From bestselling and multi-award-winning romantic suspense author Amanda McKinney comes the first book in the steamy, edge-of-your-seat, three-part series, Steele Shadows Security… Cabin 2, Cabin 3…
Cocky, reckless, and die-hard playboy are just a few of the names Gage Steele has been called since he and his brothers left the Marines and moved back to the small, southern town of Berry Springs to take over their father’s personal security firm. On the one-year anniversary of his father’s death, Gage had only two things in mind—endless whiskey and endless women, but what he got was a battered, bruised spitfire stumbling through woods in the middle of the night.
Newly-appointed prosecutor and unapologetic workaholic, Niki Avery has spent her life working toward one goal—never to have to depend on anyone but herself… until the day she gets brutally attacked on the side of the road. Stripped of her Louis Vuitton and her dignity, the fiercely independent ADA must submit to being under the watchful eye of a former Marine, a loose cannon with a temper as scorching as his ruggedly handsome good looks.
As cracks begin to show in the Steele family, including newly discovered evidence that their father’s death was no accident, Gage wrestles with his growing feelings for his client, knowing not only that Niki is off-limits, but together, they were like gasoline and fire—an explosion he wanted nothing more than to ignite in the bedroom. But when a pair of bloody body parts show up at the compound, it becomes clear that Niki’s attacker hasn’t given up and Gage realizes he’ll do anything to keep her safe… even as his own family is spiraling out of control.
Cabin 1 is the first book in the 3-part Berry Springs spinoff series, STEELE SHADOWS SECURITY—Think of it as Berry Springs’ darker, grittier, steamier, BAD BOY brother. Please note: You do not need to read the Berry Springs Series first.
Reviews for Cabin 1:
“Holy crap! What a book!” -5 STAR Goodreads Review
“A completely brilliant, compelling, raw, breathtaking, at times heartbreaking story. Cabin 1 should be read by every romantic suspense lover.” -5 STAR Goodreads Review
“My mind is BLOWN.” -Book Blogger, Books and Beauty by Cassie
“McKinney’s best one yet.” -5 STAR Amazon Review
“Scorching.” 5 STAR Bookbub Review
Praise for the Berry Springs Series:
“One of my favorite novels of 2018.” -Confessions of an Avid Reader, The Fog
“The Woods is a sexy, small-town murder mystery that’s guaranteed to resonate with fans of Nora Roberts and Karin Slaughter.” -Best Thrillers
“Danger, mystery, and sizzling-hot romance right down to the last page.” -Amazon Review, The Creek
“Amanda McKinney wrote a dark, ominous thrilling tale spiked with a dash of romance and mystery that captivated me from start to finish…” -The Coffeeholic Bookworm, The Lake
“The Storm is a beautifully written whodunnit, packed with suspense, danger, and hot romance. Kept me guessing who the murderer was. I couldn’t put it down!” —Amazon Review
“I devoured The Cave in one sitting. Best one yet.” —Amazon Review
“The Shadow is a suspense-filled, sexy as hell book.” —Bookbub Review
THE STORM is the *2018 Golden Leaf Winner for Romantic Suspense, a *2018 Maggie Award for Excellence Finalist, *2018 Silver Falchion Finalist, *2018 Beverley Finalist, and *2018 Passionate Plume Honorable Mention Recipient.
THE FOG is the *2019 Golden Quill Winner for Romantic Suspense, the *2019 I Heart Indie Winner, a *2019 Stiletto Award Finalist, and a *2019 Book Buyers Best Finalist.
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Wow sneaky ending. Awesome book. Awesome writer. Had me hook on page 2.
Full review appeared at Reader’s Edyn on 04/26/20
Niki has just survived a brutal attack. Blind-sided out of nowhere and set up by two masked men, she narrowly escapes and sets off into the woods. It’s by sheer will to survive that she makes it as far as she does and sheer luck that she stumbles onto the grounds of the elite Steele Shadows Security family. Knowing absolutely nothing about her attackers, if it was random or planned, and if they took off with all of her information from her vehicle, she stays put and under the protection of the Steele brothers. Technically under the protection of Gage, the super-hot brother she is strongly attracted to, despite his gruff demeanor. Sure, she’s narrowly escaped with her life, but the need to feel alive is also difficult to deny after such an experience. Besides the magnetic attraction, Gage is determined to protect her at whatever cost and together they fill in several blanks, which ultimately leads them toward the villain. But will they piece it together quickly enough, or will Niki get caught in the crossfire before Gage can save her? And with as much as Gage is dealing with outside of this protection detail, could he be anything more to Niki than a fling? So many questions and so few answers.
Gage has been in a tailspin for the last year. Well, all of his family has. The brothers all returned home from service after the news of their father’s death made it to them. Each of them has been dealing in their own way and neither in the right way. Gage’s vice has been booze and women and his reputation around town says nothing different. When Niki is thrust in his lap, he isn’t sure he can believe her given her family history, but he wants to trust that she’s being truthful. He feels it in his gut despite his brothers warning him to be cautious. They also warn not to hook up with their new client, but Gage is attracted to Niki in a way he never thought he would be. How do you deny that kind of pull? Between dealing with the anniversary of his father’s death, trying to find out who wants Niki dead and keep her safe, and wrapping his head around the fact that his brother has uncovered information that makes his father’s death look more like murder, Gage is about at his limit. If he can’t get a step ahead of the threats on Niki’s life and he ends up losing her, it’s doubtful he will recover. One more blow will likely do him in. He only has one choice. Fight and win.
What. The. Hell. Just. Happened??????? OMG! Where to begin … So I don’t remember getting this book or requesting it or anything. But I follow this author on Insta and have always liked her posts. I started looking into her books and came across Cabin 1. It was then I discovered that I had it and was qued up to read it in about 5 more books or so. Well, that wasn’t working, so I moved it to the top. As my first experience with Ms. McKinney, I have to say I was spellbound. This book takes off and never quits – leaving the reader gasping at the gut-wrenching cliffhanger. Yes, folks. There is a cliffhanger. Gasp! Right? I do despise them after all. But darn if this one didn’t drag me in and make me foam at the mouth to find out what is happening next. For the first book in series, a lot is covered. Much is revealed while much more is assumed, yet remains unsubstantiated. The Steele brothers are all introduced, along with their pretty cool step-mother. The boys have been through the wringer in the last year and each has been flailing through life, trying to get their bearings after a devastating blow in the form of their father’s unexpected death. They each have their own way to cope and neither has it figured out just yet. Having left their military lives to pick up the pieces at home, finding their way has been difficult and remains a work in progress. Gage is the first brother we will be dealing with in CABIN 1 and falls into the responsibility of protecting Niki. But Niki has about as good a reputation in town as Gage does, so initially, trust isn’t something freely given. Even though Gage wants to believe her, given her family connection, his brothers manage to plant that seed of doubt. But Niki is no wilting flower and despite surviving, and narrowly escaping what should have been her rape and murder, Niki continues to fight back. She’s been clawing back from her childhood since day 1, so the fight instinct has always been much higher than the flight instinct. Gage is pole-axed by the spirited beauty and although he could be putting his career on the line, he falls to Niki’s charms. Not one to be led easily astray, there is something about the tantalizing vixen that draws him in. And Niki is just as affected by Gage. She’s had a couple of relationships, but nothing that has sparked the fierce desire she and Gage immediately feel. Even though she’s likely the target of an evil plot, she cannot deny the desire she feels for Gage. Together they work out small details that gradually point them in the direction of the criminal, but as they get closer to the truth, the danger makes its way even closer to Niki. And through all of this, Gage is trying to support, yet remains unconvinced that his brother (Phoenix) has uncovered what might be the true reason for their father’s death – murder. So yeah … A LOT happening.
All of this occurs within the space of a few days and at just over 200 pages, there isn’t a ton of time to dig any deeper into any of the content we are presented with. That said, what is given works. While it seems like a lot to take in at the beginning, it ends up being a good amount of information. And the threads that remain untethered, searching for purchase, help to propel the reader into the next book. I, for sure, feel a need to continue with this series and find out more about what is going on. It’s clear that the Steel Patriarch was a mastermind at security and also clearly dove into some nefarious junk that ticked off the wrong person. The question will be if the brothers and heirs to the legacy will be able to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the unidentified murderer, or if they will have to sweep the discovery under the rug to protect what is left of their family and security business. You guys! Are you reading all of this? All of this within a couple a hundred pages? Holy Wow! I’m still trying to recover from this rollercoaster. And dang if the wickedly seductive passion wasn’t something to experience. There is only one scene, but it’s fantastic. Also, with the militant background these boys have come from and their grief still very real and raw – so is the language. This isn’t a book – and more than likely not a series – for those who like fluff, sweet romance, and everything wrapped up into a pretty ribbon. You will NOT find that here. Instead, you will be taken on a crazy wild ride, constantly in motion, never knowing what is going to happen next. The level of suspense was perfect! Not quite nail-biting, but enough to keep me quickly thumbing through to each next page. In fact, for a good portion of the book, I was suspecting a completely different antagonist to surface. And while not much was revealed about the other brothers, I can see the makings of some great characters shaping up. Did I mention that Gage is a twin? Fun times. Gage and Axel. Yum! The two other brothers, Gunner and Phoenix, complete this rough and ready bunch of smoking hot men I’d love to have as my security detail.
If I were to have a complaint, it would be that this book feels just a bit incomplete. I don’t mean with the ending. I totally get that the book had to end somewhere to pave the way for the next installment and now that I have read it, it ended at a great point in which to pick things back up. But I feel like there should have been more in the beginning. Just a bit more about Niki and a whole lot more about Mr. Steele himself. I mean what the heck did he get himself into and how did he go about building his security empire? I was thinking it felt like there was a missing prologue, but now I’m thinking there could easily be a novella prologue that would help to shape this story up even more. Maybe just a bit about the security firm itself, but even more so about the information he was trying to uncover in his last few weeks of life, then ending with the boys being notified with his death. Does that make sense? Maybe at some point, that missing piece will come to life. I would love it if it did. And then, of course, the wrap up is rather quick in regards to Niki’s attacker. But again, only around 200 pages here, so keeping that in mind, I feel like Ms. McKinney did a good job in bringing about (at least this aspect) to a satisfying closure. But either way, I still enjoyed every minute spent within this book and look forward to each new book. For a fast-paced, jaw-dropping, thrilling read, this is the place to be! But make sure you have CABIN 2 cued up to jump into because Axel is up next!
Kindle version provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
OMG! This book was an emotional roller coaster that ended on a cliff hanger and I cannot wait to read the next one. This is the story of Nikki and Gage. Nikki is an attorney who gets attacked and Gage finds her running in the woods on his property. Gage is one of the Steele brothers behind Steele Shadows Security. As the brothers and police try to solve Nikki’s attack, the oldest brother and Gage are looking into the death of their father the previous year. This story will have your adrenaline pumping and you won’t believe the end.
Thank you, Netgalley and HH Tisevich for allowing me to read a copy of this book. I am hereby leaving my freely given opinion and all observations are strictly my own.
4.5 Stars
This is book one in the Steele Shadows Security series and it features Gage and Nikki. This is an awesome story! Gage Steele is a mega-alpha man with muscles, good looks, money and an enviable, solid bond with his three brothers. Nikki is a beautiful woman and a successful lawyer, who’s been targeted by a psycho who likes to decapitate his victims. The attraction between these two is explosive and real. She makes him want to be the man she deserves. Can he catch the psycho before he gets his hands on Nikki again?
This is a FABULOUS story with amazing characters. The last paragraph left me gasping and shaking my head in denial. The Steele family and employees are very interesting and they all have their own stories that need to be told. I NEED to read the next book desperately!
Wow, what an exciting suspense book for my introduction to Amanda Kinney’s writings. After their father’s suspicious death, Gage Steele and his brothers run their father’s security firm. When Niki is sexually assaulted by two men in ski masks, Nikki runs blindly through the woods. When she breaches the Steele’s compound, Gage finds her. Gage believes it was a personal attack and offers her protection. I received a free copy of the ebook from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This was such a quick read for me because I didn’t want to put this book down. Due to the type of characters the brothers are (former Marines) , the language is grittier than I normally read and so is their descriptions of the women they spend a night with. There is a lot of sizzle in this book and one very steamy scene. I liked this book very much and plan to put Cabin 2 in my TBR pile.
Cabin 1 is my first Amanda McKinney story and it will definitely not be the last. I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the series along with all of her entire backlist! This story was a fast-paced, edge of your seat thrill ride. Holy buckets! This author packs one heckuva punch.
Even though the romance was extremely fast-paced, although it felt like the timeline moved faster than it truly did, the story flowed very well and worked perfectly. This story was filled with not only suspense but lots of heat and steam as well.
This was filled with suspense, right from page one! Nicki is having a very bad night-run off the road, being attacked by two masked men and fighting for her life. She fights & runs for her life into the woods, hoping to survive the night. The only good thing is that the woods lead her to Gage and his brothers who make up Steele Shadows Security. Their compound is on the mountain, and they find her, bring her in, clean her up and help her. Protect her, although that job does not end when they find her. Because someone keeps trying to kill her. And in the middle of all that, Gage and Nicki are combustible together. Every chapter was a page turner, there were so many different angles to dissect, and mysteries going on. I very much enjoyed this!! And with the way it left off, I’m gonna need to read the next one!
4 1/2 stars Wow this was an emotional and fast paced story. It had intrigue suspense drama and love. A great book that’s well written and has a great cast of characters that I really enjoyed reading. Totally had me from first to last word! Laughed, cried, was surprised and shocked all in the first book of this trilogy. Can’t wait to read Cabin 2.. please write faster. Happy reading!!
The story has a quick pace and a lot of action! This story was a great introduction to the Steele family. The opening grabs you and immediately puts you in the story! All the brothers are dealing with their grief over their Father differently. The book has it’s own story focused on Gage but sets us up for more books in the series. I’m looking forward to reading more. I received a copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book grabs the reader from the explosive start! Niki Avery is run off the road and attacked by two men. When one tries to rape her while the other one stands back to watch, she fights back, stabs the first attacker and escapes through the woods. The second man chases her, but she never stops running. She finally loses him and hours later ends up on land owned by the Steele brothers. They find her and give her some much needed aid and a safe place to stay. Gage Steele is the one who initially talks to her and helps her out the most. He’s been lost in a haze of booze and women for the past year after his father’s death. None of the four brothers have accepted their father’s death very well, and all are coping with various less-than-ideal strategies.
Niki has worked hard to overcome her colorful past. She is bright, driven, and motivated to be more than what people have judged her to be. Because of this past, she has an inner core of strength that leaps off the page. Gage, on the other hand, has an outer core of strength, but his inside life is a mess. Being around Niki brings up doubts about what he believes, but it also brings up the strength and courage to rise above his current situation and to use more of his internal strength muscles that have been atrophying. They both help each other to be better people.
This book is a page turner! Clear your calendar for a few hours because you won’t want to put this book down once you start it. The brothers have a wonderful bond with each other and the rest of their extended family, which balances the aloneness that Niki deals with on a daily basis. Regardless of her lack of friends, Niki finds strength wherever she can; in fact, a red leaf is one such device infusing Niki with courage and strength when she needs it most. It’s beautiful the way the author touches on this in a couple of different places in the book and again at the end.
There are a few threads that are left unexplored at the end of the book. This story is self-contained, yet there are tendrils that will most likely be followed in subsequent books about these brothers. All-in-all this is an amazing start to what appears to be a fantastic series.
What an absolutely amazing book with unforgettable characters and a well-written white knuckle, heart-pounding thriller that sucked me in from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down until I read the last word. A great beginning to the Steele Shadows Security Series set in the small southern town of Berry Springs in the Ozarks when the Steele brothers take over their father’s personal security firm after his untimely death.
I loved the instant attraction and off-the-charts chemistry between die-hard playboy Gage Steele and newly appointed prosecutor Niki Avery.
This is the first book I have read by Amanda McKinney and don’t know how I’ve missed this gifted author but I can’t wait to read more!!! This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys steamy, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful romance.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
This suspenseful read had great characters and a wonderfully written and intriguing storyline that kept me turning the pages until the very end!
Cabin 1 is my first book by author Amanda McKinney. OMG!! How have I not read any of her book before? Ms. McKinney has provided readers with a well-written book populated with a spectacular cast of characters. Niki is a lawyer and is attacked after her jeep is forced off the road. Gage and his brothers leave the military after their father’s death. Gage and Niki’s story is packed with drama, humor, sizzle, action and OMG! suspense. This book captured me at page one and didn’t let go until the end. I loved this book and look forward to reading more from Amanda McKinney in the future. Cabin 1 is book 1 of the Steele Shadows Security Series but it can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger. The author does throw a good hook though to have you wanting the next book in your hot little hands.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gage a twin always pushing the boundaries the screw up, his brother Axel is the leader. Out of the marines a year now…booze, women. Nikki running for her life from a bad man in the Ozark mountain in the dark. This is the very basic beginning to suspenseful romantic mystery thriller, that I just loved and couldn’t put down. I was given this in a free book giveaway and I voluntarily leave this review.
Action packed romantic suspense:
Hang on to the edge of your seat for a fast paced, action filled ride with plenty of hot alpha males, a strong feisty heroine and serious bad dudes! This book had all of the necessary ingredients however it didn’t quite live up to it’s potential for me. Apart from the epilogue this book takes place over a 24 hour period and I think it could have benefited from being extended over a longer time frame to draw out the tension and mystery and to also allow for greater character development. Gage and Niki had an extreme case of insta-love!
I liked the mystery surrounding their dad’s death and look forward to the continuing investigation in upcoming books, especially after the shocking ending. The Steele brothers are volatile live wires who communicate more with their fists than their words but I’m hoping that as more answers come to light and they find love, that they’ll settle down. There was also excessive drinking and how they still managed to drive and shoot at targets, I have no idea…
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I doubt it will be the last.
Niki and Gage are engaging characters. She is the workaholic Lawyer trying to put her fathers shady past behind her. He is the guilt-ridden, grief-stricken son of a billionaire security company owner who is using women and alcohol as a crutch.
There were plenty of twists and turns and storyline was quite gripping and harrowing in places. Yes, Gage did come across as a misogynistic ass at times but I like to think that once he’s dried out he is quite likeable. I did feel a bit like thumping him when his first thoughts on finding NIki were how he’d like to “do her” when it was clear she was in some distress. But the protective instincts eventually overrode the douche instincts and he became a hero I could enjoy.
I liked the fact Niki didn’t hide her background, she just didn’t want to be tarred with the same brush as her dad. Neither Gage not Niki are the clear cut stereotype they believe each other to be and I’m dying to know what happens now – cos that sneak peak at the next book -eeeeeeeeeep!
Great read. Loved the characters. Suspenseful!
I love the story line, the suspense, the heat. The brothers are all ex military and they came home to stay after their dad died. But Feen believed he was murdered. They took over the security business their dad built. Of course the men are the typical macho alphas dealing with the pain in their own ways. The victim talking in first person most of the beginning of the book. I was really shocked with the ending. Can’t wait to read book 2. HEA for Gage but not for the family.
What in the hell did I start reading..Gage was pig..He was disgusting, I mean I read about books and I know that when you are reading a lot of guys thoughts they are not very lets say clean, however this guy yuck. I was trying to continue even though I knew I didn’t like him, but then when he meet Niki who was beat the hell up, torn shirt raped or almost raped he is having lewd thoughts, sorry dude couldn’t continue with it.
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author…(netgalley) voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions
This was a new to me author and I’m glad I took a chance. This book was very suspenseful all the while keeping the hot turned up to 100%.
Gage was in a tough spot at the beginning of this book. My heart went out for him. He was just trying to deal with his grief the only way he knew how. I felt the most bad for him when his brothers would get on his case. No he wasn’t dealing with his grief very healthy but none of them were but he seemed to be the resident punching bag.
I liked when Gage met Niki and she became his focus. While he was interested, he took her safety very seriously. I loved when he took care of her and didn’t push her after he found out what had happened. I also liked that he stuck up for her when her brothers were questioning her statement.
Niki is a force to be reckoned with. She had to be strong given the upbringing that she had. I loved how the book portrayed her by showing her fears but not letting them keep her down and fighting back.
I just have to say that ending though……wow!!!