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The Coltons of Texas #4
Colton's Texas Stakeout
This next romance in the Coltons of Texas series turns up the heat as a cowboy falls for the beautiful cop investigating his sister! Hailing from a family full of law enforcement officials, rookie cop Annabel Colton expects to be treated like the dedicated officer she is. But her overprotective brothers want her off the dangerous case of the serial killer stalking their tiny Texas town. Her determination lands her a stakeout mission at the farm of the prime suspect's brother. Cowboy Jesse Willard—too handsome, too challenging, too sexy—claims he's not helping his estranged sister evade capture. But as Annabel gets closer and closer to the irresistible rancher, bullets start flying. And their lives—and hearts—will depend on the two of them working together.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
32 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Miller
41 books34 followersC.J. Miller is the author of 20 contemporary romances, including the Ocean Sands Series.
She lives in Maryland and can often be found with a book in her hand or writing one on her computer.
She lives in Maryland and can often be found with a book in her hand or writing one on her computer.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 21, 2016
Good book with plenty of suspense and terrific chemistry between Annabel and Jesse. The search for the serial killer continues, and has been tentatively identified as Regina Willard. She is half-sister to Jesse, who hasn’t seen or heard from her in six years. However, the local cops aren’t convinced and Jesse remains a person of interest to them.
When Jesse and Annabel meet, he has just finished a conversation with her brothers, trying to convince them to leave him alone. Their frequent visits and accusations against his sister are wrecking his business. As Jesse leaves in frustration, he bumps into Annabel. Both of them feel a sizzle of attraction, but doing anything about it would be a bad idea. Annabel is a cop who is involved in the investigation of the Alphabet Killer, and can’t get involved with a suspect’s brother. Jesse just wants them all to leave him alone.
Annabel is new on the police force, and with brothers who are also cops, is suffering from too much overprotectiveness. She's really tired of getting assigned to the missing animals and other nuisance calls. Her persistence finally gets her a shot at doing the surveillance at Jesse's farm. This leads to a confrontation with him, as he vents to her about his frustration with the whole issue, and his belief that there's no way his sister could be a murderer. He counters her arguments with comments about her connection to her father, another infamous serial killer. When she goes back later to try to mend fences, she and Dylan come under fire from an unknown assailant. He gets away, but in the meantime Annabel and Jesse have formed a connection that both want to pursue, in spite of the obstacles.
I liked watching their relationship develop. Annabel tries to resist because of what she sees as a potential conflict of interest, but she just can't do it. Despite her previous all-work attitude, her attention is now divided between work and Jesse. Both of them have issues from their pasts that have affected who they are today. Being the daughter of a serial killer has Annabel determined to show the world that she is nothing like him. It makes her very focused on doing everything right. Jesse came from an abusive father, whom he and his mother escaped from, but had to leave his half-sister behind. The hardships he and his mom faced have made him very sensitive to the difficulties of others. There are several places where his caring nature really shows, and adds to what Annabel is beginning to feel for him. One of the things I really liked about Jesse was the way that he respected Annabel's capabilities. Since she is still fighting for that respect from her brothers, it makes her feel really good. He still becomes very protective of her, but it isn't the same as the smothering she feels from her brothers. I loved their way of working through the problems and coming out the other side without any major drama. The scene outside her house at the end was perfect for them.
The suspense of the story was really good. The search for Regina goes on as there is another attack. Some more information comes from this one, leading them to believe they are on the right track. When Annabel and Jesse are on the receiving end of gunfire at his house, and then her house is bombed, they must figure out if it is the Alphabet Killer or someone else. The pursuit of leads continued to increase the danger. The final confrontation is intense, and I loved seeing Annabel finally earn the respect of her brothers and coworkers. However, there are still unanswered questions that will carry over into the next book.
There are also ongoing issues within the Colton family. All of them are still dealing with the effects of what their father has done, and now have to go along with his latest whim. He has agreed to give each sibling a clue to where their mother is buried, but is really obnoxious about it. There is also the issue of what happened to their youngest sister Josie, who ran away at the age of seventeen. There have been several sightings of a woman that some of them believe is Josie, but others are skeptical. I suspect that it is, and I am looking forward to her story.
When Jesse and Annabel meet, he has just finished a conversation with her brothers, trying to convince them to leave him alone. Their frequent visits and accusations against his sister are wrecking his business. As Jesse leaves in frustration, he bumps into Annabel. Both of them feel a sizzle of attraction, but doing anything about it would be a bad idea. Annabel is a cop who is involved in the investigation of the Alphabet Killer, and can’t get involved with a suspect’s brother. Jesse just wants them all to leave him alone.
Annabel is new on the police force, and with brothers who are also cops, is suffering from too much overprotectiveness. She's really tired of getting assigned to the missing animals and other nuisance calls. Her persistence finally gets her a shot at doing the surveillance at Jesse's farm. This leads to a confrontation with him, as he vents to her about his frustration with the whole issue, and his belief that there's no way his sister could be a murderer. He counters her arguments with comments about her connection to her father, another infamous serial killer. When she goes back later to try to mend fences, she and Dylan come under fire from an unknown assailant. He gets away, but in the meantime Annabel and Jesse have formed a connection that both want to pursue, in spite of the obstacles.
I liked watching their relationship develop. Annabel tries to resist because of what she sees as a potential conflict of interest, but she just can't do it. Despite her previous all-work attitude, her attention is now divided between work and Jesse. Both of them have issues from their pasts that have affected who they are today. Being the daughter of a serial killer has Annabel determined to show the world that she is nothing like him. It makes her very focused on doing everything right. Jesse came from an abusive father, whom he and his mother escaped from, but had to leave his half-sister behind. The hardships he and his mom faced have made him very sensitive to the difficulties of others. There are several places where his caring nature really shows, and adds to what Annabel is beginning to feel for him. One of the things I really liked about Jesse was the way that he respected Annabel's capabilities. Since she is still fighting for that respect from her brothers, it makes her feel really good. He still becomes very protective of her, but it isn't the same as the smothering she feels from her brothers. I loved their way of working through the problems and coming out the other side without any major drama. The scene outside her house at the end was perfect for them.
The suspense of the story was really good. The search for Regina goes on as there is another attack. Some more information comes from this one, leading them to believe they are on the right track. When Annabel and Jesse are on the receiving end of gunfire at his house, and then her house is bombed, they must figure out if it is the Alphabet Killer or someone else. The pursuit of leads continued to increase the danger. The final confrontation is intense, and I loved seeing Annabel finally earn the respect of her brothers and coworkers. However, there are still unanswered questions that will carry over into the next book.
There are also ongoing issues within the Colton family. All of them are still dealing with the effects of what their father has done, and now have to go along with his latest whim. He has agreed to give each sibling a clue to where their mother is buried, but is really obnoxious about it. There is also the issue of what happened to their youngest sister Josie, who ran away at the age of seventeen. There have been several sightings of a woman that some of them believe is Josie, but others are skeptical. I suspect that it is, and I am looking forward to her story.
July 10, 2017
She fell in love with the supposed serial killers brother, course she had a serial killer aS a father, why couldn't she like him? Glad they fought for one another!!
February 10, 2018
Another entertaining read in a great series.
Excellent characters.
Excellent characters.
March 17, 2016
When the fourth book in the Coltons of Texas continuity begins, there is a possibility that the identity of a serial killer in Granite Gulch is known. Yet many uncertainties still exist in the ongoing mystery where few solid clues can be confirmed. What previously happened to one family in Texas many years ago keeps affecting each member to this day, and a sister feels she has much to prove before true happiness can be hers. C.J. Miller adds numerous twists to her Coltons of Texas installment, where questions are constantly raised but answers are not always easy to discover. COLTON’S TEXAS STAKEOUT has heartfelt emotional issues and hidden dangers.
While the recent murders of six women in the area around Granite Gulch, TX are similar to those committed by her father long ago, Annabel Colton’s parent in is prison and cannot be blamed. Being a cop in the small town had her attempting to find the person responsible, and she luckily found evidence linked to a woman living nearby. Though her brothers think Annabel does not have the experience to track down the person who might be the Alphabet Killer, she plans to keep working the case and follow any leads. Just because she is a woman will not keep her from carrying out all tasks to the best of her ability, regardless of the risk.
