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GHOST #3

Defending Roxanne

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Secrets and lies have become deadly.

While investigating the murder of her parents, Roxanne Bowman encounters more than she ever thought she would. The secrets that both of her parents kept knock her off kilter. Finding an intruder in their home afterwards changes her life forever.

GHOST operative, Hawk Delany is back in the swing of things after being shot while working a case. Sent to Washington D.C. to investigate the murder of a foreign dignitary, and an American couple with ties to deadly secrets, places him in a precarious position, between the fight to help solve the murders and to keep his heart from theft by the lovely Roxanne.

Don't miss this exciting, fast-paced story from PJ Fiala and the second installment of GHOST.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2019

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About the author

P.J. Fiala

54 books784 followers
I was born in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri named Bridgeton. During my time in Missouri, I explored the Ozarks, swam in the Mississippi River, played kickball and endless games of hide and seek with the neighborhood kids. Spending summers in Kentucky with my Grandmother, Ruth, are the fondest childhood memories for me.

At the age of thirteen, my family moved to Wisconsin to learn to farm. Yes, learn to farm! That was interesting. Taking city kids and throwing them on a farm with twenty-eight cows purchased from the Humane Society because they had been abused, was interesting. I learned to milk cows, the ins and outs of a breeding schedule, feeding schedule and the never ending haying in the summer and trying to stay warm in the winter. Our first winter in Wisconsin, we had thirty-six inches of snow in one storm and were snowed in our house for three days! Needless to say, I wasn’t loving Wisconsin.

I am now married with four children and three grandchildren. I have learned to love Wisconsin, though I still hate snow. Wisconsin and the United States are beautiful and my husband and I travel around by motorcycle seeing new sites and meeting new people. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are interested in where we are going and what we have seen along the way. At every gas station, restaurant and hotel, we have people come up to us and ask us about what we are doing and offering advice on which roads in the area are better than others and great rides others have been on if we are interested.

I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother and two of my sons and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud. Proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.

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5 stars
259 (63%)
4 stars
117 (28%)
3 stars
29 (7%)
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3 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
Profile Image for QuinnReads.
3,163 reviews152 followers
August 19, 2022
Luna Gets Her Tiger

There is plenty of intrigue inside this book and I really, really liked it. I was a little fearful for a moment about what was going to happen with the solving of Roxanne's parents' murder. Thankfully, Patti did not disappoint.

I love the little things in here like the go-bag that hasn't been refreshed since the 90's. Or the Twitter report. It adds a little bit of color to a story that is sad at the start.

I love how Roxanne keeps Hawk on his toes all of the time. She doesn't roll over and take anything, unless she wants to. As with other books I've read from this author, Roxanne is a very strong woman who wants to be apprised of what's going on regularly. And with plenty of action, there's little downtime.

I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrators continue to be Troy Duran and Rose Dioro. I do like both narrators, but I do wish that they were changed up every now and then. Even better would be duet narration, but I won't harp on that. 😉

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.3x
Profile Image for Joelle.
1,603 reviews17 followers
October 27, 2019
This was another great read in this ongoing series.I love a story that has strong female characters and this story had just that.Roxanne has grown up in a military household and her father and brothers made sure she was able to protect herself so its not surprising that she takes it upon herself to solve the murders of her parents and a foreign military dignitary in their mitts.

I loved Roxanne from the onset of the story as she was a strong character also smart and clever as well as sassy and a women who grew up in a home with tons of love.

Hawk Delaney was a character who is all about getting the job done and a man who is definitely haunted with his past after 10 years of guarding his heart one slip of a girl has shaken the man to his core.

I loved the story from beginning to end and everything in between and I have to say I think Roxanne rocked throughout the whole story with her working with the team of GHOST members she was finally getting the answers she had been wanting and was a big part of solving her own mystery and we just loved that.The story drew you in right from the very beginning as it was action packed and intriguing to the very end .One thing we also loved is that the story has a really great cast of characters that make you laugh and they all have a wicked sense of humor and even the slightly broken ones start healing when they meet the one meant for them.

We can't wait to see what happens next !
Profile Image for Tessa -Poised Pen Productions.
124 reviews12 followers
October 21, 2019
Roxanne Bowman returns home to investigate the murder of both of her parents.

