Safe With You

Veterans of Silver Ridge #2

by Claire Cain

Tristan Donnelly has been my far away support system since he became the soldier my family “adopted” years ago. I’ve written to him about everything from my hopes for my future to my grief during deep loss. He’s secretly been my rock from afar, but now I’m calling in a favor.

I’ve given up everything to keep my family from falling apart, but my brother’s debts have caught up with him and now I’m in danger, too. If I marry, I can access my trust and gain some protection, but the only man I can imagine asking to do this favor is the one I’ve always loved and have never actually met.

Tristan’s a retired special ops soldier and he’s the most honorable man I know. When he agrees to marry me, we plan to live separately, until he insists I come stay with him so he can protect me. Now I’m face to face with a man who is not only the most important person in my life, he’s also so ridiculously handsome it hurts. He’s capable and gentle and I’m hard pressed to remember this marriage isn’t meant to last.

I’d planned to go home when the money comes through, and that’s when we’d end things.

But now I’ve had a glimpse of what life could be, and I want something permanent with Tristan. Plus, I’m finding that backbone I lost track of years ago and I’ve realized I don’t want to return to my old life. The problem is, I don’t know how I can stay when this was only supposed to be a temporary favor.

Safe With You is a closed door romance marriage of convenience including implied intimacy.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Marriage Of Convenience, Fiction, Military Fiction, Friends To Lovers, Clean Romance

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Kremena Koleva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Заради цялата нежност и взаимна грижа между Тристан и Уини! Заради неповторимото удоволствие на силното им приятелство , което превръща любовта в търсеното щастие!

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reading experience could easily fall under “It’s not you, it’s me”. I really wanted to love this book (favorite trope and all) and, knowing full well I’m book hangoverin’, I just could not DNF, even though I struggled.

But, slumpyness aside, I struggled with unanswered questions. And when I struggle with questions, it makes the characterizations, set up and conflict shaky for me. If their long-standing written connection is to be believable as an “It’s always been you”, then what had been the plan? Were they really going to just go about their lives never laying eyes on each other and emailing sporadically if circumstances had not forced them together? Need more obstacle than that. And being such an epistolary fan, especially tragic that these emails did not do much to further things along or show a deepening in their connection. This was sorely missed as, though I love jumping in straight to convenient nuptials, we just did not have the foundation for having our main preoccupations of attraction and scaring each other off not build enough on that.

All of this said, if these questions do not worry you, there’s a lot to love here. Love a contemporary marriage of convenience. Love Tristan as the quiet, capable, protective hero. Love Winnie as the self-sacrificing dutiful daughter (to whose non-controntational soul I relate a little too much) and her character arc. It’s a fun large cast of characters and all very distinctive. Appreciated the pacing in the resolution which made the burden of decision and full circle as needed.

I say give it a try if you love this trope and character archetypes, maybe you’ll find more answers than I did.


Content notes: Kissing and married fade to black. Brief Mention of attempted sexual assault. Mention of family member deaths and grief trauma. On page toxic family members. Heroine undergoes threat to life peril. Brief language.

[Toni Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marriage of Convenience trope + Saint Security hero + heroine I'd like to befriend = another great read by Claire Cain.

[Suzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tristan is a special ops veteran, quiet and unassuming, a cinnamon roll hero, but when it comes to Winnie he is vigilant and fiercely protective.

They’ve never met in person, but have been pen pals for years. She’s been there for him during his military career, and Tristan promised Winnie he would always be there for her if she ever needed him.

After a bad situation happens with her family, and to try and help them, Winnie takes him up on that promise and asks Tristan to marry her.

He’s a man of his word, and after coming to know Winnie through years of correspondence, he cares deeply for his good friend and doesn’t hesitate to marry her.

These two are the sweetest and so perfect for each other! Watching their marriage of convenience evolve into a real relationship was a delight!

What I loved—
🩵 Protective MMC
🩷 Her safety & welfare is his top priority
🩵 ‘Who did this to you?’
🩷 Mutual pining
🩵 Age gap (8 years)
🩷 Chemistry and tension
🩵 Snowball fight
🩷 Small town
🩵 FMC growth arc
🩷 Junie - his dog that gives hugs 🐕
🩵He wants nothing more than to love her and be a family together
🩷 ‘There you are’
🩵 HEA

As with Claire’s other books, the writing is beautiful and introspective, the characters are well fleshed out, the pacing is great, and the sense of community is heartwarming. It’s a cozy, engaging, and wonderful story.

Safe With You is the second book in the Veterans of Silver Ridge Series, and I loved everything about it.

Many thanks to the author for a gifted paperback!

[Rachel Luke Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

You all have seen Tristan and Winnie in my reels for the month of February for our Hide N Go seek game, but I thought they deserve a full book review so you can fall more in love with them too!

This book just had so much heart and I absolutely loved both Tristan and Winnie! I love that this relationship has been 15 years in the making with them starting off as pen pals! I love that Claire included those past emails/letters so we can be with them throughout that past journey too!

Sometimes it is hard to find a great contemporary marriage of convenience romance but this one just nailed it! I love that Tristan and Winnie had such a great foundation for their marriage, but yet still so much learning about each other and about themselves.

I loved the slow burn tension between them and all of the sizzling kisses. Claire Cain knows how to bring the heat and this book is no exception, but she always keeps it 100% closed door.

Tristan is just an amazing MMC! I love how protective he is of Winnie and that he will do anything to not only be sure she is physically protected but that her heart is too. He truly cherishes all the facets of her and is so patient with what she needs.

Winnie is such a sweetheart! I love that she has such great growth in the book with standing her ground and truly choosing what makes her happy and not just someone that appeases other people.

If you are looking for a contemporary romance with a hint of romantic suspense, characters with depth, and the best protective hero definitely give this one a go!

Physical Intimacy Lvl 3 (Descriptive making out/Fade to black between a married couple)
Swearing: 4 Dam*, As*, Jacka**
Dual POV

[Brittnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25*

[Laura A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really sweet read

[Modern Miss Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! Claire Cain should name this series comfort reads because that’s how it feels. 🤍 Thank you @clairecainwriter for the ARC of Safe with You! I loved it 🤍

I love romances that feel effortless. Like puzzle pieces fitting together, two people find home and peace in each other.

Winnie and Tristan have been pen-pals for years when her family “adopted” a soldier. Now they are coming together for the first time…to get married.

Two people whose feelings for each other are far deeper than they ever imagined, and both may find a way to accept that they are worthy of this kind of love. That it’s worth staying and fighting for.

If you love:
• marriage of convicted
• strong friendships
• small town
• veteran MMC
• the cutest puppy

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Out February 7th
Steam: fade to black
TW: mild violence

[Nicole Goodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Safe With You was picked up on a whim and oh my goodness, was it amazing! It was completely clean (other than perhaps a couple usages of minor curse words and taking the Lord's name in vain) and amazingly well-written. Claire Cain has easily become one of my favorite contemporary romance writers ever.

The whole Saint Security crew are heartthrobs, and yes, what is in the water?? Each character was well-rounded; they each had their own unique personality that felt real and alive. The pacing of the plot was perfect and the whole thing with Tristan and Winnie emailing and writing to each other for fourteen years and then falling in love is

[Callie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I liked the idea of this one more than the execution.

Winnie and Tristan have been pen pals since he was in the army, back when she was a teen. They keep in touch all these years, but have never met in real life.

When Winnie’s brother gets into debt with the wrong crowd, also putting Winnie in danger, Tristan agrees to marry her to get her trust fund and get her out of town.

Things I did like in the book were their cute shyness toward each other, their backstory, and the town and people who welcomed Winnie. Also the dog, of course! 😍

Things that didn’t work as well for me were the pace and the relationship progressing. I felt like they were both always holding back, a little awkward, not voicing things, etc. At first it was realistic but then I just wanted one of them to be bold!

Even the tension at the end didn’t grab me because I never totally felt the deep feelings. It was more telling than showing, just in my opinion.

So ultimately, it was ok for me! I’m interested in a few more of the other characters and maybe the series will get better!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading book one, I jumped right into this one and I'm really glad I did. The author has created such a great community and it was wonderful to see how these friends accepted Winnie into their circle.

I loved the way Winnie and Tristan already cared about each other from all of the years of emailing and writing and even some phone calls, too. Tristan struggled to understand that his caring about Winnie had developed into a love for Winnie at some point.

Even though Winnie and Tristan had known each other for so long through long distance, they had some work to do regarding communicating their feelings and hopes with each other. And Winnie had to learn what it felt like to be valued and loved for who she was and not simply for how she could help her family.

I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.

[Ali Maggard · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did I enjoy most from this book? Removing it from my Kindle Library.

[Ashlynn G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨

The age difference bothered me especially since they “met” when she was fifteen but I just imagined he was younger 😌

[booked_beyond_imagination_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3, average.
I honestly started this book because I saw one too many people saying it was amazing and I was like okay I wanna see what the hype was about

I don't want to downgrade this book but, honestly, I wouldn't say I liked it, it wasn't for me to say the least I thought I was going into this book for the romance cause let's be honest the cover is so cute I thought the inside would be as pretty but no like the plot was taking over maybe that was the intention but I wasn't here for it I would say 75% was just plot and 25 % romance

I would have loved to see more romance but regardless I can't wait to see more of the other stories and can't wait to read more from this author

[Celebrilomiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's hard to rate this book, because the prose frankly wasn't good (for example, regularly there were compound or complex sentences that started with one thought and ended with a different and often unrelated thought, without internal logic connecting the two concepts, which either should have been separate sentences or should have had a bridge of reasoning between them to show why they belonged in the same sentence), but the secondary characters were compelling enough that I looked up the other books in the series and the shared world to see if my pairing guesses were right and to see what their stories promised. I picked this one up despite it coming in the middle of a series that comes in the middle of a story-world because this book's primary tropes — marriage of convenience and online/long-distance relationship — are two of my favorites, and the premise made me hopeful.

In general, this read more like a first or second draft than a finished novel: strong characterization, a decent arc for character development, but weak on details and substantiation, and rough on a technical sentence level.

As other reviewers have said, the emails were unconvincing to explain the main characters' relationship. Let me be clear: It is not the long-distance pen pal relationship turning to romance that I take issue with. I've had online friends for nearly two decades, at this point, so I know what long-distance, never-seen-your-face-before friendships are like. They can be deep and vibrant, with minute and obscure details shared about your lives even if you don't know each other's real names; six months of silence can pass from absence and circumstances, and then you can pick up the threads of the conversation in an afternoon and be right back to the proximity of souls, thousands of miles apart. But the email exchanges shown in this book are weak sauce, barely believable as a foundation for the long-standing friendship between these two characters, much less the depth of trust and affection they claimed to have, which makes it all the harder to believe that their relationship could shift to romance and "it's always been you" so quickly. I could believe easily that a long-distance relationship of shared souls but never shared faces could turn into a romantic relationship shortly after meeting in person. But it was hard to believe that this relationship could transform thus. The connection and relationship that these two characters supposedly had I just didn't see. I think it honestly would have more believable if we hadn't seen the emails, because then we could just take the characters at their word that they were such good friends. But seeing the emails themselves undermined that because the emails didn't show the connection. If you're going to show rather than tell, the showing has to be convincing!

The awkwardness between the two characters upon meeting did make sense, as did their character arcs. As someone who deals with people-pleasers, I appreciated how that dynamic was explored and represented. The FMC needed to grow and be able to think for herself, make her own choices, learn to say no, and speak up for herself. The MMC needed to learn to trust that the FMC would say no and wouldn't just capitulate or mold herself to fit what he wanted, and he had to learn to give her the opportunity to make choices rather than withholding information to try to protect her from herself. The tension between those two arcs and the deliberate lack of communication on certain points — "I want to do what is best for you, so I don't want to tell you what I want, because then you'll just do what I want rather than doing you need" — made sense as the main driver of character conflict, and the progression of trust felt realistic.

So this is a frustrating book to rate, because some things I think it did genuinely well, and others it did really poorly. Some aspects of this are no better than a 2 out of 5 star rating ("it was okay"), but I did actually enjoy this more than some other books I read recently that I rated 2 and 2.5. However, it doesn't quite rate 3 stars ("I liked it"), and it feels a little unfair to my true 3-star reads to rank it as such, because I didn't fully like it. It's a nebulous 2.5, I suppose, since the quality was poor but the characters and development were enough to pique my interest to perhaps read more books in the series. I can put up with faulty prose more easily than I can put up with poor characterization. (I did spend most of the book automatically rephrasing sentences in my head as I read, though.)

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed these books. This one is no different. I felt like it was a unique and fun set up! Winnie and Tristan knew each other intimately (being pen pals for 14 years) but at the same time not really bc they had never met in real life! I love the military found family and the supportive woman friend group as well. Lots of fun characters. I felt like I related to a lot of what Winnie struggled with and I love Tristan’s sweet and steady protection and support. The MCs are two of the most selfless souls ever. It was a super kind and uplifting book. I love this town and Saints security.

