I’m taking part in the blog tour for Witness Protection Widow today, thanks to Harlequin. I got an email about possible upcoming tours and thought, since I’m trying to read more romance and join in with romanceopoly, why not? I really liked the look of Witness Protection Widow, which is a romance premise I’ve not come across before, so here are my thoughts on my first ever Harlequin Intrigue title!

Ali was drawn in by the powerful and mysterious Harrison Armone, who treats her like a princess, until she stumbles on the fact he’s been living a lie. She had no idea she’d married into a criminal family, but once her eyes are opened and consequences ensue, she’s left in the unenviable position of having to testify against his family.

The Armone family are serious criminals, and while Ali is waiting to testify, she’s forced into hiding to keep her safe. Whilst in witness protection, she ends up being guarded by Jax Stevens – her first love, whom she hasn’t seen in a decade.

This is a second-chance romance, and I loved the premise. I don’t know if you ever saw the cheesy MK & Ashley Olsen movie Our Lips Are Sealed, but I loved it as a young teenager (showing my age now) and this was like an aged-up, romantic version of that. The relationship between the characters, the longing for them to communicate and figure things out, the twists and turns in the plot all had me absolutely hooked, and I flew through the book in a couple of hours. Imagine a Nora Roberts novel mixed together with an episode of Criminal Minds and that’s the vibe this book gives off.

Witness Protection Widow is actually part of a series, though it reads like a standalone – you can definitely enjoy it without reading the others. The fact it is part of a series though, focusing on other characters for other stories, is the kind of thing I love – extra stories in the same world, with characters you know and love, that adds more to the story without making this novel unsatisfying or end on a cliffhanger? PERFECT.

Characters-wise, I really liked both Ali and Jax. While they’ve each made mistakes, they’ve grown a lot as people since their first attempt at romance, and they’re both strong, independent characters of their own, not just romantic interests for the other. Ali has been through a lot, and the book doesn’t shy away from how that makes her feel – the embarrassment, the panic attacks, the need to keep everyone else safe – but it never makes her seem like a helpless victim. She’s fierce, and determined, and has no intention of letting the Armone family win. Jax is stubborn, strong-willed, and a little overbearing at first, but he becomes likeable as the book goes on and he becomes a little less close-minded. I liked the supporting characters, and will argue that every book is improved by an animal, so I of course loved Bob the dog.

My one criticism of the book is that I felt it could have been longer – dare I say it, a lot longer. The story is focused on getting Ali to trial safely, but the final chapters seemed like a bit of an anti-climax. I’d have liked to see more of the court room and the testimony, more of the aftermath of everything that happened. I’d definitely be interested in going and picking up the rest of the series though, as well as other work by Debra Webb or other titles in the Harlequin Intrigue series, as this was a very addictive, very enjoyable welcome back to the world of romance!

WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW (Winchester, Tennessee Book #5) by Debra Webb is the February 2020 Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense second chance romance and since it is written by Debra Webb, I knew I would be getting a great story even in this shorter format. I was NOT disappointed. Though this book is part of the Winchester, Tennessee series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

Allison James Armone has been trapped for several years in an abusive marriage to the son of the head of the Armone crime family. She has been planning and waiting for her chance to escape. At the weekly meeting between father and son, Allison witnesses the father shoot the son and kill him.

She makes her escape and becomes the star witness in the case against her father-in-law. When the US Marshall guarding Allison (aka Alice Stewart) is involved in an accident, he calls on one of his best friends in the Marshalls to fill in. It is only a few days until the trial and Ali’s life is at stake.

US Marshall Jaxon Stevens cannot believe his assignment is his young foolish mistake in love. Can Jaxon convince Ali he wants and deserves a second chance even as he works to keep her alive to testify?

Ali is a great heroine. After everything she has been through, she refuses to back down and wants to testify no matter the danger to herself. She made a mistake that cost her, but she has come out on the other side and is strong and determined. I also liked that her main concern is for Jaxon’s safety and not her own. Jaxon is a strong alpha protective hero, but he also must come around to understand how Ali got caught up in her marriage and to understand his own feelings about wanting her back even though he left her before for his career. There are a lot of emotions and misunderstandings to get through in this book even as physical danger is just around the corner. My only concern is Ms. Webb never revealed who changed their travel plans and set them on the run from the bad guys. Other than that, this is a fast-paced story that intertwines the suspense and the romance perfectly.

