A killer wants to protect her but might not be able to!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💛🧡🖤
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📒
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 👤👤👤👤

The setting: Okla-f*ck-me-over-homa, San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Texas.

The Hero: Declan – Works as a hitman for a corrupt corporation, an off-the-grid private security contracting organization. His boss is more like a Mob boss. Declan is sent out to take care of people that cross them.

The heroine: Madelyn – Her parents have both died, all she has is her sister Kylie who is a chemist. Madelyn is studying marine biology and got a full ride scholarship to college in San Diego. Since her mother died of cancer, her sister has been pretty absent and acting a bit shady. They live in a trailer home in Oklahoma. Madelyn is very innocent and naïve.

Love Story: Declan is at the trailer park outside their trailer when a severe storm opens up the heavens. Madelyn invites him inside because he says he is a friend of Kylie. Sparks are flying all over the place. After that she sees him again when she is in a dicey situation and he protects her. Madelyn sees him as her hero. Though in reality he is nothing of the sort.

This book was HOT! I loved every minute of it and even went right out an purchased book 1 in the series. That was Kylie’s story. I can’t wait to read that one. Though I don’t see how it could be better than this one. I loved how stoic and broody Declan is, despite him much he wants Madelyn. He wants to protect her but knows he has to use her to find her sister. I just can’t get enough of the attraction between them.

Madelyn is innocent and naïve but also is someone that can hold her own. She takes things as they come and hardens herself when she comes across situations that would freak out a lesser person. Madelyn does some surprising things and is a great heroine. I just loved both of these main characters. I can’t wait to read more of this series.

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

I enjoyed Mercenary and I read it in two days! Would recommend to those who like a darker romance. I would be interested in reading more from this author. I like shorter romances and for some reason I felt it was a little long but I know loads who love a longer romance.

Don’t do like I did. Read the first book in the series before diving into this one. I couldn’t help but feel that I’d missed a few important pieces along the way with Declan and Madelyn, but their story was still a good one. She’s in the run, no one is what or who they seem to be, and Declan could be her savior or her downfall. Declan played hot and cold with Madelyn for so long that his intent was pretty well muddied, but he couldn’t hide from the feelings that she inspired in him. And when it all comes together and betrayals are revealed, loyalties show where they truly lie. Of course, now I’m invested and need to know how this turns out for Diego, Hayden, Kylie, and Luciana.

Overall, this was well done, but it’s definitely a series that must be read in order to avoid guessing or wondering at some points.