What do you think?
Rate this book
CrossBow Protection #1
Broken Warrior
War is hell. It cost Gary Cross his military career, his love, and left him with a roadmap of scars that serve as a constant reminder of everything he lost. Out of that tortured past came something extraordinary—CrossBow Protection, one of the premiere bodyguard services in the US.
Michael Kennedy has been Gary Cross’s personal assistant for nearly a year. He’s come to understand why none of his predecessors lasted more than a few months. Gary Cross is snarly, prickly, and snappy, and those are his good points. But Michael is not like the others—as Gary is about to find out.
A job for the government proves hard to refuse, but it isn’t long before Gary and Michael realize that by protecting one man, they’re risking everything Gary has built—and bringing death to their front door.
But this time Gary won’t let go. Even though it could lose him what he holds most dear.
Michael Kennedy has been Gary Cross’s personal assistant for nearly a year. He’s come to understand why none of his predecessors lasted more than a few months. Gary Cross is snarly, prickly, and snappy, and those are his good points. But Michael is not like the others—as Gary is about to find out.
A job for the government proves hard to refuse, but it isn’t long before Gary and Michael realize that by protecting one man, they’re risking everything Gary has built—and bringing death to their front door.
But this time Gary won’t let go. Even though it could lose him what he holds most dear.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2023
310 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Wells
159 books1,862 followersK.C. Wells lives on an island off the south coast of the UK, surrounded by natural beauty. She writes about men who love men, and can’t even contemplate a life that doesn’t include writing.
The rainbow rose tattoo on her back with the words 'Love is Love' and 'Love Wins' is her way of hoisting a flag. She plans to be writing about men in love - be it sweet and slow, hot or kinky - for a long while to come.
If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT
You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: https://www.kcwellswrites.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.c.wells
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-c-w...
And for those who like things a little hotter?
There's KC's alter ego, Tantalus, who writes gay erotica.
The rainbow rose tattoo on her back with the words 'Love is Love' and 'Love Wins' is her way of hoisting a flag. She plans to be writing about men in love - be it sweet and slow, hot or kinky - for a long while to come.
If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT
You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: https://www.kcwellswrites.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.c.wells
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-c-w...
And for those who like things a little hotter?
There's KC's alter ego, Tantalus, who writes gay erotica.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 8, 2025
3 Stars
Usually quite a fan of the whole “ex-military man starts a bodyguard business” trope in my M/M romance reads, I pretty much just dived into this one without asking any questions. This was probably to my detriment because a trope I don’t often do so well with was also present—the whole “I’ve lost the love of my life in a horrifically traumatic manner and I’m still not okay years later” trope.
Dead lover aside, I liked the opening chapters here and I thought the set-up was solid, introducing scarred and PTSD riddled Gary Cross, as the owner of the newly established CrossBow Protection agency, who is still unpacking years’ worth of physical and emotional trauma from his time serving in the military, having lost his best friend, lover, and team member on one fateful final mission that went horribly wrong.
Now, although having a lot of success with his bodyguard business, helping veterans and other down on their luck people to find stability and purpose in their new lives, Gary keeps everyone around him at a distance, proving to be the grumpy boss to his exceptional personal assistant, Michael Kennedy.
When the story begins, Michael has been working for Gary for a year, but is fed up with Gary’s snarly demeanor, calling him on his behaviour, acknowledging what Gary is dealing with, and all around verbally shaking some sense into the man who truly wishes to do better by his employees and hopeful friends.
After this revelation, Gary and Michael grow closer, quickly, with evolving feelings and a growing attraction that is amplified by a high-stress, life-threatening new problem, when a government sanctioned protective detail lands them and their protectee in the crosshairs of multiple violent assassination attempts that rattle the very foundations of the CrossBow agency and its little found family.
For the most part, this was an easy breezy reading experience. I liked the suspense plot, which featured quite a bit of death (minor characters only) and destruction, keeping a fairly engaging and fast-moving pace, and providing plenty of opportunities for one of my other favourite tropes to make a steady appearance: HURT-COMFORT. **chef's kiss**
For me, the suspense plot was stronger than the romance between Gary and Michael. Dead lover aside—which had been YEARS, so no drama with moving on, phew—I just felt a bit of whiplash in how quickly Gary and Michael went from long-time colleagues (boss x employee) to sudden, physically intense, emotionally all-in lovers. I mean, I’m not adverse to insta-love, but there was something about how this one played out that actually rattled me a bit.
Thinking on that, I feel like my main issue with this story was down to the dialogue. I found it a bit stilted; a bit unnatural and forced. They communicated wonderfully, for the most part, which was greatly appreciated, but so much of the dialogue in general just read as "off" to me. I can’t rightly say whether this is a common reaction of mine when reading either of these authors in the past, but maybe it was this particular suspenseful, highly-emotional setting that made it more obvious to me? Either way, I got stuck/thrown out of the flow of the story on a handful of occasions because I was questioning or cringing over particular lines of dialogue.
I also wasn’t a big fan on the final showdown scene… or more specifically, how it came about, with a reckless decision made on Gary’s part that, to me, undermined his past, his vast tactical experience, and his whole CrossBow operation. It seemed like a bit of an odd choice made by the authors, because for me it negated a lot of the mental, emotional, and definitely hard-fought physical healing and growth that Gary’s character had been through. Plus, it made me angry while also stressing me out, and I most certainly didn’t like that reaction on my part.
Overall, this series opener had a few highs and lows for me, but I have such a soft spot for K.C. Wells that I’ll definitely be returning for the sequel, especially because one of the book two MCs was the best secondary character here, so I just have to see how his story plays out.
Usually quite a fan of the whole “ex-military man starts a bodyguard business” trope in my M/M romance reads, I pretty much just dived into this one without asking any questions. This was probably to my detriment because a trope I don’t often do so well with was also present—the whole “I’ve lost the love of my life in a horrifically traumatic manner and I’m still not okay years later” trope.
Dead lover aside, I liked the opening chapters here and I thought the set-up was solid, introducing scarred and PTSD riddled Gary Cross, as the owner of the newly established CrossBow Protection agency, who is still unpacking years’ worth of physical and emotional trauma from his time serving in the military, having lost his best friend, lover, and team member on one fateful final mission that went horribly wrong.
Now, although having a lot of success with his bodyguard business, helping veterans and other down on their luck people to find stability and purpose in their new lives, Gary keeps everyone around him at a distance, proving to be the grumpy boss to his exceptional personal assistant, Michael Kennedy.
When the story begins, Michael has been working for Gary for a year, but is fed up with Gary’s snarly demeanor, calling him on his behaviour, acknowledging what Gary is dealing with, and all around verbally shaking some sense into the man who truly wishes to do better by his employees and hopeful friends.
After this revelation, Gary and Michael grow closer, quickly, with evolving feelings and a growing attraction that is amplified by a high-stress, life-threatening new problem, when a government sanctioned protective detail lands them and their protectee in the crosshairs of multiple violent assassination attempts that rattle the very foundations of the CrossBow agency and its little found family.
For the most part, this was an easy breezy reading experience. I liked the suspense plot, which featured quite a bit of death (minor characters only) and destruction, keeping a fairly engaging and fast-moving pace, and providing plenty of opportunities for one of my other favourite tropes to make a steady appearance: HURT-COMFORT. **chef's kiss**
For me, the suspense plot was stronger than the romance between Gary and Michael. Dead lover aside—which had been YEARS, so no drama with moving on, phew—I just felt a bit of whiplash in how quickly Gary and Michael went from long-time colleagues (boss x employee) to sudden, physically intense, emotionally all-in lovers. I mean, I’m not adverse to insta-love, but there was something about how this one played out that actually rattled me a bit.
Thinking on that, I feel like my main issue with this story was down to the dialogue. I found it a bit stilted; a bit unnatural and forced. They communicated wonderfully, for the most part, which was greatly appreciated, but so much of the dialogue in general just read as "off" to me. I can’t rightly say whether this is a common reaction of mine when reading either of these authors in the past, but maybe it was this particular suspenseful, highly-emotional setting that made it more obvious to me? Either way, I got stuck/thrown out of the flow of the story on a handful of occasions because I was questioning or cringing over particular lines of dialogue.
I also wasn’t a big fan on the final showdown scene… or more specifically, how it came about, with a reckless decision made on Gary’s part that, to me, undermined his past, his vast tactical experience, and his whole CrossBow operation. It seemed like a bit of an odd choice made by the authors, because for me it negated a lot of the mental, emotional, and definitely hard-fought physical healing and growth that Gary’s character had been through. Plus, it made me angry while also stressing me out, and I most certainly didn’t like that reaction on my part.
Overall, this series opener had a few highs and lows for me, but I have such a soft spot for K.C. Wells that I’ll definitely be returning for the sequel, especially because one of the book two MCs was the best secondary character here, so I just have to see how his story plays out.
August 16, 2023
Gary was the boss of Crossbow Protection, an ex-military man with mental and physical scars after surviving a bomb attack in the Middle East, losing his lover in the process. When we meet him again, he was the founder, owner and CEO of a big, successful security company, and Michael was his PA, and has been working for Gary for the past year. Gary was apparently mean and horrible to everyone, until one day, Michael snapped at him, had a seriously stilted conversation with Gary, and he immediately changed his ways and became a cinnamon roll. Although Michael and Gary knew each other for a year before the start of the book, it felt like insta-love because after THE TALK they were basically in love forever. And therefore I wasn't really invested in their romance because it felt stilted and weird.
I knew going in this was a romance (duh!!) and I should not be expecting a lot of realism, but this book was so unbelievable it completely took me out of it. They were supposed to be ex-military personnel that was really well-trained with expensive toys and equipment, but then their actions were just stupid and illogical. I am not going to spoil anything, but Gary's actions at the climax of the book was so illogical and incompetent that I lost all empathy for him and had zero interest in his life after that.
So all and all I did not really enjoy the book a lot, but at least I finished it, however I won't read the rest of the series.
I knew going in this was a romance (duh!!) and I should not be expecting a lot of realism, but this book was so unbelievable it completely took me out of it. They were supposed to be ex-military personnel that was really well-trained with expensive toys and equipment, but then their actions were just stupid and illogical. I am not going to spoil anything, but Gary's actions at the climax of the book was so illogical and incompetent that I lost all empathy for him and had zero interest in his life after that.
So all and all I did not really enjoy the book a lot, but at least I finished it, however I won't read the rest of the series.
July 3, 2023
Dnf 38%
After Michael gets a lap dance from a drunken guy in a sushi restaurant Gary gets jealous and they have sex. Despite Michael saying he gets rather enthusiastic in the bedroom it was standard procedure.
Up until this point nothing really happens. The main plot didn’t start and I’m almost at half of the book. The most interesting character is the mad scientist.
There wasn’t a believable dynamic between the two main MCs. The reason is quite obvious. We get to know them right when they begin to like each other. Everything beforehand is off page.
I don’t like Gary is hung up on his dead boyfriend. It was also unbelievable how broken he was but could be pounded into the mattress with no restraint from Michael.
After Michael gets a lap dance from a drunken guy in a sushi restaurant Gary gets jealous and they have sex. Despite Michael saying he gets rather enthusiastic in the bedroom it was standard procedure.
Up until this point nothing really happens. The main plot didn’t start and I’m almost at half of the book. The most interesting character is the mad scientist.
There wasn’t a believable dynamic between the two main MCs. The reason is quite obvious. We get to know them right when they begin to like each other. Everything beforehand is off page.
I don’t like Gary is hung up on his dead boyfriend. It was also unbelievable how broken he was but could be pounded into the mattress with no restraint from Michael.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2023
Wow, this was intense!!! This book is going to have in edge, pack with a lot of action and romance! Gary is a former soldier with prickly personality and a lot or baggage until his PA Michael calls him out on his behavior. He really doesn’t like to get close to anyone because of what he went through although anyone has stood up to him, Gary is surprised that Michael knows a lot of what’s happening with him, Gary and Michael since then start to spend time together and Gary gives Michael more responsibilities on his job. Their relationship progresses as they get to know each other, I like the pace of the story between them, their chemistry is amazing when they finally got together. Michael was a great surprise!!
When a case was brought to Gary, this turns out more deathly that they thought, CrossBow and his employees are in danger and they don’t know who is their enemy, this time Gaby is going to do everything to protect dose he care specially Michael. I was intrigued of what is going to happen and how this is going to affect the new relationship between Gary and Michael, I was on edge waiting and hoping they get the bad guys, the book was amazing and the romance was the best! Holly smoke!! Those two were on fire!!! I like the book and I highly recommended it!
When a case was brought to Gary, this turns out more deathly that they thought, CrossBow and his employees are in danger and they don’t know who is their enemy, this time Gaby is going to do everything to protect dose he care specially Michael. I was intrigued of what is going to happen and how this is going to affect the new relationship between Gary and Michael, I was on edge waiting and hoping they get the bad guys, the book was amazing and the romance was the best! Holly smoke!! Those two were on fire!!! I like the book and I highly recommended it!
September 13, 2023
1.5 stars.
This review is going to sound harsh, and I hate being so negative over something that an author took the time to write, and it’s even worse because it’s an author I normally love, but there was very little I liked about this book.
The writing didn’t flow very well, it was very choppy and was a bit of a chore to read. I didn’t really care for either character and found their dialogue and banter a bit off, especially Michael, I don’t think anyone really talks in real life like he did, it was like he was from another time period. I didn’t like the way Michael treated Gary, it was obviously supposed to come across as caring, but to me it was just patronising and controlling.
I don’t really like the dead ex trope, but if it’s done well then I have been known to enjoy it, this wasn’t done very well at all. Gary talked about Eric constantly, even during sex, if I were Michael I would have ran a mile away. The scene where Micheal made Gary talk to his mother on the phone while they were having sex made me angry, I don’t know why it was in the book or what the authors thought was okay about it, it was mind boggling.
The story itself, although it was a novel idea, had more holes in it than a pair of fishnets. I struggled with wether to give this one or two stars and settled on 1.5 for the simple fact that something about it kept me reading, I was intrigued as to what was going to happen. I very rarely rate a book this low, but I can’t possibly rate this any higher. If this is the start of a series, I will not be continuing it.
This review is going to sound harsh, and I hate being so negative over something that an author took the time to write, and it’s even worse because it’s an author I normally love, but there was very little I liked about this book.
The writing didn’t flow very well, it was very choppy and was a bit of a chore to read. I didn’t really care for either character and found their dialogue and banter a bit off, especially Michael, I don’t think anyone really talks in real life like he did, it was like he was from another time period. I didn’t like the way Michael treated Gary, it was obviously supposed to come across as caring, but to me it was just patronising and controlling.
I don’t really like the dead ex trope, but if it’s done well then I have been known to enjoy it, this wasn’t done very well at all. Gary talked about Eric constantly, even during sex, if I were Michael I would have ran a mile away. The scene where Micheal made Gary talk to his mother on the phone while they were having sex made me angry, I don’t know why it was in the book or what the authors thought was okay about it, it was mind boggling.
The story itself, although it was a novel idea, had more holes in it than a pair of fishnets. I struggled with wether to give this one or two stars and settled on 1.5 for the simple fact that something about it kept me reading, I was intrigued as to what was going to happen. I very rarely rate a book this low, but I can’t possibly rate this any higher. If this is the start of a series, I will not be continuing it.
June 25, 2023
Gary and Michael 🔥
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Well hot damn that's a way to start off a new series, this book was amazing. I'm not going to get to much into the plot of this story, I don't want to give anything away and secondly this is a collection of complexity's that fit together to make this story what it was. It was violent and there was death, it wasn't an easy read at times but still great nonetheless. Now let's talk about these two Mc's and the undeniable chemistry that simmers just below the surface 🔥 and the snark factor being on point, now that I can do. These two were such a perfect fit once they got together and the spicy bits....let's just say HOT 🔥🔥🔥🔥. I would say if you like a little bit of everything than this is the book for you, I loved it and cannot wait for the next in this series! It was very well done and left you clamoring for more!
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Well hot damn that's a way to start off a new series, this book was amazing. I'm not going to get to much into the plot of this story, I don't want to give anything away and secondly this is a collection of complexity's that fit together to make this story what it was. It was violent and there was death, it wasn't an easy read at times but still great nonetheless. Now let's talk about these two Mc's and the undeniable chemistry that simmers just below the surface 🔥 and the snark factor being on point, now that I can do. These two were such a perfect fit once they got together and the spicy bits....let's just say HOT 🔥🔥🔥🔥. I would say if you like a little bit of everything than this is the book for you, I loved it and cannot wait for the next in this series! It was very well done and left you clamoring for more!
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
June 19, 2023
3.5 Stars - Another exciting book from a writing duo I greatly enjoy. I liked the characters, especially Josh, but there was something that just didn’t work for me. I’m 100% sure the fault lies with me and probably comes from reading and/or watching too many plots where everything is figured out quickly, action adventure ensue, and the good guys never question themselves. That isn’t the case here which makes it more realistic, but obviously something I struggled with.
Still, I’m very much looking forward to the next book.
Still, I’m very much looking forward to the next book.
July 7, 2023
It’s the writing for me. The book is written in third POV which I love, however it’s written in a very old fashioned way like no one on earth would ever speak this way. It felt cringey and also not realtistic to me. Just my opinion. I DNF’d at 40%
June 12, 2023
4.5 stars
Great start to a new series.
Gary is very much a snarling, prickly person until his PA Michael finally calls him out on his terrible behaviour. Although Gary can’t remember the last time someone stood up to him he does appreciate the strength in Michael to do so.
Their relationship progresses at an even pace with the chemistry bubbling between them leading to very steamy times when they decide to act on their mutual feelings.
It’s not all sunshine and roses especially with the trauma Gary carried from his military experiences but the strength and patience of Michael is the soothing balm that Gary needs.
