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Protecting You: A steamy, single mom cop romance (Chikalu Falls Book 3) Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 4,246 ratings

One moment of hesitation and I lost Maggie forever.

Since then, we’ve spent the last fifteen years in this small town, circling each other and pretending neither remembers
how right it felt when we were best friends.

Now she’s a single mom and she doesn’t need a “broody, grumpy cop” like me complicating her life. No matter how many times her heated gaze scorches my skin, I can never have her in the way I want.

Completely.

So I push her away—but it’s for her own good.

Because if she knew the truth of what I did, she wouldn’t just have hurt feelings––she would truly hate me.

She has a guarded heart, and it’s all my fault.

But I don’t have a heart at all. I gave it to Maggie O’Brien a long time ago.

  • PROTECTING YOU is a seriously steamy, interconnected stand alone small town romance. It's the third book in the Chikalu Falls series set in the fictional Montana town, Chikalu Falls.

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From the Publisher

Protecting You quote
Binge the complete series
Finding You
Keeping You
Protecting You
Choosing You
Customer Reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars 11,365
4.4 out of 5 stars 3,865
4.4 out of 5 stars 4,246
4.4 out of 5 stars 492
Price $4.99 $4.99 $4.99 $2.99
Binge the full series! Brother's Best Friend Friends to Lovers Enemies to Lovers Spicy Novella

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09G9LLLRL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lena Hendrix
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 937 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 285 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Chikalu Falls
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 4,246 ratings

About the author

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Lena Hendrix
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Lena Hendrix is a USA Today and Amazon Top 5 Bestselling contemporary romance author living in the Midwest. Her love for romance started with sneaking racy Harlequin paperbacks as a teenager and now she writes her own hot-as-sin small town romance novels. Lena has a soft spot for strong alphas with marshmallow insides, heroines who clap back, and sizzling tension. Her novels pack in small town heart with a whole lotta heat.

When she's not writing or devouring new novels, you can find her hiking, camping, fishing, and sipping a spicy margarita!

Want to hang out? Find Lena on Tiktok or IG!

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4,246 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this romance book as a perfect summer read, praising its beautiful storyline and strong, sweet personalities that continue throughout the series. Moreover, the pacing keeps readers hooked from the start, and the writing style is well-executed, with one customer noting the unique way with words. Additionally, customers appreciate the book's emotional depth, with one review highlighting how it hits on main life stressors, and its steamy content, with one customer describing how the chemistry develops quickly.

42 customers mention "Readability"42 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one mentioning it's a perfect summer read.

"...Still a great book and a great ending to a fun series of small towns and long time friendships! With deep rooted love and lust!" Read more

"...This book was so good, it made me swoon. The story is beautiful and sweet, and also easy to read because the writing is good...." Read more

"This was a good book til I got to the part where Cole was taking Lottie to her community service. Then it turned into a huge typo!..." Read more

"Love the trilogy. This is my least favorite of the 3 but it's still a good read and a great HEA...." Read more

39 customers mention "Romance"39 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic elements of the book, describing it as a beautiful small-town love story with a perfect love story arc, and one customer particularly appreciates the in-town best friend romance twist.

"...This book was so good, it made me swoon. The story is beautiful and sweet, and also easy to read because the writing is good...." Read more

"Good, small town, romance, with likable characters and a solid plot. Favorite out of the series. Quick enjoyable read with some good steam!..." Read more

"Lena Hendrix does it again! Another charming, beautiful, romantic love story with great characters!..." Read more

"...Need more stories like this. Great community and fun township. Enjoy" Read more

16 customers mention "Character development"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the strong, sweet personalities and how the characters continue throughout the series.

"...such a unique way with words and always manages to deliver amazing, charismatic and one of a kind characters...." Read more

"...Super steamy and heartbreaking. Great characters and a well told story." Read more

"...Another charming, beautiful, romantic love story with great characters! I definitely recommend this book and all of his many romantic love stories." Read more

"...But the story and characters are decent, and the intimate scenes are spicy...." Read more

16 customers mention "Pacing"12 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing, finding it a quick and enjoyable read that had them hooked from the start.

"The epic conclusion to this amazing series was so good and it gave me all the feels, and I was so sad when I reached the last page...." Read more

"...Lena wove all the characters through the entire series and kept a pulse on their lives while revealing the slow burn and unravel of the current ones...." Read more

"...It never did. The back and forth in times was overwhelming...." Read more

"...Loved every moment and adore all these books." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted and easy to read, with one customer noting the author's unique way with words.

"...She has such a unique way with words and always manages to deliver amazing, charismatic and one of a kind characters...." Read more

"...Lena writes beautiful romances with well built characters and thought out storylines. The best part? No third act breakup!" Read more

"...My only wish was that they were longer because they were all just so well-written and wonderful to read." Read more

"...This book was a second chance spicy love story. I loved the author’s writing style...." Read more

8 customers mention "Emotional content"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, describing it as heartbreaking and a perfect combination of angst, with one customer noting how it hits on all the main stressors in life.

"...I love this characters so much, and they are so close to my heart...." Read more

"...friends-to-emnies-to-lovers romance was so heartbreaking but emotionally amazing...." Read more

"...It's a story with angst, dashed with some drama, and a fair amount of steam. I mean who doesn't want a cop to use those handcuffs in the bedroom?!..." Read more

"My favorite so far from this series! I love a book filled with angst and this one def delivered...." Read more

6 customers mention "Spice level"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the spice level of the book.

"My favorite so far, this 2nd chance is tender, sweet and spicy. Cole and Maggie fight for the love they’ve always had but never shared...." Read more

"...I thought Lena Hendrix had the perfect amount of spice in this one too, and how she chose to focus on the story between Cole and Maggie...." Read more

"...The spice was amazing and each love story was perfect. You are amazing girl!!!!" Read more

"I like quick, entertaining, sweet and spicy reads and Lena always delivers...." Read more

5 customers mention "Steamy content"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the steamy content of the book, describing it as hot, with one customer noting how the chemistry develops quickly.

"...perfect combination between angst, fluff, romance, heartbreak and steamy moments...." Read more

"...of his butt and realizes his true feelings for Maggie, the chemistry gets steamy quickly...." Read more

"...Will they make it work, or mess it up? Super steamy and heartbreaking. Great characters and a well told story." Read more

"Loved reading! Loved their relationship. Very hot 🔥 😍..." Read more

I love Chikalu Falls (the town and the series), but Cole and Maggie are my favorite couple
5 out of 5 stars
I love Chikalu Falls (the town and the series), but Cole and Maggie are my favorite couple
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 I wasn't sure if it was possible, but the Chikalu Falls series keeps getting better and better. This time, we get small-town enemies Cole and Maggie. Petty is their favorite color, and they pretty much have a light show in that color every time they get in close vicinity to each other. No one in Chikalu can seem to figure out how they went from best friends in high school to being at each other's throats (not in a good way) for 15 years. Some speculate that it has something to do with the deceased father of Maggie's teen daughter, but their falling out seems to be one of the many secrets that we, the readers, uncover with them. I have to say that Cole and Maggie are my favorite couple of the series. I am a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, so their petty banter and the underlying tension were my jam. The story toggles back and forth with flashbacks to their childhood, so every present interaction is given more depth and meaning. When that growing tension finally implodes, Lena Hendrix definitely brings the heat. Hear me out: I know spicy scenes with handcuffs can be cliché, especially with Cole being a cop, but that scene is just **chef's kiss** and you would not want to miss it. I adore their interactions with Maggie's daughter Lottie. The adversities Maggie had to overcome as a single mom speaks to her strength and resilience, and it is no wonder she can lock horns with Cole for 15 years without skipping a beat. I also love that there was a strong connection between Cole and Lottie way before this phase of Cole and Maggie's relationship, and we get to see how that started and its wonderful progression. As always, we fall even deeper in love with the rest of Chikalu. The couples from the previous books play their important parts as the support system that Cole and Maggie need. The hunt for the [eggplant] bandit comes to a stunning conclusion in this book, and it was a plot twist I most definitely did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed. I am not sure if this is the last we will see of Chikalu, but I have definitely enjoyed the series. If you're considering this book, it works well as a standalone. If you want to get a full experience, I definitely recommend reading from the beginning.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The epic conclusion to this amazing series was so good and it gave me all the feels, and I was so sad when I reached the last page.
    I love this characters so much, and they are so close to my heart. I was so excited to read this book that I managed to finish it in only a few hours, not wanting to put it down. And when I reached the end it was like a part of me was lost forever.

    I said it, and I’m gonna say it again. Lena is a queen and I absolutely adore her and her writing. I am such a huge fan of hers, and I’m gonna make sure that I read all of her work. She has such a unique way with words and always manages to deliver amazing, charismatic and one of a kind characters. One of these characters being Cole Decker, who owns me completely: body and soul.

    This book is so beautiful written, with amazing and complex characters, and it was such a pleasure reading it. Lena has a way with words that make you a fan in matter of seconds. I could read anything she wrote, and absolutely love it.

    You can lose yourself so easily in this book, because it has a bit of everything. It is the perfect combination between angst, fluff, romance, heartbreak and steamy moments. I had many laughs while reading, and overall it just made the read so enjoyable and so hard to put it down. This book was so good, it made me swoon. The story is beautiful and sweet, and also easy to read because the writing is good.

    Maggie, a single mother to a smart yet sassy fourteen year old, is a beautiful, strong, hardworking and confident woman. She is such a mama bear, and would do anything for her child. She is beautiful, charismatic, intelligent and stubborn. She is feisty, stubborn, knows what she wants and deserves, and will fought tooth and nail to make her dreams come true. I liked that she was strong and determined to make it on her own. She is driven, hard-working and honest.
    I loved her so much, she has such a beautiful, funny and vibrant personality, it is almost impossible not to love her. She is sassy, smart and always has the perfect response.

    Cole is everything I ever wanted in a man, I swear to God that if that man was real, he could do everything he wanted to me, and I would say thank you.
    He is handsome, and he knows it, with a body that could make the Greek Gods jealous, is easy-going, charismatic and has a smile that makes every girl and woman week in their knees. And that mouth, oh be still my beating heart.
    But also, he is hard-working, smart and super dedicated to his job. He is loyal to a fault, the best son and brother, and stubborn, so stubborn.
    I loved the way his character was build, I fell in love with him instantly. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find something to hate about him.

    The attraction and chemistry between Maggie and Cole was undeniable, and their story so well written. It wasn't one of those instant love story, their story was a steady one, filled with back and forth steps.
    They are both driven and hard working, and I found it amusing how they tried, and later failed, to keep their distance, even though the attraction and connection between them it was undeniable. They gravitated towards each other, always looking for the other or seeking the presence of each other.
    And the sexual tension between them, oh my god I need to bath in holly water.
    I found it so funny how everyone in the town knew that these two were made for each other and that they are practically soulmates, everyone but they.
    I loved their teasing and bickering, and how many times they acted like children when they communicated, but no matter what they said, no matter what they thought, nobody could deny the truth: they are made to be together, they are endgame.

    And the secret way he told he repeatedly over the years that he loves her sealed the deal for me and made me a goner for this couple.
    They are my favorites from this series, and I can’t get enough of them.
    They are fire and ice, and so good together, they bring the best in each other and would anything one for the other.

    The friendship between all the characters, their love and devotion for one another was so beautifully described that at some point I was a bit jealous of their friendships.

    If you want a book that is gonna give you all the feels, and turn all your insides intro mush, that this book is definitely the one for you!

    The ending was the perfect one for this couple, it was everything I had hoped for them, and I know for sure that the readers are also gonna fall in love with it. If you are a fan of happy endings, romance and characters that would raise all of your expectations when it comes to love in real life, this is the perfect book.

    I can honestly say that I am a fan for life of Lena! And I am so excited to seeing more of her work because she is extremely talented. For me, Lena is definitely one of my instant buy authors. I fell în love with her writing while reading her first book, and since then I’ve been a fan.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Lena Hendrix does it again! Another charming, beautiful, romantic love story with great characters! I definitely recommend this book and all of his many romantic love stories.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    In Protecting You, the story was all about the long lost love and friendship between Officer Cole and Maggie who now runs the local flower shop. They were best friends growing up as kids but when they were teens their feelings changed to more. But when Cole didn't ask Maggie to prom she agreed to go with David. He was a spoiled rich kid and always in trouble.

    After prom there was a party and lots of drinking. When Maggie woke up she realized she was no longer a virgin. Now, a few weeks later, she found out she was pregnant. David was so inconsiderate and even asked if it was his. Said he wasn't interested in her or even being a father. Cole was so angry when he found out. Then after Lottie was born, David passed in an accident.

    For years, Cole and Maggie were barely civil to each other. But Cole witnessed moments with Lottie that he just couldn't walk away from. He had deep feelings for them both, but he knew Maggie would hate him if she knew the truth about David's death.

    They go through so much, but when they finally come together I was so happy. Their friends were pushing for them to get together for years. But denial was deep.

    Lottie is such a strong force for the three of them. She is troubled and needs support and lots of love from more than just her mom.

    Need more stories like this. Great community and fun township. Enjoy
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I rarely read books in this genre and this was absolutely a rare guilty pleasure! But the story and characters are decent, and the intimate scenes are spicy. If you're looking for a story that you don't have to rack your brain in and simply just want to enjoy it as a guilty pleasure without having to see it as completely unrealistic, then this book is it. It is very enjoyable and a fun read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Protecting You is officially my favorite in the Chikalu Falls series. Everything about Cole Decker and Maggie O’Brien was perfectly imperfect. As childhood best friends everything changed their senior year of high school when Maggie got pregnant with a guy who wasn’t Cole. Maggie and Cole had only ever been best friends but both were clearly in love with each other and too scared to do anything about it.

    For the past 15 years, Cole and Maggie adopted a hate/hate relationship. They tried to avoid each other in town but it’s a small town so they rarely got away from each other. Therefore their solution was to irritate each other. The two of them had a lot they needed to discuss but simply couldn’t find a way to do it.

    Cole was perfect with Maggie’s daughter Lottie. From the moment Cole and Lottie shared a donut together everything changed for him. He had a renewed sense of self duty to protect Maggie and Lottie at all costs. Even when they weren’t speaking, Cole was behind the scenes helping them as best as he could. I’m so happy they worked their issues out! Now to go read the grumpy veteran of Chikalu who has always been helping the kids figure their shit out. 😂
    Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    🔥 scene: classroom
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Anna P.
    4.0 out of 5 stars A swoony conclusion to a favourite series!
    Reviewed in India on December 1, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Ever since Lena introduced us to the Chikalu gang, I’ve been looking forward to Cole Decker’s story. We’ve gotten glimpses of him and Maggie over the past two books, so we know that there’s something interesting going on there, so to finally have an entire book dedicated to their bickering and bantering and their secret love for each other was so wonderful.

    Protecting You is the third book in the Chikalu Falls series and like the first two features a strong and bada** female lead in Maggie O’Brien. She’s a single mother and raising a teenager is hard, but she does the best she can while also running her flower shop and holding her head above water. Maggie’s not perfect and she’s fully aware of it. She works hard, she moms hard and she still manages to find quiet moments to spend with her girlfriends––Jo and Honey. And all the while, she’s fighting with and trying to figure out why Cole Decker dislikes her so much. For Cole, it’s because of secrets he’s holding really close to his chest and clearly has nothing to do with Maggie itself. He’s a cop and that requires him to be vigilant, but he’s also one of the most eligible bachelors, so every single woman is eyeing him. He’s got his boys and his job and all of it keeps him busy enough, but there’s still some pieces that are missing. Including Maggie.

    The book is told through both Maggie and Cole’s point of views, but also through flashbacks to a time when life was simpler. I loved how much insight we got into Maggie and Cole’s history and just how much longing and pining existed before they became the people they are that we meet in the beginning of the book. I am such a big fan of the best friends to lovers trope, because that’s what they were till everything got topsy turvy and now it’s a best friends to frustrated humans to lovers, but it still does the trick. With every flashback, I fell deeper in love with Maggie and Cole and their friendship. But truly, the star of this book is Maggie because she’s so so strong. And not only do we get insight into their history, we also see Maggie’s pregnancy and how all of that plays into the choices she makes and the relationships she builds.

    “Maggie lived in my bones, soaking down deeper every moment, with every touch.”

    Maggie’s daughter is an absolutely entertaining character. In typical teenager fashion, she’s rebellious and she’s moody, she makes life hard for Maggie, but she craves normalcy all at the same time. And man, this kid and her desperate need for a pet will amuse you to no end. I mean, she does research and picks the craziest and most adorable pet for them to have because she believes it’ll teach her responsibility. Another favourite element in this book is Cole’s ability to hand out nicknames and never run out of them. He started it when he and Maggie were kids and now he does it with Lottie as well and they are all so entertaining. Think of the weirdest nicknames for characters named Maggie and Charlotte and Cole will outdo you in a heartbeat.

    Their romance is a bit of a slow burn, but the sexual tension is alive and well. They’ve pined for each other all these years, of course the tension is delicious. But it’s the deep feelings that neither of them can escape that really gets me. There’s handcuffs involved, because duh, Cole’s a cop. There’s also a lot of protective and possessive behaviour which is so hot. I wanted to smack Cole so hard every time he pulled away from Maggie though, but I loved how Maggie didn’t back down and gave it back just as hard. The book was steamy, because it’s Lena, but it wasn’t as steamy as the first two books. Which is fine, because their frustrations and tensions and build up was totally worth it.

    I loved the friendships too! Maggie’s relationship with Honey was perfect, and since I love Honey so much it was good to see more of her. Lena does such a good job with the friendship between Cole, Lincoln and Colin––that is a solid bromance that I have loved since book one. And I love Chikalu Falls. This small town might be one of my favourites and I really hope this isn’t the end. Because this town bands together and loves each other, which is so great. Plus, you see a lot of familiar faces with every book you read in the series.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic writing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I've read all 3 books in the Chicago Falls series this weekend. Lena Hendrix storytelling has made me feel as though I know these characters personally and I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey to a HEA. Thank you 💓
  • Flora
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in France on February 23, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The third and last book of the Chikalu falls series is one of the most complex. The narrative of Maggie and Cole is so good and we can see the scenes as we understand from little pieces how deeply those two are connected.
    Thank you for everything Lena, and congratulations for the amazing stories you write !
    Best regards from a frenchie reader,
    Flora
  • Krista
    5.0 out of 5 stars perfection
    Reviewed in Canada on December 6, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Loving this steamy small town series. Lena is a word wizard so excuse me while I go and catch up on the rest of the series.
  • Jaynie orson
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars
    Reviewed in Australia on July 31, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Absolutely loved this series! Will definitely be reading more from the author, I don't know if anything will top Chikalu Falls though!

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