Mission:
Keep his eyes on the skies…despite one sexy distraction!
Title: HIS TO PROTECT
Series: Uniformly Hot!
Author: Karen Rock
Release Date: Oct 1st, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Mission: Keep his eyes on the
skies…despite one sexy distraction!
There are things a man can never
undo. For Coast Guard search and rescue pilot Mark Sampson, it was the
agonizing decision that cost him a teammate—and his faith in himself. But an
unbelievably sexy blonde on a secluded beach may help him forget…if only for a
night.
Cassie Rowe needed a distraction—and,
boy, did she get one! How was she to know the brooding stranger who rocked her
world was the pilot who'd left her brother to die? And now they're on the same
mission. She should hate him. But she can't fight the storm of desire
threatening to pull them under…
Cassie brushed back a strand of hair and the light gleamed on a charm dangling from her silver bracelet. An anchor. Recognition exploded in Mark’s gut. He’d been with Jeff when his friend bought a birthday gift for his beloved sister back home. Of course Cassie had worn it here. She carried her brother’s memory as Mark did, had followed it into the worst storm of the century.
As if he wasn’t feeling enough for her, tenderness swamped him at her dogged, gutsy determination. What was more, he desired her with a wild rush that shoved him to the edge of his control then drop-kicked him over it. The last shred of his resistance shattered.
He wanted her. Wanted the peace, the mindlessness that night in Clearwater had offered. Reason wasn’t working. Not even with himself.
“I still don’t want you on board tomorrow, but just dancing with you is killing me.” Bending his head down, he found the beat of her pulse and he brushed his lips against it. “What if we forget everything else for tonight and just…”
Her lips curled into a sexy, sassy smile and then she veered through an opening in the shrubs beside them. What the…?
At her shouted challenge, he leaped onto the beach. Her long hair flew behind her as she raced down to the water and excitement surged. The masculine need to capture, conquer, dominate galloped through him and he sprinted after her.
Just before she reached the water, he grabbed her waist and swung her around. Their laughter rang out then slowed when he turned her in his arms and lowered her slowly along the length of his body, feeling every luscious inch of her.
Above them gulls rode the winds, screeching and calling to each other above the noise of the surf, but his mind was too filled with Cassie to notice.
He placed his hands around her face and pulled it gently to him. “You’re not meek,” he whispered against her mouth.
He ached. Throbbed when her lips curved and her eyes danced up at him.
“What am I, then?”
“Mine,” he groaned and his mouth captured hers, feasting. He wanted to banish her hurts. Erase the pain that shadowed her eyes. He didn’t know if he could protect her from the storm tomorrow, but he could shelter her tonight, comfort her the only way he knew how.
His to Protect is the story of U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Mark Sampson and Red Cross Nurse Cassie Rowe. Cassie's brother was a Coast Guard Swimmer. He had loved his job and talked to Cassie all the time about how she needed to get out and live in the world, but then he died while on a mission. In Cassie's opinion the details were always somewhat sketchy. Her brother had basically been left behind by his team.
Cassie decides it's time for her to live her life and to try to find out what happened to her brother. So she agrees to serve as a Red Cross Nurse on a mission. The night before the mission she meets Mark at a bar. He's obviously military, but she doesn't know much else about him other than that he says he's not good company and that he's hot. He turns out to be very good company. The two hook up and have a very passionate night.
The next day Cassie reports for duty and finds out Mark is the pilot. They learn each other's last names. He is the pilot who left her brother behind and he recognizes her name just as much as she recognizes his name. Both are upset, but continue with the mission. On the mission Cassie learns more about what happened, grows as a person, and learns to forgive the sexy pilot. Mark learns to deal with his own issues and to forgive himself.
I liked both Cassie and Mark. I've never really thought of the Coast Guard when I think of hot military men, but I should because Mark sounds sexy as sin. I live about an hour from New London (the US Coast Guard Academy is there) and now I want to go visit. Mark is everything you want a hero to be. He's strong. He's determined. He's dedicated and loyal. And, as I've said, he's sexy. Cassie is his perfect compliment. She hasn't experienced much in the world, but she's not naive. She's somewhat innocent, but she understands things and she's just as determined, dedicated, and loyal as Mark. The two seem like a perfect couple.
I intend to read more Harlequin books and more by Karen Rock. I give His to Protect FOUR STARS!
Award-winning author Karen Rock is both sweet and
spicy—at least when it comes to her writing! The author of both YA and adult
contemporary books writes red-hot novels for Harlequin Blaze and small-town
romances for Harlequin Heartwarming. A strong believer in Happily-Ever-After,
Karen loves creating unforgettable stories that leave her readers with a smile.
She enjoys returning to her teaching roots when speaking at regional and
national writing conferences and interacting with other writers. She has a
Master of Fine Arts in English and has continued to learn and grow
professionally through her work with YA co-author, fellow romance author,
friend and sister-in-law, Joanne Rock.
When she’s not writing, Karen is an avid reader who’s typically immersed
in three different books at a time, all in different genres. She also loves
cooking her grandmother’s Italian recipes, baking, Christmas (no need to
specify—she loves every bit of it), and having the Adirondack Park wilderness
as her backyard, where she lives with her husband, daughter, dog and cat who
keep her life interesting and complete..
Thanks sweetie much for this lovely review, Kelsey! I shared it with the real coast guard pilot who helped me fact check and he said, "Now I want to go to New London" haha
ReplyDelete