The Protector

 The Protector (Game of Chance 1)- Susan Stoker

Montlake

Release Date: March 14, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Riggs “Chappy” Chapman didn’t expect to be disrupted at his remote cabin in the woods. But when a stray dog arrives on his porch, he winds up finding a stray woman, too, trudging through the snowstorm in search of shelter. His military days may be behind him, but Chappy is hardwired to protect her from the storm and whatever it is she’s running from.

Carlise Edwards didn’t expect her car to break down in the Maine wilderness. All she wants is to escape whoever is stalking her back home. There’s no way anyone’s going to find her and Chappy deep in the forest, especially not in dangerous weather. But she finds it hard to mind the circumstances when the company is this stimulating.

As the snowstorm rages, Chappy and Carlise find that, despite the cold, they can generate plenty of heat of their own…but there’s more than just natural dangers lurking in the woods.

___________________________________________________________

When Riggs "Chappy" Chapman goes to spend his vacation at his mountain cabin, he isn't expecting to spend it with a strange woman and a stray dog. And he's definitely not expecting that woman to be THE ONE. But after plenty of bad luck in the military, luck seems to be smiling on him. Except for the stalker problems Carlise is running away from.

Susan Stoker starts a new series in a major way with The Protector and I'm already completely hooked. Chappy, Cal, JJ, and Bob leave the Army after a mission goes bad and ends up with them captured and tortured by terrorists. They find a new home in a tiny town in Maine and new lives cutting trees and helping hikers, trying to put their past traumas behind them. But, like all of Stoker's alpha heroes, these guys are protectors and not about to leave someone in trouble to fend for themselves. While his friends are a little skeptical that Chappy seems to have fallen in love with Carlise as quickly as he has, they are willing to help out as needed, because they are family and that's what family does. It's a great group of guys and I can't wait to read all of their stories. Chappy is super aware of the abuse Carlise has been through and wants to make sure she never feels like she's anything but safe with him. Carlise doesn't think of herself as brave- when she is threatened she leaves town-but she's sensible, smart, kind, and fits perfectly with Chappy. 

The stalker/other story is a little predictable, but since it isn't really the driving focus of the book I was ok with that. This was really about two damaged people learning to open up to each other and trust that wonderful things can happen when and where they are least expected. And Baxter, the abused dog who brings them together, absolutely steals every scene he's in and is the true hero of the book.

The Protector drew me in from the beginning and I really loved it. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review