Tag Archives: Protector and Defender

When He Plays (Protector & Defender 8) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
12

When He Plays (Protector & Defender 8) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 25, 2026

Begin this story with one certainty…I am not the hero.

He’s used to breaking the law. Not protecting and defending…

Logan Sterling knows the criminal underworld. He knows how to run cons, he knows how to ruin lives, and he knows how to handle danger. What he doesn’t do? Uh, save the day. Play the hero. And, yet…he is currently being blackmailed into doing just that unfortunate job. He’s been forced to work up close—intimately close—with gorgeous and infuriating CIA operative Charlotte Webb.

There is truly no rest for the wicked in this world—and he is very, very good at being wicked. Sigh. Before this job is done, he knows that he will make Charlotte wish that she’d never met him.

She’s his twenty-four, seven companion. He’s her worst nightmare.

Charlotte Webb isn’t exactly thrilled with her new job. Playing the assistant to wild, bad boy Logan is not on her top ten list of activities. But she needs him in order to gain entrance into a world filled with some internationally wanted bad guys. So she’ll pretend to be Logan’s new assistant, she’ll try to control him as the man jumps from one wild scene to another, and then…well, when the situation demands it, she’ll even act the part of his lover. Sacrifices must be made, after all. But she will not actually fall for the man. Even if he is an exceptionally skilled kisser. And even if he—maybe—has a few redeeming qualities buried deep, deep beneath his sexy, smiling surface.

She follows the law. He loves to break the rules.

She saves his life—twice—and she drives him crazy with desire. The longer Logan is with Charlotte, the more he wants her. And when a sick jerk develops an obsession with Logan’s CIA operative, he just has to step up and show the world just how deadly he can be.

Because it’s all fun and games in Logan’s world…until someone tries to hurt the woman who belongs to him.

End this story with one certainty…A bad guy will destroy every threat in his path if it means saving the woman he loves.

••••••

REVIEW:WHEN HE PLAYS is the eighth instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is CIA operative Charlotte Webb, and hotelier/ underworld participant Logan Sterling’s story line. WHEN HE PLAYS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information form the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Logan was first introduced in WHEN HE LIES.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Charlotte and Logan) WHEN HE PLAYS follows CIA operative Charlotte Webb as she works undercover with the aid of criminally connected hotelier Logan Sterling. The CIA are tracking a serial killer, a suspect connected to Logan Sterling’s inner circle. An upcoming, high stakes illegal poker game finds CIA Operative Charlotte Webb working as Logan Sterling’s PA but the participants are upping the stakes, and Charlotte finds herself one of the prizes to be won. From the outset, Sterling is determined to win , a win that garners more than our heroine’s freedom but with it comes several attempts on their lives, and the probability that one or more participants may be responsible for the downward spiral of everyone involved.

The world building is detailed and complex, with numerous interconnected and moving parts including controversial players and problematic participants. All of the suspects are highly motivated, well to do, and determined to win, each with their own agenda. As Logan and Charlotte peel back the layers of everyone involved, our couple become targets, in a game of winner take all.

The relationship between Charlotte and Logan begins as an undercover assignment but quickly turns into something more. Logan is determined to protect Charlotte at all costs but the cost may be his life when the killer demands everything and more. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.

The numerous secondary and supporting characters all play a significant role-some direct while others behind the scenes. We are introduced to US Marshall Sebastian Shay, Charlotte’s partner Jamar Miller ,several hotel magnates, questionable businessmen and gambler including Carmichael Lennon, and Ares, Evelyn Marteen , and the return of CIA agent Jezebel Jenkins, and fellow poker players Pierre, and Harper Channing, hotel employees Jake Brown and VP of hotel security Evans McCall The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE PLAYS is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, murder and madness, retribution and greed, acceptance and love. The slow building premise is comprehensive, dramatic and edgy; the romance is provocative and passionate; the characters are desperate and determined but Logan has a humorous edge, one that lightens the darkness of the story.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

When He Lies (Protector & Defender 7) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
12

When He Lies (Protector & Defender 7) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 26, 2026

Their paths collide on a mission. He’s working undercover. So is she. But they are on two very different sides of the law.

