Restless Hearts (Montana Justice #1) by B.J. Daniels This is the first book in this series and I really enjoyed it. Could hardly stop reading to eat or sleep. It has everything...murder, mystery, love lost and found, misunderstandings, renewal, forgiveness and redemption.

Restless Hearts (Montana Justice #1). By B.J. Daniels. 2019 HQN Books (ARC eBook).

Raising bison in the small Montana beef ranching community of Saddle Butte hasn’t endeared Monte McClintcok to his neighbors. But the situation becomes dicier when he is found leaning over a dead man, and the Sheriff has been convinced that Monte murdered his wife 16 years ago to boot.

PI Blaze McClintock returns home to her family’s ranch at the behest of an old judge who helped set her straight when she was a teenager. The judge wants her to look into her estranged father’s arrest and he’s sent bounty hunter Jake Horn to help her out. Jake happens to be Blaze’s ex-boyfriend and he is determined to win Blaze back. But as the two of them delve deeper into the murder investigation and Monte’s arrest, their revelations put them in the path of several vendettas, old and new.

Daniels’ Restless Hearts is an entertaining read with a combination of western mystery and romantic suspense. The action is well-paced, and the homecoming and second-chance romance elements blend solidly to build the chemistry between Blaze and Jake as they work together to exonerate an innocent man.

A nice addition. Great characters and a very interesting plot. Who did what and why did they say they did it. Read on to find out.

Another great suspense romance from BJ Daniels that I recommend you read. Blaze and Jake parted ways 1 year ago after a confusing situation. She misunderstood the situation and he let her to keep her safe but now he's back to protect and watch over her.

Her father's been charged with murder of a neighbor. As a PI , Blaze has no option but to return home to defend her father from the charges. There are many possible suspects so the suspense is high throughout the story.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

A second chance romance, mystery and murder, with intriguing characters, a signature of B.J Daniels, make this book a terrific read.

Blaze McClintock swore that she would never return to the family ranch, until her mentor Judge WT Landusky sends her there. She is a PI and her father has been accused of murdering his neighbor. The Judge also sent her former lover, Jake Horn, also a PI to help her. Her father says he is guilty, but both Blaze and Jake, think he is covering up for someone and the sheriff for his own reasons, is trying to railroad him. Attempts on Blaze's life only convince them more to dig in their heels and find the real murderer and maybe the mystery behind Blaze's mother disappearance years ago.

WOW. B.J Daniels knows how to tell a story. She pulls you in from the beginning and will not let go even at the end. A great beginning to a new series. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Rating 4.5/5*

If you enjoy romantic suspense or second chance romance, you'll love this story! 

Estranged from her father, Blaze McClintock has made a life for herself away from the family ranch and is now a PI. She'd avowed never to return there but when her father is accused of murdering a neighbouring rancher and gives her power of attorney over the ranch she steps up to keep things running. She wasn't expecting Jake Horn, the person who broke her heart, to turn up to help her. However, with a sheriff out to convict her Dad without proof, lots of ill feeling because her father breeds buffalo/bison, ranch hands who quit when she arrives and plenty of mysteries to be revealed, this is an action packed page turner and a fascinating read.

The story is full of danger, threats, mysteries and surprise historic revelations. There's also romance as Jake tries to woo Blaze whilst keeping her safe from those threatening them as they work together to discover just who killed the neighbour as the sheriff certainly isn't looking to exonerate her father! There's more than one murder to be solved in this edge of your seat read that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in highly recommending. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more in this series in future!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Great romantic suspense story! This appears to be the first in a new series called Montana Justice. I really enjoyed Blaze and Jake's story. BJ Daniels writes a story that you don't want to stop reading. Can't wait to read the others!

Restless Hearts by B.J. Daniels kicks off her new Montana Justice series, and what a great way to do so. While I expected this novel to be romantic suspense, it was light on the romance, but what a mystery/suspense/thriller of a whodunit read it was. It gets 4.5 stars from his reader, primarily because I missed the romance.

Blaze McClintock, a private investigator, hasn't been back to her home at McClintock Ranch in Saddle Butte, Montana, for years, and has barely spoken to her father during that time, but when she learns that her father, Montgomery (Monte) McClintock, is now in jail for murder, is refusing a lawyer, and pleading guilty, after having been found, gun in hand, standing over the dead body of his neighbor, Frank, she has no choice but to return. As if that wasn't enough, one of the buffalo/bison Monte raises, to the dismay of the cattle ranchers around town, has also broken through 2 fences and trampled the young boy who spotted it while riding the fence line, Blaze has sympathies to offer to the boy's family, although unwanted, get her father a good lawyer, and since she doesn't believe her dad killed anyone, she plans on using her investigative skills to find out what actually happened, and clear her father's name. Also in unwelcome attendance, is Jake Horn, also an investigator with whom Blaze was involved years ago--he too is bent on protecting her, rekindling their romance, and solving the murder.

The sheriff in town, Bud Fraser, is only too eager to see Monte in prison, even though there's no actual evidence that the gun he was holding was the murder weapon. His son, LJ, is his deputy, and was once engaged to marry Blaze, but his violent temper was one of the many reasons she left town and ended their relationship. LJ is now engaged to another gal in town, Tawny, but his abusive tendencies haven't changed since Blaze left town.

Once Blaze fails at trying to talk her father out of his guilty plea and finds legal council for him, she and Jake start their own investigation, believing that the reason Monte confessed was to protect someone else, and the two will soon be finding many more suspects, all of whom had good reason to want Frank dead. The sheer number of suspects and their motives for murder is staggering in this small town, which has more scandalous secrets than Peyton Place, but the lies, and the long-held secrets, including why, when Blaze's mother left her husband 16 years earlier, with the promise to call Blaze the day after she left, and come back for her as soon as she was settled, and then was never heard from again, just added more interest, danger, and complexity to this already intricately plotted novel. It has quite a large cast of characters, all of whom have motives for murdering Frank, but I think the ending will surprise you as much as it surprised me.

If you're looking for an engrossing mystery/suspense novel, one that will keep you guessing until the very end, look no further. This was one gripping, gritty, page-turner of a novel, and while I'd have liked a little more romance, all-in-all, I couldn't put this novel down, and am happy to recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions mentioned are my own.

An outstanding beginning to a new series. When you begin this book, you automatically think the murder is solved because the culprit is standing over the body with the murder weapon. Don't get ahead of yourself! You have the whole book to find out what really happened and how you get there is intriquing.
Blaze is estranged from her father, but she certainly isn't going to let him be put away for murder. She is certain he wouldn't commit a crime like that and even though she said she'd never set foot in Saddle Butte again, she makes an exception for this. She's only surprised when Jake Horn - her boyfriend that broke her heart, shows up too. He's going to set things right and help Blaze exonerate her father. Unfortunately, they have to deal with a "small town mentality" that has so many secrets, they don't know where to start. Small towns can be great or they can be very trying to live your life in. Saddle Butte definitely falls in the latter catergory. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest,voluntary review.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

There are few authors who can weave such involving plots as B.J. Daniels can. Add to that, this is a plot involving a 16 year old mystery and a current miscarriage of justice and you have a fast paced plot with a real good who done it. This book does not give up its secrets until the very end. It keeps you guessing all the way.

After her mom left when she was 16 and never contacted her, Blaze McClintock left home after high school and never looked back. Now, her father, Monte McClintock, has been accused of murder and the community would rather hang him as look at him. She's back, not because she thinks he's innocent, but because he needed to at least have a fair trial. As a PI, she starts looking into the matter and is convinced he is innocent, she only needs to find the evidence to prove it.

Blaze may not trust Jake Horn with her heart, but there is no one she would trust more to help her prove her father is innocent. A year ago Blaze and Jake were as close as they could be, passionately in love, but Blaze just couldn't trust Jake. Jake will do anything to help Blaze and keep her safe from the people who hate her father. He will also do anything to make Blaze admit that she still loves him.

I love a good mystery. Pair it with a second-chance romance and I'm all in. But set it on a Montana ranch, populate it with intriguing characters, and weave in a plethora of twists and turns that keep me eagerly turning the pages until 4:00 - freakin' - AM in the morning and, obviously, I'm going to give it a 5-star review.

Daniels drew me straight into Montana ranch life, the lives of these characters, and the mysteries that surround them. I quickly became invested in Blaze and Jake, their search for the truth, and their second chance at romance. My heart ached for Blaze, even as I admired her gutsy, take-charge personality. And Jake won my heart as surely as he won Blaze's. I mean, who doesn't love a guy who surprises you by cooking your favorite breakfast? Am I right? The secondary characters are complex and vividly drawn, adding depth and richness to the story, along with plenty of twists and turns.

I'm good at figuring out mysteries, usually by the middle of a book, but not this time. The mysteries in this book are so tightly, and expertly, woven that each time I was certain I had unraveled the threads Daniels would add a twist that sent me off in an entirely new direction. I was still trying to figure things out when the big reveals arrived. I love when an author does that!

If you enjoy high-stakes, western romance with edge-of-your-seat tension, mysteries that keep you guessing, family conflict, and sigh-worthy romance, don't miss B.J. Daniels' Restless Hearts.

Restless Hearts launches Daniels' new Montana Justice series for HQN. Book two, Heartbreaker, is set for release on March 24, 2020. I already have it on pre-order.

*Posted with a Q&A at The Romance Dish
*Advance review copy received from publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Blaze is back to her hometown after finding out that her father is being accused of murder. Shes not sure how to feel about it until she gets further into solving the case with the help of Jake. If her father isn't the murderer then who is? As they get closer to finding the truth the towns secrets get exposed and its clear someone wants them to stop looking into things.

So much to love about this book. There was so much mystery surrounding the death and there was plenty of leads the only problem is who had done it? I loved getting to know the neighbors and wondering about motive, I mean the dead dude wasn't exactly the most loved character. I loved that I just couldn't tell who it was and kept changing my mind on who I thought it would be. There was a bit of romance between the main characters which was bound to happen but I really loved the mystery surrounding the whole book. Highly Recommend!

BJ Daniels has a new book coming out this month, Restless Hearts which also starts a new series called Montana Justice. The book was called a romantic suspense, but it was more of a mystery and drama. I like how the two main characters were private investigators, which helped keep everything step by step. I did enjoy how they researched the murder step by step.

Blaze McClintock came home, really she was sent home by Judge JT Landusky. (The judge that saved her life.) When she left home, she was never coming back, but with her father arrested for murder and refusing all help, it was time. However, Blaze does not come alone. With Jake Horn (an ex and still in love with her) helping, they discover that her father is innocent, but too many people want the truth to stay hidden.

Together Blaze and Jake work the case by asking questions and looking for evidence. They also start talking again with Jake reminding Blaze how much he loves her. Blaze’s father has more than a few secrets as does several people in town, which makes too many people could be the killers.

Restless Hearts by BJ Daniels is a fun ‘who dun it’ with romance read.

Amazing story, sweet second-chance romance!

If you've never lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, then this book will feel like a visit to a foreign country. However, I grew up in such a town, and could easily identify with every little bit of this intricately-layered small town mystery.

Blaze is called back to her hometown to help her father, who stands accused of murder. Already suspected in the decades-old disappearance of his wife, Monte is believed by all to be guilty this time too and when he pleads guilty in court, it looks like an open and shut case. Until Blaze insists on hiring a lawyer, who insists on actual evidence being presented.

Blaze's ex-boyfriend, Jake, was also asked back to help Blaze, and he's not going to let this chance go by without doing everything he can to prove his love to Blaze. Their romance is almost a back-seat story to the murder investigation, but the emotional depth of their interactions affects their every move as their investigation uncovers many long-buried secrets one by one.

Told in multiple third person POV, we're treated to insights from not just Blaze and Jake, but also from Sheriff Bud, Allie, and others involved in this case. This is one of the most invigorating, complex romantic suspense books I've read in a very long time, and the eventual unveiling of all the secrets and unmasking the killers is shocking yet provides all the necessary closure. The HEA was sweetly triumphant and very satisfying.

This book kept me guessing, kept me thoroughly captivated, and kept me glued to my kindle from the first page to the last. I highly recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Restless Hearts
(Montana Justice #1)
by B.J. Daniels

ebook, 384 pages
Expected publication: November 26th 2019 by HQN Books (first published November 18th 2019)




Goodreads synopsis:
He’s fighting for a second chance with his first love…before it’s too late.

The last time PI Blaze McClintock was on her family’s ranch, she left in handcuffs. She vowed then to never go home again…until her estranged father is accused of murder. He’s not a good man—this entire Montana town knows that. But Blaze believes her father is innocent and she’ll do anything to prove it, even ask the one man who broke her heart for help—the only man in town who’s on her side.

No matter how hard he tried, Jake Horn could never forget Blaze. As teenagers, their passion ignited, leaving destruction in their wake. Now, years later, it’s obvious little has changed. But as they work together to unravel what really happened that night, a dangerous secret threatens to separate them for good. This time, though, Jake won’t let Blaze go without a fight—even if it means risking his own life.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the Montana Justice series by B.J. Daniels.

I think this was supposed to be romantic suspense but I feel like it was more just suspense/procedural.

Blaze McClintock is back home after her father is accused of the murder of a local rancher. There is a big conflict here concerning his bison/buffalo and how dangerous the local ranchers think they are to the community. I felt like there was a bit of mob mentality at work here and the thoughts of a few coerced a whole bunch of others into actions they really hadn’t thought through.

Blaze believes in her father’s innocence even when the man is willing to sit in jail and take whatever they give him. She knows there is more to the story. As she digs into the past, she gets more and more threats and finds clues she almost wish she had left buried. Her father’s secrets have split a town in half. And she is not sure she can make it all right again.

As she investigates her old flame, Jake Horn, who has never given up on her, is there at every turn supporting her and lending her aid. Eventually, she begins to let him in and sparks do fly.

This book really sucks you in so be ready for a marathon reading experience. I just flew though this and at the end just wanted more. B.J. Daniels always delivers!

If you love romantic suspense, definitely check this one out for sure. This series is going to be one of her best. She only keeps getting better and better!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Well, in my opinion this was more a thriller than a romance, the couple were too involved in searching for the culprit to give the romance a lot of thought, So I was a little disappointed, but I liked it anyway, and I even hadn't guessed who the killer was almost till the end...

Questo, secondo me, piú che un libro d'amore era un giallo e la coppia era molto piú coinvolta nel cercare il colpevole piú che dai loro sentimenti. Quindi in realtá, nonostante mi sia divertita e non abbia indovinato chi fosse l'assasino quasi fino alla fine, sono rimasta un po' delusa.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I struggled with this book, and didn't make it through even chapter 1. The (threatened) corporal punishment in the opening scene was just not my cup of tea.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was a wonderful read. I just love Ms. Daniels' story-telling. Her stories just draw me into the action right from the beginning. I adore the characters and the web of intrigue that she weaves. This story just had me guessing all the way throughout. Ultimately I was incorrect as to who the murderer was. I never would have guessed that person.

Blaze McClintock returns to the family homestead as her father has been accused of murdering his neighbor. Blaze hasn't gone home in years as she doesn't get along with her father since her mother vanished 16 years ago. Jake Horn following her as he hasn't gotten over her. He is in love with her and wants to protect her. The tale of these two former lovers have quite a task ahead of them especially since her father wants to plead guilty.

I adored the multiply POVs that this story is written in. The story evolved so beautifully getting all of the different characters' thoughts.

I highly recommend this story to anyone!

4 1\2 stars
From start to finish the book is a who is Blazes father protecting and why. The story feels as if something is missing a back story as to who the Judge is or when Blaze and Jake first met. The start of the series is great but the ending leaves the readers with a quick ending and not as satisfying as expected.

Restless Heart is a second chance romance with a ending that ties everything up in a nice little bow.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher HQR for the advance copy of B.J. Daniels Restless Heart.