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A Texas lawman will do anything to protect a woman and baby.

The woman who broke into ATF special agent Nick Brodie’s home and aimed a gun at him isn’t a stranger. Neither is the baby with her. Seven months ago, the lawman and former ATF agent Hallie Stanton rescued the newborn from a black market ring. Now on the run, they must join forces to escape the abductor hot on their trail. As their taboo attraction heats up, can Nick and Hallie keep the baby safe and stay one step ahead of a merciless killer?

256 pages, ebook

First published December 8, 2022

61 people are currently reading
49 people want to read

About the author

Delores Fossen

625 books804 followers
Thank you for finding me on Goodreads!

Want to know more about me? Well, here it is in a nutshell:

I’m a USA Today bestselling author, and I’ve sold over 100 novels. Yes, 100! Needless to say, I write a lot. I’ve had the honor of receiving the Booksellers' Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, and I was a finalist for the Rita. My books have been featured in Vogue, Woman’s Day and Woman’s World. I’ve also had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines. I love hearing from readers, and you can contact me through my webpage at: www.deloresfossen.com.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Wendy W..
517 reviews172 followers
December 23, 2022
Lawman to the Core is the third book in the popular series, The Law in Lubbock County, but can be read as a stand-alone. Really, this series should be read in order, but the author does a splendid job of summing up the previous books and has a nice character list at the beginning of the book that I found very helpful.

Lawman to the Core is a fast-paced romantic suspense where I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading. I loved the fast pace and enjoyed the characters immensely. I loved the way Hallie and Nick cared for little David as they fell in love with each other and the baby. The mystery as to who was trying to take David and hurt Hallie and Nick was a good one, with a few suspected, it was tough to figure out who was after them. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Profile Image for Wendy W..
517 reviews172 followers
December 19, 2022
Lawman to the Core is the third book in the popular series, The Law in Lubbock County, but can be read as a stand-alone. Really, this series should be read in order, but the author does a splendid job of summing up the previous books and has a nice character list at the beginning of the book that I found very helpful.

Lawman to the Core is a fast-paced romantic suspense where I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading. I loved the fast pace and enjoyed the characters immensely. I loved the way Hallie and Nick cared for little David as they fell in love with each other and the baby. The mystery as to who was trying to take David and hurt Hallie and Nick was a good one, with a few suspected, it was tough to figure out who was after them. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Profile Image for Anne.
201 reviews13 followers
December 21, 2022
Mm couldn’t find a good stopping point once I started this book. This felt out of the first pages you were in a life and earth situation, who to trust what was happening and what a baby? Hang in tight to your phone, tablet, e reader or old
Fashioned paperback! This is a wild ride but worth it!
Profile Image for Susan.
4,777 reviews123 followers
January 6, 2023
Another wild ride of a story from this author. There was nonstop action from the first page to the last as Nick and Hallie raced to keep a black market baby ring infant safe.

The book starts with a rush as Nick arrives home to find Hallie aiming a gun at him, desperate to discover if he was responsible for an attack on her and baby Davy. Several months earlier, they had been involved in shutting down a weapons/drug/baby trafficking ring and were wounded in the process. Hallie left the ATF to become a PI and is in the process of adopting Davy, but someone has other plans for the boy.

I loved the balance of romance and suspense in this book. Nick and Hallie worked together in the ATF for several years, and their sparks were undeniable. But as the team leader, having any relationship with Hallie was out of the question, so he suppressed those feelings. Like Nick, Hallie felt the same attraction but never acted on it. With that barrier gone, anything is possible - once the threat to them is gone.

I liked watching the relationship between Nick and Hallie develop. Because they already know each other well, the rapid progression is believable. I liked how moved Nick was by Hallie's obvious love for Davy and how quickly Davy wiggled into Nick's heart. Nick and Hallie grew closer as they worked together to discover who was behind the attacks, but it took nearly losing each other for them to realize how deep their feelings were.

The story's suspense had me glued to the pages from start to finish. From the beginning, the attacks clearly have something to do with the black market baby ring, but what is behind them? And why are Nick and Hallie being set up to look like they are involved in a cover-up? I could feel their frustration as every trail they followed led to a different suspect, and the attacks on them escalated in intensity. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as Nick and Hallie fought for their lives against someone determined to keep his secret.

I liked seeing more of Leigh and Cullen from Sheriff in the Saddle, as both played significant roles in this book. Now I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

#netgalley
Profile Image for Catrina.
78 reviews
February 2, 2023
Nick and Hallie has a history together. The chemistry between them is immensely good. Find out why Hallie turns to Nick to help keep the baby she’s trying adopted safe. There’s mystery and danger in this book that keeps you guessing who is after Hallie and the baby. Definitely a book you won’t want to put down.
Profile Image for Happily Ever After Romance.
685 reviews24 followers
April 20, 2023
Reviewed at Happily Ever After Romance

Lawman to the Core is the third novel in The Law in Lubbock County series, and it gets intense early on and never, ever loses its bite or the action as Hallie and Nick do everything possible to protect an innocent baby… including putting their lives on the line.

The last thing Nick expected when he arrived home was a woman aiming a gun at him while holding a baby… a woman, and a baby that he knew quite well. Someone attacked Hallie and baby David (Davy), and she wants answers. No, it makes no sense that Nick was the one after them, but he knew about the black market baby ring that Davy was rescued from so he’s suspect until proven innocent in her eyes. After what she’s just been through she trusts no one.

Once Hallie and Nick had both worked for the ATF and had saved an innocent baby’s life from a fate no child should face. The attraction between them always sizzled beneath the surface, but they never acted on it until now when Nick left the agency and has become a Private Investigator. A vile villain is after not only baby Davy but the two people who rescued him. Now, two people need to find answers quickly before the baby Hallie is in the process of adopting, and Nick is feeling protective of is once again in danger.

The action never stops as this couple works together to protect a precious baby, put the puzzle pieces together to find who is attacking them, and along the way give in to the emotional attraction that they cannot deny… and no longer need to ignore. I loved every moment spent back in this world. The intensity of the journey to find out who is after Hallie and Davy leaps from the pages, the action rarely slows down, and watching this couple, and this baby become a family was an absolute page-turner for me. With a few twists here and there, Hallie will find those answers and a man who will love her and her adopted son through anything tossed their way. There is a reason why Delores Fossen is an auto-buy author for me… she delivers on the promise of every story, and then some.

If you love a fast-paced, intense Romantic Suspense with a couple to cheer on and an adorable baby to cherish then, this one is just right for you.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.
Profile Image for Katie Mettner.
Author 100 books1,602 followers
November 13, 2022
I have been reading the Law in Lubbock County series by Delores Fossen, and she did not disappoint with Lawman to the Core, book three in the series. The book opens with action that is nonstop until the very last page. This was an incredibly well-executed intrigue that left the reader wondering who was behind the attacks and why they wanted the baby.

Hallie needed help, and she could only turn to her old boss and secret crush, ATF agent Nick Brodie. When she holds him at gunpoint in his house, a baby in tow, Nick knows immediately that whatever the situation is, it's desperate. He wants to help her discover why someone is trying to take David, the baby she's ready to adopt, months after David was rescued from a baby smuggling ring. Before he can find a logical way to begin, they're attacked in his house and have to run. Nick relies on his family and friends in law enforcement to keep them safe as they unravel who was involved and why. The action kept coming, whether aimed at Nick and Hallie or sabotaging the case they were building.

If you haven't read the first two books in the series, that's okay. Ms. Fossen does a great job of keeping the reader in the loop about who the characters are and how anything happening in the current book ties to previous cases. If you're looking for a great intrigue with a lawman who will stop at nothing to protect the people he loves, you'll want to grab Laman to the Core!
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,187 reviews50 followers
January 11, 2023
Nick and Hallie worked together for a time when things went sideways and we left her job as ATF agent to go her own way. Now she has shown up at his place to figure out what happened that day they stumbled upon a baby trafficking's ring with one of the babies in tow. Its clear something is up when a few a gun men and close calls occur and they are going to do everything can they to keep the baby safe as well as themselves.

I enjoyed this book pretty much binge read it. I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was easy to get drawn into this book and wonder what's going on and who was behind what was going on. Then there was the many close calls that kept happening and questioning if they can trust anyone. There was also romance between the two, before they had a connection but now with spending more time together its easy for them to fall for eachother even more as the danger ramps up. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Margie.
1,714 reviews25 followers
November 16, 2022
Lawman to the Core by Delores Fossen is book #3 in the Law in Lubbock County series. There's lots of action and suspense in this storyline. Former ATF agent Hallie Stanton is in the process of adopting a baby boy rescued from a black market baby selling ring. When an intruder breaks into her house Hallie grabs baby David and goes to the home of her former ATF boss, Nick Brodie, for help protecting baby David. Together they face a number of shootings and much danger. I really like these two main characters. I enjoyed reading along as they faced their attraction to each other. Their road to a Happily Ever After was strewn with lots of danger but I'm sure they felt it was all worth it in the end.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Nancy Ku.
1,496 reviews16 followers
October 30, 2022
Lawman to the Core (The Law in Lubbock County #3) by Delores Fossen
ATF special agent Nick Brodie and former ATF agent Hallie Stanton are strong H/h and will do anything to keep each other and the baby they saved from a black market baby selling ring. This book is non-stop action, mystery, danger, fear, wonderful family and friends, not knowing who to trust, through in love and a little steam and we get to a very HEA. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series SPURRED TO JUSTICE.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read Happily Ever After Great world building Page-turner Entertaining Tragic Romantic Scary Tear-jerker Action-packed Witty Informative Wonderful characters.
Profile Image for NICUnurse Stephanie .
926 reviews33 followers
December 30, 2022
Delores Fossen was a new-to-me author with this book, but it certainly won’t be the last of hers I read. I’m a long-time romantic suspense junkie, and this story hit all the high points for me. There was plenty of action from page one on, and intrigue and suspense with plenty of twists that left me guessing who the bad guy truly was until the very end. Throw in a second-chance romance with a bit of steam, and it was hours of entertainment for me. I honestly couldn’t put it down. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in this series, and in the meantime, you’ll find me catching up on those I haven’t read yet, as well as working on this author’s backlist.
Profile Image for Janilyn Kocher.
4,898 reviews111 followers
December 23, 2022
How can one little cute baby create chaos and mayhem? Little David Is in Hallie’s custody, but they’re both in danger. Hallie turns to Nick for help and it’s a whirlwind of activity until the end.
Seriously, every page is drenched in action and drama, with a bit is spice and cuteness.
Dissent kept me bouncing back and forth as who the bad guys were, with plenty of good law enforcement to counter the villains.
It has a happy ending, despite all the hell Nick and Hallie endure.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the early read.
209 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book pretty much binge read it. I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was easy to get drawn into this book and wonder what's going on and who was behind what was going on. Then there was the many close calls that kept happening and questioning if they can trust anyone. There was also romance between the two, before they had a connection but now with spending more time together its easy for them to fall for eachother even more as the danger ramps up. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.
209 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2023
Baby trafficking 😥

I enjoyed this book pretty much binge read it. I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was easy to get drawn into this book and wonder what's going on and who was behind what was going on and who was behind it all. Then there was the many close calls that kept happening and questioning if they can trust anyone. There was also romance between the two, before they had a connection but now with spending more time together its easy for them to fall for eachother even more as the danger ramps up. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Viper Spaulding.
3,121 reviews26 followers
December 21, 2022
Action-packed, thrilling romantic suspense!

I love this author's romantic suspense stories! I've read several, and I think this is the best one yet. The opening scene has Hallie holding Nick at gunpoint, and then everything starts to go wrong. And I do mean everything! Just when you think these two can take a breather, another threat comes barreling around the corner headed straight for them.

There are murders, framings, conspiracies, double agents, and shootouts all around as Nick and Hallie get to the truth about the infant Hallie is trying to adopt. The action truly never stops until all the secrets are revealed and justice is finally served. Once Nick and Hallie are able to relax and enjoy their HEA, I let out a huge sigh of relief for everyone involved.

The writing is outstanding, keeping me glued to the page all the way through. It was refreshing to note the author's consistently correct use of pronouns when paired with names, something that far too many writers get oh-so-very wrong. If you like romantic suspense with a hefty side of action, you don't want to miss this thrilling story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Profile Image for Belinda.
1,121 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2023
First off this cover gives me all the feels! A cowboy and a baby!

The baby was part of a black market ring. Hallie is trying to adopt him.

Her and Nick where part of the ATF that raided this place!

Because of this they are bring chased so the baby can be kidnapped. Nick is sure to protect them both. He has help from Cullen and Leigh.

Can they get the killer before he gets them and the baby.

Another good story in this series.
Profile Image for SOMDReigel.
1,097 reviews
December 4, 2022
A new to me author; I enjoyed Lawman to the Core. Easy to read with non stop action. I liked that there were many suspects and I couldn’t figure out who was behind the attacks and why they wanted the baby. Good chemistry between the main characters.
Profile Image for Debra Shutters.
696 reviews18 followers
February 18, 2023
I enjoyed reading this story! It has so much going on that kept me wanting to read to find out what is happening with Nick and Hallie and how they deal with everything that they go through and how it turns out. I highly recommend this book!!!!!
Profile Image for Kristy.
1,561 reviews17 followers
December 19, 2022
Lots of action and suspense, light on romance. I really liked Nick and Hallie. They worked together well. I wish there was more to their couple-dom. Liked the ending, though.
918 reviews12 followers
January 5, 2023
Could not put the book down ......am pre ordering the last book in the series.
Profile Image for Karen Machamer.
613 reviews10 followers
February 14, 2023
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another great book from one of my favorite authors. Highly recommend to friends and family.
1,217 reviews2 followers
Read
May 18, 2023
These two saved this baby from the black market now they have to work together not only to save the baby but also themselves
Profile Image for anie.
1,141 reviews46 followers
January 27, 2023
When ATF special agent Nick comes home, there is a woman pointing a gun at his face. But she is not a stranger and she is hiding a baby behind her.

A few months ago Nick and Hallie broke the black market ring and saved the kids that were taken. Hallie decided to adopt a little boy that stole her heart. But now she is the subject of investigation, the baby's biological mother is dead and they are on a run together. The killers are on their tail, they have to keep the baby safe. And somewhere along the line, they fall in love.

It's an intense story, full of action and suspenseful moments.

thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC, all thoughts are my own
Profile Image for Karen Hackett.
990 reviews10 followers
January 16, 2023
LAWMAN TO THE CORE by Delores Fossen, The Law in Lubbock County Book 3

Brilliantly written plot of a cat and mouse game between a killer and ATF agent, Nick Brodie and ex-agent, Hallie Stanton over a baby . . . a baby Hallie wants to adopt. Fossen adds plenty of danger, gunfight, bad guys to make LAWMAN TO THE CORE an exciting thriller no reader can put down.
Profile Image for Janilyn Kocher.
4,898 reviews111 followers
December 23, 2022
How can one little cute baby create chaos and mayhem? Little David Is in Hallie’s custody, but they’re both in danger. Hallie turns to Nick for help and it’s a whirlwind of activity until the end.
Seriously, every page is drenched in action and drama, with a bit is spice and cuteness.
Dissent kept me bouncing back and forth as who the bad guys were, with plenty of good law enforcement to counter the villains.
It has a happy ending, despite all the hell Nick and Hallie endure.
Profile Image for Moira.
1,247 reviews10 followers
December 19, 2022
Non stop action and mystery will keep you turning the pages. Can a little baby be kept safe and out of harm when a nefarious group I'd after him. His birth father wants to cover up the baby ring he was involved in. Hallie just wants to keep her foster son safe. Will time run out for them all? You're going to want to read this intriguing book and find out!

Although I received and read an ARC provided by the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Nancy Ku.
1,496 reviews16 followers
October 30, 2022
Lawman to the Core (The Law in Lubbock County #3) by Delores Fossen
ATF special agent Nick Brodie and former ATF agent Hallie Stanton are strong H/h and will do anything to keep each other and the baby they saved from a black market baby selling ring. This book is non-stop action, mystery, danger, fear, wonderful family and friends, not knowing who to trust, through in love and a little steam and we get to a very HEA. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series SPURRED TO JUSTICE. I loved reading and reviewing this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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