High Stakes (High Mountain Trackers Book 2)

Some authors write series that are the same story over and over with new characters and slight modifications, and those books can be good. Readers love some of their authors' work so much that they expect these books. There are even some authors I follow for that reason. Freya Barker is not one of them. She's so much better!Her latest book exemplifies her talent in writing stories within a series, but so individual that you can read it as a standalone. She connects characters and settings without the tedious repetition of dragging every preceding novel into the latest."High Stakes" centers around High Meadow Ranch where the men operate a horse breeding program in tandem with a much sought-after Montana mountain rescue service. This book follows Nella (Antonella) Freling looking for the man recommended to help find her sister, Pippa. Unable to reach him by leaving phone messages, she tracks him down at the ranch and discovers he's the rude man she encountered at the grocery store.Fletch (Fletcher) Boone ignores the messages; between the dual jobs of horse breeding and search and rescue, he's hunting a bighorn ram with a hard-to-get hunting tag with a fast-approaching expiration date. When Nella arrives at the ranch, he recognizes her from the store but doesn't realize she's the woman trying to reach him by phone. After greeting her with "What the hell are you doing here?", the meeting is cut short when Nella refuses to work with him and leaves. After she leaves, tears shining in her eyes, Fletch finally learns she wanted a tracker and starts asking questions.Fletch follows Nella as she starts her amateur (however effective) searching and bails her out of the first of many situations falling for the feisty librarian along the journey. Their time together uncovering thefts and assaults includes a dangerous thunderstorm, a mountain rescue, thefts, assaults, and dodging bullets all leading up to a surprise unveiling of the unlikely criminals.Freya's strong, mature characters blend with heat, humor, and action making novels comparable to episodes of NCIS or CSI (also led by mature, silver foxes). And this particular series? A ranch filled with sexy cowboys? Nella pointed out one of the attractions with the thought "...the showstopper had to be the chaps encasing the legs of his threadbare jeans. It wasn't so much what they covered, but rather how they framed what was left uncovered that got my full attention."I've already pre-ordered the next two books because what's not to love about Freya Barker?

I loved this story I couldn't put it down I loved the characters they just fit together so perfectly.

Nella has a problem. Her sister, Pippa is missing, and no one seems interested in helping Nella find her. Going on a recommendation of a friend, she takes a leave of absence from her job. She heads from Canada to Montana to get the help of the High Mountain Trackers. After calling multiple times, she takes the bull by the horns and drives to the office of the Trackers. Fletch wants her to sit and wait for them to find Pippa. She's determined to go with them. Needless to say, they clash constantly. In spite of their many differences, they developed feelings for one another. They're both prickly and head strong.When Nella's actions put her in very real danger, can Fletch and his team get to her in time? Will Fletch and Nella get the HEA they deserve? Sorry, no spoilers. Get this book ASAP. You won't regret it

With each new book I am falling more in love with this new Series, the mountains of Montana and it's High mountain trackers. Ms Barker pushes you into the depths of the mountains with this read. Pack your survival bag and strap on the hikers.While Nella is on a mission to find her sister that has gone missing she unexpectedly finds her true self. The one that doesn't follow the rules and put herself in a little box because that is what is expected of her. She has spent to many years holding the good job, keeping roots to help her sister. The more she pushes herself to what is needed to find Pippa and be strong for her. The more she likes this new woman she is uncovering.Fletch has been happy in this new life working with ex-ops team, tracking and running the ranch. He has the opportunity to time on his own when needed but still feel the family of the team. When he keeps finding himself keeping Nella from hurting herself while looking for her sister, she wakes something long lost in him. Forcing him to deal with his past and his feeling. Not something every ex-ops guy likes to do.Will they find Pippa alive and get these sisters back together? Could this new beginning for Nella be a new beginning for Fletch too?I can not wait from more from this series. I am loving the characters, the scenery and the adventures that Ms Barker is taking us on.

Freya Barker has shown us to be an aficionado when it comes to grumpy, growly, sexy, silver foxes. Her stories contain strong women who can hold their own against these take charge hidden teddy bears.In High Stakes, Nella is a prim and proper quiet librarian type with a very exuberant sister, Pippa, who has disappeared into the wilderness of Montana while road tripping the countryside.Nella must find her sister! She is all she has left in this world. Nella packs up her minivan, takes a "vacation" from her job and heads for Montana to search.She is referred to High Mountain Trackers, and in particular, Fletch Boone, when the authorities don't seem to be taking her pleas seriously. When he brushes her off, she takes matters in her own hands and ends up opening a whole new can of worms.Fletch is not prepared for the likes of Nella. He brushes her off the first couple times he sees her but when he finds her hanging off a cliff it's time to lend a hand and find her sister.Fletch and Nella stumble onto something greater and scarier than just a missing persons case and are drawn into the mystery that includes theft, abduction and quite possibly murder!If you are looking for angst, mystery, as well as a bit of steam, you have found it along with the bonus of it including a sultry mature and moody man.

