and now she is on the run. Claire’s life has been difficult since her time in a group home, but then she had Luke. Luke protected her until her placement in a foster home and she hasn’t seen him in years. Although she keeps to herself at work and at home with her cat, she witnesses a murder. Luke was adopted as a teenager, along with three other teens, by a wonderful couple. His life was completely changed and he and his “brothers” own San Antonio Security. When Claire shows up needing his protection, they must fight against a wealthy man who will try to destroy everything in Claire’s life. She is a fighter and won’t give up as they flee from one dangerous encounter to the next, barely staying ahead of the police and the men who want to silence her. Non-stop action and suspense! I really look forward to the next three stories about Luke’s “brothers” by one of my favorite authors. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

This is a clean Romantic-Suspense, meaning no explicit sex scenes. It is a typical Harlequin book and that means short and fast paced with little character development. And character development was what was sorely needed in this plot. Luke and Claire were both products of the foster care system and they both had good outcomes, overall. It would have been great to see more in depth on why they succeeded. We got the highlights, but some details would have been nice. The whole book just seemed rushed.

When Claire Wallace witnesses the murder of her team leader, she is thrown so far out of her comfort zone as to have landed on the moon. First you backup the evidence of the crime, then you run. But, where? Who to trust? Clare is a loner, not good with people and leads a solitary life. The only person she even remotely trusts is Luke Patterson, a fellow foster kid some eleven years ago.

On a day when Luke was digging through mind-numbing paperwork for his company, San Antonino Security, in walks Claire with a huge cat and looking deathly pale. Immediately on alert and not buying her story, Luke is transported back to the days when he was her protector and that is something that will never change when it comes to her. Her whole story is chilling and complicated and it will take everything Luke and his brothers and partners have to keep her safe and survive the monster who is now after her.

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

I loved this non-stop action-suspense page-turner by Janie Crouch. Texas Bodyguard: Luke is the first in the San Antonio Security series and a thrilling ride. Claire Wallace reaches out to an old acquaintance Luke Patterson when she witnesses a murder and needs protection. Luke remembers Claire in the hell-hole group home they lived in for a short time. He’ll do anything to help his Kitten. Claire and her Main coon cat, Kahn, go on the run and Luke and his brothers are determined to keep her safe.

I love how Ms. Crouch brings these old characters together and the quick pace of their story. She has a way of keeping you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the end. Claire, although a loner, was strong and resilient. I liked that Luke’s brothers didn’t try to coddle her but worked with her to get the bad guy. Luke is my kind of grumpy hero. He softens as soon as Claire reenters his life, but only toward her. He knows she’s capable, but he still wants to take care of her. I’m so excited to have another new series by Janie Crouch and I’m looking forward to the next book! I received an arc of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Fantastic!

Sweet, emotional, intriguing story full of heart. Luke and Claire are a great start to a new series from one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read the next books.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

I’m hooked and highly anticipating more in the series! Janie Crouch is kicking off a new San Antonio Security series for Harlequin Intrigue with a group of closely knit adopted brothers who began their own security biz after working in the military or for law enforcement for several years. The characters are highly addictive, the camaraderie between the brothers is heartfelt and the tension around keeping Clair safe is a thrill ride. I loved every minute of Clair and Luke’s story and can’t wait for Brax, Weston and Chance to shine in their own books in the series!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a highly intense bout of action and suspense mixed in with your romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Foster child Luke Patterson meets Claire Wallace in a group home as children. The next time they meets she is on the run in danger. This is a great romantic suspense with lots of twists and turns as they try to stay alive while finding the evidence needed to prove her innocence. I love how they showcased good foster parents who built up the kids entrusted to them, great story of the power of a loving family.


ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for honest review.

Luke Patterson and his three brothers run a security company. Claire Wallace works in a computer software company; she has always been an introvert and goes unnoticed. Claire shows up at Luke's security company seeking help. Claire at one time lived in a group home with Luke they were both foster children. Luke and his brothers are adopted as teenagers; Claire was never adopted.
Luke has to keep Claire alive long enough to get her boss off her trail. She has evidence that he killed her co-worker.
Really good suspense novel looking forward to the other brothers' books.