SPOILERS and book notes:
This book is very unique start. They have been pen pals for 14 years. Since she was 15 and writing someone in the military bc of the adopt a soldier program. But they have never met in real life. Until now. When she needs help. So they are friends and know each other already. But this is the first time they have seen each other! So crazy! “I knew him better than I knew anyone else in the word, but he was still very much a mystery to me.” And she already has feelings for him… yeah! We get some of their flashback emails!! Her name is Winnie so her email is: winniechickendinny. Winnie was Tristan’s only real constant he’d had in a lifetime of change and unpredictablitity. I love that Tristan is such a safe place for her. That is what she feels with him. Peace and safe. Both Tristan and Winnie are too super selfless and too sweet and kind and genuine people. they both just want what is best for the other person. They both are trying to just make the other comfortable and make sure they are making things easier for them.
Tristan saw the bruise on her wrist and asked “who did this to you?” And she finally told him the threats the loan sharks made on her. Bc of her brothers debts. They told her they could get it “another way” if she didn’t get them the money. Then he grabbed her wrist and licked her. He is soooo furious and wants to murder these guys. “The other thing you need to know is this: no one is ever going to touch you like that again.” Then she says: “I don’t want you hurt.” Oh daaaang Tristan is super good (the best) at hand to hand combat. And so kicks Bruce’s butt then teaches Winn too. “Watch some Mission: Impossible and pretend it’s me running like Ethan, even if I am like ten inches taller than Tom Cruise…”- Tristan. and then a quote from the romance book club with all my favorite ladies of the town: “Here’s to the fictional heroes.” They all toasted their books with, “To the heroes!” Then Jess raised hers again. “And to the women who make them come to life.” I love this sentence that Tristan says to Winn: ““Correct. I will not tolerate you, an amazing sister, daughter, and woman, speaking about yourself in any way other than how you deserve.” I love this one bed situation. It’s unique and sweet and both just trying to be selfless. ““We are. You said you’d sleep in here if I did and here I am, settling in with my book”—I held up an e-reader—“and ready for your stubborn butt to join me.”” What a relief when they finally said ily at 82%. And admitted they both wanted each other to stay in their lives. Forever. “needing each other in every way a couple who’d known each other for years and married each other and loved each other could. Loving each other in those ways, in three dimensions, in full color.” Awww Winn is kidnapped!! And held hostage! But freaking Tristan comes and rescues her of course! And it’s so swoony!! I’m happy that he propoeses again. And they marry again for love!!! And with all their family and friends. ooooo the next one is about Jo! And she is the secret romance suspense writer Josie wade that all the girls are obsessed with. And Adam helps her to get things accurate. I’m stoked for the next book! I liked the first book just a little better than this one! But still 5 star.

[Moni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is book 2 in the Veterans of Silver Ridge Series and, though characters from book 1 and the author's other Silver Ridge Series appear, can be read as a standalone. The book's blurb gives you a good idea of what to expect, though be aware the story deals with unhealthy family relationships, loss, debt, kidnapping, and assault (actual and threats). Safe With You is told through Winnie and Tristan's pov and is a sweet and tender marriage of convenience romance.

After a family tragedy, Winnie took it upon herself to do her best to care for her family in whatever way she could. Not wanting to disturb the peace, she sacrificed her own hopes and dreams for the good of her family. When her brother's debt causes her to enter a marriage of convenience with Tristan, her pen pal and friend of many years, she begins to picture a different life for herself than the one she had originally planned. While Winnie was a people pleaser, she was able to recognize the routine that she had fallen into. Being around Tristan and making new friends in Silver Ridge gave her the courage that she needed to allow herself to think about her own needs and wants first again. I loved how caring she was but I enjoyed seeing her make small changes to take control of her life and not feel guilty for doing so.

As a retired special ops soldier, Tristan had a strong sense of duty and doing what is right. He was loyal, especially once he's given his word, so he didn't think twice about marrying Winnie in order to help her gain access to her trust fund. With no family of his own, a serious relationship wasn't something he had considered for himself before but Winnie has always been special to him. Of course, entering a marriage of convenience with Winnie makes him see what a life of love with her could look like and he likes it more than he wants to. I absolutely loved how protective Tristan was of Winnie and wanted the best for her, even when he thought it wasn't him. He was considerate with his action and words. Though he helped her to face some harsh truths, he wanted nothing more but for her to see herself as he saw her. And, just like he helped her, I enjoyed how her presence opened him up to a life he didn't think possible for himself.

Because they entered a marriage of convenience and were friends, their romance was a slow burn. However, the pacing of the story and their friendship make the wait more than worth it. They knew each other well enough, from years of writing to each other, but were still able to learn things about each other and help the other to grow. I loved how there was mutual worry in terms of both not wanting to do anything to harm the other. Their feelings for each other were precious and their chemistry was sizzling. I appreciated how they communicated and were honest about how they felt for the other. Their romance was a closed door one consisting of steamy kissing leading up to implied intimacy, a few curse words and biblical exclamations used 4 for each. Aside from the romance, I liked the support that both Tristan and Winnie received from their friends. It was nice seeing familiar faces and getting more glimpses of the characters who will be the MCs for the rest of the books in the series. Overall, Tristan and Winnie's story was a great installment to this series and I know readers, especially those who are fans of Claire's writing, will certainly enjoy it too.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by this author! I just love everything from her. She has created a fantastic community in Silverton, and it’s no wonder that she keeps returning us to it. And the men and women of Saint Security are engaging and amazing characters, as are the other characters from the town. Tristan and Winnie had been corresponding for many years since her family adopted him as a soldier while he was on active duty. They had become quite close, but had never met in person. “There were parts of me he didn’t know, but there were also parts of me only he knew.” When Winnie needed to marry quickly to access her trust fund and try to save her brother, she turned to Tristan. As they actually experienced life together, it became clear that there was more than friendship between them. I was happy to see the characters communicate in a reasonable way given how much they still needed to get to know each other.

Winnie, “an expert people pleaser”, had spent years bending over backwards to accommodate her family and had a lot of soul searching and growing to do. “A person can only bend so many times for others before she breaks.” Disentangling herself from her family was a major process. “They’d kept her tethered, and now that she’d gotten free, she saw the rope.” Tristan had been through a lot in his life, and was somewhat solitary, but had built a strong found family. “Tristan was just…himself. There wasn’t anything he was trying to change or adjust to fit into what someone else thought he should be, and I admired that.”
I liked the touch of the past correspondence that helped give the backstory and foundation without lengthy flashbacks weighing the story down. One detail that really stood out to me is that the characters didn’t harp on the marriage being “fake” just because it was a marriage of convenience. “I didn’t want to say fake because it wouldn’t be. It would be legal and real.” It’s a small detail, but it frustrates me in marriage of convenience stories when they constantly say the marriage is fake. It’s not fake. You are really married, even if it’s not for love. I’ll get off my soapbox now, ha ha.

This is the second book in the series and also has ties to other books and series by the author, however it would also read well as a standalone. This story involves elements of assault, threats, illegal activities, and some limited violence. This is a fade-to-black romance with intimacy occurring between a married couple. There is a small amount of mild harsh language.

[𝕸𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖊𝖑 𝕮. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun! I fell in love with the trope, the 2 main characters (Tristan + Winnie), and the idea that they'd been pen pals for years and never met.

I LOVE that Cain wrote in chapters that were literally just the emails they'd sent to each other, but I wanted them to be better.... most of them fell flat and felt stale or more like texts. There wasn't much a connection to see because the emails were so.... "meh".
Winnie says, "I could probably fill multiple volumes with the things Tristan had never told me simply because we only covered so much ground in our emails."
.....The book flops between them knowing EVERYTHING about each other to almost nothing; which is it?? 🤨

I liked the parts where Tristan's body was slowly getting hurt and worse because he forced himself to sleep on the air mattresses with a hole in it for so long.... and then Winnie finally learns about it and forces him to share the big bed with her. He was so stubborn... and us readers got the one bed trope!! Yay!

Parts I liked:

"Just behind that door was the woman I’d cared for through so many events." -Tristan

"The house already felt different, even after one night of having her here. Her scent hung outside the door to the bedroom, and though she hadn’t left any physical evidence of her presence, I knew she was here." -Tristan

“Who did this to you?” -Tristan (AHHHHHHHHHHHH ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️)

"Any anger you see on my face is not with you—it is never with you.” -Tristan

"Inside my room she was using as hers, and for some reason, this knowledge had continued to plague me in an unfortunate way. First, thinking of her in my bed made me antsy. I couldn’t explain it and I wasn’t going to dig around in the thought, because what good would that do?" -Tristan

"I’d never wished to be with her because I’d seen a future on my own, ideally with Winnie safe and happy, living her own life and occasionally letting me in on it through a letter or email. I’d convinced myself it would be enough for me. Until now." -Tristan
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

A cringe part:
“Every single Saint man is just… too much. How did we end up with them all in our little town?” Dove sighed. “I’m not mad about it, even if it’s a look but don’t touch situation.”

Fun book overall! Could've really had better email chapters and more good conversations with each other, though! :)

[Joanna- LifeWithPrinceMan · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ PRINCEMAN REVIEW ✨

📝 Winnie and Tristan have been pen pals for years-ever since her family adopted him in the 'Adopt a Warrior Program.' While they've never really met face-to-face, they have been each other's support system. So, when Winnie is in trouble, she doesn't hesitate to reach out to Tristan for help. Tristan only wants what's best for Winnie, even if that means marrying her.

What I 🤍:
💍 Fake Marriage
✉️ Pen Pals to Lovers
💥 Forced Proximity
🍻 Small Town Utah
💕 Age Gap Romance-8 Years
🐶 ADORABLE Lab that Gives Hugs
📚 Book 2 in Series (Can be a Standalone)

This book was absolute PERFECTION and I smiled the whole time reading it. If you need a comfort read, THIS IS IT! ❤️ I loved the progression of their relationship. Winnie is a people-pleaser, who often sacrifices what she needs in order to make others happy. Meanwhile, Tristan is thoughtful and protective, even though he never thought he'd get married. I loved watching them fall in love.

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
Steaminess: 🔥🔥 (Kisses, Inferred Closed Door)
Read if ➡️: You need a sweet, feel-good romance.
Read 📅: Winter Months ❄️
CW ⚠️: Steamrolling, Debt, Assault, Unhealthy Family Relationships, Death of Family Members (off-page), kidnapping

While this book only shows kisses, it is STEAMY! 🥵 I didn't know I could feel so much chemistry when a book doesn't have 🛏️ scenes! I also really appreciated the maturity, and how it would mirror a real-life relationship. I love when characters TALK THINGS OUT rather than break up at the end! This book will go down as one of my favorite reads of 2024.

Safe with you is Book 2 in the Veterans of Silver Ridge Series. Although, this book CAN BE read as a standalone. And of course, the best part of Cain's books is that previous characters make cameo appearances. 😊 I can't wait for Book 3 coming out in May about Jo!

Thank you so much to Claire Cain for gifting me an ARC copy of this book. All these thoughts are my own, and my review will be up soon on my Instagram Page @LifeWithPrinceMan

[Overbooked Three · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

We loved Winnie + Tristan’s unique love story! What started out as a pen pal relationship, she started writing to him while he was first deployed, turned into a long distance friendship that spanned many years. When Winnie asks Tristan for help, he doesn’t even hesitate even if it means marrying someone he’s never met in real life.

Winnie is a people pleaser with a family who takes advantage of this time and time again. Now they’ve gone too far and Winnie must change her life dramatically to help. Tristan is a loyal protector which explains why he was a great soldier and now an even better fake husband. While they have very awkward interactions at the beginning of their time together, their pining for each other was perfection. This is a closed door romance but we didn’t miss the spice. You could feel the tension + chemistry and we were counting the pages until they kissed! That to us is the sign of a great romance book.

We loved how seamlessly Winnie fit into Silver Ridge and made friends within Tristan’s circle. We loved the support they both received from those friends. But we especially loved the support they gave each other. Tristan was a pillar of strength when Winnie needed it most. Her toxic family caused all the conflict and we appreciated that there wasn’t a third act breakup but instead a third act declaration of love!

Safe with You is the second book in the Veterans of Silver Ridge series and we are fully invested. There were so many little hints of future book pairings between other characters that we can’t wait to dive in. We’re definitely counting the days until the next one!

Many thanks to @clairecainwriter for the e-book ARC in exchange for our honest review. Safe with You comes out TODAY! Feb 7th 2024.

Read if you like:
▪️Small town romance
▪️Marriage of convenience
▪️Veteran hero
▪️Pen Pals!
▪️Mutual pining
▪️Closed door

[Cathi Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent adventure from the Veterans of Silver Ridge. This one is Tristan "Oak" Donnelly and his longtime pen pal Winnie's story. She's been writing emails and letters to him since she was 16 years old. Now, a decade or two later, Tristan is retired from the military and working for Saint Security in Silverton. Over the years they've shared bits of their lives in writing, and have become important to one another. She's even had a bit of a long-distance crush on Tristan. But neither ever figured they'd be more than this to one another. Tristan made her a promise once that if she ever needed anything he'd be there for her, and now she's in a position where it seems like her only option is to call in the favor he offered. So, she asks him to marry her, of course.

She needs money to dig her family out of a hole that her irresponsible brother has dug for them. Her grandfather left her a trust fund that she can get her hands on early if she marries. Tristan doesn't hesitate to step up, and so starts the new life she's stepped into in Silverton, complete with a sweet sweet Labrador named Juniper.

She expects her time will be brief there in Silverton, but there are bad guys to deal with now too, since her brother is in WAY over his head with the shady characters he's become involved with, and now they're after Winnie for the money he owes them. Tristan is determined to keep her safe, and there's no doubt he's just the man for the assignment but she's going to have to stay there safe with him rather than fly back to Kansas as she originally planned once she was married.

All "t's" are crossed and "i's" dotted as far as any "but why?" questions that came up as I read along. Not an "eye roll" to be had. You'll love the characters and side-characters, you'll love the dog and you're going to love the lead up to the NEXT book in the series.

[Angeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHH! This book was everything that I hoped it would be. Safe with You is the second book in Claire Cain’s Veterans of Silver Ridge series. Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and I could not wait to read this one!
Tristan and Winnie were just the cutest couple together and I adored reading their story. I liked the connection between Winnie and Tristan and how they knew each other before they got married. They wrote letters to each other throughout the years, but they never expected to find themselves married to keep Winnie safe. I liked the progression of their relationship and how they learned to talk to each other.
Tristan was such a sweet guy and I loved getting to know him better. I loved how he cared for Winnie but he was also willing to listen to advice. Tristan had to learn what it looked like to care and love Winnie while trusting her too. I also really liked Winnie and her growth throughout the book. She had a lot of insecurities to overcome as she tried to figure out life. Winnie had to learn to trust herself and Tristan as she sought to help her family.
The romance was so sweet and the characters were compelling. I fell in love with Silver Ridge all over again. I love seeing the side characters and some hints of other characters. Safe with You is just a wonderful book and I would definitely recommend it! I was so excited for the next book, it is going to be so good! Safe with You is a contemporary closed door romance with hints of suspense.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

[Mimi Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winnie Delmonico is traveling to Silverton, Utah to marry her ex-soldier pen pal/best friend of fourteen years Tristan Donnelly in order to save the family business and dig her brother Jeremy out of debt to loan sharks who are now targeting her as well. When she literally sees Tristan for the first time, she is gobsmacked by his looks and calm demeanor.

Tristan had never intended to marry, but he would do everything to help Winnie, so they said their I do’s and are now settling into their lives at his small cabin, along with Juniper, his female golden retriever. While they had known each other remotely for years, they now have close proximity and sense a new kind of relationship budding, aided and abetted by the warmth of the Saint Security family and friends. But Winnie has emotional baggage courtesy of her family, and she struggles with doing what’s best for HER growth and wellness. What she yearns for is
unconditional love, the most romantic notion she could ever imagine. Might she be able to find it with Tristan? If she trusts him with her safety, could she trust him with her heart, especially when she sees him reading a romance novel? Will the loan sharks come after her cross country? Will her family finally figure out how to live without their scapegoat to absorb their inability to cope?

Claire Cain has an incredible gift for inviting readers into the lives of complex characters and the riveting plot that they experience. Join Tristan and Winnie as they navigate treacherous waters alongside their close friends, and you will be glad you became part of the journey.

I received this book as an ARC reviewer and voluntarily leave my honest opinion.

[Rhondia Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Tristan. He’s a quietly soulful guy. (When did a cheek kiss become so breathtaking?) He has no family other than his brothers in arms… but then there’s Winnie. What started years ago as a penpal project blossomed over time. Winnie was only 15 years old when she sent the first letter to a GI she never met. Many years pass and the correspondence continues in varying intervals. Thus we have the foundation for a long friendship, but maybe not a marriage. Through a series of somewhat unlikely events, Winnie and Tristan embark on a marriage of convenience.
Winnie is a self-professed people pleaser and it’s landed her in hot water. Thank goodness for Tristan! Frankly, the events that bring them together are not significant to me. It’s how Tristan woos his wife and demonstrates a kind of selfless unconditional love that is rarely portrayed so well.
I enjoyed this book, the slow build from deeply caring friendship to romantic love. It was nice to revisit Silverton and catch up on previous characters. It was most gratifying to read a clean romance about two people trying to do the right thing for each other and getting in their own way. They weren’t led by physical appeal or chemistry but a deep commitment to a goal, and ultimately to each other. There were things about Winnie that frustrated me but she grew beyond those things and became more. I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Cain is back with book two in the Veterans of Silver Ridge series with a closed door, marriage of convenience romance that just sweeps you right into the middle of it all. Winnie has a lot going on back at home. A lot of pressure from family. The weight of the world on her shoulders. Marrying Tristan is the key to part of her problems...but it could be the key to so much more.

Winnie is a character who has flaws, she is a people pleaser who is there for everyone but herself. Tristan is absolutely one of the sweetest guys out there, a protector, a friend and he helps Winnie see what she couldn't when she in the thick of the chaos. They balance each other out so nicely, help each other grow and change as characters and together build from a pen pal friendship something beautiful and special. They are able to see beyond the marriage of convenience into something more for the both of them.

I loved being back in Silver Ridge, loved seeing characters from book one and I absolutely loved seeing Tristan get his love story. Such a satisfying read that covers the realities of life, war, consequences from dealing with wrong parties and so much more. Read for suspense and romance. It is a comfort read for the win.

*I received an advanced ecopy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do enjoy books with military characters, and not surprisingly, this military wife author does a good job of creating those characters and settings- while occasionally pointing out via some characters comments that some perceptions of how things go which are based on fiction are not how they go in real life.
I did get a little annoyed with Winnie sometimes- wanting to tell her to stop being the family doormat and tell her brother off and point out to her parents what she is doing for all of them, and that her brother is getting off pretty much doing nothing for anyone but himself starting long before her dad's heart attack, because I can at that point see not wanting to cause dad to have another so it is hard to fault her for keeping quiet at that point. I would also saying for pity's sake, communicate with Tristan- don't expect him to be a mind reader- and stop making your assumptions without talking to him. However, the author has built the background explaining how Winnie got to this place, and at least giving her the brains to learn, and finally grow up at her advanced age. I liked the circle of friends and the small town- I do prefer small towns, or better yet country.

The author writes well, cleanly, without a load of errors to drive a reader crazy--something I very much appreciate. I only recall one, so it did not ruin my immersion in the story, or the entertainment value of it, which happens for me when there are errors on every other page.

The story did leave me wondering however, just how things ended up with Jeremy. Will he see the light of day? Get straightened out?

I would now like to read more about the other characters.

[Kira (the book belle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Safe With You is book two in the Veterans of Silver Ridge series. So far each book follows a member of Saint Security- a group of very strong, handsome men who have all the protective vibes!

This story is about Tristan and Winnie. These two have been writing letters to each other for a decade while Tristan was in the military. After some unfortunate circumstances with Winnie's family, she asks Tristan for a, not so small, favor that brings them together.

All the cozy romantic vibes in this story! I am always here for a winter setting! (Especially when it's not Christmas!) Loved the cabin in the woods feels and sitting by the fire. And hello marriage of convenience to a quiet hunk of a man! And Juniper 🥹 love that puppy!

Brief thoughts: a little repetitive on the inner monologue with both characters. Could have used more of the action/suspense scenes near the end.

Great romantic read by @clairecainwriter! That 2nd epilogue though....I did not see that coming!!! Excited for the next story!

Thank you to the author for my #gifted copy! I enjoyed this one very much! Love the cover too!

*Romance- closed door
*TW- kidnapping, assault

#romance #lovestory #safewithyou #clairecain #indieauthor #veterans #saint #quietheroes #moc #marriageofconvenience #friendstolovers #cozyreads #comfortreads #winterbooks #januarypub #newrelease #pubday

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the intensity of the emotions the characters are feeling. I loved Tristan’s protectiveness and that Winnie was able to truly find herself and recognize that she doesn’t need to constantly save everyone and put herself last.

Winnie is desperate to get access to her trust fund to help her family through a crisiss, and protect herself. To do so, she has to get married. She calls in a favor from the person she is closest to, but has never actually met. They’ve been pen pals for over a decade, starting when Winnie’s family was assigned to Tristan in the Adopt A Solider program.

Tristan does all he can to protect Winn, and as they navigate the chaos, heartbreak and emotional trauma together.. they start to recognize deep feelings for eachother that have probably been there all along.

Features:
-Pen-pals
-close proximity
-fake marriage
-he’s her protector
-small town

*Warning* -death of parents, assault, and threat of sexual assault. Minor swearing also.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two in the Veterans of Silver Ridge series did not disappoint.

Winnie and Tristan became penpals during her teenage years when her family adopted him as a soldier. That continued on into adulthood and they became friends.

Life becomes a lot to handle for Winnie when her brother's debt to loansharks becomes an issue and her family's business is at stake. Tristan always told Winnie he would help her in any way. She is still hesitant when she reaches out to him with the biggest ask ever - marry her so that she will get her hands on her trust money and be able to save the day for her family. Tristan immediately agrees.

The sparks fly immediately once they are together and living under the same proof proves difficult for them both.

I enjoyed watching Winnie not only fall in love with Tristan (& vice versa), but also seeing her fall in love with all that Silver Ridge has to offer.

Claire makes you feel like such a part of her world when reading. A sweet romance with a little action and mystery. Cannot wait for book three!