A top operative at the CIA, Ryan Quinn is used to hunting down the worst of the worst. Manipulation is the game. And he is exceptionally good at the game. His latest case involves him playing the role of a wealthy and bored businessman as he sneaks into the inner circle of some very dangerous individuals. The tool he uses to get into that circle? The lovely and innocent Simone Sailor.

Fun fact…She’s using him. Men always underestimate her…Too bad. That’s their mistake.

Simone has a job to do, and nothing will stop her from achieving her goal. She has some trinkets to retrieve for a very upset family. Retrieval specialist–yep, that’s her. She thinks that title sounds so much better than say…thief. So she lies, she pretends, and she gets the job done. One hundred percent success rate. Playing innocent and fooling her marks? Please. That’s something that she can do in her sleep. Except this time, she finds herself getting a little too close to one of her targets…the gorgeous and seemingly clueless Ryan. A bored but way too sexy billionaire. A man who has a touch that sends wildfire racing through her veins.

She’s distracted during her heist. He distracts her, and she gets caught in the act of retrieving property. And death is the punishment. For her…and for Ryan.

Uh, oh. Simone may have underestimated the danger in her latest job. When she and Ryan are suddenly kidnapped, she realizes that, for the first time in her life, she could seriously use a hero…and turns out, Ryan is not the useless rich boy that she assumed. He’s smart, he’s incredibly dangerous…and Ryan just killed someone without blinking in order to save her life. Oh, and also…he’s saying that she’s under arrest. That he has to keep her close, twenty-four, seven, and that there is now an exceedingly large bounty on her head.

She’s his prisoner. His leverage. And…his absolute obsession.

Simone is not innocent. She is not sweet. She is going to drive Ryan absolutely and utterly insane. He crossed lines with her–so many complicated lines. He’s killed for her, and he will do whatever it takes to keep her alive. She’s now a very important witness, and the CIA intends to leverage her knowledge of the international crime world. But…Ryan just wants her. And the longer they are together, the hotter the desire between them blazes.

But liars aren’t supposed to fall in love.

Too bad because Ryan is pretty sure that he’s falling hard for gorgeous Simone. Now, if he can just keep her alive, if he can capture all the bad guys who want her dead, and if he can prove to her that, for the first time in her life, she’s finally found someone that she can truly trust…then maybe this spy will have a chance at a happy ending with the pretty thief who may have stolen his heart.

••••••

REVIEW: WHEN HE LIES is the seventh instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is CIA Agent Ryan Quinn, and professional thief/ retriever Simone Sailor’s story line. WHEN HE LIES can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Ryan Quinn is the brother of FBI Agent Agnes Quinn (WHEN HE GUARDS 5), and CIA Agent Nash Quinn (When He Loves 6)

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers .

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Ryan and Simone WHEN HE LIES follows several pathways including CIA Agent Ryan Quinn’s seduction of our story line heroine but from the outset nothing goes according to plan, as Simone is often one-step ahead of our story line hero, an agent who is falling for the woman who is not whom she claims to be.

The world building is detailed, complex and not without a large number of questionable secondary and supporting characters. Ryan is determined to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love but said woman is determined to complete the job.

The relationship between Simone and Ryan is contentious-Simone is a thief who is desperate to escape Ryan’s custody, while Ryan struggles to remain distant from the woman that calls to his heart. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, interesting and often controversial characters. We are reintroduced to Agents Jezebel, Ryan’s siblings Agnes and Nash, as well as Simone’s ‘brother’ Logan, and MI6 Agent Harry Wilson.The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE LIES is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance,power and control, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is intriguing , captivating and dramatic: the romance is seductive and intense; the characters are determined and charismatic .

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

When He Guards (Protector & Defender 5) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
13

When He Guards (Protector & Defender 5) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 30, 2025

He made a fatal mistake.

