Witness Protector
Mia is shocked when the one man she loved and lost walks into the Jasper, Arkansas diner where she works. The last time she’d seen him was ten years ago in her native country of England. Jack is equally surprised when taking a lunch break on his new job as National Park Service Law Enforcement Ranger, he runs into the woman who broke his heart—Emilia. But no, she has an American accent and says her name is Mia. It’s not the same woman. Or is it?
Thus begins the suspenseful ride of Witness Protector by Jude Bayton. Mia is running from a dangerous ex-boyfriend and the law, and Jake is running from his past. Both are thrust together when two dangerous-looking men, suspected by the DEA, turn out to be thugs hired by Mia’s ex to track her down and kill her. This closed-door, romantic suspense is a cross-country race from one threat after another. The two protagonists must work together to save Mia, but also free Jack from his personal haunts.
I only had a couple of questions. First, the cross-Atlantic setting, but it made sense when you learned the author is a native of London and now resides in Oklahoma. Of course, she’s going to draw from experience. The second was about the dated references sprinkled throughout, like old television shows and “renting” movies. As a new book release with young protagonists, that surprised me. Then, when I just wanted to scold Jack for being harsh to Mia for berating him for leaving her all those years ago, I discovered he had a very good reason for doing so—at least he thought so at the time. Well done.
Jude does a very good job of delicately weaving in backstory and addressing the irony of their reunion through the character’s inner dialogue. She artfully addresses the coincidence and the characters’ responses with a thorough, believable explanation. She answers the questions the reader would naturally have as they move from one location to another, encounter roadblocks, and struggle to adapt to external and internal threats. It feels good to have a writer who authentically writes to the reader, making sure there isn’t a gap. Cheers to you!
Book and Image Courtesy of Harper Collins – Harlequin Publishing and Netgalley
