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Serenity Springs #1
Not Without Her Family
It's nothing but trouble for Jack Martin, chief of police, when Kelsey Reagan blows into town. Her ex-con brother just became the prime suspect in a murder, and this "reformed" bad girl vows to prove he's innocent. She even blames herself for her brother's jail record—for her brother's convicted crime.
And now Jack's precocious young daughter is beginning to idolize Kelsey.
But an error in judgment nearly cost the widowed cop his career once; he's never going to let that happen again. Not even for a gorgeous troublemaker like Kelsey.
And now Jack's precocious young daughter is beginning to idolize Kelsey.
But an error in judgment nearly cost the widowed cop his career once; he's never going to let that happen again. Not even for a gorgeous troublemaker like Kelsey.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
About the author
Beth Andrews
50 books102 followersRomance Writers of America RITA® Award Winner Beth Andrews writes heartfelt contemporary romance and young adult novels. She loves coffee, hockey and happy endings.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 14, 2010
Romance, suspense, mystery, and a wonderful cast of characters! Jack and Kelsey were perfect for each other and the chemistry between them was sizzling hot. Loved this book!
May 15, 2011
Not Without Her Family was an enjoyable book. Kelsey comes to Serenity Springs after having tracked down her brother Dillon. She wants to make amends. Dillon went to prison protecting her and Kelsey always blamed herself, if only she had listened to her brother and been less wild, when she runs into the Chief of Police Jack. There are instant sparks but they share a kiss and say goodbye, thinking it will be the last they see of each other since Kelsey is leaving after her brother is not very welcoming but the very next day there is a murder and Dillon is the prime suspect.
Kelsey is determined to make sure that the crime is not pinned on her brother because of his past and goes against Jack for that as well. Jack just wants to do his job and be a good father to his 6 year old. They both try to stay away since there are complications, the town people want Dillon to be arrested are even threatening his job and Kelsey is his sister but it is tough. On top of that Emma, Jack's daughter likes Kelsey after she makes cookies for her.
I enjoyed the book, how Jack was quick to apologize even when Kelsey tried to avoid him, for accusing her of using him to make him pronounce her brother not guilty. Kelsey is scared of what Jack and Emma make her feel since she did not have the best role-models.
A sweet book.
Kelsey is determined to make sure that the crime is not pinned on her brother because of his past and goes against Jack for that as well. Jack just wants to do his job and be a good father to his 6 year old. They both try to stay away since there are complications, the town people want Dillon to be arrested are even threatening his job and Kelsey is his sister but it is tough. On top of that Emma, Jack's daughter likes Kelsey after she makes cookies for her.
I enjoyed the book, how Jack was quick to apologize even when Kelsey tried to avoid him, for accusing her of using him to make him pronounce her brother not guilty. Kelsey is scared of what Jack and Emma make her feel since she did not have the best role-models.
A sweet book.
January 21, 2013
4 Stars ~ Newly widowed, Jack had allowed his grief to affect his judgement on the job and an innocent bystander had paid the price. So he moved himself and his six year old daughter to Serenity Springs where his sister lived and took over the Chief of Police position. Serenity is a great community to raise a kid; everyone may know everyone's business but the atmosphere matched it's name. That is until Kelsey came to town. Ten years ago she'd let her brother down, he ended up in prison and refused to see her. Dillon had served five years and then disappeared. Tracking him down to Serenity hadn't been easy, but now she's found him and she needs to prove to him she isn't the same impulsive troublemaker she had been. When Kelsey breezed into town she threw Jack for a loop and with him, his peaceful existence. He would be happy if both brother and sister would just leave his town, especially when a councilman's wife turns up brutally murdered and it seems Dillon may have been the last person to see her alive. As the town people pressure their Chief of Police to arrest Dillon, Kelsey becomes more determined to stick around to protect him. After all they've been through, Dillon and Kelsey know that cops can't always be trusted.
Jack and Kelsey have incredible chemistry; it just sparks off the page. I loved how Jack battled his cop experience to see that beneath Kelsey's troublemaker exterior was a very vulnerable young woman. He fought hard to make her see she was worthy. Kelsey's a wounded heroine who only knew love from one person, her brother. Falling for Jack scares her to death, but when she's faced with a life without him and his daughter, she fights for him too. Though the time span for this story if only a few weeks, Jack and Kelsey's romance is quite believable. This is Ms. Andrews' debut with Harlequin and I enjoyed it very much. I'm looking forward to reading more about the people of Serenity Springs, especially Dillon.
Jack and Kelsey have incredible chemistry; it just sparks off the page. I loved how Jack battled his cop experience to see that beneath Kelsey's troublemaker exterior was a very vulnerable young woman. He fought hard to make her see she was worthy. Kelsey's a wounded heroine who only knew love from one person, her brother. Falling for Jack scares her to death, but when she's faced with a life without him and his daughter, she fights for him too. Though the time span for this story if only a few weeks, Jack and Kelsey's romance is quite believable. This is Ms. Andrews' debut with Harlequin and I enjoyed it very much. I'm looking forward to reading more about the people of Serenity Springs, especially Dillon.
September 29, 2021
3.5 Stars!
On a whim I downloaded this cute, quick and easy romance. The snark and attraction between Jack Martin and Kelsey Reagan was on spot. And I was a bit intrigued by their backstories and the murder mystery unfolding. It was a fun diversion when I really should have been doing other things.
On a whim I downloaded this cute, quick and easy romance. The snark and attraction between Jack Martin and Kelsey Reagan was on spot. And I was a bit intrigued by their backstories and the murder mystery unfolding. It was a fun diversion when I really should have been doing other things.
February 15, 2011
Entertaining and sexy. The character development was weak, but the romance was sweet. While there was some miscommunication, it wasn't the irritating kind and the characters talked things out without much delay. This was not a deep book, but overall enjoyable and worth the time.
November 6, 2008
A Harlequin Super Romance, one of the best.
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December 20, 2020
This was an really emotional story, it was my first Beth Andrews' book and I thought it was great....The story line was exciting from the beginning to the ending....a roller coaster of emotions.
I love Jack's character, it was created with such extensive background details...his daughter, Emma, is so adorable and precious! Also, Kelsey was described with such rich details and a very explicit background. Together, Jack and Kelsey were wonderful couple.
Highly recommended....
I love Jack's character, it was created with such extensive background details...his daughter, Emma, is so adorable and precious! Also, Kelsey was described with such rich details and a very explicit background. Together, Jack and Kelsey were wonderful couple.
Highly recommended....
June 11, 2021
I just couldn't get into this book.
October 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! The murder wasn't front and center of the story but I had no idea who the killer was until the very end, which I loved. Sweet story looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 25, 2022
A great romance read with a bit of murder mystery thrown in. Enjoyed getting to know the characters and will be reading book 2 in the series
March 28, 2021
Kelsey came to town to try to make amends to her brother. He pushes her away. Someone is trying to frame Kelsey's brother. It gets a little slow. Near the end, terror comes to the Sheriff's house. He is almost too late.
December 9, 2015
Kelsey seeks out her estranged brother Dillan. She feels responsible for the time he served in prison and wants to make amends, but he wants nothing to do with her. He's living in a small town and she and the police chief there are immediately attracted to one another. Kelsey doesn't trust cops however because her abusive step-father was one. When Dillan becomes a suspect in a local murder she and Jack come into conflict.
Not a terrible setup, but their conversations were a little too contrived. Jack might start asking her questions and she might snap at him to stop interrogating her, but he wouldn't stop and she wouldn't leave. It wasn't all that believable to me. And then when Jack accused her of sleeping with him just to help her brother--that's really unforgivable. It caused me to lose a too much respect for him for asking such a thing, and her for forgiving him so readily. I also wasn't into her "confessions" of what her childhood was like and what happened, the night her brother committed the crime that sent him to prison. I like heroines with tough childhoods and such, and I like these moments of honesty between the hero and heroine, but that sort of thing really requires a lot of trust--Jack hadn't done nearly enough, for her to believably open up in that way.
Not a terrible setup, but their conversations were a little too contrived. Jack might start asking her questions and she might snap at him to stop interrogating her, but he wouldn't stop and she wouldn't leave. It wasn't all that believable to me. And then when Jack accused her of sleeping with him just to help her brother--that's really unforgivable. It caused me to lose a too much respect for him for asking such a thing, and her for forgiving him so readily. I also wasn't into her "confessions" of what her childhood was like and what happened, the night her brother committed the crime that sent him to prison. I like heroines with tough childhoods and such, and I like these moments of honesty between the hero and heroine, but that sort of thing really requires a lot of trust--Jack hadn't done nearly enough, for her to believably open up in that way.
February 6, 2015
This was a wonderful story I loved Kelsey she was a tough (not really), damaged screw up who comes to this small town to find her brother who was a ex con, he killed someone 10years ago and is out trying to restart his life (well not really... hide in what little life he has left), the story is really several stories the dynamics between Kelsey and her brother Dillon, Jack (widowed/chief of police) and daughter EMMA (love her), his sister (former lawyer, current bar owner and Dillon's employer)Allison, as well as a murder mystery. All good stories that make you go and buy the other 3 books in this series so you can read them one after another.
The story of why Dillon killed someone is a shock, the details of things that happened to Kelsey and Dillon and who did them make trusting Jack....difficult, Jack being a widower with a child...another problem.... the murder throws everyone into chaos as everyones life is touched. I LOVED LOVED this book and could not wait to go to the next book and read about Dillon....
The story of why Dillon killed someone is a shock, the details of things that happened to Kelsey and Dillon and who did them make trusting Jack....difficult, Jack being a widower with a child...another problem.... the murder throws everyone into chaos as everyones life is touched. I LOVED LOVED this book and could not wait to go to the next book and read about Dillon....
January 31, 2016
I liked the characters best of all in this story. I liked that they had faults, were messed up by their pasts, and that they still tried to carry on. Kelsey is s stubborn and a real fighter. despite how terrified she is, she still gives Jack a chance. I also like her loyalty to Dillon who should really let her back in his life.
The plot was good although far-fetched in places and a little contrived in the end. I know you have to stretch out the details of the case so the end is a surprise but really there was next to nothing all of the book then bam; revelations aplenty as well as a second murder attempt and a dramatic capture within the last three chapters.
All in all, not a bad afternoons read but not earth shattering.
The plot was good although far-fetched in places and a little contrived in the end. I know you have to stretch out the details of the case so the end is a surprise but really there was next to nothing all of the book then bam; revelations aplenty as well as a second murder attempt and a dramatic capture within the last three chapters.
All in all, not a bad afternoons read but not earth shattering.
September 2, 2010
I don't read much Harlequin anymore, so this was a nice treat for me. I loved the lead female character she was spunky and a little naughty. I especially liked that when she met Jack's daughter she did not immediately fall head-over-heels in love with the little girl. I've been there, done that, and let me tell you not all single young woman love kids. And that's ok! I am a mom and adore my kids, but I imagine not everyone feels the same way about them when they first meet them. I liked the heat between these two and the ending had a bit of an unexpected twist.
April 21, 2011
it's a little series comprending
1 - not without her family
2 - A Not-So-Perfect Past
3 - his Secret Agenda
4 - [Count on a Cop] - Do You Take This Cop
this one was really good. Very strong heroine. I loved her.
I enjoyed the whole series
1 - not without her family
2 - A Not-So-Perfect Past
3 - his Secret Agenda
4 - [Count on a Cop] - Do You Take This Cop
this one was really good. Very strong heroine. I loved her.
I enjoyed the whole series
January 16, 2023
Kelsey Reagan is in Serenity Springs to make sure her big brother is doing okay. Jack Martin, chief of police,
November 13, 2020
Solid 3
Decent romance with good, complex characters. Has some emotional moments and a hint of suspense, but ends with an HEA.
Decent romance with good, complex characters. Has some emotional moments and a hint of suspense, but ends with an HEA.
October 31, 2018
loved it can't wait to read the others books in this series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews