I've read earlier books in this series and was keen to read this one, too. I requested and was given a copy of this book, via NetGalley. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

Search and Protect are working with the authorities in Hawaii to help recover people who have been trafficked. Whilst involved in a mission, one of their K-9 handlers, Arin Siri, discovers Jason Landon knocked out. They met on a previous mission when he'd been one of the mercenaries endeavouring to protect someone's property - property he had been unaware housed people who were being trafficked. Now he's on his own mission to bring down the kidnapping ring behind the trafficking and it was whilst on a scouting mission he'd been knocked out. Arin is unsure whether to trust him or not but his intel helps, and the opposition are gunning for him . . . So begins an action packed race against time to discover just who is behind the kidnappings and bring them to justice whilst freeing their victims.

What a page turner this story is! King, Arin's canine partner, has a fantastic starring role in this search for the victims and is amazing. All the human characters have their flaws which somehow make them more believable and easier to relate to. I really appreciate how this author manages to weave threads from previous stories into this one so it can be read and followed by people who haven't had the pleasure of reading the earlier stories, making it possible to read it as a standalone - mind you, I suspect it will tempt to you to read the earlier stories, too. The strong partnerships between the K-9 characters and their handlers, their formidable skill set and mutual loyalty are evident throughout this story. I enjoyed how King gradually accepted Jason although Jason remained understandably wary of King when Arin wasn't present. 

This is an action packed, superb addition to this enthralling series and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it and the earlier books. I can't wait to read more in this series and other books from this talented author.

One of the things I really love about this series is the working dogs. So many people have no idea how very important they are.

In this book we get to know Arin and her dog King, as they and the rest of the team take on the issue of human trafficking. We open with the team looking for people who have been enslaved to work on a plantation that was once used for that purpose. They had taken down one kingpin but another was moving in. Arin finds an unconscious man that she recognizes from when they rescued her sister and her team of scientists from this location.

Jason Landon quit his job after realizing what the company he was working for was protecting. He didn't want to be part of anything illegal. He had been left for dead on the property when Arin and King find him.

Jason and Arin become a team of sorts, even King likes him. There's an attraction there as well but trust isn't easy for Arin. Which makes it a difficult road for them.

An action-packed, suspenseful, emotional read with some heat.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

True Heroes #5, Still in Hawaii with the Search and Protect team this time with Arin (ah-Rin) and Jason. Both characters were introduced in Total Bravery, it would be a safe bet to at least read Total Bravery for the wee bit of background for the characters and the previous storyline. It is connected but still a standalone it's not imperative that you read it the characters talk about what happened in the last book so you are not left completely clueless.

The white slavery ring the Search and Protect team broke up in the last book isn't entirely gone, they have a new boss who is cleaning house. Arin is part of the search and rescue team searching the big island for the people still missing. What she finds is the security guy from six months prior; when he realised what and who he was guarding let Arin and her team rescue the people. Jason Landon left that company after he realized that they have no moral or ethical boundaries. Feeling like he has to atone for his part has tracked down where some of the captives are being held unfortunately one of his former colleagues knocks him unconscious before he finds them and that is how Arin and her K-9, King, find him. Now Arin and Jason's overall mission is the same, stop the new ring leader and save all the people they can. Between bombs, shootouts, and going undercover the adventure is pretty intense at times.

The attraction is there but neither of them know what to do with it, Arin isn't sure if she should even trust him and she's never had feelings like this for anyone; she doesn't know how to handle the emotions. She always felt like the black sheep of the family and never felt like she fits in anywhere. Jason has never felt like this for anyone either, he is completely taken with Arin her strength, her beauty, her altruism. One meeting six months ago completely changed his life and now here he is working with her and he knows if he doesn't tread lightly and let her take the lead he'll scare her off.

Overall, I loved this book. The action was paced perfectly with the romance. The romance was a slow burn but with Arin's personality it couldn't have gone any other way without seeming out of character for her. I particularly loved the ending it wasn't your typical HEA for Arin and Jason but it's one that was perfect for them.

FIERCE JUSTICE is the fifth instalment in Piper J.Drake’s contemporary, adult TRUE HEROES romantic, military suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for the Search and Protect team, a Special Ops team of mercenaries for hire location in the Hawaiian Islands. This is K9 handler, and Search and Protect Agent Arin Siri, and independent mercenary Jason Landon’s story line. FIERCE JUSTICE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Arin and Jason) FIERCE JUSTICE follows the building relationship and professional partnership between K9 handler, and Search and Protect Agent Arin Siri, and independent mercenary Jason Landon. Arin Siri has no idea the injured man she found while on assignment is the same man she met, months earlier, while investigating a suspected human trafficking ring. Jason Landon’s previous encounter with our story line heroine changed the direction of Jason’s life. Working together to shut down the same ongoing trafficking ring, Jason and Arin will discover their mutual attraction and ease of working with one another. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Arin and Jason, and the potential fall-out as Jason’s time working with Arin comes with an expiry date.

