The memory of their forbidden love refuses to fade, but is the thrill worth the risk?Meredith Jones is living the predictable life she’s carefully constructed for herself, navigating each decision under the shadow of the loss of her parents. When the love of her life returns to town, resurrecting old passions, Meredith’s heart is more vulnerable than its ever been.Reed Edmonds, a former Navy … been.
Reed Edmonds, a former Navy Seal, is returning to his hometown and finds his heart deeply distracted by a love he assumes was relegated to the past, an impossibility for the future. As he catches a glimpse into the woman she’s become, he has to consider the costs of bringing into the light a love that previously flourished in secrecy.
Can she trust her own instincts? Can he move forward into the unknown?
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This was a sweet second chance story.
The characters and the plot were fun to read.
I like this author’s books
This is a romantic, second chance story filled with chemistry, some heartache, wonderful characters including a retired Navy Seal and an art gallery owner, and cute cats. It is the third book in this series and it was just as good as the first two books. I enjoyed reading about Meredith and Reed.
Meredith is such a remarkable character. Her strength is amazing. She is an only child and her parents died ten years ago in a car accident. I enjoyed watching her evolve in this story and knock down the walls she so carefully placed around her heart. She was also trying so hard to please her parents that she was not really living her life to the fullest. I think the author did such a wonderful job of showing this character and all of her emotions. She seemed so realistic.
I also like Reed, who has just returned home after spending the past ten years being a Navy Seal. He enlisted after Meredith’s parents died and after she broke his heart. He used to be a rebellious teen and Meredith’s parents did not approve of him for their daughter so they kept their relationship a secret from everyone.
I enjoyed reading to see if there would be any sparks or chemistry between these two characters ten years later and I was not disappointed. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
Love is worth the risk!
Meredith and Reed had a secret love affair when they were teenagers. Reed was from the wrong side of the tracks and off-limits as her best friend brother. He thrived on risk and Meredith thrived on Reed but it all ended when Meredith’s parents died in a car accident and she became obsessed with living up to her parent’s wishes rather than her own desires. Broken-hearted, Reed joined the Navy and went overseas but now he is back and hotter than ever, with a gorgeous girlfriend.
Meredith is stunned to realize she is still attracted to Reed and finds out he is moving back to town along with his girlfriend. When he rents the loft across the town square from hers it’s obvious she won’t be able to avoid him and will have to steel herself to seeing him with another woman.
Reed likes Amber and her carefree attitude but he seems to forget she is in the room whenever Meredith is around. He is not the type to fool around when he is in a relationship but he cannot deny his attraction to Meredith.
This is a good romance with likeable characters. I liked that it was a very sweet, clean romance and spent an enjoyable afternoon reading it.
The Heart Protected is a clean, sweet, second chance romance. Meredith and Reed were secret high school sweethearts. When her parents die in a freak accident, Meredith turns away from Reed. He becomes a Navy Seal. Meredith becomes a successful business woman. A decade later, Reed leaves the navy and returns home. Meredith and Reed have great chemistry. Will these two get an HEA or will expectations, the past, etc get in the way. I have really enjoyed the books in this series. You do not have to have read the other books to enjoy this one.
The Heart Protected is a quick and easy read. Although Meredith was a character in a previous book in the Hills Country Sweet Romance series this can be read as a stand-alone. Reed is a great character whilst Meredith is more difficult to relate to as she is more reticent. Once their love was secret and forbidden .. can they, should they, take this second chance at a HEA. A good, light read.
I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.
I loved this book!
Meredith and Reed – what a love story!
I met Meredith in a previous book and saw her as an elite, reserved woman. This book brought out who she really was.
And Reed? A pretty neat guy.
The author wove all the characters in beautifully.
I highly recommend this book!
Another great story by Daphne Emmerson.
I love how they both know that they’ve matured in the intervening years and that the kids they were is not the adults they are. But are their feeling just nostalgia?