Review: PROTECTING THE TEXAS WITNESS by Virginia Vaughan

About the Book

Deputy Drake Shaw rescues single mom Isabelle Morris from an assailant’s attack, only to be mistaken for her late husband. After exposing the corruption at her health-care company, Isabelle fears danger has followed her and her daughter all the way to their remote cabin. Now Drake must keep them safe long enough for Isabelle to testify against her former boss. But when her child is taken, the stakes are raised. Can they survive to unravel the truth about the present…and the past?

ISBN-13:9781335957252 Publisher:Harlequin Publication date:08/26/2025 Series:Lone Star Defenders , #3 Pages:208

My Thoughts

Isabelle Morris had no idea that doing the right thing for all of the right reasons would put her and her teen daughter in the crosshairs of a ruthless foe. She had made the choice to be a whistleblower against her former boss, exposing his corruption and causing many friends to lose their jobs. Once the decision was made, Isabelle couldn’t go back and undo it, so she decided to take Kelsey to her late husband’s cabin, just to get away from the people who hated them and had started threatening Kelsey. Once there, Isabelle finds that the danger has followed her and Deputy Drake Shaw is determined to keep her safe. The main plot dovetails well with the secondary plot, the fact that Drake reminds Isabelle of her deceased husband Raylan, so it is easier for her to trust him to safeguard her and Kelsey. The plot was just complicated enough to keep me engaged throughout the story and was expertly crafted to keep drawing me into the lives of the realistically portrayed characters. With nail-biting suspense and unexpected danger continually cropping up, this fast-paced book kept me hooked and entertained all the way to the satisfying conclusion. This was a story with great heart and depth along with an underlying foundation of faith that were remarkably well crafted together. The story balanced the suspense and romance well and ended up being a cleverly written page turner with some skillful misdirection that kept me guessing. This was a captivating and multi-layered book with good chemistry between the characters and a delightful conclusion.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary advanced copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Virginia Vaughan is a former investigator for the State of Mississippi who left a promising career to pursue her dream of being a writer. Blessed to come from a large, Southern family, her fondest memories include hearing stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself, delving into the genre of romantic suspense, armed with her passion for writing and the knowledge gained from her criminal justice background.