3.75 stars--A SEAL’S HONOR is the third (and final) instalment in JM Stewart’s contemporary, adult MILITARY MATCH erotic, romance series focusing on three former military friends who search for love using Military Match dot com. This is forty-year old former Navy SEAL and mechanic Marcus Denali, and thirty-year old wedding planner Mandy Lawson’s story line. A SEAL’S HONOR can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Mandy is Trent Lawson’s sister (A Seal’s Courage #1).

NOTE: There may be some triggers for more sensitive readers including suicide, PTDS and bi-polar disorder.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Mandy and Marcus) A SEAL’S HONOR follows the friends to lovers/fake relationship trope between former Navy SEAL and mechanic Marcus Denali, and wedding planner Mandy Lawson. For years, Mandy Lawson has had a crush on her brother’s friend Marcus Denali, and with the upcoming Fourth of July masquerade ball, finding a date through Military Match dot com would place our hero in the direct line of fire. Enter Marcus Denali, former Navy SEAL, and the man with whom Mandy would fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Marcus and Mandy, a relationship with rules and an end date, but a relationship that becomes all too real, too soon.

Marcus has lost too many people in his life with the exception of the grandmother he has always adored. Hoping to keep his grandmother happy, Marcus approaches Mandy with a tentative offer to become his ‘fake girlfriend’ for the next few weeks to appease the woman who raised him like her own. But Marcus has demons including PTSD and the death of his sister that continue to haunt him both day and night. Mandy Lawson is willing to abide by the rules Marcus lays down but behind the scenes our heroine suspects that heartbreak and pain will follow in its’ wake. Marcus doesn’t do relationships, and in this he has placed an end date on the ‘fake’ romance, a romance that doesn’t feel fake, at all.

The relationship between Marcus and Mandy begins as acquaintances and friends, that grows into something more when Marcus makes Mandy an offer she cannot refuse. Mandy, in return, wants all of the benefits of a ‘real’ girlfriend including nights and weekends with the man with whom she is falling in love The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Trent Lawson and Lauren Hayes (A Seal’s Courage #1), and Gabriel Donovan and Stephanie Mason (A Seal’s Strength #2), as well as the introduction of Marcus’s grandmother-a woman who sees more than she is letting on.

A SEAL’S HONOR is a quick and sexy read; a spicy and spirited romance between two people caught up in a game that will end with heartbreak and anticipated rejection. A SEAL’S HONOR has moments of playful romance and growing love; passion and seduction; pain and sorrow. JM Stewart writes a satisfying series of military men who have found love when they least expected.

I will add, that the similarities between all three instalments cannot be overlooked from the basic story line premise, to the relationship phobias and time line end dates, as well as the use of similar phrases, expressions and language.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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B&N (Sandy_thereadingcafe) posted

The story was cute, but needed more action (not between the sheets). Marcus and his friends (fellow Navy Seals) work at a motorcycle shop. Most of the story was between the love birds /lovers. It was too predictable. Good story to pass the time waiting in a doctor's office.

This is the 3rd book in the Military Match series and the first book that I have personally read. It reads fabulously as a stand-alone.

A SEAL's Honor is a quickly-paced, May/December romance with an older man/younger woman by twelve years. So, not too severe of an age discrepancy. In this story, it fit well and the characters felt evenly matched. Mandy is mature for her age and Marcus is able to see beyond the "tomboy" title Mandy gives herself and finds her and her tomboy qualities attractive. I liked both main characters, but especially Marcus. He was a wonderful book hero. The romance, conflict, and resolution was a bit quick, but not entirely unbelievable or unenjoyable. I sometimes like a quick read where the angst is low and the resolution is quick, but you still feel like you get a full story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and J.M. Stewart's writing. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of A SEAL's Honor via Netgalley.)

A SEAL's Honor, by JM Stewart is a contemporary romance book.

Marcus Denali is an ex-Navy SEAL currently working at a motorcycle shop that he co-owns with his friends. After several of his friends find serious life-long partners through Military Match, Marcus decides to date, starting at a Fourth of July masquerade ball. However, he is set up with the younger sister of his friend, co-worker, and fellow former SEAL. Even though Marcus has always been attracted to Mandy Lawson, he has never acted upon the attraction, due to his personal rules of not dating co-workers nor friends' sisters.

Mandy has been on several dates through Military Match, yet each date ends with the men treating her like a buddy. At the Fourth of July masquerade ball, she's pleasantly surprised to discover her date is Marcus! Even though he has reservations, Marcus eventually decides to pursue a temporary relationship with Mandy, who has always been attracted to him. However, Marcus is currently handling serious issues stemming from his past, and Mandy is dealing with various insecurities in their uncertain relationship.

Since it's the third book in the Military Match series, it's recommended to start with the first book, since there are several prominent secondary characters featured in the previous books. However, it's a stand-alone book, so it's not necessary to read the books in order.

A SEAL's Honor is geared towards those who enjoy reading contemporary romances with military themes intermixed throughout the story.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really had trouble getting into the book initially and getting caught up in the emotions of the characters. The storyline was good, but it just didn’t stand out in my mind amongst other books in the genre. The blurb was great, but overall the book just fell flat for me.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

While this is book 3 in the series and I have not read any of the previous books, I felt that this could be read as a stand alone. I had no problem understanding the characters and their relationships. I do want to read the other books now, as Gabe, Steph, Trent, and Lauren sound like interesting stories behind their relationships!

How can you not love Mandy when she is so down to earth, funny, and lovable but then most the guys she dated probably ended up loving her as a friend. You just want to have her find a great guy but when Marcus tells her that he doesn't do relationship and only wants a temporary girlfriend to bring home to his grandmother, you really feel for her.

I loved that she was strong enough to call it quits and not be tortured in her love for Marcus and stick around the full month. It was great that he finally woke up and then later we find that Mandy was ready to fight for him!

Lots of hard things in this book with two suicides, PTSD, and mental illness but yet, I never felt overwhelmed by the hard things and loved that Marcus and Mandy were able to work through issues to find their HEA.

Holy freaking cow!

"Damn. You're killing me here, angel. Now to decide... what to do with you... what to do with you..."

I can think of a few things Marcus can do to me. *ahem* Sorry, I got a bit side-tracked. Can anyone blame me? Marcus was sex-on-a-yummy-stick. I fell in love with all three of the heroes in Stewart's Military Match series, so to pick a favorite is next to impossible. Marcus was super sexy, though. I loved how much he respected and honored not only his friends and fellow soldiers, but also Mandy. As the kid sister of he closest friends, she's automatically off limits. We all know Mandy has something to say about that. It doesn't take long for the sexual tension between the two to ignite. Once it does... Hold on to your panties because this is bound to burn them right off.

I adored this book! Once it landed in my Kindle, wild horses couldn't stop me from reading it. And I devoured it pretty dang fast. I hope that this isn't the last book in the series, but if it is, I'm glad that I have lots of other books from JM Stewart to keep me company.

Trigger warnings: bipolar (descriptions of manic and depressive episodes), suicide (multiple, including discussion of a veteran committing suicide), veteran with PTSD

This was a ton of fun! I was expecting this to be more of a “dating my friend’s little sister” trope, but other than some initial resistance and a few brother comments, this is more of a commitment-phobe romance. Since I love that particular trope, I was not disappointed! This is the third book in the Military Match series, but I read it as a standalone.

“Confusion filled Mandy’s eyes. ‘So why use a dating service, then? What did you hope to get out of it?’
‘Because I’m human. I get lonely, too, and a one-night stand just doesn’t do it for me anymore.’ He released a heavy breath. ‘What I need is someone I can see for a while. Someone my grandmother will like.’
‘Wait…’ Mandy cocked her head sideways. ‘You sought out a dating service to make your grandmother happy?’
He rubbed the back of his neck. Yeah, okay, so it sounded as pathetic as he’d assumed.”

Mandy is a tomboy, impulsive and cheerfully upbeat. When her dad was home from deployments, he liked tinkering in the garage, so she learned to help out in order to spend time with him. So while she can do her own car repairs, it also has the unfortunate side effect of getting her friend-zoned every time she tries to date someone. Mandy’s had a crush on her older brother’s best friend, Marcus, for quite a while, but can’t seem to break through his crusty exterior.

Marcus’s life has been rough. His dad abandoned the family when he was a kid, and then a few years later, his mom dumped him and his sister at his grandma’s house and never looked back. He’s a military vet and, while his PTSD is mostly under control, it still crops up occasionally, and he helps run a support group for returning vets. His sister was bipolar, and committed suicide while he was away on a deployment. So, you can certainly understand why Marcus is dealing with a morass of guilt and unworthiness, and why he avoids relationships and commitments.

