Review: Keeping Him Safe by Elizabeth Coldwell

Jon is the man of his dreams, but can he prevent those dreams becoming a nightmare?

Every night, Xander Craig has the same dream. He’s in the shower with a gorgeous stranger, who is shot by a mystery assassin and dies in Xander’s arms. Xander believes this dream is tied to his guilt over failing to prevent the death of his husband, Gary, but his latest assignment as a top-level bodyguard causes him to reassess that belief. He’s charged with looking after wealthy and successful entrepreneur, Jon Kovacs, who’s being stalked by an obsessive, dangerous ex-boyfriend. As soon as Xander sees Jon’s photo, he knows this is the man in his dream.

Xander escorts Jon to a remote safe house on the cliffs, as a police manhunt for Jon’s ex, Cody, takes place. He and Jon start to fall for each other. Xander knows he’s crossing a line, but he can’t help acting on that attraction. While he and Jon are sharing intimate moments, is Xander’s dream about to become violent reality?

This was quite enjoyable, a fairly predictable storyline and it had a few flaws but I did enjoy it.

Xander works for a private security company. Lately he's been have a recurring dream about being in the shower with a man right before the man gets shot. When he shows up to work one day and finds his new client, Jon, is the man from the dream he's a little weirded out but can't deny the instant attraction they have.

My first issue with this book is the dream. I don't think this is a spoiler but...absolutely nothing comes from the dream…. absolutely nothing. It's like the author forgot they mentioned it in the first chapter all together. It was frustrating and really weird.

Next is Jon and Xander's sudden attraction. Insta-lust/love is, I think, quite hard to do right. It has to be written in a way that shows, not tells and this was very much a 'telling’ attraction. I didn't feel the chemistry, I was told they had it.

I must give credit when credit is due and when these two finally get it on, they have fast and furious sex with a side of great dirty talk!

Although the story is predictable the whole ‘bodyguard falling for the victim’ trope was done pretty well and that is the main reason why I read this book after all. There is of course the enviable last climax (no pun) of the story which was ridiculously cliche, but I was in the mood for that so it worked for me.

If this story had been longer I would have struggled with enjoying it, but because it was relatively​ short, I think it was quite fun, despite a few issues.