It takes a village … to ruin a perfectly good love story.Former SEAL Brian “Mad Dog” Sheppard might look like a gentle giant to some, but there’s a very good reason for his call name. Threaten someone he cares about and he’ll stop at nothing to protect them. That includes his new team of fellow SEALs. They’re all about creating a safe haven for vets trying to readjust to civilian life. Everyone … trying to readjust to civilian life. Everyone agrees it’s a great idea, but there are those who would much rather they take their good deeds somewhere else—preferably far away from the sleepy mountain town of Sumneyville.
Kate Handelmann is friendly and down-to-earth with very strong ties to the community. While she’s not a fan of gossip and firmly believes that actions speak louder than words, it’s impossible to ignore all the rumors surrounding the mysterious and potentially dangerous group of men settling in just outside of town.
When Mad Dog shows up at her dad’s hardware store, the instant and powerful attraction is undeniable, but Kate’s family already has other ideas—and he is definitely not part of their plan.
As tensions escalate between the men of Sanctuary and local residents, hard lines are drawn. With their chemistry off the charts, will Kate choose her family? Or will she sacrifice everything to be with the man she loves?
Shadow of Doubt is a contemporary romance featuring former military heroes and light suspense.
more
Mad Dog and Kate are such great characters. I love a strong, alpha male, particularly when they are matched with a strong, independent female, and Mad Dog and Kate definitely fit that bill. The couple are relatable with their insecurities about being accepted for who they are. Mad Dog Sheppard is guarded, possessive, gorgeous, intelligent, loyal and a gentle giant until you cross him. Kate, strong in her own right, giving, and intelligent; she does volunteer work, helps run the family business all while also being able to analyze and attack a situation head-on.I felt for Kate having to deal with parents who are single minded in wanting her to marry Luther, even though she has told them no. The choices that come about in this story are so strong and deliberate, I love it!
I have only recently encountered Abbie Zanders and I am hooked. Her characters are serious yet playful, protective and family by choice, the men alpha and the women even stronger. Mad Dog finds his special lady and a new challenge (and a bunch of little ones). Small town strengths and politics, for better and for worse. Sexy, playful, a page turner, I loved it and all I can say is “more please”. Bravo!!
Shadow of Doubt was a suspenseful romantic read.
The intrigue surrounding Sumneyville and it’s residents is ramping up, getting stickier, and just how high up does this go? Good backstory with more to come.
I love strong heroes and heroines, and this read has both. Kate is a well loved citizen of Sumneyville, working at her Dad’s store, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, always, always available to help out.
She meets Chris, aka Mad Dog, one of those “Sanctuary” men, and falls in love with him. Chris treats her like a queen, shows her the utmost respect, so much so, that Kate fears she’s going to have to take advantage of him, if he doesn’t soon take advantage of her, like yesterday. Great heat here too.
Through a series of events, Kate sadly realizes that her family is not who she thought they were, and chosen families are sometimes much better. Would’ve liked more confrontation between her and her family, because right now I feel like she just walked away. There’s so much more that’s being done, and her Dad just blew her off, like she isn’t a fully capable adult.
This ends with an HEA for Kate and Chris….so far….but I’m certain we’ve not heard the last on what’s really happening at the hardware store in the supposedly sleepy little town of Sumneyville.
A well written, fast paced read full of inuendo and intrigue, can be read alone, but part of a series.
I received an ARC and am giving my honest thoughts and opinions.
I could not put Shadow of a Doubt down. Abbie Zanders did an awesome job with this book, and I read it in one sitting! This is the third book in the Sanctuary series, and the mysterious plot in Sumneyville is getting more complex by the second. Sometimes there are things that you just don’t want to know about people that you have known forever. There is a shadow of a doubt whether things could be true or not. The truth can be heartbreaking. Yet it can reveal a bright side. Kate and Mad Dog had that doubt. It was tough to get through, but they found love. Kate found new friends at Sanctuary, and she’s going to need them to get through her life. It never hurts to have ex-Seals and their strong women on your side. I can’t wait for the next book!
Shadow of Doubt is another great book in the Sanctuary Series with a perfect mix of romance and suspense. Chris “Mad Dog” and Kate’s love story has lots of heart and is one of my favorites. Can’t wait for the next book in the series. Definitely recommend reading this book and series.
this is Mad Dog’s story
He needed someone who was made for him she is it she has a big heart thinks of others before her self he tries to make all her dreams come true and does a wonderful epilogue sizzling romance
39551797
Carmen Torres’s reviewApr 12, 2020 · edit
it was amazing
Abbie Zander’s writing gets better and better. Brian aka Mad Dog is a gentle giant. But that’s if you don’t mess with what’s his. Kate is a beautiful quiet girl but sometimes trouble brews. These two are a joy to read. They have instant chemistry but there’s always a fly in the ointment. Will Mad Dog be able to save his woman? Or will she circum to the evil? Awesome read!
Small town scoundrels + ex-military Alphas + innocent citizens = non stop reading!
Sumneyville is a small town where Kate Handelmann’s family has owned a hardware store for a hundred years. Like most small towns, it has its charm – but it also has a darker side.
Former SEAL “Mad Dog” Brian Sheppard is working alongside his Veteran brothers on a property named Sanctuary, with the goal to give other service members a place to prepare themselves for civilian life.
Shadow of Doubt brings the forces of light and dark together as Kate becomes a target and Mad Dog vows to protect her. This story is a combination of good & bad, right & wrong, sweet & bitter, sorrow & joy. It is filled with characters to love and some to despise. It is a page turner from start to finish. Undoubtedly to be put on your read again shelf.
This series just keeps getting better and better. We are one step closer to finding out what is really happening with the prepper group. I love the Sanctuary team, their irreverent humor, and their ladies.
Mad Dog is one of my favorite characters. Kate is perfect for him. Their loyalty to each other hits me in the feels. She gives up a lot to be with her soulmate, but she gained so much more.
As someone who has lived as an outsider in a small town and experienced small-minded attitudes, I felt the author captured that thinking perfectly.
This is a must-read series full of complex characters, intrigue, action, romance, hot sexy times, and suspense. I can’t wait for the next book. Five stars!
This is book 3 in the Sanctuary series and I would absolutely read the other books before reading this one or you may be confused about some of the things that are talked about in it. In this one we get Brian “Mad Dog” Sheppard (aka Chris) and Kate Handelmann’s story. Chris is beyond a stand up guy! He has this giant heart of gold and always tries to do the right thing, even when it may come back to bite him in the end. He is dealing with his own issues while trying to help his friend’s get Sanctuary up and running. And trying to figure out a way to get the town to at least stop giving them grief about what they are trying to do. Kate is this down to earth, do anything for anyone woman. And the way she gets treated for following her heart and what she believes is right just broke my heart. There is a quote by another author that completely hits for this book-“We have three kinds of family. Those we are born to, those who are born to us, and those we let into our hearts.”. And after what happens it made even more sense to me than it already did. And how much our “family” can hurt us. So bring your tissues, because I know I cried. But I also loved how strong Kate was after everything that happens! It made the whole book for me!
I love all of Abbie’s books, she is so talented! I love all the heart warming, steamy, and humorous passages in her books. Also, the camaraderie between the guys, and this one was just as wonderful as the rest. This was Mad dog’s book, and I loved how he was such a gentleman and protective of Kate. The dogs were adorable and a nice addition to the growing Sanctuary family. I can’t wait for the next book in this fantastic series.
