I haven't followed the Granger series in order but I know this is a spin-off series. Still, this was an exciting romantic suspense and it had all the good stuff, danger, angst, sexy times and familial relationships. Just great writing from start to finish.

Margo Connelly was part of a jury that convicted a mobster who eventually began seeking revenge against all those put him behind bars. Margo's dad hired Lamar "Striker" Jennings to be her body guard because they were notified that jurors were being murdered. Even though Striker had a checkered past, he was more than up to the task of watching out for Margo. The only problem is that it's hard paying attention to the surroundings when he can't keep his eyes off Margo. The continual push and pull with the way Margo and Striker interacted with each other made their relationship so intriguing. They fought their attraction until they couldn't anymore. Boy, I loved the way the author wrote the sex scenes. They were tasteful yet very titillating. Very sensual at times and just all in during other scenes. Bravo! I love books with romantic angst as well as angst from the danger. What a ride.

I thought the mystery could have been stronger and less predictable, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. I really liked this story and can't wait for the next story in the series. I definitely recommend this story to lovers of Bodyguard romances.

This is a spin off of the Granger series which featured the family of a man accused of murdering his wife and he was incarcirated wrongly. These men are some of the men he "adopted" while incarcerated and made a difference in their lives; with his help they fought for a change to their convictions or accepted their charges and improved their circumstances while in jail. I absolutely loved that Brenda gave these men who aided the Grangers in their hour of need their own stories. In Captivated by Love we were left on a bit of a cliffhanger and I couldn't wait to see what happened.



This is the story of Striker who as a teen had his dream life in the palm of his hand and then a decision to put his little brother in a place he should have been safe comes back to haunt him. With the need to avenge his brother riding him he makes a decision that will impact his life and ends his dreams. Left with the guilt of failing his family Striker is in jail hellbent on making everyone feel his pain until Shep steps in to help him deal with his issues, he's not here for it though and it takes a while for Shep's influence to really make a difference but once it does, life changes for Striker. Fast forward a few years and he's here as a protector working with the men he met in jail and formed a bond with. and have built a business with. He's given a case to protect the niece of his best friend, except she's unaware they are related and he has to keep that under wraps as well. He thought this would be a pretty easy gig, until the door opens and he's faced with a woman who hits all the right buttons for him and he's wondering if he'll be able to actually do his job and keep his attraction in check.



Margo comes from tragedy but has managed to live a great life, even if her Uncle is a little too over protective. She had done her civic duty and helped put away a man who was a career criminal with seriously bad ties to all kinds of bad people. When found guilty he puts a hit out on everyone in the court room, no one takes him seriously until bodies start hitting the floor and now everyone is scrambling to get into protective custody or hire bodyguards. Margo doesn't think she's going to be that high up the list of people killed so she's not as worried as her Uncle is and isn't very happy when he goes over her head and hires someone to protect her, but the alternative of living with him and his new girlfriend gives her nightmare so she'll suck it up and deal. When the man meant to protect her walks in she's floored by her attraction to him and how good he looks.



As the circumstances heat up and more people are being killed Striker makes her aware that they are going to have to make changes to how she does things. As a dress designer with a new bride who needs her dress by the end of the year, Margo can't give up her life because of a mad man, she'll make on the changes she needs to keep herself alive but she's not giving up her whole life. As people who should have been well hidden begin to turn up dead they realize this is even bigger than a mad man who is flexing his power. This means there is some deep corruption within the ranks of the FBI and the local police and to help combat that they bring in a known behavioral scientist who also happens to be psychic to aide in the capture of this killer and those aiding him.



I loved how the mystery began to unfold and how we learned just what was happening why everyone seemed to be in danger. It appeared for a while that the criminal was going to win as so many were dying and the cops couldn't seem to get a bead on who was doing the work. I loved the relationship that developed between Striker and Margo. They had so much chemistry and tried their best to keep it professional but once they fell?? Girl get you a fan because my man Striker loves nothing more than working his woman from top to bottom ok?? Margo has never had this good. She is coming from a recent break up with a man who thought he was god's gift to women and treated her as less than, now back home she's surprised by the strength of her attraction to Striker and how well he treats her and makes her want. With everything in her life in upheaval with this murderer on the loose she's finding that Striker is one of the few steady things she can rely on.



I loved how this all played together. I loved the romance between them was so hot and wild. They were brought together because of the circumstances but found they actually like each other. There are so many different little plot points that are coming together and I loved it all. Margo led a more exciting life than she truly knew and I loved how it all was resolved. Striker was an amazing character and the reason he was in jail sucked so bad. It impacted his life and how he viewed relationships and yet when given a chance to make a change he embraces it. I love their friendships and how close they were to their families (found family or otherwise) Striker and the men were hilarious and their witty comebacks aided in making this a great story. And that ending??? Girl!! Loved it.



I loved the mystery here and how it pulled on strings from the previous stories and how it laid the ground work for the rest of the series. I'm looking forward to more from the Protectors and can't wait for each of the stories. I highly recommend my loves, get you some.



★★★★☆

Series In Order

Forged In Desire ( The Protectors 1)
Seized By Seduction ( The Protectors 2)
Locked In Temptation ( The Protectors 3)

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Granger Series by Brenda Jackson
Heather Graham Krewe of Hunters Series
Happy Reading my loves,

It didn’t work for me at all. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and the plot didn’t make sense to me.

I wasn't a fan. The romance aspect of the novel was way too drawn out for me and there wasn't enough about the other bits in the beginning for it to really get me excited. The first few pages really drew me in, but as soon as Striker and Margo began living together I got bored. I liked the ending, though.

Forged In Desire (The Protectors) (Kindle Edition)

Review of Forged in Desire (The Protectors – Brenda Jackson
Customer rating 4/5.0
January 14, 2017 by Deborah A. Fortner
CONCEPT
Bodyguard falls for the charge he is responsible for protecting.
STORY
When good girl Margo Connelly becomes Lamar "Striker" Jennings's latest assignment, she knows she's in trouble. And not just because he's been hired to protect her from an underworld criminal. The reformed bad boy's appeal is breaching all her defenses, and as the threats against her increase, Margo isn't sure which is more dangerous: the gangster targeting her, or the far too alluring protector tempting her to let loose.
Though Striker's now living on the right side of the law, he's convinced his troubled past keeps Margo out of his league. But physical chemistry explodes into full-blown passion when they go on the run together. Surrendering to desire could be a deadly distraction—or finally prove that he's the only man qualified to keep her safe, and win her love.
CHARACTERS
Mrs. Jackson does a good job displaying Margo’s need to be independent and continue to have a normal life even though her life has been threatened. She doesn’t take to kindly to having Lamar “Striker” Jennings as her protector. The biggest reason she is against his protection is due to the strong attraction she has for the bodyguard. With them constantly in closed quarters, Margo is not sure how long she will be able to control those urges. Striker Jennings is serious about protecting his charge. He never expected the beautiful Margo Connelly would get under his skin so quickly and as Striker takes his duties seriously, he can help the feelings he experiences when he is in the same room with Margo. He does not want to jeopardize his job but he can’t help his desire for Margo. The two will clash but soon those sparks will turn into explosive passion between the two.
DIALOGUE
The dialogue of the story flowed and fell in line with the plot.
STRUCTURE
The structure of the story was well crafted and will have readers turning the pages to see how this journey ends.
OVERALL
Forged in Desire is the first book in Brenda Jackson’s “The Protectors” series and it was a page turner. Readers will see the sparks between Margo and Striker explode on the pages. Striker was a hard man to fall but fall he did when he met Margo. The mystery behind the underworld criminal case makes for a good plot and well-crafted story. Overall, this was a good start to the series and a good read.

I was super excited when learned that Brenda Jackson had written a new series. Needing to get my hands on the first in the series and seeing the opportunity on Netgalley I requested 'Forged in Desire' for review. I liked the premise of the new series, but 'Forged in Desire' really wasn't what I hoped it would be. The dialogue was strange and the instant sexual tension and action was a bit too much for my taste.

It was intriguing.
It was also a lot.
Coco Chanel says take a piece of jewelry off when you leave the house.
This story needed a lot of jewelry to take off.
However, it was never dull. I just couldn't keep in the vibe of the story.
I love an over protective body guard.
LOVE IT!!
But, I struggled with this one.
It was just too many moving parts.

ARC enviado de manera gratuita a cambio de una reseña honesta.

Bueno vuelvo con otra reseña luego de un tiempo ausente, es que he estado muy ocupada y todavia no encuentro un punto de equilibrio, entre mis responsabilidades, el blog y mis gustos.

En este caso se trata de Forged In Desire, como parte del blog tour. La portada y la sinopsis me atraparon de una, pero conforme iba leyendo sentía que el libro perdía fuerza, es decir todo empezo chevere pero luego decayó muchísimo, de ahí las 3 estrellas y eso porque estuvo entretenido y ya.

Esta es la historia de Margo Connelly, huérfana, criada por su tío y heredera de una fortuna, que tuvo la mala suerte de ser jurado en el caso criminal del siglo, sin embargo luego de leer la sentencia el acusado amenaza a todos diciendo que si no lo liberan todos los presentes en la sala morirán con 72 horas de diferencia, nadie le cree hasta que los asesinatos comienzan por el juez encargado del caso. Su tío preocupado por ella, contrata una agencia de guardespaldas para mantenerla viva y ahí es cuando aparece Striker, quien ha pasado una vida súper difícil y poco a poco ha ido saliendo adelante, pero el libro esta cargado de todos los clichés del genero.

Si agradezco que no haya estado narrado en primera persona y que mostrara los puntos de vista no solo de los personajes principales sino también de otros secundarios, pero vamos con lo que no me gusto, el drama del pasado de Striker aumentaba con cada pequeño detalle que el compartía con Margo, además de donde diablos salio semejante apodo y todos los protagonistas que vienen luego tienen un apodo así. Otra aunque Margo súper independiente y todo, al final parecía un drama mexicano, todos querían acabar con ella, los últimos capítulos fueron muy cómicos en ese aspecto. El drama familiar de Margo que se resolvió en un abrir y cerrar de ojos me dejo como aja y eso es todo. Y la cantidad de escenas picantes del libro, obvio este es un libro erótico pero fue mucho con demasiado, le falto suspenso para ser mejor.

Si me gustaron los personajes, Margo tiene una personalidad fuerte pero dulce a la vez, de hecho me pareció súper madura la decisión que tomo casi al final del libro, no toda mujer hubiera hecho eso, así que mis aplausos para ella. Ahora con Striker si tengo mis pero, porque honestamente parecía la mujer en este libro, se quejaba de que el amor, de que no cumplirá su trabajo, de esto y de lo otro, yo ya estaba pensando, se invirtieron los papeles aquí. De los demás personajes, casi todos solteros lo que da para muchos mas libros, me gustaron Stonewall (ven los apodos) y los que justamente no están solteros los Granger, me intrigaron mucho sus historias.

En resumen un libro entretenido para pasar el rato y que te sirve para descansar de otros géneros, que te gusta y ya pero no deja una marca en ti.

This is the first in a series from Brenda Jackson and the blurb really caught my eye. I started out hooked with this book; the premise was really strong in the beginning but my interest didn't hold as strong as I expected it to hold.

I liked our main couple, I really did. Former bad boy turned good guy (who of course is smoking hot) and the good girl is a classic combination for a reason. Her profession was a fun one and one that provided a unique set of circumstances to the story. I thought the characters were well done and believable and I genuinely wanted things to work out for them.

My problem was with the secondary characters. There were just so many of them and so many issues among them that it kind of detracted from the main plot of the book in my opinion. It didn't affect the pacing for me exactly, I just felt they kind of got in the way at times.

Overall the book was fine. I'll definitely try the second book in the series now to see how it plays out.

Another wonder story form ms Jackson can wait to share with my customers .

I have read many of Brenda Jackson's books, and enjoyed them all. This one did not disappoint either.

I was of half a mind not to review this book as I read it. The characters are interesting, the space they’re in is complicated, and I liked the premise of this a new series. So why was I wavering? There’s a lot going on, and a lot of scene setting. I could have accepted that, but at the same time, I was being told a sexual tension was there and not feeling it. The encounters, though detailed and explicit, felt too analytical, more a laundry list than two people uncontrollably drawn to each other. And the telling isn’t limited to the sex because though both the threat and attraction are real, they didn’t seem that way for the longest while.

Yet, here I am reviewing it, and I’ll tell you why. The people are good people. I can understand both what horrible circumstances brought them together and why they’re acting the way they are. The bodyguards have all been wronged by the system in one way or another, and yet came out of it wanting to fix the problems rather than destroy the system in part because of the intervention of a man with a wonderful outlook on life. The conflict between Striker knowing Margo is related to his friend and boss but being unable to reveal it to her offers a nice tension on its own. I even noted at one point that I hoped the informant wasn’t someone who had been mentioned but we hadn’t met yet, because there was potential for a later book dealing with that couple. From my notes, there is no question I was committed to the characters.

Basically, all the people and situation stuff is strong, raising questions and creating tensions that don’t feel artificial. There’s a lot going on in this book, with multiple people out to get Margo for various reasons that have to do with her doing her civic duty, punishing clear wrongdoing in creative ways, or just being herself. There is history, and history with an impact on the book’s present day.

Then, about 70% of the way through the book (yes, rather late, so it’s good the other stuff carried me), what had been all about sex on both sides for different reasons changed. The characters grew as they became aware of and accepted their feelings, but more than that, the description became intense. The analytical approach to their encounters vanished and not just with the sex scenes. Every encounter held real tension as they had something to lose.

I’m glad I stuck with the book, because by the end more than just strong characters offered a satisfying conclusion. I realized part of the problem was the action and suspense barely touched the main characters, who were in isolation doing little more than having uncomplicated sex all the time. It isn’t until they started accepting their feelings that the suspense plot and the risk to Margo turned real. So, ultimately, the book paid off and the characters are interesting people with a lot of history to manage. It just took a while for the sexual aspects/love story and the thriller plot to coordinate themselves, the last being largely the territory of people who will populate later books.

If you’re patient, it’s a worthwhile read, and I’d guess at least some of these issues will not show up in the later books as the setup is now known. It’s just a pity things were rough in the beginning. You also have to be open to hearing about some seriously dark stuff, as the portrayal of the characters’ lives does not stray far from the harsh realities of real life.

Note: This is an African American romance, so I did wonder if part of the disconnect in the beginning was different genre expectations. This is not my first, nor will it be my last, but the majority of my romance reading is “mainstream.” So bear that in mind as you consider my perspective.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Forged in Desire by Brenda Jackson was incredible!!
The characters were flawlessly written and the plot was incredibly descriptive and detailed!
Margo and Striker are incredible together!! They constantly made me want to keep reading!!
I cannot say enough good things! Go purchase this book for yourself today!
4/5 Stars!

My first read by this author and I loved it. This book had so many plot twists , it always had me guessing. Striker was hired to protect Margo from a crazy assassin and of course sparks flew between these two. They fell in love and Striker finally put his demons to rest with Margo's help. I am looking forward to the next book, Quasar's story. The secondary characters were well developed for us to take an interest in their stories. This book is fast paced and the chemistry between Margo and Striker is sizzling. I recommend this book

This author has a fab way of combining romance and thriller together to bring you a fab story. You wont want to put this book down till you have finished it. This is the first book in the series and wow what a start, I cant wait to read more in this series. This book has fantastic characters, that you will fall in love with from the start. I cant wait to read more from this author in the future.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

This was my first Brenda Jackson read. The heroine and hero both had great chemistry and were strong in their own right. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me as I did feel that their strong feelings for one another was very sudden and intimacy (sex) was used as a bandaid for alot of their issues.

All in this was an ok book for me but I thank you for the opportunity and would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of this review for an honest review.

Margo is a wedding dress designer who winds up as a jury member for a gruesome 6 week trial of a dangerous mobster. All she wants to do is find the man guilty and be on with her life but after a courtroom threat she instead, finds herself being protected by Lamar Jennings. She doesn't appreciate that her uncle has hired a bodyguard for her like she can't take care of herself at 26 but the alternative is to move back home with him and his current mistress. The second Margo and "Striker" meet the fireworks are undeniable.

This was a fantastic read. I loved the fact that there were times where I was really caught off guard. I actually requested this on my "wish list" on NetGalley and was super psyched when I was picked to receive an ARC. I have only read 1 or 2 other books by Brenda Jackson but so many of my friends love her that I had to give it a shot. I can honestly say that I am a fan. I am even reading her series featuring the Grangers (this book is a sort of spinoff from that series).

Forged in Desire by Brenda Jackson......This was full of suspense, romance and a page Turner. The characters were very well developed and likeable. What a great start to a new series, I can't wait for the next. I enjoyed watching the story unfold between Striker and Margo. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Margo was on a jury and now has to be protected because the crime boss they sent away has had people associated with the case killed.

Striker is a ex con who has been assigned to watch Margo. I really liked Striker and heating his backstory made my heart sad. He's a good person and is willing to do anything to protect the people he loves.

Striker and Margo are both attracted to each other but they don't want to act on it because they it wouldn't be professional. Eventually they do get together but Striker feels it's best not to let it happen again. I had a hard time feeling the connection between the two characters. Their relationship was too fast for me and I would have liked a slow burn better.

Margo had so many people trying to kill her in this book and it wasn't even funny. I mean at one point it there were so many people after her different reasons and it made my head spin. I felt that it was a little too much. As much as I wanted to love this story and take a chance on a new to me author sadly the odds weren't in my favor.