After days of being given no difficult assignments, Annabel receives one that excites her and could demonstrate she is a capable police officer. She will be watching the farm where Jesse Willard lives and hopefully the suspected Alphabet Killer will show up. Even though he insists there has been no recent communication with his half-sister, it is her job to make sure the farmer is telling the truth. While Annabel and Jesse clash over how his sibling is perhaps connected to the unsolved killings, they also feel an undeniable attraction to each other.
Trying to win the approval of her many brothers motivates Annabel to be a good cop, and she feels being in a relationship would only be a distraction. But from the moment she comes in contact with Jesse, her thoughts are now divided between work and her personal life. Both had shameful pasts, and I liked how determined they were to be respectable despite how anyone else saw them. Jesse is very sympathetic to the difficulties of others, and his behavior repeatedly showed his caring nature. I really felt for all he had to go through because of being related to a potential killer, as he suffered numerous hardships because of gossip. How Annabel never let discouragement keep her from carrying out her obligations showed me that she was someone with stubborn tenacity. The relationship of this couple is very challenging from the start. I particularly enjoyed the realistic problems C.J. Miller gave Jesse and Annabel to overcome, and passion between them is sincerely expressed with sensuality and much longing.
Facts relating to the murder investigation are gradually being exposed, and any information learned had me wondering if my own deductions would turn out to be correct. A number of threatening incidences take place in the story, where the guilty party is not always known at first and left me guessing. There are certainly plenty of details yet to be uncovered, and I am looking forward to the next compelling Coltons of Texas book. COLTON’S TEXAS STAKEOUT has peril, lots of emotion and steamy passion.
Received copy from author for Always Reviewing blog
While the recent murders of six women in the area around Granite Gulch, TX are similar to those committed by her father long ago, Annabel Colton’s parent in is prison and cannot be blamed. Being a cop in the small town had her attempting to find the person responsible, and she luckily found evidence linked to a woman living nearby. Though her brothers think Annabel does not have the experience to track down the person who might be the Alphabet Killer, she plans to keep working the case and follow any leads. Just because she is a woman will not keep her from carrying out all tasks to the best of her ability, regardless of the risk.
After days of being given no difficult assignments, Annabel receives one that excites her and could demonstrate she is a capable police officer. She will be watching the farm where Jesse Willard lives and hopefully the suspected Alphabet Killer will show up. Even though he insists there has been no recent communication with his half-sister, it is her job to make sure the farmer is telling the truth. While Annabel and Jesse clash over how his sibling is perhaps connected to the unsolved killings, they also feel an undeniable attraction to each other.
Trying to win the approval of her many brothers motivates Annabel to be a good cop, and she feels being in a relationship would only be a distraction. But from the moment she comes in contact with Jesse, her thoughts are now divided between work and her personal life. Both had shameful pasts, and I liked how determined they were to be respectable despite how anyone else saw them. Jesse is very sympathetic to the difficulties of others, and his behavior repeatedly showed his caring nature. I really felt for all he had to go through because of being related to a potential killer, as he suffered numerous hardships because of gossip. How Annabel never let discouragement keep her from carrying out her obligations showed me that she was someone with stubborn tenacity. The relationship of this couple is very challenging from the start. I particularly enjoyed the realistic problems C.J. Miller gave Jesse and Annabel to overcome, and passion between them is sincerely expressed with sensuality and much longing.
Facts relating to the murder investigation are gradually being exposed, and any information learned had me wondering if my own deductions would turn out to be correct. A number of threatening incidences take place in the story, where the guilty party is not always known at first and left me guessing. There are certainly plenty of details yet to be uncovered, and I am looking forward to the next compelling Coltons of Texas book. COLTON’S TEXAS STAKEOUT has peril, lots of emotion and steamy passion.