He lusted after the wrong woman. Let his need take over. Cassius “Cass” Striker knew that he should have never touched the sexy FBI agent, but he gave in to temptation and had the best one-night stand of his life with Agnes Quinn. It should have meant nothing. He should have been able to walk away…

He can’t walk away. If he does, she’s dead.

His enemies know about Agnes, and they plan to use her against him. He’s the leader of one of the most notorious motorcycle clubs in the US. His name stirs fear into the hearts of nearly everyone…and he has a giant target on his back. Those who want to bring him down have been looking for a weakness to use against him—they think they found that weakness in the form of Agnes. Now he either saves her or he watches her die.

She doesn’t need saving, but it’s super sweet of him to try.

••••

REVIEW:WHEN HE GUARDS is the fifth instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is president of the Night Strikers MC Cassius ‘Cass’ Striker, and FBI agent Agnes Quinn’s story line. WHEN HE GUARDS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information form the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Agnes and Cass WHEN HE GUARDS follows FBI agent Agnes Quinn as she goes rogue searching for the man who destroyed her life. Believing she will find her target amongst the Night Strikers MC, Agnes goes in undercover only to discover not everything is as it appears to be. Working alongside Cass, Agnes becomes a target for who she is and what she knows, a target whose contacts are dangerous and dark. Meanwhile, Cass Striker has declared himself guardian and protector of our story line heroine, claiming Agnes as his own, a claim that doesn’t not go over very well with the Night Strikers MC.

The world building is detailed and complex as the MC find themselves at odds with one another; betrayal has been building for a very long time, and vengeance is about to place our couple in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Cass and Agnes begins as a seduction but Cass knows immediately that Agnes is not whom she claims to be. Agnes wants to find a killer, a killer with a specific tattoo, a tattoo that continues to give Agnes nightmares and tears. Cass considers himself a monster but a monster who has fallen for our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of questionable, secretive and dangerous secondary and supporting characters including the return of Agnes Quinn’s boss Grayson Stone (When He Defends), FBI Agent Malik;  Agnes’s brothers Ryan and Nash; several members of the Night Strikers MC, and a host of game players, taking aim at everyone involved.

WHEN HE GUARDS is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, madness and mayhem, obsession and murder, family and love. The character driven premise is action packed, detailed and dramatic; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

When He Defends (Protector & Defender 4) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
16

When He Defends (Protector & Defender 4) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date

He didn’t want a new partner, especially not her.

FBI Agent Gray Stone knows killers. As a top profiler at the Bureau, monsters are truly his business. So he absolutely does not need to be paired up with the infuriating—and gorgeous—Dr. Emerson Marlowe. But her mother is a senator with far too much power, and, all of a sudden, Gray finds himself on training duty, a duty that includes way too many hours and way too much temptingly close contact with Emerson.

He doesn’t play well with others. In fact, he doesn’t play at all.

What’s he supposed to do with a sexy shadow? One who is just as good at mind games as he is? One who is smart and funny and…dammit. Emerson has practically no field experience, and the last thing Gray wants to do is put her in harm’s way. He may not want to work with Emerson, but he will not let anyone hurt her. So when a new case goes sideways and a killer gets chillingly close, Gray has to come up with a new training plan.

New She follows his orders. She does exactly what he says. And she does not get in the way.

Except Emerson can’t follow orders to save her life. She does whatever she wants, and the woman is one hundred percent in his way. In his way. In his mind. In his dreams. And, maybe, just maybe, the infuriating Emerson is even working her sneaky way into his heart. But danger is growing around her, danger that doesn’t seem to just be coming from their work at the FBI. A stalker has eyes on Emerson, a predator who is well-acquainted with darkness and pain. A perp who wants Emerson to suffer.

To protect his new partner, Gray will have to let his own darkness come out to hunt.

••••••

REVIEW:WHEN HE DEFENDS is the fourth instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is psychiatrist Dr. Emerson Marlowe, and former US Marine turned FBI profiler Gray Stone’s story line. WHEN HE DEFENDS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Emerson and Gray WHEN HE DEFENDS focuses on the search for a serial killer. Someone is targeting married couples,and with her expertise the field of psychiatry, Emerson has asked to be paired with our story line hero but never expected to find herself hunting a killer on a secluded island.

Meanwhile, Emerson’s life has never been her own, and with her mother constantly taking control, our heroine is determined to break free but all is not as it appears to be, so with the help of his fellow friends and agents, Gray begins a deep dive into the history of the Marlowe family.

The world building follows several paths as our couple go undercover to ferret out a killer. From the outset, our couple find themselves a target of someone unknown but as Emerson and Gray get closer to the truth, someone else takes aim determined to stop them both.

The relationship between Gray and Emerson begins as a professional pairing that will quickly turn into something more. Undercover as a married couple, Gray is determined to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love. The $ex scenes are. Intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are desperate and colorful. We are introduced to Emerson’s overbearing and over protective mother Senator Marlowe, and her security guard Owen: Emerson’s ex Nathaniel; Gray’s cousin and MC member Cassius ‘Cass’ Striker, as well as several FBI agents and friends including Rhylan, Malik, Ronan, Tyler and Kane. The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE DEFENDS is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession and jealousy, family and relationships, acceptance and love.The character driven premise is intriguing , engaging and suspenseful; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic, determined and charismatic.

 

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
When He Protects
When He Hunts
When He Fights

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

WHEN HE FIGHTS (Protector and Defender 3) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
14

WHEN HE FIGHTS (Protector and Defender 3) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 29, 2025

He saved her from a nightmare.

Once upon a time, Kane Harte rescued Anastasia Patrick from hell. He took her away from a killer, protected her, and maybe even came perilously close to loving her. But then she was given a new life. A new name. A new home. And there was no room for Kane or the darkness he carried in her new world. So he walked away. Didn’t look back. Fine, maybe he looked back a little. Or a lot. Maybe he dreamed of her every time his eyes closed. Sue him.

She falls for bad guys. It’s a quirk. A flaw? Whatever.

When her ex turned out to be a killer, Anastasia “Ana” Patrick knew she was in trouble. But enter the FBI—or rather, enter the super scary, slightly shady, and undeniably hot Kane Harte. He protected her, he gave her a new life—new name, new home, new Ana. And he also broke her heart. That would be the previously mentioned issue she had with bad guys. She fell for the dangerously secretive Kane, and he walked away.

He shattered her heart but gave her safety. Not exactly a fair exchange…

Now her safe world has been wrecked. Danger has found Anastasia—Ana—once again, and she has no choice but to flee on her own. The killer from her past has escaped prison, and he’s coming after her. Ana runs, desperate to get away, and she finds herself barreling straight into the arms of the protector she never expected to see again.

Kane Harte can kill a man in a hundred different ways. He can also break a woman’s heart without batting an eye.

••••••••

REVIEW: WHEN HE FIGHTS is the third instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER erotic, romantic suspense series. This is musician Anastasia Patrick, and former US Marine/ Security specialist Kane Harte’s story line. WHEN HE FIGHTS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Kane and Ana) WHEN HE FIGHTS follows the protection of our story line heroine. More than two years earlier, Anastasia Patrick witnessed the murder of a man, and was under FBI protection with security specialist Kane Harte but the arrest of Mafia assassin Logan Catalano, Ana’s former boyfriend, Kane walked away without looking back. Fast forward to present day, living quietly under an assumed name, Ana will discover Logan Catalano has escaped, and Kane’s new assignment is our story line heroine. Struggling with their continued attraction to one another, Kane and Ana must dance around the proverbial elephant in the room, knowing there is more than one person taking aim at our story line couple.

The world building follows two timelines, as Kane Harte battles between head and heart knowing to fall in love will weaken his defenses in the face of protecting our story line heroine. Ana had proclaimed her love as she watched Kane walk away, and his return brings with it the heart break of betrayal but the escape of Logan Catalano from prison means Ana is once again a target, and Kane is determined to protect our heroine with his life.

The relationship between Kane and Ana is one of second chances but Kane struggles with his attraction, and Ana struggles to trust the man who broke her heart. The 4ex scenes are erotic and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters includes the return of FBI Agent Grayson Stone; former US Marine Tyler Barrett (When He Protects #1), as well as the introduction of FBI psychiatrist Dr. Emerson Marlowe; Ana’s best friend Zuri Harris; Mafia hitman Logan Catalano, and karate instructor Turner Mitchell. The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE FIGHTS is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession and madness, acceptance and love. The fast paced, character driven premise is dramatic and captivating; the romance is fated and impassioned; the characters are desperate, determined, and charismatic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
When He Protects
When He Hunts

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

When He Hunts (Protector & Defender 2) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
13

When He Hunts (Protector & Defender 2) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 25, 2025

She’s a dead woman walking.

Luna Black knows that she’s being hunted. The price on her head is astronomical. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she saw some very dangerous people doing some very, very bad things. Now she needs to reach the Feds, stat, and get a new identity and a new life. Because her old life? Definitely over.

It’s not personal. She’s just a job.

Ronan Walker lives in the shadows. His job? Simple—to deliver death. And the latest hit has him tracking down the very elusive and unpredictable Luna. But he’s not the only hitman on her trail. Luna has valuable intel. The kind of intel that can never see the light of a courtroom. When the other hunters swarm in on her, Ronan has no choice but to intervene.

Death wasn’t supposed to be so…dead sexy.

After he defeated the group trying to abduct her, Luna expected to die by the gorgeous stranger’s hands. Even as he kissed her, Luna was sure that the tall, dark, and fierce predator would kill her. Only…she woke up, very much still alive, and handcuffed to his bed. Before she can even scream, he offers her a deal…protection, but for a price.

Is he a hitman with a heart?

No, he’s not. Not even close. His heart never gets involved in a job. Ronan faked Luna’s death, and now he has to keep her with him in the shadows until the Feds are ready to use her in order to bring down a massive criminal ring. The problem? He’s not exactly used to sharing close quarters with anyone. Especially not someone like Luna…a woman who pushes him to the edge and makes him want to let go of the fierce control that he’s kept in place for years.

On the run. Hiding in the shadows. Pretending to be a couple in love…

Sometimes, it’s easy to pretend. To act like lovers. But what happens when the pretending starts to feel all too real? The longer they are together, the more Luna realizes there is so much more to Ronan than meets the eye. He protects her, he defends her from every threat, and she…just might be falling hard for the hitman who swears he can never love…

The story of her life. To fall for the man who delivers death.

•••••

REVIEW:WHEN HE HUNTS is the second instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR erotic, romantic suspense series. This is assassin for hire Ronan Walker, and drama teacher Luna Black’s story line. WHEN HE HUNTS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Ronan and Luna WHEN HE HUNTS follows the hunt and take down of our story line heroine. Luna Black witness the murder of a friend, and now she is the target of a powerful man. On the run, Luna will face down several assassins including the man with whom she is falling in love. Refusing to lose his payday, Ronan not only abducts our heroine but takes aim at the other assassins hired to finish the job but Ronan never expected to find himself falling for our story line heroine, and in doing so, places a target on the woman he loves.

The world building follows Ronan and Luna as our couple begin a cross country adventure in the hopes of staying one step ahead of the man who hired our story line hero. Working undercover with the both the FBI and US Marshall’s office, Ronan takes aim at the people who placed a hit on our story line heroine.

The relationship between Ronan and Luna begins as assassin and captor but quickly turns into something more. Protecting Luna becomes Ronan’s number one priority even in the face of threats against his own life. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters include the return of FBI Agent Grayson Stone; former Marine Kane Harte, and former Marine turned US Marshall Tyler Barrett, and his wife, professional thief Esme Laurent. The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE HUNTS is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is exciting and engaging; the romance is provocative; the characters are determined and dynamic.

CLICK HERE for Sandy’s review of book one WHEN HE PROTECTS

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

When He Protects (Protector & Defender 1) by Cynthia Eden-review

Posted on by
14

When He Protects (Protector & Defender 1) by Cynthia Eden-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 29, 2024

He knew she was trouble from the moment they met.

Esme Laurent is a con artist. An accomplished liar. A world-class thief. And probably the most beautiful and intriguing woman that Tyler Barrett has ever met. Sure, he has to arrest her at their first meeting, and she absolutely hates him, but…well, he has a job to do. And Tyler always gets the job done.

Turns out, she is the new job.

The people in charge want to use Esme to bring down a very dangerous criminal operation. And in order to do that, Esme has to stay in the land of the living. She needs protection, she needs a new identity, and she needs to disappear, immediately. Because Esme has more than a bit of power, she makes her own deal…her protection needs to come in the ever-so-gorgeous, ever-so-dangerous, and ever-so-law-abiding form of U.S. Marshal Tyler Barrett.

They’ll disappear into Small Town, USA. And they’ll pretend to be newlyweds who just can’t keep their hands off each other.

No, absolutely, this cannot be happening. But no matter how much Tyler protests, the new job is, in fact, happening. He’s being sent to Asylum, Alabama, with the delectable Esme. He’s supposed to be her husband—a role that will give him twenty-four, seven access in order to protect her. He needs that access in order to make sure that Esme doesn’t run from the authorities and that she stays alive. But what Tyler doesn’t count on is the consuming desire he feels for a woman who should be off-limits.

She’ll test every limit that he has…

Esme doesn’t expect her attraction to the rule-following Tyler. He’s big, he’s buttoned-down, and he’s absolutely…delicious. She also suspects that he may be carefully controlling a wild side—one that she would love to see erupt. Oh, if only.

When danger comes calling, Tyler is more than ready to handle any threat. Who knew that falling for the good guy could be so tempting? And so very…heart-breaking. Because there was no way a guy like Tyler would want to stay around once they stop pretending. Everyone knows the bad girl never gets to keep the good guy, especially when she’s still working a very long con.

•••••

REVIEW: WHEN HE PROTECTS is the first instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER erotic, romantic suspense series. This is former Marine turned US Marshall Tyler Barrett, and twenty-seven year old, professional thief Esme Laurent’s story line.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Esme and Tyler WHEN HE PROTECTS follows the building relationship between our story line couple. Tyler Barrett was working undercover at a high end party, a party where a suspected thief may have been targeting but Tyler will come face to face with an unlikely mark, a beautiful woman whose secrets run deadly and deep. Enter Esme Laurent. Esme is a professional thief but all is not as it appears to be. Esme has secrets that may be heart breaking for Tyler, secrets she does not necessarily want to reveal. A bounty on her head, Esme and Tyler embark on a fake marriage, going into hiding but Esme is willing to run to protect the man with whom she is falling in love.

The world building follows the building romance and relationship between our story line couple. In hiding, our couple find themselves the target of a powerful man but betrayal comes from within, from many sides, and from where they least expect it. No longer able to trust the people in charge, Esme and Tyler must try to make it on their own.

The relationship between Esme and Tyler begins as an assignment when Tyler is tasked to arresting our story line heroine but when Esme becomes the target, Tyler finds himself guardian and protector on orders from the top. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to several members of local and federal law enforcement and government agencies including Esme’s father Etienne Laurent; Sheriff Clay Banks; FBI Agent Grayson Stone; former Marine Kane Harte, and Agent Thaddeus Caldwell. The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE PROTECTS is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The character driven, fasts paced premise is intriguing and captivating but the guilty party(s) was easily to deduce. The characters are charismatic and cheeky; the romance is seductive and fated. Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Copy supplied for review

Share