“No one does Romantic Suspense like Diana Gardin. I was rooting for Ronin and Olive from the very first page.” -Susan Stoker, New York Times bestselling authorA sexy and suspenseful standalone in the Rescue Ops series.By saving her, he might just save himself…I’m broken. I have been for seven years. Ever since my wife was murdered while I was deployed overseas. I was protecting our country, but … overseas. I was protecting our country, but I should have been protecting her. I haven’t looked at another woman since–but then Olive Alexander crossed my path. She stirs up feelings I thought were long dead. So when her house is ransacked after she receives a threatening message, I know I have to step in and keep her safe. I failed my wife, but I won’t fail Olive. Unfortunately, Olive isn’t exactly ready to accept my help…
With her sexy-as-sin pencil skirts and sleek ponytails, Olive clearly doesn’t let anything–or anyone–mess up her perfectly ordered life. But years spent working as a special ops soldier has taught me how to read people… and I know Olive is hiding something. When my covert mission for Night Eagle Security collides with Olive’s past, I’ll have to get her to open up–or risk losing her. And losing Olive is not an option. If she’s in danger, I’ll defend her…even if it costs me my life.
The Rescue Ops series: Sworn to ProtectPromise to DefendMine to Save
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Ronin Shaw started working for Night Eagle Security after leaving the military. His best friend and teammate, Jeremy, asked him to keep an eye on his sister-in-law while he was on his honeymoon. So, of course, he agreed. How hard could it be? Much harder than he thought with Olive being so independent; wanting to handle everything herself. But when an ex is threatening her, she asks Ronin for help and protection.
Ronin is determined to keep her safe. This is especially important to him after not being able to keep his wife safe. The main purpose in his life for the last 7 years was searching for her killer so he wasn’t expecting his immediate attraction to Olive. The more time they spent together the stronger their feelings for each other got.
I liked how protective Ronin was of Olive. It was second nature for him to do whatever it took to protect her. But Olive really didn’t want to admit she needed help at first. Finally, she realized that she needed his help if she was going to get rid of her ex with his ties to the mob. It was nice to see such an independent woman as Olive, though she took her ‘I can do it myself’ attitude a bit too far in the beginning. The secondary characters were super. Especially Bennett.
I won this book and enjoyed reading it. It kept me on my toes with the drama while having me sighing at times by this couple’s relationship. I recommend this action-packed romantic suspense.
PROMISE TO DEFEND is the second installment in Diana Gardin’s contemporary, adult RESCUE OPS romantic, suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Night Eagle Security. The Rescue Ops series is a spin-off from the author’s Battle Scars series and several characters cross over for cohesion and familiarity. This is former US Army Ranger Ronin ‘Swagger’ Shaw, and interior designer Olive Alexander’s story line. PROMISE TO DEFEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line or series is revealed where necessary. Olive Alexander is best friends and business partner with Berkley Connors (Last True Hero-Battle Scars #1).
Told from dual first person points of view (Olive and Ronin) PROMISE TO DEFEND follows the building relationship between security specialist Ronin Shaw, and interior designer Olive Alexander. Having met months earlier, Ronin and Olive have circled one another for weeks until the fateful day Olive calls Ronin for help. Someone from Olive’s past is demanding a second chance using threatening texts and physical violence. When the threats become personal and familiar, Ronin becomes guardian and protector for our story line heroine. What ensue is the building relationship between Ronin and Olive, as the search for a killer comes full circle threatening the woman that Ronin loves.
Ronin Shaw is a broken man; a widower whose wife was murdered while our hero was serving his country over seas. For seven years Ronin has struggled to move on with his life including the mind numbing guilt that haunts him day and night. Meeting Olive places temptation at arm’s length but the death of his wife keeps Ronin battling between his heart and his mind. The relationship between Ronin and Olive is one of immediate attraction although Olive keeps secret a tempestuous past. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Berkley and Dare Conners (Last True Hero), Grisham Abbot (Saved by the Seal), and Drake Sullivan (Man of Honor)-all leading characters from the author’s Battle Scars series. The requisite evil has many faces including a major connection to the Margiano mob.
PROMISE TO DEFEND is a fast paced, action packed story of intrigue and romance. The premise is engaging; the romance is passionate and seductive; the characters are colorful and dynamic but saying that, in true romantic suspense fashion, I have to question the heroine’s constant disregard for her own safety including the distinct lack of sense as she willingly offers herself up to the mob…..*sigh*.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
Five stars isn’t good enough for this. I just love it. The book is written from a dual POV but more from Ronin’s. The book is so compelling and thought provoking. Once you start, you will not want to stop. You really get into the characters and feel a part of them. The connection is so great that you don’t want the story to end. All the prior characters are included as usual so you still a connection with them as well. I hope Bennett becomes a part of the NES team. I can’t wait for the next book.
I HIGHLY recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who loves a well written romance.
After leaving the military Ronin Shaw took his hard earned skills and found a new place to put them to good use, Night Eagle Security, where he works alongside his band of brothers helping to protect the innocent. They of course also run into a lot of trouble along the way too, often helping to put criminals behind bars where they belong, but there is one criminal that they haven’t been able to capture. One that turned Ronin’s life upside down, after he took the life of Ronin’s wife and then vanished without a trace, but now he has made an reappearance and this time Ronin doesn’t plan on letting him get away. But, before he can sink too deeply into his plan to catch the killer, he finds himself protecting another important woman in his life, his best friends sister-in-law Olive Alexander. She has gotten herself into to some trouble, and wound up catching the attention of an world class loser who can’t take a hint, and Ronin plans on helping him to see the error of his ways… but things might not be that simple!
Olive Alexander is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t like to depend on others for much of anything, she feels as though she is capable of handling anything that comes her way. But when an overbearing ex wanders back into her life, she realizes she might not be able to handle him on her own and she turns to her brother-in-laws best friend, Ronin Shaw. While she isn’t too proud of needing his help, she also knows her ex isn’t so good at taking no for an answer, so she is hoping that Ronin can help rid him from her life. She knows it isn’t going to be an easy fight, but she is certain the gorgeous, and sometimes bossy, alpha can bring a little peace back into her orderly life… and maybe a little much needed heat too!
Ahh…once again Ms. Gardin has left me in a state of complete literary bliss, this story was nothing short of amazing! The instant my eyes landed on the page I found myself being pulled into Ronin and Olive’s world and completely mesmerized by what I found, both of these wounded souls needed saving and their story damn near wrecked me in the best possible way! The chemistry between them was electric, each encounter they shared was fueled with so much power and intensity, there were several times I swear I could literally feel the sparks between them jumping off the page!! The story line was engaging, soulful, suspenseful, and packed with so much raw emotion that it took my breath away more than a few times! This is one of those reads that will hit you deep, have you feeling the intended emotion behind every word and is sure to linger in your thoughts long after the last page is turned!!
Highly recommend this one, Ms. Gardin’s endearing characters are sure to leave an indelible impression on your heart and take you on an truly unforgettable literary escape!