Publication Date: 04/24/2018
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 304
ISBN-13: 978-1538759530
(Received for an honest review from Forever via Netgalley)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes
Piper J. Drake on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
True Heroes
1. Extreme Honor
2. Ultimate Courage
3. Absolute Trust
4. Total Bravery
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Total Bravery, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature
Synopsis:
True heroes will do anything to protect the women they love...
As the newest recruit at Search and Protect, Raul has a lot to prove. Luckily, he's got the best friend and partner a man could ask for: a highly trained, fiercely loyal German Shepherd Dog named Taz. Together, Raul and Taz make an unbeatable team. But their first mission in Hawaii really puts them to the test when an international kidnapping ring sets its sights on the bravest woman Raul's ever met . . .
Mali knows her latest job has put one hell of a target on her back. And on this small island paradise, there's nowhere to hide. With a service dog like Taz, Mali feels safe. Sharing close quarters with a smoldering muscle-for-hire like Raul, she feels something else - an unexpected wave of desire. Raul feels it too. But when the kidnappers make their move, he's got to turn that slow-burning passion into hard-hitting action - and save the life of the woman he loves.
Thoughts:
Author Piper J. Drake continues her popular True Heroes series, with her latest offering, Total Bravery. This book delves into some stirring issues including human trafficking and readers will be on the edge of their seats throughout. Shifting from the Hope Crossing Kennel to the Search and Protect company provides a change in the atmosphere of the series and creates a lot of new opportunities for canine, human interaction. Readers who love a good romantic suspense novel with find that and more in Drake's newest title.
What I liked:
Lately, I've been getting into good romantic suspense books. The mix of action and romance is intriguing and easy to get taken in by. Piper J. Drake is a master at combining the two genres into a series that is both steamy and thrilling at the same time. Total Bravery is the fourth book in the True Heroes series and it gets the blood pumping in more ways than one. I enjoyed the change in the series from the Hope's Crossing Kennel to the Search and Protect agency. I feel like this will add a ton of opportunities for a different type of action and the romance is always a great addition.
Raul has all the qualities that I'm liking in a hero right now. He is former military, always a sexy plus and he is good with animals. His canine partner Taz, is not just a figure head animal in the series. He contributes a great deal to the overall storyline and readers will love him almost as much as Raul. I liked that Drake made Raul sensitive to the fact that he was having some serious feelings toward his best friends sister and how that might play out. Raul was an alpha male with a strong need to protect Mali but he wasn't a brute. He shows a vulnerable side in his relationship with the heroine and in his friendship with Arin. A great character!
Maybe i'm an oddity when it comes to reading but I prefer books to have some relevance and Drake certainly accomplishes that with this title. Total Bravery touches on the issue of human trafficking which is such a huge problem. The statistics are staggering and I appreciated that though this book was meant to entertain and not really center on the subject, it was still able to spread awareness. Mali's research team got a little too close to a human trafficking ring and their plight shows the ruthlessness that surrounds the issue.
What I didn't like:
Mali was a wonderful heroine. Raul was an amazing hero. It seemed like a perfect match between them and as a reader I was waiting with baited breath for that scene where they finally give in to those desires they feel from pretty much the start of the book. This one is definitely a slow burn and to be honest the outside forces of the suspense part of the book weren't really the issue. These two characters were getting in their own way throughout the book. It was good that Raul was conscious of Arin's feelings about her sister but that went on a bit too long for my tastes. Mali was concerned for her team and that showed her integrity and honesty as a character but man, I was ready for some romantic action long before these two were lol... Still an excellent romantic read!
Bottom Line:
This title has a lot to offer to a reader who likes a romance with some punch to it. Drake mixes the two genres of suspense and romance with ease. Total Bravery has action and thrills and a great romance even if it takes awhile to get there. Readers get a glimpse into a world they may not understand but need to be aware of with the human trafficking aspect of the book and canine Taz is a welcome addition to the series that provides that special something that puts this one over the top. A great new book by Piper J. Drake!
Total Bravery is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag
About the Author:
Piper J. Drake is a bestselling author of romantic suspense and edgy contemporary romance, a frequent flyer, and day job road warrior. She is often distracted by dogs, cupcakes, and random shenanigans.
Play Find the Piper around the internet for insight into her frequent travels and inspiration for her stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment