Discovering Rafe by Sara Blackard
Stryker Security Force, Book 5
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Her brother’s best friend has always held her heart. Now that she has his attention, will her happily ever after be ripped away?

Piper Fields finds contentment in managing her cousin’s music career from the safety and anonymity of staying behind the scenes.
Since her parents’ death at barely thirteen, Piper’s fear of losing others has kept her focused on caring for those she loves. Meanwhile, her own dreams have been left backstage. Not that it really mattered anyway. Her dreams were out of reach and so was her brother’s friend, Rafe Malone.

Rafe Malone approached life with a firm desire to safeguard those who couldn’t protect themselves and have fun in the process. That all changed the day a mission for the Army turned south, forcing him to take the life of a child soldier. Now, the jokester mask he wears to hide his pain is put to the test when his best friend’s sister needs his help. No matter how hard he tries to convince himself he shouldn’t taint her with his tarnished soul, her nurturing presence tempts him to break the bro code of staying away from your friend’s sister.

Can Rafe keep Piper safe when the evasive threat turns deadly? Will Piper trust what she’s discovered in Rafe or is it just another childish daydream?

This is another awesome book sure to please romantic suspense readers. Rafe had a stronger role in the last story, Crashing into Jake, because it’s a tag-team setup for Discovering Rafe. In the last story, Chloe and Piper were cousins in trouble from a stalker. In the end, readers found out that Chloe wasn’t the target, Piper was. Discovering Rafe picks up from there. Interestingly enough, this book could still be read as a standalone because the first two chapters recaps what triggered book 4, but this time the hero is Rafe and it’s from his perspective. I really enjoyed the extra details that the author included this time around. It brings the enjoyment factor to a whole other level because I’m getting the whole picture. This time I got to see Piper’s point of view at my favorite bonfire scene from the previous book. It’s just as fun and yet it has a more robust feeling to it because now, I get to see inside Rafe’s head as he sees Piper for the first time in a style of clothes she’d never worn before. The password still is cute, but I got to see a tiny bit more backstory to it, which made me smile.

One of the conflicts is a well-known one – don’t break the bro-code and date or show more than brotherly interest towards your best friend’s little sister. That’s a major no-no, and it’s also one of the rules most fun to break – if done right. I believe Ms. Blackard did it right.

Like I mentioned above, the other conflict is external – the stalker that is after Piper. That’s the major mystery that causes stress, suspense and a great plot mover.

Another thing I liked about this novel, is reading all about Rafe and Piper’s childhood memories and their relationship. It made their romance that much more interesting and heartwarming. Until it wasn’t. Until the very thing Rafe worried about comes to pass. He broke the bro-code and has to face the music. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the stalker is even more tech-savvy than anyone gave him credit for. Readers are in for some intense scenes that, for me, made it almost impossible to put the book aside and go to bed at a decent time. Nope, I lost some serious zzz’s powering through this novel. I couldn’t leave myself with a cliffhanger. Who could sleep wondering if Piper would escape? Would she be rescued? Would they get to her time? Who WAS the stalker? How did he keep finding her? The answers amazed me, floored me and kept me wide awake.

As for whether I like the hero and heroine. Absolutely. Piper is loyal, caring, a bit of a worrywart and always puts other’s needs ahead of her own, including her cousin Chloe. Their relationship is more like best friends than merely cousins. Piper has a guardian-type personality and while that’s good, Rafe recognizes, eventually, that she deserved more. Who’s looking out for Piper? That’s when it solidified for me that they were perfect for each other, that their love was going to be a strong force which in turn brought out the best in each other, for the other. It’s wonderfully romantic, well, between the scenes of sheer terror, excitement, and the great climactic confrontation with the stalker.

I made light of the internal conflict of the bro-code regarding Rafe, but there is a darker issue that plagues the hero. His jokester persona has taken a hit and he’s now using it as a cover to hide behind. It is a serious conflict and I know for a fact that it’s a real thing, that it can haunt a soldier to the point of despair. It’s a bleak reality no matter that it happens in a time of war – it’s killed or be killed – but knowing that fact doesn’t make it any less painful. It’s another reason why I am so very happy that he gets his own happy ever after with Piper. If anyone can help him heal, it’s her. They are awesome together.

There’s a lot more that goes on in the story that I could go on and on about. I do have to mention secondary characters – Derrick. There’s a scene where he reminds Rafe about Hunter and his words of wisdom from the Bible. I haven’t read Hunter’s story but I’m going to. There are so many references to him throughout the series, I feel like I should know him too. Anyway, that scene with Derrick really made an impact on me. The way the author wrote it was powerful and Rafe’s response, even more so.

I simply can’t get enough of this series. Their romances are sweet, almost sensual, and the restraint the heroes and heroines practice even though passion rides them hard at times, shows amazing strength of character. It also makes a lot more sense to me than those other stories out there where, in the middle of do or die crisis situations, somehow the main characters always seem to dive into heavy-duty make out sessions. I don’t need that in my romantic suspense stories, and I’m so glad I discovered Sara Blackard’s books. They have top-notch writing, awesome heroes and heroines, and plots and stories I can really sink my teeth into. The pacing is always spot-on and never once, in any of the books I’ve read so far, have I been tempted to fast-forward. Every chapter, piece of dialogue, action scenes or passages of description and details, worked for me. Even the HEA was awesome. I am a very happy reader.

Capturing Sosimo by Sara Blackard
Stryker Security Force, Book 2
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

A billionaire inventor hiding her identity. An ex-soldier determined to protect her. Will her lies compromise their chance at love?

There’s nothing Sosimo Rivas hates more than liars.

But in his new job with Stryker Security Force as private protection for the rich, he sees his fair share of them. Sosimo spends most of his time working on old engines and keeping their clients safe. The first he loves. The second he tolerates — until he meets June.

June’s made billions inventing gadgets for the military.

But the person in the spotlight is a fake, someone she created to hide behind. Her ruse was working perfectly — until her latest invention attracted the attention of the wrong kind of people. Now, she’s forced to hire a bodyguard who tempts her from her solitary life.

Will June be able to trust her protector when all she’s built is threatened? And will Sosimo stand by the only woman he’s ever loved when he discovers the truth?

This story was a surprise. For a change, the heroine is the one with a fortune and she’s an inventor of really cool gadgets. She’s got it all together and things are good. Until the emails come. Until one of her cool gadgets in development garners interest from a mysterious and suspicious person or persons and it’s freaking her out. How do the guys at Stryker Security Force get involved? June, a/k/a Reagan MacArthur, has a dad who can pull some strings that June wants nothing to do with. The compromise? Hire security.

I ‘met’ Sosimo Rivas in the first book, Falling for Zeke, and he intrigued me. Now I get to see what makes him tick. The hero has some personal issues that stem from when he was growing up. It left a lasting impression on his sense of self-worth. You wouldn’t think so since he was and is part of such an elite team of alpha men, but no one is as they seem. The author delves into his background a little bit and I was impressed with his protective instinct. He also had a deep love and respect for his family and his heritage. I totally felt empathy for Sosimo and completely agreed he needs his own happy ever after. But what a ride to get there!

This is an effective romantic suspense that has some teeth. Speaking of which, the scene when June bites into her juicy hamburger made me snort and giggle. The author used her descriptive words and brought the scene to life to hilarious effect. It goes on for a few more lighthearted moments, then the sensual action kicks in for the next chapter. Hot Tamales – I’m not the only one who likes the candy. The plot gets hot in other ways when gunfire breaks out. I was on my seat, scrolling/flipping those pages as fast as I could. The suspense and intensity of the moment was clearly described and tight – written for the most impact. The external conflict was fascinating. The internal conflicts though – those are what grab the heartstrings. They’re the kind that can break the relationship that is slowly building between the two. Building is an apt word. The sensual tension is palpable and June and Sosimo are strongly affected.

Just when I thought there was going to be a breather, a bomb threat rolls in. Yikes! Then Sosimo and June have to go on the run, and somehow, they’re tracked. How?!? That is one of the questions that kept me glued to the novel’s pages. The story turns into a who-done-it because someone is leaking info but who and from where? The suspense was tight. Good thing they picked up a Marine to help out along the way. He was a nice character addition.

I could go on and on about the great dialogue between characters, the depth of their development, how the author gives a reader a little lighthearted breather, like biting into an apple, before sending them down another rollercoaster dip of excitement and thrills. There is so much to recommend this story that I know I have to stop before I stumble and share a spoiler. I mean, there’s a secondary character named Lena who ties in with the beginning of the security force so that link fascinated me, and June’s relationship with her dad kept me guessing if it was good or not. Then came the shocker and I was blown away.

Seriously, Capturing Sosimo is another gem and has to go on my keeper shelf like the first book. So far, the re-readability factor is high and I’m so glad I discovered this series. But like potato chips, I can’t stop at two. I hear there’s another story waiting for me in the wings. I can’t wait to read it!

Falling for Zeke by Sara Blackard
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

An ex-Army Special Operations member burned once by love. A single-mom stalked by a powerful enemy. Can he risk his heart for her safety?

Zeke has everything he could want.
A multi-billion dollar inheritance allows him to protect others…
… and with the camaraderie of his brothers-in-arms.
He spends his time growing his security firm and keeping his head down. Love is the last thing on his mind, until Samantha and her daughter are in need of his help.

Samantha used to have a comfortable life.
Now she waits tables to put food on her own.
Forced from the life she had built, Samantha works to restore what was lost. With her daughter in tow, she begins a new life in the Colorado mountains. It’s not perfect, but it’s all theirs. But when the tempting Zeke offers to help her, she begins to wonder if love could heal her shattered life.

What will Samantha do when past troubles come knocking? Will Zeke protect his heart or will Samantha shatter his defenses?

Have you ever come to the end of a story and realize you just discovered book candy? Falling for Zeke bowled me over and left me craving more. Especially if the other books are anything like this first romantic suspense story in the Stryker Security Force series; I want to meet EVERYONE on the team.

The book opens with this obviously alpha man being flummoxed and frustrated over a common accounting program. The author’s descriptions made me smile right from the start. I was left in no doubt just how disgusted he was with the whole computer program. I haven’t used it myself, but I’ve heard tell and his thoughts of revenge fit right in with what others have experienced. But none of their stories have entertained me as much as Zeke Greene’s.

The heroine is kind of typical. A single mom, trying to keep herself and her child safe, fed and housed while holding a job that a reader knows from the interchange, is doomed. The author did a wonderful job of building the sympathy for Samantha and her daughter, Eva. I truly believe readers are going to fall in love with little Eva. Sometimes, I swear she steals the show. Samantha has a serious anchor around her neck, people from her past are going to stir the plot and give the hero and his team a chance to shine. But the heroine has some remembered motherly advice from her own mother’s experiences and that plays a role in some of the internal conflict. Family has a tendency to inspire things like that.

The story doesn’t waste any time getting into the drama and suspense when someone tries to steal Eva from school. That starts the ball rolling and it puts Zeke and Samantha right in the thick of it. The pace of this novel is perfect. It more than kept my interest; I was glued to my seat and didn’t want to stop until I read the whole book. There were so many things that happened, lots of great dialogue, and a lot of people to get to know, that I had a ball. Zeke and his team showed that they were more than co-workers, they were a family. I adored how Eva wrapped all the guys around her little finger and scenes that had her and the guys interacting were some of my favorites.

This is a romance story with lots of ‘steamual’ tension … I made that word up because it just fits with how all those kisses and accidental touches affected the hero and heroine. I have no doubts that they both felt the building steam and sensual sparks that flowed between them. If this was another type of story, for sure they’d end up acting on it, but as this novel is a clean romance book, I was able to enjoy a full plot, great character development, and a romance that grew through adversity, respect and trust. Their relationship brought out the best in both Zeke and Samantha; they complimented each other. Nothing proved that better than the scene when a guy tried to once again take Eva and Samantha stepped up to the plate. It was glorious. It was perfect. It was fist-pump time.

I read Falling for Zeke in eBook format and it came with a bonus epilogue. It’s like being told you can have extra hot fudge for free in your sundae. It gave me the happy feels. I enjoyed this book so much, I am stoked to read the next book in the series. If you’ve never read a book by Sara Blackard, then you are in for a treat. This is an awesome introduction to this author’s wonderful writing style. Try it out and see for yourself.