Cover Image: Unintended Target

Unintended Target

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Member Reviews

Katie Reus never disappoints. You're always guaranteed a good love story and some suspense when you read her romantic suspense books. This novella was great and easy to read. I've had a lot of trouble finishing books since the pandemic started so the length was a plus.


Patience and Brodie were great characters and perfect for each other.

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A kindergarten teacher, Patience, is looking forward to a summer of fun and vacations. When her mom calls to see if she’d be available to nanny a friends son, she resists but ultimately gives in.
When Patience gets there, she realizes that a string of nannies have quit with no reason. As she starts working, she can’t figure out why they quit, especially with the eye candy head of security lurking around. Then things start to happen and they must find out why.
Opinion
This is a super quick read that was flat out awesome. Yes it’s a HEA and you know how it will end up but there is such fun and mystery in the goings on that you’ll enjoy the ride.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

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Unintended Target the second novella in the MacArthur Family Series is a character driven story with two extremely likable characters. Katie Reus gives us the always-in-control Brodie MacArthur. This is good since he is head of security for Trevor Robinson, who is overwhelmed with work and personal situations. This is not so good when Brodie jumps the gun with temp nanny Patience Carras. While Trevor and cute baby Oliver are part of the story, this novella deals mostly with Brodie and Patience’s developing relationship. Truly little of Brodie’s family is involved but then the story is not long. It took only a couple of hours to read.

Romance story that is more sweet than steamy also has a danger element to it. I did find that not all of the danger is solved. It seemed that Trevor’s business dealings had some unusual things happening but that is not the main danger of the story, not is it solved. Still I found that I enjoyed this story quite a bit as Brodie and Patience began to get to know each other. I prefer this kind of tale where the characters take the time needed to build a real relationship.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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This sizzling romantic suspense contemporary was even better than the first terrific story! Patience agrees to be a nanny for her summer vacation from teaching to help a family friend, but doesn't count on being so attracted to head of security, Brody.

Brody knows he made a bad first impression but goes out of his way to make it up to her. Their first date is ideal, and soon he realizes he wants this relationship to last way longer than the summer...

Reus's well written romantic suspense reminds me of Garwood and Coulter. If you want a quick, sexy story with memorable characters that will hold your attention, here it is.

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I loved this fast romantic suspense read. Katie Reus has once again given readers great characters and an intriguing plot. Patience is fun to read, with a heart of gold and a fun sense of humor. Brodie is protective, sexy, and sweet. This series is a good time and I can't wait for the next book.

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Unintended Target is book two in Katie Reus’ new MacArthur Family series. They are both novellas but are standalone titles, so don’t let the fact that it’s the second in a series put you off. You can start with this book or only read this book and have no issues following the plot or the characters’ relationships.

Patience is a school teacher who used to be a nanny, so when a family friend desperately needs her help over the summer, she reluctantly agrees to step in until he can hire a full-time nanny for his baby nephew he’s now raising. Brodie is that family friend’s head of security and not happy that his boss has hired someone without giving him a chance to vet her. When he makes a grave strategic error, she doesn’t let him get away with it. Patience is no shrinking violet, but when a series of events lead to putting her life in danger, can Brodie find the culprit before it’s too late?

I liked the first book in this series, but I do believe that this one is my favorite of them now. The who and the why surrounding the villain in this book wasn’t as easy to figure out as in book one, and that is always something that will either make me love a romantic suspense book or just simply like it. I also liked how Patience didn’t let Brodie push her around and how she was able to put him in his place despite his reputation for being excellent at his job.

Katie Reus is on my automatic 1-click list and has been for years. Since I read and review most of her books, I always feel like I’m repeating myself. But she’s on that list for a reason. When I need good romantic suspense, she always delivers. Obviously, I’ve liked some of her books more than others, but there’s yet to be any book of hers that I’ve read that truly let me down. If you’re looking for a quick romantic suspense read that hits all of the genre’s elements along with strong characters and fast-paced action, grab this book (and book one if you have time!) today. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, either.

I give Unintended Target by Katie Reus 4.5 out of 5 stars!

