Sometimes the deepest scars are the ones that can’t be seen. Single mom Peyton Ward works three jobs to make ends meet. At Linear Tactical she’s surrounded by heroes on a regular basis…but none of them are hers. She thought she’d found one in Linear’s silent partner, and country music superstar, Cade Conner. She was wrong. Unintended wounds still cut as deep. Cade may not work day to day … deep.
Cade may not work day to day operations at Linear, but he takes the mission of the company he helped create—teaching survival intelligence and self-defense skills to the people who need them most—seriously. And finding out he’s wounded Peyton in the worst way possible weighs on him.
So when danger on two separate fronts closes in on her, he will damn well be by her side. Making sure they survive so he can right his personal wrongs.
He might not have been a Special Forces soldier, but Cade Conner knows how to fight. And Peyton is a woman worth fighting for.
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Another Awesome book of twists and turns, action packed scares, heart racing romance with enough steam to fill up my kindle and the MOST adorable, precocious little girl….LOVED it!
I can’t say enough how much I love reading books by Janie Crouch. You will laugh and you will cry as you read Echo, book 7 in the Linear Tactical series. I love Peyton and Cade together. Little Jess is such a cutie. Guys, you will love the tampon part. Sorry, I can’t give anymore away. Ethan Bollinger is playing his part in the book also. This is another great book by a great author.
Echo is about musician Cade O’Connor, known to his fans as Cade Connor and single mom Peyton Ward to the smartest little girl, 4 yr old Jess.
The reader will find that Peyton is working 3 jobs and barely making it. Cade isn’t one of the Linear Tactical team, he’s one of the financial backers, having come from a life of privilege, while Peyton most certainly didn’t. Echo is more a story of rebuilding relationships and this is a different turn for the series. Their relationship is complex and intense. As always Janie Crouch’s stories come with plenty of twists and turns, drama, danger, action, suspense, intrigue…..shall I go on? You have to work your way through all the characters to work out who the villain is, but it’s definitely worth it. Another first class read from this author.
This couple just didn’t interest me. I made it to chapter 24 before I skimmed the rest. Hopefully the next one is better.
Such craziness. I had some inklings going on what this might be about especially after learning that Peyton and Cade had been semi-together years ago before life took over. But wow. Love Jess and the new info about her being a kid genius. Super cute and adorable moments where her innocence plus smarts makes great convos. Poor Cade. He knew nothing and was essentially betrayed by family who thought they were doing the right thing in protecting him. Honestly I think that he and Peyton should have been more made at Cecilia and not let things go as quickly as they did. Yes she helped and then participated in saving lives but she tore 5 years from both them and Jess. I also didn’t really like that Cade took so much responsibility for something he had no control over. He was never told. And he honestly thought Peyton just moved on with live and films and decided she didn’t want Cade. So how would any normal person react to feeling like they were left behind, they would retreat. I personally don’t think he did anything wrong but trust the wrong people. Thank god it all came together. Evil people dealt with and those with their heads up their ass came around. Absolutely loved Ethan and his protectiveness of Jess. And his ‘talk’ with Cade. So cute. And love the HEA.
I really liked this book, but found Peyton’s side a little unbelievable, even so I liked her. I found Peyton struggle, determined and made Jess her number one priority. Cade I had a little more trouble with, I appreciated his determination. The good things about Cade once he found at about Jess, he did everything he could do for her and Peyton. Janie Crouch gave me the suspense, steam and action I look for. I did figured out who was behind everything, the minute he was introduced to the story. I was happy to get to know Peyton. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
I liked the hot & steamy scenes & I liked Jess but sorry Peyton & Cade’s story didn’t interest me like EAGLE , SHAMROCK , ANGEL , & SHADOW.
I loved this book! It’s my favourite of all the Linear Tactical books. And that’s saying something because all of them are terrific.
Peyton is a single mom working 3 jobs to give her daughter, Jess, a good life. As a financial backer for Linear Tactical, Cade wasn’t one of the team but he did have skills to protect himself and Peyton. Those skills sure came in handy. He grew up with money and now that he’s a music superstar, he has more than he’ll ever need. Peyton’s life was the complete opposite.
I’m glad Peyton and Cade cleared up their misunderstanding fairly quickly so they could move on in a relationship. Between the romance and suspense, I needed to know what would happen next and couldn’t read fast enough. I loved the children. They added some humour to this story. Jess was only 4 but was so smart she seemed older. Ethan was such a cutie. This little guy made it his responsibility to protect Jess. This made sense since he intended to marry her when they were older.
Romantic Suspense fans are going to love this book. I sure did. It had me feeling happy, sad, intrigued, angry, hopeful and frustrated. It’s a good read that will leave you smiling.
I was lucky to receive a copy for review consideration.
Payton Ward grew up on the wrong side of town. She had to fight for everything growing up. She never felt wanted or seen. Cade O’Connor was the rich, popular kid in town. Everyone wanted him, wanted to know him. But when Cade met quiet, smart, beautiful Payton, he was in love. So he befriended her and kept her secrets and secretly loved her. But she was too young for him, so he kept his distance.
Payton was finally getting out! She was going to live her dream and go to London and learn movie production. But before she left, Cade came home. He told her he cared about her and they were together 1 night and he left to return to Nashville to become a big star.
I am not really a lover of second chance stories. I feel like there is always 1 of the couple who has to forgive and forget what the other did to hurt them. That is not the way this second chance went. I think Janie Crouch wrote it soo good! I was glad that Payton didn’t hold out and not tell Cade the truth for too long. (I hate when authors drag it out.) And I loved how Cade fought for her love. How he never really stopped loving her.
There was danger and intrigue in the story. I loved how even though Cade was famous, he still was a badass and knew how to protect himself and his family. Another great read!
I voluntarily am leaving this review because I received an ARC. Janie Crouch just keeps making this series more AMAZING!!!! I’ve been waiting to hear Peyton & Jess’s story which also most importantly involves Cade. Time will never stop true love from happening, life may delay it or even almost ruin it but if it’s meant to be the two hearts will ECHO each other every time so they can find each other. Cade may be a brilliant songwriter but like a lot of men he can be obtuse and a little stupid when it comes to their precious feelings. Peyton is such a beautifully strong single mom to the funniest smartest kid on the planet. Peyton will do anything and everything that she needs to do to make sure Jess has the best life ever with everything she could ever want or need. But can she allow herself to be vulnerable and truly accept help from the last place she ever thought it would come from. I found myself laughing at quite a few of the things Jess would let fly out of her mouth I could actually imagine each scenario inside my mind like a movie. That’s how amazing Janie Crouch is as an author this entire series I actually play inside my head like a movie. Each character is fantastic, lovable, strong and sexy. Going back to Jess and the things she would say my favorite is her asking Peyton if she needed to change her tampon…..let me tell you I laughed out loud and read that part a few times because it was hysterical. You can truly feel the pain that these characters go through not only in the series in general but with each individual book. Please don’t past on this book series because it’s fantastically beautiful and full of suspense, sexy men, strong women, humor and most of all lots of love and sexy times. I’m excited to see which character she writes about next. Lots of questions were left about Riley Wilde (aka girl Riley)????
Cade & Peyton have a history and it’s complex. Now it’s caught up with them and secrets are exposed. Add to that meddling relatives, an abusive relative, an escalating stalker and one sassy smart four year old and you”ve got a captivating romantic suspense. Great reading!
A great romantic suspense read
Peyton, a struggling single mom, and Cade, a country singing star, have known each other since she started high school. As the story progresses past hurts get in the way, some secrets come to light, and danger follows him back home. Echo, the latest on Janie Crouch’s Linear Tactical books, lives up to series standard. We finally get to see how Cade became a part of Linear Tactical as well. This is a great romantic suspense read.
I loved this book. The series gets better with each installment. Peyton has been a character hovering in the background during the earlier books, with her adorable daughter Jess getting far more page time. I had a feeling that Peyton’s story would be an interesting one when it was her turn, and I was right.
Peyton and Cade knew each other in high school when she was a freshman, and he was a senior. Both were involved in the high school’s arts program, Cade on the music side, and Peyton on the film side. Peyton did her best to keep a low profile because she wasn’t in that high school’s district, and had pretty much lied her way in. She saw the arts program as her only way out of her abusive family life. Cade knew the truth but kept her secret. He graduated and went off to Nashville to pursue his singing career, while Peyton continued her efforts. By the time she graduated, she had won a full scholarship to a London film school. A few weeks after she graduated from high school, her car broke down, and she took refuge in Cade’s lake cabin. He showed up and the attraction they’d fought for years became too much. There were consequences to that night together, but miscommunication and outside interference kept them apart, leaving each believing that the other had turned their back.
Five years later, Cade returns to Oak Grove for a visit and runs into Peyton, the woman he’s never been able to forget. Something in that encounter seems off, and it takes some effort for him to track down Peyton and find out why. Peyton is terrified to see Cade, afraid of him finding out what she hid all these years. I was impressed by Cade’s determination to get to the bottom of the mystery, and his patience and kindness as he tried to get through to Peyton. I ached for Peyton, who truly believed that he had turned his back on her when she needed him most. I loved that, once she understood what happened, she didn’t keep the truth from him. Cade’s reaction was priceless, and I loved seeing his joy in the news.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Peyton and Cade. There was no doubt that the attraction and feelings between them were just as strong as they’d been before. Cade is determined to show Peyton that she and Jess belong in his life. It was sweet to see how well he still understood her and the confidence he had in her. His insistence that she be in charge of his music video and documentary gave her confidence quite a boost, once she believed it was really happening. I loved watching her bloom, especially standing up to the guy who always put her down. I also adored the scene in the bar during the girls’ night out, as he and the LT guys watched their ladies have fun, though it didn’t take long for Cade to stake his claim. It was easy to see that Cade was all-in, but Peyton was still a bit wary. She wasn’t sure if Cade wanted her, as well as Jess, and was hesitant to fully trust him with her heart. It took two brushes with death for her to finally accept the truth. The ending was fantastic.
Peyton’s daughter Jess has been one of my favorite characters throughout the series, and I loved getting to know her even better. She is an adorable mixture of little girl and teenager/young adult. Her relationship with Peyton is fantastic, and the love they share leaps off the page. I loved her stated intention of becoming the “Empress of the Elementary School” and her apparent confidence in her ability to do so. I loved watching her wrap Cade around her little fingers, and laughed out loud at their bonding over bad choices. Her friendship with Finn’s son Ethan is as strong as ever. I love Ethan’s protectiveness toward Jess, even more so since the events in the previous book. Ethan totally stole my heart with his man-to-man talk with Cade at the end, and I loved how seriously Cade treated Ethan’s concerns. I can’t wait to see the two of them grow up.
This wouldn’t be a Linear Tactical book without danger coming to the main characters. In this book, the threat comes from two directions. Cade has picked up a stalker, one that has escalated from nuisance attacks to something more dangerous. He and his security team have tried to find out who it is, but the stalker seems to stay one step ahead of them. It is disturbing to realize that the stalker seems to know far more of the inside workings of Cade’s life than any of them are comfortable with. As the story went on, I had several suspects in mind, but it took me almost to the end to figure out who it was. The final confrontation was terrifying, as the stalker seemed utterly convinced of the necessity of his actions. The second danger focused on Peyton. Five years earlier, her stepfather had nearly killed her and went to prison. Unfortunately, she and her mother learn that Dennis will be released early from prison. Though there is a restraining order to keep him away from them, we all know how that usually works out. When Peyton is attacked, there are questions about whether it is Dennis. Peyton’s mother, an alcoholic, believes it is, but there is no evidence. I was on the edge of my seat when Dennis made his move, as there were so many things that could go wrong. I loved Peyton’s ability to keep a cool head, and Jess’s quick thinking also helped. The deciding factor was the help from an unexpected source, which surprised both Peyton and me. Another surprise was the connection between the two dangers.
I always love the secondary characters. As always, the LT members wander in and out of the book as needed, and have our characters’ backs in times of trouble. I liked seeing more of Baby in this book and loved the close friendship between him and Cade. I liked how he gave Cade a kick in the seat when he needed it. I enjoy his self-deprecating humor, his way with the ladies, and have the feeling that there is something important going on with him. I liked seeing more of Girl Riley and loved her support of Peyton. I liked the way she tore into Cade at the beginning. I can’t wait for her story because I think she has some trouble ahead of her from a few hints that were dropped along the way. I liked Peyton’s mother and felt terrible for her, as her fears of her ex created deeper problems with her alcoholism. I was impressed that she held it together as well as she did during the final confrontation. But it was Cade’s Aunt Cecilia that had the most significant secondary role, in my opinion. I did not like her at all at the start of the book. She came across as a snob, cold, and without an ounce of human kindness in her soul. I hated the way she treated Peyton, even more so as her role in keeping Peyton and Cade apart was revealed. She grew on me a little during the scene at the gas station and redeemed herself at the end.
5* ARC Review – Another Great Linear Tactical Story
I received this ARC directly from the author in exchange for my review. As part of her ARC group, I am a huge fan of this author and adore the Linear Tactical series. I have gotten to a point with these books that besides being anxious for the next story, they are like coming home. The group of friends and significant others of the Linear Tactical team has created this family that all look out for each other and help when they need them.
This is the story that centers around Peyton, who readers of the series know from prior books. She works part-time as a janitor for Linear Tactical offices and is part of the family build around the team. She is a single mom, and her daughter is very close to one of the teammates son. At the beginning, the book takes us back five years in time and we meet Cade, who is now a country music star, and helped to fund the start of Linear Tactical. He also happens to be the father of Peyton’s daughter! With their shared history, once they understand what happened to tear them apart, they begin to rebuild their relationship.
It is a great story that reunites this two people as they start to build a family together. They have a sweet history of being friends in their teens and how they always had a connection even when they were too young to appreciate it. Besides their relationship there are other outside stresses, like her abusive stepfather who is being released from prison and Cade’ stalker that really add suspense and intrigue to the story. This book brings together the action of the Linear team and the sweet relationship of reunited first love!
This second chance romance had me hooked from start to finish. Payton and Cade’s story was another thrilling, action packed addition to the Linear Tactical Series. Could read these books over and over…Awesome Series
Echo is the seventh book in the Linear Tactical series, but could be read as a stand alone. Peyton and Cade have a history together, but after five long years, Cade is determined to win her back! But will she be able to forgive him his past mistakes, and can he keep her safe when danger stalks her?
You know those books when you get so caught up in the storyline and characters that the next thing you know, it’s way past your bedtime? Yeah, that was this book for me! Gosh, it was so good, I was completely hooked right from the very beginning and absolutely adored Peyton and Cade’s romance. Peyton just kept trying to make the best of her situations, yet still needed to protect her heart. Cade is just a sweetheart, and even though he’s famous, he never let that fame get to his head or ruin his personality. I loved them together! I loved Jess, too! One of my favorite aspects about Ms. Crouch’s writing is that she leaves little nuggets here and there, and then you get distracted by the drama and romance and by the end of the book, everything is wrapped together so beautifully, and this book was no exception! The drama, the danger, the connection, I was on the edge of my seat, emotionally invested, and just absolutely loved this book!
Fast paced, action packed and explosive! With book seven in her Linear Tactical series, Janie Crouch brings us ECHO, which is Peyton’s story. Hardworking single mom reconnects with the a flash from the past when danger comes knocking on her door. Loved it and always looking forward to the next book in the series!
Peyton is familiar to us if you’ve been enjoying this series alongside me, and we get to learn what brought her to the life she’s living now, and what she went through years ago. She’s loyal, strong and protective and to see her drop her guard a bit and let Cade back in is very satisfying.
Cade never knew what he left behind when he rocked to stardom on the country music charts, and when he finds out the unfairness she was faced with, he wants to make everything right in Peyton’s world … too bad danger is lurking for them both just around the corner
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story filled with intrigue, love, great characters and supporting cast. It’s fast paced and addictive. You can’t go wrong with any book in the series!
I do love the Linear family. This book is big on suspense and entertainment and doesn’t need steam to drive the love story.
Again Janie done it! I loved the story. A strong plot line with wonderful characters made it just perfect . This serie is my personal favorite.Cade’s and Peyton’s chemistry is sizzling hot.This book that grabs you from the beginning and holds you to the end so I recommend this everyone.I cannot wait to read next one.
Love the Linear Tactical series and Echo is another fantastic read in the series. Peyton and Cade’s story is a second chance romance with drama, angst, action, suspense, mystery, sizzle and steam, wonderful characters….everything that makes a great story! I loved this story from beginning to the absolutely perfect ending!