ARC copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you read any of Kaylea Cross's romantic suspense then you definitely have to read Guarded. Each book in the series gets better and better. If you don't like HEA (why would you not?) then this isn't book for you. ;p
I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

"Guarded" is Matt & Briar DeLucca's story of them becoming parents after their HEA in "Disavowed". Now they are not facing the criminal element, but something even scarier for them, parenthood. Briar finds that impending motherhood is not easy and a bit scary, but faces the challenges as she and Matt get ready to meet their daughter. Matt also is going through his own worries after the death of his first wife and baby, but can't wait to become a Dad. A sweet story as life continues for two wonderful characters in the hostage rescue team. **I received "Guarded" from NetGalley and leave my review based on my reading.** 4 Stars!

Oh my gosh this story made me cry buckets and sit on the edge of my seat desperately needing to know what happened next. Definitely a must read.

A very exciting book from start to finish Briar is a woman with skills that most men would love to have. She also is missing out on what she feels are the feminine part and especially if she ever wants to be a mother. Matt who also is part of a security detail loves that she is bad ass and she is who she is. Things change though when she finds out that she is pregnant and not knowing how to deal with emotions she has never felt before. She has never been around other women who have had children, so she acts as she always does and that is go on mission because that is what calms her. That dose not calm her husband and leads for disagreements, and loud discussions. When she ends up in the hospital and the possibility of maybe losing her child, she sees that there is hope for here of becoming a mother. I found this to be a really good book.

Briar and Matt...enjoyed these characters in this adventurous tale. This book is part of the Hostage Rescue Team and definitely a page turner.

Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

Good quick novella and a great addition to the series. If like me you have read and enjoyed the previous books in the series then you don't want to miss catching up with Matt and Briar a super little read I really liked it

Kaylea cross has a way of pulling you into her stories and keeping you totally captivated right to the very end. It is intriguing, action packed, suspense and adventure with plenty of romance too. This book will have you on the edge of your seat and turning them pages just to see what happens next. This book is definitely a one click book. Absolutely recommend to all book lovers out there

This series had been a favorite of mine from the start. I loved Matt and Briar and was happy to revisit them. This story was quite different from the other HRT books since the suspense was more from a dramatic perspective than a dangerous one. I don't want to give away the plot, but I will say Ms. Cross got it right in describing Briar's experiences. Having been there before, I truly felt like she was writing about what it was like for me. It was realistic and a great addition to Matt and Briar's story.

I received an ARC.

Love love love this book. Kaylea Cross is ALWAYS a good read. This is a continuation of a former story (Disavowed) and wow...it's definitely a great one. Briar and Matt are quite a couple, and the overtones of family, friendship, and love make this a moving and exciting story. cross did it again! Another hit!

Guarded by Kaylea Cross

Wow! What an amazing ride through heart-wrenching, breath-taking, emotive situations. A completely magnificent read. With superb characters and less than ideal situations, this story fully immerses the reader into another world – one where fighting for a future is worth the effort.

Well written, as I’ve come to expect from Ms Cross, this book is a page-turner. Suitable for all fans of Ms Cross, military romance, family based stories and other readers who are captivated with the book’s description.

So I didn't know when I requested this book from Netgalley that it was like a follow up to the couple from the book Disavowed. When I started reading I realized something was off. Though I could follow it fairly easy enough to read it as a stand alone I felt like I missed something. I feel it would have been a much better read had I read Disavowed first. Still it was an emotionally angst filled and sweet read. Matt was amazing and so supportive. I loved him! Briar had some issues, but I still really liked her. I'm a sucker for pregnancy/baby books so got lots of feels from that part of the plot. Overall not a bad read but I wish I would have read their first book before reading this one.

Another splendid story by Ms. Cross. Well-balanced romance and romantic suspense. Good job all around on the book.

The story took a different turn then I was expecting after reading the blurb. I almost read it all, but when I was three quaters through it and I still felt like I had read it before and wasn’t interested in the ending I put it down. The main characters have a lot of depth to them, but the story seems more focused on building a family than the action romance I was expecting, but thats just me.

Yes, more Briar and Matt. I am absolutely thrilled we get more of their story. They each are amazing in their own right but together they are perfection. Ms. Cross thrills her readers in an emotional journey that will keep you enthralled to the end. Another must read

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Sometimes getting the things we most want in life involve a lot of really hard work, sacrifice and just plain old asking for help. "Guarded" isn't a normal romantic-suspense, although there is romance and there is suspense. This one is about two people tackling one of life's most awesome adventures - parenthood.

Briar's life has not taken your typical road. Her parents both died leaving her an orphan who was swept up into a government top secret program that produced high level killers. Warm and fuzzy are not words used to describe Briar or her childhood.

Matt has endured his share of emotional upheaval and has put his life back together and loves Briar and wants nothing more than to have a real family with her. His natural instinct is to protect Blair, except Blair isn't having any of that.

What happens when her job, his job and impending parenthood collide? Well, let's just say that sometimes it's a lot harder that you think.

This is the first book I have read from this Author. I will definitely read more. This book has a good story and great characters.

I haven't read Briar and Matt's original story, so I will need to remedy that right away! I did like this installment regardless, although I'm sure I'd appreciate it even more if I read things in the right order. I think there's something to be said for romances where the couple is already in love. I like seeing people work through challenges and grow together. There is a lot of that in this story. Watching them on their journey to become parents was really moving, especially given Matt's past. This was a more emotional story than I was expecting, and I felt everything right along with them. Looking forward to more!

Emotional read

The relatability of this story hooks the reader. I think that author dealt with the emotions (good and bad) experienced by many new mothers in an accurate and empathetic way. In addition to the romance, action, and drama, this novella contains snippets of real life. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it’s characters and their interactions with each other as well as the fact that one can have romance while dealing with life. My one complaint, it is more of a novella than a full-length book.

I voluntarily received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Briar loves her husband and she loves her job. She does not love anyone trying to tell her what to do and that is exactly what Matt tries to do in order to keep her safe. Briar has to learn to trust herself and Matt so they can work together to come to a compromise and have their happily ever after.

Guarded is book 12 in Kaylea Cross’ Hostage rescue Team Series. I found this unbelievable since I had never read any of this series. Instead I had been trying to catch up on the DEA Fast series by this author. Now I have found another series that is a must read for me.

Guarded deals with characters, Briar and Matt, who met in an earlier book, Disavowed (Book 4). I seriously wish I had read that book first. I enjoyed this story as they work through changes in their lives especially with Briar’s trust issues but think I would have love it if I had read the backstory. Looking back at the description, I should have, so I would highly suggest that Disavowed be read first.

Great story-line, wonderful characters with flaws which make them approachable and with love as well as angst all tied up together.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.