Two sleepless nights as I jumped right into High Stakes right after High Meadow! Nella and Flech are both stubborn, independent and closed off characters. I love the way Freya Barker combines angst, humour, suspense and heat in her style…let’s just say I love her style period. I’m going to need rehab waiting for the next two books in this amazing new series by the Queen of mature, realistic characters!

Now, I have to admit that I honestly wanted to throttle Nella more than a dozen times or so throughout High Stakes. I liked her tenacity, her determination and belief that she’d find her sister but the gods, even though she obviously cared about others, the woman had no sense of self preservation for most of the story.. even when circumstances suggested she rethink her line of thinking!!! She was so bloody stubborn, so in that way, amongst others, she was very similar to Fletch.Fletcher was definitely the loner of this band of brothers. Yeah he worked with the guys and spent some time with them but for the most part he preferred his own company. His initial meetings with Nella totally showed the surly, ass of a man he could be but as we followed their story we discovered the layers he had and that there was more to him than he liked people to see.The story was suspenseful, quick paced and kept me interested and guessing for a good part of the book. As you’d expect with Ms Barker the characters are a bit older - which I love - have lived live to varying degrees and have their own demons that dictate how they live their lives.There was a potential couple in the making and another that I cannot wait to read about.I’m excited about the next book in the series and looking forward to getting to find out more about the rest of the High Moutain Trackers. A solid 4.5* read.1 like

Wow, Freya Barker! You’ve done it again- book 1 of this series was amazing and i honestly was worried if book 2 could live up to it. I needn’t worry with this author as she continues to amaze me with her writing and the spectacular ideas she seems to constantly have. I haven’t seen a series like this anywhere and i think thats part of what makes it so unique and pulls you in from start to finish. Fletch was a great hero- whilst he was grump it just made him all the more endearing when you see how he is with Nella and how strong their connection is from even just the start of meeting one another it’s palpable- it flies off the pages. Fletch had a rough go of well life, he was flawed in the best ways possible. He was loyal, tough and quite frankly a loveable grump. Nella was a great heroine, she was fierce, independent and believed in things because she knew people and knew they wouldn’t give up no matter what just like she doesn’t. She went through so much in this book but she never gave up on Pippa or Fletch. Fletch and Nella’s love story was beautifully written, with hot scenes and even more amazing action. Seeing my favourite characters Alex and Jonas from book 1 and my other favourite secondary characters was amazing and Nella and Pippa both fit in seamlessly with everyone. I can’t wait to read book 3 of this unique and amazing series and read the rest of Freya Barker’s books. I recommend reading this series!

This is the second book in a series of connected standalone books. The people involved are connected by working together so their shared history carries between the books, but each book has a unique and contained storyline. This means there is no cliffhanger.Nella is a research librarian and has been for nearly 20 years, working in the same job in a small town in Canada. She has always tried to safe and considers her actions before she jumps into anything. After the loss of her parents when she was 25 she’s been the mature, responsible anchor for her wild and impulsive younger sister. Her sister is now missing in Montana and she has headed there to try and make the police listen to her and to contact a friend of a friend who is a tracker.Fletch is a tracker and a ranch hand. He’s ex-Special Forces and was brought to the ranch by his old unit leader who owns it. His boss also set up High Mountain Trackers to take advantage of their team’s unique skill set of Combat Trackers. When people go missing either through getting lost in the mountains or for more nefarious reasons then his team is the one on speed dial. When a strange woman keeps trying to contact him, Fletch being the anti-social man that he is, brushes her off, not realising that she is trying to find her sister. When he caves in agrees to help it’s too late because stubborn Nella has already got herself into trouble.I have mixed feelings about his book. I love Freya Barker’s work. She writes realistic mature relationships where the sex is hot but not necessarily acrobatic. She understands and conveys the realities of coming into relationships in your 40s and 50s, where both parties have histories and hang ups to navigate. The problem I have with the particular book is that Nella goes in the really annoying category of being so arrogant that she can’t listen to advice that would keep her safe because she HAS to do something and doesn’t trust that anyone else will do it if she doesn’t. To be fair there are indications that she isn’t being taken seriously but she doesn’t take advice particularly well either.What I do like about this book is how grumpy and solitary Fletch becomes sweet and protective. The change in his personality if subtle and done over time in a way that makes you believe that the sweet was always there just hidden away underneath his pain.So whilst there are moments when I want to shout at Nella, I still enjoyed the book and spending time with the High Mountain Trackers family.

So good on every level. Suspense and romance spot on.