Danger lurks in the wilds of Grizzly Harbor this Christmas but it’s love that has Alaska Force in the cross-hairs, from the USA Today bestselling author of Sniper’s Pride. When straight-arrow, by-the-rules Alaskan State Trooper Kate Holiday is sent to investigate a local band of secretive commandos in remote Grizzly Harbor over the holidays, her least favorite time of year, her objective is … of year, her objective is clear: disband Alaska Force and arrest them. But Kate didn’t count on the diabolical temptation of Templeton Cross. The former Army Ranger exudes charm and has absolutely no respect for the rules of law that govern Kate’s life – too bad he also makes her mouth water and her knees weak.
Templeton has always been good at keeping his game face on and his emotions hidden, especially in combat. But working with Kate brings back memories of losses he prefers to keep locked up tight. As the pressure mounts – and Christmas draws closer – it’s a given that someone’s going to get hurt.
Trouble is, the more time he spends convincing his careful, wary trooper that there’s more to the holidays than her memories, the more he wants to keep her around. Forever.
But forever is the one thing a man like Templeton can’t do. Not even at Christmas.
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She’s a straight-arrow, by-the-rules Alaskan State trooper so Kate Holiday’s objective when it comes to investigating a local band of secretive commandos in remote Grizzly Harbor is clear – disband Alaska Force and arrest them, but she didn’t count on the diabolical temptation of Templeton Cross. He’s always been good at keeping his game face on and his emotions hidden, but working with Kate brings memories of losses, Templeton prefers to keep locked up tight. With pressure mounting and Christmas drawing closer, it’s a given that someone is going to get hurt.
This ‘Alaska Force’ romance is a slow burn romance that requires a lot of hard work as both parties are determined not to give in to their emotions, the electrical chemistry or the heat building up between them, but it seems the more they fight it, the harder they will fall. These strong, vibrant characters captures hearts and provides a delightfully entertaining courtship that makes readers chuckle. Lots of emotions – not matter how much the hero and heroine try to keep them locked down – flow the pages as Templeton and Kate try to uncover who is behind some mysterious incidents that surround the Alaska Force.
The plot is fast paced and full exciting events and snaky commentary that builds thrilling suspense and adrenaline pumping excitement through the story which keeps readers on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. Some ‘What the… twists and turns keeps readers guessing and a hero that spends his time trying to convince his careful, wary trooper that there is more to the holidays makes readers hold on tight to this intense, satisfying and entertaining holiday read.
I absolutely loved Kate and Templeton in this action-packed romantic suspense where you never see the next twist coming. Kate’s complicated past and Templeton’s take-no-prisoners demeanor are a combustive pair that is, at turns, sizzling and deeply romantic…all while unraveling the twisty mystery set against the fantastic, alluring winter Alaskan backdrop.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Templeton and Kate’s suspenseful story in Sergeant’s Christmas Siege by Megan Crane, book three in her Alaska Force series. Alaskan State Trooper Kate Holiday has been sent to Grizzly Harbor over the holidays, Kate’s least favorite time of the year, assigned to investigate, disband and arrest Alaska Force. This is after a number of fires have popped up around the state, usually in storage units owned by Alaska Force, and some unexplained boat explosions. Former Army Ranger Templeton knows how to charm while hiding his emotions, especially in combat. From the start, Kate and Templeton rub each other wrong yet their magnetism and attraction is still strong. One could light the winter Alaskan skies with the electricity that arcs between them. Yet, there is so much more to this story than sexual attraction.
Kate is a product of her upbringing, never having interacted with anyone outside her family before fleeing their compound. She is a by-the-book State Trooper who only believes in good and bad, law followers and law breakers, things being black or white. She’s a very strong person, rigid and stand-offish; who others find difficult to warm up to. Templeton is perfect for her. He is able to make her laugh with his dark humor, pull out her vulnerability and hidden qualities while being respectful of her law enforcement abilities. He was also protective of her while not trying to overstep her authority or weaken her power. Kate and Templeton both carry a lot of emotional baggage; much of which is dealt with while dealing with the mystery and danger surrounding them on their journey to find the truth.
Ms. Crane wrote an intense, emotional and exciting romantic suspense that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, suspense, a dysfunctional family, heartfelt, and endearing characters giving Kate and Templeton a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. The suspense element in this story kept me guessing and the vivid descriptions of the Alaskan winter was the perfect background for the events to play out. I highly recommend Sergeant’s Christmas Siege and I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book in the Alaska Force series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This book was so good I have not read any of the other books in the series but can only imagine the adventures that those books offered if it was anything like this one. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and it was a complete page turner. At first I found Templeton’s personality completely off setting to the point it was annoying, but they more I read the more he grew on me. If it could described Kate’s childhood in one word it would be twisted. OMG its like ripped from the headlines crazy. This book does have two sex scenes in it but no curse words. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book totally worth the read. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
Sergeant’s Christmas Siege is a good holiday romantic suspense that is dangerous and tempting. I liked that Megan Crane created a strong and fierce female lead and an equally dominating counterpart.
I have been on a holiday romance binge for the last couple of weeks and I was so excited to read this one because I was intrigued by the synopsis and the cover! As I was reading it, I really thought the author did a great job with Alaskan State Trooper Kate Holiday. She is fierce, likes to stick to the rules, and her past makes her such a complex character.
Kate is tasked with disbanding the ‘Alaska Force’ and will stop at nothing to get the job done. She meets former Army Ranger Templeton Cross and her plans begin to change. He is attractive, takes things as they come, and knows what he wants. They don’t get along in the beginning probably because of their strong and confident personalities.
They begin to spend more time on the job and contemplate their only professional rule: no dating someone you work with. One night of passion was supposed to lessen their craving for each other, but it only heightened their attraction.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just fell short. I felt like the chemistry and story between Kate and Templeton declined as the book continued. At times, I thought that there was a build-up/anticipation and then by the end it was rushed.
I give Sergeant’s Christmas Siege 3 stars. It was mysterious and suspenseful but lacked in the romance department. It had its moments and characters had potential. I really enjoyed the author’s description of Alaska and she detailed it really well. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.Sergeant’s Christmas Siege Megan Crane
Megan Crane’s Sergeant’s Christmas Siege is a suspenseful story of intrigue with a slow-burn romance. Alaska State Trooper Kate Holiday is a straight-narrow, by-the-book individual. Is the Alaska Force a group of rogue criminals who like to blow things up? Her mission is to investigate but is unprepared for the diabolical temptation of former Army Ranger Templeton Cross. Templeton finds that being with Kate brings back memories of losses he prefers to forget. The more time they spend together, it becomes increasingly harder resist the attraction brewing between them. Sergeant’s Christmas Siege is the third book in Megan Crane’s Alaska Force series. I received a complimentary ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4 1/2 STARS!
With book three in her Alaska Force series, Megan Crane brings us SERGEANT’S CHRISTMAS SIEGE pitting a former Army Ranger turned Alaska Force member against an Alaska State Trooper bent on taking them down if they are up to anything illegal. This enemies to lovers story is my favorite of the series and held my attention throughout!
Kate Holiday is a confident, gutsy Trooper for the state of Alaska and takes her job of bringing down corruptness seriously. As we learn her history, we begin to understand just what pushes her to be so cold and calculated.
Templeton Cross uses laughter as a ruse to hold himself aloof from connecting with people. He would die for his brotherhood, but he doesn’t have any use for love and connection otherwise.
I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a complex, action packed plot with an underlying romance peaking through to tempt us. I think each book in the series has grown stronger along the way and this one topped them all for me. Enjoyed it!
Former Army Ranger and present Alaska Force Agent Templeton Cross is a charmer. He is more than capable of putting on a really good show. He has been sent to meet with Alaksa State Trooper Kate Holiday who is convinced Alaska Force is just a bunch of rogue criminals. They aren’t, of course. Turns out Kate manages to come to the same conclusion. The reason why Kate was sent to investigate Alaska Force was because of a couple of their warehouses exploding and boats in their harbor exploding too. That still needed to be investigated. That means more time Kate and Templeton spend together and the more time they spend together the tougher it is to ignore their attaction to one another.
Sergeant’s Christmas Siege by Megan Crane is the third book in her Alaska Force series. This book is well-written, has some interesting action scenes and a fair share of intrigue. This author’s writing style is not my favorite but I did enjoy her storyline in this book. I found this to be an interesting romantic suspense. Don’t think it is Christmas story though. It takes place at Christmastime but that’s about as much Christmas as there is to it.
I almost missed reading Sergeant’s Christmas Siege (Alaska Force, #3), because I somehow overlooked it when I received an advance reader copy of book #4, so I backtracked, and, although I enjoyed reading Alaska State Trooper Kate Holiday’s and Alaska Force’s, Templeton Cross’s romance, I didn’t love it for several reasons, which is why I am giving it a 3.5-star star rating.
Trooper Kate Holiday grew up in a cult, started by her father but she fled at 15, eventually becoming a state trooper, and has been trying to put an end to these strange cults ever since. She’s also become aware of a series of fires and explosions in Grizzly Harbor, the possible involvement of shadow group Alaska Force, and is now there to investigate the odd goings on. It’s there that Alaska Force’s Templeton Cross has been assigned to keep an eye on her, and the attraction between these two is instantaneous and electric, although Kate is as cold, professional and rigid as they come, which for some reason appeals to Templeton Cross. I can understand her attraction to him, since he’s described as looking a lot like sexy actor, Jason Momoa. It’s his attraction to Kate that I found mystifying, just as mystifying as I found the attraction between Alaska Force leader, Isaac and cold as ice restaurant owner Carradine in book #4 of this series. As Kate and Templeton begin to work together, the attraction grows, but it seemed such a mismatch of personalities that it took me quite a while to begin liking either of them.
Also, the action is very slow to start in this novel, as Kate first feels it necessary to investigate Alaska Force as the possible villains, which, if you’ve been following the series, is something you already know. As she is finally convinced they aren’t the enemy, a dead body is found in her seaplane, and the real investigation begins. Kate and Templeton first set out to investigate her own family. Her father is serving a long prison sentence thanks to her testimony against him. Her mother also received a 15-year sentence, and has been out for several years, but they’ve had no contact with Kate. They also investigate the site of the former cult compound, running into more “true-believers,” who’ve recently returned to the area, as well as the cousin Kate wanted to escape with her, but who chose not to go. Although most of this takes place over a 24-hour period, the pace is so slow, and Kate is so reluctant to discuss her childhood in the cult, that it seems to take weeks until their return to Grizzly Harbor, where some new surprises and danger await.
Between the slow pace and the slow-moving on-again/off-again relationship between Kate and Templeton, the action finally picks up during that last quarter of the novel–it becomes fast-paced and exciting, but even though there’s an HEA ending for this couple, they still seemed mismatched to me, and the details of their HEA ending certainly caused me to raise my eyebrows quite a bit. To say that this couple is unconventional is putting it mildly.
Finally, although the novel was as well-written as all of the other Megan Crane novels I’ve read, the slow pacing and personality of the heroine in this novel just didn’t grab me, but then neither did the heroine in book #4 of this series. While I loved the setting, the men of Alaska Force and their loyalty to one another, especially the way they backed up both the hero and heroine, which was admirable, I’m finding myself far more drawn to the men of Alaska Force than I am to the women who come into their lives and who they protect and defend. While book #5, Special Ops Seduction, is next up, I can’t help but hope for a more likable, easier to identify with heroine.
All in all, this is not a bad read, but in my opinion, it’s not one of the author’s best efforts.
Loved this third book with Trooper KATE and sexy Templeton ! It’s a great page turner & action packed with a sizzling connection that cannot be denied! Love that this strong cop had such a horrific past that made her the badass she is ! Super wrap up & great HEA !
This is book #3 in the Alaska Force series. It is the story of Kate Holiday and Templeton Cross.
It is set in the wilds of Grizzly Harbor, Alaska during the Christmas season.
Kate Holiday is an Alaskan State Trooper. She plays by the rules and has no grey areas in her life. She is sent to investigate a local band of secret commandos in this remote part of Alaska over the holiday. Even with her last name being Holiday, it is her least favorite time of the year. Her objective is clear to take down Alaska Force and take them into custody.
Kate had no idea of how charming Templeton Cross is. OR how he would make her feel!
Templeton Cross is a former Army Ranger, and he comes across as having no respect for the rules of law that Kate follows in her life. He has always been good at keeping his emotions hidden, especially in times of combat. He is best at keeping his game face on, but Kate brings up memories of losses he would prefer to keep down inside.
The pressure mounts, Christmas draws near, and Templeton starts to think he wants to keep Kate around forever. And that is not something he can ever do!
I didn’t read the first two books in this series, but i don’t think it affected the story being read as a stand-a-lone. I really enjoyed Kate and Templeton’s stories and how they came to be the people they are. This book was fun to read and an intriguing visit to the great Alaskan wilderness. I will be looking for the first two stories as well as the next one coming out in Summer 2020.
I have been waiting for Templeton’s book since this series started and Crane does not disappoint. Kate is the perfect counterpoint for the charming former Army Ranger. Templeton and his Trooper are the perfect Christmas read, or anytime read if you are looking for solid romantic suspense.
*4.5 stars*
Holiday-themed romantic suspense…
Christmas is a time for family, which is why Kate has been hiding from the holiday for years. Given her history it is no wonder she’d rather work than face her memories. A string of ‘accidents’ has brought her to Alaska Force and the men and women who may or may not be the enemy…. Templeton’s warm personality and carefree façade fooled everyone he met, as he hid his intelligence and very serious commitment to his team. To his family…
I loved the sparks between these two as they wittily bantered, sparred and bickered while investigating yet another deadly incident. Kate refused to believe he was one of the good guys and he was going to convince her otherwise. Whether teasing or protecting her, he was the one person she never saw coming….
Life in Alaska was not for the faint of heart and they weren’t the only ones hiding things. Rocked by one shocking discovery after another, Kate was forced to meet her past head on even when it was the last thing she ever wanted to do. Luckily, she had Templeton at her side and her back…
The story was emotional, suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end…. Another great addition to the series!
*Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group
**Thank you to NetGalley