Untamed Protector

by Elina Conti

He is a bodyguard who never mixes business with pleasure—until her.
Now, protecting her means risking not just his life, but his heart.

Gabriel Ross, ex-military and now the city's most sought-after bodyguard, lives by one no distractions. Love? Definitely not in the job description. But when fiery, secretive Lexi Flores crashes into his life, he's forced to break all his own rules.

Lexi’s on a dangerous mission, hunting down the powerful family who destroyed hers. Trusting anyone—least of all Gabriel—was never an option. But she didn’t expect the smoldering tension between them, or how his touch would make her question everything she thought she knew about trust.

Sharing a bed with the man who drives her crazy wasn’t part of the plan, but neither was falling for him. And the deeper they fall, the more they risk losing everything. But first, they’ll have to survive.

Get ready for a steamy, action-packed romance featuring a brooding ex-military hero and a fearless heroine who clash, but can’t resist the sparks between them. With fake relationships, forced proximity, and a journey from enemies to lovers, this page-turner delivers high-stakes suspense and sizzling chemistry. No cliffhanger—just a deeply satisfying HEA. Each book in the Harbor Protectors series can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Military Fiction, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Romance

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2024

About the author

Elina Conti is a contemporary romance writer who began writing convinced that every love story deserves a happy ending.
Her kick-ass heroines always have a difficult past, a well-hidden secret, a heart-breaking love, and a struggle to conform to what family and society expect of them. They are rebellious, irreverent women determined to overcome any obstacles in life and always find their destiny in a steamy, intense, and passionate love story with a heartbreaker hero.
Elina lives in a sunny place in Europe, with the love of her life, a grumpy alpha male converted to love, and three rescued cats with strong personalities. She swears by her daily dose of latte and croissant to get to her happy place, where words start pouring on the page.
Sign up for her full of love&fun&goodness and exclusive stuff newsletter at: https://subscribepage.io/PvWfig

Reviews

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been quite a journey with these characters! The book features a captivating and credible plot with no silly loopholes, corny tropes, or unrealistic dialogue. It includes several surprising twists. As a reader, I enjoyed it a lot and had to rearrange my schedule to finish the book.

I am also happy that the author took great care in developing the characters, their world, and their dynamics. The male protagonist is not the annoying classic alpha male, egocentrically dominant and disrespectful; quite the opposite. The female character is not a tiny, shivering damsel in distress despite the challenges she has to go through; she is strong, fierce, independent and intelligent, and I like that very much. Strong partners can successfully coexist and build long-lasting and meaningful relationships while maintaining their own identity and following their dreams without having to make compromises regarding their identity, professional, or individual goals.

[Krissy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily. Sensitive readers to note that there is mention of feeling abandoned/ unwanted/ unloved as a child which has spill over effect as an adult. The connection and chemistry between Gabriel and Lexi was sizzling and I appreciated both held back and took some time to find out more about the other, rather than jumping into bed immediately. This is the first time reading this author's work and the fast paced, suspenseful story kept me glued to the story and I couldn't put it down till I reached the end. Definitely going to check out more of this author's work!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

This was a fast paced, steamy, bodyguard romance. The plot of this book was interesting and I loved the idea of The Protectors. I had some difficulty vibing with the MC's, Gabe and Lexi. Lexi's stubbornness was borderline frustrating and Gabe's hot and cold personality was a bit annoying. This book wasn't for me but I would be interested in reading the next book.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Untamed Protector, Elina Conti tells a fun and steamy story about a naive but feisty young woman in trouble and a strong, capable older man who wants to swoop in and save the damsel in distress. Despite their distinctive backgrounds, personal issues, and reservations concerning each other, FMC Lexi and MMC Gabriel have sizzling chemistry, which is often enhanced by their witty banter and difficult natures. Lexi may be a little too argumentative and Gabriel a little too domineering to be universally loved characters, but they seem dynamic, interesting, and realistic enough, and the mysteries surrounding them add intrigue to their story, which made me root for them to overcome their issues and ultimately be together.

One complaint is that I find Lexi and Gabriel's relationship somewhat unbelievable due to the short amount of time they have together in the novel, during which they barely trust and communicate honestly with each other. Another is that they are so damn secretive with each other that they never seem to be a real team. To be fair, I am not a fan of the instalove or poor communication tropes, so these might be me problems; however, because of these complaints, I couldn't rate the book higher.

Overall, Untamed Protector has all the entertaining characters, plot points, and tropes that I expect from a protector romantic suspense novel, and Elina wrote a good book. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

[Sue Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable romantic thriller. I enjoyed this story of feisty, super smart Lexi & emotionally closed off, Gabriel. Lexi is on the trail of the hit & run driver who injured her & her father some years before; Gabriel is engaged by her boss after she is the recipient of threatening letters. I loved how the story starts with Lexi challenging Gabriel’s authority when she is prevented from entering an event he is head of security for. The sparks fly between them immediately and the reader is engaged in their up and down relationship from the start of the story. I liked that there is an air of mystery as Lexi digs deeper into the accident and Gabriel’s protective instincts come to the fore. The chemistry soon erupts between them when they share Gabe’s house as he tries to protect her. A good read and eventual HEA between a sassy young woman and her alpha male protector. First in a series, I am new to this author, and will definitely be reading more.

[Devon Dalglish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, steamy body guard romance! Lexi is a strong independent woman, who’s feisty and stands her ground. Her bodyguard Gabriel is an older man, ex navy who wants to swoop in and save her. The two had chemistry from the moment they locked eyes and nothing was going to stop that no matter how hard they tried. He was trying to help her uncover who was trying to get her to leave down by running her off the road and sending her threatening letters. Loved the dynamic between them two!

It was one of those books that hook you from the very beginning. It wasn’t predictable, I was kind of on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. Definitely was not expecting the plot twist at the end! But loved how the characters developed throughout the story, especially Gabriel and Lexi, they learned how to,trust each other- given both of their pasts. Gabriel’s vet friends, or his “brothers” were a close knit group that eventually became Lexi’s family too.

[Floraljoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting:
This was a really enjoyable romantic suspense novel and a great start to the series. I liked how unpredictable and unique it was, with the plot unfolding in such a way as to keep me intrigued right up to the end. However some of the details weren't quite as tight as I would have liked and sometimes it felt as if some information had been omitted by mistake. It also got a little confusing as many of the characters names started with the same letter.
That being said, I was rooting for Gabe and Lexi. They both were rather closed off and had their own issues but I enjoyed watching them open up and evolve as characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hannah McMullan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Gabriel and Lexi's story gripped me from start to finish- I absolutely loved the development of their relationship together and Gabriel's protectiveness made my heart melt. At times I felt the details could have been clearer, but I enjoyed the storyline and the author's storytelling kept me engaged throughout.

I loved the snippets exploring Dominic and Lena's characters too, and cant wait for them to have their own story in the next book!

Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series

[Debdutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Untamed Protector” by Elian Conti

A fast-paced, steamy romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story revolves around a sexy, grumpy bodyguard and an event-crasher with intriguing secrets. Their initial encounter is both unusual and captivating, setting the tone for a relationship filled with tension and passion. The suspense is well-crafted, and the negative characters add depth to the plot. A book filled with danger, romance, and a satisfying ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Charlotte Alderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. The story follows a protector and the woman he is assigned to protect. He quickly realises she is going to keep him on his toes. The romance in this book is cute. I liked that the characters were well matched. There is a subplot in the book that has several twists and turns. Overall an enjoyable read!

[Cheryl Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little hard to get into, just took awhile to get into the story line. My best advice, sit down and read this without any distractions. Strong alpha characters throughout the book. I had a hard time liking Lexi, her character comes across as a little too hateful. although she is dealing with a trauma and trust issues. Midway thru the book I started warming up to her a little. Gabriel is your typical alpha protector, smart, sexy, closed off with baggage. But they do find their HEA. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that once you start reading it you just keep getting more drawn into the story. I must admit when we first meet Lexi in the story she comes across as an uptight, arrogant and outspoken woman, not the sort of character you gel with. But as the story progresses and you get to her hidden side you actually start to understand her fake attitude. Gabriel is a professional bodyguard, ex solider and all out good guy, who is always looking out for others. It some ways he's just to perfect even as a book boyfriend. The chemistry between them is undeniable from the beginning but Lexi really doesn't trust anyone with good cause. The bond between Gabriel and his army brothers is strong and actually makes the story more believable. I just couldn't stop reading the story was so complex and compelling. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bodyguard romance

Spicy protector book!
He's her Bodyguard.... And then fake boyfriend 😏
Can't wait for more in the series as this book introduced us to quite a few potential main characters for lots more books!

[K Webz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful start to this series. The chemistry between Gabe and Lexi have some undeniable chemistry but Lexi has some trust issues, so she comes across as snobby. Some details in the book I think could have been cleaned up a little bit.

[MellissaMae · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't find the characters particularly likable, the story itself was tolerable. The obsession that developed between them felt too sudden for my taste, but the plot made up for it with secrets, danger, kidnapping, and unexpected twists. There was also a level of heat and passion that added to the story's intrigue. Fortunately, it ended on a positive note, which made for a satisfying conclusion. I give this a 3.5 (so 4 for platforms that don’t allow halves because I don’t feel it is a solid 3).

[Sarah Seafoot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! The character and story development was done well, and the relationship between the MMC and the FMC was swoon worthy. You can never go wrong when the MMC has a touch her and die attitude.

[Mylene Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel and Lexi's story was fast and steamy. An enjoyable read. The bodyguard and his charge. A good read.

[Patricia Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense interesting read, fast paced, chemistry, suspense, action, well written.. it does have abuse and rape so beware of the triggers

[Esther Cespedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was awesome. The story has action almost from the beginning. It is also spicy 🔥. This is the first of the Harbor Protectors series and I can't wait to read the rest

[Emily Early · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I’m obsessed with Gabriel and Lexi. I can’t wait for the next book!!

[Belle (on hiatus)]

DNF @ 22%

Another stuff your kindle day fail…. the first not even 1/4 of this book made me feel like i’d developed ADHD while also feeling like i missed an entire book before this one started

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the honor of getting an ARC of this book. I've never read anything by Elina Conti and I must say I am a fan. This book gave me all the feels. I really enjoyed it.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a good read. This book had great characters, a fantastic plot, suspense, sex, a little bit of everything. I loved Gabriel and Lexi and everything that they went through in order to be together. I can’t wait to read Dominic and Lena’s story. Highly recommend this book.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was ok and I liked Gabe, but Lexi, nope didn't like her character at first. There's secrets, danger, kidnapping and heat. HEA.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful and steamy!
I have to admit Lexi and Gabriel got on my nerves but I get where they were coming from. The ending was beautiful!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the story and loved the characters. At first it felt like there was a lot of characters and was a bit hard to keep track of who was who but by the end it was clear. Found the book a little slow to get into at the start. Had a good amount of spice as well

[Yvonne S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elina Conti is a first-time author for me. This review pertains to Untamed Protector, Book 1 of her Harbor Protectors series. The story had promise, but unfortunately, the writing let it down.

Lexi’s employer hires Gabriel’s firm to protect her after she receives threats from an unknown source. Sparks fly during their initial meeting, and although the conflict is immediate, both feel the attraction.

This one was a DNF for me... Beyond the editing issues, the narrative flow was choppy, the characters’ thoughts often contradicted their actions, and several plot points lacked logical grounding. Dialogue was frequently used to forecast events in ways that felt unnatural—for example, Lena telling Lexi, “There’s a car on our tail; the lights are off. Shit, I can’t hold the wheel straight. I’ll slam into the car in front at the stoplight if these brakes don’t hold.” This occurs during a high-octane moment, yet Lena inexplicably narrates every move. Later, she shouts, “We made it! We lost them. I can hit the brakes now.” Why is she announcing every action? It just fell flat.

Lexi’s reactions were similarly inconsistent. She’s thrilled to attend a high-society event, then suddenly loathes it. She looks pleadingly at one of Gabriel’s colleagues for help, only to lash out at Gabriel when he actually helps. The logic behind her behavior was hard to follow.

After just meeting, Lexi is already reflecting on how Gabriel’s hand on her back guides her “to the only place that feels right… in his arms.” They met, what—two minutes ago? How can his arms possibly be the only place that feels right? Similarly, Gabriel is already thinking of Lexi as “his girl.”

It’s a pity, really. The plot sounded intriguing, but I was lost from the start and couldn’t understand what was happening or why the characters reacted the way they did.

[books.tea.happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

💛ARC Review💛

Untamed Protector by Elina Conti

ARC provided by the author and I happily give my honest opinion.

I must admit I did struggle to get in to this story at first. I felt as though I had missed part of the story.

The book starts with Lexi on a mission to gather information, but I wasn’t really sure why.

I’m glad I persevered, as when things became clearer I enjoyed the story.

Gabriel is broody, aloof, protective and lonely. Lexi is determined, super smart and just a lonely as Gabriel.

They are so different they really shouldn’t work, but their initial meeting sets of sparks that just keep growing.

Lexi is in danger, but there are a couple of possible reasons which makes Gabriel’s job as her protector as lot more complicated.

I found Lexi a little frustrating at times, but as I got to know her story her actions made a lot more sense.

Gabriel was a, no commitments, I’m no good for you guy.

The longer they spent together, the clearer it became they both needed each other.

I liked to little peak in to the next couples in the series.

#untamedprotector
#elinaconti
#romanticsuspense

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series, and this was my first read from this author, but it will not be my last. I absolutely loved this book! Gabriel was asked by a business associate to watch over and protect one of his employees, but the "reason" why seems to be a mystery. Lexi has a "gift" where she has a perfect memory and unfortunately, that memory keeps reminding her of the accident where she and dad were left for dead. Her goal is to bring the person that hit them to justice, and she believes that her employer, Peter might have a connection to the accident, but she doesn't know what that might be. When she learns that Gabriel has been assigned to be her bodyguard, all she sees is that he will cramp her style while she figures out the mystery of who left her dad and her to die in the middle of a dark street. As I stated, this is my first read for this author, but I definitely can't want for the next Harbor Protectors book since I am now addicted to all Elina Conti stories.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gwen Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense interesting read. This is the first book that I have read from Elina Conti, and I will be reading more from her. Gabriel is a protector. That is what he does. He protects people and figures out what is going on with them. Lexi needs someone to protect her. She is receiving death threats and threats telling her to leave town. But she has no idea who they are coming from or why. She is trying to figure out who caused the accident that changed her life and her father's life. But could that be the reason she is not safe?
These two get together and there is some serious chemistry. The banter between these two is off the charts. He is trying to protect her and she is not accepting the help. Things escalate between these two but will whoever is threating her change everything?
I enjoyed reading this book and would love to read more regarding the Harbor Protectors.