Lianna is trying to get away from any ties to her late husband after realizing there was something sketchy going on with him leading people to come her way. She's just trying to live a quiet life with her boy running a B&B . Reece is undercover trying to figure out if Lianna knew more then what she was saying or maybe even apart of what her ex was doing.

There was so much to enjoy about this book that I just couldn't put it down. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their backgrounds to make them all the more interesting. I mean you can understand Reece a bit more on his view point when it comes to family and how he feels about looking after this small family then there is Lianna and her distrust of others after what she went though. Then there was strange new guest that they now have to keep their eye on and wonder if Lianna and her boy is safe. There is so much to enjoy about this series and trust me when I say your not gonna want to put this book down once you've started.

This is a Romance Suspense, and this is the part of A North Star Novel Series. This story was more suspense then romance, but the romance was really good. I have to say I loved the suspense and romance in this book, and I was pulled into this story from the beginning. I really loved the characters in this book, and I felt they where developed. This is a short and fast moving story that was really well written, and there is a lot put into this short story. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Intrigue) or author (Nicole Helm) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Good book. The suspense kept me turning the pages, and the romance built nicely through the story. After her husband's murder, Lianna moved to Wyoming to take over her grandparents' bed-and-breakfast. She needed to get as far away as possible from the agencies' constant questions about what she knew of Todd's activities. She lives in a continual state of anxiety, worrying that someone will come after her and her son, Henry.

Reece works for North Star, an agency hired to find out what Lianna knows about her husband's murder. After seven years with the agency, he ranks as one of their top agents. He poses as a nature photographer and stays at her B & B as a guest, hoping to uncover some information.

I enjoyed the combination of suspense and romance. Neither Lianna nor Reece expected the connection they felt when he first arrived. Lianna no longer trusts her judgment and is wary of the feelings Reece stirs in her. Reece, who had a loveless childhood, doesn't know what he's feeling, but he doesn't like it. The inner turmoil is a distraction he doesn't need. A need to protect Lianna and Henry rather than just uncover information complicates matters even further.

It doesn't take long for Reece to discover that someone bugged the inn and is monitoring Lianna's life. The question is who, and for what purpose? A last-minute reservation sparks Reece's suspicions, and he breaks cover to warn Lianna of the probable danger. Furious at being deceived again, Lianna refuses to believe Reece and orders him to leave. His protectiveness won't let him go far, and the next morning he takes extreme measures to remove her and Henry from harm's way, taking them to North Star headquarters.

Lianna impressed me with her refusal to just sit back and be protected. I loved how she came up with a plan to draw the bad guys out. I ached for Reece, who was so discombobulated by his feelings for Lianna that he didn't know which way was up. I had to laugh at his coworkers' astonishment at his emotional reactions to her plan. Lianna had already begun to suspect her feelings for Reece and watched as he struggled with his. I loved watching her realize that he had no idea what those feelings were or how to put them into words.

I was on the edge of my seat as Lianna and Reece returned to the inn to put their plan into motion. An unexpected visitor the following day immediately roused Reece's suspicions, though Lianna took a little longer. She got the picture when her visitor showed an inordinate interest in Henry. Meanwhile, Reece faced trouble of his own, leaving him unable to help Lianna. There were some intense moments as Lianna escaped one hazard only to run headlong into another. I loved Lianna's efforts to save herself, which paired with Reece's timely arrival freed her, but left Reece fighting for his life.

The scenes at the hospital were heartwrenching. Being inside Reece's head while he battled his injuries and seeing what he wants more than anything else was an emotional experience. His conversation with his boss held no surprises. Even better was his talk with Lianna. The epilogue was wonderful. I loved that the people of North Star are still part of Reece's life, though in a different way.

Henry was my favorite secondary character. I loved how he took to Reece right away and pulled him into his circle of people he loves. His hero-worship of Reece was sweet, and so was his effect on Reece. Henry is protective of his mother, which showed in his dilemma at the end of the book. I also liked Reece's coworkers and can't wait to read their stories.

Who is Reece? What does or did he do for a living? Who is Granger? Who and what are North Star and Sons of the Badlands? Who is Shay? What has she been put in charge of? Who are Holden and Sabrina? Who is or was Todd? Life really can go to hell in a handbasket sometimes!!! I found myself really liking Shay when she took Lianna to her room and had a chat! Oh my, I did not expect what happened when Reece and Lianna went back to the B&B. What info does Betty get from Henry? What happens to Reece? read and see!

I am a huge fan of Nicole Helm, so when I found out she was writing a spin-off series from the Sons of Badlands, I was super excited to get my hands on them. The North Star group plays a big role in the Sons series and now they get their own story.

