He has a guardian’s instinct and a hero’s heart. Will it be enough to protect the woman he loves?
Newly retired from an elite Australian Commando unit, Basil St. John, code-named Halo, is moving to Washington, D.C., with his K9 Max. In his new job, Halo will spearhead the development of Team Charlie for Iniquus's famed Cerberus Tactical K9 unit. Learning the ropes with Panther Force, Halo focuses on navigating the dangers he and Max face in their new roles.
Things turn dire as the team tries to save a family. When a stranger races into the fray, Halo is blown away by her determination and courage. But with no way to find her again, she is all Halo can think about.
Celebrating her fortieth birthday, Mary is at a turning point in her life. With her divorce final and her kids off to college for the first time, Mary has the space and time to figure out who she is. In this second act, she is offered the name of a single location on a single day with the promise that if she shows up, her life will change forever. For the better? For the worse? She has no idea. Are things so uncomfortable for her now that she’s willing to take a chance and find out?
When Mary’s mid-life reset and Halo's work forces them into a series of life-or-death situations, together they are fighting for survival. But is this guy, with his sexy Australian accent, just a brush-past, or is he supposed to be something more? Could they even make it to happily ever after?
Guardian’s Instinct, book 1 in the Cerberus Tactical K9 Team Charlie series, is an action adventure romantic suspense that can be read as a standalone and does include a guaranteed HEA. Grab your copy today and get ready for a rollercoaster ride.
Fiona Quinn is a USA Today bestselling author, a Kindle Scout winner, and an Amazon All-Star.
Quinn writes action-adventure romance in her Iniquus World of books including Lynx, Strike Force, Uncommon Enemies, Kate Hamilton Mysteries, FBI Joint Task Force, Cerberus Tactical K9 Team Alpha, and Delta Force Echo series.
She writes urban fantasy as Fiona Angelica Quinn for her Elemental Witches Series.
And, just for fun, she writes the Badge Bunny Booze Mystery Collection with her dear friend Tina Glasneck under the pen name Quinn Glasneck.
Canadian born, Fiona Quinn is now rooted in the Old Dominion where she lives with her husband. There, she pops chocolates, devours books, and taps continuously on her laptop.
In this novel you blew me away. Ms. V, whom Mary the heroine, best friend reveres, take her on an emotional, physical, and spiritual journey, while meeting the newest Iniquis member, Halo, a Commando out of Australia. Frankly, the speed of this novel, while seemingly relaxed at first, and I do mean very first, these two are on a trajectory to meet, do amazing things, and become each other's person. Might I say, "it is written in the stars." You packed so much into these few pages compared to content. The emotional, the settings, all the feels, so much to unpack at a rapid speed. I was astounded by the flow of the story, even the epilogue moved with emotion and speed beyond belief. Now here I sit trying to commend your use of written word bringing your imagination to "life". I cannot. There are not words I can use to convey all you provided to me in novel form.
Eat, Pray, Love meets Die Hard without the villain. Oh and there is an awesome dog!!
An interesting premise and read that was well executed. Was it a romance though? It had an HEA but in the epilogue..not much else. Still...the Die Hard franchise is a favourite.
Book 32. Quite an accomplishment to keep this Iniquus wor!d going with each story as good as the next. This is a world I could read again. Thank you for such good stories. I would encourage you to read these books whether in each series or chronologically.
This is post military servicemen and women with extra skills who are using those skills in security and search and rescue scenarios.
I absolutely love Fiona Quinn's World of Iniqqus. This, I believe is book 36 (of thereabouts) in the series. Iniqqus is a private security company that operates like Special Forces, Navy Seals and in this case, Australian Commandos, from which the operatives are drawn. They specialise in personal protection and difficult rescues - and lots of other things. I thoroughly enjoyed Guardian's instinct - I've enjoyed some more than others, as is normal, and this is one of my favourites. I really love the way Fiona focused on an "empty nester" on the cusp of 40, divorced from a husband who never appreciated her, grown children left home, feeling at a loss. Suddenly she not only finds out what she is capable of, performing an an amazing feat of courage to save two young children and their mother but also a gorgeous, wonderful man - and his heroic dog - who love and are devoted to her. Fiona Quinn's research is impeccable. Can't get better than that! The epilogue was a near tear jerker and very much an HAE.
Newly hired as Iniquus, Cerberus Tactical K9 canine unit leader, Basil ‘Halo’ St. John and his K9, Max, have a successful first mission, locating an elderly woman with memory issues lost in the mountains during a torrential rainstorm. Next Halo’s assigned to escort a female diplomat around and out of Estonia but is derailed by a family trapped in a raging fire.
Mary Williams was like the other girls in her hometown. At 18, Ella was mom to twins, married to a submariner on mission six months a year, living on base. By 35, divorced, unskilled, under the wing of an older neighbor with a parallel life Mary took nursing classes while looking for a life that fit her. Visiting a noted seer, Mary’s told her fate will change in Estonia. While there, Mary inserts herself in a rescue for a family but meets a charming man who likes her daring, his name is Halo. Rating: 2.75stars
Perfect Combination of Adventure and Romance Basil St. John is a retired Australian Commodore recently hired by Iniquus to work the new Team Charlie for Cerberus K9. As part of his training Basil, known as Halo, and his young K9, Max, must learn some new skills. New skills or not, Halo and Max find a connection with a wonderful, talented and self-effacing woman. Mary Williams is an almost 40, divorcee with an empty nest. The unexpected, remarkable and exciting situations Halo, Mary and Max find themselves in are slamming, dangerous and fated. Karma plays an amazing part in this relationship and it's brilliant. Mary has been underappreciated most of her adult life: her parents, her sister, her ex-husband, even her twin boys. In this chapter of her life, she is trying to stretch and expand her horizons. Halo is perfect for appreciating Mary and vice versa. Wonderful romance and daring.
This book read so fast. The time flew by in an instant and I didn’t even realize how much of it had just vanished on me. I adored this trio. After Max first brought Halo and Mary together, their need to serve, even in the most harrowing of circumstances, kept throwing them in each other’s way. This was a much less politically fraught story than many of the others in the series, but it’s still filled with action and adventure as the three of them tested their wits against time and Mother Nature. I’ve barely finished reading this and already I can’t wait to get my hands on whatever’s next in the Iniquus world. I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author.
Mary has been making changes in her life. the changes help save two kids and the mother and she meets Halo
Halo has just joined his new team with Iniquus and is on first assignment. He knew there were going to be big changes in his and Max’s lives. Max is his dog. A trained tactical dog that is his best friend. Mary is going through her midlife crises, her empty nest is driving her to do lots of new things. Such as fly off to Finland with her best friend to be her support as she gets her life reading. Then the lady throws in a reading for Mary that is free. It changes her life completely
Oh My God, first three words after reading. Better that chocolate
Heart stopping, heart racing, heart palpitations, heartful. Best one yet. Mary is hysterical, funny, heartfelt, warm, genuine. Halo... Do they make very men like him? One again Quinn has given us an exciting ( any more and I would need a cardiologist) story. Loved Max the dog. Mary is the last person who would be chosen to be a heroine but isn't that the best heroine? Her life turns upside down and inside out when her friend insists she go on a trip to see an astrologer. What a ride. So glad we got to go on the adventure.
Mary is a nurse, divorced and an empty nester since her twin sons had graduated college and moved cross-country. Her best friend Deidre drags her to Switzerland to meet with a talented psychic to learn her destiny. While waiting for Deidre to get her reading and life choices she relaxes and is in thought when Madam V sends for her and does a free session for her. The next step is Tallinn, Estonia where she meets all of her love, life and destiny in an Iniquus operator Halo and his K-9 Max. This author is a true storyteller and at times will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, just love her.
Newly retired from an elite Australian Commando unit Basil st. John code is halo is moving to Washington D. C. with his K9 partner. He is learning the roles with Panther Force. Celebrating her birthday Mary and her best friend after both got a divorce and kids growing up. They have graduated nursing. She sees a dog wanting to pet him. They go where the fortune teller where to go on her birthday and her life will change. She is walking and see a woman and two boys on fifth floor with it on fire the team is trying to rescue them but he climbs a flag poll and help rescue them
Halo and Mary. I really liked the couple and their story. The teams and K9s especially Max are interesting and I look forward to reading more stories with them. I struggled a bit with the first half or the buildup to the first meeting. I know the need for background abd world building, but I kept being surprised by the amount of time and details spent on what was just a few days in the story timeline. I wish more was down with the immediate aftermath of the flash flood as well. The epilogue was cute, but threw me for a bit with who the new character was and why it jumped so far in the future.
This story is about 40 year old middle-aged, nurse Mary, former Australian Special Forces Basil/Halo, and his Super Hero Dog, Max. There's suspense, romance (fade to black only), mid-life funny scenes, a little empty nesting sadness, quite a lot of woo-woo, stretch-your-beliefs happenings, death defying escapades, and a whole lot of hilarious antics! You have to read Mary's comedy routine - soooo funny!!! I was belly laughing. ;D I totally recommend this book.
The only con I have is that the death-defying scenes don't end in the moment, but you do find out how they turned out later. Those kind of took me out of the story. 😞
Thank you, Fiona for another glorious story! I always look forward to the adventures you create for your characters. I loved how Max knew that Mary was the one for Halo from the very beginning. Such a darling, fantastic storyline. And to think, you did this yourself, so you'd have an understanding of what your character went through in the story. I powered through this one. Now onto your new book.
I highly recommend this novel to all who enjoy a great storyline with amazing adventures and excitement of course.
I was gifted a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review of my own volition.
Romance collides misadventure and challenge and put of it all emerges what may be my favorite Fiona Quinn novel! Written from i side tow different headspaces, a just-about-to turn-forty divorced woman encounters the newest potential team member and his dog. There's an amazing fire rescue scene that must have closed through Quinn's consciousness fully figured, or been the product of countless hours of writing and rewriting to produce a wondrous piece of writing.
This book is a rollercoaster of emotions that keeps your heart pumping. Halo and Mary are such unassuming people and yet so perfect for each other. Character development allows you to see these people in your mind the author really does do a great job. The book is part of a series but can definitely be read as a standalone. The storyline which included such perfect descriptions of the bog and poisonous plants was impeccable. Of course Max is one of the strongest characters and such a good boy. I highly recommend this truly enjoyable read.
To everyone else ---if you love to read exciting books---start with her books . I have read all of the Cerberus Tactical K9 series, plus a few (so far) of her others and believe me, they are definitely page turners--VERY hard to put down. Book 4 was one of the best but I know if I went back to the others I would say the same thing about them. I was grilling my kindle so hard while reading --- well I will not give it away -- read it & you'll find out --- wow!!!!
Would you be confident enough to leave it up to fate, to blindly go where you are told you need to.... Not me! But Mary does and what a crazy ride it is! But it brings her Halo and Max, who are both on their own new journey. I cannot tell you how much I love the bond that Mary, Halo and Max form, it is amazing that Max just "knows", but even better that Halo fully accepts what Max is telling him! I love all of the Iniquus series, however the Cerberus Tactical K9 series burrows deep into your heart and this is my favourite so far. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
I'm so happy Fiona showed her funny side in this story. She truly wears many hats, and I love a good laugh. Such a fun, fast-paced adventure. What laundry, what cleaning, why must you family need to eat again?? Locked in at page one, as always. I must remember to clear my schedule of pesky distractions when these books drop. I wasn't under contract on this one so I get to finally leave a review!!
Wonderful action packed romantic suspense. Halo is Australian and is hoping to work for Cerberus Tactical K9. He and Max are a team. Mary is a divorced nurse whose main exercise is pole dancing. They meet and Max wants to be close to her. She’s on a journey with her best friend. Both their lives change forever after a disaster. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by Ms Quinn.
So this was a fantastic story of one man an two women who head out find new lives. Halo retired from his Commando team in Australia and set out to become a member if the Guardian Tactical team to help save human life in extreme conditions. Mary and her best friend set off to meet Mrs. V in the hopes of discovering a better existence. Very interesting read
The beginning of the book was laying out the lives of the main characters up until that point. When Halo and Mary actually met up it was under extremely harrowing circumstances, working together to safe the lives of 3 people. As they move on it seems they are destined to meet taking care of saving people where they decide to save each other! Once they meet the book is a real page turner hard to put down.
I loved that the characters were older in life and experiencing great adventure in life. The whole book is full of drama and will keep you reading the whole way through. Then you will be bummed that the book ended because you want the story to keep going on and on. Great romance and we can’t forget Max who brings them together!
Once again Fiona delivers! Lots of action and suspense with great characters. Halo and Mary were both fantastic. Mary was amazing as a smart and strong woman with a wicked sense of humor. Halo was also great with his side kick Max. Max was a great K9 who had his own personality. Loved it!!
Loved this story! Mary is just real as they come. I can so see a woman like her and her life path, where she's willing to grow and try new things. Max and Halo... The best for romantic interest. This book is well worth the price. Add this one to your keeper shelf!
The book is amazing all the way up to the end where it just drops the ball. Jumping from a water rescue into an epilogue that is generations down the line. It would have gotten a five star review except the end ruined it for me. Its like it was a rush job to end the story and didn't make any sense. Editors should have caught this and pointed out the huge disconnect.
I never realized that relationships could so clearly be painted with words. Mentally, emotionally, and physically. Whether describing a long standing, loving and supportive friendship or a romantic, loving relationship that blooms at first sight, the author 's artistry is amazing. All integrated into a thrill ride of a story. Fiona, dang, you rock.
Fiona Quinn, is one of my favorite military type authors.
I liked how every characters moved to come together. You have the main female and male character meet, you have the supporting characters that had an major part in the love interest.
It is just a good lite (in my opinion) story to read.
Yes, Ms. Quinn's books are super action romance adventures, but I always take away deep thoughts about life, love, change, family, and good feelings. I read a lot, and I just don't find the level of care and technical explanation with other authors. Highly recommended
If you want a gripping read, this is your book! Mary and best friend Deidre, both nurses, divorced, and empty nesters, go off for an unexpected adventure to Switzerland for Mary’s 40th birthday.
The incredible adventures include Halo and K-9 dog, Max, and the Cerebrus security team Halo is joining.