Shortly after her arrival, her parents’ home is invaded, and she finds herself at the mercy of the intruders. But they are not who they seem.

A case of mistaken identity has Hawk Delany and the G.H.O.S.T. team believing that Roxanne is the one intruding. They’ve been hired by an outside source to investigate not only her parent’s deaths, but also the death of a high-level foreign dignitary. Are these deaths connected?

Even though sparks fly immediately between Hawk and Roxanne, because of a past tragedy, Hawk is determined to keep his distance.

Will he be able to guard his heart while keeping Roxanne safe from a deadly enemy?

I was captivated by this story from the very beginning and it only gets better from there. The chemistry between Hawk and Roxanne is off the charts. With sizzling scenes, SEXY take-no-crap heroines, and HOT alpha heroes, throw in a few unexpected surprises along the way, makes this is a MUST read for all Romantic Suspense fans. I’ve read all of this authors books and this one is the best of the best. I highly recommended it!
October 28, 2019
Loving this series! After reading the first book in this series, I was interested to read the next installment and was not disappointed! After the murder of her parents, Roxanne devotes herself to finding out who did it, and in the process meets Hawk and the rest of the GHOST team as they break into her childhood home. They decide to join forces and together determine who it was who killed her parents as well as the reasoning behind it. But throughout the investigation, Hawk and Roxanne start to develop feelings and eventually act on those feelings, even though they know that the relationship will never go anywhere because of Hawk’s unwillingness to make any accommodations, as well as Roxanne. As they work through Hawk’s past involving relationships and wrap up the investigation, they find out that they were wrong all along and it becomes a rush to save Roxanne from the true killer. Overall, I really enjoyed this storyline especially the dynamic between Roxanne and Hawk. I can’t wait to see who’s next!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
3,037 reviews27 followers
October 17, 2019
We are back with the GHOST operatives. This time, in the middle of the night, they are in the house of a couple that was recently murdered and trying to find answers to their death. Little do they know that their daughter, Roxanne, is there . After a struggle between GHOST and Roxanne, they both realize that their goal is the same, find out what really happened.
As the plot thickens , Hawk Delaney, the lead in his mission, and Roxanne, a lawyer and a very self-sufficient woman, feel the pull between them. But Hawk’s heart has been locked down since the death of his wife, a death he feels responsible.
This is an action packed story, with strong , imperfect characters , full of suspense, as well as romance, hope and the possibility of new beginnings.
Can’t wait to see whose story will be next.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Profile Image for Island Girl Romance Reads.
508 reviews54 followers
October 22, 2019
Love this series and The men of GHOST very much.
Roxanne Bowman parents were recently murdered and she wants answers of who killed them. Not getting anything from the local law enforcements, she investigating herself.
GHOST operative Hawk Delaney is send on a mission to investigate the murder of a foreign dignitary and an American couple.
Love Roxanne. She’s a strong and courageous heroine that knows what she wants.
Hawk is one hot Alpha but he’s sworn of relationships because of a heartbreak loss in the past.
Love the storyline and the suspense in this book. I couldn’t put the book down.
Love that we get all the other amazing characters we love.
Can’t wait to read Yvette and Wyatt’s book next.

My Rating: 5 STARS!!
Profile Image for Sue.
3,541 reviews5 followers
October 13, 2019
Excellent job writting this book and loved hearing from other charactors from her books. Hawk lost his wife Sarah in a shoot out and Roxanne lost her parents the same way mostly. She's determined to find out who killed her parents when she was surprised someone was in her parent house while she was there. Hawk and some of his team were the ones in the house. They were there on special assignment to find out what happened as well. There is a lot of action, secrets, danger and steam. Excellent story. HEA.
Profile Image for Annette Reavis.
313 reviews4 followers
October 18, 2019
Every book I read by PJ Fiala's gets better and better. One of my favorite parts of her storytelling is how she includes all her characters from other books. She writes her characters so strong and although she concentrates on the main couple there is so much more by including past characters in this story. I loved both Roxanne and Hawk – both dealing with how to come to terms with their loss. This is an action-packed story, with strong yet imperfect characters, full of suspense, as well as romance, hope and the possibility of new beginnings. I am so excited to see whose story will be next!
1,708 reviews4 followers
May 29, 2023
Roxanne wants the answers on who killed her parents. Hawk is ready for a case after healing from the last case.
Wyatt and Hawk find Roxanne in the house when they go in to look for clues. Roxanne tries to run from them but soon realizes she will get the answers better with their help.
Hawk and Roxanne are attracted to each other even if this isn't the best time. Can they have a relationship and still get the answers?
Profile Image for Annemieke Westerbeek.
782 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2019
This is a super suspenseful book full of hot men and strong women.
I love the characters and the setting, the details, the bickering and the bantering. I could not put it down and I held my breath a few times.
This book is full of action, plotting, it is easy to read and it is funny at times I enjoyed it very much. I recommend highly this book. Go grab your copy.
Profile Image for Chris.
1,703 reviews21 followers
October 21, 2019
This sucked me in right from the beginning. I really enjoyed jumping into this world again with the GHOST team. Both the characters and the story itself were excellent and kept me constantly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I loved what a spitfire Roxanne was and how she and Hawk just fit.
Profile Image for Belinda.
1,015 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2019
Lots of high paced action in the book. Roxanne is trying to find out who killed her parents. Hawk is trying to find out who killed his wife. Lots of action that keeps you turbo g the page to see what happens next. A guaranteed happily ever after. A must read!
Profile Image for NanaX8.
1,945 reviews57 followers
October 14, 2019
Hawt chemistry🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥, page turning mystery and murder...Can Hawk solve this case and protect Roxanne without putting his emotions on the line or will he lose her 😬 and his heart 😲...what an awesome read 😍😍😍😍!!!
Profile Image for Chanel.
1,833 reviews
October 31, 2019
The suspense part of this book never grabbed my attention. I just was not into the steps taken to solve the murders. Though, I was hooked on Hawk and Roxanne’s relationship. The whole GHOST team are an interesting bunch and I enjoyed learning more about them.
Profile Image for Patty.
4,359 reviews39 followers
November 19, 2022
Defending Roxanne
Ghost, Book 3
By: PJ Fiala
Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Troy Duran

There is something about the writing style of PJ Fiala that keeps me coming back for more. Roxanne's story is the third in her GHOST series and it's fantastic. The perfect mix of romance and suspense that warms the heart and kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire listen. Roxanne is in her childhood home, looking for something that may lead to the people who killed her parents. Little did she know what would be there waiting for her. When Hawk sees her, there is an instant pull. But he has baggage that just won't let his heart take hold of the love she has. Will GHOST figure out who committed the murder? Will Hawk finally let his guard down and see what is in front of him? Thrills from the first chapter, Fiala keeps us moving, guessing and wondering about this mission. Hawk is quite the man. He is protective and even in these conditions, romantic! Roxanne is intuitive, curious and never lets go of her end game. I love these two, the chance to hang out with the team and the plot of this book! Pure entertainment.

Troy Duran and Rose Dioro keep bringing the best narrations for this series. I love how these two understand their characters and find the nuances to make them individuals. Duran creates Hawk with his secrets, yet we see straight into his heart. Roxanne is stubborn, fierce and passionate, each brought out with Dioro's inflections. I loved this listen and can't wait for more.
Profile Image for Avidchic reader.
532 reviews
March 26, 2023
if I had to choose so far I'd say Sophie and Gaige are still holding trumps in my books.
I liked this story there were a lot of intricate details to flesh out and I was right there with them.
I loved being introduced to the rest of the team and am looking forward to surly Wyatt.
There were some drawbacks for me. I figured out the missing piece immediately so I kept waiting for the group to catch up, however, I should have known better and that the author would sneak in a twist. and the other is that I didn't feel the emotional connection between H and h. the hot scenes were milder and all their unspoken feelings for each other would have, in my opinion, given me more pull toward their emotion and feelings.
The h was likeable and proved to be way more clever than I thought. I enjoyed the slow build between H and h and unlike Gaige I wanted to slap hawk upside the head. it's always fun when the h knows what they want more than the H.
although there wasn't a lot of action in this story the plotline kept me listening as the mystery and emotion were there to solve/feel. I have to say though, p j fiala must like a certain description trope as she's described it in 2 books now.
it was an awesome book though.
the narrators Troy and Rose were awesome they are 1 click wonders
Profile Image for Mandy.
3,624 reviews35 followers
April 26, 2022
Whilst alone in her family home and investigating her parents' murder, Roxanne Bowman finds more than she expected quickly followed by coming face to face with an intruder in her home who will change her life forever. After being shot while working a case GHOST operative Hawk Delany is sent to Washington DC to investigate the murder of a foreign dignitary and an American couple with ties to deadly secrets places him in a precarious position stuck between the fight to help solve the murders and to keep his heart from being lost to the lovely Roxanne.

I really enjoyed this story which was a good murder mystery with an international diplomacy element mixed into some really technical areas that the reader will find surprising. The air between Hawk and Roxanne was certainly sizzling and it was just a case of accepting what was happening and being grateful for the gift that fate was giving them. I loved the synergy between the GHOST team members and the way that they worked together. I was thrilled when it all came good as they both deserved happiness. Clear and easy to read. Contains some content that is only suited to mature readers.
Profile Image for Karyn.
234 reviews
July 28, 2021
Good story

Great twists and turns

Roxanne is reeling from the death of both her parents when one night she disturbs intruders in her home. Thankfully the “intruders” are part of a covert government team looking to solve the murders. As Roxannes dad was a prominent political figure there’s pressure to solve the case. Hawk, takes lead on the case and is rattled when he feels himself feeling a lot more for Roxanne than he wants to.
Delving further into the mystery it’s seems that it’s bigger than any of them anticipated. Just as hawk is coming to grips with his feelings, Roxanne is put in the firing line.

This story had a very Da Vinci Code feel to it with the codes and messages. It took a few twists and turns but enjoyed it. I loved Roxannes relationship with Jax.
I really felt for hawk and his hesitation due to past experiences. But was so glad he pulled his head out his backside.
Profile Image for J.
2,974 reviews12 followers
May 19, 2023
Book 3 in Fiala's GHOST series. A great addition to this thrilling series. Well written and narrated suspenseful romance. I love our main characters Roxanne and Hawk. Roxanne's parents have been murdered and she's on a mission to find some answers. Hawk is sent on a mission to investigate the murder. Roxanne is an amazing and strong character; Hawk is total alpha but has no interest in a relationship due to past hurts - but the attraction is too much to deny, and this love story is a great one at the back drop to the suspense of this murder mystery. Great balance of thrills (danger, action and twists) and steam. Can't wait to see what's next in this series with Yvette and Wyatt’s story.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this book.
Profile Image for Linda Thompson .
401 reviews10 followers
January 9, 2024
Excellent and captivating thriller

Roxanne and Hawks not what you'd call the perfect couple at first glance, but the more you read the more you see they were meant to be together. The team has been tasked with finding out why her parents were killed. She has come back to her childhood mansion to settle their estate, figure out why it happened and decide what to do with the house. When the team sneaks into the house believing it's empty, they are taken by surprise by her. This story is complicated, moves fast, and of course our two main characters fall for each other. There are a lot of surprises in this story and it will keep you on your toes attempting this keep up. I love this series, although I am very disappointed in the lack of careful editing. Bad punctuation missing and misspelled words -just a lot of little things that I'd never expect from PJ.
Profile Image for April Brown.
139 reviews3 followers
June 28, 2021
P J Fiala's books always leaving wanting more. You feel like you are visiting friends when you read one of her GHOST series.

Roxanne Bowman's diplomat father and mother are murdered along with a Middle Eastern Prime Minister and she wants to to know why and who. has been asked by a third party to find out what they can about the murder. She runs into them searching for info in her childhood home in DC.
Hawk Delaney and his team are as suspicious of Roxanne as she is them but they begin to work together to piece together what happened.

Hawk and Roxanne are instantly attracted to each other but Hawk lost his wife to a tragedy and he does not want to risk getting involved again.

