For Hire Books in Order

Christine Bell's For Hire series combines contemporary romance with danger, fake relationships, and characters who need help at exactly the wrong moment. The two books tell connected but complete stories, so each has its own couple while the larger threat carries forward.

Wife for Hire starts with Owen Phipps, who needs a woman to pose as his wife while he investigates the man who ruined his sister's finances and trust. Lindy Knight is an actress facing foreclosure, so the paid role is difficult to refuse. A few weeks at a resort should be simple, until their cover story and growing attraction start to feel much too real.

The premise is playful, but Owen's investigation gives the romance a sharper edge. Lindy and Owen must sell a marriage they do not have while trying to uncover proof against someone dangerous. Their closeness is part strategy, part temptation, and neither is prepared for the emotional cost.

Guardian for Hire shifts the focus to psychologist Sarabeth Lucking and Gavin McClintock, a former Army Ranger turned security specialist. When people connected to Sarabeth's former workplace die under suspicious circumstances, Gavin is brought in to keep her alive. Sarabeth is used to independence, so accepting protection is not easy.

The series works because its heroines are not passive passengers in a rescue story. Lindy takes a risky job because she needs a way forward. Sarabeth has to face both the threat around her and old family wounds while deciding whom she can trust.

Start with Wife for Hire. The books can stand alone, but reading in order lets the continuing suspense plot and connections between the couples land more clearly.