Heartbreaker - Julie Garwood

Book Blurb:
In the still shadows of the confessional, the penitent kneels and makes a bone-chilling disclosure: Bless me father, for I will sin....Slowly, tauntingly, the man describes his murderous past—how he stalked his victim, worked his way into her life, and then took that life in a violent rage—and his plan to kill again. Only this time, he has raised the stakes in his twisted game, daring authorities to catch him if they can. This time, he has revealed the name of his next intended victim. I'm a heartbreaker. And I do so love a challenge....

Agent Nick Buchanan has come face-to-face with society's worst monsters and depraved minds in his work for one of the FBI's most elite units. He's about to take a much needed vacation from his high-stress job when he's called on to stop the killer who has mockingly confessed to the deadly crime he's going to commit. Nick can't refuse—for this time the threat has hit close to home. The intended victim is his best friend's sister. Soon he is caught up in an intricate chase with one of the most devious psychopaths of his career—in a case that suddenly, unexpectedly, pulls him in like no other.

Laurant Madden found a home and a sense of security when she moved into the small Iowa town of Holy Oaks—but her contented life is shaken to the core as a cagey predator closes in on her. Her brother, Tom, insists that she turn to the only man he trusts to help her: Nick Buchanan. As an electrifying attraction grows between Laurant and Nick, so does the danger—and one false move will cost both of them eveything that matters.

In My Own Words:
While giving his last confessional of the day, Father Tom meets his worst fears.  Someone that has decided they want to kill his sister, Laurant.  The one and only person he can trust to keep her safe is his best friend, who happens to be on an elite task force of the FBI, Nick Buchanan.  Nick and Tommy have been friends since early childhood, but because of parents sharing responsibilities then each of them passing when the children were young, they never met.  Now that she has finally met him, she isn't sure she wants to let him go.  Nick makes it is mission to keep not only Tommy but also Laurant safe from this unknown psycho.

Laurent decides the best way to draw out the crazy person looking to kill her, is to pretend she and Nick are an item.  So going back to her little hometown and pretending all is normal, plus flashing her new engagement ring and Nick's brilliant smile just for good measure, should make the obsessed person red with anger.  As the danger gets near, the passion rises and Laurent lets Nick in on her own private secret.  While Nick is trying to battle the unknown force that is trying to kill the people he loves, he is also trying to come to grips with what he feels.  He also knows, there is no way a relationship can work and isn't willing to give it any thought, conscience thought that is.

Notable Quote:
"You wear your skirts to long"
"I do not"
"Okay, then you wear your legs to long."

Review:
This was my first Garwood book, but it will not be my last.  The first part of this book was pretty slow to me, a lot of back story was given, and in my opinion it would have been better to scatter it around the book, which was done, so it was some redundancy.  That being said, once I got to the dialogue, it was great.  Laurent and Nick were witty and she gave as much as she got.  She was strong but not in the alpha sense.  I loved reading the struggle Nick was having when it came to matters of the heart.  The secondary characters were great, I fell in love with her nosey neighbors almost immediately.  I was almost certain there were more than one bad guys from the beginning, but then I second guessed myself and I kept guessing until it was all revealed.  I loved being kept on my toes.  The bad guy was one that could give you nightmares because it is something that could actually happen.  Can't wait for the next in the Buchanan series, Mercy, starring Theo, who we met briefly in Heartbreaker.