When a case turns out to not be what it seems death and destruction finds CrossBow and its employees. With plenty of action and drama to go with it! More pressures are placed on the relationship but not enough to derail the hard earned and well deserved HEA for these two wonderful men.
I enjoyed the strong character development of Gary, flaws and all and the way Michael accepts him without any ifs or buts. Their romance is perfectly balanced with all the action which makes for a very interesting and engaging storyline. I’m interested to see whose story will be told next.
Great start to a new series.
Gary is very much a snarling, prickly person until his PA Michael finally calls him out on his terrible behaviour. Although Gary can’t remember the last time someone stood up to him he does appreciate the strength in Michael to do so.
Their relationship progresses at an even pace with the chemistry bubbling between them leading to very steamy times when they decide to act on their mutual feelings.
It’s not all sunshine and roses especially with the trauma Gary carried from his military experiences but the strength and patience of Michael is the soothing balm that Gary needs.
When a case turns out to not be what it seems death and destruction finds CrossBow and its employees. With plenty of action and drama to go with it! More pressures are placed on the relationship but not enough to derail the hard earned and well deserved HEA for these two wonderful men.
I enjoyed the strong character development of Gary, flaws and all and the way Michael accepts him without any ifs or buts. Their romance is perfectly balanced with all the action which makes for a very interesting and engaging storyline. I’m interested to see whose story will be told next.
June 16, 2023
4.5 stars
"Broken Warrior" by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams is a heartfelt and emotionally charged and also action packed novel that delves deep into the healing power of love, resilience, and second chances. This collaborative effort between two of my favourite authors delivers a story that will tug at your heartstrings.
One of the standout aspects of "Broken Warrior" is the authors' ability to depict the raw emotions, psychological and physical struggles faced by veterans suffering from PTSD. The narrative explores the multifaceted nature of trauma, capturing both the external and internal battles faced by individuals like Gary Cross. The authors handle this sensitive topic with care and respect, showcasing the importance of understanding, acceptance, and support for those affected by such experiences. They also expertly convey his internal conflicts, fears, and insecurities, allowing readers to connect with his pain and yearning for healing. Michael, on the other hand, serves as a beacon of compassion and strength, offering unconditional support and love as he guides Gary towards emotional healing.
The romance between Gary and Michael is portrayed in realistic manner, highlighting the gradual trust and emotional connection that develops between them. Their chemistry is palpable. The authors balance the romance and mystery with the larger themes of self-acceptance, making the love story a vital part of Gary's healing journey.
In conclusion, "Broken Warrior" is a captivating novel that tackles the challenging themes of trauma, healing, and love. K.C. Wells and Parker Williams skillfully navigate the complexities of PTSD, bringing awareness to the struggles faced by veterans and emphasizing the transformative power of genuine connection.
I would easily rate it 5 stars but I feel that Michael's character was a bit underdeveloped and lacking background.
"Broken Warrior" by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams is a heartfelt and emotionally charged and also action packed novel that delves deep into the healing power of love, resilience, and second chances. This collaborative effort between two of my favourite authors delivers a story that will tug at your heartstrings.
One of the standout aspects of "Broken Warrior" is the authors' ability to depict the raw emotions, psychological and physical struggles faced by veterans suffering from PTSD. The narrative explores the multifaceted nature of trauma, capturing both the external and internal battles faced by individuals like Gary Cross. The authors handle this sensitive topic with care and respect, showcasing the importance of understanding, acceptance, and support for those affected by such experiences. They also expertly convey his internal conflicts, fears, and insecurities, allowing readers to connect with his pain and yearning for healing. Michael, on the other hand, serves as a beacon of compassion and strength, offering unconditional support and love as he guides Gary towards emotional healing.
The romance between Gary and Michael is portrayed in realistic manner, highlighting the gradual trust and emotional connection that develops between them. Their chemistry is palpable. The authors balance the romance and mystery with the larger themes of self-acceptance, making the love story a vital part of Gary's healing journey.
In conclusion, "Broken Warrior" is a captivating novel that tackles the challenging themes of trauma, healing, and love. K.C. Wells and Parker Williams skillfully navigate the complexities of PTSD, bringing awareness to the struggles faced by veterans and emphasizing the transformative power of genuine connection.
I would easily rate it 5 stars but I feel that Michael's character was a bit underdeveloped and lacking background.
June 25, 2023
4.5 stars
I enjoyed this collaboration by Parker Williams and K.C. Wells. Not sure where they can take the series but maybe Wheels and Abbas can have their own stories with cameos of Gary and Micheal???
I enjoyed this collaboration by Parker Williams and K.C. Wells. Not sure where they can take the series but maybe Wheels and Abbas can have their own stories with cameos of Gary and Micheal???
April 3, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed the book!!!
Loved the story and the premises of it.
Adorable main characters!! More than their chemistry I enjoyed their bond. The care and protection feelings for each other.
Loved the story and the premises of it.
Adorable main characters!! More than their chemistry I enjoyed their bond. The care and protection feelings for each other.
Read
February 7, 2025Finished as an audio book...unsure how to rate this tho. Some parts I loved ,and others were so unbelievable and excessive ...
June 15, 2023
Broken Warrior Brilliant ❤
OH........ WOW........ Absolutely blown away by Broken Warrior was gripped from the start could not put it down so exciting and gripping what an action packed start to a new series by KC Wells & Parker Williams. Gary and Michael are explosive together the chemistry between them is red hot and so sexy and steamy despite Gary being prickly and broken Michael was just what he needed the care and tenderness he shows is truly beautiful it's action packed and explosive the journey these two go on so intense but are perfect together can't wait for next in series recommend so much. ❤
OH........ WOW........ Absolutely blown away by Broken Warrior was gripped from the start could not put it down so exciting and gripping what an action packed start to a new series by KC Wells & Parker Williams. Gary and Michael are explosive together the chemistry between them is red hot and so sexy and steamy despite Gary being prickly and broken Michael was just what he needed the care and tenderness he shows is truly beautiful it's action packed and explosive the journey these two go on so intense but are perfect together can't wait for next in series recommend so much. ❤
June 27, 2023
What a fantastic and emotive first book of the series from KC Wells and Parker Williams! I was drawn in right from the prologue that gives us a glimpse of Gary's past when serving in the military, right up until the end when the case is solved, pains are healing and a new relationship has the time to grow stronger.
Gary breaks my heart. His injuries from time served in Iraq have impacted him significantly but can vary greatly on a day to day basis, dealing with vertigo, migraines, nightmares, insomnia and more. He hadn't realised just how much attention his executive assistant, Michael, has been paying to him until Michael let's rip and finally gives his moody, stubborn boss a piece of his mind. It's a funny wake up call for the boss man and he is adorable in his way to make amends and finally accept Michael's care and help, though he's still allowed to be surly. Their relationship really starts to grow from there and I love the connection that they build, Gary allowing himself to finally lean on someone and Michael being allowed to give the care he so desperately wants to give. Then it goes to a whole other level that is, unsurprisingly from these authors, incredibly hot and gives the MC's a deeper bond and more depth to their relationship, each showing their true sides that is only given to a partner they intend to be with. Elements of domination and submission but without the need for rules, just being in the moment together and making each other happy.
His bodyguard business is going from strength to strength but runs into trouble when he helps his former team leader with guarding a foreign national. trouble soon comes to their door and it's a race against time to keep everyone safe and figure out who it is coming after them. It's got action, drama, intrigue and betrayal to keep everyone on their toes right up until the end.
I really enjoyed all aspects of this series. It is hard to read in a couple of places - Gary's pain during a bad attack, and a scene that involves torture. It's clear that Gary is highly regarded in how he treats his employees, even when he's at his worst and it's what drew Michael to him. They make a brilliant couple, each giving what the other needs and I hope that the future gives them the happiness they deserve. I'm really looking forward to what comes next in this series and hoping for more from Wheels/Josh. The plot is great and has a couple of twists along the way, holding your attention hostage for the duration of the book.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Gary breaks my heart. His injuries from time served in Iraq have impacted him significantly but can vary greatly on a day to day basis, dealing with vertigo, migraines, nightmares, insomnia and more. He hadn't realised just how much attention his executive assistant, Michael, has been paying to him until Michael let's rip and finally gives his moody, stubborn boss a piece of his mind. It's a funny wake up call for the boss man and he is adorable in his way to make amends and finally accept Michael's care and help, though he's still allowed to be surly. Their relationship really starts to grow from there and I love the connection that they build, Gary allowing himself to finally lean on someone and Michael being allowed to give the care he so desperately wants to give. Then it goes to a whole other level that is, unsurprisingly from these authors, incredibly hot and gives the MC's a deeper bond and more depth to their relationship, each showing their true sides that is only given to a partner they intend to be with. Elements of domination and submission but without the need for rules, just being in the moment together and making each other happy.
