Review: Promise To Defend

Promise To Defend by Diana Gardin
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Fiercely independent, Olive is not going to accept some caveman tossing his orders around... even if she may need a little help. This second book in the series features Rayne's older sister, Olive and can be read as a standalone.

Olive is the damsel in distress that Ronin can possibly save. Ronin is messed up due to a perceived failing to protect his wife. This haunts him to no end and makes him into a surly overprotective alpha male, perfect for his job in private security. When he meets up with Olive again and sees a more distressed woman than the perfectly calm one, he pushes himself into her life. He can't help himself. Olive still deludes herself that she can take on her stalker by herself. When the situation gets out of hand, it is fortunate, she has her new brother in law to turn to... Ronin.

These characters are perfected matched to each other. They have great chemistry and they have needs that are met by the other... more than sexual. They are the halves to each other's half. Their resistance at first is understandable as they both carry their own baggage. When they finally get past it and become real with each other, the story moves more smoothly. Still, there are a few steps back as their relationship progresses forward.

Ms. Gardin creates engaging characters with realistic problems that readers can easily relate to and appreciate. She also creates good plots to keep a reader's attention. Her writing style of switching points of view between the two characters also works. It helps to get into the mind of Ronin and Olive. Generally, I prefer only one point of view, but in this series, it works out well. I also enjoyed the pace of this book. It wasn't super fast or running from one crisis to another. The pace is nice and easy for a sweet enjoyable romance. There is just the right amount of build up for a tense situation and then easing back then building back up to the climax. Nicely done and makes for a great Sunday afternoon room. This romantic suspense is recommended to readers who want a contemporary romance to unwind and enjoy.

*provided by NetGalley