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Unintended Target was a quick, fun read with a mystery & a touch of suspense. I enjoyed Patience and Brodie's story, and I can't wait to read Sienna's story next!

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An enjoyable, well written slow burn and sweet romance novella, with a little touch of drama and suspense. A nice solid read to fill in a couple of hours, with an interesting back story. There's a couple of steamy scenes near the end that are tastefully written. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author. 3.5 stars. My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for my opinion.

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MacArthur sibling #2, Brodie MacArthur has a lot of groveling to do with Patience with patience! Getting off on the wrong foot with the temporary nanny for his client’s son was not what he had intended. But then, men are known to do stupid things when encountered with the love of their lives.

Helping a friend take care of his son as a temporary nanny was not Patience’s original plan for her summer, away from her kindergarten kids. And neither was the spark of attraction for the head of security. But in the world of love, plans go awry and heart takes precedence. And to navigate the ups and downs of this road require Brodie and Patience to be on the same page, and make sure the danger lurking in the shadows is eliminated as well.

This light and quick read from Katie Reus is perfect for the romantic at heart.

Received an ARC from KR Press, LLC via NetGalley for an honest review.

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4.5 stars. I am loving this series so far. So easy and quick to read but plenty of good story and great characters. Brodie MacArthur is our hero for this one. He is head of security for Trevor, who asks Patience, a family friend to be his nanny for the summer. Patience is a school teacher who is off for the summer so she agrees to help Trevor out. Brodie is not so thrilled that Trevor let someone in without being vetted by him first given the problems with threats. So there are definitely a few issues about that and Brodie does not get off to good start with Patience. But Brodie and Patience clearly have an attraction and some chemistry that they eventually find a way to explore. He ends up being her protector which is really sweet.
I really like them together and loved this story.

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This is a fairly quick read and the second book in this latest series by an authors whose work scans quite a few genres and draws me in every time.

Patience is a kindergarten teacher who is sweet and who it is oh so easy to connect with She decides to help a family friend Trevor Robinson by working as his nanny over the summer vacation he has recently become the guardian to his nephew Oliver after his brother and his wife where killed in an accident Trevor is a tech billionaire and Patience and his head of security Brodie MacArthur clash when they first meet Soon she grows to realise that Brodie will do whatever he needs to keep Oliver safe and when danger starts to threaten Patience he steps up for her as well. Is the danger threatening her from her new job or something else You will have to read to see

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When school teacher Patience is asked to be a nanny for the summer for tech giant Trevor Robinson, she agrees as their families have been friends for years. Trevor’s brother and sister-in-law died in a tragic accident and now he has custody of his young nephew, Oliver. She loves baby Oliver, but is not too sure about the head of security, Brodie MacArthur. They start off on the wrong foot, but he soon convinces her that he is truly concerned for Trevor, his family and her. When several incidents happen to Patience, his protective feelings towards her become so much more. She also has feelings for Brodie, but has no idea why she has suddenly become a target. As danger mounts, she knows that she can trust Brodie to protect her. A beautiful romantic suspense story for Brodie and Patience. I look forward to the next book in this series and I do hope Trevor gets his own story. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

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I really enjoyed this book. A quick read! A sweet romance with a little suspense thrown in! I just discovered this is part of a series, but you don't need to read the previous book, this can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend. this book.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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A quick read novella that will give you some angst, suspense, and romance. I had an easy time connecting with Patience, a kindergarten teacher, who celebrates her first day of summer with a margarita by the pool. Only to have her lofty summer plans upended to do a favor for her mom. Her temporary summer gig takes her to the home of a family friend in need of a nanny. She quickly butts heads with the head of security, Brodie. Brodie needs to fix the situation quick. The two have a connection, and once Brodie reveals his true self, more than a friendship forms. There is a bad person lurking, will Brodie figure it out in time?

Thank you to NetGalley and KR Press, LLC for an advanced copy; this is my voluntary review

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Having read a number of “nanny” romances, UNINTENDED TARGET gets high marks for its creative take on this type of romance. It’s not heavy on the single dad/baby relationship, but Katie Reus’ portrayal of Oliver made him adorable. I could really feel what a little charmer he was meant to be.

