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Special Ops: Texas #2
Cowboy to the Core
As a former navy SEAL, Marcus Abbot relied on his instincts. And the moment he saw the shadows haunting Dani Baxter's big brown eyes, the private investigator knew she was in trouble…and so was he. Even though she came to him with a crazy story about a murder she'd seen in a vision, he couldn't stop the instantaneous attraction that sparked between them.
Never one to ignore a woman in need, he accepted her case. But as they traveled down a sensual path of danger and desire, Marcus discovered Dani's dreams may have been a bit too real. And the closer he got to the truth, the nearer she came to living her nightmare….
Never one to ignore a woman in need, he accepted her case. But as they traveled down a sensual path of danger and desire, Marcus discovered Dani's dreams may have been a bit too real. And the closer he got to the truth, the nearer she came to living her nightmare….
- GenresRomanceRomantic Suspense
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Wayne
187 books59 followersReal name: Jo Ann Vest
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 30, 2013
This was a really good book! Dani really pulled me right into the story. Dani has psychic visions from time to time. She keeps this part of her life hidden from everyone close to her. The few that knew criticized her for it, and left never looking back. Her dreams were never that bad until now. The book starts out with Dani locked into a nightmare that felt so real. She was wearing a green dress, and trying to avoid being slashed by a black knight. A week later she gets invited to her friend’s Renaissance-themed wedding. She just can’t find a way to get out of going. She and her daughter, and her daughter friend packs up and goes. When they get to the town the girls have to go dress shopping to find something to wear. The sales clerk handed a green dress to Dani to try on. It was the same green dress that she had on in her vision. She faded to black. She woke up looking into the eyes of a handsome cowboy. Marcus is a retired combat medic, who is now working as a private investigator. After Dani receives a threatening note, she hired Marcus to protect her and the girls during the wedding. The suspense, and action was really good, and the romance was really sweet! This was a story that I really enjoyed. I would have liked to read this book in one sitting, but my life wouldn’t let me. I broke it into three parts, and didn’t have any problem picking it up where I left off. The only problem was finding a place to sit the book down… for a break.
May 6, 2011
Marcus and Dani meet at a Renaissance Festival which is pretty cool in itself since it would be the last thing you'd expect with a Cowboy on the cover. Unfortunately, Marcus doesn't get in the fun and dress in the time period but Dani does. He's a professional private investigator after all but he's also a bit of a dawg because he manages somehow to make sure the only spare bedroom at the ranch is in his cabin. I know it's not supposed to be done deliberately but still...
I was distracted reading this story because 1) Marcus is played by Matt Passmore in Mcleod's Daughters and 2) there was an excellent episode on that Australian TV series where Marcus/Matt dresses as a knight in shining armor for Drover's Run Renaissance festival. Woo hoo. Love that episode because that's the one where Heath proposes to Grace and it was so very romantic.
You had to feel bad for Marcus though because you always had the feeling he had a hidden crush on Grace. Btw, Matt and Heath are both cowboys, Australian wranglers so to speak, so if you think cowboys meeting the Renaissance hasn't been done before, it has!
Going back to our original review already in progress, the intrigue worked because we never knew Ella's real name and the lunatic stalking her and/or Dani. The ending was sweet, as well, when they found a way to work out their long-distance relationship. I liked this story a lot and it was a fast read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
I was distracted reading this story because 1) Marcus is played by Matt Passmore in Mcleod's Daughters and 2) there was an excellent episode on that Australian TV series where Marcus/Matt dresses as a knight in shining armor for Drover's Run Renaissance festival. Woo hoo. Love that episode because that's the one where Heath proposes to Grace and it was so very romantic.
You had to feel bad for Marcus though because you always had the feeling he had a hidden crush on Grace. Btw, Matt and Heath are both cowboys, Australian wranglers so to speak, so if you think cowboys meeting the Renaissance hasn't been done before, it has!
Going back to our original review already in progress, the intrigue worked because we never knew Ella's real name and the lunatic stalking her and/or Dani. The ending was sweet, as well, when they found a way to work out their long-distance relationship. I liked this story a lot and it was a fast read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
October 6, 2019
Really enjoyed this book. This is where Dani see visions but keeps them to her self so nobody knows until she gets before a wedding of her best friend.
June 24, 2015
Dani is a psychic, although she tries to deny it. When she, her daughter and her daughter's friend go to a Renaissance Fayre / friend's wedding, she meets a woman who looks strikingly like herself, and has a vision of a murder - but she can't tell if the woman in the vision is her, or the woman she met.
Marcus is a cowboy and ex- SEAL. When he meets Dani at the Fayre he's instantly attracted to her - and worried when she collapses. But when she tells him a crazy-sounding story about visions and murders, he isn't sure whether to write her off as a kook, or go with his instincts and protect her - while he's falling for her.
I did enjoy this book while I was reading it, but a few months later I can barely remember it - I had to skim through again to write this review. As with many Joanna Wayne books, I really enjoyed the setting, liked the mystery, and felt a bit meh about the romance.
I loved the idea of a book set at a Renaissance Fayre (Wayne does write some really interesting settings!) and the psychic-witnessing-a-murder angle is one that I usually enjoy. Dani and Marcus were a nice enough hero and heroine, if a little bland. But the book in general lacked something, and it didn't stay with me. 3 stars.
Marcus is a cowboy and ex- SEAL. When he meets Dani at the Fayre he's instantly attracted to her - and worried when she collapses. But when she tells him a crazy-sounding story about visions and murders, he isn't sure whether to write her off as a kook, or go with his instincts and protect her - while he's falling for her.
I did enjoy this book while I was reading it, but a few months later I can barely remember it - I had to skim through again to write this review. As with many Joanna Wayne books, I really enjoyed the setting, liked the mystery, and felt a bit meh about the romance.
I loved the idea of a book set at a Renaissance Fayre (Wayne does write some really interesting settings!) and the psychic-witnessing-a-murder angle is one that I usually enjoy. Dani and Marcus were a nice enough hero and heroine, if a little bland. But the book in general lacked something, and it didn't stay with me. 3 stars.
June 30, 2011
3.5 stars. If you can believe it, this book was my very first Harlequin Romance. Here is my review:
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August 6, 2011
This was my first series romance. I really enjoyed it. The storyline was great. I loved the hero. The heroine was believable and not at all a damsel in distress. I liked it.
February 21, 2015
Sweet Romance. Not a bad read. Some nice intrigue.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews