Texas Rescue

ARC for honest review with no compensation Texas Rescue is book 8 in the Lone Star Lovers series (Texas Heroes book 30). Another amazing end to a series within a series by Jean Brashear!! Jilly Sullivan has a big heart and is helping those less fortunate by building homes like Habit for Humanity but on one particular evening while going to check on one such home she is assaulted and if not for the shadow in the dark man it could have been a lot worse. She wants to find the man who saved her but not knowing who he is, where he came from or how to find him it won't be easy. When she encounters him again helping the young man who was part of why she was assaulted, she is determined to find out more about him because he sparks something deep inside her and learns his name is Gabriel. Gabriel Coronado is ex military who has healed from his wounds but not the PTSD. His struggles keep him from moving on with life after war and when he see Jilly being attacked on two different occasions his instincts are to help her at all cost to himself. He is determined to not get involved with her but she is constantly sticking her nose where it doesn't belong... Can Jilly show Gabriel that with her growing feeling for him she can help bring him out of the shadows into the light and have a life worth living and can he help her understand her feelings because of her attacks? Amazing, well written, gets you from the start and doesn't let go til the last word is read!! Wish I could give it more stars!!

I don’t miss any of Jean Brashear’s books but I’ve been waiting for Jilly’s story and it did not disappoint. I love Jilly’s determination and sunny personality. Enter Gabriel whose personality is the exact opposite due to his time in the service, the tragedy’s he’s seen and the physical and mental wounds he’s suffered. They meet as Jilly is building a home for a deserving family. She goes at night to check on the home and ends up being attacked. Gabriel is a runner and on his run he hears her cries of distress and rescues her. As soon as the police arrive he melts into the shadows. But it has begun. Gabriel finds Freddie, a boy of the streets and starts to mentor him a bit. He finds out Freddie was in on a robbery so he wants him to atone for his misdeed. They go to work on the home Jilly is readying for the family and he runs into Jilly again. There is a mutual attraction but Gabriel fights against it fearing he has no right to bring Jilly into his tortured world where he feels massive guilt. How their story progresses is compelling. There is love, sadness, and danger. Jilly has to fend off her overprotective family when she is injured. Again Gabriel to the rescue when she’s at her emotional bottom feeling terrorized and unable to recover. These two are so perfect for each other. There is always a warm hug in all of Jean’s stories. People you’d welcome into your lives happily. I can’t wait to read her next book.

Gabriel and Jilly seemed to have more than chemistry, it was a connection that seemed to be on a deeper level. Their characters were very well written. Gabriel's pain and distress seemed very raw, dark, and sometimes, all consuming. Just as Jilly's emotions from her encounter with Mako gave a very intense look into her feelings. There were some difficult situations taking place in this book, but it wasn't all darkness. They referred to Jilly as "Sunshine", and her spirit, determination, and persistence really did make the storyline lighter. I wish there had been more time spent with the romance between Gabriel and Jilly. There was more push and pull between the characters as Gabriel struggled with not being deserving. It was also great to see his walls coming down as he worked to help Freddie. I am happy there was an epilogue. The pace of this book was steady. It was often intense, emotional, and frustrating. You do get your HEA, so no worries. I would recommend it. It would have been five stars had there been more of Gabriel and Jilly after they decided they could be together. I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy.