Hunting the enemy who erased her identity plunges them into a fight for their lives…

Skylar Sullivan no longer exists.

The obliteration of her identity is only the first step in a diabolical plan to frame the artist for crimes she couldn’t have physically committed from her wheelchair.

Turning to the one person she can trust brings back memories of a night fourteen years ago when Sky lost the boy she loved. Reece Palmer failed Sky once.

When he vows to protect her with his life in a way he couldn’t in the past, the cybersecurity expert must take down a mortal threat before a cold-blooded avenger makes Sky disappear forever.

Titles in the Secure Watch series include:  Dark Web Investigation ~ Tracing Her Stolen Identity ~ Deadly Security Breach ~

This series is a spin-off of the Secure One series.  Expect to see some familiar faces, and although it’s not “necessary” to have read the earlier series to enjoy this one, I’d highly recommend both series as they are simply amazing in story, delivery, and intensity.

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Tracing Her Stolen Identity
Series:  Secure Watch #2
Author:  Katie Mettner
Published:  September 30, 2025
Publisher:  Harlequin Intrigue
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Tracing Her Stolen Identity is the second title in the Secure Watch series, as Skylar, a mosaic glass artist and now confined to her wheelchair from a cheerleading accident, returns home after a trip to discover that… she no longer exists.  At least, according to her online presence, her bank accounts, her art portfolio… all gone, nothing to show that she actually exists.  A destructive, rage-filled break-in at her home, where most of her belongings, her artwork, are viciously destroyed and scattered around her once safe home… and a frightening personal video call on her phone, will have her reaching out to the one man she trusts above anyone else, Reece.

It’s been more than a decade since Reece last spoke to Skylar. She’d pushed him away after the accident that changed both of their lives in different ways… for his own good.  To see her name on the phone and to hear her terrified whisper asking for help, rocked him to his core.  He immediately went into protection mode, racing to her location where he swept her away to what he considered a safe place… or so he thought.  

Reece is currently a cybersecurity expert with a world-renowned security company, and he will bring Skylar into his world as he and his friends/colleagues work their magic to discover who is after Skylar and to stop them in their tracks.  Even though most of the team is working on finding Skylar’s attacker, it’s not going to be an easy thing to track them, as this person is almost as good as they are at hiding in the shadows.

Tracing Her Stolen Identity by Katie Mettner is intense.  And, I would put that word, intense, in bold caps with a ton of exclamation points after it.  When you consider it, almost all aspects of our lives are now online, rather easily accessible to those who know how, and to have our existence completely erased isn’t all that difficult to imagine.  Add to that the fact that, for Skylar, it would be impossible for her to physically commit the crimes that she’s accused of.  But proof doesn’t matter as much as destroying her reputation does.

I enjoyed Tracing Her Stolen Identity by Katie Mettner so much that I’d give it ten stars if I could.  The intensity of the story unfolds at times with lightning speed, the guilt that Reece has carried for years lies in the background, and the determination of Skylar to go through life alone, even though she loves Reece as much today as she did fourteen years ago, is felt at every level of this story.  If you love a well-written, suspense-filled romance that will have you on edge throughout, and a couple that you will desperately want them to get out of their own way and grab happiness with both hands, then this is your kind of romance, and you’re going to love Skylar’s and Reece’s journey to their happy-ever-after future.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you enjoy this author’s work, please visit our Katie Mettner page for other titles you may have missed over time.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)