The stakes are personal, hot, and dangerous in New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s riveting Mountain Mercenaries novel.As tough as Everly Adams may be, the Colorado Springs SWAT officer is near a breaking point. Her fifteen-year-old half sister, Elise, has disappeared from Los Angeles without a trace, and the window to find her is closing fast. Committed to the search is Mountain … the search is Mountain Mercenary Kannon “Ball” Black. He and Everly already have a history—of rubbing each other the wrong way.
Still, Everly has to admit the man is heart-stopping. His brash alpha swagger takes her breath away. And most importantly, as a former Coast Guard first responder, Ball has what it takes to bring Elise home.
Nobody’s buying the LAPD’s “runaway” theory. And the fear that Elise is the victim of a human trafficking ring is a gut-punch that Everly and Ball can’t ignore. If only the trail were that clear cut. Because the one they’re following is more insidious and intimately dark than they could have imagined.
Now as the bond between Everly and Ball grows stronger, so does the heat. And as the stakes rise, so does the danger.
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No matter how many books I read from Susan stoker, it seems I always end up changing my book boyfriend. I really loved this story of Kannon Black (Ball) and Everly. You have Ball a former coast guard who was burned by not only his mentee who forgot, turned the boat and Ball fell out and got injured and his ex girlfriend who was only in it because of his military career and we have Everly, a kick ass police and SWAT officer in a male dominated environment who has a deaf sister, a druggy mother and two loving grandparents. Elise, Everly’s sister is gone after a normal day at school but no one knows where she is. It takes Ball and Everly to try and find clues. Through the story we get the perspective from various characters, Ball being an idiot and Everly trying to suss him out. The book was brilliantly written, the characters where all likeable (well apart from the baddies) and the story flowed through as we were taken on a journey of emotions from the perspective of the family of someone who is missing. My word the ending to the book. I am so looking forward to Meat’s story. Over all another great book in this series and I can’t wait for more.
Defending Everly is Book 5 of the Mountain Mercenaries series and stands perfectly fine on its own however the back story does continue to build and the characters from the other stories, do appear throughout.
Each story in this series continues to get better and better, which is no small feat since I’ve enjoyed them all. I loved the interactions between Ball and Everly and the slow burn between them was off the charts. Having a daughter the same age as Everly’s sister does hit a little close to home and is a good reminder about reinforcing staying safe online.
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Everly is afraid for her sister Elise.
Elise disappeared without leaving a trace.
Kannon helps Everly to search to her sister.
The clock is ticking, and the chances of finding Elise are getting smaller.
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
I have loved the Mountain Mercenaries series so much and I have to say, each book just gets better and better. I was looking forward to Ball’s story and it was as good, if not better, than I had anticipated. As with the other books in this series, it’s a standalone action romance that doesn’t stop from the moment you open the book. Susan knows how to write romantic suspense –she always makes me “think” and ponder when I read these stories — very thought provoking, sometimes heartbreaking, but very well written and incredibly interesting. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.
When Everly’s sister goes missing she calls on the Mountain Mercenary team to help and “Ball” is the one assigned to help her find her. What starts out as a relationship full of hate slowly becomes one of love. This book sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down. Constant action and full of feelings.
Good book.
I love this story and this series. It is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me with the uber alpha heroes who fall hard and fast, and strong heroines who are definitely no shrinking violets.
Kannon “Ball” Black is not ready to trust a woman after betrayal by a former girlfriend and by a former female Coast Guard partner. He grudgingly agrees to work with Everly Adams, a SWAT officer who enlists the aid of the Mountain Mercenaries to find her missing teenage sister.
“Everly Adams had snuck under his shields and was slowly but surely chipping them away completely. And the thing of it was, she wasn’t even trying.”
Ball was at times quite a jerk but when he realized his errors he is not afraid to apologize and make up for his bad behavior.
I really enjoy these ‘standalone’ stories that allow peeks into the lives of characters from previous stories and at the end leave little hints of more stories to come.
-5 Stars!-
Ball is not happy to be assigned working with Everly to try & find her missing teenage sister, Elise. Everly is not looking forward to spending any time with Ball – a man who does not view women as his equal in the workforce. She’s used to this kind of treatment, and all she wants to do is find her sister & hopefully never work with Ball again. But as they spend time together, Ball realizes he was wrong about Everly, and she figures out his feelings towards women have something to do with his past. Will they get to Elise in time or will danger find them instead?
This read was full of action, suspense & drama. The bond of the brotherhood is loyal & fierce, and once Everly is introduced into the circle she immediately is comforted & taken in by the women. Ball was a jerk at times but owns up to his mistakes & misjudgments. This was a great read & I look forward to reading the next one!
I read a lot of books each year because I’m a book blogger. But because I read so much, sometimes I find myself in a true book slump and nothing seems to grab my attention and keep it. When that happens, I usually turn to one of Susan Stoker’s books because somehow along the way, hers have become something like a palate cleanser for me. I’ve been a long-time fan of her romantic suspense and military romance books. I can’t claim to be a super fan since I haven’t read them all (yet), but I’ve read many of them. Gearing up for the holidays, I found myself in one of my book slumps so Defending Everly came along just in time to snap me out of it.
Defending Everly is the 5th book in Susan Stoker’s Mountain Mercenaries series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone book. I always recommend reading all the books in a series (at least if I love them like I do Susan Stoker’s books) because you tend to be more connected with all of the characters and can appreciate their backstories and how they all contribute to the current book you’re reading. But it’s not necessary to read all of them in this series (even though I highly recommend them!).
Kannon “Ball” Black came across as kind of a jerk at the end of book 4. Thankfully, we learn so much more about his history in Defending Everly and can understand where he was coming from. And eventually, so does Everly Adams. Tough as nails and a kickass SWAT officer, Everly is nowhere near the type of woman either of his exes were. Working together to find her missing sister, he finally realizes that she’s someone he can trust (and more)…and she figures out the same in him.
NICUnurse’s Rating: As a longtime lover of Susan Stoker’s books, I can’t think of any of them I wouldn’t recommend to those people out there that love romantic suspense and military romance books. Defending Everly is no exception. It’s a quick read, too, which is perfect for this time of year. With all kinds of sexy alpha males who are not afraid to let their women shine but would still go to the ends of the Earth to keep them safe, Susan Stoker’s Mountain Mercenaries series is one of my go-to options any time.
I give Defending Everly 4 out of 5 stars!
This is the 5th book on the Mountain Mercenaries series. Everly Adams is a swat officer. Her younger sister disappears and she is desperate to find her. Ball Black is sent in to help find her but the last thing he wants to do is work with Everly. He’s had a bad experience with a female partner in the past and does not want a repeat performance. Even after they find Elise the man who took her is still stalking her. Susan Stoker always delivers a great love story enough action and suspense to keep you coming back for more. Plus a super creepy villain. It ends in a cliffhanger presumably leading into the next book. Now we have to wait until next year to find out what’s going on.
I’ve really been loving this fast-paced, exciting romantic suspense series! Only 2 books left after this, and I can’t believe it!
Everly Adams is a cop, and SWAT officer, in Colorado Springs. But, she’s originally from L.A., where her 15-year-old half sister, Elise, still lives with their grandparents. But, Elise went missing, and Everly KNOWS she didn’t just disappear on her own. Somebody has her, and she needs expert help. She contacts the Mountain Mercenaries to help her recover her sister. She had no idea the situation she’d be walking into with Ball, or how upset she’d be by his initial reaction to her.
Kannon “Ball” Black is former Coast Guard, and is currently a web developer. He’s also found a home, and a purpose, with his brothers at the Mountain Mercenaries. Though he’s never met their boss in person, he knows Rex is trustworthy, and on top of his game. So when Rex orders that the sister of their missing target is to be involved in their op, he’s not happy. He’s had terrible experiences with women in the past, both romantically, and in the military. One such experience left him so injured he was medically discharged from the Coast Guard, and he’s still bitter about it. He doesn’t think there’s any way he’ll change his mind, but he has no idea how much Everly, and Elise, will change his life forever.
Ball and Everly were like oil and water at first, and they bickered constantly. It was a bit of a slow build into them even truly liking and caring about each other, much less falling in love. It was fun watching Ball realize what a total idiot he’d been about his views on things, and how that changed his feelings about Everly rather quickly. Everly was very forgiving, once she realized that Ball’s apologies were sincere. I loved watching their banter turn more fun and flirty, as they got to know each other more deeply.
Elise’s kidnapping and rescue was the major suspense plot here, and that was exciting. Things were still ambiguous after her rescue, since they didn’t find the perpetrators immediately, and that kept me waiting for what would happen next. The villain was SUPER crazy and creepy too! Elise’s deafness was such an integral part of her character, and I loved watching her interact with Everly, and especially with Ball, as he attempted to learn sign language to communicate with her. He was adorable, and both ladies really appreciated him, and his efforts. Everly and Ball really found kindred spirits in each other, and I loved their connection, and how they opened up to keep Elise in their circle of love as well. She wasn’t ever forgotten or left feeling lonely.
I love all of the guys! All of Ball’s teammates are awesome, and I loved catching up with them, and their ladies. It’s always fun to see prior books’ couples living out their HEAs! They are constantly giving each other a hard time, and the ladies are always fun when they get together to chat. They really opened their arms to Everly, and to Elise, and I loved watching the sisters dig deeper into Ball’s world.
This was such a great story, and that epilogue, whew!! It really puts you in suspense for Meat’s story next! I can’t wait to read it!!
Defending Everly by Susan Stoker is book 5 in the Mountain Mercenaries Series. This is the story of Everly Adams and Kannon ‘Ball’ Black. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Everly is a Colorado Springs SWAT officer who knows how to kick but if needed, but the one thing that can bring her down is her litter sister Elise, who is also deaf.
So when Elise goes missing and it is believed that she has been taking by human trafficking group she ends up getting help from Ball who is a Mountain Mercenaries. Ball is a jaded person who doesn’t trust easily but there is something about Everly that starts to crack his harden heart.
Enjoyed this mystery drama romance.
Defending Everly by Susan Stoker
Mountain Mercenaries #5
Starting out a new partnership on the wrong foot is NOT the best idea. Nope, the words that Kannon”Ball” Black used in the hearing of Everly Adams were definitely not the ones that would endear her to them as they set off to find her teenage half sister missing in Los Angeles. But, as time passed the two began to have a grudging admiration for one another and their first impressions changed. Yes, by the end of the book they had changed so significantly that they ended up with their very own happily ever after. BUT before that could happen they had to find Elise and free her from the kidnapper, keep Elise safe since the kidnapper was not found and get on with their burgeoning romance.
This book was a fairly straightforward romance for that part of the story but the kidnapping, finding of Elise and that part of the story was educational and also fraught with some very tense moments. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and have to say that coming in on book five was no problem at all as I followed easily. That said, I enjoyed this book so much that I would love to find and read the previous books whenever I can.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
When Colorado Springs SWAT Officer Ellery Adams is notified that her fifteen-year old half-sister is missing she knows that Elise did not run away. Due to their mother’s addiction issues, Elise has been living with her grandparents in Los Angeles. With the assistance of former Coast Guard member, Kannon “Ball” Black, they use every advantage to search for and find her. Ball is now a member of the Mountain Mercenaries and fears that Elise may have been “trafficked” due to the messages found on her phone. Will they find Elise in time? A heart stopping adventure as Ball and Ellery fight against the odds to bring Elise safely home. Ms. Stoker adds to the story by giving us updates on some of the previous Mercenaries and their families. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
This is book 5 in the Mountain Mercenaries series but it can be read as a standalone. Everly and Kannon are looking for her sister after she went missing. They need to hurry because the time to find her is running out. Is she a runaway or is it something more serious? The characters were so real and the storyline was well done. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and you won’t want to put it down.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
Defending Everly continues the Mountain Mercenaries series and this time, none of the main characters are in danger! Everly is a member of the CSPD SWAT team and very capable of taking care of herself in times of crisis. However, she needs the Mountain Mercenaries to help find her missing 15 year old sister, Elise. Ball is assigned to the task and he couldn’t be more upset about it.
Ball has issues with women. First, his partner ruined his career in the Coast Guard. Then his fiancee left him when he needed her the most. Now, Ball has a bad opinion of all women. This is ridiculous of course, and thankfully, he does eventually see the error in his assumptions. Everly has some issues to overcome as well-guilt, inability to ask for help, etc. These two build a very slow relationship which was perfect for the story. Everly is trying to get setting into her new life and balance everything she has going on. Ball is still trying to learn to trust that not every woman is like his ex partner and his ex fiancee.
The danger is sporadic throughout Defending Everly as well. There is a lot of action in the beginning as they hunt for Everly, then a period where everything seems normal again, then BAM-danger. The story tackles the real issue of human trafficking and stalking. Stoker does a good job of addressing the dangers of online communication! Overall, fans of real life issues, romantic suspense, and mature characters will appreciate Defending Everly!
3.5 stars!
Another fantastic story of the Mountain Mercenaries and the women they love. The story mixes the right amount of suspense and sex appeal. I love how Ms. Stoker sometimes brings elements into her stories that we do not deal with in every day life. It makes the stories more endearing. Ball and Everly work well together and I like that Everly was every bit as kick ass as Ball. Mountain Mercenaries…go out and purchase!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
4.25 stars–DEFENDING EVERLY is the fifth instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult MOUNTAIN MERCENARIES military, romantic suspense series focusing on a group of former soldiers and Navy SEALS who call themselves Mountain Mercenaries, headed by the mysterious ‘Rex’. This is forty year old, former Coast Guard officer Kannon ‘Ball’ Black, and thirty-four year old Colorado Springs SWAT officer Everly Adams’ story line. DEFENDING EVERLY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from several third person perspectives including Everly and Ball DEFENDING EVERLY follows the search for Everly’s missing fifteen year old sister Elise. Elise Adams is deaf, and disappeared on her way home from her Los Angeles school for the hearing impaired, where she lived with her me-maw and pop, but not all was well in Elise’s life, and the young woman struggled for attention and love. With her sister missing, Everly Adams volunteers to work with the Colorado Mountain Mercenaries, a position that finds Everly coming face to face with a potential misogynistic partner. Enter former Coast Guard officer Kannon ‘Ball’ Black, and the man with whom Everly will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Everly and Ball, and the potential fall-out as Everly is targeted, along with her sister, by a psychotic mind.
Kannon ‘Ball’ Black has been burned in the past, not only by a former girlfriend, but a female partner who threw our hero under the bus. With issues of trust, Ball battles between head and heart when ‘forced’ to work with SWAT police officer Everly Adams, as she desperately searches for her missing sister. Everly Adams struggles with Kannon Black’s attitude when they first met but Kannon’s need to profusely apologize finds Everly falling for the former Coast Guard officer.
The relationship between Ball and Everly is one of immediate attraction but Ball’s initial comments and reactions have raised Everly’s hackles. Our couple struggle to look past their initial introduction, a struggle that eventually finds Ball and Everly falling in love with the well-intentioned help of me-maw and pop. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
The numerous secondary and supporting characters include computer guru and Navy SEAL Hunter ’Meat’ Snow; Grayson and Allye (Defending Allye #1), Ronan and Chloe (Defending Choe #2), Archer ‘Arrow’ and Morgan (Defending Morgan #3), Lowell ‘Black’ and Harlow (Defending Harlow #4) as well as the mysterious ‘Rex, the leader and handler of the Mountain Mercenaries. We are introduced to Everly’s sister Elise, their grandparents, Allison and Landen Adams, and Detective Diego Ramirez.
DEFENDING EVERLY is a story of family and friendships; desperation and revelations; camaraderie, drama, passion and suspense. The character driven premise is intriguing and edgy; the romance is tender and hopeful ; the characters are energetic, feisty, courageous and animated. Susan Stoker pulls the reader into an impassioned and intense story of rescue and love.
My new favorite book in the Mountain Mercenaries series. I was hooked from the start. You could just feel the love and bond between Everly and her sister Elise. Loved watching Ball move beyond his hang ups and open himself up to Everly. Loved the connection and chemistry they had. The ending left me on edge-I can’t wait to see how it plays out in Defending Zara.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC received via NetGalley.
Powerful romantic suspense story!
Police sergeant Everly enlists the Mountain Mercenaries to help find her kidnapped sister. Ball, a retired Coast Guardsman with a chip on his shoulder about working with women, is assigned to take point on this case and accompany Everly to Los Angeles, where her sister lives with her grandparents.
This story takes an expected route with the blossoming romance, but it’s offset by the unorthodox plotting of the kidnapping storyline. I was impressed that the case continued as it did after the initial rescue, and it was resolved in a wholly satisfying yet completely unexpected manner.
This story is a wonderful addition to the series, proving the skills and integrity of the Mountain Mercenaries team and of their families. I enjoyed the emotional growth shown by all three central characters, and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Evelyn needs help. Her little sister in California has gone missing. Recruiting the Mountain mercenaries seems like her best option. Until she hears what Ball thinks of her. Making things even more uncomfortable is the fact she can’t get away from him. Or figure our why she us starting to like him. Her sister needs her. She is deaf and alone, with no clues or leads she is at her wits end. A lucky break could change everything for all of them. Or it could just be the calm before the storm.
Two strong female characters, a protective and caring ex coast guard and enough suspense and emotion to make it real and a very enjoyable read. Loved as always the supporting characters and what they bring to the story as well as the bonds that tie them all together.