Brodie and Patience were a little too much alike. They gave off a serious, stable and predictable vibe. Their romance needed a little drama or angst to spice things up. Some of the descriptive language was really excellent but too often a big item or important detail was given one sentence. Also, too many interesting teasers never get resolved before the book ends.

Brodie is a great protector type and fortunately, Patience graciously lets him be that way without insisting she can take care of herself too much, It makes for a good story and I enjoyed the book.

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Will they settle their different to give their attractant chance ...

Wow, I devoured it in no time.
I loved Brodie and Patience. She is kind and caring yet takes no prisoner.
She faces challenges and bullies her head held high, and does not shy away of danger if she is confronted to it.
Brodie is by his job an alpha guy, hyper protective and domineering, yet he does not play game with women.
Their story is cute and sweet, they meet, then meet again but circumstances are different until they get close.
With a dash of danger, do not deny yourself a good read, it is fast paced with a bit of action, two charming heroes and some steam.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen detailed lovemaking scene.

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

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4 Stars for this cute romance!

This is a cute quick read that had me laughing-out-loud. I really liked these two characters. I loved how Patience just couldn't say no to her mother ... and Brodie. She leads with her heart ... and that's not a bad thing. Brodie is this tough alpha protector that just melted whenever he was near Patience. I wish the story had been longer because it just seemed to get going and it was over. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Kindergarten teacher Patience can't wait to enjoy her summer sitting in the sun and day drinking. But when her mother calls and asks for a small favor, Patience knows two things: 1) she can't say no to her mother and 2) her mother's favors are never small. So, Patience will be the temporary nanny for 8-month-old Oliver, who is living with his Uncle Trevor after his parents died. But when Patience meets Trevor's head of security (Brodie) – who also happens to be the hot stranger who bought her tacos the previous week – she knows she's in big trouble. Brodie thought he'd never see the beautiful woman with the sassy mouth again ... but low and behold, here she is – the new nanny for his boss. How long will Patience and Brodie be able to keep their hands to themselves?

I received an early copy courtesy of KR Press through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

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This was a sweet romance with just the right amount of suspense to keep you fully invested. I loved this couple and how thier relationship developed. Reus always delivers characters that you fall hard for. I'm definitely looking forward to Trevor's story. I hope it comes next.

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Unintended Target by Katie Reus
2nd of 3 novellas from the MacArthur Family series. Romance with a touch of suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Patience agrees to be a nanny for the summer during her teaching break. Brodie takes his job as head of security seriously but blunders with a background check on Patience. As the attraction between the two grows, so does the mystery of why so many nannies prior to Patience left without notice.

Fast moving novella with quick attraction and lite suspense. Easy to read and lovely romance. Brodie is a protective male while Patience knows how best to protect herself and the child. Enjoyable with a gratifying epilogue the really cinches the whole story.
I’m looking forward to reading the third sibling in this trilogy.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. As a favorite author, I’ve also purchased a copy to share.

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I always enjoy Katie Reus books! This one is definitely a good one! It is a quick read with a swoony hero and just enough action and suspense to keep you turning the pages quickly. Patience is a Kindergarten teacher who loves her job - but has offered to fill in as a nanny for the son of a friend of her mother's who has recently been left with the custody of his infant nephew. The client is quite wealthy and has a private security team. Brodie is the head of security - and has been struggling to figure out why the nannies keep quitting. The baby is a sweetheart and the surroundings are a dream. Brodie and Patience don't get off on exactly the right foot - but they are definitely attracted to each other. Then, when Patience gets something that looks like food poisoning, they are drawn closer together.

I liked that the story mixed in some normal dating scenes along with the intrigue going on around them. That allowed the relationship between Brodie and Patience to develop a little more naturally than it sometimes does in romantic suspense.

Overall I enjoyed it - Patience is a little overreactive a couple of times to things that happen with Brodie - and that isn't my favorite thing to read - but things are resolved quickly each time.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are my own.

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