Steeling Her Heart

Crystal Creek #4

by Laura Haley-McNeil

She agrees to enter a loveless marriage, but the man who stole her heart will do anything to stop her.

The holidays are over, and aristocrat Anna Whitloch must leave Crystal Creek and return to Eastern Europe. She made a promise, a promise that will save her mother’s estate. Someone else has other ideas. Ideas that will get Anna out of the way permanently.

Anna can take care of herself, so why was Deputy Rocco Ventali assigned to protect her? She can’t depend on him, as he proved that night ten years ago when they had planned to meet. He never showed.

The last thing Rocco needs is to be assigned to protect Anna, but it soon becomes clear no one else is qualified. So how does he protect the woman he never stopped loving from the secret that could endanger her?

And how does he remain this close to her, and not love her, when the love in his heart refuses to be reined in?

Guarding Her Heart is the 1st book in the Crystal Creek Series
Crystal Creek Christmas Book #2
A Ring Around Her Heart #3
Steeling Her Heart #4
Risking Her Heart #5
Defending Her Heart #6
Imagine the Kiss #7
Crystal Creek Boxed Set Books 1 – 3

Want more romantic suspense? Download a free short story: laurahaleymcneil dot com.
If you want romance and suspense, download a sample or buy Steeling Her Heart now.

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2016

Reviews

[Becky Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna loved staying at her step-mothers ranch where she felt at home. Her brother worked for their step-mother so she was able to spend time with him too. I couldn’t believe Anna’s biological mother traded her for a marriage to pay off her mother’s gambling debts. Anna couldn’t stand the man and had put marrying him off for nine years, but her time was almost over. Anna had spent a summer with Rocco when they were in high school and the two felt something for each other but it never went anywhere. Rocco is a deputy in their small town and when things start happening to Anna he sticks by her to protect her. Anna’s fiancé pays Rocco to be her bodyguard. I felt bad that Rocco did not know who had killed his father, but was working on clues to figure out what happened. There was so many unknown details coming to light that had so many people trying to understand what was happening. You need to read the book to see how it all ends. It was an exciting ending. I received a copy of the book and voluntarily wrote a review.

[Karen Brasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stealing Her Heart

If you have been following the Whitlock family created by Laura Haley-McNeil, you will remember there are a lot of children and step children in the clan. This book continues with the mystery surrounding them and their father. Anna has agreed to a loveless marriage that must be fulfilled within the next year to keep her family estate safe. Rocco has secretly loved her since the first time she visited and is hired by her fiancé to protect her. Will Rocco be able to save Anna from the danger surrounding her and a loveless marriage?

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sins of the fathers passed onto the children.

Anna & Rocco were childhood friends when she visited her father and stepmother, Max and Rose. Now, Rocco is her bodyguard hired by her fiancé, a man she is contracted to marry to pay off her mother's gambling debt. Old family secrets from the fathers' war days tie the families together and drive this plot.

I received an ARC copy of this story from the author via BookFunnel and voluntarily chose to share my review.

[Jan Tomalis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This pulled me in from page 1! Anna’s story of being promised to an Eastern European man in what would be a loveless marriage. She is getting to a deadline when she must set the date. Rocco was hired as her bodyguard but Anna doesn’t think she needs one. Danger, suspense, romance and it’s clean! Thoroughly enjoyed!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this protector suspense. I liked the mystery threads through this series and each book. I like the international additions. It was a great read.