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Colby Agency #2
The Bodyguard's Baby
TOP SECRET BABIES: Unwrap the mystery!
HE'D BEEN FULLY PREPARED TO GIVE HIS LIFE TO PROTECT HERS.
And that's what it had almost cost bodyguard Nick Foster. Laura Proctor was more than a job to Nick -- and they had unfinished business. For two years Laura was suspected dead. Nick hadn't believed it. But he also couldn't believe she'd had a baby in that time...with anyone else but him.
Laura would trust Nick with her life, but not with her secret. And she wouldn't go back to Jackson, Mississippi, with him and leave her child in the hands of a kidnapper. Somehow she had to convince Nick that her baby was missing, but that the child wasn't his. Because the closer he got to the truth, the more danger would come to them all.
HE'D BEEN FULLY PREPARED TO GIVE HIS LIFE TO PROTECT HERS.
And that's what it had almost cost bodyguard Nick Foster. Laura Proctor was more than a job to Nick -- and they had unfinished business. For two years Laura was suspected dead. Nick hadn't believed it. But he also couldn't believe she'd had a baby in that time...with anyone else but him.
Laura would trust Nick with her life, but not with her secret. And she wouldn't go back to Jackson, Mississippi, with him and leave her child in the hands of a kidnapper. Somehow she had to convince Nick that her baby was missing, but that the child wasn't his. Because the closer he got to the truth, the more danger would come to them all.
249 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Debra Webb
559 books2,505 followersDEBRA WEBB is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 180 novels, including reader favorites the Finley O'Sullivan and Devlin & Falco series. She is the recipient of the prestigious Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense as well as numerous Reviewers Choice Awards. In 2012 Debra was honored as the first recipient of the esteemed L. A. Banks Warrior Woman Award for her courage, strength, and grace in the face of adversity. Recently Debra was awarded the distinguished Centennial Award for having achieved publication of her 100th novel.
With more than ten million books in print in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood when her mother bought her an old typewriter in a tag sale. Born in Alabama, Debra grew up on a farm. She spent every available hour exploring the world around her and creating her stories. She wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the Commanding General of the US Army in Berlin behind the Iron Curtain and a five-year stint in NASA’s Shuttle Program that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has expanded her work into some of the darkest places the human psyche dares to go. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com.
With more than ten million books in print in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood when her mother bought her an old typewriter in a tag sale. Born in Alabama, Debra grew up on a farm. She spent every available hour exploring the world around her and creating her stories. She wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the Commanding General of the US Army in Berlin behind the Iron Curtain and a five-year stint in NASA’s Shuttle Program that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has expanded her work into some of the darkest places the human psyche dares to go. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 11, 2019
Synopsis:
Nick Foster, who works as a private investigator for Colby Agency, is given two weeks mandatory R&R. He has overworked himself, supposedly to compensate for what happened two years back, when he failed on a case, a case which almost cost him his life. But his holidays haven't even started when he comes to know that Laura is still alive.
Laura Proctor is on the run when she finds herself being chased, again, with a threat looming over her life. She couldn't believe that her brother, her own brother, the Governor of Mississippi, James Ed Proctor, was still after her. Especially now, when she also has her baby boy, Robby, to think of. A fifteen-month-old baby whom she named Robert Nicholas Forester.
Her being the case he had failed, and believing her to have left him bleeding to death two years ago, Nick vows to hand her over to her brother, for sure this time. But he doesn't know nor believes that she has a baby now, coz there is no evidence of a baby anywhere! Laura knows her baby has been kidnapped. But Nick does not believe that her own brother is after her life. Is somebody really after Laura, or is it again her paranoia talking? The investigator in him wants to believe her, but knowing that she had betrayed him before doesn't help matters.
Laura is again attacked, this time in her own brother's house, by a man wearing a black ski mask though no one except Laura saw the attacker. But Nick, who was hanging around the house, hears her scream, and then, and there decides to whisk her away and have her all to himself to determine whether someone's really after her as well as to find the whereabouts of her baby, if there is one, and who is still missing.
Review:
From the beginning itself, the story had me hooked. I love Harlequin Intrigue, and here, the author has perfectly blended romance+suspense+action sequences. The book starts with a chase, and I was the one chasing after the story! I could taste the fear Laura was feeling, the author created such an atmosphere. The author puts such a spin on the suspense that as a reader, in spite of wanting to sympathise with the main characters, I wanted to believe Laura's brother as well. The pacing of the story is great, and the mystery solved within a few weeks, with a tight-knit plot.
Set in the fictitious town of Bay Break, Mississippi, I didn't expect any talk about the baby before he was found, but in between the chapters, there were a few scenes with the baby – most probably in a care home. It was interesting, and it supplemented the story nicely. The gradual build-up was great, making the reader hang to the story by a thread.
This is the perfect recipe for a great action flick, with romance thrown in.
P.S. This is my first Debra Webb read, and I can't wait to get my hands on other books by her. This is Book 2 of Colby Agency Series (I haven't read other books in the series, yet).
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
Nick Foster, who works as a private investigator for Colby Agency, is given two weeks mandatory R&R. He has overworked himself, supposedly to compensate for what happened two years back, when he failed on a case, a case which almost cost him his life. But his holidays haven't even started when he comes to know that Laura is still alive.
Laura Proctor is on the run when she finds herself being chased, again, with a threat looming over her life. She couldn't believe that her brother, her own brother, the Governor of Mississippi, James Ed Proctor, was still after her. Especially now, when she also has her baby boy, Robby, to think of. A fifteen-month-old baby whom she named Robert Nicholas Forester.
Her being the case he had failed, and believing her to have left him bleeding to death two years ago, Nick vows to hand her over to her brother, for sure this time. But he doesn't know nor believes that she has a baby now, coz there is no evidence of a baby anywhere! Laura knows her baby has been kidnapped. But Nick does not believe that her own brother is after her life. Is somebody really after Laura, or is it again her paranoia talking? The investigator in him wants to believe her, but knowing that she had betrayed him before doesn't help matters.
Laura is again attacked, this time in her own brother's house, by a man wearing a black ski mask though no one except Laura saw the attacker. But Nick, who was hanging around the house, hears her scream, and then, and there decides to whisk her away and have her all to himself to determine whether someone's really after her as well as to find the whereabouts of her baby, if there is one, and who is still missing.
Review:
From the beginning itself, the story had me hooked. I love Harlequin Intrigue, and here, the author has perfectly blended romance+suspense+action sequences. The book starts with a chase, and I was the one chasing after the story! I could taste the fear Laura was feeling, the author created such an atmosphere. The author puts such a spin on the suspense that as a reader, in spite of wanting to sympathise with the main characters, I wanted to believe Laura's brother as well. The pacing of the story is great, and the mystery solved within a few weeks, with a tight-knit plot.
Set in the fictitious town of Bay Break, Mississippi, I didn't expect any talk about the baby before he was found, but in between the chapters, there were a few scenes with the baby – most probably in a care home. It was interesting, and it supplemented the story nicely. The gradual build-up was great, making the reader hang to the story by a thread.
This is the perfect recipe for a great action flick, with romance thrown in.
P.S. This is my first Debra Webb read, and I can't wait to get my hands on other books by her. This is Book 2 of Colby Agency Series (I haven't read other books in the series, yet).
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
January 22, 2018
I love the Colby Agency Series. Each book is a standalone, so they can be read out of order.
The suspense in this book was excellent. All the evidence was stacking up against Laura Proctor. Someone wanted to claim that Laura was mentally unstable. They even had records that stated she had been in a mental hospital for the past 2 years. Someone had kidnapped her precious baby Robby. Nick was a private investigator working for the Colby agency. He was hired by Laura’s brother who just happened to be the governor, to find Laura. Nick and Laura had a past affair. The chemistry between the two still simmered. Nick wanted to protect Laura but didn’t know what to believe. Laura claimed she had a son. He could not find any proof of a child. Birth records had vanished. The nurse that delivered her son had died recently. Nick knew to trust his gut, and his instincts was screaming something was wrong, and the facts were not adding up. Someone had tried to kill Laura several times. The 1st time was when she was staying at her brother’s home. The attacker left a knife behind. Her brother, and sister in law claimed Laura tried to kill herself, and had her sedated for her own safety. Nick took Laura to his home, and worked to find out what was really going on. Loved this book. There were times you didn’t know what to believe.
The suspense in this book was excellent. All the evidence was stacking up against Laura Proctor. Someone wanted to claim that Laura was mentally unstable. They even had records that stated she had been in a mental hospital for the past 2 years. Someone had kidnapped her precious baby Robby. Nick was a private investigator working for the Colby agency. He was hired by Laura’s brother who just happened to be the governor, to find Laura. Nick and Laura had a past affair. The chemistry between the two still simmered. Nick wanted to protect Laura but didn’t know what to believe. Laura claimed she had a son. He could not find any proof of a child. Birth records had vanished. The nurse that delivered her son had died recently. Nick knew to trust his gut, and his instincts was screaming something was wrong, and the facts were not adding up. Someone had tried to kill Laura several times. The 1st time was when she was staying at her brother’s home. The attacker left a knife behind. Her brother, and sister in law claimed Laura tried to kill herself, and had her sedated for her own safety. Nick took Laura to his home, and worked to find out what was really going on. Loved this book. There were times you didn’t know what to believe.
March 15, 2021
3stelle e 1/2
March 30, 2017
I've had this book for awhile and I'm not sure why it took so long to read. Maybe because I've have already read up to book 25 of the series?! I try not to jump head, but this one took a while to be able to get a hold of. I enjoyed learning the story of Nick and Laura and their baby Robby. Troubled by that fact she thought her brother was trying to kill her, not knowing the whole story, and the back history craziness his wife, left Laura running for almost 2 years. It was so great that the friend of Nick's and local cop saw Laura that day and called him!
They Both acted a little silly in the end by not revealing their love to one another but like any suspense-romantic book - it always ends on a good note!
They Both acted a little silly in the end by not revealing their love to one another but like any suspense-romantic book - it always ends on a good note!
April 17, 2018
January 11, 2001
Debra Webb kicks off a new line of secret child books with "The Bodyguard's Baby." Two years after the woman he was supposed to be guarding disappeared, Nick Foster learns that Laura Proctor has been spotted. He goes after her, intending to return her to her brother as he was originally hired to do. Laura claims her baby is missing, only she can't prove she has a baby and all the evidence is disappearing. Someone is trying to make Laura look crazy. Can she hope that Nick will believe her without giving away the secret of her baby's father?
"The Bodyguard's Baby" is a big step up for Webb from her first Intrigue, "Safe By His Side." In this taut, compelling thriller, the author's relentless pacing dares the reader to leave the edge of her seat. The mystery is far superior to that in "Safe By His Side," full of old secrets and hidden motives (though again, only two suspects makes it a little too easy to guess who the villain will turn out to be). The heroine is also better. Laura is stronger and more courageous for everything she has to go through, though too much of it comes at the hands of her hero. Nick's hardheadedness and lack of faith in the heroine make him hard to warm up to (I laughed out loud when a villain made a comment about the hardness of Nick's skull. It's so true) and go on far too long. But it's impossible not to root for a heroine who finds herself in the nightmare Laura faces. Chased by a killer no one believes exists, trying to find a child no one believes she had, Laura's struggles make this a thriller in the best sense of the word. This is a truly frightening scenario, and any reader who puts herself in Laura's shoes will be anxiously turning pages to find out what happens next. Best of all, Laura doesn't whine and she doesn't give in. She keeps fighting. Anyone who wants to read about a great heroine, here's a book for you. In 220 pages, Webb delivers a better thriller than most mainstreams I've read, with enough suspense and emotion to lift this book above its cliched plot hook.
For the first 220 pages of this book, I was sure I had a five star read on my hands. It's the ending that disappoints. The wonderful tension of the first twelve chapters vanishes, and the final two chapters sputter along after the story should have reached its natural conclusion. The delay of the happy ending is unnecessary and annoying. One final suspense-free action sequence and a drawn-out emotional climax are not what this book needs. The wonderful beginning and middle needed a great finish. Sadly, "The Bodyguard's Baby" doesn't have one. By the end, I just wanted the book to be over before I got more irritated.
On a side note, I really wish the Intrigue editors could space out books that are so similar. This is the second January Intrigue to involve a woman being made to look insane, with Harper Allen's "Woman Most Wanted." (For the record, Allen's is more original, humorous and wonderfully surprising, Webb's more suspenseful and scary.) Both are excellent books. Did we have to have them in the same month? ("The Bodyguard's Baby" also has a lot in common with Adrianne Lee's "Little Boy Lost" from five months ago, right down to the secret baby, people trying to make her look crazy, and some of the revelations. At least five months separate the two.) Why release such similar stories so close together?
Despite the ending, "The Bodyguard's Baby" is a strong enough book I have no trouble recommending it. The suspense is wonderful, the romance steamy and the heroine terrific. I'm giving it four and a half stars. Too bad it was so close to five.
Debra Webb kicks off a new line of secret child books with "The Bodyguard's Baby." Two years after the woman he was supposed to be guarding disappeared, Nick Foster learns that Laura Proctor has been spotted. He goes after her, intending to return her to her brother as he was originally hired to do. Laura claims her baby is missing, only she can't prove she has a baby and all the evidence is disappearing. Someone is trying to make Laura look crazy. Can she hope that Nick will believe her without giving away the secret of her baby's father?
"The Bodyguard's Baby" is a big step up for Webb from her first Intrigue, "Safe By His Side." In this taut, compelling thriller, the author's relentless pacing dares the reader to leave the edge of her seat. The mystery is far superior to that in "Safe By His Side," full of old secrets and hidden motives (though again, only two suspects makes it a little too easy to guess who the villain will turn out to be). The heroine is also better. Laura is stronger and more courageous for everything she has to go through, though too much of it comes at the hands of her hero. Nick's hardheadedness and lack of faith in the heroine make him hard to warm up to (I laughed out loud when a villain made a comment about the hardness of Nick's skull. It's so true) and go on far too long. But it's impossible not to root for a heroine who finds herself in the nightmare Laura faces. Chased by a killer no one believes exists, trying to find a child no one believes she had, Laura's struggles make this a thriller in the best sense of the word. This is a truly frightening scenario, and any reader who puts herself in Laura's shoes will be anxiously turning pages to find out what happens next. Best of all, Laura doesn't whine and she doesn't give in. She keeps fighting. Anyone who wants to read about a great heroine, here's a book for you. In 220 pages, Webb delivers a better thriller than most mainstreams I've read, with enough suspense and emotion to lift this book above its cliched plot hook.
For the first 220 pages of this book, I was sure I had a five star read on my hands. It's the ending that disappoints. The wonderful tension of the first twelve chapters vanishes, and the final two chapters sputter along after the story should have reached its natural conclusion. The delay of the happy ending is unnecessary and annoying. One final suspense-free action sequence and a drawn-out emotional climax are not what this book needs. The wonderful beginning and middle needed a great finish. Sadly, "The Bodyguard's Baby" doesn't have one. By the end, I just wanted the book to be over before I got more irritated.
On a side note, I really wish the Intrigue editors could space out books that are so similar. This is the second January Intrigue to involve a woman being made to look insane, with Harper Allen's "Woman Most Wanted." (For the record, Allen's is more original, humorous and wonderfully surprising, Webb's more suspenseful and scary.) Both are excellent books. Did we have to have them in the same month? ("The Bodyguard's Baby" also has a lot in common with Adrianne Lee's "Little Boy Lost" from five months ago, right down to the secret baby, people trying to make her look crazy, and some of the revelations. At least five months separate the two.) Why release such similar stories so close together?
Despite the ending, "The Bodyguard's Baby" is a strong enough book I have no trouble recommending it. The suspense is wonderful, the romance steamy and the heroine terrific. I'm giving it four and a half stars. Too bad it was so close to five.
January 15, 2021
I enjoyed this Intriguing romance however this is not for the under 18 readers. This is filled with violence and sexual content. It was an interesting story, however, I didn't always agree with the heroine of this story. This was a person who would not give up on trying to kill her. I voluntarily chose to review this story and I've given it a 4.5* rating. Plenty to keep you turning the pages. Put a baby and two stubborn people together and there sure were fireworks. Would have taken less time to read but I've been playing some games on my computer too.
November 8, 2018
slightly unbelievable thriller. Laura is untrusting and goes from one crisis to another.
September 23, 2012
This is the first book I read by Debra Webb. I love how Laura didn't let nothing stop her from getting her baby back. I liked some of the action too. This is a good book to read in your free time. I would read more books by this author.
August 23, 2012
The plot ends up going in the direction you expect it to but regardless still a very good read.
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November 29, 2016Used - Good (Light shelf wear; Light creases on spine)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews