On every deployment, Navy SEALS face impossible odds—and succeed. But winning over the perfect woman will be the most challenging mission yet . . . This is Blake Sorenson’s story. The security company that former SEAL Blake Sorenson works for helps him stay in fighting form—physically and mentally. He has little time for distractions of the female variety, which is fine with him. His fickle … female variety, which is fine with him. His fickle ex-wife taught him that love and loyalty don’t mix. Which is why he should eighty-six the rookie reporter he finds in his helicopter. The sexy stowaway in red stilettos is sure to be trouble . . .
A single mom, Tori Michaels can’t afford to lose her job because of an impossibly arrogant ex-sailor. But hitching a ride with Blake puts her right in the middle of a conflict brewing between the law and a dangerous hate group. When suspicions are raised over which side Tori is on, Blake has to choose whether to trust in her innocence or lose her. But in choosing to protect her, he’s making himself vulnerable to a desire he thought he’d never feel again—and an enemy he doesn’t see coming . . .
Praise for Dixie Lee Brown
“Dixie Lee Brown delivers all the goods in high style: romance, adventure and suspense—with a generous helping of sexy that will leave readers clamoring for more. The talented Ms. Brown writes the kind of story romance readers crave: sexy, fun and filled with adventure and suspense.”
—Linda Castillo, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Will Tell
“Brown will thrill readers who enjoy some spice.” —Library Journal
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Book three of Hearts of Valor, gives us the story of former SEAL Blake Sorenson, one of the members of PTS Security. He’s a pilot with his own air charter company and a man many consider a hero. He’s private , divorced and has no desire to have a serious relationship.
Tori Michaels is a single mom trying to make a living as a reporter so she can support her son and herself, a widow of a military man, and definitely has no desire to getting involved with another military man.
She’s been assigned to interview Blake for a heroes magazine. Even when he refuses , she gets on his helicopter and that’s when the action starts.
Too many near death experiences are happening. Is Tori a mole for the bad guys with the assignment of getting Blake killed, or did she just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?
This is a story filled with action, bad guys, hunky good ones, and a guessing game of whodunit. The main characters, Tori and Blake are well developed as well as imperfect , which makes them more likable.
Another engaging book by this talented author. I am looking forward to what else she has in store for us.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Heart-Pounding Action Adventure
This book is the third in the Hearts of Valor series. It contains much more steaminess than the previous books, but it can still be skipped over. Besides romance, there is heart-stopping adventure that includes the FBI, supremacists, and revenge. There are close encounters and near misses. All of the goodies of an outstanding SEAL adventure.
For the Love of a SEAL is the third novel in Dixie Lee Brown’s Hearts of Valor series and it’s the second novel in the series I’ve read. Since I absolutely loved the second book in the series, I had high hopes for this one, and while I liked it marginally less than the previous novel, it was still a very good read that kept me turning pages until 4 a.m., and it gets 4 stars from this reader.
Tori Michaels is the widow of a former military man and has a son, 6-year-old Isiah–she’s low on money and needs to find a job to keep a roof over son’s head. One point that bothered me was that she and her son should have been receiving her husband’s military life insurance and pension, as well as his social security, but none of those sources of funds were ever mentioned and it was a dropped thread that shouldn’t have been dropped in my opinion. Tori is now trying to land a job as a reporter at Everyday Heroes magazine, and her first task and the test that will land her that job is getting an interview with the elusive Blake Sorenson, a former Navy SEAL who is now employed at PTS Security. The magazine owner/editor is David Donovan, and there’s something sleazy about him from the moment we first meet him. Tori tackles her assignment with steadfast gusto, ignoring Blake’s unwillingness to give yet another interview after being touted as a brave wounded warrior, although the failed mission that ended his career as a SEAL, wasn’t a success in his eyes because he lost two of his SEAL brothers on that ill-fated mission, and he has the PTSD nightmares to prove it.
In fact, Tori is so adamant about getting the interview and getting that job that she climbs onto his helicopter just as he’s about to take off on a delivery mission for PTS. Blake was immediately attracted to the beautiful Tori, and takes off with her aboard. They’re almost to his drop off point at a safe house when they are tailed and attacked by who Blake believes is a neo-Nazi hate group who wants to kill the family that he and his former military partners at PTS Security are trying to protect. Tori, who has hated helicopters since her late husband died in one in front of her and their son two years earlier, traumatizing both of them. What looked like a accident at that time was really an intentional suicide, as he explained to Tori in the suicide note she found when she returned home after his death. She’s sworn off dating anyone in the military ever again, but her attraction to Blake is as strong as his attraction to her.
