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Buchanan-Renard is series of contemporary romance novels written by Julia Garwood. Julia Garwood, who grew up in Kansas City, began her career as a writer of young adult novels.
Order of Buchanan-Renard-MacKenna Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heartbreaker | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Mercy | 2001 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Killjoy | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Murder List | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Slow Burn | 2005 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Shadow Dance | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Fire and Ice | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | Sizzle | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | The Ideal Man | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | Sweet Talk | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | Hotshot | 2013 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Fast Track | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | Wired | 2017 | Description / Buy | |
| 14 | Grace Under Fire | 2022 | Description / Buy |
Though, she quickly abandoned that genre in favor of historical fiction. It was in that particular field that the author made a name for herself. So it came as a surprise when she branched out into contemporary romance, starting with Heartbreaker, the first novel in the Buchanan-Renard series.
The book introduces readers to Thomas Madden, a priest whose relatively ordinary life changes when a killer walks into his confession box, reveals his sordid past and makes mention of his intention to make Thomas’ sister his next victim.
Thomas does not hesitate to reach out to Nick Buchanan, a talented FBI Agent, hoping that he will take steps to protect Laurant, his sister, from a demented madman. When Nick walks into Laurant’s life at the request of her brother, he does not expect to get swept off his feet by her wit, charm, and beauty. And it takes all the strength of will he can muster to keep his mind trained on the task of keeping her safe from her would-be killer.
Heartbreaker is bound to confuse some people, primarily because this series is called Buchanan-Renard and while there is a Buchanan in Nick, there is no Renard. It isn’t until Mercy, the sequel, comes around that a pattern begins to take shape.
Nick and Laurant, the protagonists of Heartbreaker are nowhere to be found, having been replaced by a Justice Department Attorney called Theo Buchanan and a small town Doctor by the names of Michelle Renard.
Michelle and Theo are brought together by a threat to Michelle’s life. Along the way, they fall in love. But like Laurant and Nick, Michelle and Theo’s prominence is restricted to Mercy, with another Buchanan and Renard coming into play down the line.
Simply put, the Buchanan-Renard series is called so because each new installment in the series focuses on the trials of a particular member of the Buchanan and Renard families. Each book technically stands on its own, introducing a whole new set of heroes, heroines, and villains who must tangle with one another in a game of life, death, and romance.
While some loose connections exist between each new installment and its predecessors, and while there are references made in each book that would require knowledge of previous books to understand, each Buchanan-Renard novel can still be enjoyed independently.
The novels, though classified as contemporary romance, also feature elements of suspense. The hero and heroine are only ever brought together by an entity that threatens one or both of their lives. And more often than not, one of the protagonists is in law enforcement and, thus, perfectly equipped to protect their crush and stop the bad guy.
Buchanan-Renard Awards
Mercy was a finalist for the RITA Award in 2002.
Buchanan-Renard Books into Movies
Heartbreaker, the first novel in this series, was optioned for film.
Best Buchanan-Renard Books
These novels have been commended for the effort the author injects into exploring his villains and the trials of love and romance that plague them despite their demented nature, with some of the best books in the series including:
Heartbreaker: Father Thomas Madden’s life changes when a demented killer walks into his church, makes his intentions to kill again known and then reveals his next target to be Thomas’ sister. Now Thomas’ only hope is Nick Buchanan.
An Elite FBI agent, Nick rushes into Laurant’s life determined to keep her safe from a serial killer. He does not expect his feelings for her to cloud his judgment.
Mercy: Theo and Michelle became acquainted when Theo fell suddenly ill and Michelle saved his life at a gala in New Orleans.
They meet again when Theo, a Justice Department attorney, comes to Michelle’s town to heal. Neither of them knows that a crime ring out to make millions has targeted Michelle and that it might soon fall on Theo’s shoulders to keep her alive.
Other Book Series You May Like
Another great read is the “Bishop/Special Crimes Unit” Series by Kay Hooper. These books follow the exploits of Noah Bishop, a member of the FBI’s Special Crimes unit with a unique gift for seeing things invisible to other people. Noah works alongside other gifted individuals to solve crimes.
Be sure to check out the “Montana Heat” Series by Jennifer Ryan. These books follow the exploits of the law enforcement agents operating in Montana under various capacities and the women who capture their hearts under the most unexpected circumstances.
What Is The Next Book in The Buchanan-renard-mackenna Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Buchanan-renard-mackenna Series. The newest book is Grace Under Fire and was released on July, 19th 2022.