This was another solid offering from this series! Kate is a townie and Chris is retired military staying at the lodge. They meet when Chris goes into Kate’s family hardware store for supplies. He decides that Kate is the one for him. Their relationship has some complications because of where he lives and who she is. The mystery of the preppers continue and we are given more clues to what they are up to. I really enjoyed reading their story and parts are heartbreaking. I highly recommend reading the others in the series first to get the full enjoyment. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Thank you for the privilege of reading this book! Well done
I love when you have found a series that every time the next book comes out, not only do you meet new people and see a new relationship emerge, you also feel like you are revisiting friends and catching up with them. That is what the Sanctuary series does for me. We become more and more familiar with everyone in the new book but also fall in love with Kate and Chris’s journey to love. I absolutely loved how quick and smart Kate became about the unsupportive and non-appreciative people in her life, even though it took some time to get to this place in life for her. Then for her to meet a wonderful guy like Chris, it was just her time to find her other half. I am enjoying the continuation of the mystery of “the preppers’ in town and still trying to figure out what they are truly up to and why so many are not supportive of what the Sanctuary is trying to build. This story was an escape from everything going on in the world today and I was able lose myself in Kate and Chris’s story and the rest of the Sanctuary crew, for a few hours. And don’t get me started about how cute Duke and his sweet new family were. Wonderful addition to an already fabulous series.
This series just keeps getting better. I love the mix of characters, the humor, the small town setting, dogs, and the romance. This is one of those books that you don’t want to put down once you start reading.
From their first meeting, Mad Dog and Kate feel an attraction to each other, and it only grows stronger the more they spend time together. While Mad Dog Sheppard sees himself as guarded, possessive, and selfish, Kate sees a gentleman who is thoughtful and modest. And thank goodness that Mad Dog listens to his gut when he feels that he needs to check up on Kate, more than once in the story.
I felt for Kate having to deal with parents who are single minded in wanting her to marry Luther, even though she tried dating him and it didn’t work out. The more time Kate spends with Mad Dog, the more suspicious Kate becomes of Luther and his insistence that they get back together.
I am so looking forward to the next book in this series and getting to the remainder of the men of Sanctuary. There are also unanswered questions as to when Luther will get his due, although I’ve no doubt we will get the answer.
This 3rd installment of the series is everything I hoped for. It has an HEA which rocks and still keeps you hooked for the next book with a suspense plot line. Honestly so excited for the next book…I have to know what happens!!
Small Town vs Sanctuary – Beautiful Romance!!
I love this series more with each story I read. Ex-Military men are rebuilding “Sanctuary” and feeling the wrath and suspicion of the citizens of the small town nearby. Supplies are suddenly not available and the “good old boy network” includes a crooked sheriff and other nefarious men.
Mad Dog falls hard for the woman whose family owns the hardware store, but he feels he must restrain his inner caveman to not scare her off. But do the answers to the questions she asks get back to that network working against them? Kate had followed her family’s wishes to the point of even dating the older accountant Luther. When he openly cheats on her she is done.
Mad dog takes care of her in a thoughtful way she has never experienced before. But she feels pressure from her family and the towns people not to associate with a man from Sanctuary.
Absolutely brilliant semi-slow burn build of this relationship. Every aspect has the reader feel they are there in that small town battling wrong, snuggling puppies and the feeling the zing of being around Mad Dog.
Wow! This series just keeps getting better and better! I have love the 2 previous books in this series and wasn’t quite sure where it would take us and let me tell you it does not disappoint!
Mad Dog and Kate are a great couple with so much standing in their way. The way they navigate all the obstacles in their way was captivating. While there was a happy ending for them, I am curious to discover what will happen with others involved as we get further into this series. I will be on pins and needles waiting for the next books in this series!
I’m loving this new series from Ms Zanders. Knowing it’s set not far from the Callaghan’s is a bonus as we get glimpses of them from time to time. Mad Dog and Kate’s story had drama intrigue and love. It was compelling reading once you start you can’t stop! I love the ongoing storyline the intrigue and suspense are making me eager for the next book. Great book can’t wait to see who’s up next !
I was given the ARC copy for an honest review. What a fabulous next installment in the Sanctuary series from Abbie Zanders. Kate and Mad Dog are such a fun pair. I really liked that Chris (Mad Dog) saw Kate for who she is, not what she could do for him. Kate’s family is awful. No one should take the side of an outsider over a family member. However, one thing this story brings home is that
family can be anything that you make it. I cannot wait to see where the rest of this series is going. Sumneyville is a weird town. But I always love that the Callaghans make cameo appearances.
OMG…what a gut wrenching, emotional, heart breaking, page turning, and yet, hawt, steamy love story. My heart is still breaking, yet so full with the love found between Mad Dog and Kate