His bodyguard business is going from strength to strength but runs into trouble when he helps his former team leader with guarding a foreign national. trouble soon comes to their door and it's a race against time to keep everyone safe and figure out who it is coming after them. It's got action, drama, intrigue and betrayal to keep everyone on their toes right up until the end.
I really enjoyed all aspects of this series. It is hard to read in a couple of places - Gary's pain during a bad attack, and a scene that involves torture. It's clear that Gary is highly regarded in how he treats his employees, even when he's at his worst and it's what drew Michael to him. They make a brilliant couple, each giving what the other needs and I hope that the future gives them the happiness they deserve. I'm really looking forward to what comes next in this series and hoping for more from Wheels/Josh. The plot is great and has a couple of twists along the way, holding your attention hostage for the duration of the book.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
December 12, 2023
From the burb I thought this was a grumpy- sunshine slow burn romance with plenty of intrigue. Maybe it delivered on the intrigue, but I never made it past page 50.
Gary is supposed to be the grumpy boss of a successful security company - someone who shouts and curses and makes grown men cry. Michael is his long suffering assistant who’s put up with him for over a year. We don’t see any of their antagonistic relationship. The first interaction between them is Gary being rude, Michael putting him in his place and the Gary buying him flowers and deciding that he’s wonderful.
“How come I didn’t see how great he is? Only now was Gary learning to appreciate that Michael was something special and he’d risked losing him because he’d been hurting and hadn’t wanted to share that with anyone.” This is on page 46. Where is the relationship building? Where’s the drama?
The dialogue felt clunky and the characters one dimensional.
Gary is supposed to be the grumpy boss of a successful security company - someone who shouts and curses and makes grown men cry. Michael is his long suffering assistant who’s put up with him for over a year. We don’t see any of their antagonistic relationship. The first interaction between them is Gary being rude, Michael putting him in his place and the Gary buying him flowers and deciding that he’s wonderful.
“How come I didn’t see how great he is? Only now was Gary learning to appreciate that Michael was something special and he’d risked losing him because he’d been hurting and hadn’t wanted to share that with anyone.” This is on page 46. Where is the relationship building? Where’s the drama?
The dialogue felt clunky and the characters one dimensional.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2023
I would be interested to know how a dual authored book is written. Does 1 author do 1 chapter and then they alternate. I found it strange that Gary was referred to as Mr Cross ( when he didn't need to be eg standing behind his desk) and then Gary at other times.
I liked Michael, his sassiness.
I found the story just so so though. It felt like an after thought at the end of the book to say what had happened to Abbas.
If there is another book, I will read it though, just hope the adventure is better.
I liked Michael, his sassiness.
I found the story just so so though. It felt like an after thought at the end of the book to say what had happened to Abbas.
If there is another book, I will read it though, just hope the adventure is better.
June 24, 2023
3.25⭐️
Six years after losing his partner Eric to a bomb that ended Gary’s military career and left him with permanent brain damage, scars and trauma, Gary has succeeded in creating CrossBow, a protection company whose mission is to give disenfranchised soldiers and others a second chance and a safe place to land. Despite cultivating an atmosphere of family and safety for his employees, Gary keeps anyone from getting close to him personally by being prickly, short and temperamental. His executive assistant Michael has lasted the longest of all his assistants, and one day finally has enough of Gary’s attitude and calls him to task. Having watched over Gary for almost a year and educated himself on what Gary’s injuries cost him on a daily basis, Michael is understanding but determined to get Gary to stop being so abrasive to everyone. This changes their dynamic quickly and soon they are working together as a team, and trying to protect a high value government asset from very powerful enemies that want him dead.
Overall, a solid enough story that gets higher marks bc I really enjoyed what the MCs came to mean to one another, and I commiserated with Gary’s struggles. Michael is confident, commanding and great at what he does. He’s also very caring and goes above and beyond in looking out for Gary long before they become more than boss and employee. He’s also stubborn and strong-willed, which he needs to be as Gary can be just as stubborn and hates looking weak, asking for help, or depending on others. Gary lives with significant pain and the constant uncertainty of attacks of vertigo and migraines, but does his best to hide his “shortcomings”. Underneath his shield of capable leader lives his vulnerability and certainty that no one can ever find him attractive bc of his scars and health challenges.
I enjoyed both characters, their banter and how well they complimented one another. They carried me through some of the structural/plot elements that didn’t work for me. The change in their work dynamic technically happens a bit fast bc all of Gary’s months of bad behavior happen off page and their first interaction the reader experiences is Michael calling Gary to task and Gary turning over a new leaf right away; it works though as Gary’s behavior in that scene is more than dickish enough to convey why Michael snapped and negates the complication and added work of seeing Gary spend months being a jerk to the other MC then trying to make it believable Michael would still fall for him.
The transition to lovers is not handled as well. It’s so jarring I felt like I had been dropped into someone’s pornhub script. The MCs are dining at a high end restaurant, the kind of high end that makes getting a reservation in under two years a blessing. Yet, one minute the MCs are eating and the next a drunk hottie comes over, sits in Michael’s lap and starts grinding on him as he feeds Michael edamame, much to Michael’s approval. Then when Gary gets up to leave, Michael gets up, grabs Gary’s hand and starts rubbing it on his dick and whispering naughty things in his ear—all in a HIGH END restaurant in front of any who’d care to watch. All through this I was like where is the manger? It felt like the scene was originally written to take place in a club’s champagne room, but got switched to a restaurant bc it was too difficult to have a reason to get the MCs there.
This kind of disconnect would have been fine if it was the only time the plot fell into it, but by the end there was just too much head-scratching ‘but why tho?’ moments for me. I’m all for turn your brain off romantic suspense, but when plots deal pretty realistically with things like, PTSD, trauma and therapy, they become more grounded in reality to me, making it harder to suspend my disbelief and be swept away by swoon-worthy love and hot sex, especially when the characters make decisions that are nonsensical given their professions. Gary has a successful, multi-million dollar protection company but wouldn’t send a bodyguard with a client after an unconventional protection plan just in case? And the end makes absolutely no sense no matter how the authors try to attach it to Gary’s issues. Had his choice played out as he expected, the bad guys would still win. He was clearheaded enough to make and execute the plan but stupid enough to not see the major flaw that would nullify it? Bc his issues were so real to me, it decreased my ability to go with plot set-ups that are made more for character conflict/emotional beats, but overall, I can see ppl really enjoying this book despite the structural choices that took me out of the story as the MCs are so easy to root for.
Six years after losing his partner Eric to a bomb that ended Gary’s military career and left him with permanent brain damage, scars and trauma, Gary has succeeded in creating CrossBow, a protection company whose mission is to give disenfranchised soldiers and others a second chance and a safe place to land. Despite cultivating an atmosphere of family and safety for his employees, Gary keeps anyone from getting close to him personally by being prickly, short and temperamental. His executive assistant Michael has lasted the longest of all his assistants, and one day finally has enough of Gary’s attitude and calls him to task. Having watched over Gary for almost a year and educated himself on what Gary’s injuries cost him on a daily basis, Michael is understanding but determined to get Gary to stop being so abrasive to everyone. This changes their dynamic quickly and soon they are working together as a team, and trying to protect a high value government asset from very powerful enemies that want him dead.
Overall, a solid enough story that gets higher marks bc I really enjoyed what the MCs came to mean to one another, and I commiserated with Gary’s struggles. Michael is confident, commanding and great at what he does. He’s also very caring and goes above and beyond in looking out for Gary long before they become more than boss and employee. He’s also stubborn and strong-willed, which he needs to be as Gary can be just as stubborn and hates looking weak, asking for help, or depending on others. Gary lives with significant pain and the constant uncertainty of attacks of vertigo and migraines, but does his best to hide his “shortcomings”. Underneath his shield of capable leader lives his vulnerability and certainty that no one can ever find him attractive bc of his scars and health challenges.
I enjoyed both characters, their banter and how well they complimented one another. They carried me through some of the structural/plot elements that didn’t work for me. The change in their work dynamic technically happens a bit fast bc all of Gary’s months of bad behavior happen off page and their first interaction the reader experiences is Michael calling Gary to task and Gary turning over a new leaf right away; it works though as Gary’s behavior in that scene is more than dickish enough to convey why Michael snapped and negates the complication and added work of seeing Gary spend months being a jerk to the other MC then trying to make it believable Michael would still fall for him.
The transition to lovers is not handled as well. It’s so jarring I felt like I had been dropped into someone’s pornhub script. The MCs are dining at a high end restaurant, the kind of high end that makes getting a reservation in under two years a blessing. Yet, one minute the MCs are eating and the next a drunk hottie comes over, sits in Michael’s lap and starts grinding on him as he feeds Michael edamame, much to Michael’s approval. Then when Gary gets up to leave, Michael gets up, grabs Gary’s hand and starts rubbing it on his dick and whispering naughty things in his ear—all in a HIGH END restaurant in front of any who’d care to watch. All through this I was like where is the manger? It felt like the scene was originally written to take place in a club’s champagne room, but got switched to a restaurant bc it was too difficult to have a reason to get the MCs there.
