Hiding from her ex is exhausting enough, but for Hope Drayden, putting her seven-year-old son through a life on the run and living on the streets has been mentally torturous. When a kind diner owner offers her a job, Hope begins to claw her way toward a new beginning for herself and Billy, one tip at a time. But since her son’s recent abduction, and with threats from her ex still fresh in her … mind, she’s constantly looking over her shoulder. Then a surprising, and lucky, tip from a diner regular puts yet another target on their backs.
At the request of a friend, medical examiner Calder Stonewall has been looking for Hope and Billy for weeks. When they unexpectedly show up at the scene of a crime, his interest soon becomes personal. He’s amazed by the beautiful, brave woman and her resilient son. He’s also surprised by his growing need to take care of them both, although winning Hope’s trust won’t be easy. But when a tragedy thrusts the couple together, Calder quickly proves he’s a man Hope can rely on.
Which is a good thing…because she’ll need all his support, and love, to get through a threat they never saw coming.
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JUSTICE FOR HOPE by Susan Stoker. This tale tells the story of Hope, Calder and Billy. Hope and Billy, mother and son, haven’t had an easy go of it as of late and Calder, being the alpha male he is, does all he can to swoop in and save the day. Yet, Hope is independent and strong willed. It was enjoyable to see these two navigate their relationship and to watch Hope give in to her feelings, despite her fear. And to watch Calder recognize that he has met the One! The first half of the book moves along at a leisurely pace and we get to know each character and where their heart and mind is at. There isn’t much happening except for the journey of the love story and then BAM! Ms. Stoker certainly knows how to throw a curveball to any relationship. This story has a little bit of everything – a touch of humor, sweet love, the beauty of youth and even a surprise or two along the way. Oh, and did I mention a little bit of suspense and mystery too. As seems par for the course, Ms. Stoker even made me tear up – her ability to put down in words the heartfelt emotions her characters feel simply touches my heart. I highly recommend reading JUSTICE FOR HOPE. Yes, this is book 12 of the series, but can easily be read as a standalone, although many characters from the previous books make appearances. On that note, I also encourage you to read the other stories in this series as well.
Wonderful story!! Hope & Calder are so cute! When they first meet, he’s so nervous & keeps saying things that could be taken the wrong way, but she’s still able to see he’s a good man, and she feels an immediate safety with him. Then, when he begins courting her – even though she doesn’t quite realize he’s courting her – they build a friendship, and he builds a friendship w/ her son, Billy, as well.
We get to see a lot of our favorite couples from previous books, and the new characters who are introduced fill the story with a lot of love. I devoured this story & didn’t want to put it down!! And we get a glimpse of the next couple at the end – SOOO looking forward to them!! : )
Calder is the BOMB! He does everything he can to help Hope and Billy feel safe and secure with him. The bad guys are absolute jerks and idiots, Calder and his friends are there to help resolve the issues with them. I adored Billy, he made my heart absolutely melt. Fantastic characters, story-line and writing. Another winner Susan Stoker!
Although Calder Stonewall has appeared in many books in this series, he’s really only been on the periphery. We know he’s an ME but not much else. We met Hope and Billy Drayden in Shelter for Blythe. Now this two get their live story. Hope has a lit of strength, resilience and courage as well as determination in lifting herself and her son out of being homeless. A stroke of luck is going to give her that chance. But before that happens Calder is determined to worm his way into Hope and Billy’s lives. Hope’s good fortune gives Calder the perfect opportunity to get closer to them. Jealousy, threats and danger seems to swirl around them but it’s all hands on deck from Calder’s law enforcement and firefighter friends when it comes to protecting Billy and Hope.
“Justice For Hope” is the twelfth book in the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes series and each one of these books are different and exciting. I love the fact that characters from the previous books are always there to help when needed, yet each story can be read as a standalone and you will not be lost. This is the story of medical examiner Calder Stonewall and Hope Drayden, who he has been searching for. To keep her seven year old son safe, Hope has been on the run from her abusive ex. A kind, sweet father figure of a man hires her at his diner and does all he can to help her. Calder is shocked when he finds Hope & Billy at one of his crimes scenes, and he is even more shocked at the protective feelings that swamp him. Hope and Billy will soon need Calder and all the help he can give them against a threat they never saw coming.
Romantic suspense at its best!!
He has been looking for her and her son for weeks on the streets when she and her son are witness to a dead body he doesn’t leave their side She is on the run from her Ex she works in a diner he gets to know her and her son they have some dates then a customer gives one of her coworkers a lottery ticket which she gives to her son once the ticket has been determined real they go claim the money well her coworkers are greedy they kidnap her son but he runs away from them and hides he uses his voice and his mom and Calder finds him they have sizzling romance and a happy ending
Calder finally finds the family his been hoping for. Hope and Billy have been on the run and living off the streets to escape the evils of their past. Her life finally starts to take a more positive turn with the introduction of good people like Joseph and Calder. HEA.
Good god! How much more will the world force upon Hope and her son Billy. Jesus. Like come on she is genuinely a nice person and then wins the lottery like karma knows she should and people come after her because they are jealous a-holes who think the world owes them something. I loved Calder and Hopes relationship and how much he cares for billy. It’s just perfect and adorable.
Hope is a single mom, homeless, and running from her ex. Her little boy, Billy, was kidnapped and he hasn’t talked since. She gets a job at a diner and lives in a cheap hotel room. When they find a dead body, they meet Calder. Calder has been looking everywhere for Hope. He’s the medical examiner and
does nothing but work. He starts visiting Hope at the diner and gets closer to Billy. When a threat is revealed, Calder will do whatever it takes to keep Hope and Billy safe but when Billy turns up missing, they’ll move heaven and earth to find him.
Excellent story with a woman who is pulling herself out of the gutter and a man who just wants to protect and love them. Secrets and romance.
Hope is literally at the end of her rope – that is until she meets Calder and furthermore has once in her life more luck than anyone ever might wish for. But with Most of her problems being mostly gone there arise others that she never saw coming. Very entertaining story that is very well written.
Since being first introduced to Hope & her son in Melina’s story I have looked forward to this. I am not disappointed. It was even better than I imagined it would be. I do recommend reading/hearing Melina & Blythe’s stories.
Erin Mallon did another fantastic job.
A story that gives you Hope
Calder has been searching for Hope and her son Billy for weeks, with no success. When he’s called to a crime scene and discovers just the two people he’s been searching for, he can’t believe his luck! Now, just to convince her he doesn’t mean her harm
Hope will do just about anything for her son Billy. She’s working a job that’s not her dream vocation but it’s putting a roof over their heads and food on the table. When Calder starts inserting himself in their lives, she doesn’t realise just how life changing this will be
Loved this story of Hope and Billy, her son…with Calder An absolute must read series and story….I’m starting to get emotional as I move towards the last book but also because I love these characters sooo much
Billy is such an adorable kid that is so resilient going through everything he does. And Calder being so patient and protective of both Billy and Hope. That homeless woman gained a very large family when she caught Calder’s eye. Great addition!
I have wondered who would be Calder’s woman for awhile and am.so glad that Hope and her son Billy would be the family Calder has always wanted. But with the help from the firefighters, Beth, and all the previous Badge of Honor men and women will come together and help each other.
Calder Stonewall has watched all of his friends find their lady loves so when Blythe gives him Hope and Billy’s photo with hopes that he could find them. When he’s sent to collect a body he never expects to find Hope and Billy at the scene (They first appeared in Justice for Milena) he knows that Billy hasn’t talked since being kidnapped and being homeless has both of them very leery of men. When one of Hope’s regular customers give Billy a lottery ticket that is a winner everyone wants a share. But he needs to assure Hope that he’s a patient man and when she’s ready he’ll be there for her and her son. When the diner where she works at is torched plus the owner severely beaten Calder is there to keep both of them safe and a place for the owner to recover from his injuries. When Billy is kidnapped every friend they both have will be there to help find him before it’s too late.
Hope Drayden and her son Billy have been running from her abusive ex-husband and after being homeless she’s is finally able find her way back with a job and a place to stay. It doesn’t matter that its a seedy motel it’s a roof over their heads. One morning on their way home they find that one of their homeless friends has been killed, they meet Calder at the scene. She’s very distrustful of anyone and little does she know that he’ll soon start coming in every morning slowly showing them he’s interested in both of them. It will take Billy going missing to show them that support of friends, family and Beth came come together to find him before the kidnappers do. Calder will show them both that they can be a family.
Love the intermingling of characters from this series.
I loved this book. It was suspenseful, funny, heartwarming and had sexy times.
I had complete faith in Mrs Stoker to make a ME sexy. She did and Calder was amazing. He was patient and kind to a woman who hadn’t seen either in awhile.
I loved Calder and Hope as a couple but the two I think I might have loved more was Calder and Billy. Reading about this man and the care and concern he had for this little boy melted my heart.
Calder finally finds Hope and her son Billy and falls in love with both of them! Billy is not talking but really takes to Calder. We get to hear from the law enforcement crew and their women/man and some firefighters. Lots of drama and some sweet hot loving. I really enjoyed this one.
Finally, we get Hope and Calder’s story. If you follow the author and read her Badge of Honor series you know that Hope and Calder make appearances in a couple of her other stories with hints of what will come. But here, we finally get to visit them up close and personal and follow their courtship from beginning to end. And what a story it is. Stoker is one of my go-to 1click authors because she always writes great heartwarming stories with endearing alpha men and resilient women who stand by their side. Stoker pulls at the heartstrings with her heroines rising from bad situations to stand on their own, push back and grow in self-confidence and strength. Her stories always highlight everyday circumstances and she handles all the situations with care and respect. And they always hold a wonderful balance of excitement, drama, suspense and slow burn romance with a HEA. Justice for Hope will pull you in from the beginning and hold your interest until the end. The characters are fun, witty, strong, determined, resourceful, and entertaining. They will easily capture your heart. Hope and Calder’s journey is definitely a heartfelt read that will you will enjoy. Hope and Calder are dazzling and their story is a great addition to the Badge of Honor series.
I loved this book, It was a great read.
Take the Cinderella trope mixed with It Could Happen to You all with a darker edge and you have Hope Drayden’s story. Grief, pain, struggle…there’s only so much you can take when you’re on the run. But Hope has her little boy with her and she’s determined to survive for him. When she meets Calder Stonewall she’s reluctant to trust him. He’s law enforcement, big, awkward, imposing…and yet she’s surprised to find that her son and a small part of her soul trusts him. Calder is determined to create a place for himself in her life, to support, encourage, and to love her. But an unknown enemy threatens everything they’re building.
Calder has a quiet strength about him that I enjoyed quite a lot. I found his bumbling endearing when he would overshare, babble, or say those slightly disturbing things that didn’t make it through the filter. I would have liked it if his endearing quirks were consistently present throughout the story instead of pretty much ending right after he shows up at the diner. Most things go away with the ease of comfort he finds with more time with Hope but the things that made him so very unique seemed to be lost and set aside in favor of his declarations of intention. I loved that he wore his heart so clearly on his sleeve for Hope, and especially Billy, but in and amongst all those heartfelt, direct, fierce statements I wanted a little more of his brand of unique.
Hope was straightforward in her character. A fierce mother, a kind mother, an alluring woman with a spine of steel and an open heart. I’m glad she wasn’t so determined to do everything on her own that it was to her detriment, that she didn’t allow her stubborn will to usurp her good sense. Because when she opened her mind she also opened her world to the amazing community Calder brought with him. That when she needed help in a big way, she had friends and adopted family at her back and in her corner.
While the dramatic element was expected, the villain was not. It was a surprise that both dropped the severity of the moment while at the same time making it scarier. When we don’t have a name for the enemy it has you jumping at any and all shadows and threats. The resolution was sweet and triumphant. Where family is everything, this story made sure to keep that love as a focus throughout. Love, healing, relief, support…when you have a family surrounding you with those things what you really find is freedom.