You know when you get a stack of books for Christmas and save the best until last? If you enjoy Shirlee McCoy and stories filled with suspense, romantic tension and nail- biting danger, HER CHRISTMAS GUARDIAN might fit that bill. Scout Cramer is a young mother of a small child, Lucy, and when Boone Anderson spots her one night in a big store on the edge of town in Maryland, Scout is clearly in trouble. She's being followed - maybe chased - by men with guns. Not good.

Why doesn't Scout ask for help, when Boone is clearly ready to listen? All she can think of is escape. Boone, a former army ranger, watches and since he is part of a hostage rescue team, he alerts friends to the possibility of trouble. By the time he catches up with Scout however, the unthinkable has happened and she's been injured, her baby stolen.

Boone has a private reason for wanting to help find the missing. His wife left with their child while he was on a tour of duty - the confused woman joined a cult and she is now dead, the child a statistic on the missing persons register. He hasn't given up hope, but the years are slipping past. For now, he helps one family at a time. Scout's case turns out to involve burglary, destruction of property and a suspicion of murder by overdose. Boone wonders how on earth someone ordinary like her could have got mixed up with such unpleasant people?

The action is pretty much non-stop in well-described wintry, rugged terrain. When kidnappers make contact with Scout, she can't put Boone in jeopardy just because he is kind and helpful, but she is desperate to get her daughter released. Today's phones include GPS so I liked that everything is put to good use but the human factor is always to the fore. While neither main character is looking for romance, attraction begins to grow through getting better acquainted and admiring each other's positive thinking.

HER CHRISTMAS GUARDIAN is an inspirational romance but has far more danger than traditional Christmas stories. Shirlee McCoy has hit her stride in this Mission: Rescue series which will be enjoyed by romantic suspense fans.