I really enjoyed this intriguing romance. I bought this at a Goodwill store and I voluntarily chose to review this story. I've given it a 4.5* rating. This is not for the under 18 readers. There is a big age difference between the hero and the heroine in this romance but it's fun to see them work it out. Lots of action to draw you into the story including computer action, it was fun to see how it ended. ( )

Terrific book. I've been looking forward to Chelsea's story since her appearance in the previous book (K-9 Patrol). She is the quiet computer geek who works her magic in the background, providing critical information that helps solve crimes. For the past few months, Chelsea has been helping retired cop Buck Buckner search for his missing son during her free time. She gets suspicious when her investigations suddenly show Bobby's DNA appearing at multiple crime scenes, and that's when her life becomes very complicated.

Buck's son disappeared four years earlier, shortly after he turned eighteen. Buck blames himself and hasn't given up searching for him. He appreciates Chelsea's help and cherishes their friendship. He is also very protective of her and steps in when she starts receiving threats.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Chelsea and Buck. Chelsea is an introvert who, thanks to a sexual assault when she was a teen, avoids most men. A problem with her previous employer added to that issue. Since beginning to help Buck eleven months earlier, he is the only man she feels safe around. Their friendship is important to her, so she has done nothing about her growing feelings for him. Buck has always found Chelsea sweet, and her quirks are endearing. So why is he suddenly seeing her as a sexy woman? Between the difference in their ages and his refusal to believe that he deserves anyone's love, Buck is determined to ignore those changing feelings.

I loved the opening scene. Chelsea's rambling call to Buck when she finds information about Bobby is amusing, and Buck's reaction to where she is speaks to his growing feelings for her. As they worked together to unravel the mystery surrounding Bobby's disappearance and the threats against her, I enjoyed seeing them take care of each other. Chelsea watches over Buck like no other ever has, and Buck not only protects Chelsea from danger but also shows her that he likes her just as she is. Because Chelsea was aware of her feelings long before Buck, she frequently felt frustrated by how he treated her, but she also didn't want to risk their friendship by pushing for more. It took patience for her to finally break through Buck's resistance.

It took a while for Buck to accept that Chelsea's feelings were not gratitude for his protection. He doesn't have much confidence in his ability to give her the love she needs. I loved his gentleness with her and his understanding of her past and how it influences her actions now. He fights hard against his feelings but ultimately has to admit they belong together.

The suspense of the story was great. It started with Chelsea's ongoing search for Buck's son and how his DNA began appearing at crime scenes. Right after that discovery, she received a message to stop what she was doing, and someone shot at her. If Buck hadn't been with her, she would have been killed. Chelsea becomes suspicious about the sudden spate of DNA matches and becomes the target of an online stalker. I could feel her frustration at the stalker's constant harassment and her suspicion that he was involved with the DNA manipulation. I loved watching her work to stop him and identify him. The tension ramped up as she got closer to doing so. The final confrontation was intense and well done, with a believable climax.

The other part of the story is the search for Buck's son. I loved watching Chelsea's efforts to cut through the layers of concealment to find the truth. Buck's determination to make things right with Bobby was heartwarming, and I loved how he refused to give up. There were some interesting twists in the search. The ending was great. I especially enjoyed seeing Chelsea have to break through Buck's protectiveness to see the truth staring him in the face.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series. ( )