A Time to Die (The Protectors, #29) in Romance Series Lists

Mar 27, 2008 jenjn79 rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-romance-suspense, info-full, reviewed, stars-4, author-beverly-barton, 2008, z2008-july-dec, series-protectors

A Time To Die is a great romantic suspense book. I'd give it a solid 4 stars, probably 4.5 if I could. But it's not quite a 5.

The story starts off with young reporter Lexie in the African country of Gadi where a brutal tyrant is about to be inaugurated president. While she's reporting, an assassination team kills the president and in the crossfire, Lexie is seriously wounded, nearly paralyzed for life. She's saved by one of the soldiers, Deke...who just might also be the same man who accidentall A Time To Die is a great romantic suspense book. I'd give it a solid 4 stars, probably 4.5 if I could. But it's not quite a 5.

The story starts off with young reporter Lexie in the African country of Gadi where a brutal tyrant is about to be inaugurated president. While she's reporting, an assassination team kills the president and in the crossfire, Lexie is seriously wounded, nearly paralyzed for life. She's saved by one of the soldiers, Deke...who just might also be the same man who accidentally shot her.

Ten years later, she's recovered as much as she ever will. But she's never forgotten the gray-eyed soldier who risked everything to save her. Deke, however, has never gotten over the guilt. He secretly kept track of her for 5 years, but stopped when she was better. Now he's an investigator/bodyguard for the Dundee agency...and is shocked when his new assignment makes him the bodyguard of Lexie, who has been receiving terrorizing death threats. There's instant chemistry between the two, but Deke can't get over what he did to her. And once Lexie finds out the truth, she doesn't know what to think or to do. Of course, none of that will matter if the psycho after her succeeds.

One of the things I loved about this book was the unique dynamic between Lexie and Deke. With Deke mostly likely being the man who fired the bullet that nearly severed her spine. You don't usually get such an interesting situation between characters. It was interesting to read how things worked out between them. They had a really great chemistry and I really wanted them to work things out(which of course they would).

I also really enjoyed the secondary couple of Bain/Cara. Now they had some serious chemistry. But I got the feeling as I was reading that they wouldn't work things out, which was disappointing. Then I read on Barton's website that they would be a secondary couple for her next book, the last Protectors book, Dying For You. So I'm excited to see how things go with them in that book.

Storyline-wise...Barton always knows how to draw me in with the plots of her books. She did a great job in this one casting suspicion onto the various suspects. I was pretty sure who it was, but she made me second guess myself more than once.

The only thing I would liked to have seen was a more thorough resolution between Lexie and Deke regarding the past and the shooting. I felt like she skimmed past that a little bit. I wanted them to have a serious conversation about what happened, and it didn't come. So that's really the only thing that seemed missing to me. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one, as is usual with Barton's long romantic suspense books. ...more

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Sep 05, 2008 Christa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library

A Time to Die is the first book in the Protectors series that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last. I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel by Beverly Barton at least as much as I did her Cherokee Pointe trilogy. This novel had a likeable, sensitive heroine, and a protective hero who was tortured by the knowledge of what his actions cost the heroine years ago. I enjoyed the storyline, and the book had great secondary characters as well.

Ten years ago Deke Bronson was a member of a bi-g A Time to Die is the first book in the Protectors series that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last. I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel by Beverly Barton at least as much as I did her Cherokee Pointe trilogy. This novel had a likeable, sensitive heroine, and a protective hero who was tortured by the knowledge of what his actions cost the heroine years ago. I enjoyed the storyline, and the book had great secondary characters as well.

Ten years ago Deke Bronson was a member of a bi-government task force sent to assassinate a dangerous dictator. The assassination takes place, but innocents are caught in the crossfire. When Deke realizes that he has most probably shot an American female reporter, he defies his orders, rescues her, and sees her to safety. Not able to escape his guilt, he keeps tabs on her without her knowledge for the next five years. When she recovers as much as possible and moves on with her life, Deke stops following her life, but can't get past the guilt. Deke has settled into life as a bodyguard/investigator for the Dundee Agency, and he is stunned when his newest assignment turns out to be Lexie Murrough, the reporter he inadvertently shot. Deke decides that this could be his chance to redeem himself, so he resolves to keep Lexie safe.

Lexie's life underwent dramatic change when she was shot ten years ago. After she recovered from partial paralysis, she began running a charitable organization mostly funded by a wealthy young woman. Lexie has vague memories of being rescued by a grey-eyed soldier, and she has yearned for him ever since. Lexie is shocked and dismayed when a bomb goes off in her office, and then is even more stunned to discover that the perpetrator is directing his violence at those close to her. He begins to call and send Lexie messages, letting her know that he harbors a deep hatred for her. As bodies pile up, and incidents continue to occur, it is all Deke can do to keep Lexie safe.

Deke and Lexie are strongly attracted to one another, but Deke refuses to act on their feelings. As Lexie's tender feelings toward Deke continue to grow, she is saddened that he doesn't seem to feel the same for her. Deke cares deeply for Lexie and feels that it would be the ultimate betrayal for the man who shot her to become her lover. Deke must not only keep Lexie safe and find the person who is after her, but he must also decide if he will take the risk of telling her that he was the man who shot her.

This was a very fast paced and interesting book. The story behind the antagonist was not one that is common in romantic suspense novels. I thought that the hero's devotion to the heroine was very touching, and I enjoyed reading about their deepening feelings for one another. I will be looking for more books in the Protectors series. ...more

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Mar 20, 2008 Wendy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2008

I always enjoy Beverly Barton's novels and this was no exception. I would give this 3 and 1/2 stars though. I liked the storyline, the romance was good and included at a great pace. The suspense did keep me guessing (just when I thought I figured it out, I would change my mind). However, I thought that with all of the deaths in Lexies life there should have been a bit more angst or feeling coming from her. Even though the book stated her feelings, I never really sensed them for myself. By the en ...more

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