This a outstanding romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Profile Image for Dana zamora.
762 reviews7 followers
March 27, 2021
Second chance at love

Roxanne and Hawk meet when GHOST team breaks into her parents home looking for information, electricity sparks between them, working together to find out why her parents were murdered, hot steamy sexual chemistry is evident to everyone, but Hawk doesn't want to go down that road again, they see each other again for the wedding and the electricity is still there, after Roxanne gets shot and Hawk ends the killers life he finally figured out he can't live without her and truly loves her, quicky marriage and life begins, thrilling story, thank you, Dana Zamora
Profile Image for Gazelle.
398 reviews4 followers
November 13, 2022
If you love strong heroines that are not willing to just be spectators in the action then you’ll enjoy this story. Roxanne’s parents died in an accident but she doesn’t think the officials are taking it seriously and she wants to investigate it herself. Hawk Delany is sent to investigate these suspected murders but he didn’t expect to find Roxanne. Hawke really didn’t plan on what happens after they meet. This is a great HEA with suspense. I am enjoying learning more about the GHOST team, the secondary characters are great and had me laughing at the realistic banter! I love how smoothly the narration flows and I hate having to stop listening to "adult"!
1,842 reviews24 followers
June 9, 2022
Roxanne returns home to investigate the murder of both of her parents. While staying at her parents' home, she finds herself facing intruders.



Having been hired to investigate Roxanne's and a high level dignitary ,Hawk and the G.H.O.S.T. team, find themselves in Roxanne's house believing that Roxanne is the one intruding.

Even though sparks fly immediately between Hawk and Roxanne, because of a past tragedy, Hawk is determined to keep his distance.

The chemistry between Hawk and Roxanne is off the charts.
1,021 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2020
This series is a home run! A suspenseful Special operations mystery with heart & Soul!

Yep he can't get much better then this series. Suspenseful & action packed Special Operations. Hawk is leading the team to determined who killed 3people. He on the case & stumbles upon a threat in the house - Roxanne more of a threat to his heart then to the case. V2, S2 more book reviews @ my2centsbooklover Thank you! Check out so more great recommendations!
1,159 reviews4 followers
June 28, 2022
This is a romantic, suspense story by PJ Fiala kept me captivated throughout.
Hawk and Roxanne are hot together. Both are working separately on finding out about her parents killers.
this thrilling with drama is action packed, with suspense, sex.and twists I didnt see coming
Rose Dioro and Troy Duran narration was very good and brought the characters personality to life.
Thank you Story Origin for the opportunity to review this audio.
Profile Image for Jocelyne.
4,157 reviews17 followers
June 29, 2022
This is the third book in the GHOST series, a Romantic Susupense. I love this series. Hawk and Roxanne's story is entertaining, action packed, and suspenseful. Their relationship is passionate. The plot is intriguing. The supporting characters are great. This is a great addition to the series. Troy Duran and Rose Dioro did a fantastic job with the narration. I enjoyed it. Looking forward for more in the series.
Profile Image for Inishowen Cailín.
814 reviews42 followers
July 4, 2022
A quick read with a good amount of suspense and a big dose of romance. The mystery surrounding the murder of Roxanne's parents made a good storyline however I was surprised at how slow she was in joining the dots regarding her cousin Raymond. There was a nice amount of humour and banter between all the characters and I laughed when Roxanne had to wear her teenage clothes from her go-bag.
Overall, an entertaining read that I enjoyed in one sitting.
Profile Image for Pamela Fleming.
146 reviews3 followers
March 19, 2023
Roxanne and Hawk
When you get accused of breaking and entering into your own house, in your pj’s and slipper socks��� lol.
Ghost operatives just have a way of showing up unannounced. Hawk and Wyatt have been sent to investigate the murders of 3 people and they find Roxanne. This have has international intrigue, violence, camaraderie, chemistry and feistiness. Another great addition to the series. Narration is on point! I highly recommend this book and series. Sisters Spotlight 💕
863 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2023
I’ve listened to a couple Ghost stories (both earlier and later), but this one stands entirely alone from either of the ones I’ve listened to before. I thought the story was interesting and well written,

Troy Duran and Rose Dioro are amazing voice actors. I love how they perform the story rather than just read the words.

I received a copy of the audiobook at my request, and the opinions here are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews

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