🔥💀 I witnessed a murder behind my bar. Now the Dixie Mafia wants me dead, and the man my attorney hired to keep me alive just moved into my apartment.
Dane Gatlin is six-plus feet of easy confidence with a grin that works on everyone. He thinks his charm is going to make me cooperate. It won't. I've run my own bar, my own life, and my own mouth for too long to hand the keys to anyone — especially a man who looks at me like I'm a problem he's going to enjoy solving.
But I'm cracking that composure. Every argument. Every time I push and watch his jaw tighten. He's wound tight under all that swagger, and I want to know what happens when he breaks.
Turns out? He breaks hard. And I'm not ready for how much I want to break with him. 🔥
💀 Scorching bodyguard romance with a hero who meets his match and a heroine who doesn't need saving — she needs someone brave enough to stay.
🔥 Bodyguard romance • Forced proximity • Instalust • He falls first • Guaranteed HEA
International bestselling author Annee Jones writes romance that ranges from sweet to scorching, sassy to dark, contemporary to fantastical. Perfect for your coffee break or midnight escape—quick reads for wild hearts.
Outside of writing, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit. She loves practicing Barre, relaxing in the sauna, and staying up way too late reading.
Another sexy and intriguing romp through New Orleans with Annee!
This time we encounter Jenna, owner of a bar in the Quarter who witnesses a murder. Enter her bodyguard, Dane, all muscle and former WitSec eyes. It takes just a few days for the heat to start.
I enjoyed the suspense and the story of the case a bit more than the setting this time, as it felt familiar after Voodoo and Veils. I was still entertained though!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mission: Submission by Annee Jones is a fast-paced, high-tension romance that throws you straight into danger—and keeps you there with sizzling chemistry, sharp banter, and a heroine who refuses to be handled.
Jenna never asked for trouble. She was just taking out the trash behind her bar when she witnessed something she definitely wasn’t supposed to see—and suddenly, she’s a target. The Dixie Mafia wants her silenced, and now she’s stuck with a bodyguard she didn’t ask for, didn’t want… and absolutely doesn’t trust.
Enter Dane Gatlin.
Confident, charming, and entirely too comfortable inserting himself into her life, Dane knows from the start that Jenna isn’t going to make his job easy. She’s independent, stubborn, and more than capable of taking care of herself—or at least she thinks she is. But Dane isn’t the kind of man who backs down, especially when it comes to protecting what’s his.
And Jenna? She’s not about to make it simple for him.
What really makes this story shine is the push-and-pull between them. Every argument crackles with tension, every challenge only pulling them closer. Jenna doesn’t need saving—she needs someone strong enough to stand beside her without trying to control her. And Dane proves, again and again, that he’s exactly that man.
As the danger escalates and an attempt on her life reminds them both how real the threat is, the stakes get higher—and so do the emotions. What starts as forced proximity and resistance slowly builds into something deeper, more vulnerable, and impossible to ignore.
Annee Jones delivers a story that balances suspense, passion, and emotional growth beautifully. The chemistry is intense, but it’s the trust that develops between Jenna and Dane that truly makes their connection feel real and earned.
If you love bodyguard romance, strong-willed heroines, protective heroes who fall first, and high-stakes tension with a satisfying HEA, Mission: Submission is the kind of book you’ll devour in one sitting.
Because sometimes the man you fight the hardest…
Is the one who refuses to walk away when it matters most.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He's had forty clean exits; will number forty-one be one, too?
Jenna Darby took a bar four years ago, renamed it Proof, and turned it into a success. Mardi Gras, the most profitable time of year for her bar, is almost upon New Orleans.
As with any bar or business, there's always trash to be taken out. She had several rather large cardboard boxes to be broken down before being placed in the dumpster behind the bar in the alley. But that night the Dixie Mafia had planned a hit job; unfortunately, it happened right in front of Jenna, and she got a very good look at the hitman.
NOPD wanted her to shut the bar and go into hiding until the trial is over. There's no way she can close down during her busiest time of the year; besides, her staff would quit and likely wouldn't return when she reopened.
Her friend, Sloane Woodall, who is also her business attorney, has a better idea. She knows a guy, Dane Gatlin, a former U.S. Marshal, who is now a close-protection specialist. If anyone can keep her safe, he can.
Dane had worked in the Witness Protection Program as a U.S. Marshal. He liked the work and was good at his job until the day he lost a witness, Beth Kessler. She was a bookkeeper who agreed to testify against a trafficking network. She was in a safe house, a place that was supposedly unknown except for a very few select people. Someone talked, and while in the kitchen, a kill shot came through the window. He stayed with the Marshals for two more years but any time he walked into a new safe house, he saw the kitchen floor where Beth died.
That was when he quit and opened his own company. If he ever loses a client again, he will know it was his fault—not a system he could no longer trust.
He moves in with her to keep her safe. Soon they begin to mesh together. They learn to know what the other will need and when. It looks like the way she and her head bartender, Huck, have at Proof.
But the Dixie Mafia hasn't forgotten about her; they're just biding their time until the perfect time. That time has arrived...
I received an ARC of this book from the author via Booksprout. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Finding Forever When they Least Expected it - Jenna was only trying to put the rubbish for the day in the dumpster when she witnessed something she wasn’t supposed to see and it put a target on her, so she soon found herself with a bodyguard she really didn’t want. Dane knew from the moment he met Jenna that this job was going to be interesting, as he could tell she really didn’t want him around, but he wasn’t going to let her dissuade him from doing his job. The tension between Jenna and Dane lessened the more time they spent together, but it soon turned sexual and exploded into a mind blowing encounter.
Unfortunately, Jenna and Dane’s blissful moments didn’t last long, as an attempt was made on her life, but he was able to keep her safe from harm. Dane and Jenna got back to living their lives, as they realised the deadline to the end of his job was looming close. Luckily, Jenna gathered the courage to make Dane aware of what she wanted, which led to them embarking upon a journey together towards their future. I absolutely enjoyed reading this awesome romance story where the pages were exceptionally intense and filled with suspense, intrigue, steamy and emotional moments. I highly recommend this book.
I received a free review copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mission: Submission delivers a gripping blend of danger, passion, and emotional depth. Annee Jones crafts a story that keeps the tension high from beginning to end, balancing suspense with a powerful romantic connection.
The dynamic between the leads is compelling and layered. There’s undeniable chemistry, but what makes it truly engaging is the trust and vulnerability that develop beneath the surface. The emotional stakes feel real, especially as danger and devotion intertwine throughout the story.
The suspense elements add momentum, creating a fast-paced narrative that keeps the pages turning. At the same time, the author takes care to develop the characters’ emotional journeys, making their connection feel earned rather than rushed.
Readers who enjoy protective heroes, high-stakes romance, and intense emotional bonds will find this story especially satisfying. It blends passion and peril in a way that feels immersive and captivating.
A thrilling and emotionally charged romance that lives up to its title.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really like Jenna, she's abrupt, set in her ways and takes no prisoners, but she's also determined, a hard worker and a fantastic boss who takes care of her staff in her own unique way. What she doesn't do is put herself first or allow anyone else to pressure her into changing her or her routine. Enter Dane, the bodyguard she doesn't want, he assesses Jenna within minutes but what he doesn't immediately realise...her stubborn determination and dry witty remarks will steal his heart and leave him in a situation he has no protocol for! They are both incredibly stubborn and set in their ways, and those ways do not match up, but somehow it works, neither feels like they have given ground or adjusted their acceptable routines but they find a way forward together. I really enjoyed this visit to Bourbon Street and the awkwardly beautiful Dangerous Devotion Jenna and Dane find, I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
If you like books where there is a feisty heroine and a stoic brooding hero then you will love this one. Jenna witnesses a mob shooting in the alley behind her bar. Dane is hired to protect her until the grand jury can hear her testimony. Their banter from the start makes this a very entertaining book and when you add in the danger element this is a must-read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Be prepared this book will capture your attention from the very first page that is turned. This was so good the action keeps you on the edge of your seat, the chemistry between the two main characters is hot and spicy and makes you smile. I enjoyed every moment of this read. This is a must read!!
Jenna witnessed a murder, Dane's been hired to protect her before she has to take the witness stand. Shes stubborn and doesn't make it easy but together, they get there.
A well written story with good characters and decent plot.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jenna,FMC, such a bada** with standing her ground and going after what she wants/needs. Love that she is independent. Dane, MMC, comes in to protect her and love how she lays down the law. The heat between them is great. Wish there was a more story with the villian just to add more tension.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this one. It was a little slower paced, but I was here for it. Dane and Jenna are perfect together. I loved that they both weren’t looking for anything, but it fell into their laps. It was so good!
An interesting quick read. It did not go the way I expected it to. Not quite an instalove which I enjoyed. Well written with interesting characters and really good steam. A believable HEA for the short nature of the book.