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By: Bonnie Vanak
Releasing
February 1, 2017
Harlequin
Harlequin
In Shielded by the Cowboy Seal (SOS Agency #2) by Bonnie Vanak, Meg Taylor is in serious need of protection from her soon-to-be ex-husband, and there's only one man for the job, Navy Seal Cooper Johnson. Somehow, Cooper finds himself warming up to the one woman he shouldn't, especially once he learns how her past coincides with the death of his sister; a sister he is still grieving. Can he keep Meg safe and forgive her for the past, so they can have a future together?
What a wonderful book Ms. Vanak has penned for her second story in her SOS Agency series where right from the beginning, I was hooked to the heroine's point-of-view. Will she discover the evidence she needs to put her soon-to-be ex-husband in prison? Will she be able to absolve herself of the guilt she feels when it comes to Cooper's family and the death of his sister? However, it was the moment the two main characters met that turned this story into a real page turner for me, because Cooper proves what a good guy he is by making sure Meg is safe and helping her when it seems she's in trouble.
As for the dialogue, it was well-written and a wonderful combination of intense and playful. The intense dialogue was due to the main characters back stories, especially how they coincide with the death of the hero's sister and Meg's work. It is also intense due to what Meg's husband is doing to her while she searches for the evidence she needs to put him away for what he's done to her. Certainly, this book took a number of twists and turns that left me wanting to discover more about the hero and heroine's pasts, what happened to the heroine's grandmother and why would someone want to hurt the hero's family. However, there were also some light-hearted moments that had me smiling, because the hero and heroine are good for each other. The heroine needs to realize that not all men are like her ex and that Cooper is a good guy that would go above and beyond to keep her safe. While the hero needs to realize that Meg would never put someone in danger and that what happened to his sister was not her fault.
Both the main characters were compelling and I loved the obstacles this couple had to face on their journey to happy ever after. Cooper had every right to hate Meg once he learned the truth about how her past ties in with his sister's death. But I was glad that he realized the truth of who was really to blame and helped the heroine to get justice for his sister's death and all police officers that could have lost their lives because of her soon-to-be ex-husband's greed. Cooper is loyal, hard-working and I liked how determined he was to protect Meg and his family. Because nothing is more important than family, and protecting those that are innocent and taking down those that are guilty. While the heroine, she's strong, brave, and I liked how determined she is to take down her soon-to-be ex after everything he's done to her. She's been through hell, and no woman should have to go through what she has. She's lucky that Cooper is on her side and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her after everything she learns about how far her husband and his associates have gone to. It was emotional blow after emotional blow for her.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story by Ms. Vanak, which encompassed a strong romance and fast-paced plot that entertained me from start to finish with its dialogue and wonderful characters. The way this story ended was a little scary from the heroine's point-of-view, but she was fortunate that she could protect herself long enough to learn some hard truths and for help to come to her rescue. Moreover, I liked how the secondary characters rallied around the heroine and helped her. I would recommend Shielded by the Cowboy Seal by Bonnie Vanak, if you enjoy romantic suspense or the sexy protector trope.
OVERALL RATING:
As for the dialogue, it was well-written and a wonderful combination of intense and playful. The intense dialogue was due to the main characters back stories, especially how they coincide with the death of the hero's sister and Meg's work. It is also intense due to what Meg's husband is doing to her while she searches for the evidence she needs to put him away for what he's done to her. Certainly, this book took a number of twists and turns that left me wanting to discover more about the hero and heroine's pasts, what happened to the heroine's grandmother and why would someone want to hurt the hero's family. However, there were also some light-hearted moments that had me smiling, because the hero and heroine are good for each other. The heroine needs to realize that not all men are like her ex and that Cooper is a good guy that would go above and beyond to keep her safe. While the hero needs to realize that Meg would never put someone in danger and that what happened to his sister was not her fault.
Both the main characters were compelling and I loved the obstacles this couple had to face on their journey to happy ever after. Cooper had every right to hate Meg once he learned the truth about how her past ties in with his sister's death. But I was glad that he realized the truth of who was really to blame and helped the heroine to get justice for his sister's death and all police officers that could have lost their lives because of her soon-to-be ex-husband's greed. Cooper is loyal, hard-working and I liked how determined he was to protect Meg and his family. Because nothing is more important than family, and protecting those that are innocent and taking down those that are guilty. While the heroine, she's strong, brave, and I liked how determined she is to take down her soon-to-be ex after everything he's done to her. She's been through hell, and no woman should have to go through what she has. She's lucky that Cooper is on her side and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her after everything she learns about how far her husband and his associates have gone to. It was emotional blow after emotional blow for her.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story by Ms. Vanak, which encompassed a strong romance and fast-paced plot that entertained me from start to finish with its dialogue and wonderful characters. The way this story ended was a little scary from the heroine's point-of-view, but she was fortunate that she could protect herself long enough to learn some hard truths and for help to come to her rescue. Moreover, I liked how the secondary characters rallied around the heroine and helped her. I would recommend Shielded by the Cowboy Seal by Bonnie Vanak, if you enjoy romantic suspense or the sexy protector trope.
OVERALL RATING:
BLURB:
The SOS Agency grants one Navy SEAL his most personal mission yet
Home on
leave at his family farm, Navy SEAL Cooper Johnson receives an unexpected assignment:
to protect a beautiful socialite on the run from her abusive ex. Grieving his
kid sister, a brave cop killed in the line of duty due to a faulty bulletproof
vest, Coop is in no mood for work until he meets Meg Taylor. Soon, he finds
that riding the land, lovely Meg safe beside him, is a surprising comfort to
his heart. But when he discovers Meg's dark past and the evidence she possesses
that her ex would kill to keep buried it will take both the cowboy and SEAL
within him to get the ultimate justice.
Such delicious warmth.
Meg
slowly opened her eyes. She’d been back at the car, Sophie curled beside her,
wondering how they would survive the storm and not freeze to death. The cold
had pierced her bones like icy knives.
And
then she’d closed her eyes, trying to keep her dog warm by holding Sophie
tight. The nightmare had been too real. Sophie, kicked out of the house by her
husband, wandering the streets during a south Florida cold snap. Curling up in
a doorway to stay warm, whimpering and afraid, confused as to why her owners
had abandoned her…
She
drove, as she had in the past when it really happened, searching the streets
for her beloved dog. But this time during the nightmare, a handsome stranger
picked Sophie into his arms and scowled at Meg, as if blaming her for Sophie’s
condition.
Now
as she stirred, she became aware of lying in a warm bed, blankets piled atop
her. A lamp glowed softly on a nightstand.
Meg
realized she wore only panties and a bra.
And
in addition to being half-naked, there was a hard male body next to her, also
half-naked. Panic swept through her. She startled and moved away, but a strong,
muscled arm hooked around her waist.
“Relax,”
a deep male voice said. “You’re not going anywhere.”
The
voice was strange, tinged with amusement and a New England accent. The body
belonging to that accent was hardened with thick muscle, not soft with fat like
Prescott’s. She became aware of the scent of him, all cedar and spicy
aftershave, a pleasing masculine smell, not the fancy and expensive cologne
disguising the vodka Prescott had consumed far too much lately.
“Get
away from me,” she mumbled. “Why are you doing this?
“No
one dies on my watch, Princess, and you were entering hypothermia. Body heat is
the best way of keeping warm. I daresay your little dog knows this, otherwise
she’d be nipping at my toes instead of snuggled beneath them.”
He
added, with a wry sound, “And if you got frostbite, the local doc would have to
amputate those pretty pink toes of yours.”
She
had to get out of here, but oh, the warmth beneath the blankets and the firm,
muscled body beside her gave off heat like a blast furnace.
Meg
blinked hard, trying to summon precious energy. “Her name is Sophie.”
“Should
have called her Ouchie.”
Meg’s
mushy brain couldn’t register the joke, until she lifted her head and saw her
rescuer hold up his hand where a half moon marked the skin. “Bit clean through
my glove.”
“Oh
no! I’m so sorry.” Mortified, she struggled to sit up, more concerned about her
dog biting a total stranger who had saved them from death than her lack of
clothing.
He
pushed her down. “Easy now. You need to stay under these covers a while
longer.”
“My
dog…”
“No
worries,” he said easily. “I trust she’s had her shots, and I’ve had mine, so
you needn’t worry about your furball getting a disease.”
Meg
realized he was joking. The tension gripping her sore, tight muscles eased a
little. She peered upward to get a closer look at him. A thick shock of wavy
dark brown hair was cropped short. He had an intense gaze, thin cheekbones and
a wide mouth. Handsome, with a hint of Irish blood in those ice-blue eyes.
A
dusting of black hair covered his muscled chest. Washboard abs rippled beneath
smooth, tanned skin. He was mouthwatering, a prime example of masculinity. Meg
stared, still struggling with the unreality that this man had rescued her from
the cold and warmed her with his body.
“You’re
Cooper Johnson?”
“The
one and only,” he drawled. “Your host over the next several days.”
She
pulled the blankets up to cover her breasts, well aware her lacy red bra
provided thin covering in the chill, and her nipples had turned rigid.
From
the cold. Not the pull of attraction toward this handsome stranger. It didn’t
matter if her libido sat up and started shimmying.
All
she had to do was think of what Prescott would do if he found her, and her
heated blood turned to ice.
“Where’s
Sophie?”
Cooper
lifted the bottom of the blankets. Snuggled at his feet, wedged partly beneath
the covers, her dog snoozed. Relief filled Meg. She tossed back the covers,
climbed down the length of the bed and gathered her dog into her arms, checking
her over anxiously.
“She
seems okay.” Meg drew in a deep breath as the awakening Sophie licked her face.
Sheer
male interest flared on Cooper’s face. He rearranged the blankets around his
waist. Realizing he must have had a bull’s-eye glimpse of her rear end, Meg
flushed. She clutched the dog just a little too tightly, and Sophie squirmed.
The
interest faded as his expression shuttered. He scratched the bristles on his
hard jaw. “You feeling okay now, Princess?”
At
her nod, he flung back the blankets, displaying a pair of long, muscled legs. A
dusting of hair didn’t hide a wicked-looking scar on his left thigh. Her
fascinated gaze traveled upward to the black Jockeys he wore…
And
the very large bulge beneath them showing a blatant male reaction.
Seems
as if Cooper Johnson was equally attracted to her.
Not
that she’d do anything about it. Not in her lifetime.
His
mouth curved into a knowing smile as he reached down to the floor, retrieved a
pair of jeans. Cooper slid into them and stood, buckling the belt.
“Had
to get you warm. Can’t help the consequences. I’m a guy, and you’re a very
attractive woman.”
He
shoved a hand through his thick hair and the move flexed the biceps of his
right arm. A tattoo of a snake writhed with the motion as well. Sailors got
inked, from what she knew. And he was a Navy SEAL.
Not
regular Army, like her brother had been.
SEALs
were tough, Lacey had told her, but their missions and lives were shrouded in
secrecy. She wondered what happened to him that he was here now with her.
Bonnie
Vanak is a NY Times bestselling author.
After a career in journalism, she became a writer for an international charity,
traveling to poor countries like Haiti to write about issues affecting the
poor. When the strain of her job demanded a diversion, she turned to her
childhood dream of writing romance novels. Bonnie lives in Florida with her
husband and two rescue dogs. Visit her website at www.bonnievanak.com or email
her at bonnievanak@aol.com.
I've read the first of this series. It's really good, but I think this one will be even better. Cooper sounds like an awesome hero. Plus, I like military heroes. Bring in the reading!
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