Reece Montgomery was a lost child who grew into a man with a mission. He wanted to help people to make up for the evil his parents did as part of the Sons gang. Working for North Star was a good way to do that, and with his training, he was their top operative. He had a new mission and that mission was Lianna and her son Henry. To protect them, he had to become someone else, which was something he was extremely good at after all these years. Considering he didn't even know who he was, playing a role was second nature to him.

Lianna Kade was running. Sort of. She was running from her old life in Denver back to the bed and breakfast she knew as a kid. Only now, she is running it and raising her own child there. Henry is a precocious seven-year-old who loves video games and baseball, but growing up without a father who loved him made him yearn for someone to fill that hole. When Reece Conrad walked into the B&B, Henry was sure he was the one, but Lianna had no plans to find him a new father anytime soon. Still reeling from the murder of her husband a year ago, a man she didn't love but was forced to stay with, she wanted to stay as far away from romantic entanglements as possible. That should have been easy, but Reece Conrad kept showing up when she needed him most.

And then, Reece's cover was blown and he didn't have a choice but to convince Lianna he was the good guys working to find the bad guys who killed her husband and put her life in danger. To do that, they were going to need to work together and wait for an attack on their lives to get their answers.

Reece and Lianna had amazing chemistry in a very fundamental kind of way. It wasn't over-the-top dramatics that you often see in books with a fast-paced sub-mystery plot. The romance shimmered, sparked, and then ignited into flames in a sweet, soulful kind of way. Reece didn't know how to express how he felt, but Lianne was there to help him learn how to put into words the things he had never been taught. I appreciated that the romance was done this way since Lianna had been burned and didn't trust anyone, and Reece had to win her trust before they could be thrust into a relationship of any kind. I also appreciated the maturity of the romance, since Lianna has a child and had already been through so much.

If you love the Sons of Badlands series then you want to grab Summer Stalker to see what the North Star group is up to. If you haven't read either of these series, dive in here, you won't be sorry!

An intriguing and exciting romantic suspense, Summer Stalker follows Lianna and Reece. A year after a tumultuous marriage that ended in the brutal and unsolved murder of her husband, Lianna is coping with anxiety and trying to find her confidence. This isn’t shocking considering her marriage was built on lies, and his murderer is still at large. Lianna runs the family bed-and-breakfast and tries to maintain a sense of normalcy for the sake of her young son, but she is still tormented by the past.

When Reece is charged with investigating Lianna and what she knows about her husband’s murder, he poses as a nature photographer and guest so he can secretly learn more. Reece doesn’t expect to become so connected to her and her son Henry. His life is so defined by his career and making up for the sins of his parents that he’s never really taken the time to have anything other than that. But when he notices that Lianna is being monitored, he can’t hide his feelings anymore. Reece will do anything to keep Lianna and Henry safe, even if that means losing her. Will Lianna trust Reece when she learns of his lies and his mission? Will Lianna’s past prevent her from having a future?

Lianna is a strong woman who is determined to raise her son in a safe and happy environment. After being in a loveless marriage with a neglectful, criminal, and dishonest husband, Lianna struggles to trust others. Riddled with anxiety and fear, she does her best to protect Henry and shelter him from the harsh realities of their life. She is a wonderful and caring mother who clearly has her son’s best interest at heart, and I can understand why she has her defenses up. Reece is one of the few with whom she lets her guard down.

Reece is a solitary man who doesn’t get involved when on a mission, but that changes when he meets Lianna and her son Henry. He is so drawn to this mother and son, and there is a connection from their first awkward meeting. I love the romance between Lianna and Reece! Both fight their feelings for different reasons, but their connection is strong. Both have trauma in their past and have felt the pain of parental abandonment. Both also seem to be looking for a feeling of home, and both work to right the wrongs of the past. Being with Lianna and Hank is the first time that Reece has ever felt a sense of home and family, and he is determined to protect them. Reece has also never been in love, and he struggles to identify those feelings, which is so sweet and swoon-worthy!

Another great part of the story is the relationship between Reece and Henry. Reece is unaccustomed to being with children, but he has a deep desire to protect them. Henry is a sweet boy that connects to Reece almost instantly. He sees Reece as a father-figure and protector, and he puts his trust in this honorable man. I think the bond that develops between Henry and Reece endears Reece to Lianna even more, and it shows Reece a part of himself that he never knew existed.

I enjoyed this suspenseful romance. The pacing is great, the characters are well-developed and interesting, and the mystery is intriguing. Throughout the story, it is unclear who is targeting Lianna, but there are several possibilities. There are some intense, nail-biting scenes and some unexpected revelations that added to the suspense.

Some of the side characters that work with Reece and help protect Lianna and Henry are also wonderful, and I’m hoping that they will be the focus of future books. I’m curious to learn more about them and the fascinating company they work for. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Harlequin Intrigue, and Nicole Helm for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Good book! I enjoyed reading this book, it seemed a little short but it was still really good! It was filled with suspense, action, intrigue, and had some steam to it! All and all it was a great little read! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!