I love sitting down with a Harlequin Intrigue and an author I enjoy because I know I can be entertained with a romantic suspense that engrosses me in the story and is a quicker read than a full-sized novel. I recommend this second chance romantic suspense.

Debra Webb, Author of "The Witness Protection Widow" has written a suspenseful and exciting story.  The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Romance, and Suspense. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated.

Allison James is in Witness Protection and will be the main witness against her father-in-law's crime family if she can stay alive. Her deceased husband that Allison was married to for 5 years leaves her with traumatic memories. This family is ruthless and lets no one stand in their way.

One of the US Marshals assigned to Allison's case is Jaxson Stevens. Jaxon and Allison had a relationship ten years before that almost led to marriage. At first, Jaxson is concerned if he can adequately protect Allison, because of his feelings for her. Allison has feelings for Jaxson as well and is afraid he will get hurt.

There is tension and edgy suspense, as the couple has to relocate several times. There is almost a cat and mouse feel to this. I was disappointed that the story ended so abruptly. I expected more of something, and it just wasn't there. I would recommend this intriguing story for readers that like a suspenseful story.

2.5 stars. It's an okay book.

<i>Witness Protection Widow</i> follows Ali who is in witness protection because in a few days she has to testify against her dangerous father-in-law. Jax is the new marshal assigned to protect her during the last five days before the trial.

When I started <i>Witness Protection Widow</i>, I was expecting something different which influenced my reading experience throughout. I was expecting more (steamy) romance, especially since Ali and Jax had a history together, but overall, there wasn't a lot of romance. When there was romance, for me, it fell flat. I was not really into it or felt like it was too rushed. Now, I am unsure whether this is the case of all <i>Harlequin Intrigue</i> or just this book since this is the first <i>Harlequin Intrigue</i> book I have read.

I found the most interesting part when it was uncovered what really happened to Ali. She went through a lot. However, the ending was so rushed. <spoiler>I was surprised the trial was mostly glossed over. And the proposal was also so rushed and I did not like it. I got the feeling it was mostly justified by their previous relationship 10 years ago and I personally just did not like it. </spoiler>

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I’m reading this book in connection with Harlequin’s February blog tour series to highlight releases of their category romances. I used to read these category series romances a lot and I was glad to be able to read some more recent releases. Category romances are a great place to find a quick read and are true to the category they’re published in. Looking for some thrills? Read an Intrigue! And for an Intrigue this one was really good! Ali and Jax were both interesting and endearing characters. I especially liked Ali’s dog Bob, he was great! The ending was a little anti-climactic only because I kept thinking that something more awful was going to happen. Other than that it was a pretty good book – I was interested in the story line throughout and I wanted to find out what was going to happen.

Another reviewer commented that she was really engaged with the characters from reading the previous four books in the series. While I'm sure that would be the case, I enjoyed the characters just from this book, and feel it worked well without all the backstory too.

Allison James Armone (now Alice Stewart, in witness protection) is the best witness to get her former father-in-law locked away for all of his criminal activities, culminating in murdering his own son, Allison's evil husband. The US Marshals now just need to keep her alive til she can testify. When Marshall Holloway is in a car accident, they call in another nearby Marshall, who happens to be Allison's first love from ten years earlier. They need to ask themselves if their previous connection will get in the way of their primary task - making it to trial and locking away the evil crime lord.

Maybe it's because I read too many crime books, but I would have loved to see the actual words that the bad guy was convicted. Perhaps that's something that will be disclosed in a subsequent book, since it's a series. I'd give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It was a good read for a couple days and I kept wanting to find out what their next suspicion or obstacle would be. With more time on my hands, I'd keep the earlier books in the series in mind as well - the characters seemed like pretty cool people.

Allison James is in witness protection, hiding in a remote cabin. She had found out that the man she had married was the son of a major crime family a little too late to save him, but now she can try to save herself and put away the monster who hurt him. Will she make it to the trial as the star witness? Can the FBI keep her safe?

Jaxson Steven’s has come to protect a witness in a major trial after his fellow FBI agent and friend was hurt in an accident. What Jaxson doesn’t know, is that the witness is Allison James, his ex-girlfriend, and the only woman he has ever loved. Can he keep Allison safe long enough to testify? What will he do when he finds out the whole story of Allison’s marriage?

Even though this is the fifth book in the series, I read it as a stand a lone novel and there were enough references and introductions throughout the book to keep the reader well informed. I loved the suspense of Allison going to trial as the days counted down, and seriously wondered with the turn of every page, what would happen next. It was brilliantly written by Debra Webb and I am so thankful for Harlequin and NetGalley for gifting me an advanced copy to read and review.

