Sandy M’s review of Mine (Holton Woods, Book 3) by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary Erotic Romance published by Berkley 6 Oct 15

HelenKay Dimon has become one of those authors whose books I anxiously await and have a hard time doing that. I want her next one now! Of course, she has a voluminous backlist, so I still get some of her great stories while I wait.


In this third book in the Holton Woods series, Natalie is front and center. She’s always been the boss, the one to call the shots on missions with the CIA. After several of her agents have been hunted down and eliminated, she needs protection until it’s found out who’s after her and her teams. She hates the idea of a bodyguard – she can take care of herself, thank you very much – and balks when Gabe is the one chosen to keep her safe. He’s former military and knows his stuff, is dominant to the core. He whisks Natalie to his Montana cabin, isolated in the middle of nowhere, just what he needs for his agenda, with friend and foe in mind.

I love the push-pull relationship between these two. At least until Natalie decides to capitulate when it comes to Gabe’s demands – in his bed as well as out. Because they’ve both suffered both personally and professionally, trust is a big issue. So between the hot sex and the intimate conversations that come along, you can see the bridge of trust build its way one to the other until a bond so strong develops, you know it will never collapse.

I like that we meet Gabe’s brothers, Andy and Rick. He’s close to Andy, who also works with him in his security firm. Rick, however, is another story and both Gabe and the reader have to work out which side Rick is truly on. The suspense is well done, as usual, just as it is in all of Ms. Dimon’s romantic suspense stories. This time that even goes for this relationship, getting through the anticipation of what’s going to happen next when commands are met with resistance. Intensity is the name of the game and you’ll always have that in one of her books.

I highly recommend this entire series. Each title is a stand-alone, but you’ll gain so much more if you start at the beginning.

Grade: A