After their aborted Military Match date, now that Mandy knows Marcus is interested in her, she decides to pursue him. When Marcus reiterates that he’s not relationship material, they agree to a month of no-strings-(or emotions)-attached sex, with them staying friends afterward. Of course, things don’t work out as planned! I loved they way they communicated and opened up to each other, plus the sex was steamy! This book deals with some heavy topics, and I think the author handled it very well, with Marcus exhibiting some of the classic PTSD symptoms and Mandy responding by gently challenging some of the unhelpful thought patterns he’d created (thanks to previously helping her brother with his PTSD). Mandy’s the force behind the relationship, so when she realizes she can’t keep the original terms of the agreement, she breaks it off. This is definitely a case of tough love, though, as Marcus comes to the realization that maybe what he had with Mandy had already grown beyond friendship, and that he missed it.

So, while this is based on an old trope, this was a lovely version of it. I very much enjoyed this book, and I’ve added the first two in the series to my TBR list!

“'Life should be lived, grabbed by its ears and rode hard.’
His body shook with his quiet laugh. ‘Only you could say something like that and not make it sound like a sexual innuendo.’
She leaned in and nipped at his chin. ‘Who said it wasn’t?’”

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Wow I’m loving this author books and especially this series. One of the best series I’ve read in a while. It’s full of action, adventure and intrigue, which makes this book such a page turner and a must read all day long. I absolutely loved the storyline and the story this author has written, it totally had me engrossed and kept me glued to the story the whole way through this book. The characters are amazing and even the secondary characters are too. Felt like this story has a lot going on but only made it that much better. I’m super excited to get the next book in this series as I’m really loving it and can’t wait for more. Such a fantastic book and series that I would be a fool not to recommend both the book and the author.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

Loved Marcus and how he struggles with his feelings for Mandy but is also honorable to a point with her. Loved Mandy and her tomboy ways but also how she was vulnerable and caring. Boy can she give as good as she takes.

This was a fun loving story. Marcus had a painful past with his mom that has left him scarred. He doesn’t really believe in forever. His grandma is awesome. But he does feel he fails those he loves and that is due to his sister and mom. He is a great guy-kind, caring and sweet but comes off as tough. His attraction for Mandy is through the roof and watching him try to control it at first is entertaining.

Mandy is feisty and fun. She is determined to get Marcus to go on with the deal. The deal to help him make his grandma worry less but leads him to falling in love, bumbling it and having to win back Mandy. Actually he didn’t exactly bumble it. His thoughts before he realized that he was in love and wanted a forever was what bumbled it Mandy and her insecurity didn’t help. He did work on that from the beginning.

I love how sassy and feisty Mandy could be. Their banter was light hearted at times and emotional at others especially when Marcus talked about his past and sister. These two complemented each other. They listened to one another, supported each other and respected the other as well. they loved one another and that only grew as they got to know each other. What was good is they started as friends and that grew into more. My favorite is watching Marcus realize that his feelings and what he wanted in life changed. He changed. He healed and wanted love and laughter in his life. He wanted to share his thoughts and live with someone. That someone was Mandy.

this is a story of love, healing and moving forward. Of finding the one you are meant to be with and learning that this is what you are meant to have. This is the story of how Mandy and Marcus find their forever together.

book 3 in the military match series has marcus and mandy finally getting set up on a date. it doesn't go well, but mainly because marcus believes that dating mandy breaks two rules. one, she's one of his best friend's little sister and two, she's way too young for him. she's not yet thirty and he's already forty. plus he's never been the relationship type. he's never stuck around for anyone before and the last thing he wants to do is hurt mandy.

the thrust of the conflict in a seal's honor is really marcus's battle with his own conscience. because mandy brushes off the age difference. trent is totally cool with marcus dating his sister. and logically speaking, just because you've never been in a significant relationship doesn't mean you are incapable of it.

mandy overwhelms marcus's objections with sex and hand jobs. and she also agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his grandmother even though that's not what they are actually calling their relationship. which is silly, because from the moment they get together, mandy and marcus belong to each other. she is his in a way he's never felt about anyone else. he needs her more than he ever thought he'd need anyone. he's a strong person, but her strength bolsters his. and his acceptance of mandy's toughness empowers her feminity in a way that she never knew possible.

all in all this was a very satisfying conclusion to the military match trilogy. everything gets all tied up nicely in a very sweet epilogue.