Witness Protection Widow by Debra Webb is a fantastic and engaging romantic suspense that had me feeling on edge a few times and I enjoyed every moment.

Even though this book is part of a series, I don’t think it’s necessary to read the other novels to enjoy this. I had no problem getting into the story and finished reading within a few hours. Webb’s writing style is easy to read, the pacing is fast, and there’s plenty of drama, action, and suspense to keep the story going. I also enjoyed the romance aspect. It seemed realistic and the chemistry between Allison and Jaxson felt believable. There’s definitely a few swoony and heartwarming moments. I wasn’t too fond of the way the story ended. It seemed like it was rushed and I was definitely expecting more intensity and feels.

Both Ali and Jax were interesting characters. Knowing what happened to Ali made me heart ache, but I admired her strength and determination to do what is right. Jax was a wonderful lead and hero. I enjoyed watching them together and finally realizing that they can move forward and start a new chapter in their lives.

With an intriguing and fast-paced plot, amazing lead characters, and the perfect blend of suspense, drama, and thrills, Witness Protection Widow by Debra Webb is a truly entertaining and enjoyable read.

If you love a quick and fun romance thriller, then I definitely think you should check this one and add it on your TBR.

I received an advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review and for participating in the Blog Tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An absolutely fun book that I read when I was not well, and believe me, it pulled me deep into the story in spite of my headache.

Debra Webb is an amazing author, and the storyline, though familiar, still captivated me. A woman Allison hiding in witness protection, waiting for her testimony against her own father-in-law, was being protected by her first love Jaxson. Her hiding place was compromised, and they had to escape. On the run, sparks flew while being surrounded by an air of danger.

The atmosphere was fast moving, where the characters had to keep their wits about. Alison was intelligent and kind. I loved that the author made her strong, bold, and clear headed. Strength is seeking help when you are in over your head. That was the way Ali was. She knew she needed help and she rolled with it, even when her heart melted around Jaxson and she didn't want him to get hurt.

The conversation held a nostalgia of the past and a hope for future. The writing kept me on the go, rooting for this couple. Past was unfurled in sections along with the present. The villains were ever present at every corner, and the author gave the story the right amount of danger.

Jaxson was a great agent and an absolute sweetheart. He kept my mind diverted from real life. Swift paced, the story could be read in a couple of hours. It was loads of fun. Serious moments interspersed with zingy ones. I loved it. Well recommended, especially in ill health.

Witness Protection Widow is the 5th book in the Winchester, Tennessee series under the Harlequin Intrigue imprint. It works ver well as a stand alone book. A couple of familiar faces from the Undertaker's Daughter series by this author make a brief appearance, but you don't have to have read that series to follow along.

This is a quick romantic suspense and I read it in one sitting. It involves Alison who has been in witness protection for the past 9 months while she waits to testify against her mobster father in law. The story picks up four days before the trial and her handler is injured in a car accident. Enter Jaxson, a US Marshall who happens to be her first love from ten years before. I ended up flying through the book. The author did a great job of building tension and the feeling of danger that Ali was in. Ali's story of her time with her deceased husband was horrific. This is a fairly clean romance with fade to black love scenes. I definitely recommend this one.

4.5 stars
In this thriller from Debra Webb, Allison James is days away from testifying against her husband's crime family. Under witness protection for months, things get pretty tense as the trial date looms. There's another complication when her new marshal happens to be her ex!

I really enjoyed this. I love the action and I found myself glued to my ereader, caught up in it all. It was just what I like in an suspense. Ali and Jaxson had some misunderstandings to unravel and old wounds to heal and they manage to do that over the four days this story spans.

The book works great as a standalone. While there aren't many surprises, the characters and sense of suspense carried me through the story. It was just the right size. If you are looking for a quick read that will hold your interest from start to finish, you might like Witness Protection Widow.

Witness Protection Widow by Debra Webb
Winchester, Tennessee #5

I really enjoyed this book and when I read a bit in the book that tweaked a memory of a book I had read previously I had to look up other books by this author and found out why “staying in a funeral home” triggered a memory – I had read book two in The Undertaker’s Daughter and Rowan and Brannigan are in that series though they play a much smaller part in this book.

So…this book…is romantic suspense with a second chance at romance for Ali and Jax. They were very close in their early twenties but then something happened, they parted after six months together and were thrown together in this book as he, as a US Marshall, is tasked with keeping Ali alive until she testifies in a big court case. The two had a LOT to deal with not only with trying to stay alive but also dealing with truths and misconceptions from the past. Eventually they did find their HEA but it took some time and effort.

What I liked:
* Ali – strong, determined, survivor that deserved a HEA. I truly admired her.
* Jaxson – a good man but definitely flawed. I had trouble seeing his point of view more than once but after he had all of the facts, he wised up a great deal. He is a good match for Ali
* Bob – what a great dog!
* the supporting characters
* the plot and the writing and the tension
* that it was not over the top
* pretty much all of it except…

What I did not like:
* the Armone men – son and father
* what Ali endured
* the somewhat selfish side of Jax – or was it just immaturity

Did I like this book? Yes
Is it a standalone story? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Intrigue for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

First off, you should know that this is NOT a stand-alone. But, also of note; this is the first I read in this series and I fell right into the story. The author did an amazing job of catching the reader up on what's happened. And it really read like a stand-alone.

This is the first ever book I've read of Debra Webb's and all I can say is...I'm hooked. This book was a quick but intensely satisfying read. It hit all my buttons; romance, suspense, a strong heroine, and and excellent cast of characters.

This book is actually inspiring me to check out more of Harlequin's Intrigue series; it was very nicely done.

I can't wait to see what else Debra Webb has to offer!

If you're an avid Harlequin reader like myself and my mother, and my grandmother, you're probably acquainted with the name Debra Webb. I don't even remember a Harlequin without her stories, my favourites were the Colby Agency ones when I pilfered them from my grandmother's collection. So I was excited to be able to sign up for this tour with Harlequin featuring Debra Webb's latest, Witness Protection Widow. What I'm trying to say here, folks is, I got a copy of this book from the publisher so I could read it and tell you in an honest review if I liked it or if I hated it, what I did or didn't like about it, and whether or not I'd buy it for myself or somebody else. And the FTC ('The Man') requires that I inform my readers of all of this. Because the FTC thinks I'm a sell-out easily swayed by these things.
Ali and US Marshal Jaxson 'Jax' Stevens were once each other's one true love but then life got in the way of happily ever after. Jax went to Seattle and Ali to Atlanta. But sometimes The Fates bring things back together again. Jax is assigned to get Ali through the last four days leading up to her former father-in-law's trial after her in-place US Marshal is injured in a car accident. What a coinkydink that Jax was in Tennessee at the same time WitSec placed Ali there for pre-trial security. I'm so bitter, y'all.
Witness Protection Widow was a quick read for me, I'd run the dogs one last time before sending them to bed and then I'd settle in for a nice read with a sleeve of Thin Mints. I have no regrets. This wasn't a story that sucked me and ensnared for the next week and I forgot that I have an entire household to maintain some semblance of order over because I've done that before. But it kept me interested waiting for the Big Bad Thing to happen where everyone realises they love each other and they can't go on living without them (fainting couch needed, stat!). And that's kinda where it lost me. That was a let down! I can't go on a rant about it because I maintain a spoiler-free standard in my reviews (minus the content warnings, obviously) but I am bereft and there are loose ends that I am dangling from whilst screaming in frustration. I need closure!
I am not a real big fan of Jax. He's a lot like some of my past relationships. Assuming a woman (anyone) is going to wait around for you to come back to her weeks, months, years later even though you're not together anymore. It's not an attractive quality. I kept hoping some goon from her former father-in-law would shoot him in the derriere every time he stuck his big foot in his big mouth. He was a butt (totally censoring myself here for politeness) to Ali repeatedly and grr!
I know that I won't buy a copy of this one for myself, but I'm also going out to buy a copy for my grandmother to read because I know she's a fan of second chance romances, especially the ones where someone's acting like a butt. I don't judge.
Now, as per usual, I have content warnings for you! If you feel that forewarned is forearmed, all you need to do is click the reveal button and you have the content and trigger warnings. As always, please practise care in your readings if any of these might be problematic for you, and if you have any questions about them, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about them, I'll try my best to remember the details if I can't look them up! Please note that these warnings do contain some spoiler material.
*CONTENT WARNINGS*
This book contains graphic retelling of domestic violence perpetrated against the heroine, spousal abuse, gun violence, murder, injured animal/pet, there is a snake, death of a sibling/child (sibling as a child) (past event) but it's talked about and y'all should know, death of parents (not on the page but a driving force behind choices made by the heroine), crime family content, car accident (non-fatal, not on the page)
*END WARNNINGS*
Overall, I'm going to be giving Witness Protection Widow an even 3 stars and 1 flame for heat because I enjoy Debra Webb's stories, I fangirl hard over them sometimes, but this one was relatively blah for me. It felt more like a novella add-on to her other books than anything else.
This has been a review from Once Upon a Time, I Read a Book. I hope y'all enjoyed this and come visit me on my site! Have a happily ever after!
--adding to Amazon and backup site

Witness Protection Widow is a mixed bag of romance tropes mixed up with a healthy dose of suspense. There's second chance romance, law enforcement, small town, and maybe just a touch of enemies-to-lovers, just to name a few. Allison and Jaxson do have good chemistry, and the story has plenty of intrigue and adventure to keep the pages turning. This one is part of a series, but the author works in any backstory we need as things progress in the book. I do like that the backstory is done organically rather than dumping it all at once, and this book does work as a standalone. The story is fast-paced, well written, and entertaining. I haven't had the pleasure of reading the earlier books in the series, but this one does have my curiosity peaked.

It has been a long while since I have read a book in this line from Harlequin. I used to devour this line of books. I am a fan of mystery/suspense novels. This line of books is the perfect one for readers like me. Thus the reason when I had the chance to read a book from this line again and by author, Debra Webb, I jumped at it.

Sadly, I found myself really struggling to become engaged with this story and the characters. It was not without effort. The storyline was slow to pick up any type of fast movement. After I while, I found myself sort of skimming the book. It did pick up during the latter half of the story. While, this book may not have been a winner for me, I do want to get back into reading more books in this line form Harlequin.

This was my first and only Debra Webb that I’ve read. I don’t think it will be my last! Witness Protection Widow was the fifth installment of the Winchester, Tennessee series, but I had no problems following along.

I really enjoyed Allison (Ali) James. Her character was so interesting and really had me intrigued of where this story would end up because of her. I’ve never read a book about someone in the witness protection program so this type of story was new to me. It did not disappoint!

I loved the romance aspect. I think that making Jax, Ali’s ex-fiancee, her marshal was something that a lot of people would swoon over. There’s a few tropes that you could fit in there, enemies-to-lovers, men in uniform…Debra Webb did a great job with that.

There was a lot of detail and interest in her testimony and that’s what helps you get to the end of this book. I felt like the ending came so quick where I couldn’t even enjoy the build-up that I experienced throughout the entire book. Making the ending a little more detailed or even a little bit longer would’ve made this story for me.

Overall, I think that this was definitely a storyline that I could get into. I will definitely give more of Debra Webb a chance if all of her books are as intriguing and detailed as this one was. After reading Witness Protection Widow, I am definitely interested in the other books in this series!

I really enjoyed this one! Lately, I’ve been into more of the thriller/mystery/suspense genres, and this romantic spin was right on point!

We meet a main character on the run from a dangerous, mob situation leaving her in the custody of the US Marshals. But when things begin to happen right before the trial, her heart may not be on the run like the rest of her soul..

There is a ton of suspense in the plot, not necessarily the romance which was easily identified and a bit predictable. But overall, I flew through this ones and highly recommend everything from the sweet, protective romance over the harsher, darker past she wants to run from.

A definite 5 out of 5 star read!

Witness Protection Widow has been an enjoyable ride. The main character’s fear is palpable from the first page, but because of a lack of information, it was hard for me to relate or even understand it at first.

Though, once the backstory is provided, the story takes on a new face. The stakes are more defined. The buildup is well executed and kept me on my toes throughout a good part of the book. The characters are relatable. I felt that Ali was incredibly sweet, but maybe too innocent for someone who went through so much. Apart from that, I enjoyed reading about her story and how she survived. Her compassion made me root for her more in the second part of the book.

As for Jay, I enjoyed reading about how serious he was about his job and her protection. He is portrayed with qualities and flaws that make him real. The romance is clean and slowly unfurls into something fierce. The writing is easy to follow. This book is a three and a half star for me mostly because of how the book ended. The whole book, I waited for something to happen, and I was a bit disappointed when this part was explained in less than one page. I wished I had more of that.

All in all, this is a good romance and I definitely enjoyed reading it.

I thought this was an inspirational Harlequin which is why I wanted to read it. However, when I started to read it, I realized it wasn't a clean romance so I wasn't able to finish reading and reviewing it.