In the New York office of HERO Force, the men have been through hell long before their first mission. A highly skilled team of former Navy SEALs, they’ve suffered the physical and psychological wounds of war. Led by Mac, their old commanding officer from the teams with his own problems heavily in tow, they’ll each be given an opportunity to become true heroes again—if only they can reach into the … the land of the living and take it.
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Joanne and her husband David had been separated for a while now. She never expected and didn’t want him to die. Now she’s alone in a way she didn’t expect. Her children are all handling their grief differently, April the oldest is more withdrawn and clinging to social media for comfort. Fiona and Lucas were clinging to her more and the funeral was anything but comforting. Her husband’s mistress was there with her husband. She wondered if he knew about the affair, he was one of David’s biggest clients. What she didn’t expect was the threat he made as she was leaving the cemetery. According to Richard Bannon, David had a lot of his money and he wants it back. Even as Joanne protests she knows nothing of David’s business since they separated, the man threatens her children and gives a deadline to return it.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, when the reach their home it’s been ransacked, obviously someone had been looking for the missing money. All Joanne knows is she has to protect her children. A sympathy card from Evelyn Nowak gave her comfort than none other had. It was also the one place she would always feel safe.
We see Sloan in his family home holding a poker game with his friends and coworkers from Hero Force. I have to say the snacks he serves are very much out of the ordinary, filet mignon and brie to me are serious hors d’oeuvres not poker fare. It’s as this game breaks up that Sloan tells Mac he’s thinking of quitting, that he can’t do what he needs to do to protect people with only one arm. Then from that moment to the next his world turns upside down as there’s a knock on the door and Sloan is faced with his old girlfriend. The girl who broke his heart now a woman looking for his mom.
Jo needs money and to hide away with her children somewhere where Richard Bannon can’t find her. She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
Now Sloan knows somethings not right and when he gets the answer he calls in HERO force to help.
HERO Force steps in and starts following the clues, what they find is not what Jo had assumed. Her daughter April causes more than a couple of issues and Sloan is ever so patient.
An RV trip, some interesting interactions, a lot of suspense, plenty of action and the realization that their love never died. Make this book a page turning read. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series.
When her estranged soon-to-be-ex-husband turns up dead, Joanne doesn’t know what to think. His death solves some of her problems but complicates her life in ways she didn’t anticipate. Ways that send her stumbling back into her high-school sweetheart’s arms. Sloane is having a crisis of confidence. He’s not sure he has what it takes to be a HERO anymore. Will stepping up for Joanne and her family restore his faith in his ability and show him a future he’d long-ago given up on or will it revive all the old wounds and prove his self-doubts right? I really enjoyed this book. it’s a fast-paced story with a tilt-a-whirl of emotions. Now, I’m a sucker for a second chance, so this was right up my alley. Add in the romantic suspense and military hero and I was happier than a cat in her own garden of catnip. I can’t wait for the next book so we can do it all again.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Holding His Hostage by Amy Gamet
Shattered SEALs #3
Joanne Regan is at her husband’s funeral with her three children when a client of her husband’s informs her that she has less than a week to return what her husband stole from him. The fact that she has had not much to do with her husband for over a year has no sway with the rather crazed man who did more than just approach her. With fear in her heart she runs to the last safe place she remembers…her hometown. Instead of the woman she had hoped would be there to assist her it is Sloan Dvorak, the man she once loved.
What I liked:
* Joanne: Strong, loves her children, had a horrible childhood, made the best decisions she could.
* Sloan: Scarred warrior, loving son, stalwart team member, made the best decisions he could.
* Joanne’s children: three children dealing with the separation of their parents, the death of their father, and a life in flux.
* Sloan’s team: intriguing men, all harmed by war, doing their utmost to still serve and protect to the best of their abilities.
* The story: quick paced, action packed, second chance romance with wonderful characters
* The bad guys were uncovered and dealt with
* There was a HEA
* Wondering who will star in book four of the series.
What I did not like:
* That some decisions, made with the best intentions, don’t work out for the best
* Having to wait for book four with no idea of which HERO Force character will find his HEA.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more in the series? Yes
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
In this fast-paced, second chances romance Joanne returns to her home town looking for Mrs Dvorak but finds her son instead, the one who dropped her like a hot cake when he went off to join the military. Desperate and in need, Joanne is on the run with her children after his husband’s murder, and Sloan is just the man to help her together with his HERO team. Nothing is as straight forward as it would appear on the surface and they keep running into problems, all the while reconnecting and discovering that the old magic is still very much at work. I loved the relationship between Sloan and Joanne, one of mutual respect and acceptance and borne out of deep need. Joanne’s children are all very typical of their ages and each one brings their character to the plot. I enjoyed this novel and the interplay between the characters. It is also well written and comes to a very happy conclusion. I received a copy of this book a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Crazy suspenseful, edge of your seat, can’t put it down fantastic!!
Joanne Regan never expected to bury her lying, cheating husband at such a young age and she certainly didn’t expect to be on the run with three young children but she knew just where she needed to go. She had remained good friends with her high school boy friend’s mother and knew she could count on her for help. She just never expected Sloan to answer the door.
Ex Navy SEAL and HERO Force member Sloan Dvorak couldn’t believe his eyes. The girl that broke his heart was standing on his porch, now an incredibly beautiful grown woman, and all those feelings came rushing back. She’d had her life turned upside down and hell would freeze over before he let anyone hurt her again.
It will require everything he and his team have to keep Joanne and her kids safe, but just when he thinks there is a chance for them fate may deal another hand.
I received an ARC and voluntarily offer this review.
For those unfamiliar with the HERO Force, it’s a group of former Navy SEALs , who while dedicating their lives to keep us safe, end up injured and unable to continue doing what they love . Being injured physically and or psychologically, doesn’t stop them from wanting to be heroes in civilian life.
This time the story belongs to Sloan Dvorak. A man that lost his arm in battle and is considering leaving the group because he feels he’s not good enough. That is, until the love of his life, the woman he hasn’t been able to forget even12 years after, Joanne Regan, comes back into his life, in need of help .
This action packed story that has everyone trying to stay one step ahead of the mob and danger , was also one where feelings ran high. Not only between Sloan and Joanne , but also with her kids and Sloan.
Even with the help of the men of HERO Force, it seems they can’t keep up with the danger surrounding them.
Will Sloan and HERO Force be able to keep Jo and her kids safe? Will Sloan and Jo have a second chance or will the past keeping them from having a future?
This was another well written story by this talented author and one filled with action and emotions.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.