Undercover Cowboy Protector

The Secrets of Hidden Creek Ranch #2

by Kacy Cross

A hidden treasure may save her ranch…

Or cost her her life.

Ex-SEAL Ace Madden is working undercover as a cowboy to protect Sophia Lang, a new ranch owner who's in more trouble than she realizes. But his attraction to Sophia is complicating his mission. When Sophia’s confronted by an intruder searching for a treasure map, she enlists Ace’s help to find the treasure before her mysterious attacker does. As danger draws them close, Ace must resist his hunger for Sophia. Can he find a way to protect her from the people trying to steal the fortune on her land? And can he save himself from falling in love while they solve the mystery?

From Harlequin Romantic Danger. Passion. Drama.

Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of The Secrets of Hidden Creek Ranch

Book 1: Undercover Cowboy Protector

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published March 26, 2024

About the author

I write romance novels starring swoon-worthy heroes that you can share with your daughter, the ladies at church and your grandmother without fear because my books never contain bad language, violence or adult content. I live in Texas where I’ve seen bobcats and beavers near my house, but sadly not one cowboy. I’m raising two mini-ninjas alongside the love of my life who cooks while I write, which is my definition of a true hero.

Come for the romance, stay for the happily ever after. My books will make you laugh, cry and swoon–cross my heart.

Follow me on Bookbub to get alerts when I have new releases and sales: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kacy-...

Find my books here: https://kacycross.com/

Reviews

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Undercover Cowboy Protector

Author: Kacy Cross

Genre: Romance — Suspense & Thriller

Rating: 3/5

Warning(s): Spoilers ahead!! Guns. Kidnapping.



What was your initial takeaway after finishing the book?

This was a decent read. The story was interesting. Sophia inherits her grandfather’s ranch and decides that she is going to change it around to a resort. Ace was hired anonymously to protect Sophia from whatever harm shows up. The characters were interesting and I loved the humor between the characters.

This was okay. I felt like there was something missing, but it is hard to say what was missing.

Did it meet, exceed, or fall short of what you expected?

I was expecting this to have some kind of romantic suspense or some kind of scene, but the most they do is kiss. Which is fine. But I was expecting something more with the way they were pinning each other.

What parts of the book stood out most?

For me, this was all about the plot. I was intrigued to find out who was trying to harm Sophia and who hired Ace to protect Sophia. I was also really intrigued with what could be buried on her grandfather’s property. I felt like there was some things that still weren’t answered. Like whether or not her father knew what was going on and how her grandfather came to know but didn’t mention anything.

Was there anything that didn’t quite land for you?

I was disappointed with the lack of romance between Sophia and Ace. I was honestly expecting more, and it is fine that it ended in a kiss I was just expecting something more.

Would you recommend this book to others?

If you are looking for a quick read with suspense that is more plot driven than romance, this is your kind of book.

How would you describe the flow of the story?

This is a really quick read, I just didn’t prioritize the book cause I had others that needed to be read.

Did the plot hook you in, or take a while to build?

Yes, I would say the plot hooked me in. I was intrigued on who was attacking Sophia and where the rest of the treasure is.

How did the story wrap up — satisfying, rushed, or open-ended?

I didn’t feel very satisfied with the ending. It felt a little open-ended cause Sophia’s sister ends up getting with one of Ace’s buddies. And it felt a little lackluster.

Who stood out to you the most, and why?

I don’t think anyone really stood out to me in this book. The characters had personality to them. Ace was to the book and is serious when it comes to his work. Sophia is hardworking and sarcastic. But I just wasn’t interested in them.

Were the characters believable or relatable?

I think the characters were somewhat believable. Ace being an ex-SEAL was interesting, but I was also expecting more with that as well.

Did any of them evolve meaningfully throughout the book?

No, I don’t think so.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mix of romance and suspense, with a bit of history mixed in with it. Sophia is a former advertising executive who gladly gave up her job when she inherited her grandfather's ranch. She plans to turn it into a dude ranch.

Ace is a former SEAL who started a security firm and was hired by an unknown person to protect Sophia, with the condition that he doesn't reveal his identity. Ace is undercover as a ranch hand and has a tough time. He is intensely attracted to Sophia, which distracts him from his mission.

The trouble begins when she confronts a masked intruder searching for a treasure map. Fortunately, Ace is nearby and saves her. Sophia immediately recruits him to help her find the treasure before the intruder does. Their search draws some unwelcome attention, including shots fired and runaway heavy equipment. Their search has ups and downs, and there is an intense confrontation at the end. While the immediate question of who was behind the attacks was solved, there are unresolved questions that I expect will be addressed in the following books.

I enjoyed watching the development of Sophia and Ace's relationship. Their attraction is immediate, though neither is looking for a relationship. Ace resists for two reasons: first, he is there for the job, and getting involved would not be professional. Second, because of past actions, Ace believes he does not deserve a woman like her. Sophia has trouble trusting men but finds it easy to trust Ace. Their attraction continues to grow, no matter how they try to resist. I was a little frustrated by Ace's tendency to back away every time he gave in to the sparks. There are fireworks when Sophia learns the truth about Ace's presence, and it takes some self-examination from each to overcome the insecurities holding them back. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in subsequent books.

The secondary characters also have essential roles in the story. Sophia's sister, Charli, originally wanted no part of Sophia's plans for the ranch. She shows up near the end, expressing more interest in participating. I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the sisters and seeing the dynamics of their relationship. There is a good part near the end where Charli makes a vital contribution to the plans for the ranch.

Also arriving near the end are Ace's two partners, Heath and Paxton. They, too, start as undercover ranch hands, backing up Ace as he tries to keep Sophia and Charli safe. I laughed at how they gave Ace a hard time about his distractedness around Sophia. I suspect both men will play roles in the following books with Sophia's sisters, Charli and Veronica.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, entertaining, and the perfect amount of intrigue to keep me reading this romantic suspense by Kacy Cross.

Ace Madden doesn't know who hired him to be an undercover bodyguard for Sophia Lang and the stipulation is he can't tell her. But needing to help his sister with her medical bills means he can't afford to turn the job down. How hard can it be to work on a horse ranch while secretly watching over the new owner?

Sophia left her high stress advertising job when she inherited her grandfather's horse ranch. With a dream of opening a Luxury dude ranch Sophia isn't anticipating trouble but it seems that's exactly what she has gotten. If the rumors of buried treasure are true it could save her ranch. Thankfully, a recently hired cowboy seems to have taken it upon himself to be her personal bodyguard when accidents keep cropping up that put her life in danger.

When rumors about buried treasure on her property point to the sudden increase in accidents, Ace instantly takes to heart the protection of the woman he fears he'll never deserve. But, secrets and lies may destroy any chance for the love quickly growing between Ace and Sophia, especially when a killer is willing to do anything to get his hands on something that may not even exist.

A few areas remained vague and difficult to understand, and a couple of mysteries remained that I'm sure carry over to the next book, but all around a really enjoyable book.

[Harlequin Books]

Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Western Romance
Miniseries
The Secrets of Hidden Creek Ranch (Book #1)

[Fleur Blüm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun Mills and Boon romp: hot cowboys, refurbing a ranch, city girl goes back to the country, a mysterious intruder, buried treasure - it has the lot.