published: january 21, 2026
source: arc from author
rating:★★★★✩
from amazon:She never wanted a bodyguard. He never wanted a heart. Fate hands them both.
Evie Hathaway never expected to need a bodyguard. She is not famous or wealthy, only a quiet beekeeper in rural Washington. But her rare Rh null blood has made her the target of a dark web competition, and when she is attacked during a routine venom delivery, her world collapses. To her horror, the assault is witnessed by Dr Benjamin Frost, and he isn't willing to let her walk back into danger alone. Evie leaves the encounter with a reluctant doctor-turned-bodyguard, and the only thing more alarming than the threats around her is how infuriatingly attractive he is.
Dr Benjamin Frost does not babysit. The ex-military physician lives by precision, control and emotional distance. Yet Evie Hathaway dismantles every barrier he has built. Her stubborn independence, her lavender-sweet warmth and her ability to attract chaos as easily as she attracts bees pull him into a deadly chase he cannot ignore. Protecting her should be simple. Neutralise the threats. Wait for backup.
Instead, Frost finds himself living on her chaotic farm, guarding her day and night while fighting a growing desire that feels far more dangerous than any enemy. Keeping her alive is one thing. Protecting his own heart may be impossible.
my review:
first i want to say thank you to devon atwood and her team for letting me arc read for her again! tease me, doc was such a cute and easy read, and i really enjoyed it. i loved the storyline and all of the character interactions. having the main plot not fully centered around the romance actually made this book even better. i liked that it wasn’t overly lovey-dovey and had a semi-suspenseful aspect to it.
i really liked evie. she’s your typical stubborn, independent fmc, protective of the people she loves and willing to put herself in danger (literally) to save them. but what i appreciated most was that she had a past that shaped her into who she is. her actions made sense because they were rooted in her experiences.
frost tried to come off as this stone-cold, protective killer type, but deep down he was actually soft and mushy. she may have fallen into his arms, but he definitely fell first. i loved that he offered to be her temporary bodyguard and really didn’t trust anyone besides himself to keep evie safe.
tessa and nan absolutely made this book for me. they had me laughing nonstop. especially tessa, she went full force and truly did not care what anyone had to say back to her. her comebacks were quick, sharp, and hilarious, especially during her back-and-forth with frost. nan wasn’t as quick as tessa, but she was still witty and had me laughing the whole time.
overall, i really enjoyed this one. it was a cute, quick read that kept me entertained and constantly wanting to know what happens next. i also loved seeing cameos from characters in the other books and how all their worlds intertwine. i’ve read the first book in the series and now the fourth, you can definitely read these as standalones but if you want the full experience of how everyone’s stories connect, i’d recommend reading all of them. i know i’ll be going back to catch up on the ones i missed.
favorite quotes:
"big fan of whatever is wrong with you, kid."
"i couldn't breathe without you"
"i would asphyxiate if i had to deny my feelings for her any longer."
""in love," he repeated softly, gathering me against him and breathing me in. "hopelessly if you must know.""
