★★★★★ A Riveting, High-Octane Story where a Navy SEAL K9 Handler and a MWD Meet a Formerly Trafficked Woman and a Venezuelan Drug Cartel
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. This post is shared in partnership with JustRead Publicity Tours.
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About This Book:
Navy SEAL K-9 handler Beau “Danger” Maddox is at the top of his game—until an op goes south, leaving him physically and mentally scarred. Separated from the Navy, he’s determined to requalify as operational and get back in the action so he can take down the deadly South American cartel that killed his team. The last thing he needs is a distraction in the form of a beautiful new neighbor and her dog…
Trafficking survivor Paisley Reyna became a trauma counselor to help others after a harrowing captivity at the hands of the notorious Guerrero Cartel. When she unexpectedly inherits her cousin’s home and retired military working dog, Riot, she seizes the chance to eke out a quiet life in a small town in Texas. However, the Dutch shepherd upends her plans, destroys her belongings, and repeatedly escapes next door to the intense former SEAL, who poses a threat to her peace—and maybe even her heart.
When the local sheriff asks for Danger’s expertise and Paisley’s dog to intercept a trafficking deal, they’re quickly caught up in a battle against the very cartel that marked both their souls. Along with a paramilitary team, they plunge deeper and deeper into the Venezuelan jungle—all too aware that making it out alive a second time will take nothing short of a miracle.
MY REVIEW: ★★★★★/5
Get ready for a harrowing ride! Author JJ Samie Myles delivers a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat story that will leave you breathless. If a story makes me hold my breath, I am here for it, and Riot did just that. I can't begin to say how many times my heart was racing throughout this story! I loved it.
Highlights:
-Battle-Scarred Navy SEAL Hero
-Formerly Trafficked Heroine, Turned Christian Counselor
-Merciless Venezuelan Drug Cartel With a Vendetta
-Former MWD with a Specialty in Narcotics Detection
-Missing Six Year Old Girl
At the very beginning, this story captivated my heart and my attention. From Beau (Danger's) battles with addiction and loss of direction in his life to the loss Paisley was grieving and the struggle she faced with Riot, my heart was invested in the story. As the story continued, I adored the precious relationship Beau had with his niece, Lyric, as well as with Riot. I loved the discovery over time of learning about Beau's past as well as Paisley's and enjoyed their swoon-worthy, budding romance. I was cheering them on all the way.
With a strong faith thread that I appreciated, I thoroughly enjoyed the other elements of the story such as the intense suspense, high-stakes action, team camaraderie, humor and incredible displays of courage. Because this story deals with human trafficking, I felt it was delivered well, in a way that presents hope and light amidst a very dark and dangerous underworld. The strength, determination and perseverance of the main characters was wonderfully presented and inspiring.
The sweet, heartwarming ending perfectly tied up the story and made me wish it wasn't over just yet.
Overall, I loved this book! This entire series so far has been a thrilling, gut-wrenching ride and I highly recommend this standalone to readers who love military styles stories that offer harrowing danger, battles between good and evil, heroism, faith, romance and working dogs!
Content and Trigger Warnings: PG, war style action scenes, human trafficking, rape (Lightly touched on, nothing graphic), suicide, loss of a loved one
