Trusting Skylar is the first book in the Silverstone Series. Once again, Susan Stoker has created a world of alpha men who fight for the good of the world and the beautiful women that they are called to protect. Carson “Bull” Rhodes has been out of the dating scene for quite a while. He and his friends have found a way to continue their military work off the grid and they are using their towing company as a cover. After a dangerous mission, Bull meets a beautiful woman named Skylar as he tows her car to safety. Skylar is a Kindergarten teacher and is quite taken by Bull. Although, a school teacher and an assassin may seem to be a very unlikely pair somehow these two just click. With passion and romance blooming, there seems to be nothing that will keep them apart!

Told in multiple POV, Trusting Skylar is another winning read by Susan Stoker. It never fails to amaze me how much I adore the instant connection her characters form and the way in which the plot slowly builds and unfolds. The Silverstone Series promises to be another blockbuster series for romance fans everywhere to devour!

Overall, Trusting Skylar will appeal to contemporary romance fans who enjoy military men and strong heroines! Stoker books are always full of action, passion, and flirty fun!

I got lost in this book and it was great! This is my first book by Stoker and it will not be my last. I really liked the characters and the plot. The book kept me reading until I hit the end as I did not want to put it down. I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the ex-Delta force men. The only thing I didn't like was the very first page as I had not read the other series this book was spinning off of and it was just confusing for me, however, others that have read the other series, Mountain Mercenaries, might find it appealing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. All spelling and grammar errors are totally my own.

I’ve read a few books by Susan Stoker and so far I’d say that this book is my favourite. This book keeps you on your toes, it’s also gritty with strong characters. I couldn’t put it down. I also can’t wait for the next book in the series and have been all over Susan Stokers website to find out when the next book is released and when I can pre-order it.

Carson Rhodes (Bull) is ex Delta Force along with his team mates, Leonardo (Gramps), Mark (Smoke) and Kellan (Eagle). They left the forces and set themselves up as a tow truck company called Silverstone, which is a front for their real job. They are hired killers and work off the books for the FBI. Their FBI contact Gregory Willis lets them choose their targets, but if things go wrong they are on their own.

One night after getting back from a mission Bull ends up going into work at the tow truck company. He’s found that he has to do something normal after a mission to decompress. This particular night he goes on a call to a woman who is stranded and on her own in a bad area.

When Bull arrives to the woman she’s so happy to see him, that she isn’t aware about her own safety and the situation that she could have put herself in. So Bull tells her that she needs to be more careful. Pointing out to her all of the different dangers that she has put herself in. Bull can see that this woman is so unaware, innocent and so beautiful he just wants to protect her.

It turns out that the woman is called Skylar and that she’s a kindergarten teacher. They can’t deny their instant attraction to each other. So he askes her out on a date. They get on with each so much that they start to date properly, but Bull is worried about her finding out that he is a hired killer. He’s also worried that he will take away her innocence with everything he has done.

Most night Skylar stays late to look after one of her students Sandra as her father is working three jobs to make ends meet. No body knows that Skylar and Sandra are always being watched, at the end of each day while they are in the play ground. Until one day a man grabs Sandra and Skylar goes running after them not even thinking about the danger she is putting herself in.

The man threatens to hurt Sandra if Skylar doesn’t do what he says. He takes them to an old disused house. Making them go down in to the cold, damp and dark basement. Skylar realises that this man had been planning this all along, as he’d put a dirty mattress on the metal bedframe where handcuffs were attached to it. He made Skylar put the handcuff around her ankle cutting off her circulation. Skylar feels such despair wondering how they will get out of this.

When Bull finds out that Sandra and Skylar have been taken he gets his team together. He has to find the woman he loves. Will they find Sandra and Skylar or will they be to late to save them as the longer it takes to find them the dire the results.

