Delaney was getting on my nerves in this book. Everytime she got into trouble she called for Mac but when he came to her rescue she copped an attitude and was I can do this on my own, I don't need anyone but me. It was super annoying after the first time. Delaney put up these walls to keep out her friends but as soon as she was in trouble they were the first people who came to her rescue despite how much of she didn't need anyone. She never even wanted to hear what they had to say about the events leading up to what happen to Brodie. Mac is so strong and has a huge heart for his friends and family and despite all of Delaney's faults he loves her too. The overall book was good and the writing was good that it kept you interested throughout the book.

Separated by a tragic accident 15 year before, Delaney’s and Mac’s world collide when Delaney shows up at Mac’s bedside after a mission goes very wrong, leaving him injured.

Delaney blames Mac for the death of her brother, Mac’s best friend.

Mac doesn’t want to let Delaney go again.

When Delaney’s research for reporting pulls her front and center with a Russian arms dealer, Mac will do whatever it takes to keep Delaney safe.

Explosive sexual chemistry, heartfelt drama and a heavy dose of suspense to get your heart rate accelerating, Cole covers all her bases for an amazing romantic suspense!

I received this ARC copy of Final Siege from St Marins Press. This is my voluntary and honest review. Final Siege is set for publication Jan. 30, 2018.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Scarlett Cole
Series: Love Over Duty (Book 2)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
ISBN-10: 1250128463
ISBN-13: 978-1250128461
Genre: Romantic Suspense

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Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

7 likes

Rating 4.5/5

The Love Over Duty features the friends who worked and trained hard to become SEALs after the tragic death of their best friend fifteen years ago. They worked hard,  survived training and countless missions and have now formed their own company, Eagle Securities, specialising in taking on tasks only such highly trained people can do. One of these men is Malachai MacCarrick - aka Mac. He had been dating his best friend's younger sister, Delaney Shapiro, but when her brother died it tore them apart. When he is contacted to say she's asking for him whilst seriously injured after being rescued from a hostage situation he drops everything to fly to Germany to be with her. Her head doesn't want to give Mac another chance but her heart has other ideas.. . .

Delaney is an investigative journalist who has stirred things up considerably, hence her kidnapping and being kept as a hostage. On her return to the US the danger hasn't diminished and, as she continues to research matters, Mac discovers she's still a target for arms dealers. With her life on the line and her investigation linking other events the Eagle team have been involved in can they work together to bring the dealers to justice? Dare they rekindle their love? Will they stand any chance of finding their own HEA together?

This is a story which is full of grief, pain and anguish, secrets, angst and turmoil as well as being a fast paced romantic suspense. It is an enthralling page turner that takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster journey that I just didn't want to put down.  Under Fire is the first book in the series and I recommend reading that one before this as the story continues on from events in that book. This is a brilliant series and I can't wait to read Deep Cover, Cabe's story and the conclusion to this trilogy which is due to be published at the end of July, 2018.

I was gifted a copy of this book without obligation. This is my honest review after choosing to read it and thoroughly enjoying it!

A great suspense read from page one! Just the perfect amount of suspense and drama to keep me from killing my finger nails, lol. Mac and Delanny's story was tore at my heart hearing the damage done to both of them when they deserve nothing but happiness. Hated to see this story end but glad it did end up tying up some loose ends from the 1st book. Honest review in exchange for ARC.

Mac and Delaney go way back. Back when love was effortless, when they were each other's everything until that fateful day. There's so much that Mac wants to tell her, that's been on his mind for years.

When Delaney needs help, he doesn't hesitate to get to her. At first he'll take what he can get from her but he wants so much more. Secrets that are going to hurt are going to come out. Will their love be enough this time?

I did feel like the book dragged at times and took me much longer than to read than normal. I really do like this series and look forward to the next one from this author.

Two and a half stars.

So I quite liked the first book in this new series, the heroine had a brain and was unusual, I didn't really warm to the hero and heroine but the first book in a new series can often be a bit 'off' as the author finds their feet so I was looking forward to the second book.

Delaney Shapiro was madly in love with her older brother Brock's best friend Malachi 'Mac' MacCarrick until the day her brother died, being goaded to jump off a cliff by Mac. Her father died shortly afterwards and her mother became an alcoholic.

Fourteen years later and she has not seen or spoken to Mac since her brother's funeral. Mac is now a former Navy SEAL who has set up Eagle Securities with Brock's other friends. As usual, these are all military and do super secret security stuff. One day Mac gets a call from a military hospital in Germany, Delaney is a journalist and had been kidnapped, drugged and tortured in Tajikistan following a story about US companies being complicit in arming the Taliban. In her delirium Delaney asks for Mac and he comes to her aid.

Reunited after fourteen years Mac is still just as much in love with Delaney as he ever was, but she can never forgive him for causing the deaths of her beloved brother and father.

Delaney comes back to San Diego but soon believes that she is being followed and a man tries to break into her apartment whilst she is in there. Obviously she is on to something with her investigation but irritatingly she doesn't know what.

I didn't really enjoy this book, although I read it through to the end. Delaney (as many others have said) acts like a petulant teenager, refusing to listen to Mac's explanation of what really happened that day and insisting on hating him, whilst also relying upon Mac to keep her safe from the men following her. I didn't really understand why Mac loved her still, and if he called her Buttons once he called her it 49 times (okay all 49 instances in the book might not all be the annoying nickname) - it's a stupid nickname.

This book sat uneasily in that grey area between true romantic suspense and light-weight romance with a bit of a mystery. The plot was all over the place (and had to stop for frequent bouts of bonking as Delaney and Mac had sex on every available surface), I still don't have a grasp on WHY the men were chasing Delaney, because frankly until a source gives the team A REALLY BIG CLUE they are totally in the dark. So there was too much sex and feelings for a romantic suspense but too much plot for a mystery romance.

I don't think it helped that I have also confused the arc in the first book with another book (which I now have to try and find) where there are mysterious goings on in the town where the good guys have created their compound - I was looking for that arc!

I still love Scarlett Cole as an author, her recent book Nikan Rebuilt was a rollercoaster of emotions, but I'm afraid this book didn't do it for me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Great second chance romance. Mac, former navy seal who now works with his seal brothers at Eagle Securities gets a call from Delaney, his former love whose in a foreign hospital, she's in danger and he swears he'll do anything to protect her.
This is a fast paced, action packed, well written story with awesome characters with amazing chemistry, I couldn't put this down, I was hooked from the start.

I received a copy from NetGalley and voluntarily leave my own thoughts

Years ago Delaney and Mac were everything to each other. Their futures were laid out and their love was the enduring kind that would last through the years. However, that was before Delaney’s brother died. Before her brother died and Mac essentially killed him.

Now over a decade later Delaney has been injured during a kidnapping. As an investigative journalist, Delaney is hungry for the story that will bring a madman and a group of terrorist to justice. What she doesn’t want or need is Mac coming to her rescue as she recovers from her injuries. Mac has tried to move on with his life without Delaney but now that he’s got his foot back in the door he’s not going anywhere.

This book covers a lot of ground concerning illegal weapons, drugs and the money trail that helps to finance fanatical groups. It became just a bit too much for me at times and I found myself skimming. There were also times when the characters were outlining who would be doing what on the current assignment and those paragraphs became long and drawn out so I skipped them as well.

However, the true story of this couple finding a way back to each other after each of them had lost their brother/best friend and all the years of hate and resentment that followed was worth the read. There is a lot of push from Delaney as she cannot let go of the fact that her brother is dead because of Mac. On the other hand, Mac is prepared to do anything to protect her even if it means killing someone.

The pace is a bit slow, the connection between the men is incredible with lots of humor, the showdown is explosive and the sex is steamy. Overall, a very nice read.

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Dual POV
Safe – both h/H have been in relationships since their separation; H is not a manho; no om/ow drama
Possible triggers – h was kidnapped off page but not raped; some violence

In this second book, we get Mac and Delaney's story. They were once childhood sweethearts until Delaney's brother died while cliff diving with Mac. Delaney and her family were told that witness saw Mac goad her brother into jumping when he didn't want too. This caused immediate resentment and the loss of their relationship.

Man, did I feel for Mac in this story. Not only did he lose his best friend, but also the love of his life that day on the cliffs. We learn that he did goad her brother into jumping but only at the request of Brock to not let him walk away. His dream was to become a Seal and he knew he needed to get over his fear of heights to succeed. Mac did the honorable thing and did not tell the family or police that Brock was trying to overcome his fear because behind that fear he felt he needed to prove to his family that he could make it. Mac knew what that would do to his family if they learned the truth.

Jump 15 years later, Delaney is an investigating journalist and was taken and beaten. When she gets rescued, she asks for Mac when she isn't very lucid. Mac flys all the way to Germany to help Delaney only to find out she doesn't really want his help. Mac sees this as his second chance and isn't going to give up.

I'm truly enjoying this new series from Scarlett Cole. I love a good romantic suspense and she's providing the protective Alphas I love to read about. The only reason this book wasn't as enjoyable as the first one is only because I'm not a big fan of pushing away. I don't mined a little bit of it but Delaney took it to all new levels. I would have loved it if they had reconciled earlier in the book. Despite the constant pushing, I still enjoyed how much tenacity Mac had when it came to his pursuit her. ARC provided by Netgalley.

Final Siege
Love Over Duty series book # 2
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Review copy provided by the publisher

Is there anything hotter than an uber alpha SEAL, who loves his woman with an intensity that'll leave you lightheaded? I think not! Sigh...I loved Mac so hard.

The first book in this series, Under Fire was really good. I was blown away at the amount of research it must have taken to make it feel so real. But this book, knocked my socks off! There was something about Mac that really pulled at me. He's strong and incredibly brave, but he's also carrying around a broken heart and guilt for something that wasn't his fault. I think I was kind of hurting for him. The weight on his shoulders was palpable.

Delaney is my favourite kind of heroine. She's sassy, stubborn, fiercely independent, and has a ridiculously kind heart. She wants to change the world and bring the bad guys to justice.

Even though tragedy pulled them apart many years ago, the chemistry between them has never faded. When Delaney needs Mac, he doesn't hesitate to put her above everything else. Sigh...he's wonderful. I loved the slow burn in this book. The connection between the characters is alive and well, but with all the unresolved issues and secrets between them, they needed to move slow. Don't get me wrong, it was crazy frustrating waiting for the sexy times, but it was so worth it. Plus, it wouldn't have been authentic to the story to have Delaney and Mac just hop into bed. They needed to find their footing with each other.

There's so much going on in this book. The romance is swoon worthy and beautiful. The suspense/action component is so damn exciting. I felt like I was on this adventure with them. This series has a sexy James Bond kinda feel to it. I was certainly never bored! Every page kept me engaged and anticipating what was coming next.

It was heartbreaking watching Delaney and Mac navigate the murky waters of blame and guilt. The death of Delaney's brother, Brock, has kept them apart for so long. One thing I can always count on when I read a book by Scarlett Cole is all the emotion. Oy! I'm not sure any other author can pull so many feelings from me. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster the entire time...and I love it.

As always, Scarlett Cole has given us a book with a solid, well executed plot, and characters that you'll want to be friends with.

I'm really looking forward to Cabe's book! I'm already anticipating that I'll have myself a good snot and bawl. I highly recommend that you start with book one, Under Fire. The suspense aspect in both books are connected. Also, you don't want to miss Six and Louisa's story!

Final Siege is a suspenseful continuation of the Love Over Duty series featuring strong, dependable, loyal Mac and driven investigative journalist Delaney. As they battle through their past and the danger surrounding Delaney, Mac dares to hope for a second chance with her.
I didn't think I wanted to read the story when I read the blurb again after getting the book. I don't know what possessed me to get it because I don't like second chance romances. Too much history. Too much pain. Too much negativity weighing down the story. But I decided to give it a shot anyway because I remembered liking Six and Louisa from Under Fire and enjoying their story enough to want to give Ms Cole another shot.
This leads me to Delaney, who I did not like, at all. Each time I thought I was warming to her, she does something which makes me rethink my softening towards her. Delaney is your typical investigative journalist. Driven and determined to do whatever it takes to get her story. Perhaps even at the expense of everything. You gotta admire her dedication to that but at the same time shake your head at her stubbornness when it came to her own safety and her disregard for Mac as he tries to protect her. And on top of that, she hates Mac. Has hated him for 14 years and blames him for a tragic event in his life. So while Mac is trying to protect her, hoping to reconcile with her and tell her the truth, she's too cowardly to face it and her feelings. She's constantly pushing him away despite his patience with her. At least she comes around to Mac eventually but in my opinion, it took too bloody long. Her hatred dragged a spectre of negativity over the entire story even though the suspense plot itself was interesting enough to keep me going ... in spite of her.
"They studied him now with emotions he couldn’t separate. Pain, for sure. Hate, because of Brock. And occasionally a flicker of what he used to see there, something that told him they could still set each other’s worlds on fire."
"Mac wasn’t the man she’d remembered. She’d demonized him, and no matter which way she thought about it, her mom was right. Perhaps it was time to find the courage to ask Mac what exactly had happened on that cliff that day and find a way through it, past it."
"And Mac . . . all those years, he’d carried this, and the weight of her hatred."
"He hadn’t seen that coming. Well, maybe he’d always known that the story was at the top of her priority list, but he’d never imagined her looking down on him because of the lengths to which he’d had to go to protect his brothers and his country. To protect Louisa. Or the lengths to which he’d go to protect her."
And poor Mac. I could see how he juggled suffering through what Delaney felt for him, his feelings for her, and his hope that they could get beyond the tragedy in their past to a future together. I have so much admiration for Mac. He didn't give up. He was steadfast and determined. And he was rock solid. Someone Delaney could depend on even when she was constantly pushing him away and didn't want him around or his help. But for Mac, between his love for Delaney and his built-in need to protect, he stood firm.
I enjoyed the intrigue and suspense of the plot Ms Cole laid out. That was what kept me reading when I got thoroughly fed up with Delaney. If that hadn't been so interesting, I would have given up on the book completely. I figured I could skim the parts of how Delaney treated Mac quickly and move on.
I do plan on reading the next book if there's one. I think I'm starting to enjoy Ms Cole's style. This story was much more gripping than the first one in the series. She certainly upped the ante on the danger and excitement. I just hope her next heroine is a lot more likable than Delaney.

Mac and Delaney were each other’s first love, a love they thought would last forever, but everything went to hell fourteen years ago. Mac had no hope he’d ever get a second chance with Delaney, but that all changes when she’s injured in another country and asks for him. Now that’s she’s opened that door again, he’s not letting go especially when it seems Delaney’s investigation has gotten her into a world of trouble. He’s just the man to help Delaney, being a retired Navy SEAL now operating an elite security business with his teammates.

Delaney blames Mac for the tragic death of her brother, Brock, but deep down she’s never got over him. Fourteen years later she realizes that blaming Mac for the whole thing isn’t fair, but she can’t let that hurt and blame go. Now after calling for Mac’s help, though, they’re forced into close quarters and she must face the truth of the past and the old deep feelings for Mac she’s tried to suppress for so long.

I was a little worried I’d become frustrated with Delaney for her stubborn stance with Mac over the death of her brother, but the deep connection between them was enough to make it a non-issue. Plus, the story was fast-paced, full of action and twists, so any scenes mulling over feelings of hurt or resentment were short lived and interspersed with touching scenes of the past, and a gradual healing between them. There was no denying that Mac and Delaney were deeply in love and being around each other again just reignited that love and passion that never truly died. Oh, I do love an emotion filled second-chance romance! Being older, wiser and having more experience made the heat they had in the past even more sizzling in the present!

Mac was amazing with Delaney, so patient with her coming to terms with the past while they tried to make sense of the threats coming her way. I was happy that Delaney acknowledged early on that she needed to be more reasonable about the blame she heaped on Mac, but that the pain of losing her brother clouded her judgement.

Final Siege was a thrilling read with filled with danger and suspense, but underneath all that was a steamy, emotionally charged second-chance romance! Loved how it all worked out, and I can’t wait for the next installment!

A copy was kindly provided by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.

Well let us take a look here and just check things off:

Great story
Great hero
unlikable heroine (slowly gets better)
random lectures on gun control (kudos for not really taking a side but WTF??)
1 or 2 TSTL moments from our unlikable heroine
mystery bad guys trying to kill our heroine

yeah, that covers it, the story was really great, had a good level of suspense, good background, really tried to hard to make a grudge over a decade past make sense (never really did) .

To be honest, I love the story, hated the lectures, disliked the heroine for most of the book and the ending got watered down a bit I thought by a bunch of "don't kill them" mantra on our unlikable heroines part.

If the story was not so good this would have been 3 Stars instead of 4. Too much lecturing by the author, I read fiction for entertainment not enlightenment.

Final Siege is the second book in the suspenseful Love Over Duty series by the amazingly talented Scarlett Cole. It features Malachai MacCarrick, a former SEAL and founding member of Eagle Securities and Delaney Shapiro, an investigative journalist and his deceased friends' younger sister and once girlfriend. This is a second chance and enemies to lovers romance within the background of an explosive story about arms dealing.

Mac has made a great career as a SEAL and now owns a company together with his Navy buddies. Nevertheless he still feels that something important is missing in his life. When Mac receives an urgent phone call one day it unexpectadly brings his troubled past right back to him. The woman he once fiercely loved has been brought to a military hospital in Germany beaten and bruised. In her drug-induced dreams she was calling out for him. Mac immediately decides to catch the next plane hoping to finally get the chance to resolve the unfinished business between him and Delaney and ultimately redeem himself. He has one big regret and it has to do with her beloved brother ...

Delaney thought that Mac's role in Brock’s tragic death was something she learned to deal with a long time ago. But the first moment she sees him at her bedside in an overseas hospital she is reminded that it’s not true. She still feels a lot of anger and resentment towards him. However she hasn't forgotten that she once loved him and that he made her happy. Every moment spent together is a painful reminder of the desire that once burned between them. When Delaney suddenly becomes a target for a dangerous and merciless Russian arms dealer Mac won't let her out of his sight. He would do anything and risk it all to protect her ...

This book was very slow paced in the beginning. However, it picked up in tempo later on and especially the last 30% and gave us a spectacular fight at the end. The conflict between Mac and Delaney took too long to be resoved in my opinion. This "big secret" wasn't such a huge issue that couldn't have been dealt before.

I absolutely adored Mac! He was an amazing male lead character - honorable, courageous, protective and caring. I felt so bad for him that he was carrying all this guilt for so many years. It wasn't fair! He did everything in his life in order to honor his buddy Brock. That says a lot about a person. He fought hard to win Delaney back and to show her that they belong together. I admired him for all his persistance and patience with her.

I've struggled to love Delaney and must sadly admit that I didn't like her at all. I found too many flaws in her character that weren't redeemable for me. She was very stubborn and self-centered always chasing a story to show the word what an amazing journalist she is. Even endanger other people in order to do so. I didn't like how she treated Mac most of the time. But that may only be my own perception. You will have to form your own opinion.

All in all it was quite an enjoyable read that I recommend to lovers of romantic suspense. Scarlett's writing was spotless as always. You can see all the effort she makes by researching the topics in detail she writes about. I'm definitely looking forward to the next intriguing installment in this series. I give this book 4 stars!

I love Scarlett Cole and her intelligent and poignant writing. She is a very versatile author that can write about tatoo artists, musicans and Navy SEALs and make them all look and feel credible. You can say while reading her books that she does intensive research on the topics she writes about and doesn't gloss over them. But beside that she effortlessly achieves to make you love and care about her characters and their stories. Every time I pic a book of hers I feel giddy with excitement to dive in.

Final Siege is book two in the Love Over Duty series where the three former SEALs and best friends Six, Mac and Cabe have established a company named Eagle Security after finishing their active duty. They offer services only a team of military-trained professionals can provide. While Six has found his one and only Louisa in book one, this story is about Malachai “Mac” MacCarrick and the girl he once lost: Delaney. When an urgent phone call from abroad brings her back into his life, he instantly knows that this is his chance to finally make things right and redeem himself.

Delaney Shapiro is an investigative journalist. While researching an explosive story, she gets kidnapped and wakes up in a hospital in Germany after being rescued. She is more than surprised to see Mac, a blast from her past, at her bedside. Delaney tells herself that she got over Mac and his role in her brother’s tragic death a long time ago. But every moment they spend together makes her question her hate and accussations towards him. She still feels the chemistry that once was between them, making her feel like betraying her brother. Things get out of hand when she becomes a target for an emerging Russian arms dealer, who is determined to make her quiet once and for all. To protect the only girl he's ever loved Mac will risk it all—including his life…

Mac was a loving, protective and loyal person. While I loved him in every possible way and worshiped the ground he walks on, I didn't exactly feel the same way about Delaney. Please don't get me wrong. I felt her pain and understood her dilema but sometimes she frustrated me. She didn't give Mac a chance to explain things at the beginning. She deliberately kept pushing him away even though he only wanted to help her. It hurt me to see how much Mac suffered because of that. He didn't deserve her harsh treatment. She should have listened more to her heart than her head! Luckily once the things from their past got settled between them, they were a force of nature together, making my kindle burst into flames.

Although the beginning of the book felt a little slow, the middle part was much better. I especially loved the last 30% of the book when things got very interesting and the plot twists came one after the other. I was holding my breath, while turning the pages in excitement to see how the story continues. What makes Love Over Duty a little different from Scalett Cole's other series is that it has more suspense and is angstier while still having enough romance to make you swoon. I really enjoyed reading Final Siege and I'm absolutely looking forward to Cabe's book!

This was an enjoyable story. That was slow to draw me in. But once it did, it certainly held my interest. As there was intrigue and pockets of action. Especially as this story neared its conclusion.

Plus the romance element was very enjoyable to read. Even though it took time to develop and was a little more angst ridden than I expected. As Delaney and Mac do have quite a history. But they worked well together and I was definitely pulling for them to get their hea.

As for the secondary characters in this story. I really liked them, and particularly enjoyed the camaraderie that Mac, Six and Cabe shared. And am certainly looking forward to reading more from this series in the future. And I'd happily recommend Final Siege to others. Especially to anyone who enjoyed Under Fire.

La saga Love Over Duty nous plonge dans du romantic suspense et ce que j'ai apprécié est le fait d'avoir des nouvelles de Six et Lou, les protagonistes du 1er tome , Under Fire, dont vous pouvez retrouver mon avis en cliquant ICI



Nous sommes donc de retour dans l'agence de sécurité Eagle Securities et désormais nous allons nous focaliser sur Malachai "Mac" Carrick , un autre membre fondateur de l'agence et également un ancien membre des Navy SEAL. Il connaît évidemment Six et Cabe depuis très longtemps et l'amitié qui unit nos héros est infaillible. Ils se connaissant tellement par coeur qu'ils savent tout du passé de Mac et de Delaney, l'héroïne. Ils savent qu'ils étaient unis mais qu'un accident a bouleversé la donne. On découvre donc Mac, un héros avec des failles et des regrets mais qui porte également le poids d'un énorme secret. Un seul coup de fil d'Allemagne suffira pour le faire sauter dans un avion et voler au secours de son ancienne petit amie Delaney. Il sera une épaule sur laquelle se reposer et il saura contrôler les émotions et les souvenirs que cette dernière lui fait ressentir. La passion , l'attirance , l'alchimie seront au rendez vous du côté de notre ex SEAL mais il a bien conscience qu'il ne pourra pas s'infiltrer de nouveau dans sa vie avec une facilité déconcertante. Ce que j'ai adoré chez lui est le fait qu'il ne renonce à rien , qu'il ne recule pas devant la difficulté et ayant connu des situations bien plus chaotiques sur le terrain , le danger ne lui fait pas peur.



Nous le verrons donc à la fois sur le terrain , avec un esprit affûté , une facilité à commander et à gagner le respect des autres incroyables. Au sein de Eagle Securities , vous avez trois équipes différentes et si les membres fondateurs sont à la tête de chaque équipe , la cohésion et le professionnalisme sont au rendez vous. Si son esprit est embrouillé en présence de Delaney , cela ne l'empêchera pas de rester vif et cohérent. Ces hommes ont reçu un entraînement des plus durs et face à l'adversité, l'union fait la force. Il faudra juste qu'il parvienne à faire entendre raison à Delaney et à faire en sorte qu'elle accepte de communiquer sur le passé. Les émotions et les sentiments sont présents comme au première jour et même si 14 ans se sont écoulés depuis la dernière fois où ils ont été en présence l'un de l'autre, il n'a jamais pu oublier la femme qui avait su conquérir son coeur et lui donner envie d'aller plus loin. Mac est donc un personnage attachant et intéressant car il ne va jamais brusquer Delaney et au contraire, tenter d'écouter son instinct et de l'aider de la meilleure manière possible. Si le danger rôde autour de la jeune femme, le plus gros problème sera les fantômes du passé, ceux qui se sont dressés entre eux depuis 14 ans, ce dont ils n'ont jamais réussi à parler à coeur ouvert. L'heure est venue de s'ouvrir totalement sur cet événement et poser des mots sur les maux.



Delaney Shapiro est une femme qui a sacrément des "couilles". Journaliste d'investigation, elle n'a pas peur de mouiller le maillot et d'aller sur le terrain pour étayer ses articles. Elle semble tenir dans les mains l'article qui pourrait lui faire remporter un prix Poulizer et elle ne s'attendait sans doute pas à revoir Mac après tant d'années. Ce que j'ai adoré chez elle est sa détermination, son entêtement et sa soif de justice. Elle travaille pour Benjamin Streep et ces deux là ont à coeur de rédiger des articles dénués de toute influence. L'honnêteté , la justice sont des valeurs importantes à leur yeux mais ils ne sont pas prêts à tout pour parvenir à leur fin. Delaney ne reviendra pas sans séquelles ni indemne de ce qui aurait pu facilement lui coûter la vie. Si le destin n'avait pas fait en sorte que des soldats soient encore présents dans cette zone de guerre , qui sait ce qu'il serait advenu d'elle. Il y a aussi chez elle cette ténacité à mettre en lumière la vérité au dépit de sa vie. On ne peut pas nier un certain entêtement de sa part qui peut être à la fois une force et une faiblesse. Elle est bornée et le fait de ne pas ouvrir le dialogue avec Mac sur leur passé commun va les conduire à souffrir tous les deux.



C'est pour cela qu'il sera aussi difficile d'accepter la main tendue de Mac car elle le retrouve à un moment donné de sa vie où elle est en position de faiblesse mais surtout de vulnérabilité. Très affaiblie après ce qu'elle a vécu sur le terrain, elle devra accepter de laisser le temps à son corps de se régénérer. Psychologiquement parlant, elle sera très forte car malgré quelques crises de panique, quelques moments de réconfort dans les bras protecteurs de Mac, elle ne laisse rien transparaître. Ses blessures sont réelles et pas des moindres mais pourtant à aucun moment du roman , nous ne la voyons se plaindre. Elle serre les dents et continue son enquête même si le trouble en présence de Mac est palpable car sa présence la renvoie dans la douleur , la souffrance et la perte. Son enquête va nous ramener sur la piste d'un ancien personnage du premier tome et au final , mis à part avec Mac, Six et Cabe, c'est une jeune femme qui reste très solitaire. Elle a un but dans la vie et en se plongeant tête baissée dans sa carrière, elle n'a jamais pu lier d'amitiés féminines qui auraient été d'un grande aide face à ses sentiments contradictoires vis à vis de Mac. J'ai adoré cette héroïne qui n'a pas peur de se jeter dans la gueule du loup et qui espérons le laissera une chance à Mac de s'exprimer sur ce qui les a déchiré.



Bref, je suis de nouveau conquise par la saga Love over Duty de Scarlett Cole qui a su créer une intrigue avec un fil rouge où nous nous attachons aux héros mais qui nous donne aussi envie d'en savoir plus sur les autres membres des Eagle Securities. Le prochain tome se focalisera sur Cabe et j'ai hâte de lire le tome qui lui sera dédié. Final Siege est une lecture addictive que j'ai dévoré en quelques heures et je n'ai pas pu lâcher mon livre avant de connaître le mot final. Danger, suspense, enquête, secrets et amour sont au rendez vous de cette romance explosive qui saura retenir notre attention.

I liked the idea of this story and the characters as well. The main thing that didn't appeal was how the story was written. I didn't read the first book in this series so I am not sure if it was written the same way, but the story didn't seem to have definitive POV changes. At some points, the story would switch to a new scene and I would have to go back and read the couple pages before to see how the scene transitioned.

We first met Malachai ‘Mac’ MacCarrick in "Under Fire", the first in the 'Love Over Duty' series about a group of former SEALs that open a security company after leaving active duty. There are brief references to his past relationship with Delaney, which was torn apart after her brother Brock died in an accident she blames Mac for, and they have not seen each other in 14 years. In fact, their last encounter was when she slapped him in front of her brother's coffin. (More FF catnip-angst!)

So it comes as a complete surprise to him when he receives a call from Landstuhl informing him that not only has Delaney been injured, but she asks for him during her brief periods of lucidity. He immediately goes to be with her, and what he finds shocks him. She had been captured in Afghanistan and beaten while investigating aid to insurgents from an unknown party in the US, including both money and weapons. (Not that she'll tell him at first what she exactly she had been investigating.) Delaney is torn when she realizes who exactly is with her; as much as she loved him, she can't forget his role in her brother's death. But when it becomes clear that the danger has followed her from Afghanistan to the US, she knows she needs his help and that of the rest of Eagle Securities.

Okay, the second chance romance trope is one of my favorites so on many levels this is my kind of book! Mac is also my kind of hero: hot, sexy and dangerous, but with a soft spot for those he loves. I waver on Delaney though, because she comes across as just a tad too stubborn, and I didn't like how long it took for her to finally listen to Mac about what happened that fateful night with Brock. I get it, but I just didn't like her as much as I liked Lou from the previous novel.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to other fans of romantic suspense, and I can't wait for Cabe's story...the angst in that one is going to be off the charts!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC!

If I could get into Cole's head I'd see muscled military guys in cargo pants, along with rockers and tattoo artists, with hearts bigger than life. She writes the best guys with lots of love and even some brain cells. Mac fell for Delaney years ago but her brother Brock died and their whole world came undone. Spending years living Brock's dreams they denied themselves of their own, but sometimes things happen for a reason. I felt drawn to the second chance romance while being captivated by the mission. Delaney is smart, sarcastic and angry for all the right reasons. Mac is honorable, brave and compassionate. Beautiful characters and suspenseful storyline made this another exciting read by Cole. My copy was given through Netgalley.