In Juno Rushdan's High-Priority Asset, the 5th book installment in the Mills and Boon Heroes/Colton 911 romantic thriller series, this novel would leave you hanging at the edge of the seat. Isabel Vargas is an art gallery owner in Southern California and the niece of a prominent drug cartel kingpin. Her world had been turned upside down by an elusive stalker and an attempted mugging. That's when US Marshal Horatio "Dutch" Haas came in onto the scene. He's been assigned to get close to Isabel and find out what she knows about her uncle. People's lives counted on him to take him down since everything was at stake. Ever since she met Dutch, she relied and trusted him with her heart and keeping her safe from her stalker fiend. Little did she know, they would be in the midst of a drug war and she was their main target. As Dutch and Isabel grew closer together, the tables have turned to tell her the truth and face the facts on her uncle's past. The climax is mind-blowing and so intense, you can cut it with a knife.

Isabel is such a badass, and I loved how she fought back against everything that was happening to her. Dutch is just swoony, and wonderful! Can’t wait for more from this series!

Where is this story set? Who is Dutch? How did he earn that name? Who is Isabel? What does she do for a living? How does she know someone named Brenda? What is the relationship between the ladies? We also meet Dante, Chad, Will, and Allison. What does each of these folks do? What happens one Thursday night after she calls Jim that she's coming for her car? Holy smokes! The things I learned as I read the story had my jaw dropping several times! I was totally floored! Maybe we will see more of this storyline in the future with the way that it ended. It leaves it open to a possibility. But I would not consider it a cliff-hanger.

Another exciting entry in the Hard Core Justice series. At the end of Witness Security Breach, we learned who has the stolen information about the people involved in the Witness Protection Program. The epilogue introduces Marshal Dutch Haas, a motorcycle-riding, tattooed bad boy who has been picked to get close to a "high-priority asset."

Isabel Vargas is an art gallery owner and the niece of Emilio Vargas. He is the cartel leader who has the leaked information and plans to sell it to the highest bidder. Isabel only knows him as her loving and overprotective uncle. Isabel's preferences in men tend to be a reaction to that attitude, leaning more toward the bad boy type than the upstanding citizen. Her one attempt at dating a suit-wearing businessman ended in disaster. Her ex, Chad, refused to accept the end of their relationship and turned into a stalker, terrorizing Isabel at every opportunity.

The story opens with a rush as Isabel is mugged as she leaves work one evening. She is rescued by Dutch, but not before she gets a couple of good hits on her attacker. She has no idea that the attack is a setup to allow Dutch to get to know her. Something about Isabel gets under Dutch's skin right away, and he loses a bit of his perspective when it comes to her safety.

I liked the development of the relationship between Dutch and Isabel. For Dutch, it started as an assignment but quickly became personal. I loved how he was protective, yet respected her independence. Isabel is wary at first because she is still dealing with the fallout from her last relationship. It doesn't take her long to see the difference between the two men. There are some sweet scenes of Dutch and Isabel together. I especially enjoyed the surfing lesson and his pride in Isabel's progress. His fear for her during the bee episode was palpable. I liked how they grew closer in the aftermath, but I also knew that it wouldn't be pretty when the truth came out. I ached for them both when it did, especially Isabel's feelings of betrayal. It takes some life-threatening situations for Isabel to realize the depth of her feelings for Dutch and some outside help for them to get their future together.

The suspense of the story was intense, with danger coming from multiple directions. The most immediate threat is Isabel's former relationship with Chad. Several instances of his viewpoint were enough to illustrate the depth of his depravity. It's here that Dutch's protectiveness gets him in hot water with his bosses. In addition to the danger that Chad poses to Isabel, there are also a couple of threats and attacks that originate elsewhere and can be laid directly at her uncle's feet. Last is the need to retrieve the information from Isabel's uncle. The intensity ramped up as Dutch and Isabel made their plans, only to have things fall apart. I loved how Isabel kept her head, did what had to be done, and saved Dutch at the same time. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and didn't end the way I thought it would, opening the door to another book. I hope it comes soon because I want to know what happens.

Dutch us going undercover to get close to the niece of his mark so they can gather information and take him down but also see if the niece has something to do with what's going on. Meanwhile Isabel is trying to pick her up her life after dealing with a horrendous ex who has left her shaken, he's not the type to take a hint. Both hit is off pretty quick but it seems her ex isn't going to let things be.

Like there is so much going on in this book that it'll keep you hooked. There are issues coming in both ways because readers know why Dutch is undercover and knowing things will eventually come down to him taking down his mark and wondering what the repercussions will be because he's falling for Isabel. Then theres the issues of Isabel and her sick ex who won't leave her alone. It was pretty chilling getting his point of view and seeing how creepy he was watching her from the sidelines. Clearly he is after her and its just a matter of when. I loved how strong Isabel was she was doing everything she can to take back her strength and doing what she would to remain calm and independent. There is so much to love about this book and with how things are it was a pretty great distraction.

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

This is another great book in the Hard Core Justice Series. I don't think Juno Rushdan can write a bad book. "High-Priority Asset" took a while to get going, but the ending was worth it. Isabel, the heroine, also took a bit of time to warm up to.

US Marshal Dutch Haas has been specifically selected to retrieve a flash drive with the identities of the witnesses and Marshals on the west coast that is set for auction by the head of a cartel. Isabel Vargas is his target, the niece of the cartel head and the one woman Dutch has ever felt a real connection with. Falling for your asset can never turn out good, but Dutch and Isabel have her crazy ex to contend with too.

Witness program novels promises lots of drama. This is the first time in reading this author which when it comes to Harlequin is a novel thing for me. Dutch has been assigned Isabel as his mark whom is more than a hand full. Thinking she is in a norm she soon finds out life is going to take a twist. We have a slim ball ex and drama that can wrap that slim up tight keeping you along with these two in their adventure. Romance is in there with them working together and the spirit of them both a good combo. Filled my need for a juicy intrigue that had the lip smacking romance.

4.5 stars

This book felt like more than a normal romantic suspense piece. I could totally see this expanded into a successful movie. Dutch is a Marshall undercover and Isabel the niece of a drug kingpin. She thought her family was normal, yet overprotective. Little did she know how awful her brother and uncle really were. Dutch goes undercover to romance Isabel and give the marshalls their inside source. Then he has to go and develop feelings for her.I

This was a nail biter that I enjoyed all the way through. I wouldn't mind seeing Dutch as the lead of his own series. Definitely a character I would want to see again.

Great storyline and a wonderfully exciting read.

I received this as an ARC for an honest review from NetGalley. TY.

Juno Rushdan is an amazing writer of romantic suspense. Rushdan always gives readers intense and exciting—yet romantic novels. High-Priority Asset by Rushdan is another novel that fulfills all of the elements that offer readers an exemplary romantic suspense reading experience. The heroine and hero, Dutch and Isabel are relatable and the relationship that they build is genuine.
There are a many intense elements of this story that are woven together in such a seamless way. High-Priority is another excellent Juno Rushdan novel for readers.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Oct 27, 2020

High-Priority Asset is the third book in the Hard Core Justice series. This is another excellent book by Juno Rushdan, she certainly knows how to keep your interest and pull you in so that you can't put the book down. Isabel isn't so lucky in the love department but things maybe looking up once Dutch enters her life. I would recommend this book to others, I throughly enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher Harlequin Intrigue and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Isabel’s professional life is going fantastically, but her personal life is off the rails. Her ex-boyfriend is the creepiest stalker I’ve ever read, like true crime serial creepy as heck! On top of that, unbeknownst to Isabel, her Uncle Emilio has stolen something quite valuable from the US Marshals office and they are working on gaining access to him-through Isabel-by the worst idea ever. Having a knight in shining armor, aka Dutch Has, rescue the damsel in distress by a mugging gone sideways...

The US Marshal’s attempt to gain access to her Uncle Emilio was terrible clumsy and rightfully inappropriate as the true details about her stalker emerge, although I can’t deny I liked seeing Dutch in action. And Dutch did try to do right by Isabel, even when it landed him in super hot water with his higher ups. The stalker plot honestly creeped me way the h...e...double hockey sticks out, so I could have done without those bits and just enjoyed the rest of the book with no other issues.

Great on suspense and electric chemistry, I am left biting my nails with the bomb dropped at the end. I can’t wait to see how everything will turn out in the next installment!

I received an advance reader copy from Harlequin/Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I made it 45% of the way through this book before I realized how bad of an idea it was to push my way through. I love Juno Rushdan’s writing and if the domestic violence aspect had been dialed down significantly, I probably would have loved it. The Goodreads blurb for this book is: The safety of every person in California’s Witness Protection Program rests in US marshal Dutch Haas’s capable hands. So inserting himself into Isabel Vargas’s life to get the drop on her criminal uncle is a no-brainer. Except his target is fiery and intelligent—and she quickly becomes his partner instead of his mark. With threats stacking up, will Isabel and Dutch be able to stop Isabel’s past from catching up with her before it is too late?

I’m not sure if I was supposed to know this book was going to have domestic violence as a huge plot line in it from that blurb or not, but I definitely didn’t. Most of the time, I can still handle that, but this time there were entire scenes from the point of view of Isabel’s ex, Chad Ellis. Excellent choice to name him Chad, tbh, but very bad news for me that his POV was included because I couldn’t handle that and the fact that there wasn’t really legal recourse for Isabel for all the creepy/dangerous/deranged things he was doing.

Setting aside the domestic violence issue because I really do think this book was going well otherwise, I really love that we get to see Isabel’s friendship with Bonnie. And all of the things she has done to make herself feel safer and stronger. I think the chemistry between Isabel and Dutch was already feeling pretty electric and I imagine that was only going to build. There’s obviously a deception plot baked into this book, but I think Dutch seemed very aware of that so hopefully it would have unfolded neatly. If you do pick this book up, I hope you’re able to finish it and then you can let me know how things unfold!

Good book! This book was filled with lots of suspense and action packed! Definitely a heart pounder! Not to much steam but enough! The storyline flowed smoothly, all and all it was a great read! I highly recommend it! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

High-Priority Asset was an excellent addition to the Hard Core Justice series. I love the series by Juno Rushdan, and she never disappoints in keeping the action moving and the romance flowing. High-Priority Asset was no different.

Isabel Vargas was successful in business, but not in love. With a penchant for bad boys, she decided to play the safe card for once and date a down to earth businessman, only to earn herself a bonafide stalker. Running an art gallery was her dream, though, and she refused to buckle to Chad and his threats.

Dutch Haas was a US Marshal who also happened to be a bad boy. He was the perfect guy to step in and convince this 'asset' that she needed to help them bring down her uncle, the head of a cartel. What they didn't know was how unaware Isabel was about her uncle's business practices. Protected by him all of her life, she had no idea how ruthless he truly was.

The problem was, lives were on the line if Dutch didn't convince Isabel to help them. Her uncle had the list of all of the US marshals, and their families, in California, and he was going to sell it to the highest bidder. If Dutch didn't recover that hard drive, people were going to die, and he wasn't about to let that happen. Even if it meant he had to lie to the woman he was starting to fall for. Faced with a no-win situation, Dutch had to make the best of it when convincing Isabel he was ex-military and between jobs. Until he couldn't lie to her any longer.

With the ante upped and the warring cartel coming after her to get to her uncle, Isabel has to make some choices, and those choices aren't going to be easy. Confusion reigns when Isabel continues to get threats, and Dutch can't sort out if they're from the cartel or the man who is determined to make sure Isabel is with him and no one else. Chad Ellis isn't going away just because the cartel is after her, so Dutch has his work cut out for him.

When the truth is revealed to Isabel, she keeps her head about her and does what she promises she'll do, but she doesn't like it. She likes it even less that Dutch lied to her, especially since she was in love with him. The action is nonstop to the end and you'll love every second of it.

I loved this third edition to the series and can't wait for the next one. The main character did some strange things throughout the book that was clearly the dumbest option a person could take, but other than that, I found the main characters and their romance extremely likable and the bad guys extremely hateable. The ending was a big pivot that just kind of left the reader hanging, so I hope that it was the set up for the next book in the series. If you love books about the US Marshals and romance on the fly, you definitely want to check out this series.