A Wall Street Journal bestseller.Danger rises and love is threatened in New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s fourth book of the Mountain Mercenaries series.Lowell “Black” Lockard, former Navy SEAL, has watched his fellow Mountain Mercenaries settle down with the women of their dreams, but he’s convinced he doesn’t need love. Then he gets a call from Harlow Reese—a chef at a local … call from Harlow Reese—a chef at a local women’s shelter—and begins to reconsider his decision.
After being continually harassed by a local band of punks, Harlow asks Lowell to give the women of the shelter lessons in self-defense. She doesn’t expect him to take such a special interest in her safety, but he insists on escorting her to and from work, never taking no for an answer. Not that Harlow minds the personal touch…especially when it’s coming from her former teenage crush.
Despite her long history of bad dating luck, seeing Black again makes Harlow rethink her self-imposed celibacy. Easy on the eyes and hard to forget, the man has morphed into an alpha stud. And Harlow may be exactly the type of woman Black is looking for. Making her feel safe isn’t only a duty; it’s a pleasure. But the threats are escalating. The motives are a mystery. And as the danger burns almost as hot as their passion, there’s much more at risk than their hearts.
more
I admire Harlow and everything that she is doing. Some times I think she opens her mouth without thinking and realizing the danger she is putting herself in. She is a cook in a woman’s shelter who is being harassed by some locals. She meets a high school friend who offers to help her.
Lowell “Black” Lockard is a man of many talents. He is a warrior and protector. He even has some talents that make him a dangerous man but one you wouldn’t mind being on your side.
I liked this book. I liked the relationship that Harlow and Black had. I especially liked the non-dates there were going on and how long it took Harlow to catch on.
***5 Stars***
Susan Stoker hit all the right buttons again with this baby. Fun, sweet, swoon worthy read, with a lot of heart and a good dose of suspense to keep things interesting and bring out the best, and worst, in all the characters making me want to spend a lot more time with all of them.
I adored Black/Lowell & Harlow. Black is all kinds of honest, protective and loyal, but also a little sneaky when necessary. What I really liked about him was that when he got something wrong he owned up to it, no excuses given, and worked to never to do it again Harlow has a huge, generous heart that gave selflessly, even though it was quite battered, and had the type of confidence that drew you in. Also her being a chef and loving to cook was a huge bonus
Their journey to their HEA was sweet, fun and smexy, but also a bit frustrating as they – well, mostly Harlow – tried to avoid what was going on right in front their noses. Thankfully, Black was all kinds of sneaky goodness and their friends and family didn’t pull any punches when it came to give their opinions. They worked for me as a couple on all levels and I loved just hanging out with them and watching as they got closer than they’d ever dreamed.
This was another fun read, that can be read as a standalone, but after meeting all the guys and their women ~ at least those that have found their HEA’s ~ you’ll want to read all of them. The suspense aspect of the story was very well done, and though it kept me guessing at who the baddie could be, it never detracted from all that was going on with Black and Harlow. And after that little tease at the end, I cannot wait to get my hands on Defending Everly!
~ Copy provided by the publisher & voluntarily reviewed ~
As others have mentioned in their reviews, Defending Harlow has a different ‘feel’ to it than the other books in the Mountain Mercenaries series. This book is just as great as the other books in the series, just not the in your face, nonstop action adrenaline rush feel of the previous stories. It has a more subtle approach to the action and danger, but is heavy on suspense and drama, and has a slow building romance. The characters are just as endearing and the plot, though slower paced, just as intriguing. Regardless if Stoker is writing an intense, immediate danger from the start book or one that slowly sneaks up on you with veiled threats and harassment from hidden bad guys, her writing style and gift of telling a good tale will pull you in and hold on tight until the end.
Harlow and Lowell (Black) were great characters with a lot of chemistry and I loved how he snuck under Harlow’s radar for dating with all his ‘non-dates’ and her reaction when she realized what was going on. Harlow’s previous dating experiences were fun to read, totally laugh out loud moments. I also enjoyed how they each snuck under each other’s defenses in the romance department and both found something wonderful neither knew they were looking for, but was exactly what they needed.
Defending Harlow is a great read with plenty of banter, laughs, drama, suspense, appearances by the rest of the team and their women, the mysterious Rex (of course), a bit of danger, and some romance with a guaranteed HEA.
Mountain Mercenaries is becoming a new favorite series of mine. I love these men and how protective they are. The main goal as the Mountain Mercenaries is to help women and children who are being abused.
The first three books were about the heroine being one of those abused women. In Defending Harlow, the author switched things up a bit and the heroine is not a mission they go on. However, she does ask for their help with some punks harassing the women and kids at the shelter she works at.
Harlow and Lowell (Black) have known each other since high school but they haven’t seen each other since. The instant attraction is mutual but Harlow has a had a string of some very, bad luck dates and she’s over it. Due to this we got to see Black get creative in dating Harlow without Harlow realizing they were dating.
I really enjoyed getting to know both Harlow and Black. If I had one complaint, it was the protesting too much. It’s kind of a pet peeve of mine. I want to enjoy the budding romance without constant protests.
I borrowed the audiobook on kindle unlimited and found out the narrator is one of my favorites. I love Stella Bloom!
DEFENDING HARLOW is the fourth instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary,adult MOUNTAIN MERCENARIES romantic, military, suspense series focusing on a group of six former soldiers and Navy SEALS who call themselves Mountain Mercenaries, headed by the mysterious ‘Rex’. This is thirty-five year old, former Navy SEAL Lowell ‘Black’ Lockhard, and thirty-four year old, chef Harlow Reese’s story line. DEFENDING HARLOW can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from several third person perspectives including Harlow and Lowell, DEFENDING HARLOW follows the slow building relationship between former high school acquaintances, Navy SEAL Lowell Lockhard, and chef Harlow Reese. Having reconnected with Lowell a few weeks before, Harlow battled between head and heart as the threats against the women and children at the local woman’s shelter became increasingly threatening. Lowell had previously offered his services as well as the services of the Mountain Mercenaries to protect the people living at the shelter but our heroine was reluctant to abuse their friendship. Knowing is was necessary to protect the people she loved, Harlow made contact with Lowell Lockhard, contact that would bring her face to face with the man with whom she would fall in love. What ensues is the slow building relationship and romance between Lowell and Harlow, and the potential fall-out as the woman’s shelter is targeted by an unknown source.
Harlow Reese’s success in the world of dating can be summed up as disastrous and dark therefore our heroine has decided to remove herself from all future relationships including the possibility of dating our story line hero. Lowell Lockhard struggles with his attraction to a woman who wants nothing to do with ‘dating’ or love, so he begins a slow seduction of Harlow by planning ‘outings’ just for the two.
The relationship between Harlow and Lowell is an acquaintance to friends to lovers romance; an immediate, palpable sexual attraction is tempered by Harlow’s inability to move beyond the failed ‘dates’ and potential threats from the men with whom she had gone out. Lowell’s need to protect Harlow keeps our hero close, close enough to pull Harlow into something more. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.
The colorful secondary and supporting characters include computer guru and Navy SEAL Hunter’Meat’ Snow, and former Coast Guard officer Ball; Grayson and Allye (Defending Allye #1), Ronan and Chloe (Defending Choe #2), Archer ‘Arrow’ and Morgan (Defending Morgan #3), as well as the mysterious ‘Rex’; woman’s shelter owner Loretta Royster, as well as several women and their children who live at the shelter. The requisite evil has many faces.
DEFENDING HARLOW is a story of power and greed; of danger and suspense; of friendship, protection, and falling in love. The premise is entertaining and inviting; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic and dynamic. DEFENDING HARLOW is a passionate and fated look at romance and love. My only complaint is the length of time the ‘mercenaries’ took to uncover the reason behind the threats against the women and the shelter. For me, the motive was fairly obvious, or at the very least should have been a logical path to follow.
DEFENDING HARLOW (Mountain Mercenaries Book 4) by Susan Stoker is a romantic suspense that has the men of Mountain Mercenaries working a case in their own hometown. When a women’s and children’s shelter is threatened, these dedicated men work to discover who is responsible and why. All of the books in this series can be read as standalones, but there is more character crossover in this book than in the previous books.
Ex-Navy SEAL Lowell “Black” Lockard has watched his teammates find their forever matches one by one and even though he is not ready for forever, he would like to find someone to share his time with. When Black shows up for his turn to teach self-defense at the women’s shelter, he is surprised to see that the new chef is an acquaintance from high school. Harlow is a beautiful person, inside and out, and Black wants to see more of her, but Harlow does not date.
Harlow Reese loves her job and all of the women and children in the shelter. She is surprised when the boy she had a crush on in high school walks in to teach self-defense to the women. Recently a group of young thugs has started harassing the women and children and Harlow asks Black for his help. With Harlow’s “No Dating” rule, Black has to find a way to do things with Harlow without calling it a date. He starts by being available at all times to keep her safe and he begins to find that Harlow means more to him than he planned.
The threats escalate and Black pulls in all of the Mountain Mercenaries to help find who is responsible. Can Black and the Mountain Mercenaries keep the shelter and its’ occupants safe as they work to uncover the threat?
I really enjoyed the mix of romance and suspense in this book in the series. Harlow’s list of bad dates had me laughing out loud. She had bad things happening around her at the shelter, but she was not abused as the previous heroines. Lowell was an interesting mix of understanding and caring for Harlow, but he has a dark side that is revealed in this story. These two were perfect for each other and I cheered on every step Lowell took to get Harlow. The suspense plot was well written to keep the story fast paced and interesting. The sex scenes were explicit, but not gratuitous when they did occur.
I can highly recommend this book and the entire series! I am looking forward to Ball’s story next.
Thanks very much to Net Galley and Montlake Romance for allowing me to read this eARC.
Defending Harlow by Susan Stoker is 4 in the Mountain Mercenaries Series. This is the story of Harlow Reese and Lowell ‘Black’ Lockard. I have read the previous books (and Loved them!) but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Lowell is feeling a touch of envy when his fellow Mountain Mercenaries are find their women. When a call comes in asking them to help train women to defend themselves at the shelter he goes forward to help. What Lowell finds is Harlow a women who attended his high school back in the day. When he start asking questions he learns she is single and the spark for her just gets bigger. Harlow is done with the dating world after having so many frogs in her life, now her focus seems to be the shelter. When they start getting harassed she looks to get help teaching then to defend themselves.
This was a steamy read along with the back ground mystery that make it a page turner for me.
A new release coming from Susan Stoker!!
I appreciated that this one dealt with the aftermath of what these protector heroes have to go through emotionally after completing a difficult mission/task.
By far, my favorite heroine in the series. Wish she’d played a bigger part in the subsequent books.
There was just something so true about this story, these characters, and their relationship. Now, that may seem off considering our hero has to trick our heroine to go on dates with him, but it is the intentions that are true. The characters are true as well, to themselves, to each other, and to those around them. Neither holds anything back and the other learns their idiosyncrasies and accepts them. They have a definite attraction, they have a definite connection, and it just takes a while for their heads to catch up with their hearts. Stella Bloom masterfully narrates this story, and will forever become the voice of this series for me!
“Defending Harlow” is the fourth book in the Mountain Mercenaries series and it is the story of Lowell “Black” Lockard and Harlow Reese. Black is a former Navy Seal and Harlow works as a chef at the local women’s center, they knew each other in the past, Black was her High School crush. Harlow calls on Black to teach the women at the shelter self-defense, because they are being harassed and threatened. When things escalate Black calls in the rest of his team to try and figure out who wants the center closed and why.
With all the suspense going on, Black wants to date Harlow and get to know her better, but she has a real long list of bad dates that have her backing off of dating for the foreseeable future. This leaves Black with no choice but to date her and not let on that they are dating, lol.
This one is loaded with suspense, danger, friends, passion, romance and love. Although this book can be read as a stand alone you will fall in love with the characters, and want to get to know them better.
How do you date someone without them knowing it’s a date? Why be as sneaky as a Navy SEAL would be of course. Since Black is a former SEAL he’s definitely the man for the job. Harlow Reese doesn’t date because of her disastrous dating history. However, running into her high school friend Lowell Lockard AKA Black may have her re-examining her no dating declaration. He’s kind, considerate, caring and protective. Harlow blows Black away with her easy smile, tenderness, fabulous culinary expertise and stubbornness. The Mountain Mercenaries team scrambles to figure out what’s behind the ongoing and now escalating harassment of the residents of the women’s shelter where Harlow is chef.
She works at a woman’s shelter as a chef when a group of men bother her and the residents she looks for help He is a former Seal and his teammates help them she knew him in high school she doesn’t date because she has had so many bad ones so he is sneaky and takes her on outings they have sizzling romance they save the people that go to the shelter its a happy ending for everyone
I loved reading Lowell “Black” and Harlow’s story and seeing them reconnect again after all these years. Defending Harlow was a slow building romance story as Harlow did not want to date anymore since she’s had really bad dates in the past and some were pretty funny which had me laughing. I really enjoyed when Lowell got creative in wooing Harlow and how protective he was as she worked at the shelter. The suspense and action in this book was different than the previous books in this series but still a page turner for me.
Defending Harlow by Susan Stoker is the fourth book in her Mountain Mercenaries series.
I did love the book however I was a bit unsettled with Rex’s lack of help but as you read you start to understand how hard it’s been having his wife kidnapped.
Harlow Reese loves her job at the shelter especially helping the kids learn how to cook and work out their fears. But when local kids start harassing the women and Harlow she knows that “Black” Lockard could help as part of the Mountain Mercenaries. They used to know each other as teens in Kansas which will help them reconnect because some of her past dates were beyond awful. But when the threats escalate will Lowell and the rest of the Mercenaries be able to rescue Harlow?
Lowell “Black” Lockard has watched his friends find their women and settle down so of course he wants the same for himself. When Harlow calls asking for self defense lessons for the women and herself he jumps at a chance to see help her. But little does he know there’s a much sinister person who will do anything to get what he wants so he steps up the harassment. First he has to convince Harlow that dating him won’t be like her previous ones all while trying to keep her and the women safe.
I like the fact that in this story Harlow wasn’t a woman that was kidnapped and abused although in a way she was scared by her many mistreatment from men in her dating experiences which resulted in her difficulties in trusting men. This is again is another brilliant story line that kept my interest as I read. I love how the story progressed and the ending was beautiful because in spite of what happened at the shelter everyone was safe.
That is one of the best series I’ve read in quite some time. Three of the six Mountain Mercenaries have found their soulmates – now it seems Lowell’s “Black” turn. But neither him nor Harlow are found of dating. And a relationship is far off – to both of them. Until things change. I liked the previous books of the series and this one is just as amazing, though it doesn’t quite reach the suspense the others did. Anyway, Black and Harlow are ment to be together, they just don’t know it yet. Can’t wait for the rest of the guys and finally Rex’s story!
This time the trouble is all in Colorado Springs when Black runs into a girl he knew in high school and she taps him to help with a problem she’s having at work.
Harlow is a terrific “strong woman” lead because despite the setbacks, she keeps her heart open to people. She’s not strident or aggressive, but shows her strength in her determination to help others. She is consistently selfless and kind.
Black is a worthy book boyfriend because he is patient and perceptive, and he understands the importance of trust.
Stoker’s books always hit the spot for me because the characters are well constructed, the story is well paced, and the writing is spot on. Plenty of adventure and suspense, lots of romance and sexual tension, a few laughs, and a satisfying happily ever after are all guaranteed when I open one of her books.
Intimidation and threats are just the surface of events in this fast paced read, this is a hard one for the team to pin down with not many clues to work on. Great characters to love and a plot that builds to a heart stopping chapter, it holds your interest and then shocks.
Another of Rex’s Alpha “Angels” is about to fall!
Mercenaries are such a misnomer, these men don’t do it for the money or the glory but because it’s the right thing to do! Harlow is an atypical heroine, she herself is not the target but she a trigger point for the protagonist to press to get what they want. They, however, did not bet on Black! Lowell and Harlow knew each other when they were kids and he rose to the shelters rescue. But he’d like to get to know this new grown up verion of Harlow. So, devious man that he is, he gets round Harlow’s no dating rule!
But just because Harlow isn’t the chief target dpesn’t mean she is out of danger. Black hasn’t been my favourite of the guys so far. I mean he wants an exit strategy before they even give this relationship a go but it was a great story. Switch off your rational brain and just go with the flow