An action-packed romantic suspense novel, Lara Lacombe brings the heat, tension and danger in her latest novel, Guarding Colton’s Child.

The bottom had fallen out of Dr Stavros Makris’ world when he had lost his family. Having endured unimaginable pain, anguish and sorrow, Stavros simply cannot imagine trusting anyone ever again. Having hardened his heart and built a wall around himself, Stavros is a lone wolf who does not let people penetrate the iron-clad defenses he had built around himself – until Desiree Colton comes to the ER with her toddler, Danny. Stavros knows that he should keep things strictly professional with Desiree, however, that soon proves to be far easier said than done…

When a kidnapper targets Danny, Stavros finds himself determined to do whatever it takes to save the toddler from danger. As his guard slowly begins to come down, he finds himself working with Desiree and spending hours and hours together as they desperately try to find the missing child. With the stakes having never been higher, Stavros and Desiree will not rest until they find Danny safe and sound. But will the dangerous criminal targeting the little boy end up putting paid to any hope they might have of keeping Danny safe? As their feelings for one another escalate, will Desiree and Stavros manage to move forward and grasp this unexpected chance at happiness? Or is their relationship doomed?

Lara Lacombe’s Guarding Colton’s Child is a heart-racing romantic thriller with a brooding hero, a courageous and resilient heroine and plenty of searing intensity, scintillating sensuality, nail-biting intrigue and sizzling chemistry to keep readers hooked from beginning to end. Guarding Colton’s Child is a chilling romantic suspense novel that hooks readers from the start and keeps them engrossed until the very last page.

A terrific tale readers will want to devour in one sitting, romantic suspense fans are going to thoroughly enjoy Guarding Colton’s Child.

Guarding Colton's Child is an emotional romance with Stavros coming to terms with the possibility of love again after so much loss and Desiree desperately searching for Danny. And that search is the source of the suspense. This couple does have good chemistry even when one of them is determined to guard their heart. This is part of a series, but I didn't have any problem following the storyline on its own. There were a few things that indicated a history, things that I felt like I should've known, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Stavros and Desiree are both likable characters and their circumstances certainly tug at the heartstrings. The author gives us an equally entertaining bit of tension-filled suspense, so both elements receive their fair share of story here. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite tropes, and this one made for a good little weekend read.

Dr. Stavros Markris knows true pain. However, Desiree Colton rushes into the ER with her son Danny and Stavros is the doctor that helps the young child. There is a powerful reason as to why this type of case would be very difficult for Stavros, but he still gives the child the best care possible. Meanwhile, Stavros cannot help but find himself more than drawn to Desiree. When he discovers that there is a continued kidnapping threat, Stavros steps in to offer safety and protection.

Guarding Colton's Child is the fifth book in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series. However, even though I did not have the opportunity to read the previous titles, this book did perfectly well as a standalone. The intrigue, suspense and romance was done remaarkably well. I especially loved Stavros's sitiuation and tragic past. His pain was palbable and I loved how Desiree and Danny ended up changing his life for good.

This was a very fast-paced book, as the danger was at every turn. However, due to the time that Desiree and Stavros ultimately ended up spending together allowed their mutual attaction to grow, thus offering hope and the wonderful ending. As this book ended, just enough of a tease leaves me eager to continue the series.

Many thanks to Harlequin Ronantic Suspense and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley, too
For my copy of this book, here’s my honest review.

If Romantic Suspense is what you like to read
This book is probably just what you need!
Desiree Colton is a single Mum
Who a kidnapper has targetted to get Danny, her son.

When Danny has a high fever that won’t come down
Where he is sick all over Dr Stavros Makris’s gown!
There’s attraction between Desiree and Stavros
But he’s already had a life changing loss.

With another attempt at taking her son
Desiree and her family don’t know what’s to be done
Stavros offers his secured home to the pair
Knowing the kidnapper won’t dare go there.

This is the start of an suspense filled read
With family drama and a child in need.
It is a story of hope, love and a second chance
For both these adults to find romance.

I enjoyed reading, yet, another book in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series. Not only getting to meet Stavros and reading the antic that Desiree and Danny get into but reading more about this family of lawmakers. Can’t wait for the next one.

Dr. Stavros Makris feels he can't trust people after he's lost his family.
Desiree Colton has a toddler son Danny who she has to take to the ER.

The chance meeting turns bad when a kidnapper wants Danny.

Can Stavros trust enough again to help Desiree get her child back?

Any book with a kidnapping of a child gets my heart racing, and this was no exception.

Danny is loveable and Desiree is a devoted mother. Stavros is hot.

The book is about love, priorities, facing your fears and doing what's right to protect those who are important to you, even if they started off as strangers for you.....

I was engrossed in the action here and also wondering if the sparks would fly, and how much, between Stavros and Desiree.

A brilliant blend of action, suspense and drama.

Lara Lacombe is a new author to me and I enjoyed this fast paced novel.

I feel bad to be coming into the series on book 5 but at least I can get an idea of the characters. This is a standalone but I am glad that there are books after it, too. I can't wait to catch up with the whole The Coltons of Grave Gulch series

Thanks to Lara Lacombe and Harlequin for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars.

A light suspense romance read.

I really enjoyed it, even though it took a long time for me.
The attempted kidnapping a child always upped the suspense for me, so yeah it starts with a bang, but then the mystery felt like ends too fast for me.
The romance is sweet and lots of heartbreaking stuff happening. It took most part of the book and I missing the sparks between Stavros and Dez, although they're so sweet together, it just felt I'm missing something.
I wished there's more suspense in it though, the romance part although sweet felt kinda dragging in the middle with repetitive doubts and insecurities for me, but I still enjoy it though, it still a sweet suspense romance read.

If you're looking a light and sweet suspense romance read, try this book.

Who is Desiree? Where do we find her and why? Who is Melissa? Where is Grave Gulch? How do the ladies know each other? Who are Danny and Troy? Who are or were Hannah and Everleigh? What haunts Desiree's dreams? Why? Who is Randall and what did he do that caused an issue? Who is Stavros? Why do we meet him? Why does he recognize Danny? When Troy shows up at Stavros's work, what happens? Who is Dahlia? What do we learn about her? Oh gosh, now I need to work on reading more of this series. There were some truly unexpected things in this suspenseful romance.

Dr.Stavros is still dealing with the loss of his child after a kidnapping leaves her dead. Now Desiree is dealing with an issues of someone coming after her toddler, Danny a few times and Stavros happened to be there at just the right moment. Now she needs surveillance since it seems that person isnt backing down and Stavros offers his help and house while they wait for the kidnapper to get caught.

I enjoyed this book there was so much going on that I just couldn't put it down. It was interesting seeing from both their point of views when it came to this book. You can see so much conflict going on in Stavros mind when it came to this whole mess, I mean he had dealt with it and wasn't about to see another child get kidnapped if he can help it. He was so supportive to this small family and he didn't even know them. Meanwhile Desiree is trying all that she can to keep her child safe, it isn't clear at first why this is even happening and one you get into it its pretty sad to know why this kidnapper is coming after Danny. There was the romance in this book personally I wasn't interested in it like I was with the whole mystery of it all but it was nice nevertheless. Overall I really enjoyed this book.

This was a gem for me because I had not read this author before this one with her being on my tbr. Starvros was a doctor that when someone crosses his path in the ER that causes alot of doors to open. Desiree and Danny came crashing through. There is also a bad guy whom is after the boy but not gonna happen on his watch if can do anything about it. It also is fueled with romance that comes on between the two. He opens his home to the two. He does know about loss so this a biggie. This will have you turning the pages to see who is the bad guy.

Good book. Desiree Colton, whose son Danny's kidnapping in the first book of the series, Colton's Dangerous Liaison, began a domino effect of problems for the local police department, became much more protective of her son. When Danny ran a very high fever, she rushed him to the ER, where she met Dr. Stavros Makris. Unexpected sparks flew between them, which both tried to ignore. But when a kidnapper snatched Danny out of Desiree's arms right there in the hospital, it was Stavros's quick thinking that saved the boy. And when Desiree and Danny needed a safe place to stay, Stavros quickly volunteered his home.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Desiree and Stavros. Stavros was a good man with a tragic past. Several years earlier, his ex-wife kidnapped their daughter and tried to escape in a storm. She crashed the car, dying instantly, while Stavros's daughter was taken to the hospital, where she died in his arms. Since then, he has closed off his feelings until Desiree and Danny work their way past his walls. I loved watching Stavros with Danny, who connected with him right away. There are many sweet scenes of the two together where it's easy to see Stavros's stellar fatherly abilities.

The connection between Stavros and Desiree is very different. Desiree stirs feelings in Stavros that he hasn't felt in a long time, but he fights hard against them. He considers himself too broken to be any good to her. However, his ability to support and comfort her indicates that he's not as broken as he thinks he is. The more time they spend together, the more Stavros finds himself wishing for something he believes he can never have.

Meanwhile, though wary at first, Desiree falls fast and hard for Stavros. Besides the flames of attraction, Stavros's kindness and respect touch her deeply. In him, she sees everything she could want for herself and her son. I loved watching Desiree and Stavros together as her compassion helps him with his grief. I ached for Desiree as she dreamed of something more even though she knew he didn't want it. I ached for them both when the kidnapping threat was over, and Stavros walked away. I had to laugh at the tough love advice Stavros received and the effect it had on him. I loved the ending and the depth of Stavros's emotions when he went to Desiree.

The suspense of the story was terrific. Desiree's fear at finding Danny the subject of another kidnapping leaped off the page. Her desperation to find the kidnapper ran up against the police department's focus on a serial killer and their missing forensic scientist. Because of discrepancies in the department uncovered in the first book, the police have a nightmare on their hands, and these two fugitives are at the heart of it. There's an intense scene with the killer at the hospital that had me on the edge of my seat as it played out, and I could feel the department's frustration at his escape.

Meanwhile, Desiree's fear for Danny's safety continues to grow. I liked seeing how Desiree's work as a sketch artist for the police department played a big part in searching for the kidnapper. The final confrontation with the kidnapper was both a nail-biter and heart-wrenching as Stavros threw himself into Danny's rescue. There's a little bit of a lead-in for the next book as the manhunt goes on for the two fugitives.

This is a Romance Suspense, and this is the 5th book in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series. I have to say the beginning started out slow, but it picked up very quickly. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I also feel there is a great mix of romance and suspense. The romance was slow to get going, but it got steamy quickly. The suspense in this book was everything. This book had everything I was looking for. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Romantic Suspense) or author (Lara Lacombe) 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.