The fact that Tori was aboard the helicopter, which was so easily tracked and attacked, and the fact that a GPS tracker was found on Tori’s cell phone, leads Blake and his fellow agents to suspect that Tori was a plant, in cahoots with the neo-Nazis, and that she led them right to the safe house. Until the group can prove that she’s not working with the hate group, she’s viewed with some suspicion, but that doesn’t stop the mutual attraction building between her and Blake, and the attachment her young son begins to feel for Blake, the first time he’s shown interest in any other man since witnessing his father’s fiery death. The PTS group, the protected family, Tori and her son are all soon moved to Blake’s well-hidden safe house which is loaded with security features, but that’s just the beginning of the action in this thrill ride of a novel, and just the beginning of the on-again, off-again relationship between Blake and Tori, as she struggles to cope with the situation she’s now in, and her need to get the interview that is the prerequisite for landing the new job.
There’s no shortage of action or hot, steamy sex in this novel, but I would have liked to see a little more depth in the relationship between the two main characters, as well as getting a better understanding of the many secondary characters in this novel, although I’m sure that will come in later installments of this series. All in all, this novel was a complicated, emotional, suspenseful, exciting and intriguing read, and although I was correct when I guessed the identity of the person(s) behind the attacks midway through the novel, it certainly didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this novel from the start to the HEA ending. It was, quite simply, a darn good read, and I’m happy to recommend it, but strongly suggest reading this series from its inception.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
Another great read in this series and as book three it is also a standalone read. This one about Blake and the action and adventure he goes on to get involved with Tori and her son Isaiah. It involves a lot of the security team but easy to follow along on the story.
An ex-military love story between Blake former SEAL and single mother Tori. If Tori wants to keep her job she must interview Blake but there is a problem bleak doesn’t do interviews and because her future depends on the job she jumps in a helicopter with Blake and their adventure begins. Their lives are jeopardized, bad men are after them and Blake has to make sure that Tori is not involved in some bad things. Of course in between the commitment-phobe and a girl who sworn off the military men’s fall in love. I liked this story better than previous it is more interesting intense and I liked that is not predictable. There is action, in and out of bed and Tori and Blake have their HEA.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly
Toni Michaels is a widow and single mom to six-year-old Isaiah. She has been assigned the task to interview former Navy SEAL and and current PTS Security agent Blake Soreneson for Everyday Heroes magazine. If she gets the interview she is sure she will be hired full-time at the magazine. She really really needs this job. She’s lost her home and moved into a rental, but doesn’t have enough money in the bank to pay this month’s rent. She WILL get this interview! But Blake Sorenson doesn’t give interviews even to sexy ladies wearing red stiletto heels that make her legs look a mile long. Nope! No way! Toni isn’t taking “No” for an answer though. As Blake gets ready to take off in his helicopter to deliver supplies to a safe house Toni hops in. Blake knows he should kick her out and get going. But those red stilettos… Thus starts the beginning of the up and down relationship between Toni and Blake. Could become a really rocky road! She wants nothing to do with a guy in the military or ex-military. He suspects she may be a plant by the law and hate group he and his fellow agents have been hired to find while protecting the man and his family the hate group is threatening. Not exactly the ideal situation for Toni and Blake.
For the Love of a SEAL by Dixie Lee Brown is book #3 in her Hearts of Valor series. This series has been action-packed and full of exciting reading. For the Love of a SEAL carrys on the excellent series page-turning, great reading. The characters are full of life and very likeable. Dixie Lee Brown introduces the conflict in this story with a bang and brings it to a satisfying resolution. There is emotion, suspense, fun and sexy times in this book. Great job Dixie Lee Brown!
Once again Dixie Lee Brown has written a book that is an emotional rollercoaster ride. From bad guys making things go ‘bang’ to soldiers dealing with PTSD, this book will leave you breathless in some places and emotionally ravaged in others.
Blake’s job and focus is protecting innocents from those that would hurt them. The problem is, Blake isn’t sure if Tori is an innocent, or one of the baddies, all he is sure of is that the chemistry between them is off the charts.
Blake intrigued me when he was introduced in a previous book, and I’m so glad he got his own and we get to see another side to him. Tori had been through hell at the hand of her ex-airforce husband, and what he had done to her and her son was beyond horrific. It was fun seeing these two emotionally scared people lower their barriers and find each other, even if they did fight their feelings every step of the way.
I can’t wait to see who is up next out of this amazing bunch of former SEALs.
**I received a copy of For the Love of a SEAL from Net Galley and Montlake Romance in exchange for a voluntary and hones review**
For the Love of a SEAL by Dixie Lee Brown is the third book in her Hearts of Valor series. I’ve read all of them and feel like this could be read as a stand alone even though all of the characters from PTS security have a part in this story. This is a solid four stars but I’m curious who will get their story next?
Tori Michaels is learning to move on after her husband’s suicide after suffering from PTSD. She’s also raising her six year old son and living as frugal as she can. But her new job at Everyday Heroes has her seeking an interview with Blake Sorenson. But accidents start to happen with both Blake and Tori that could be either related to his newest protection detail for PTS security or his prior military service?
Blake Sorenson hates reporters but when Tori jumps in his helicopter he admires her bravery. What he doesn’t know is that she won’t date anyone military can he convince her to take a chance? But first they must find a way to figure of why someone wants him dead because two aircraft accidents later can’t be a just a random attack. Can they both survive kidnapping attempts and figure out a way to see if they love each other and make it work?
Tori Michaels is a widow trying to earn a living to support her young son, Isaiah. Her husband was a veteran with PTSD who took his own life. That’s left a lasting effect on both of them. Tori has a journalism degree & is trying to get a job as a reporter. Her first assignment is to try to interview Blake Sorenson for Everyday Hero’s magazine. From the moment she met Blake, her life became a series of mishaps & terror. Was it related to Blake’s job or something else? Will either Blake or Tori get over their hang ups & act on their attraction?
I enjoyed these characters! Tori was feisty, strong & sexy. She stood up for herself & her son & then showed her vulnerability after the danger was over. Blake managed to get through his tours of service, almost losing his leg & his wife leaving while he was recovering & was still able to smile. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two of them but I really enjoyed Isaiah & the connection he felt with Blake. It added more depth & warmth to the story.
This is my first book from this author and I will definitely read more. This book is a standalone from the first two in the series but besides some characters from those books, the story stands by itself. And what a good story it is! It’s nicely paced with all the good stuff I look for in a romantic suspense. Blake and Tori have an instant attraction, sort of, and it’s a treat watching them light up finally. Blake is the perfectly imperfect and sexy protective hero I love to read about and Tori is a wonderful and strong heroine who is just trying to make it as a single mom to her son since she became a widow. Both characters are very well written with hearty back stories and I was fully invested in the outcome. I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to Netgalley/Publisher the ARC of this book!
Tori is a widow with a six year old son. She gets a job at a magazine and her first assignment is to interview Blake. Blake is a former SEAL, helicopter pilot, and was honorably discharged after getting injured. When he refuses the interview, Tori jumps in the copter before he takes off. He is delivering some supplies to his bosses that are protecting a man and his family. When they are attacked, they believe Tori had something to do with it. When someone breaks into her house and tries to kidnap her, Blake saves them. They have set up a new safe house at his home and convinces Tori to bring her son until they figure out what’s going on. Tori has sworn off military men after her husband died and Blake doesn’t want a long term relationship. Between helicopter crashes, plane crushes, and kidnapping they still get close. But when Blake is taken, can they find him before it’s too late?
Fabulous story with action, sex, and suspense. First time reading this author and I was not disappointed. This story will have your heart racing and wondering who is after them.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Military Romance
Triggers: Kidnapping, Murder, suicide
Blake is a retired SEAL. He has great friends and loves working in security. While doing a drop for some people they were protecting, he meets the feisty Tori.
What ensues is a series of events that lead Blake to second guess who Tori says she is. There are two different mysteries in this story, and I think they played off each other well. Watching Tori and Blake learn to trust and love was something that was well developed.
I really liked that despite their issues, their communication didn’t stink in this story. And while I was frustrated at times, I really enjoyed all of their banter back and forth.
Overall, this is a fast-paced romance book that hits you in the heart where it counts.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Check out our For the Love of a SEAL post on Wicked Reads at http://bit.ly/WR4LuvofaSEAL
Tori Michaels is desperate. Her husband Ken, former military, suffered from PTSD and died leaving her the sole support of their son. Her boss has told her that unless she gets an interview with former SEAL Blake Sorenson, she will lose her job. She and her six-year old son Isaiah have already lost their home and now may be evicted from their rental. Tori takes a chance and gets in Blake’s helicopter as he is leaving to deliver supplies. Blake works for PTS security and the supplies are for the “safe house” where his company is protecting a man and his family. Even though he is attracted to Tori, when incidents start happening Blake wonders if Tori is after an interview or involved with the hate group. If this is only about the hate group, then why is Tori a target? Tori, although attracted to Blake, swore that she would never get involved with another military man…too much heartache. This is a wonderfully emotional story as Blake will go to great lengths to protect Tori and her son, while Tori finds strength that she did not know she had in the face of continuing attempts on their lives. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)