Jason Landon had quickly flipped sides but finds himself targeted by the men with whom he used to work. Questioning his choice of missions, Jason offers his help to the Search and Protect Team in an effort to prove he is more than his last assignment. Arin Siri and her German shepherd King prefer to work alone but finding a familiar face in Jason Landon gave Arin another purpose going forward.

The relationship between Arin and Jason is slow to build as Arin struggles with issues of trust. Jason’s attraction to Arin is immediate but convincing Arin to take a chance is a battle Jason is willing to fight. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are re-introduced to Erin’s sister Mali, and her boyfriend, fellow agent Raul; communications specialist Pua; founder of the Search and Protect mercenary group Zu and his dog Buck; and Kenny, a man with his ear to the ground about the illegal goings on in the Hawaiian Islands. The requisite evil has many faces.

FIERCE JUSTICE is a story of suspense, romance, trust and communication. The premise is fast paced, action packed and inviting; the characters are energetic and strong; the romance is captivating and intense. FIERCE JUSTICE continues to focus on the destructive nature of the human trafficking trade, and the people who struggle to take down everyone involved. FIERCE JUSTICE does not end on a HEA but a happily ever after-for now

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Romantic suspense novels are my favorite treat. I love reading about a couple falling in love while bullets are flying and the adrenaline is *ahem* pumping. So I was really excited to start my first book by Piper J. Drake. FIERCE JUSTICE follows Jason, a repenting mercenary for hire, and Arin, a K9 handler on a search and rescue special ops team. The three of them (counting Arin’s dog) are rushing to break up a human trafficking ring.

What I liked: I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thought the last quarter of this book was solid in both action and relationship building. I enjoyed watching Arin and Jason make it work by overcoming obstacles through compromise and discussion, not by those obstacles magically disappearing. I also thought Jason’s devotion to Arin was adorable. I loved being in his head when he was thinking about how badass and awesome she is.

What didn’t work for me: As much as I enjoyed the last quarter of the book, the first part didn’t grab me. I didn’t feel like Arin and Jason had any real chemistry, and I really couldn’t connect with Arin. I could tell that he was into her, but she was almost too introverted and contained. It made her seem like she lacked depth until much later in the book. The action plot was a little convoluted and it took me a while to figure out, or really care, what the primary objective was. To put my reading experience in perspective, it took me four days to read the first 75% of this book and 1.5 hours to read the last 25%. That’s how disproportional it was for me.

Overall, I thought this was a fine romantic suspense novel. I liked the dedication to diversity and the K9 layers to the story. The author has obviously done her research. I was intrigued by the lead in to the next book but I am still undecided as to if I will read it.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

3 1/2 STARS!

Danger surrounds them as the latest in Piper J. Drake's True Heroes series kicks off! A known consort of the bad guys is found injured, so does she trust him or not? Arin and her dog King have to make this decision and deal with the consequences. I found it hard to connect to this story. I didn't mind the characters, it just felt like the action was a bit flat for my liking. I've enjoyed several of the books in the series, but this was sadly one of my least favorites.

Search and Protect team member Arin Siri works best when it's just her and her K9 partner King. She's all about getting things done as a team, but she doesn't like taking any more orders than she has to, and her way works ... amazingly well. When she stumbles across a wounded mercenary, she sets out to get him help ... even though she's not totally sure he's trust worthy.

Jason Landon found himself in a mixed up situation when he discovered he was protecting the land of someone up to no good. He's now facing hesitation on getting the good guys to trust him even though he wants to help put an end to this trafficking situation. When Arin decides to take a chance on trusting him, they find themselves fighting attraction as danger surrounds them.

Usually I read the description of the book or am familiar with the author name before jumping into a book but this was one of those rare times that I go into it with blindly. The cover looked interesting enough and I love dogs, I figured it would be some type of military intrigue book and I was not disappointing. I loved that there was so much going on to keep things interesting. I thought it was interesting following along the case and how they were going to find the people ahead of the trafficking ring. I loved that Arins character was a strong female character doing what she had to do and refusing to let the guy take the lead. Overall this was a pretty great book and I look forward to seeing more from the author. Going to see about getting ahold of the previous books since this is book five and I missed the previous books.

Arin is a tough, independent woman. She has ragged edges and really only feels comfortable around her partner, KO King. She takes her duties as K9 handler and sniper for her firm very seriously. now part of a human trafficking task force in Hawaii, she is coming against the dregs of society. She met a mercenary on their last job and let him go but she has been wracked with doubts over whether she did the right thing.

Jason knew there was something hinky with his last job but it paid well and he looked the other way. Well until a certain sniper took him to task. last time they were on opposite sides but Jason has cleaned up his act and is now undertaking his own investigation into his old clients.

Arin is no simpering wall flower. She will disembowel you with a spoon if you look at her wrong. But she does have a gooey centre, mostly filled by her sister and King, and to a lesser extent her team members. She does not need a man to complete her but she would love some companionship. She has doubts over her own worth and her ability to keep a promise to her sister.

Jason is a good guy who just got caught up with the money and let his morals slip slightly. His halo definitely needs a good polish! But he sees his own faults and wants to correct them. He is secure in himself in that he does not feel threatened by Arin's type A personality. He knows when she is the person to lead and perfectly comfortable taking orders from her.

All right! Back to Hawaii and the Search and Protect team and the honorable men, women, and canines who do their best to stop the bad guys before they dig their hooks too deeply into...wow, that sentence was getting a little long winded, wasn't it? Let's just say the S&P team do everything they can to thwart the bad guys and keep the exploited safe.

Jason...well, he wasn't exactly in the best place when we first met him. As head of a security team working for the bad guys, he was on the opposite side from Arin and her people. Since learning the truth about the people who hired him, Jason's done what he can to right the wrongs he inadvertently helped create.

But he's only one man and the people he's up against are widespread. Which means his defection from their ranks puts him in their crosshairs.

Arin and her crew (technically, they're just coworkers, I guess, since Arin's pretty solitary. Excluding King. Arin's pretty dedicated to King.) are just the people to help keep Jason safe AND for him to help make amends. Both the information he gained when working for the traffickers and the skills he's learned in his time in security come in handy.

Let's just say people who deal in human cargo aren't terribly worried about collateral damage. And they REALLY don't want to be caught doing what they're doing.

I've enjoyed the different couples we've met with this team and I really liked seeing Jason find a way under Arin's walls. As tough as she is, Arin's...I don't want to say vulnerable, exactly, but that's kind of right, too. She knows she's not the best in social situations and she's aware of how uncomfortable she can make people. She's willing to step out of her comfort zone for her sister, but that's about it. Until Jason comes along and slides under her walls.

Solid story, intense characters, and smokin' sexy times. *thumbs up*

This is the 5th book in the True Heroes series and can absolutely be read as a stand alone although I recommend you at least read book 4 before you read this one so you can understand the events (and the relationships) that happen in this one better. This one is about Arin Siri and Jason Landon. Arin and Jason met in the last book when her team infiltrated and rescued the people being held by a slave ring. Jason's team was the team that had been hired to protect the compound, not knowing exactly what they were protecting. That meeting changed Jason's outlook on things and left him with a fascination for the woman who helped set those people free.

I was iffy on whether I would truly like Arin after how she was in the other books but especially after the last one. I was really hoping that she would grow on me and she definitely did! She has hidden depths that I truly didn't see coming and it made me love this book! Jason may have started off as a "bad" guy but I can't truly think of him that way because as soon as he knew what was going on, he stepped back. And while he may not have always listened to his conscience and done exactly the right thing every step of his life, he still steps up when it truly matters. They are perfect for each other and I loved every step in this book! The only thing I wish there had been? An epilogue. I'm not sure I absolutely loved the way it ended but it definitely makes sense for them. I just wish there had been an epilogue to show their lives together farther out. All in all though, definitely a great read!

The man is just always ready to go again, "he lifted his head so he could look into her face. “Round two in the shower?” Jason isn't afraid to go all natural, "he climbed out of bed and reached for his pants. “Look, I’ll go commando and be right back to get some more sleep, too.” I liked this book, I liked Jason.

Well done!

Arin and Jason are fun together and their relationship comes across as very sincere. There is action and suspense that keeps the pages turning.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

This is the first book I have read by Piper Drake and I look forward to more. I love military, search and rescue and first responder type books, especially when they include animals and this one did not disappoint. I loved Arin’s S&R German Shepherd, King, as well as the slow burn romance that was introduced between Arin and Jason. I liked that the author took her time, showing their attraction to each other, yet drawing out the romance for a more realistic feel versus an insta-love/lust. It helped the characters and plot to be more rounded and believable under the circumstances and obstacles they both faced. Being on opposite sides in the past, him a mercenary for hire and her a K9 handler and contract sniper for a security firm, their paths cross on a current assignment and they have to put aside their differences and work together to save innocent lives. Fierce Justice was a good read with strong characters who were relatable and felt real and a suspenseful complex storyline with action and romance. I enjoyed this story and will be looking to read more in the series.
*I received an advanced copy from the publisher, via NetGalley and I am leaving my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Arin works for Search and Protect as a dog handler. She is investigating a human trafficking ring and runs into Jason. Jason works for a security company and didn’t realize he was protecting a human trafficker. When he finds out he leaves but can’t forget the people that was rescued and the beautiful woman he encountered. Arin is searching for more people and comes across Jason, knocked out and bleeding. He was there to try to find the ringleader and the hostages if there is any. She doesn’t completely trust him and keeps him by her side. After disarming an IED, he stays until the job is over. Will he be able to break down Arin‘ walls around her heart?
Good story. Action and sexy. A woman who works better along with her service dog. A man who doesn’t like the person he has become and wants to be better for Arin.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *

Fierce Justice is a wonderful romantic suspense. I love books by this author as I always feel like it is a total immersion experience. This story is no different. The characters are flawed and real and totally swoon worthy. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more adventures in this series.

Fierce Justice by Piper J. Drake is the fifth installment in her True Heroes contemporary suspense series. Some characters in this novel appear in book four, but the necessary backstory is seamlessly inserted, and this book is a standalone.

Arin (pronounced ah-Rin) Siri is a K9 handler and sniper for a contract security firm investigating human trafficking in Hawaii. Jason Landon is a mercenary for hire. Their past interactions were on opposite sides, but now they must work together to save innocents. Can the two overcome their angst for the sake of the greater good without losing their hearts in the process?

I’ve not read any of the other books by Piper Drake, but I plan to rectify that. Fierce Justice is a first class romantic suspense. Arin is a strong female lead who doesn’t need a man, although she wants this one. Jason is man enough to let a woman stand on her own and is willing to take the supportive role, rather than the lead.

I give Fierce Justice 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys action and romance, especially together. Sadly, the sexual content may be off-putting to some readers.

My thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Arin Siri is a K9 handler on a current mission with her team, Search and Protect and runs into Jason Landon again. This time under very tenuous circumstances. He is wounded and Arin has to abort her mission to get him to safety. When Jason wakes up in a hospital, he is shocked to see Arin standing guard over him. If she could, Arin would leave Jason to deal with his circumstances and try and complete her task, but that is not what happens.

Although at first seriously hurt, Jason just wants to get back on his own mission. To some degree it is at cross-purposes with Arin's, but he reluctantly knows that she can help him. What Jason is striving to do is to take a kidnapping ring down. Arin's goal to destroy a trafficking operation at her home base in Hawaii.

Just as in the four previous stories in the True Heroes series, Fierce Justice does not disappoint. This story, like the others, has serious themes, and as always, a romance between the principal characters.Although these stories do well as standalones, there is always the inclusion of secondary characters from the other stories. In this case most notably, Mali, Arin's sister.

While readers of the fourth book in the series, Total Bravery, might recall, Arin's job, former career and even character traits are made known. In this case, there is an extra layer to Jason's character. In his job as a mercenary, he has seen some difficult, if not questionable things. His last case left him wanting for more, very much concerned about certain things. With current circumstances Jason realizes that things must change. But how?

The romance in this story is a bit more of a slow burn compared to the others, but that just might be because of the scenarios Jason and Arin face. And, as always, each Search and Protect team member has a dog as a partner, so readers got to enjoy Arin's German Shepherd Dog King. This book was wonderful, providing action without letup, but I am holding back a half of a star due to the rather abrupt ending. I look forward to the next book in the series.

As mentioned, this is the fifth book in the series. Other books are Extreme Honor, Ultimate Courage, Winter Valor (novella), Total Bravery, Absolute Trust and Forever Strong.

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was an amazing ride. While dealing with something as heavy and deep as human trafficking, there were fun and lighthearted moments to break up the intensity. The relationship was well depicted, and I adore how it ended!
Crassy or Classy: 🌟🌟🌟.5
Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Enjoyment 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book is part of a series, and though it’s pitched as a stand alone, I felt at times that I was missing some vital information. Especially since the main characters had briefly met in a previous book, as well as understanding better some of the secondary characters that had obviously had a prominent part in previous books.
That said, it’s a well written story. Arin Siri, former military, is a member of the Search and Protect team. Her team and her K-9 dog are investigation a human trafficking ring in Hawaii. When she comes across an unconscious body, she’s surprise to discover it’s the same man she confronted six months prior during a job involving the traffickers.
At the time, Jason Landon was working as a protective contractor ( mercenaries) for a man he had no idea was into human trafficking . Going off on his own has created problems for him.
As Jason and Arin start unifying forces, the attraction and connection increases. And when Arin is put in danger, Jason will do anything to keep her safe.
The plot was engaging with it’s suspense, bad guys and imperfect good ones. The characters interesting and I especially appreciated that the author gave us a strong female character.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Fierce Justice is action packed with breathing taking moments that readers will not be able get enough of. If you start with book 1 or book 5 readers will enjoy this book.

The characters are strong, smart but have a hard time trusting when it comes to romance. Every characters and secondary characters are interesting, smartly written and easy to connect with.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Piper J. Drake Fierce Justice.