BOOK REVIEW ~ SWORN TO PROTECT BY JO DAVIS

Title: Sworn To Protect (Sugarland Blue, Book One)

Author: Jo Davis

Release Date: May 7, 2013

Reviewer purchased own book for review

Sugarland loves their men in blue, especially Detective Shane Ford. But Shane’s mission to protect and to serve has just gotten personal…

Detective Shane Ford, Sugarland’s favorite cop, has been blindsided by the sudden death of his best friend, NFL star Brad Cooper, and becoming the legal guardian of Brad’s son, Drew—a bitter, angry sixteen-year-old with a dangerous secret. Shane is determined to pry the truth from Drew, but only manages to alienate him—and winds up going head to head with Juvenile Detective Daisy Callahan, whose job is to protect the teen’s best interests.

Shane has always been drawn to Daisy’s beauty and strength, but he’s determined not to allow their intense attraction to interfere with his duty ever again. It’s a vow that will prove difficult to keep, as the realities of Shane and Daisy’s blossoming love and their growing bond with the grieving teen propel Shane headlong into danger for the new family he’s sworn to protect.

Book Review

I was very happy when I saw that Jo Davis was writing a spin-off from her Firefighters of Station Five Series. I mean, **fanning self** I still can't get over how amazingly good these books were. I saved them in my library for re-reading in the future. 

So, the Sugarland Blue Series takes place in the same small town, but involve those on the police force. And book one is about Detective Shane Ford, who we've seen briefly from the Firefighters of Station Five Series.

Shane is a bit of a player, never really getting involved in any kind of relationship. But he can't help thinking back to the night he shared with Detective Daisy Callahan. He ended things badly and realizes that he may never get the chance to make amends with her, much less get a fresh start.

Daisy Callahan thought that what she and Shane shared that one night was different. But he turned out to be a jerk with a capitol J. She was better off counting her blessings and moving on. No matter how amazing that night. 

Now Shane and Daisy are thrown together when Shane is unexpectedly thrust into the role as legal guardian to his godson, Drew. 

Barely sixteen and overwhelmed in grief, Drew struggles to make some tough decisions in his life. Not to mention, he has been uprooted from his home and everything he has known when his father dies of a drug overdose. Rumors about his father using performance enhancing drugs intensify the already delicate situation and a murderer is running free with the intent to kill again to protect his guilt. 

Shane is feeling bowled over in the role as parent to Drew. They once shared a great relationship, but now things are strained as Shane goes from friend to 'Dad'. Daisy, who works with juveniles withing the police department, tries to soothe the strain and starts to see Shane in a different light. He is compassionate, loving, and devoted in his new role as a father. And the feelings she has had for him start to grow stronger the more time they spend together. 

But a killer grows impatient and waits in the shadows to rip this new family apart...permanently. 

As far as suspense goes, Sworn to Protect delivers a fast paced story. But the relationship between Daisy and Shane fell to the wayside, in my opinion. All the time working on what was going on with Drew took away from the growth and development between Daisy and Shane. Their romance felt like a third wheel. And it was not what I was expecting after such great reads from Davis in the past. I can understand how Shane and Daisy would grow closer as they continued to work together, but Shane's past mistake seemed to be forgiven rather quickly. I would have loved to seen more groveling, lol. As it was, their chemistry never felt real and the sexy times fell flat.