This kind of disconnect would have been fine if it was the only time the plot fell into it, but by the end there was just too much head-scratching ‘but why tho?’ moments for me. I’m all for turn your brain off romantic suspense, but when plots deal pretty realistically with things like, PTSD, trauma and therapy, they become more grounded in reality to me, making it harder to suspend my disbelief and be swept away by swoon-worthy love and hot sex, especially when the characters make decisions that are nonsensical given their professions. Gary has a successful, multi-million dollar protection company but wouldn’t send a bodyguard with a client after an unconventional protection plan just in case? And the end makes absolutely no sense no matter how the authors try to attach it to Gary’s issues. Had his choice played out as he expected, the bad guys would still win. He was clearheaded enough to make and execute the plan but stupid enough to not see the major flaw that would nullify it? Bc his issues were so real to me, it decreased my ability to go with plot set-ups that are made more for character conflict/emotional beats, but overall, I can see ppl really enjoying this book despite the structural choices that took me out of the story as the MCs are so easy to root for.
September 10, 2025
Repost of a deleted review from another platform. I read this in 2023. (STILL finding these old reviews! People, save your reviews in case they disappear!).
Twist-filled moving grumpy-sunshine boss-assistant MM romantic suspense
Book 1 of the CrossBow Protection series is an immersive romantic suspense read featuring two engaging heroes with a surprising and delightful draw to each other and a budding relationship tested by an increasingly dangerous situation. It offers complex layers and rich backstory for one hero—boss Gary Cross—and a heroic mission to save a man’s life amidst secrets and betrayals.
The connection between the heroes is strong and fun to see develop. Gary’s executive assistant Michael is at the end of his rope with Gary’s rudeness and cold treatment, but he’s so intrigued by the way the scarred and wary man cares for his employees and bends over backward to ensure everyone is safe and has what they need. The contradiction keeps him coming back to the office, day after exasperating day.
That changes when Michael calls out Gary on his poor treatment of Michael, and Gary… changes. The change feels a bit simple, easy, and too quick to be fully credible, but, it is nice to read and fun to see Gary trying, so, I went along with it. His attitude stems from PTSD and grief, from surviving a war zone but losing the man he loved in horrific circumstances, and getting called out by Michael wakes him up to needing to treat his assistant with the professional respect he deserves. And if showing how he values Michael involves bringing the man flowers…so be it.
They’re adorable together, Michael so positive and confident, and Gary not believing this man could really be interested in him and all his baggage. Their growing friendship and blossoming feelings are lovely to read. And lead to sensual fun and steamy times. But when Gary is approached by his former commander to protect a man connected to Gary’s past, Gary is thrown off track and can’t say no.
Drawn into a web of danger, betrayal, and twisted motives, Gary leans on Michael and opens up more than ever. But when nothing is as it seems and Gary’s men start dying, it seems he might not get a chance to truly live again.
Couple drawbacks; I struggled a bit with Gary’s quick evolution to openness with Michael, and he seemed to regress to acting less mature and professional at times, in an odd way—something was off. I was also put off by the way Gary brought up his dead lover during intimate moments. They discussed Gary’s past and his relationship with Eric openly and honestly enough without needing to talk about him when they were about to have sex. That was weird.
My main concern was that, when faced with the all-important choice toward the end, that “rally the troops and storm the castle” part of the finale, Gary’s choice is wrong/misguided and shows that he didn’t learn and evolve over the course of the book—he essentially makes the same mistake he made all those years ago, which threw off the ending and made it frustrating. It was a heroic sacrifice, but didn’t work because it was many steps backward in his character evolution at that point and left me more mad than moved.
I did appreciate that the authors were realistic about the physical reality of what happened to Gary and his severe injuries—there was no ridiculous “oh he’s fine a couple weeks later, watch him go” crud that you find in so many romantic suspense/mystery books when heroes are badly beaten/injured. But it also felt sad that it went that far, and while the book overall ends hopefully, it also left me feeling listless and…yeah, I’ll just go with sad. But I enjoyed the read and will look for these authors’ collaborations again. Hope to see more CrossBow stories. Secondary characters add depth to the read, including Gary’s genius absent-minded on-site inventor, Josh/Wheels, and the man they were protecting, and I’m sure there will be many engaging books to come.
HEA, hard-fought literally/physically, boss-assistant, grumpy-sunshine, former soldier, bodyguard company. TWs for extreme violence, PTSD, war-zone elements. No cheating or emotional cheating. Recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
Twist-filled moving grumpy-sunshine boss-assistant MM romantic suspense
Book 1 of the CrossBow Protection series is an immersive romantic suspense read featuring two engaging heroes with a surprising and delightful draw to each other and a budding relationship tested by an increasingly dangerous situation. It offers complex layers and rich backstory for one hero—boss Gary Cross—and a heroic mission to save a man’s life amidst secrets and betrayals.
The connection between the heroes is strong and fun to see develop. Gary’s executive assistant Michael is at the end of his rope with Gary’s rudeness and cold treatment, but he’s so intrigued by the way the scarred and wary man cares for his employees and bends over backward to ensure everyone is safe and has what they need. The contradiction keeps him coming back to the office, day after exasperating day.
That changes when Michael calls out Gary on his poor treatment of Michael, and Gary… changes. The change feels a bit simple, easy, and too quick to be fully credible, but, it is nice to read and fun to see Gary trying, so, I went along with it. His attitude stems from PTSD and grief, from surviving a war zone but losing the man he loved in horrific circumstances, and getting called out by Michael wakes him up to needing to treat his assistant with the professional respect he deserves. And if showing how he values Michael involves bringing the man flowers…so be it.
They’re adorable together, Michael so positive and confident, and Gary not believing this man could really be interested in him and all his baggage. Their growing friendship and blossoming feelings are lovely to read. And lead to sensual fun and steamy times. But when Gary is approached by his former commander to protect a man connected to Gary’s past, Gary is thrown off track and can’t say no.
Drawn into a web of danger, betrayal, and twisted motives, Gary leans on Michael and opens up more than ever. But when nothing is as it seems and Gary’s men start dying, it seems he might not get a chance to truly live again.
Couple drawbacks; I struggled a bit with Gary’s quick evolution to openness with Michael, and he seemed to regress to acting less mature and professional at times, in an odd way—something was off. I was also put off by the way Gary brought up his dead lover during intimate moments. They discussed Gary’s past and his relationship with Eric openly and honestly enough without needing to talk about him when they were about to have sex. That was weird.
My main concern was that, when faced with the all-important choice toward the end, that “rally the troops and storm the castle” part of the finale, Gary’s choice is wrong/misguided and shows that he didn’t learn and evolve over the course of the book—he essentially makes the same mistake he made all those years ago, which threw off the ending and made it frustrating. It was a heroic sacrifice, but didn’t work because it was many steps backward in his character evolution at that point and left me more mad than moved.
I did appreciate that the authors were realistic about the physical reality of what happened to Gary and his severe injuries—there was no ridiculous “oh he’s fine a couple weeks later, watch him go” crud that you find in so many romantic suspense/mystery books when heroes are badly beaten/injured. But it also felt sad that it went that far, and while the book overall ends hopefully, it also left me feeling listless and…yeah, I’ll just go with sad. But I enjoyed the read and will look for these authors’ collaborations again. Hope to see more CrossBow stories. Secondary characters add depth to the read, including Gary’s genius absent-minded on-site inventor, Josh/Wheels, and the man they were protecting, and I’m sure there will be many engaging books to come.
HEA, hard-fought literally/physically, boss-assistant, grumpy-sunshine, former soldier, bodyguard company. TWs for extreme violence, PTSD, war-zone elements. No cheating or emotional cheating. Recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
June 17, 2023
What an amazingly gripping book from these two talented authors!
Gary Cross is a prickly, grumpy, lonesome ex soldier. He is the boss of an elite protection company named Crossbow Protection. The company's name is a mix of his surname and his lovers, who he lost on their final deployment when their group was blown up in an attack on their base. Not only did he lose Eric, he also lost all of his men, with him having multiple, life changing injuries and being the only survivor and is a broken man. He and Eric always talked about setting up the company when they left the military, so when Gary was recovered he made it his mission to carry out this wish. Not only does the company provide security, it also provides jobs and a purpose for ex military personnel who would otherwise find it difficult to get work.
Michael has worked for Gary as his Executive Assistant for nearly a year and is the only person who has put up with Gary and his moods for this length of time. Michael understands that his boss is prickly because of his PTSD and the injuries he sustained in the attack. He vows to stand by Gary especially after calling him out and telling him some home truths. Gary begins to realise that his behaviour has been unfair and sets out to change his attitude towards life, Michael and his employees.
Everything is ticking along nicely, including Gary and Michael's relationship which is slowly growing into something more than work, that is until Gary is approached by an ex military colleague who offers them an assignment. Gary is reluctant to take on the case, but when Erics name is mentioned and the fact that the person they are to protect knew him, he agrees. He doesn't trust the man at all and hated him when he was in the army. Little does he know what's in store and what he will find out by the end of the book.
What follows includes violence, death, graphic torture, mystery, some home truths and some very hot romantic moments. Some of the scenes are very harrowing but all the trauma and the PTSD are written with respect and care and you really feel for the characters and go through the trauma with them. There are also scenes which bring a smile, especially with how Michael takes control of things in the bedroom and in other aspects of Gary's life. Josh, Crossbows tech guy is also very entertaining and his character is written brilliantly. The chats between Micheal and Abbas were also quite sweet, especially when Abbas tells him of his wishes for the future. I think most readers will share Gary's hate for Porter!
This is a fabulous book and is very well written. The details and the characters are brilliant, some events brutal, it's action packed and the end will surprise most people. Definitely one to read and I can't wait to read book 2 in the series, but I really hope Gary and Michael get to carry on their story. as they still have so much to overcome.
Gary Cross is a prickly, grumpy, lonesome ex soldier. He is the boss of an elite protection company named Crossbow Protection. The company's name is a mix of his surname and his lovers, who he lost on their final deployment when their group was blown up in an attack on their base. Not only did he lose Eric, he also lost all of his men, with him having multiple, life changing injuries and being the only survivor and is a broken man. He and Eric always talked about setting up the company when they left the military, so when Gary was recovered he made it his mission to carry out this wish. Not only does the company provide security, it also provides jobs and a purpose for ex military personnel who would otherwise find it difficult to get work.
Michael has worked for Gary as his Executive Assistant for nearly a year and is the only person who has put up with Gary and his moods for this length of time. Michael understands that his boss is prickly because of his PTSD and the injuries he sustained in the attack. He vows to stand by Gary especially after calling him out and telling him some home truths. Gary begins to realise that his behaviour has been unfair and sets out to change his attitude towards life, Michael and his employees.
Everything is ticking along nicely, including Gary and Michael's relationship which is slowly growing into something more than work, that is until Gary is approached by an ex military colleague who offers them an assignment. Gary is reluctant to take on the case, but when Erics name is mentioned and the fact that the person they are to protect knew him, he agrees. He doesn't trust the man at all and hated him when he was in the army. Little does he know what's in store and what he will find out by the end of the book.
What follows includes violence, death, graphic torture, mystery, some home truths and some very hot romantic moments. Some of the scenes are very harrowing but all the trauma and the PTSD are written with respect and care and you really feel for the characters and go through the trauma with them. There are also scenes which bring a smile, especially with how Michael takes control of things in the bedroom and in other aspects of Gary's life. Josh, Crossbows tech guy is also very entertaining and his character is written brilliantly. The chats between Micheal and Abbas were also quite sweet, especially when Abbas tells him of his wishes for the future. I think most readers will share Gary's hate for Porter!
This is a fabulous book and is very well written. The details and the characters are brilliant, some events brutal, it's action packed and the end will surprise most people. Definitely one to read and I can't wait to read book 2 in the series, but I really hope Gary and Michael get to carry on their story. as they still have so much to overcome.
July 1, 2024
Excellent Story & Narration🎧 Thrilling & Intense!
Broken Warrior
CrossBow Protection, Book 1
By: K.C. Wells, Parker Williams
Narrated by: John Solo
K.C. Wells and Parker Williams team up together for another amazing collaboration, a romantic suspense that keeps you thinking and brings you to the edge of your seat. Gary Cross, former military, has been through heII and survived, a sole surviver of a mission gone wrong. He lost a lot that tragic day, including the love of his life, Eric Bowman, and the only thing he has left are the scars inside and out, a broken heart and body. After recovering and back in the states he opened the security firm he and Eric discussed and dreamed about doing. The company has been doing well, and Gary has great people working for him and they moved into a new state-of-the-art building. The only problem he has is with keeping personal assistant. That was, until Michael Kennedy, his latest assistant, who tolerates him and gives as good as he gets. Michael sees Gary for who he is, why he is such a grump, and knows when he is having a bad day. Gary know he has a gem working for him and finally shows his appreciation, at least he attempt too. And when Gary’s past comes walking in the door, someone from his military past, someone he never wanted to see again, it is Michael who stands up to him first. Because he knew it would be something Eric would have done, he takes on an assignment that proves to be more dangerous than he first expected. There are a lot of layers to this story and the writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. I loved watching the relationship between Gary and Michael morph into more. The chemistry between them was smoking hot, and I thought they were great together and for each other. This story has plenty of drama, angst, heartfelt emotions, mystery, thrilling suspense and steamy romance. K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, thank you for another amazing story and wild, emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 John Solo delivers an outstanding performance, bringing these characters to life, humanizing them, giving each a voice that is fitting and I loved how he took each role and made it his own, sounding believable and just as I imagined they would sound. He absolutely nailed it as Gary, grasping every aspect of his personality, including his grumpy demeanor and his determination. And he was just as amazing as Michael and his character voices for all the secondary characters were perfection, too. He sets the right tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and has you feeling them all. John Solo is a versatile voice artist and his performance elevates this already amazing story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.
Broken Warrior
CrossBow Protection, Book 1
By: K.C. Wells, Parker Williams
Narrated by: John Solo
K.C. Wells and Parker Williams team up together for another amazing collaboration, a romantic suspense that keeps you thinking and brings you to the edge of your seat. Gary Cross, former military, has been through heII and survived, a sole surviver of a mission gone wrong. He lost a lot that tragic day, including the love of his life, Eric Bowman, and the only thing he has left are the scars inside and out, a broken heart and body. After recovering and back in the states he opened the security firm he and Eric discussed and dreamed about doing. The company has been doing well, and Gary has great people working for him and they moved into a new state-of-the-art building. The only problem he has is with keeping personal assistant. That was, until Michael Kennedy, his latest assistant, who tolerates him and gives as good as he gets. Michael sees Gary for who he is, why he is such a grump, and knows when he is having a bad day. Gary know he has a gem working for him and finally shows his appreciation, at least he attempt too. And when Gary’s past comes walking in the door, someone from his military past, someone he never wanted to see again, it is Michael who stands up to him first. Because he knew it would be something Eric would have done, he takes on an assignment that proves to be more dangerous than he first expected. There are a lot of layers to this story and the writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. I loved watching the relationship between Gary and Michael morph into more. The chemistry between them was smoking hot, and I thought they were great together and for each other. This story has plenty of drama, angst, heartfelt emotions, mystery, thrilling suspense and steamy romance. K.C. Wells and Parker Williams, thank you for another amazing story and wild, emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 John Solo delivers an outstanding performance, bringing these characters to life, humanizing them, giving each a voice that is fitting and I loved how he took each role and made it his own, sounding believable and just as I imagined they would sound. He absolutely nailed it as Gary, grasping every aspect of his personality, including his grumpy demeanor and his determination. And he was just as amazing as Michael and his character voices for all the secondary characters were perfection, too. He sets the right tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and has you feeling them all. John Solo is a versatile voice artist and his performance elevates this already amazing story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.
January 9, 2025
*possible spoilers ahead*
A great way to start a new series. The first book in the crossbow protection series by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams is an action packed office romance between ex military Gary, owner of cross bow protection, and his assistant Michael. The story follows them both through the challenges of navigating their new relationship through both their personal and professional lives, overcoming challenges, both physical and mental trying to tear them apart.
The book starts off both strong and emotive showing us a glimpse into Gary’s military past and what has moulded him into the man we come to see. The emotions exposed in this prologue are a strong thread throughout the whole of the book emphasising the magnitude of the trauma he suffered. Michael is the perfect partner to help Gary navigate through his traumas (both physical and mental) to become the man he once was (as well as being an amazing assistant professionally). Their relationship is just starting to tick along when Gary is approached by an ex military colleague who offers an assignment which will forever change things between Gary and Michael. From here we get to see the whole team thrown into action packed missions, endangering the lives of themselves and others in order to get to the truth.
By then end of the book I was really rooting for Gary and Michael’s HEA and they sure had to work for it. There is plenty of action within this book as well as touching on some pretty heavy topics such as PTSD and torture but I didn’t find this to overwhelming or distracting from the plot point of two men finding love and support in one another. Whilst some of the plot involving the action was slightly lacking realism I didn’t mind as it is a fictional book and is only the same as what you get in the majority of action movies out there nowadays.
I loved the relationship Gary and Michael found with one another. How Gary was eventually able to let Michael in and comfort him in the most difficult times and that Michael was able to provide that comfort that he had been desperate to give. Whilst I do think their relationship was slightly slow moving I think this was justified for this type of book not just because of everything that happens in the plot line but also because of everything these men have to overcome to be able to love each other as they deserve. However if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy any kind of angst whatsoever this one might not be for you. But if you love two men who support each other through the rough times and come to love each other so much they would die for each other then this is the book for you.
I can’t wait to read Josh (the crazy mad scientist) story.
August 8, 2023
This started out with Gary Cross, who started his bodyguard business after being discharged from the military due to almost being killed in Iraq(it had been a dream for both him and his lover, Eric Bowman who was killed in Iraq)and his loss made him a hard man afraid to get close to anyone because he couldn't bear to lose anyone else. His PA Michael Kennedy, who has lasted almost one year and secretly is attracted to Gary, has had enough of his lousy attitude and tells him off which was hilarious and amazingly made Gary try to be more reasonable.
Then General Porter who was over Gary in Iraq comes to him with a request for security for a young Iraqi man that Gary knew. You know this will end up being a disaster starting with Porter being an arrogant bastard and he doesn't tell Gary that the assassination attempt against Abbas was not the first one. Soon there is an attack against Crossbow headquarters and one of the bodyguards is killed. Keeping Abbas safe becomes harder so they move him into Crossbow headquarters. And Gary and Michael become involved and it is so funny and sexy and enjoyable.
It becomes necessary to move Abbas but even in the middle of the night they are attacked and Gary wonders how they knew about the plan(the reason is eventually revealed and it is heartbreaking). Gary realizes that the people who attacked now know that Abbas is still alive and they are moved and the attack this time is deadly and Abbas and Michael barely survive.
Then Gary has one of his tingles that tells him that Abbas and Michael are in terrible danger and he lies to Michael and goes to meet the people supposedly from the State Dpt and not surprisingly Porter is there and wants to know where Abbas is and then begins to torture Gary when he won't reveal his location. Gary is almost killed and even months later he is still not recovered completely. I loved this story and hope that she writes about Josh and hopefully he finds his minder.
Then General Porter who was over Gary in Iraq comes to him with a request for security for a young Iraqi man that Gary knew. You know this will end up being a disaster starting with Porter being an arrogant bastard and he doesn't tell Gary that the assassination attempt against Abbas was not the first one. Soon there is an attack against Crossbow headquarters and one of the bodyguards is killed. Keeping Abbas safe becomes harder so they move him into Crossbow headquarters. And Gary and Michael become involved and it is so funny and sexy and enjoyable.
It becomes necessary to move Abbas but even in the middle of the night they are attacked and Gary wonders how they knew about the plan(the reason is eventually revealed and it is heartbreaking). Gary realizes that the people who attacked now know that Abbas is still alive and they are moved and the attack this time is deadly and Abbas and Michael barely survive.
Then Gary has one of his tingles that tells him that Abbas and Michael are in terrible danger and he lies to Michael and goes to meet the people supposedly from the State Dpt and not surprisingly Porter is there and wants to know where Abbas is and then begins to torture Gary when he won't reveal his location. Gary is almost killed and even months later he is still not recovered completely. I loved this story and hope that she writes about Josh and hopefully he finds his minder.
June 18, 2023
Gary Cross is not an easy man to deal with. He lost the love of his life during his last deployment and was badly injured. He and Eric had a dream. They wanted to build a bodyguard company so that people like them, retired military, police officers and firefighters, would have a place to work after retirement, and Gary was determined to make that happen. Now CrossBow is the most elite bodyguard company in the U.S., but that doesn't make Gary feel much better. He left the military with too many scars to count, and a matching disposition. No assistant is willing to stay more than a few months, until Michael Kennedy took him in hand. Michael is convinced that underneath that prickly exterior is a good man and wants to help him in any way he can. Things finally look up when his past knocks on Gary's door. He is forced to take a government job that could endanger everything he has built, including his and Michael's lives. But as they fight for their lives, their attraction also grows.
This is a military/bodyguard/suspense romance. The action, drama, suspense and romance are well balanced, the world building is solid. The characters are very likable, I especially liked Wheels, an inventor who would embarrass James Bond's Q. No real cliffhanger, just a lead-in to the next story, and a HEA/HFN. There is definitely some angst and quite a bit of emotional baggage to go with the story. The flow of the story felt natural, but they're two instances in the beginning were the both attitude and feelings seem to change overnight. That said, I very much enjoyed reading this story. It is a great start to this new series and I can't wait for the next one. I voluntarily decided to write this review based on an ARC of this story. This review reflects my honest opinion.
This is a military/bodyguard/suspense romance. The action, drama, suspense and romance are well balanced, the world building is solid. The characters are very likable, I especially liked Wheels, an inventor who would embarrass James Bond's Q. No real cliffhanger, just a lead-in to the next story, and a HEA/HFN. There is definitely some angst and quite a bit of emotional baggage to go with the story. The flow of the story felt natural, but they're two instances in the beginning were the both attitude and feelings seem to change overnight. That said, I very much enjoyed reading this story. It is a great start to this new series and I can't wait for the next one. I voluntarily decided to write this review based on an ARC of this story. This review reflects my honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2023
I expected to like this book more than I did, as I've found Wells to be a very consistent writer in the past. However, while the story is still fun on a turn off your brain level, this novel just didn't work for me on a number of levels.
And when I say turn off your brain, I mean it. There were just too many instances of characters doing incredibly stupid things. For example, the first attack isn't anticipated by the characters (Cross supposedly is a master strategist) at a time when Gary and Michael first get together. No one sees who the real villain is (it turns out to be amazingly obvious), the steps they take to protect their client make no real sense, and the ending, well, defies logic as the reader asks why Cross would do what he did?
Probably my biggest issue was that the main plot starts right after Gary and Michael have a sudden turnaround in their relationship. Cross has been a horrible boss up until that point and turns his actions around on a dime, and then the two become joined at the hip suddenly right as the main plot starts; it just doesn't make any sense from a plot perspective. The fact that Michael starts off as a cipher doesn't help either. Through the book there's just not a lot of character development on his part; it's difficult to care for a character if you don't know who they are.
There were a few aspects of the story that saved the novel for me. The depiction of Cross's PTSD and mental health issues were very compelling and struck me as very realistic, especially as the problems weren't suddenly solved or ignored. Cross's issues were an important part of the plot throughout the entire book. Plus, the action scenes were well written and the pacing of the book was well done.
It's a shame there were so many plot issues as there was the chance for something special here with more time spent on fixing the plot. I'm still curious about the next book in the series, so hopefully those issues will be addressed.
And when I say turn off your brain, I mean it. There were just too many instances of characters doing incredibly stupid things. For example, the first attack isn't anticipated by the characters (Cross supposedly is a master strategist) at a time when Gary and Michael first get together. No one sees who the real villain is (it turns out to be amazingly obvious), the steps they take to protect their client make no real sense, and the ending, well, defies logic as the reader asks why Cross would do what he did?
Probably my biggest issue was that the main plot starts right after Gary and Michael have a sudden turnaround in their relationship. Cross has been a horrible boss up until that point and turns his actions around on a dime, and then the two become joined at the hip suddenly right as the main plot starts; it just doesn't make any sense from a plot perspective. The fact that Michael starts off as a cipher doesn't help either. Through the book there's just not a lot of character development on his part; it's difficult to care for a character if you don't know who they are.
There were a few aspects of the story that saved the novel for me. The depiction of Cross's PTSD and mental health issues were very compelling and struck me as very realistic, especially as the problems weren't suddenly solved or ignored. Cross's issues were an important part of the plot throughout the entire book. Plus, the action scenes were well written and the pacing of the book was well done.
It's a shame there were so many plot issues as there was the chance for something special here with more time spent on fixing the plot. I'm still curious about the next book in the series, so hopefully those issues will be addressed.
June 16, 2023
This is quite a difficult read and it touches lots of painful and sad topics, so be prepared for lots of feelings.
When Gary's military team, including his lover, is killed in an explosion he is the only surviver and his body is bearing the scars. Not just physical but also mentally he is a broken man. Years later he set up CrossBow, the security company he dreamt to have with his lover. Closed to most people he is a kind. of boss no personal assistant should be working for.
But Michael does, after a stand-down Gary. realises what he does and Michael gets an even deeper insight of Gary and the depth of the issues.
When an old military contact wants CrossBow to guard a VIP, hell breaks out and it's testing Gary and Michael's new found relationship.
I like the book, these two authors aren't writing cute and fluffy together, it's a story of a man realising that he is still valued and the man who wants nothing more than caring for him.
There is lots of dark topics in this one and stowards the end things get gritty and hard to read.
Gary is definitely at. the front of this book and it leads to Michael lacking depth and background. I do like Michael, he is exactly right for Gary but I wish there would be more of him.
Their physical relationship came quite sudden, I think it could have benefitted from some more description of the attractions each of them has towards the other.
I could have kicked Gary in the backside towards the end, the reason for his behaviour are understandable but utterly wrong and I like how these two managed to rescue their relationship.
I hope to see certain characters again and look forward to the next one.
When Gary's military team, including his lover, is killed in an explosion he is the only surviver and his body is bearing the scars. Not just physical but also mentally he is a broken man. Years later he set up CrossBow, the security company he dreamt to have with his lover. Closed to most people he is a kind. of boss no personal assistant should be working for.
But Michael does, after a stand-down Gary. realises what he does and Michael gets an even deeper insight of Gary and the depth of the issues.
When an old military contact wants CrossBow to guard a VIP, hell breaks out and it's testing Gary and Michael's new found relationship.
I like the book, these two authors aren't writing cute and fluffy together, it's a story of a man realising that he is still valued and the man who wants nothing more than caring for him.
There is lots of dark topics in this one and stowards the end things get gritty and hard to read.
Gary is definitely at. the front of this book and it leads to Michael lacking depth and background. I do like Michael, he is exactly right for Gary but I wish there would be more of him.
Their physical relationship came quite sudden, I think it could have benefitted from some more description of the attractions each of them has towards the other.
I could have kicked Gary in the backside towards the end, the reason for his behaviour are understandable but utterly wrong and I like how these two managed to rescue their relationship.
I hope to see certain characters again and look forward to the next one.
June 19, 2023
Gary Cross, former soldier and now CEO of the CrossBow Protection business after a horrific injury forced retirement, is a bit of an enigma - he does his best to alienate anyone who might get close to him yet he’s a caring, empathetic boss when his people need him to be. The one person able to scale the walls Gary put up is Michael Kennedy - his latest PA.
So, what do I like about this book? I think the way in which Gary’s back story is crafted is great and contributes so much to him being a sympathetic MC. I love Michael's take-charge attitude and how he injects that into him being quite dominant (with a small ‘d’ - this isn't a D/s relationship) with Gary. There's a decent level of intrigue in the plot, the action scenes are pacy and the steamy scenes are hot. I also like the side characters - especially Josh, a scatterbrained genius who features quite heavily in the book.
More often than not, if I have a gripe about a book’s length it's that I wish there’d been more editing to trim the fat, but with Broken Warrior I actually wish it were longer. I really liked all the action, plot development points and steamy bits. Where the book falls short a little for me is the relationship development. We're told that some months have passed between Gary hiring Michael and the two switching from boss/employee to lovers, but on the page it actually feels a bit insta which doesn't really work for me here.
That said, I think this is a good introduction to an interesting book world and I'd absolutely read more in the CrossBow Protection series. I'd especially like Josh to get a story of his own. 3.5*
A copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
So, what do I like about this book? I think the way in which Gary’s back story is crafted is great and contributes so much to him being a sympathetic MC. I love Michael's take-charge attitude and how he injects that into him being quite dominant (with a small ‘d’ - this isn't a D/s relationship) with Gary. There's a decent level of intrigue in the plot, the action scenes are pacy and the steamy scenes are hot. I also like the side characters - especially Josh, a scatterbrained genius who features quite heavily in the book.
More often than not, if I have a gripe about a book’s length it's that I wish there’d been more editing to trim the fat, but with Broken Warrior I actually wish it were longer. I really liked all the action, plot development points and steamy bits. Where the book falls short a little for me is the relationship development. We're told that some months have passed between Gary hiring Michael and the two switching from boss/employee to lovers, but on the page it actually feels a bit insta which doesn't really work for me here.
That said, I think this is a good introduction to an interesting book world and I'd absolutely read more in the CrossBow Protection series. I'd especially like Josh to get a story of his own. 3.5*
A copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
September 4, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more in the CrossBow Protection series. In Bk 1, we meet Gary Cross, a recovering injured ex-military person who lost the love of his life and his platoon in a car bomb. Now, suffering the effects of traumatic brain injury, emotional issues, and a scarred body, Gary has realized he and his deceased partner's dream to open the CrossBow Protection security agency. Gary has made great strides in his recovery, but he is also prickly and difficult to work with, as he never wants anyone to get close enough for him to get hurt again.
Michael Kennedy has been Gary's PA for almost a year. He likes the money, but his boss is a workaholic who doesn't delegate well. Michael watches closely and sees that Gary's difficult nature is a mask for a caring, generous man who goes the extra mile for all of his employees. To top it off, Michael is secretly very attracted to Gary, although Gary is oblivious.
When the government asks Gary to take on protection of a foreign delegate, he is initially resistant, especially since the request comes from a general who Gary despises. The mission is accepted, but is highly dangerous. In the meantime, the relationship between Gary and Michael heats up and their passion is deep and healing. This book is a fully-formed story with no cliffhangers, but it leaves a question related to the larger mystery, which will likely be the focus of Bk 2. This book has action, mystery, danger, camaraderie, some difficult scenes (read TWs), and a most profound, determined love.
Michael Kennedy has been Gary's PA for almost a year. He likes the money, but his boss is a workaholic who doesn't delegate well. Michael watches closely and sees that Gary's difficult nature is a mask for a caring, generous man who goes the extra mile for all of his employees. To top it off, Michael is secretly very attracted to Gary, although Gary is oblivious.
When the government asks Gary to take on protection of a foreign delegate, he is initially resistant, especially since the request comes from a general who Gary despises. The mission is accepted, but is highly dangerous. In the meantime, the relationship between Gary and Michael heats up and their passion is deep and healing. This book is a fully-formed story with no cliffhangers, but it leaves a question related to the larger mystery, which will likely be the focus of Bk 2. This book has action, mystery, danger, camaraderie, some difficult scenes (read TWs), and a most profound, determined love.
June 18, 2023
This book was an absolute rollercoaster of action and emotion. I've gone with 4 stars but for me there were some 5 star sections and some slightly less so I averaged it out. I loved how protective Michael was of Gary and their chemistry together was off the charts. They had a great dynamic although it was kind of a jolt from how they moved from work colleagues to more. I thought the world building was also brilliant and I became invested in some of the secondary characters too, especially Josh (aka 'Wheels'). I'm hoping that the next book will follow him and we get to see who can possibly keep him on track!
The storyline was quite intense and was packed with action from start to finish. It's not an easy-going read; there are hard moments, times when I was near tears and it definitely kept my brain working to solve what was going on. For me, some of the harder hitting stuff came too close to the end and dampened my feeling of HEA. Yes it absolutely is a happy ending for the pair but the huge dose of realism just skewed it slightly in my opinion. However, I know that's a preference issue and not anything to do with the writing itself.
Overall, this is a great start to a new series. It is full of action/suspense and also shows a great relationship develop between Gary and Michael. If you like MM romance with plenty of action and characters who have to fight for their HEA then I'd definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
The storyline was quite intense and was packed with action from start to finish. It's not an easy-going read; there are hard moments, times when I was near tears and it definitely kept my brain working to solve what was going on. For me, some of the harder hitting stuff came too close to the end and dampened my feeling of HEA. Yes it absolutely is a happy ending for the pair but the huge dose of realism just skewed it slightly in my opinion. However, I know that's a preference issue and not anything to do with the writing itself.
Overall, this is a great start to a new series. It is full of action/suspense and also shows a great relationship develop between Gary and Michael. If you like MM romance with plenty of action and characters who have to fight for their HEA then I'd definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
July 30, 2023
Oh…kay?
So that was disappointing. Womp womp is all I can think about this book. I mean, it’s disappointing because the story is THERE. The characters are THERE. Where is the delivery, is the real question.
And apparently it’s nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. I don’t know if this book was longer at some point, needing to be condensed for.. whatever reason, therefore losing critical details and development of the story and characters, or if it was piecemeal and choppy from a lack of communication between the authors, or if it just fell off somewhere else and nobody stepped up and said anything. Whatever happened, this was the result.
And it was awful.
The whole thing feels like you missed something somewhere, and you’ll spend forever going back and trying to figure out what, until eventually you’ll just decide to go with it and wallow in the confusion and disconnect. Then, you’ll come across a glaring inconsistency—Mr. Delaney? Really? Not even ten pages later he’s back to being Mr. Kennedy—and spend even more time backtracking.
Let’s not even talk about the fact that nothing makes any kind of sense and that’s not how any of that works. . .
The mechanics weren’t good, the whole thing needs more, and I’m not happy about it. About any of this, really, because I love K C Wells, and I’m usually going to rave and gush about that love.
But not this time.
2.75/5. *cue womp womp noise*
So that was disappointing. Womp womp is all I can think about this book. I mean, it’s disappointing because the story is THERE. The characters are THERE. Where is the delivery, is the real question.
And apparently it’s nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. I don’t know if this book was longer at some point, needing to be condensed for.. whatever reason, therefore losing critical details and development of the story and characters, or if it was piecemeal and choppy from a lack of communication between the authors, or if it just fell off somewhere else and nobody stepped up and said anything. Whatever happened, this was the result.
And it was awful.
The whole thing feels like you missed something somewhere, and you’ll spend forever going back and trying to figure out what, until eventually you’ll just decide to go with it and wallow in the confusion and disconnect. Then, you’ll come across a glaring inconsistency—Mr. Delaney? Really? Not even ten pages later he’s back to being Mr. Kennedy—and spend even more time backtracking.
Let’s not even talk about the fact that nothing makes any kind of sense and that’s not how any of that works. . .
The mechanics weren’t good, the whole thing needs more, and I’m not happy about it. About any of this, really, because I love K C Wells, and I’m usually going to rave and gush about that love.
But not this time.
2.75/5. *cue womp womp noise*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews