3 stars! 🌟

Protector in Disguise by Veronica Forand was… definitely a ride! 🕵️‍♂️🔫 Fast-paced, action-packed, and suspenseful, but honestly? It didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This was my first book by the author, and I’m not sure I’ll be picking up the rest of the series. 😬

✨ Tropes & Themes ✨
✧ Second Chance Romance 💔
✧ Fake Death 💀
✧ Secret Identity 🕶️
✧ Protective Hero 🛡️
✧ Kickass Heroine 💪
✧ Romantic Suspense 🚨
✧ Found Family 💞
✧ Hidden Past 🔒

Okay, let’s unpack this drama! Fiona, a widow raising her son, finds out her “dead” husband, Jason, has been alive all this time, hiding to protect them from a revenge-hungry drug lord. Wild, right? But where’s the emotional punch I was waiting for? Instead, the romance felt kind of... meh. It leaned WAY more into the suspense than the swoon, and I was left craving that perfect mix. 😕

Now, Fiona? She’s a total badass—former spy vibes and all! 💪 But then we get to the big rescue scene, and suddenly she needs saving? WHY?! Let her have her moment to shine, please! 🔥 As for Jason? Oh boy, he’s got decision fatigue, because faking his death and keeping ALL the secrets was not giving “hero.” 😤

The supporting cast? A mixed bag. Jason’s team had their funny moments, but they didn’t really stand out. And Fiona’s kid? Sweet, but his wisdom felt a bit too grown-up to be believable.

BUT, the suspense? Top-notch! It’s fast, thrilling, and had me flipping pages like a maniac through all 272 of them. 📖 But the romance? Meh. I needed more chemistry, more depth, and WAY fewer questionable choices from Jason. And don’t even get me started on that cliffhanger—it made the HEA feel more like a “maybe-ever-after?” 😑

📌 Content Warnings (CW):
- Violence
- Kidnapping
- References to drug cartels

A HUGE thank you to Harlequin - Romance | Harlequin Romantic Suspense and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💕 If you’re into high-stakes suspense with a side of romance and don’t mind a little chaos, you might love this. But for me? It’s a one-and-done. 🙃

Fiona is a writer and widow taking care of her son when a while on a date a intruder shows up to her house with her son alone. From then on things take a turn when she finds out now only is her late husband, Jason, is alive but may have a cartel on his trail. It seems like Jason isn't the only one with secrets and both are going to do everything they can to keep their family safe.

I really enjoyed this book. It had so much going on that I couldn't put it down. There were secrets galore, kidnapping attempts, close calls, and a long-awaited reunion. I loved following along as the characters worked together to keep their family safe. Overall, it was a pretty good book.

Years ago, I read the True Lies Series by Veronica Forand and loved it. Despite having some really big "that just can't happen" situations and the "my husband who was dead is now alive" trope (my least favorite), this book delivers on a second chance romance and twisty plot. That is not to say there aren't some major problems and it is more than apparent that Forand has been out of the game for a while, and it shows in this work. I have missed Veronica Forand and am really, really glad she's back. But this book is just not up to the standard I remember from the True Lies Series.

Fine years ago, Fiona Stirling's world was shattered with the death of her husband, Jason, on a military mission. She had a young son, Matt, to raise so she picked herself up and continued to live for him. She became a best-selling author, but her latest bestseller may have placed both their lives in danger.

Jason Stirling was on a mission against a major Columbian cartel where he was the only survivor, and all the cartel leader wanted was revenge. He let the government fake his death and went into hiding to protect his family, but she still watched then from a distance. Until Fiona is attacked, and Jason knows his past has caught up with him.

My thanks to the Publisher and 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.

An exciting start to a new series. I am eager to read the next one. Unusual situation for the couple. Lots of action to keep one turning the pages. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Be careful what you wish for!

Fiona has finally accepted the death of her husband five years earlier, and has made a life for herself as an author, writing thrillers using the knowledge she gained from her own intense, secret career history even when she didn't quite understand the extent of her husband's military career.

Her most recent book, a bit of wishful thinking, sets off a chain of events that puts both her life and her son's life in grave danger, forcing her not-quite-dead-yet husband out of the shadows to rescue them from the threat he thought he had under control.

This story quickly amps up the action as Fiona and Jason race to stay one step ahead of the cartel targeting them. I loved how these two balanced the joy of their reunion with the realization of the secrets they each kept throughout their marriage, and how they worked through every obstacle and near-death experience to come out safely on the other side. Never before has a couple worked so hard to secure their HEA!

I loved getting to know Jason's team along the way, and it was gratifying to see that each one of them were willing to temper their loyalty with common sense when they realized what had been kept from them. I'm really looking forward to reading more in this exciting series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Five years ago, romance suspense author Fiona Stirling lost her husband, Jason, who was declared killed in action during a mission. Now a single mother to her 13-year-old son Matt, Fiona’s world is turned upside down when an intruder breaks into her home, and her son is nearly abducted at a book signing. She soon learns that Jason is actually alive. His death was staged by the government to protect their family after a cartel leader’s son was killed during the mission. Jason has been living under a new identity, building a business, while keeping his past hidden. As danger returns and Jason reveals himself, the story intensifies with nonstop action, emotional turmoil, and lingering secrets. The plot is captivating with well-developed, imperfect characters. It’s a promising start to a new series.

This is the first book of the series and the first book I have read by this author. After reading it, it definitely will not be the last.
Five years ago, Fiona Stirling, nowadays a well known romance suspense author, became a widow when her husband was killed on a mission. He was the love of her life, and after making some changes and leaving her previous, secret job, she’s become the sole parent to her now 13 year old son Matt.
When an intruder gets into her house and later her son is almost abducted during a book signing, her entire world as she knew it is turned upside down. The man she thought was dead, is very much alive.
Five years ago, when the son of the cartel leader is killed in the midst of a mission, Jason Stirling and the government had to pronounce him KIA in order to protect his family from the cartel.
Upon his return he built a business, used a different name, while his co-workers had no idea why or who he really is .
When danger comes to Fiona’s door, and Jason reveals himself, everything goes up in flames.
From that moment on , the action is non-stop, the feelings are all over the place, and still some secrets are hidden from each other.
Will they survive the cartel AND the secrets?
The story was engaging from the start with well developed characters who were perfect in their imperfections.
A good start to the new series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Harlequin . The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Jason and Fiona worked for the government, some jobs more secret than others. Like many families with someone serving in dangerous places they made enemies and the family put at risk. I can’t give anything away because it would spoil the story. There was excitement from page one, Fiona is strong and dangerous when needed. The pace was quick and intense, no time for frilly romances or relaxation. But there is a team with a few single team members so I can only hope for more of Fresh Pond Security. I was able to read an advanced copy and provide my review voluntarily.

As a Harlequin Suspense, Protector In Disguise is just what it says. A good suspenseful mystery with our heroine finding out her husband was still alive after all these years. The Cartel chases after them, wanting revenge, and the entire family is in serious danger. While predictable, it was still a good novel and enjoyable as the family tries to stay alive.

This is a Harlequin Suspense story about a married couple who were working for the Government in one capacity or another and in which hubby faked his death 5 years prior to protect his wife & 13 year old son from an enemy looking for revenge.

This is one of those stories that has a fair amount of suspense even though the mystery of who the bad guy is known from the start and the way it ends, not only leaves the danger open ended, but this reader very disappointed.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!

So Hero was in Columbia 5 yrs prior with his team to take down a crime/drug lord and in the process, his team was killed, the drug lord's kid died and he had to fake his death so that the baddy didn't come after his wife & kid. He then gets out of the military and starts his own agency where they help out people that the Gov't can assist or something like it. He has a team of men and 2 females who he considers as family.

38 yr old heroine was a former spy & contract killer for the Gov't. She quit when she got pregnant with their kid and became a successful mystery book writer. When she learned her husband died, she was devastated but powered on because her son needed her.

When the story opens, she is on a blind date from hell when she gets a call from her son that someone is trying to break into the house. She rushes home and takes down the dude but he ends up running away and Hero & his team do "cleanup" while she & their son are out talking to the cops.

Hero who has kept a close eye on his family for 5 yrs, ends up having to rescue her when days later she is in the process of getting kidnapped and this is where their reunion begins because the bad dude found out he is alive and coming for revenge. The rest of the story is them working together to find their kidnapped son and rescue him and take down the bad guys.

So while the story in itself is not bad, unfortunately it didn't pull me in either because:

- Hero who was supposed to be a bad ass Alpha or whatever, makes a lot of mistakes - including the major one to fake his death which we spend 90% of the story with heroine ramming into him about his stupidity, as well as his own POVs about this bad decision.
- He also makes a lot of other bad decisions with keeping secrets from his team which they blast him as if he is a naughty child instead of their boss who pays their salary.
- And speaking of salaries, we have his team throughout (especially 1) making constant demands for salary increase even when they are in the middle of danger. What the hell?
- The 13 year old (who at first becomes 14 only to later turn 13) was too grown up for his age and it didn't work but he was the only character here I liked.
- Heroine comes up with a plan how to rescue their son and then her hubby. She was a kick-ass heroine up until the part of the rescue at the end where she became helpless and clueless too. The real "heroes" in the story than turned to be his team (especially the female operative/h's BFF who was the real kick-ass heroine!)who were the ones to take down the bad guys. Why couldn't it be the MCs?
- The ending (view spoiler)

Safety:

No OW/OM drama
No cheating.
Heroine has been celibate during separation and it is believed Hero was too even though it is not clearly stated.
Heroine did go on a blind date but nothing came of it as she couldn't stand the guy.
HFN (see above spoilers)

I loved this start to a new series. Fiona and her son, Matt, have worked hard the last five years to make a life for themselves after the death of her husband, Jason. But, when danger starts to creep into her perfectly structured life, she has to wonder if the secrets of her past have come back to haunt her. Little does she know, it's much more than that. Lots of action, some drama, a bit of mystery, and of course a dose of romance. Overall a great, quick read.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.