Loving the Texas Lawman and Loving Her Texas Protector by Mary Connealy

I love Mary Connealy’s books. The action. The wit. When I saw she had a new series, though, I was a bit skeptical. I started reading Mary Connealy because I love historical fiction, and I wasn’t sure about a contemporary novel. However, I decided to give it a try simply because of Connealy.

Let me start off by saying that these novels do have some grammatical errors. But so do other novels. For me, it didn’t detract from the story itself. I could still follow the story even with the errors.

The Garrison’s Law series begins with Loving the Texas Lawman. This freshman installment features detective Ben Garrison, who is all man, and Trudy Jennings, a pop psychologist. Ben is required to take Trudy’s class to graduate with his degree, but he doesn’t buy Trudy’s “turn the other cheek” philosophy. Sure, it’s nice in a biblical sense, but when it comes to busting bad guys, it’s not the way to go. Trudy is idealistic and truly believes her philosophy could make the world a better place. Their ideals clash in the classroom, but when Trudy is assaulted, Ben jumps to her rescue. And continues rescuing her even when she isn’t sure it’s necessary.

There are a lot of funny moments, mostly when Ben intentionally pushes Trudy’s buttons. The two characters argue a lot over turning the other cheek, but both realize where their beliefs need improvement. I thought the idea was thought provoking: Does turning the other cheek mean letting people get away with doing what’s wrong?

I either missed the explanation as to why Ben went back to school or it was never explained, and I was curious why he decided to pursue a degree in the first place. That question didn’t keep me from enjoying his interaction with Trudy, though. I did enjoy how Connealy developed Ben’s backstory. Some authors let the hero complex go unchecked, but Connealy has Ben not only aware of it but determined not to let it drive his relationships.

I also enjoyed seeing Trudy grow from someone who lets others run all over her to a woman who stands up for her beliefs. She truly cares about other people and doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but she learns that sometimes ignoring the problem can hurt others, too.

Loving Her Texas Protector is better than its predecessor. Brett Garrison is a misfit in his family. A veteran and veterinarian, he is the only one in his family that isn’t in a law-related career. He feels like a bit of an outcast and rues his identity as a “nice guy.” When security specialist Jacie Moreau falls through a window into a pool, he saves her, beginning a hair-raising adventure as they become targets of a madman.

I loved Brett and Jacie’s banter. The wit kept me laughing even when they were in the midst of danger. And the action never stops. Just when I thought the characters would get a breather, something else happens. There were a lot of twists and turns, a Connealy trademark.

I also loved the surprises about Brett. I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s another side of Brett that comes out when Jacie’s in danger, challenging Jacie’s first impression that Brett is a beta male. I don’t think a man has to be domineering to be an alpha, and Brett proves that.

These books were classic Connealy: funny, action-packed, and completely satisfying.

Want a copy? Click the images to go to Amazon.

Want more Mary Connealy? Check out my reviews of The Accidental Guardian and The Unexpected Champion.