**a seal's honor will publish on january 16, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing (forever) in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great love story full of sexual tension and sweetness. Both main characters are complex, with personalities that are interesting and sound quite real in their vulnerability and dilemmas.
The hero, a former SEAL, is an Alpha male with the right amount of bossiness and tenderness. The author, J.M. Stewart, manages to create a character that could be like so many others I’ve read in other books before, but, somehow, seems fresh and new in this incarnation, making Marcus a great hero.
The dialogue and interaction between Marcus and Mandy are delicious to read. There’s a lot of sex, but it’s usually mingled with sweetness and tenderness.

This is a new author for me. I absolutely adored this couple. Mandy was a fresh of breath air. I loved how the author portrayed someone on the spectrum in a positive way. Marcus, her love interest, was just perfect. They were everything you hope a romance couple could be. Together they make total sense. I grinned like a fool through the whole thing. This is not to be missed.

I was sent this book from Netgalley and the publisher. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

I love reading about military romances, so I was excited to get an EARC of A Seal’s Honor. I do agree with others that I have read this storyline in other stories, but I liked the spins/twists the author puts on the story. I really enjoyed it and devoured it in only two nights.

This is a friends with benefits relationship, which of course feelings start to develop. The sex only status starts to get complicated and the relationship is called off. You can figure out where it goes from there. Even though it was pretty predictable, I loved it. There are some twists along the way to bring a different take on this story.

If you love these types of stories, I highly recommend it. I loved it.

Although this premise has been done countless times before, I enjoyed the way J.M. Stewart voiced it. Marcus and Mandy were both very likable and it was easy to root for their relationship.
A SEAL's Honor was a relatively quick, sexy and enjoyable read.

The many sides of a talented author are put on display with A Seal's Honor. JM Stewart dives right in with a boldness that is sensually sweet. Marcus and Mandy are caught in a masquerade of their own making. Will the reward prove worthy of the risk? From masquerade balls to close calls, their wicked two step keeps readers on their toes as Ms. Stewart guides them through some heartbreaking woes. From light and flirty to down and dirty, A Seal's Honor delivers seduction with a message. This series is proving to be a match made in heaven.

Sparks fly when the military dating app connects Marcus Denali with Mandy Lawson. Dating Mandy breaks all of Marcus' rules. She's his buddy's little sister for starters. Not aware of who she is on their first date that's to the costume they wore for the masquerade ball Marcus has a great time and definitely wants more from this woman. Until the masks come off.....

These characters were fantastic together. I could feel the chemistry and couldn't help but root for these two to find a way to work things out. The story may have been done before but it felt fresh and new. Definitely a book I recommend.

Mandy Lawson has reached the point where she is very secure in who she is and what she wants from and for her life. She doesn’t back away from a challenge and generally speaks her mind. She isn’t your typical female romance lead. She is intelligent, feisty, a tomboy, loves football, and can fix her own car. I liked that she isn’t your classic beauty and a take charge of her life woman. She has had a crush on Marcus since she met him.

The only consistent/stable person in Marcus Denali’s life is his grandmother. She raised him from the age of 10 when his mom dumped him and his sister on her doorstep and never returned. His dad ran off when he was 7. Marcus is former military, has dealt with some PTSD and continues to have issues with his sister’s suicide. He has a small, tight knit circle of ex-military friends that work in the garage he co-owns with one of them. He’s lusted after Mandy since meeting her but she’s a friend’s little sister and he doesn’t do relationships.

When these two, after dancing around each other for so long, give in to the inevitable, and kiss, sparks fly. They fight it a little longer and then agree to a month long affair and to part ways as friends when it’s over. There was actual intelligent, heartfelt, two way communication going on during their time together. No extraneous angst or side stories just because. Very descriptive, hot, steamy sex scenes. You can feel their connection.

She was a balm to his soul and had a calming, centering, influence on him. She was able to look past his stoic façade to the wounded, big hearted, kind man beneath. He was able to open her eyes to her inner and outer beauty.

Loved the epilogue!

While this is a well worn trope, this author’s writing packs an emotional punch and I will be looking for more books by her. This is the third in the series but my first. While it made me want to go back for the first two books, I easily read this as a standalone.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

A basic summery Boy meets Girl. Girl likes boy who is older brothers friend. Boy can't get enough of her but plays hard to get. Just once will be enough line and than lots of sex in crazy wild places and a cute little dog for humor.

Nothing stands out that would keep me reading the series it is your basic set up of a romance with military twist which is currently popular.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Yours Publishing for the advance copy.

#ASeal'sHonor #NetGalley

3.5 Stars I liked reading A SEAL's Honor. I found the interaction between the Marcus & Mandy and the storyline quite enjoyable and will read more by this author.