Four friends that fought together as Army Deltas take a deal to begin working for the FBI rather than having their team split up. They create Silverstone Towing as a front for their undercover work. Carson (Bull) goes out on a call to rescue a woman whose car broke down late at night. From the first, there's just something about her that raises his protective instincts.
Skylar is a dedicated Kindergarten teacher, seeming innocent of all the darkness in the world that Bull deals with. As they grow closer, he knows he should tell her about his FBI assignments, but he's afraid she won't accept him once she learns the truth. But when she and one of her students disappear, he will stop at nothing to find her.
Overall I liked this story and I'm looking forward to reading about the rest of the guys in Silverstone. Sometimes I found Bull to be a little over the top alpha and Skylar just a little too innocent to believe but it kept me hooked to find out what happens next. The teaser about the next book featuring Eagle sounds intriguing.
Thank you to Susan Stoker and Montlake for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I love losing myself in one of Susan's hot military hot hero book These two couldn't have been more different however they are just what the other needs to balance each other out. We have Skylar the trusting somewhat naive sweet teacher and then we have Bull who has seen the darker side of life and he will be there when she is going to need him and he is going to protect this woman that he did no t know that he was going to want and yes he does want. And my friend I did not know at the time that it was the perfect book that I wanted at the time. thank you susan it was perfect for me ...Good start to new series. Enjoy!

Holy cow this is a great book! I found this book to be absolutely riveting. I could not put it down nor did I want it to end. I will say this book, and possibly this series, is more edgy and graphic than her other books. I was a little surprised, but I think it fits in with the idea/tone of the book. As usual the characters are amazing and the writing engaging. I cannot wait for the next book!

it has been a while since i have read any books by Susan or in this series. They can be easily read on their own or in order. good characters. always a happy ending.

Trusting Skylar by Susan Stoker
Silverstone #1

Excellent introduction to what will no doubt be a splendid series! The first chapter set the stage, introduced four men that I admired, and made me want to see what would happen next.

What I liked:
* Carson “Bull” Rhodes: capable, precision shooter, great teammate, friends closer than brothers, excellent boyfriend material, really liked him
* Skylar Reid: kindergarten teacher, warm-hearted, caring, a bit naïve, great friend, fierce, loyal, really liked her.
* Smoke, Eagle and Gramps: business partners with Bull in Silverstone, teammates, exceptional men – can’t wait to learn who they will end up with when their books are written.
* Shawn Archer and his daughter Sandra: good people that needed a break as their life wasn’t easy
* Tiana and some other neighbors of Skylar
* Dayana and Corey Reid: Skylar’s parents…they made me smile
* The relationship that developed between Carson and Skylar
* The way Silverstone treated their employees
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Jay Ricketts: so glad he didn’t get away with what he had planned
* Having to say goodbye to the characters and now having to wait for the next book to be available.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

I never read any of Susan Stoker’s books before and now I’m going to have to check them all out because I really liked this story. I didn’t know if I would love Bull at first but I really ended up loving his dominant alpha character. He could be my hero any day. Lol Skylar’s character too was enduring it’s rare that you would meet someone so trusting of people but it worked out in her favor. There was some drama that as a parent made my heart stop but it all worked out in the end. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series now.

I didn’t realize this continued the Mountain Mercenaries series. This new book might as well have been the next book in that series, because it felt identical. I have the same issue- the male character was a bit overbearing and the female character was a little to much an ingenue. But I keep reading because I like the thriller aspect of the stories- there is action and intrigue, and very enjoyable.

Carson and his three military buddies have devoted their lives to serving their country only to find out that their efforts were not appreciated. They now manage Silverstone Towing but their real mission is to ensure that those who are the most dangerous are dealt with in a lethal way.

Skyler is a teacher who would do anything for those she cares about however she hasn’t made the best choices when it comes to her romantic past. When her car needs to be towed it is Carson that comes to her aid and from their first meeting there is no denying the chemistry between them but will his occupation and the danger escalating around Skyler be too much to overcome?

All of Carson’s protective instincts come to the forefront when he meets Skylar and there is nothing he won’t do to keep her safe while Skylar is stronger and more resilient than even she realizes. This is a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to his teammates stories.

I enjoyed this book even though I found the characters somewhat cliché. Bull was the tall, strong hero. Skylar was the softer, slightly naïve heroine of the story. Even the villain was the overweight, slovenly, unsavory character. I found it interesting on how the author incorporated some current social topics. I liked how Bull and Skylar met. While there was some steam, it was not over the top. But Bull’s obsession with safety, while commendable, felt a bit over the top.

Susan Stoker never fails to delight with her romantic suspense books. Trusting Skylar is one of the best. Good well-developed characters make this a winner. The plot grabbed me from the start and kept me hooked. ENJOYED!

TRUSTING SKYLAR is the first book in the SILVERSTONE series, and I can’t wait to be back to read the other three books so each person on the Silverstone team gets their girl! This is Bull’s story. He and his three ex-Army friends own Silverstone Towing and have great employees working for them. They also continue to do the type of work like they did in the Army, but now they do it for other government agencies.

Bull and Skylar meet when she calls for a tow. He’s concerned for her safety—he found her on the side of the road in her broken down car. She’s naïve and trusting and looks for the best in everyone, always willing to lend a helping hand. Bull is worldly after the things he’s seen and done while an operative in the army.

The characters have a depth to them, and the plot twists and turns with good and bad things happening. There are many unexpected events that kept my heart racing, and we get to see the characters growing and changing.

TRUSTING SKYLAR is filled with adventure, danger, and romance with some steamy moments throughout. It’s a wonderful read that kept me immersed from the first page to the last. There is some closure, but it doesn’t go far enough for me. The epilogue is actually more of a prelude to the next book in the series than wrapping up this book. Still, a very entertaining read!

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

After a Delta mission, Carson "Bull" Rhodes and his team are separated and forced out of the army. So when they are offered a chance to keep doing the same job with the FBI assistance, they can't refuse.
And that's how the create their business, Silverstone Towing while they are killers behind the scenes.
One night, Bull goes out to help a woman who has had problems with her car and is stranded on the road. Skylar, a kindergarten teacher. And he is attracted to her immediately.
They start a relationship but Skylar wants to go slowly. She is scared to be hurt.
How will Bull's secret affect them?
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's very fast to read. It's not only a love story. The action scenes are really good. And I liked the characters a lot. Bull's protective side and Skylar's innocence.
I'm looking forward to reading the stories of the rest of the guys.

***4 Stars***

I always look forward to diving into a book by this author because I’m pretty much guaranteed to have a good time while reading it and this time was no different. It was a fun, quick read with just enough drama to keep things interesting and a new group of characters that I want to get know a lot better.

I loved Carson and Skylar. Carson is a straight shooting, protective AF alpha male with a really good heart. He may be jaded, considering all that he’s experienced, but he still looks for the good in the world. Skylar is sweet, sassy and just a bit naive when it comes to how she tends to view people, but she isn’t blind to the good and bad in the world around her. I loved that she truly did see the good in people and that she could hold her own when necessary.

Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun. They were definitely opposites, but they had the same drive to protect the good in the world ~ even if it was by different means. I loved how they first met and how they got to know each other little by little. The roadblock in their journey wasn’t a surprise, and funny enough I was annoyed with both Carson and Skylar, but I loved how their friends rallied around both of them and was very happy with where things were with them in the end.

This was a great read and a great start to a new series. I loved getting the background on how Silverstone came to be and getting little teases into each of the guys personalities who are a part of it. And while I don’t have an absolute fav, I am totally looking forward to getting to know each on of them better!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Contemporary romance, Soldiers: This is the first book I have read written by this author. The first thing I did was checking her list of published books and, judging by the titles, I got stuck in my head the unpleasant idea that Susan had been writing the same book over and over again. I was totally ready to be assaulted by all the annoying cliches of the genre, so it was pretty sweet to discover that my fears were mostly unfounded. In reality, I only have one complaint: Bull’s over-the-top obsession with security. More than awareness towards security (which is not bad) I think he was provoking anxiety… He behaved as if everyplace was a hostile territory on the brink of a battle. Skylar seems OK with that, but that would annoy me for sure.

Hitmen: A big chunk of the romantic drama spins around the fact that Bull and his friends are mercenaries. They only target the worst of the worst and the author works hard (sometimes too hard) to convince Skylar and the readers that what they are doing is building a better world. Here there was a clear risk to make the statement too patriotic, like shooting stars and bars everywhere as if that were enough to justify murders. Thankfully, the writer plays that game in a smart way. It is kind of obvious her personal opinion, but it doesn’t impose it and she creates kind of a debate with the characters involved. It felt fresh, if I’m honest.

Hot: I was afraid of facing the romantic relationship. I was expecting to be an insta-love, crazy sex and overwhelming shows of love in the shape of diamonds by the second kiss (which it is sadly pretty common…), but the main characters take it slow. They even talk about it, like adults! Finally, a Romance books with real adults! There were clear respect and trust between them by the time they decided to get dirty. That fact, made those encounters much more appealing. Big kudos to Skylar for expecting Bull to use protection even though she was using the pill. Those are the kind of dialogs I expectect in this genre, but, sadly, they are a rara avis.

TRUSTING SKYLAR is the first instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult SILVERSTONE romantic, military suspense series focusing on an elite group of former military operatives. This is thirty-six year old, Carson ‘Bull’ Rhodes, and thirty-two year old. kindergarten teacher Skylar Reid’s story line. The SILVERSTONE series is a spin off from the author’s Mountain Mercenaries series but you do not have to have read the aforementioned series to understand or follow the current timeline.

Told from third person perspective TRUSTING SKYLAR follows in the aftermath of a successful mission in Pakistan only to face the fall-out from their superiors back home. Forced to separate or expulsion from the military, the only one other option at their disposal, the foursome-Bull, Eagle, Smoke and Gramps – face off with an agent from the FBI who makes them an offer they cannot refuse- Black Ops assignments headquartered in Silverstone, Indiana. Setting up shop, disguised as Tow Truck operation in Silverstone, Bull, Eagle, Smoke and Gramps would take missions overseas when called into action. Believing themselves to be single for life, Bull would become the first to fall in love. Five years would pass before Bull would meet kindergarten teacher Skylar, when her car breaks down on the side of the road. An immediate attractions leads to Bull ensuring our heroine is safe and protected but someone else is determined to take what doesn’t belong. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Bull and Skylar, and the potential fall-out as Skylar becomes collateral damage protecting the children under her care.

The relationship between Bull and Skylar begins when Bull is called to assist a stranded motorist on the side of the road. Battling his need to protect our story line heroine Bull struggles with Skylar’s innocence and naivete but it is her innocence that calls to his heart. The $ex scene are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Bull’s friends and fellow Black Ops agents: Smoke aka Mark, Gramps aka Leonardo, and Eagle aka Kellan; several Silverstone Towing employees; FBI Intelligence Agent Gregory Willis; single father Shawn Archer, and his daughter Sandra., as well as Skylar’s parents Cory and Dayana Reid, and her neighbors Tiana and Maria.

TRUSTING SKYLAR is a story of family and friendships; relationships and love; obsession and a twisted mind. The premise is engaging and intriguing; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are energetic, dynamic and charismatic. TRUSTING SKYLAR is a great start to Susan Stoker’s new SILVERSTONE series.



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I have ready every book of Susan Stoker, and not once but multiple times! From her Badge Of Honor series to Delta Force Heroes series to Seal Of Protection series to Ace Security series, and now the Silverstone series. Plots may be simple and very realistic, but there’s just this charm in her narration that draws me to her books time and again.

“Trusting Skylar” tows the line in the new series of Silverstone. A cautious school teacher Skylar gets a tow for her car by former military operative Carson Rhodes aka Bull, sparking an attraction that both would like to explore. And explore they would as the entire Silverstone family accepts Skylar as its member. But the fact remains that Skylar is innocent to the evil in the world, and Bull fears the aftermath of exposing what Silverstone and he really are. Trusting Skylar with his truth is Bull’s only option for a future together, and Skylar will have to have rely on her love for Carson to overcome her fears.

I just love Susan Stoker and her works. Her writing is intense, her characters charismatic, her plots entertaining and her narration are tight and emotionally charged to keep the readers engrossed and enthralled.

Received an ARC from Montlake Romance, Amazon Digital Services LLC, via NetGalley for an honest review.

I really liked this book. The characters had me convinced and the storyline was moving along at a nice pace. Skylar is a very likeable person, especially as she's not blind to people being mean, but because she believes the best of them. I have the say that I thought their first date was strange ... meeting his best friends immediately and spending most of their time with them??? ... but this is fiction and it's a fantasy the author clearly wanted to explore. The conflict/drama between them was an understandable and her reaction to is confession was not unreasonable. I liked that they talked about it. The action bit towards the end was well written and helped resolve the conflict. I will definitely keep reading this series.