About the Book
Family…country…or the woman he loves…
Navy Seal Ford Marshall isn’t the kind to stand by and let a woman get hurt—especially when it involves his twin sister, RJ. So, when she makes the news, accused of sparking an international incident, he doesn’t care what it takes—he’s going to find her and bring her home.
But he might need a little help, so he calls on the woman who has had his back during the last three years—Petty Officer Scarlett Hathaway, former communications expert-turned Rescue Swimmer candidate. She’ll help him get into the country, watch his back, and…well, they might be able to have one last mission together before she leaves for a new life, a life he very much wants to be a part of now that she is off his team. Maybe he can convince her to give them a chance to kindle the spark that’s simmered between them for years.
Scarlett Hathaway isn’t sure what future she wants—not when she suddenly has to care for her little brother. Maybe she should quit the Navy and start a life with the man she can’t seem to get out of her heart. So yes, she’ll help Ford find his sister. And maybe, along the way, figure out if they have a future.
But finding RJ somewhere in the vastness of Russia with the FSB chasing them will push Scarlett beyond even her courage and make her question everything she thought she wanted…including Ford. What will it cost her to love a man who saves the world?
And when Ford is asked to choose between saving his sister, saving the world from a war, and rescuing the woman he loves…can he live with his decision?
Excerpt
“Ford?”
His heart nearly stopped. He turned, and yes. Yes.
His words clogged in this throat because Scarlett stood right there wearing a body-hugging swim skin, her short brown hair tousled, red highlights glistening in the sunlight, her beautiful brown eyes big as she stared at him, as shocked as he was, maybe, to see him.
“I thought you were gone,” he said stupidly.
No—no, that’s not what—
“I had a family emergency,” she said softly. “Sorry. I should have called you right away, but—”
“No need. I got spun up right after the rally. When I got back, I saw that you called—I should have called you back.”
Yes, he should have. He saw it in her eyes, the flicker of hurt.
Then, just like that, it vanished. She lifted a shoulder as if hearing from him or not was no big deal.
With the gesture, something just sort of died inside him.
Just teammates.
She’d made that clear, and he planned on respecting it.
He had one job, one goal, and that was to get his sister back.
But he needed help doing it. So, the best thing to do was come right out and… “Scarlett, I…I need you.”
She blinked at him, her mouth opening slightly, and he didn’t stop. “My sister is…okay, it’s a very long story, but she’s disappeared in Russia, and I’m going to find her.”
She closed her mouth. Swallowed. Then, “What…why do you…need me?”
“I’m going in-country with a former SEAL who runs SAR ops for situations sort of like this, but we need backup, someone who can stay behind, but close enough for support if we need it.”
“The voice on the radio,” she said softly.
He lifted a shoulder, nodded, and added a smile. “One more go before you head to Rescue Swimmer school?” Then he frowned. “Wait—I sort of assumed you were on transfer leave. This won’t make you AWOL will it?”
“No.” She looked past him toward the ocean, then back, and her smile seemed forced. “It’ll be fine. I have a long time left on my leave.”
“This shouldn’t take more than a few days, tops. Senator White is trying to track her down—”
“You got the presidential candidate to help you?”
He started walking with her toward the boardwalk. “Yeah. Apparently, he’s a fly-fishing buddy of my mother’s, uh…boyfriend.”
Scarlett stopped and raised an eyebrow, and—
“Right? Hello, thank you very much. Someone who finally understands. Yes, my mother’s boyfriend. Just saying that weirds me out.”
Scarlett laughed, and the sound of it hit his bones like a balm—cool, refreshing, sweet.
Wow, he’d missed her.
Review
Yowser! This series is turning out to have everything a romantic suspense lover could ask for. With Susan May Warren, great romance and high-stakes suspense are a given, but there’s action, espionage, politics, world travel—you name it, you’ll probably find it in this series. And there are two books left to go!
You’ll definitely want to read this series in order, because Ford and Scarlett’s story starts in the previous book, Tate. As a result, I was totally primed and eager for more Ford and Scarlett as I began this book, but then York walked onto the page. Well, walked is probably a pretty tame description, but HELLO! And from that moment on, I couldn’t get enough of RJ and York! I mean, it was clear from their first scene together how well these two were going to play off one another:
“So, are you gonna club me with Dostoyevsky?”
Oh. “Maybe.”
“I would have gone with Tolstoy, personally.”
But back to Ford and Scarlett. Not only did I love the romance, suspense, and all that other stuff, but I really enjoyed Ford and Scarlett’s personal growth through the story. Ford has lived his life continually trying to prove he’s enough, that he can get the job done, but needs to learn that God isn’t our reinforcement; He’s our breacher. And Scarlett has never felt like she’s enough, is used to feeling discarded and wonders what it would feel like “to be wanted just for whatever was inside.”
All these elements combined seamlessly into one fantastic, completely absorbing read. Thank goodness we don’t have long to wait for books #4 and #5!
I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Previous Books in the Series
About the Author
Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I’m a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I’m an adventurer — having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia, Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that’s why my characters can’t sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another — they’re too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories.
Here’s my “Official” Bio.
With over 1 million books sold, critically acclaimed novelist Susan May Warren is the Christy, RITA and Carol award-winning author of over forty-five novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill, and Summerside Press. Known for her compelling plots and unforgettable characters, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic-suspense, thrillers, rom-com and Christmas novellas.
With books translated into eight languages, many of her novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. She’s a three time RITA finalist and an eight time Christy Finalist.
Of her books, Publisher’s Weekly has written, “Warren lays bare her characters’ human frailties, including fear, grief, and resentment, as openly as she details their virtues of love, devotion, and resiliency. She has crafted an engaging tale of romance, rivalry, and the power of forgiveness.”
And Library Journal adds, “Warren’s characters are well-developed and she knows how to create a first rate contemporary romance…”
Susan is also a nationally acclaimed writing coach, teaching at conferences around the nation and winner of the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year award. She loves to help people launch their writing careers and is the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com and www.LearnHowtoWriteaNovel.com, a writing website that helps authors get published and stay published. She’s also the author of the popular writing method, The Story Equation.
Connect with Susan: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Great blog!
Lovely review. It sounds like a wonderful series.