“You’re a hero every fucking day,Tate,” I said softly. “Don’t ever forget that.” –HawkeEx Special Forces soldier Michael “Hawke” Hawkins has spent every day of the last ten years waiting for the moment he would get to watch the life fade from the eyes of the men who brutally murdered his wife, but when he finally gets the break he’s been waiting for, the trail leads him to someone he wasn’t … to someone he wasn’t expecting.
After nearly two years of running, 24-year-old Tate Travers has become an expert at hiding…until the day a dangerous stranger shows up looking for vengeance and threatens to destroy the fragile life Tate has managed to build for himself and his five-year-old son. Except the life Tate has been struggling to hold on to started unraveling long before Hawke showed up looking for the same men Tate has been running from…his own father and older brother.
Retribution – it’s all Hawke has wanted since the day he held his wife’s hand as she took her last breath. And he won’t give that up for anything or anyone…not even the tormented young man trying to give his little boy a better life. Because Tate is the only one who can lead Hawke to the men he’s been searching for. And if it means forcing the young man to confront the past that nearly destroyed him, then so be it.
Only the last thing Hawke expects to feel is something besides the hatred that has driven him. And he definitely never expected to feel it for a man.
But when it comes down to choosing between the unwanted feelings Tate stirs in him and the revenge he’s finally close enough to taste, will Hawke be able to give up the one thing that has kept him going for a second chance at a future he gave up on ever having?
Full length novel (80k words)
This is Book 3 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story – no cliffhangers.**
The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in this order, but it is not required. I’ve also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis.
Book 1 – Absolution (M/M/M)
Book 2 – Salvation (M/M)
Book 3 – Retribution (M/M)
Logan’s Need (Escort Series #3) (M/M)
Redeeming Rafe (Barretti Security Series #2) (M/M)
Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series #3) (M/M/M)
Freeing Zane (Barretti Security Series #4) (M/M)
Book 4 – Forsaken (M/M)
Book 5 – Vengeance (M/M/M)
Book 5.5 – A Protectors Family Christmas
Book 6 – Atonement (M/M)
Book 7 – Revelation (M/M)
Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences
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**********Contains Spoilers**********
What a great book. It was probably my favourite of the series so far. The moments when Hawke let his real feelings shine through ever so briefly at the beginning when he’d interact with Matty was a beautiful thing. Yes, Hawke was an absolute a*sehole to start with as he’s been trying to get justice for his wife Revay and unborn son, as he promised her before she d*ed from the injuries that were inflicted on her by the two men as well as from the fire they’d set and he was totally okay using Matty to get Tate to comply with his demands for him to help him track down the men responsible who happened to be Tate’s father Buck and brother Denny who’d brutally r*ped and eventually k*lled them. After finding out that Matty has Leukaemia Hawke again uses him as a bargaining chip for Tate’s help and takes them to Ronan & Seth’s so Matty can get the best possible care which Hawke will cover the cost. Hawke decides to let Tate off the hook and leaves a Hawkeye action figure for Matty and a note for Tate saying that he needs to stay to take care of Matty and even paid for his whole treatment in advance. After Matty has undergone a couple of chemo treatments Tate knows that he’s in the best possible place to look after him and that Ronan and Seth would do anything to protect Matty if need be while Tate goes and helps Hawke. It was great to see Hawke finally dropping his walls to allow Tate and Matty in and I think they make an awesome family unit. I loved how Tate would ask about Revay. Hawke thought that he needed to let Tate and Matty go in order to not forget Revay and their unborn son and it wasn’t until Ronan shows up and asked Hawke if Tate ever said to him that he needed to give up and forget them both and that sharing stories of them both with Tate and Matty that they’re still with him and a part of his new family. I thought Matty was such a wee cutie and he made my heart melt with how much he loves Tate and you can see his hero worship turns into love for Hawke as the story progresses. I enjoyed getting a very small snippet of Mav and I’m looking forward to reading his story next. I’d definitely recommend this book, series, universe and author to everyone.
This was my favorite book so far out The Protectors series. I’m a sucker for handsome, alpha men saving their love interests. Tate is doing everything he can to protect his younger brother and provide him with the life and medical care he so desperately needs. Hawke wants vengeance for the murder of his wife, and he needs Tate to get that vengeance. What both of them didn’t bargain for was the love they would find with each other.
Joel Leslie was an amazing narrator. He performed the book spectacularly and I enjoyed the performance.
5 stars book, 3 stars audio.
I’m a huge fan of Sloane Kennedy, read through all her books on KU & have purchased nearly all her audiobooks. As always, she delivers angst, drama, & mystery well. These stories are definitely dark and invoke some strong feelings, so they’re not for everyone.
Joel Leslie is hit or miss for me. This one was definitely a miss. Tate has a Southern (supposedly Texan) accent. Unfortunately, it comes and goes during the recording, even in the same chapters. Also, the town Luling should be pronounced “loo-ling” NOT “lull-ling”. Since it’s mentioned 20+ times, it’s quite annoying. Hawke is supposed to be from Wyoming (though, as former military, I could see how his accent could be washed out) yet his accent is all over the place as well. Sometimes it sounds somewhat Boston-esque, sometimes more Midwest, sometimes indistinguishable. Frankly I just wish he hadn’t even attempted an accent if he wasn’t going to stick with one.
Both Salvation and Retribution were amazing stories. I enjoyed every page of their individual struggles and their beautiful love stories. The icing on the cake are the hot sex scenes, so so hot!!!
read 2017
I was soooo excited for this book, and it is definitely my favorite in the series!
Hawke and Tate were such an unbelievably lovable couple, their story went straight to my heart.
And Matty is the cutest, funniest, strongest kid ever…! I salute you..
Love that we see a lot more to Ronan and Seth, love them and their big hearts!
Epilog was Fucking perfect!
Hawke and Tate were a beautiful story about the heartbreak that comes in life and the journey taken to heal the pain. Both Hawke and Tate had a lot of heartbreak in their lives and by the time they meet its an explosion of emotions between just the two of them and what they are going through plus little Matty’s sickness to overcome. They came together as a family and got their happily ever after with Matty making a recovery. My absolute favorite book so far in this series.
*verified Audible purchase June 2017*
This is book three in the Protectors series. You don’t NEED to have read/listened to books one and two, but I think you SHOULD. It will give you a better picture of this group of people and what they do, and how Hawke came to at the head. And you know, FIVE star listens, people!
For ten years, Hawke has been searching for the men who killed his wife and unborn son. Meeting Tate makes him feel again, something he didn’t think was possible. He certainly never thought it possible he would feel for a MAN.
I loved books one and two, and I loved this one too! I again cannot split the narration from the story, so not even gonna try. So I apologise if this review jumps around a bit!
Hawke loved his wife, bone deep, and when she was murdered, it broke. He’s spent the last ten years as head of an organisation that delivers justice to those let down by the law. The revenge for his wife’s death is a long time coming but he’s getting close and Tate is his link. His reaction to Tate is . . . unexpected. And when Hawke realises why Tate is running, his protectiveness goes into overdrive.
It’s no secret I’m not a fan of READING first person books, particularly if they are multi person but I find I’m really enjoying LISTENING to first person books, ESPECIALLY if they are multi point of view! Joel Leslie is a MASTER at his craft, at narrating multi point of view, in the first person! I simply CANNOT fault the narration. The way Leslie gets every single heart wrenching thought that Hawke has: thinking about his wife, ad what his growing feelings for Tate mean. Every fear that Tate has: that his father will find him, that Hawke might hurt him, that he might lose his little boy. This is not a short listen, over 8 hours and I listened to it in one single siting. I tried to stop, I really did but I needed to know what would happen, how this would play out. It takes a single question from Ronan (Salvation, book 2) to break Hawke. The same question broke me too! And I sobbed at that point, great heart wrenching sobs at the emotion that Leslie pours out of Hawke.
Of course, Leslie can only narrate the words given him, but Kennedy is fast becoming a favourite of mine. The way she intertwines multi level stories, from book to book, is amazing. Sometimes, series lose their . . .what’s the word . . .ethos, as it moves along but not so here. They hold true to their meaning, and I cannot wait to see where this series goes.
I LOVE that I have 9 more books to get through BUT I’ve discovered that Michael Pauley narrates book 4, Forsaken, and I’m not sure how I feel about that! I’ll buy it, without a doubt, but it will be interesting to see how Pauley portrays the voices that Leslie has done up to now.
So, because I can’t split the narration, because I listened in one day, and just bloody I can . . .
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
** 4.5 stars **
I enjoyed this book almost as well the previous in the series. Hawke and Tate are both strong men with troubled past. While Tate is trying to outrun his and forget it, Hawke is ready to bring it to forefront and rip Tate’s wounds open no matter the cost. The pace of this book is a bit slow but still filled with tension.
I genuinely liked Tate and Matty. I admire Tate for his courage, resilience and capacity for love. He is a wonderful father to Matty, he is compassionate and understanding. He gave his all to Hawke even when Hawke stomped all over him.
I have mixed feelings about Hawke. I understand the promises he made but the unofficial shrine he built for his wife, his obsession with her was not healthy for his mental state. Tate came into his life in just the right time. Hawke’s near constant comparison between Ravey and Tate irritated a lot. That’s one of the biggest reasons I hate dead lover/spouse trope. But in the end the talk Ronan and he had shed some light on his reasons as to why, so I decided that I liked his reasoning and the conclusion of the conversation more than I hated the trope.
This was story of heartbreak, forgiveness and letting go. Hawke becomes Michael again, and he is ready to build his life with Tate and Matty. Love heals old wounds in men who thought all hope was lost. Made me feel good. I recommend it!