I finally had the chance at a perfect life when I met the man I was supposed to be with. But he’s gone and chances like that don’t come along twice in one lifetime. Right?Former president Everett Shaw had his whole life laid out for him from the time he was a child and he lived out every expectation to complete and utter perfection… until he met the one man who changed everything. With plans … everything. With plans to leave public life behind after finishing his term in office, Everett was looking forward to a quiet life with the man of his dreams at his side. But one brutal act of violence stole that bright future away, leaving Everett struggling just to get through each day.
A decade later finds Everett nearing the age of sixty and living a shell of a life. Haunted by his loss, he finds solace in his roses and evenings sitting in front of the television. But when his estranged son is horribly injured while saving the life of another, Everett leaves everything behind in the hopes of mending the broken relationship and helping his son heal in more ways than one.
My job is to protect and there are rules that have to be followed. Even if there weren’t, I wouldn’t risk letting anyone close… not again.
Special Agent Jonathan Nash’s job is to keep the former president safe, not be his friend. Even if something about the lonely older man draws him in, he’s not about to risk what’s left of his career for anything. And it’s not like a guy like Everett Shaw would really see him anyway. Nor would he want him to, considering the ugly past Nash left behind to pursue his dream. No, he’s better off following protocol and doing his job. Let someone else deal with the broken man. It’s not his problem… it can’t be.
I learned a long time ago to live life on my terms and that sometimes you have to take that leap of faith to get what you want. But wanting two men at the same time? That’s new, even for me.
At forty-five years old, former Navy SEAL Gage Fortier has experienced success and loss in equal measure, and while his life has taken a direction he never planned, he wouldn’t have it any other way. When Reese, the young man he’s partnered with in the underground vigilante group they both work for, is injured on the job, he sees an opportunity to build on the friendship with the bitter former soldier while giving him a place to recover. But when he discovers that the young man is actually the estranged son of a former U.S. president, Gage realizes he has the chance to give both father and son so much more. There’s only one problem with his plan… how to ignore his growing attraction for the devishly handsome Everett Shaw.
And Everett’s perpetual shadow, Agent Nash.
Three men on very separate courses. Until something unexpected happens and three become one…
*TRIGGER WARNING: This book as a couple of triggers. You can check out what they are by downloading the sample or using the “Look Inside” feature and scrolling to the appropriate page. Note that reading the trigger warnings could cause spoilers.
Can be read as a standalone novel.
The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I’ve also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis.
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**********Contains Spoilers**********
I really enjoyed this book. I thought Everett, Nash & Gage were great together. Gage’s daughter Charlie was adorable. Man, finding out what Nash went through while with his first Foster Family was horrible and then what he had to do to earn money to be able to afford to go to college to live his dream of becoming a Secret Service Agent wasn’t great either but I’m glad that both Everett and Gage just listened to him but never judged him. It was also heartbreaking to hear about what happened to Gage’s mother and that t*rtured for 7 days being held in a box, taken out on occasion to only be brutally r*ped then finally m*rdered and the guy only got 7 years due to apparently being mentally ill. Gage went after the guy when he got out and found him with a 16 year old girl who was held in the same box that Gage’s mother was held in so he got the girl to hospital and returned for the man and paid him back tenfold for what he’d done to his mother. It was also how he met Ronan as Ronan gave him an alibi as Gage had saved him the task of k*lling the guy for what he’d done.
The state of Reese and Everett’s relationship and that Reese hates him was hard to read as you can feel the anger and pain from both of them. Everett thinks it’s because Reese found him and his then Commanding Officer Pierce who Reese admired together when Everett was still married to his mother but it was because Reese came out to his mother at 16 years old and she told him that she’d talked to Everett and that he reacted badly saying that he doesn’t want a f*g as a son and then to find him with a man after he wouldn’t supposedly allow Reese to be gay would’ve been life shattering it seeing the hypocrisy. It also didn’t help that Reese found that his mother after she’d committed s*icide including her note who he’s thought that she’d left it for his father but it was to her mother’s lover, the current President so it makes sense why he’d be so angry at Everett. Yes, Everett didn’t get it right most the time but he does love his son dearly and I think his mother was a manipulate b*tch using Reese as a bargaining chip whenever Everett wanted to divorce her. I’m glad they’re slowly learning how to become a family again with a some new members. It’ll definitely take some time to heal but it’s a start. I found it funny reading about Gage’s dog Happy’s devotion to Nash and the lengths she’d go to show him love was hilarious. Man, hearing the story about how Everett met Ronan was heartbreaking considering what nearly happened after he lost Pierce but I’m glad that everything is out in the open so they can all move forward with a clean slate. I’m looking forward to reading Jace and Caleb’s book next. I’d definitely recommend this book, series, universe and author to everyone.
Love the characters in this book. Makes you wish that he had been our president for real.
5+ Stars
Another great book that is absolute perfection! So fabulous! Love the characters, the storyline, the emotions, the suspense, the great writing, and last but certainly not least the super hot intimate sex scenes! Could read her books non stop and forever!!!!
I’m so happy Everett got his second chance at love like Vincent did! It was heartbreaking how Nash pushed away everyone at first because of his past but as soon as Gage got past his barriers, everything opened up for the three of them. I loved Vincent’s cameo in this book as comic relief. Great story!
I was really curious about this book. Everett’s troubles with his son didn’t make sense to me. I was at first angry at three people: Everett, Reese and Elanor who is Everett’s deceased wife. There was so much tip toeing around the issue, so much anguish that frankly it was painful to read about. When Everett suffered so did the men who loved him: Nash and Gage. This book explores different subjects besides having MMM pairing which Ms Kennedy wrote beautifully. Childhood trauma, PTSD, attempted suicide, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, homophobia, coming out of the closet, grief, guilt, physical trauma and subsequent recovery, cheating, betrayal – all of them are expertly woven together into story of three men struggling with loneliness and loss.
Everett is former President. One would think that when person has the world at his fingertips he is happy and content. But Everett suffers every day. His fallout with his son is an ongoing painful battle in his mind while the nightmares that plague him every night are even worse – his lover haunts his dreams, and his heart is heavy. Everett more than anyone needs love in his life. Meeting with Gage ignites the spark and wakes something inside him that Everett thought was long dead.
Jonathan Nash is a consummate professional. His recent job of protecting former President is nothing short of torture. Not only it’s as far away from West Wing as humanly possible but the unwanted attraction to Everett threatens his principles and his sanity. When Everett meets Gage Nash’s jealousy bubbles up to the surface but his insecurities stay his hand and keep his mouth shut.
Gage is a man who always wants to help people. His life has this quiet happiness in it. He has his daughter, his father and multitude of pets to keep him company. When two very closeted men enter his orbit he thinks he shouldn’t get involved but when he sees those vulnerabilities that hide behind fake smiles and stoic facade of both men, he can’t help it – he wants to fix that which is not right. It all starts with an offer to help mend the rift between father and son, and soon tension is high, and three men are fighting the mutual attraction.
I liked them together. They found the things that made them tick, that made them happy or sad. They got to know each other, shared their grief and sorrow. Everett’s story is tragic, no doubt about it. He suffered loss and betrayal. He needs these two men who he trusts with his darkest secrets. Jonathan’s childhood is sad and lonely that ends in deception and broken dreams. He learns to let people in, and that love is not weakness. Gage’s loss of his mother was horrific. He exacted his revenge, and now when his life is somewhat happy he needs love and certainty for it to be complete.
When Reese discovers their relationship he feels betrayed but when the hard truth comes out he sees that what he thought as truth was a lie. That the person he adored betrayed him the most. That the father he thought hated him will always be there for him waiting with open arms and support he so desperately needs. It all made sense in the end, and I was so mad for Everett and Reese’s sake. I am glad they finally figured it out. All in all this was angsty and passionate story. All three men deserved happiness and to finally be able to openly love each other. I loved it, and highly recommend it!
This book was great as three men from very different backgrounds found each other- I loved every page!
I loved the men in this book… in such a wonderful series.
All of them have faced trauma and become stronger because of it. Since they now have the strength brought by the love for each other, they’re able to face even more pain and rejection, both mental and physical.
Sloane has the ability to draw us into a world outside our own … both romantically and politically. It’s unfortunate we have the ability to envision the events portrayed in this book as occurring in today’s world.