Protect Forever

This is a 5 star book that captures the attention from the beginning and does not let go until the last page. I really loved the love story that developed between Clint and Dawn. They had instant attraction but the love between the two developed at a believable pace. The characters were fully developed and believable, especially Clint. I liked that most of the book was from his POV, and how much he cared about Dawn, as his love developed. Clint was very protective of Dawn and fell deeply in love with Dawn. The love between the two was the strongest part of the book. I wish there were a few more chapters from Dawn's point of view so she could me more than a damsel in distress or a TSTL heroine. And her having platinum blonde hair fed into the usual American stereotype that only platinum blondes are beautiful heroines. Had she been Latino, African American, or Asian, I think it would have enhanced the story.
I loved the author's writing style. Clean but emotional. Great dialogue. Great job of developing romantic angst between the H and h. I love the protective male trope but would have liked Dawn to be a little more talented or intelligent, and maybe more caring toward Amber and her kids.
There were some typos, "your" for "you're" and "cloth" for "clothes" and "I" instead of "me." Maybe more attention to editing with the next installment. However, these errors were minor and did not in any way detract from the love story. The writing was otherwise clear. I would have liked to hear even more of Dawn's and Clint's internal monologue as they fell in love as it would have made the developing love between them more believable. However, I know other readers skip over all the internal wrestling so this is simply my opinion.
Sex: yes, clearly the two were in love, Clint asks permission before of Dawn and lets her set the pace. I really liked that. Too many romance novels skip over consent, or the man rules in the bedroom. The love scenes enhanced the love story rather than became the focus. And for once the alpha hero actually loved the heroine and told her so without feeling like he wasn't allowed to feel love because is is not manly. Clint was perfect for Dawn, and definitely swoon worthy. Kind, loving, protective, excellent manners.
The opening chapter set a suspenseful tone to the novel, and carried through to the end. It did not make sense that Dawn could jump two stories and not be injured. Also, Dawn meets the hitman from the first chapter but doesn't recognize him, which doesn't make sense. This storyline could have been improved by including a few more scenes of the bad guy making progress as he tried to find Dawn. The final confrontation scene seems rushed and written as an after thought, not fully developed. Most of that storyline didn't make sense and either should be removed, to make it strictly a love story, or strengthened to make it a true romantic suspense novel. Dawn's fear of men and apprehension was believable.
The developing relationship between Sarah and Eric could have been expanded, say, showing them working together to come up with a plan to protect Dawn. The author will probably write about their love story in the book, and this was a nice way to introduce them. The relationship between Luke and Amber could also be developed a little more, because they are likely to have their own version as well.
The ending felt rushed and not satisfying. (I don't want to give too much away, but a proposal should be romantic....just saying, the rest of the book was so lovely and emotional) An epilogue emphasizing their happy ever after (I don't want to spoil the plot), and perhaps Dawn opening a bakery or catering service.
This was a satisfying 5 star romance with excellent writing and good pace of the h and H falling in love.

I received a copy of this book to review via Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
This book is a sweet, easy to read romance. It is well written with good character development. I liked the family aspect of the book and I suspect the author will be building on those relationships in further books in the series. The characters are cute and quirky like Burns and Miss Janet giving an extra depth to the romance story.
There are a few typos in the book that make it slightly confusing e.g. Cloth for clothes but it is not major. In addition, it was a bit tropey and repetitive at times such as the repeated use of the word beautiful and the main character having blond hair showing there was little representation.
On the whole, a good book.

Really liked this one!! It was a little short but still really good!! It had intrigue and suspense, some mild drama some heartache and heartbreak! It's definitely worth reading! Don't miss out on this book it's well worth the read! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

4*
Clint meets Dawn when she starts working behind the bar in Benny's he's struck by her beautiful eyes but sees the fear behind them.
Dawn is hoping her past won't catch up with her and is surprised by the fact Clint makes her feel safe.
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it.
The characters were very likeable and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series

This is my first book by this author and has I can find no others by her I am assuming that it is a debut novel and if it is then this is an author that is going to be worth watching. Her story draws you in and the secondary characters are the making of the story line

Dawn is on the run trying to escape her past and she gets a job working at Benny's a bar in Peak Valley Kansas That is where Clint sees her for the first time He is instantly attracted by her eyes but he can also see the fear in them Clint is a bit of a loner a town recluse something that he encourages but in Dawn he sees he could have a future Can he give her a chance to feel safe and will he be the one for her You will have to read to see

Protect Forever is a suspenseful, romantic filled ride.

From the prologue, I was hooked. The story begins with our heroine, Dawn being introduced with a dramatic and action filled bang and we are given no rhyme or reason behind the events that results in her hiding out in Peak Valley.

Our hero, Clint is instantly ensnared by Dawn from the moment he locks eyes on her. Built like an ox with icy blue eyes and ruggedly handsome, sign me up. Despite his upbringing and disarming appearance, that causes anyone that come in contact with him to run scared, he is a decent and sweet man.

The author wrote the characters in such a way, that I felt the weight of Dawn’s anxiety and fear pressing against my chest and Clint’s despair at people’s outright fear of his presence. The story is enriched with the secondary characters that provide humor and layers to the story. The small town feel and theme of family in this story is felt in the interactions of the characters. Mr. Burns is officially my favorite character.

Clint’s protectiveness of Dawn is heartwarming. He immediately understands her and never forces a relationship, even though his attraction and needs to be with her is overwhelming. He is patient and considerate, where she is isolating herself due to her fear of being hurt and abandoned again. He helps her cultivate a life for herself. Even when her instincts told her to run, she put her trust and faith in Clint and those around her.

I found the underlying drama and suspense believable and realistic.

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Really enjoyed this book, great storyline Girl on run falls in love and old boyfriend comes for her, Full of drama and suspense. Looking forward to the next book from this author.