Received copy from author for Always Reviewing blog
July 15, 2016
This book is one ridiculous mess, practically from beginning to end. Annabel Colton keeps stating that she can handle herself. As a rookie cop, she has a lot to prove, even after graduating with high marks from the police academy. But it’s just one screw-up after another with her. She keeps having men coming to her rescue and actually is idiotic enough to sleep with a person of interest in a high-profile case. Then she stays away from him. Then she sleeps with him again. Argggh! This is supposed to be a sign of true love on her part—and maybe his too—but it just keeps coming off as a case of gonads gone wild.
I don’t truly believe in the love between these two; it comes off more as the assuaging of loneliness and neediness on the part of two heavily emotionally damaged people. These are two people who should be staying far away from each other but we’re supposed to think that their mutual affections are inevitable.
The whole business is tangled up with an uncatchable female serial killer and an incarcerated male serial killer, Annabel’s father. He’s clearly a sociopath that’s toying with his family but they insist on crawling to him while he dangles clues in front of them about the body of their dead mother, which he hid after he murdered her. It’s pointless to talk to him but they keep on trying.
The book ends without the serial killer getting caught, their long-lost sister Josie being found or the corpse being located. Only Annabel’s on-again-off-again relations with Jesse Willard are satisfactorily concluded. It’s just frustrating as hell. Let someone else go digging after the exquisite corpse. I can’t be bothered.
I don’t truly believe in the love between these two; it comes off more as the assuaging of loneliness and neediness on the part of two heavily emotionally damaged people. These are two people who should be staying far away from each other but we’re supposed to think that their mutual affections are inevitable.
The whole business is tangled up with an uncatchable female serial killer and an incarcerated male serial killer, Annabel’s father. He’s clearly a sociopath that’s toying with his family but they insist on crawling to him while he dangles clues in front of them about the body of their dead mother, which he hid after he murdered her. It’s pointless to talk to him but they keep on trying.
The book ends without the serial killer getting caught, their long-lost sister Josie being found or the corpse being located. Only Annabel’s on-again-off-again relations with Jesse Willard are satisfactorily concluded. It’s just frustrating as hell. Let someone else go digging after the exquisite corpse. I can’t be bothered.
October 28, 2016
This is the 4th book in this series. This is a series that I have read out of order. Each book is a standalone. The plot continues throughout each book, but each book also has its own plot also. The action, and suspense are excellent. The Coltons were all placed in different foster homes when their mom was murdered by their father. The father was a serial Killer. He has been behind bars for a long time now. Only one of the Coltons has went to visit the old man. He only went because it was his job as a detective. Now the old man is dying and wants to see each of his kids. He has created a sick game. Each month a different kid will visit, and he will give them 1 clue as to where he buried their mom. They want to find their mom and give her a proper funeral, and final resting place. There is also a alphabet serial killer , the Coltons who work at the Police department, the FBI, are trying to find and arrest.
Annabel has 4 over protective brothers. They did not want her going into law enforcement. She had to beg her chief to take her off of desk duty. She proves throughout this book that she is a good Policeman, and can handle her own. I loved the relationship that she and Jesse shared. Jesse was a Key person of interest. Jesse was sent to stake out his farm. His sister is the Alphabet killer. Jesse and Annabel made a good team protecting each other when the bullets started flying. The chemistry simmered between. There was something Sparking between the couple from the 1st time they met.
Loved this book!
Annabel has 4 over protective brothers. They did not want her going into law enforcement. She had to beg her chief to take her off of desk duty. She proves throughout this book that she is a good Policeman, and can handle her own. I loved the relationship that she and Jesse shared. Jesse was a Key person of interest. Jesse was sent to stake out his farm. His sister is the Alphabet killer. Jesse and Annabel made a good team protecting each other when the bullets started flying. The chemistry simmered between. There was something Sparking between the couple from the 1st time they met.
Loved this book!
Read
April 17, 2016"Jesse appeals to readers with his toughness and compassion. Jesse and Annabel’s sizzling chemistry combined with the mystery they are embroiled in makes this story exciting" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).
Miniseries: The Coltons of Texas
Miniseries: The Coltons of Texas
July 14, 2017
Quick, easy read. A lighter story than the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews