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RAPTOR #1
Saving Shelby
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN B08X1Z4X14 can be found here
A special operative with a bleeding heart for the innocent.
A desperate kidnapper determined to save the day.
And the desire that explodes between them....
Retraining as an operative in RAPTOR, Diego Josephs is determined to prove himself as a RAPTOR--ready to take down a ruthless kidnapper on the run. But when he encounters the woman who took two children after murdering their mother, everything changes. Nothing is as it seems.
Hellbent on saving her niece and nephew, Shelby Davidson will stop at nothing to reveal the truth about her sinister brother-in-law. She knows in her gut that he had everything to do with her sister's disappearance. But convincing the rugged and irresistible special operative may be harder than she realized. Once Diego relents and realizes she's telling the truth, he knows one thing is certain: he must protect the children while saving Shelby.
A special operative with a bleeding heart for the innocent.
A desperate kidnapper determined to save the day.
And the desire that explodes between them....
Retraining as an operative in RAPTOR, Diego Josephs is determined to prove himself as a RAPTOR--ready to take down a ruthless kidnapper on the run. But when he encounters the woman who took two children after murdering their mother, everything changes. Nothing is as it seems.
Hellbent on saving her niece and nephew, Shelby Davidson will stop at nothing to reveal the truth about her sinister brother-in-law. She knows in her gut that he had everything to do with her sister's disappearance. But convincing the rugged and irresistible special operative may be harder than she realized. Once Diego relents and realizes she's telling the truth, he knows one thing is certain: he must protect the children while saving Shelby.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2021
643 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Fiala
69 books825 followersI was born in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri named Bridgeton. During my time in Missouri, I explored the Ozarks, swam in the Mississippi River, played kickball and endless games of hide and seek with the neighborhood kids. Spending summers in Kentucky with my Grandmother, Ruth, are the fondest childhood memories for me.
At the age of thirteen, my family moved to Wisconsin to learn to farm. Yes, learn to farm! That was interesting. Taking city kids and throwing them on a farm with twenty-eight cows purchased from the Humane Society because they had been abused, was interesting. I learned to milk cows, the ins and outs of a breeding schedule, feeding schedule and the never ending haying in the summer and trying to stay warm in the winter. Our first winter in Wisconsin, we had thirty-six inches of snow in one storm and were snowed in our house for three days! Needless to say, I wasn’t loving Wisconsin.
I am now married with four children and three grandchildren. I have learned to love Wisconsin, though I still hate snow. Wisconsin and the United States are beautiful and my husband and I travel around by motorcycle seeing new sites and meeting new people. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are interested in where we are going and what we have seen along the way. At every gas station, restaurant and hotel, we have people come up to us and ask us about what we are doing and offering advice on which roads in the area are better than others and great rides others have been on if we are interested.
I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother and two of my sons and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud. Proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.
At the age of thirteen, my family moved to Wisconsin to learn to farm. Yes, learn to farm! That was interesting. Taking city kids and throwing them on a farm with twenty-eight cows purchased from the Humane Society because they had been abused, was interesting. I learned to milk cows, the ins and outs of a breeding schedule, feeding schedule and the never ending haying in the summer and trying to stay warm in the winter. Our first winter in Wisconsin, we had thirty-six inches of snow in one storm and were snowed in our house for three days! Needless to say, I wasn’t loving Wisconsin.
I am now married with four children and three grandchildren. I have learned to love Wisconsin, though I still hate snow. Wisconsin and the United States are beautiful and my husband and I travel around by motorcycle seeing new sites and meeting new people. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are interested in where we are going and what we have seen along the way. At every gas station, restaurant and hotel, we have people come up to us and ask us about what we are doing and offering advice on which roads in the area are better than others and great rides others have been on if we are interested.
I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather, father, brother and two of my sons and one daughter-in-law are all veterans. Needless to say, I am proud. Proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
August 10, 2023
Good start to the RAPTOR series
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️💜
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 🤓😉☺️😍🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Shelby Davidson - she babysat for her niece Callie (7) and nephew Anders (5) at least once a week, but today was different. Her brother-in-law Curtis, just left for work and she had only three hours to get as far away as she could. She didn’t want to alert the controlling jerk that anything was amiss. Her sister was missing and she knew that Curtis had either killed her sister or had her killed. She thought the kids would be next, so she took off with them.
The Hero: Diego Josephs - he just started working for RAPTOR a year ago. It was like being in the military, all employees loved what they did and they each had their own house or apartment on the compound. The nature of their jobs were covert and often dangerous. Diego was very happy with his job and coworkers.
The Story: Diego got a new job to go out on. It was a kidnapping case, a Shelby Davidson had kidnapped her niece and nephew and was suspected of murdering her own sister. Diego was taking the lead on this job. His PTSD had improved since he got a therapy dog named Ted, who sensed Diego’s panic attacks and helped to calm him down.
I liked this story, it had romance, friendship, suspense, and more. I liked the fact that the two main characters got to know each other and Diego could tell from the start that Shelby cared for her niece and nephew, so it wasn’t hard for him to realize that something was up with the story he was fed from the brother-in-law. Also I liked his PTSD/Therapy dog storyline.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Rose Dioro and Troy Duran, two of my all time favorite narrators. Troy Duran has a deep, sexy voice which I could listen to all day and Rose Dioro has a light feminine voice which sounds age appropriate and she is great at showing emotion through her voice. I had never heard of this author or this series before and pretty much chose this based on the narrators.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️💜
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 🤓😉☺️😍🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Shelby Davidson - she babysat for her niece Callie (7) and nephew Anders (5) at least once a week, but today was different. Her brother-in-law Curtis, just left for work and she had only three hours to get as far away as she could. She didn’t want to alert the controlling jerk that anything was amiss. Her sister was missing and she knew that Curtis had either killed her sister or had her killed. She thought the kids would be next, so she took off with them.
The Hero: Diego Josephs - he just started working for RAPTOR a year ago. It was like being in the military, all employees loved what they did and they each had their own house or apartment on the compound. The nature of their jobs were covert and often dangerous. Diego was very happy with his job and coworkers.
The Story: Diego got a new job to go out on. It was a kidnapping case, a Shelby Davidson had kidnapped her niece and nephew and was suspected of murdering her own sister. Diego was taking the lead on this job. His PTSD had improved since he got a therapy dog named Ted, who sensed Diego’s panic attacks and helped to calm him down.
I liked this story, it had romance, friendship, suspense, and more. I liked the fact that the two main characters got to know each other and Diego could tell from the start that Shelby cared for her niece and nephew, so it wasn’t hard for him to realize that something was up with the story he was fed from the brother-in-law. Also I liked his PTSD/Therapy dog storyline.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Rose Dioro and Troy Duran, two of my all time favorite narrators. Troy Duran has a deep, sexy voice which I could listen to all day and Rose Dioro has a light feminine voice which sounds age appropriate and she is great at showing emotion through her voice. I had never heard of this author or this series before and pretty much chose this based on the narrators.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
July 19, 2023
Family in the Making
A moment please. I need to dry my tears and take a few deep breaths while I collect the scattered pieces of my heart.
...Several minutes later...
I ❤️ this book. It's the first in the series but there are plenty of familiar faces in the crowd, which just made it that much more endearing. (This is a standalone and reading prior books isn't required.)
I admire Shelby Davidson's tenacity and desire to do right by her niece and nephew after her sister went missing. Despite lies and omissions, I love the quick chemistry between her and Diego Josephs, even if it takes some time for things to be in a place for the heat to develop.
Making this even sweeter in the face of so much awfulness are Anders, Callie, and Ted. They are resilient and full of healing love. 💙👧🏻🐕🦺🧒❤️
I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrators are Troy Duran and Rose Dioro. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really like both narrators. Duet narration is the only thing that could've made it better.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x
UPDATED 7/2023:
What started as listening for something in particular turned into me listening to the entire book again. Oops. 🤪 I've got no complaints.
I like the small tie-ins with the GHOST and Big 3 Security series. Nothing overwhelming, just breadcrumbs to follow if you want.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5-3.0x
A moment please. I need to dry my tears and take a few deep breaths while I collect the scattered pieces of my heart.
...Several minutes later...
I ❤️ this book. It's the first in the series but there are plenty of familiar faces in the crowd, which just made it that much more endearing. (This is a standalone and reading prior books isn't required.)
I admire Shelby Davidson's tenacity and desire to do right by her niece and nephew after her sister went missing. Despite lies and omissions, I love the quick chemistry between her and Diego Josephs, even if it takes some time for things to be in a place for the heat to develop.
Making this even sweeter in the face of so much awfulness are Anders, Callie, and Ted. They are resilient and full of healing love. 💙👧🏻🐕🦺🧒❤️
I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrators are Troy Duran and Rose Dioro. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really like both narrators. Duet narration is the only thing that could've made it better.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x
UPDATED 7/2023:
What started as listening for something in particular turned into me listening to the entire book again. Oops. 🤪 I've got no complaints.
I like the small tie-ins with the GHOST and Big 3 Security series. Nothing overwhelming, just breadcrumbs to follow if you want.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5-3.0x
February 1, 2024
3.5 stars.
This was a free stuff-your-earbuds day book and it did it’s job. I will be reading more books by this author. For the most part, it was enjoyable. It’s a fun mystery-suspense-romance with great main and side characters. There were just several things that made my eyes roll along the way (I’ll get to them).
Shelby is doing her best to save her sister’s kids from their dad when her sister goes missing. Diego is hired to find her and the kids, but he figures that something is wrong and ends up helping them. Along the way, they fall in love and become a family. It was a nice and easy audiobook with talented narrators.
It’s clear that even though this is the first book in this series, this is not the first book with the side characters. I’m guessing there’s another related series before this because we meet several folks that seem to have a backstory… which leads to my first ick/annoyance.
1. When Shelby is introduced to a random woman, she’s in awe. She thinks, “Wow, this woman is so amazing. She’s so beautiful and smart and awesome and perfect.” And then proceeds to bad talk about herself in comparison. I’m guessing this other woman is likely a heroine in another book; however, the way the heroine thinks about herself in comparison is so unnecessary. This isn’t one of those romances where the heroine’s self-confidence journey is essential to the book. It was so unnecessary to have this toxic self-talk in this book.
2. This author should not write sex scenes. The first sex scene is about 80% into the book and it comes out of left field. It felt like it was inserted (ha ha, see what I did there) in the book just to make sure to appease the romance readers who would need one. But it was cringey and completely wrong for the story. The heroine has been crying and upset and has finally heard that her brother-in-law likely murdered her sister. But, all of the sudden, the two main characters are like “let’s leave the kids alone with strangers and have sex”… and then the heroine giggles… a LOT. And it felt so weird. It’s not that I think they couldn’t have sex… but the way this is written is just so off. And other sex scenes later weren’t better. “The moisture gathered between my thighs…” No, thank you, author.
3. So many thoughtless weird things in here. For instance… The two characters (separately) rent Airbnb-type cabin/trailer. There’s a big storm and they are blocked in by debris, as well as the trailer being trashed. At no time, do they think “I should call the owner”. Nope. The hero just gets his portable saw and they move some trees/branches to be able to drive away.
4. Inconsistent mental health rep. He’s got PTSD and has a support dog that can sense when he might be having a panic attack. It was cool to have that included. I expected good mental health rep, but it’s not well thought out. There’s a lot of “love will save me” in here/I'm whole now that I have a romantic partner, along with “look at how good these kids are and well-behaved” (ya, because their abusive father demanded well-behaved), etc.
There are some other weird things, but I’ll stop there. If you’re looking for a fun romantic suspense, this works… but be prepared for some things.
Safety deets
- No other women or men.
- She’s been married in the past and has struggled with infertility.
- We get to see them get their happily ever after.
This was a free stuff-your-earbuds day book and it did it’s job. I will be reading more books by this author. For the most part, it was enjoyable. It’s a fun mystery-suspense-romance with great main and side characters. There were just several things that made my eyes roll along the way (I’ll get to them).
Shelby is doing her best to save her sister’s kids from their dad when her sister goes missing. Diego is hired to find her and the kids, but he figures that something is wrong and ends up helping them. Along the way, they fall in love and become a family. It was a nice and easy audiobook with talented narrators.
It’s clear that even though this is the first book in this series, this is not the first book with the side characters. I’m guessing there’s another related series before this because we meet several folks that seem to have a backstory… which leads to my first ick/annoyance.
1. When Shelby is introduced to a random woman, she’s in awe. She thinks, “Wow, this woman is so amazing. She’s so beautiful and smart and awesome and perfect.” And then proceeds to bad talk about herself in comparison. I’m guessing this other woman is likely a heroine in another book; however, the way the heroine thinks about herself in comparison is so unnecessary. This isn’t one of those romances where the heroine’s self-confidence journey is essential to the book. It was so unnecessary to have this toxic self-talk in this book.
2. This author should not write sex scenes. The first sex scene is about 80% into the book and it comes out of left field. It felt like it was inserted (ha ha, see what I did there) in the book just to make sure to appease the romance readers who would need one. But it was cringey and completely wrong for the story. The heroine has been crying and upset and has finally heard that her brother-in-law likely murdered her sister. But, all of the sudden, the two main characters are like “let’s leave the kids alone with strangers and have sex”… and then the heroine giggles… a LOT. And it felt so weird. It’s not that I think they couldn’t have sex… but the way this is written is just so off. And other sex scenes later weren’t better. “The moisture gathered between my thighs…” No, thank you, author.
3. So many thoughtless weird things in here. For instance… The two characters (separately) rent Airbnb-type cabin/trailer. There’s a big storm and they are blocked in by debris, as well as the trailer being trashed. At no time, do they think “I should call the owner”. Nope. The hero just gets his portable saw and they move some trees/branches to be able to drive away.
4. Inconsistent mental health rep. He’s got PTSD and has a support dog that can sense when he might be having a panic attack. It was cool to have that included. I expected good mental health rep, but it’s not well thought out. There’s a lot of “love will save me” in here/I'm whole now that I have a romantic partner, along with “look at how good these kids are and well-behaved” (ya, because their abusive father demanded well-behaved), etc.
There are some other weird things, but I’ll stop there. If you’re looking for a fun romantic suspense, this works… but be prepared for some things.
Safety deets
- No other women or men.
- She’s been married in the past and has struggled with infertility.
- We get to see them get their happily ever after.
May 20, 2022
4 stars
Very slow burn romance. In fact, I started to wonder if this book was going to be a fade to black series. I struggled to feel the chemistry between the characters. Instead, the story seemed more focused on finding out what happened to the sister and finding out how the brother-in-law was involved as well as setting up the backstory of RAPTOR than in a romance.
It wasn't a bad story, just very different than I expected. I really wanted more in-depth conversations between the characters. I wanted to get to know them more.
Very slow burn romance. In fact, I started to wonder if this book was going to be a fade to black series. I struggled to feel the chemistry between the characters. Instead, the story seemed more focused on finding out what happened to the sister and finding out how the brother-in-law was involved as well as setting up the backstory of RAPTOR than in a romance.
It wasn't a bad story, just very different than I expected. I really wanted more in-depth conversations between the characters. I wanted to get to know them more.
August 14, 2023
2 stars.
This isn't a bad book by any means, it's a sweet story about a gentle aunt who would do anything to protect her sister's kids and a strong RAPTOR agent who would risk his life for them. When I first read the summary I was immediately intrigued and expected this book to be filled with action and suspense! Unfortunately, I was left disappointed by the end-result.
My issue with this book is that it lacks flavor. There's nothing wrong with the characters, they're all nice (save for Kurtis and co) and have qualities to them that I find refreshing in a romance. However, besides being 'nice', I thought that they were very bland. Diego was adorable and I appreciate how he wasn't some stoic alpha male asshole; he had a lot of tenderness towards Shelby and the kids and it made me swoon in some instances because that's hella cute and I love me some caring, dad-potential love interest. Besides that? I felt that he needed more layers to his character. His background was interesting but the author didn't explore it much, we had a very bare-bones summary of his life and if just felt... eh. Shelby was mostly fine, but I also found her to be rather bland in certain parts. I didn't fault her too much though due to the plot. I could tell that constantly being alert and thinking about her niece and nephew would leave few moments for her personality to shine, which is fine. Characters like her and Diego are safe to write because they rarely annoy the reader; but there are bad points to everything and I guess the biggest issue here was how simplistic their relationship was. Yes, they were cute, but I felt like I was reading about two very ordinary people having a very ordinary romance in a not-so ordinary scenario. Which brings me to my next point...
The summary hinted at an exciting story but it was 80% suspense/nothing vs 20% action. I honestly had a hard time reading this book because it felt boring. The author prolonged some scenes that I felt were unnecessary given the premise, and I found myself skimming a lot. I rarely read contemporary romance books because of this, and yet I was hoping for this one to be different due to the promise of action and suspense. It offered neither in the way I expected; we had a mostly slow-burn mystery that was 90% predictable. No twists and turns, just a straight line leading to information we already knew at the very beginning. Kurtis (the father) was the bad guy all along and he never wanted kids. He was corrupt and rich and Stacy (his wife/the mom) dug through his dirty little secrets in hopes to take him down. It backfired on her and the book explains the rest. Nothing much added, not even a proper confrontation with Kurtis, too. He was killed off-screen and it left me go "what? That's it?" after reading the last few chapters. It was anticlimactic and I really wonder why the author didn't bother to spice things up just a bit, the book had serious potential and I'm sad to see myself give it such low rating.
My last gripe is the writing style. I don't dislike simple prose, I actually love it because it makes it easier on me. The issue is that the author's style feels unpolished at times, especially how repetitive it gets in certain paragraphs. Some words are used over and over again and it makes it seem amateurish? I'll put a few examples so you'll see what I mean.
As soon as Diego stood Ted ran toward Anders and Anders laughed. After that, Anders and Ted were joined together. Anders ran down the hallway and Ted followed him. Anders jumped on the sofa and Ted followed, though he didn’t jump on the sofa because he wasn’t allowed.
Another one.
Diego told Anders and Callie stories about Ted and how he got him and how Ted was trained and some stories about Ted as a puppy which both kids thought was funny. Diego even showed them pictures of Ted as a pup and they both thought he was soo cute.
Here's another.
he found a room at the far end of the motel and parked the truck along the side of the motel, where it wasn’t readily visible from the road.
One more for the road:
A blond slender woman with short blond curly hair walked into their room and stood next to Van.
Yeah, it could do with some polish, I think. But besides that, the writing was fine.
Overall, this really wasn't a bad book. I enjoyed certain scenes and thought the mains were adorable. But as I mentionned before, the story was boring half the time and needed more seasoning, more flavor. We never saw Shelby or Diego confront Kurtis, we didn't have an epic action-filled adventure with drama left and right. We didn't have much background on Diego or snippets of his exciting life. It was mundane and I'm sorry to not continue this series after the first book.
This isn't a bad book by any means, it's a sweet story about a gentle aunt who would do anything to protect her sister's kids and a strong RAPTOR agent who would risk his life for them. When I first read the summary I was immediately intrigued and expected this book to be filled with action and suspense! Unfortunately, I was left disappointed by the end-result.
My issue with this book is that it lacks flavor. There's nothing wrong with the characters, they're all nice (save for Kurtis and co) and have qualities to them that I find refreshing in a romance. However, besides being 'nice', I thought that they were very bland. Diego was adorable and I appreciate how he wasn't some stoic alpha male asshole; he had a lot of tenderness towards Shelby and the kids and it made me swoon in some instances because that's hella cute and I love me some caring, dad-potential love interest. Besides that? I felt that he needed more layers to his character. His background was interesting but the author didn't explore it much, we had a very bare-bones summary of his life and if just felt... eh. Shelby was mostly fine, but I also found her to be rather bland in certain parts. I didn't fault her too much though due to the plot. I could tell that constantly being alert and thinking about her niece and nephew would leave few moments for her personality to shine, which is fine. Characters like her and Diego are safe to write because they rarely annoy the reader; but there are bad points to everything and I guess the biggest issue here was how simplistic their relationship was. Yes, they were cute, but I felt like I was reading about two very ordinary people having a very ordinary romance in a not-so ordinary scenario. Which brings me to my next point...
The summary hinted at an exciting story but it was 80% suspense/nothing vs 20% action. I honestly had a hard time reading this book because it felt boring. The author prolonged some scenes that I felt were unnecessary given the premise, and I found myself skimming a lot. I rarely read contemporary romance books because of this, and yet I was hoping for this one to be different due to the promise of action and suspense. It offered neither in the way I expected; we had a mostly slow-burn mystery that was 90% predictable. No twists and turns, just a straight line leading to information we already knew at the very beginning. Kurtis (the father) was the bad guy all along and he never wanted kids. He was corrupt and rich and Stacy (his wife/the mom) dug through his dirty little secrets in hopes to take him down. It backfired on her and the book explains the rest. Nothing much added, not even a proper confrontation with Kurtis, too. He was killed off-screen and it left me go "what? That's it?" after reading the last few chapters. It was anticlimactic and I really wonder why the author didn't bother to spice things up just a bit, the book had serious potential and I'm sad to see myself give it such low rating.
My last gripe is the writing style. I don't dislike simple prose, I actually love it because it makes it easier on me. The issue is that the author's style feels unpolished at times, especially how repetitive it gets in certain paragraphs. Some words are used over and over again and it makes it seem amateurish? I'll put a few examples so you'll see what I mean.
As soon as Diego stood Ted ran toward Anders and Anders laughed. After that, Anders and Ted were joined together. Anders ran down the hallway and Ted followed him. Anders jumped on the sofa and Ted followed, though he didn’t jump on the sofa because he wasn’t allowed.
Another one.
Diego told Anders and Callie stories about Ted and how he got him and how Ted was trained and some stories about Ted as a puppy which both kids thought was funny. Diego even showed them pictures of Ted as a pup and they both thought he was soo cute.
Here's another.
he found a room at the far end of the motel and parked the truck along the side of the motel, where it wasn’t readily visible from the road.
One more for the road:
A blond slender woman with short blond curly hair walked into their room and stood next to Van.
Yeah, it could do with some polish, I think. But besides that, the writing was fine.
Overall, this really wasn't a bad book. I enjoyed certain scenes and thought the mains were adorable. But as I mentionned before, the story was boring half the time and needed more seasoning, more flavor. We never saw Shelby or Diego confront Kurtis, we didn't have an epic action-filled adventure with drama left and right. We didn't have much background on Diego or snippets of his exciting life. It was mundane and I'm sorry to not continue this series after the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2021
ARC for honest review with no compensation
Saving Shelby is book 1 in the RAPTOR series by PJ Fiala and a great start to this new series!
RAPTOR isa spin-off of the GHOST series and a perfect way to bring more ex military operatives with disabilities back to the fold, right wrongs, good vs evil and finding not all is what it seems…
First up is Diego a PTSD ex soldier and Shelby who has kidnapped her missing sister’s children after hearing some very disturbing things said by her brother in law.
Suspense, mystery, emotional, tears, laughter, sparks, blending a family and finding love is just some of what is happening…can’t wait for more of this series!
Saving Shelby is book 1 in the RAPTOR series by PJ Fiala and a great start to this new series!
RAPTOR isa spin-off of the GHOST series and a perfect way to bring more ex military operatives with disabilities back to the fold, right wrongs, good vs evil and finding not all is what it seems…
First up is Diego a PTSD ex soldier and Shelby who has kidnapped her missing sister’s children after hearing some very disturbing things said by her brother in law.
Suspense, mystery, emotional, tears, laughter, sparks, blending a family and finding love is just some of what is happening…can’t wait for more of this series!
July 11, 2021
What a journey Diego and Shelby have. This is a great start to a new series and have to say this one has all the feels. It catches you from the first page and you will stay engrossed in the story till the end. They are the perfect imperfect pair. Enjoyed all the supporting characters as well and look forward to more in the series. I received a free copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a review
January 18, 2023
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this series but I’m glad I took a chance on it. The story moves along at a good pace with excellent character development. I like how this first book introduces Raptor and sets the scene for the rest of the series.
July 8, 2021
A new series by PJ Fiala... RAPTOR.. and Diego and Shelby are introduced to us as broken people. Diego is a man that still suffers from PTSD but with the help of his therapy dog, is now managing to lead a good life. Shelby loves her sister and her 2 children. She wants to protect them from her sister’s abusive husband and ends up kidnapping the children and going on the run. The moment Diego meets Shelby he has to work out whether she is as bad as his client insists she is or is there something else going on. Nothing is as it seems.
This story develops at a fast rate, with surprises, twists, drama, action and suspense. As a introduction to this series it’s absolutely ace! Would highly recommend you take a look for yourself.
I have received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story develops at a fast rate, with surprises, twists, drama, action and suspense. As a introduction to this series it’s absolutely ace! Would highly recommend you take a look for yourself.
I have received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2021
Saving Shelby is the first in PJ Fila's new Rapt0r series. Raptor is a spin off of her GHOST series so we get visit with old friends long the way. Raptor is a group of disabled veterans retrained to help
find missing/kidnapped/abused women and children.
Diego Josephs is a veteran suffering from PTSD who has been a training program so that he can deal with his PTSD and do the work he loves, along with his therapy dog, Ted. Shelby Davidson is sure her sister's husband has killer her sister Stacy and has heard things that make her believe he will harm the children. So keeping her promise to her sister if anything happened to her, she goes on the run with Callie and Anders. Stacy's husband hires RAPTOR to find them but Diego and the other RAPTOR members soon realize the husband is not what he seems.
Ms. Fiala's stories are always beautifully written and crafted. I was sucked right into Diego and Shelby's story and didn't want it to end!
find missing/kidnapped/abused women and children.
Diego Josephs is a veteran suffering from PTSD who has been a training program so that he can deal with his PTSD and do the work he loves, along with his therapy dog, Ted. Shelby Davidson is sure her sister's husband has killer her sister Stacy and has heard things that make her believe he will harm the children. So keeping her promise to her sister if anything happened to her, she goes on the run with Callie and Anders. Stacy's husband hires RAPTOR to find them but Diego and the other RAPTOR members soon realize the husband is not what he seems.
Ms. Fiala's stories are always beautifully written and crafted. I was sucked right into Diego and Shelby's story and didn't want it to end!
November 30, 2024
I really didn’t like this. The story has potential. I love a woman on the run story. Shelby flees with her niece and nephew after her sister disappears and she suspects their father. Diego and his security company, RAPTOR, are hired by the father to find Shelby and the kids. But when he realizes Shelby is the one in trouble he helps protect her instead.
First of all, this book was too long. And much of the length was due to the author describing every mundane thing about the setting and the actions of characters.
He smiled at her and nodded to the bedside table where another cup of coffee sat for her with two sugar packets and a creamer packet lay alongside.
Picking up her coffee cup, she added the creamer to it, then replaced the lid. The first sip was hot but oh so good. Simple pleasures.
Sitting quietly on the bed and pouring the creamer in her coffee, she then set herself back against the headboard and took her first sip. Her eyes closed for a moment and he saw the appreciation on her face.
Lowering her coffee cup to hold it in her lap, she let out a breath.
ENOUGH ABOUT THE COFFEE! This all in the span of a couple pages and only one example of unnecessary descriptions. I like when an author sets the scene, but the way everything was described was almost clinical. I would have appreciated if more of the 378 pages had been devoted to character development. Shelby and Diego felt flat and wooden. I felt no spark or connection between the two so the sudden romance that emerges feels weird. It’s zero to 100 pretty quickly. With declarations of love and marriage proposals after only a few days.
The plot was probably the best thing going for this but even that felt boring. There isn’t really a whole lot of action. There are several shoot outs but for one the main charters are holed up in a hotel room while other characters handle it and another is told in Shelby’s POV but she is hidden on the floor of a truck so we don’t get to see any of it. Most of the book is them hiding out and waiting for information that is obtained off page.
Shelby’s sister staying with her husband as long as she did made no sense. This man was dangerous and you stayed to gather evidence? If it had just been her I would understand but she kept her children around him, living in a hostile household for what?
I could go on but at this point I’m just ranting.
First of all, this book was too long. And much of the length was due to the author describing every mundane thing about the setting and the actions of characters.
He smiled at her and nodded to the bedside table where another cup of coffee sat for her with two sugar packets and a creamer packet lay alongside.
Picking up her coffee cup, she added the creamer to it, then replaced the lid. The first sip was hot but oh so good. Simple pleasures.
Sitting quietly on the bed and pouring the creamer in her coffee, she then set herself back against the headboard and took her first sip. Her eyes closed for a moment and he saw the appreciation on her face.
Lowering her coffee cup to hold it in her lap, she let out a breath.
ENOUGH ABOUT THE COFFEE! This all in the span of a couple pages and only one example of unnecessary descriptions. I like when an author sets the scene, but the way everything was described was almost clinical. I would have appreciated if more of the 378 pages had been devoted to character development. Shelby and Diego felt flat and wooden. I felt no spark or connection between the two so the sudden romance that emerges feels weird. It’s zero to 100 pretty quickly. With declarations of love and marriage proposals after only a few days.
The plot was probably the best thing going for this but even that felt boring. There isn’t really a whole lot of action. There are several shoot outs but for one the main charters are holed up in a hotel room while other characters handle it and another is told in Shelby’s POV but she is hidden on the floor of a truck so we don’t get to see any of it. Most of the book is them hiding out and waiting for information that is obtained off page.
Shelby’s sister staying with her husband as long as she did made no sense. This man was dangerous and you stayed to gather evidence? If it had just been her I would understand but she kept her children around him, living in a hostile household for what?
I could go on but at this point I’m just ranting.
November 11, 2024
started out great…
The blurb grabbed my attention, the story started out great, I thought I’m really going to enjoy this. Then the profanity and use of the ‘f’ bomb degenerated what could have been a great story into the usual drivel.
The blurb grabbed my attention, the story started out great, I thought I’m really going to enjoy this. Then the profanity and use of the ‘f’ bomb degenerated what could have been a great story into the usual drivel.
did-not-finish
July 21, 2025Put this down around the 20% mark. Someone kidnaps two children (justified or not), and nooooo one calls the authorities? I can suspend my disbelief in fantasy and sci-fi romance pretty well, but I struggle in these real-world setting genres (suspense/mystery/contemporary romance).
July 8, 2021
This is the first book in P.J. Fiala's new series RAPTOR. The main characters of this series are introduced immediately in this book. However, this book is mainly about Diego Joseph's mission to rescue 2 kidnapped children and everything that transpires. Shelby has taken her niece and nephew from a father who doesn't want them and she suspects abuse. Stacy, her sister, has been missing for a month and nobody is doing anything about it. This book has lots of twists, drama and romance and is sure to keep you in suspense until the very end. I enjoyed it immensely and finished reading it in 1 day.
I have received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2021
Do you want a story that gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling? But also has suspense, desire, and danger? Then Saving Shelby is for you!! What a great start to the new RAPTOR series..Diego and Shelby are two broken souls, but together they are AMAZING.. Add in two gorgeous kids and a therapy dog and you get a family that were definitely meant to be together..this was such a good read, has a great storyline and characters that are just so relatable, there aren't a lot of sex scenes, this is more of a slow burn and I found that refreshing, I cannot wait to read the next book in this series Holding Hadleigh.
November 27, 2024
Super easy romance but way too basic and seemed written for jr high. Story skimmed the surface, seemed a little repetitive. Woman’s husband abused the wife and Shelby, the sister, took the kids to save them from the husband.
July 21, 2021
Things are not always as they seem, Diego is on the trail of a kidnapper, Shelby has taken her niece and nephew after hearing their dad say terrible things, her sister and their mother is missing, thinking the worst and not wanting the same to happen with the kids, Ted helps the two to meet, such a great dog, a therapy dog for Diego, slightly mistrust on both sides, they become somewhat friends, things are not always what they seem, trust, friends, protector of the innocent, so very exciting, thrilling, keeps you guessing, love forever including kids that are not biological to Shelby and Diego, but thanks to the judge who threw the book at the bad guys, a family is born with a special guardian angel on their side, I have voluntarily read and review this ARC, thank you for the privilege, Dana Zamora
July 18, 2021
As the first book in a new series, this book is a wonderful start. This story grabs you from the beginning and contains all the feels. Diego and Shelby are two broken souls who find a common bond and strength with each other to face the danger surrounding them and fight for their growing love, the children, and their future happiness. Sifting through the lies and corruption Diego and his team dive into danger to help Shelby and the children escape the clutches of her evil, violent brother-in-law who will stop at nothing to find them.
Engaging characters, a gripping storyline, adorable children, a therapy dog, danger and suspense throughout, an undeniable connection, chemistry, love, and a wonderful HEA await in the pages of this great story. Wonderful read from beginning to end. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Engaging characters, a gripping storyline, adorable children, a therapy dog, danger and suspense throughout, an undeniable connection, chemistry, love, and a wonderful HEA await in the pages of this great story. Wonderful read from beginning to end. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 26, 2021
TURNING TRAGEDY INTO HOPE, TRUST, LOVE
Edge of your seat intensity. Fast paced action. Overflowing with emotion. Simmering hot romance.
Saving Shelby is the perfect vehicle to introduce the RAPTOR series. Definitely a not to be missed story. Highly recommend.
Edge of your seat intensity. Fast paced action. Overflowing with emotion. Simmering hot romance.
Saving Shelby is the perfect vehicle to introduce the RAPTOR series. Definitely a not to be missed story. Highly recommend.
April 7, 2022
it was ok.. good concept but i lost count of how many times the author repeated how wonderful and smart the sister was, how lovely and such a wonderful aunt Shelby was it just got boring in the end.
July 27, 2022
Wonderful Story & Narration🎧 Riveting Romantic Suspense!
Saving Shelby
RAPTOR, Book 1
By: PJ Fiala
Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Troy Duran
I loved everything about this amazing romantic suspense, from PJ Fiala’s wonderful writing style to the fabulous characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narrators who bring it all to life from the pages to your ears. This story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it straight to the end, it also tugged on my heartstrings. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to like and care about too. Shelby Davidson’s sister is missing, and she is certain her husband had something to do with that but right now the important thing is to get her niece, Callie, and nephew, Anders, out of that house and away from their father, her brother-in-law, Kurtis, who she fears may hurt them. She planned her escape and timed it to where she would have a good head start before Kurtis knew they were gone. Kurtis, an influential man who is used to being in control and getting what he wants, reports the kidnapping and hires RAPTOR to track them down. RAPTOR is a team of former military and special operatives. Diego Josephs has been with them for a year when his boss, Emersyn Copeland, assigns him to find Shelby and the kids. Each operative in RAPTOR has their own story, wounded while serving, either physically or mentally, rehabilitated and retrained to work there. Diego suffers from PTSD and has a canine partner and therapy dog, Teddy, who is a big help, actually they help each other. Diego wants to prove himself worthy with this case and after he tracks and observes Shelby and the kids, he has a hunch not is all what it appears to be. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is cleverly plotted with a perfect balance of drama, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn romance. PJ Fiala, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, PJ Fiala could not have chosen a better cast to bring her characters and story to life. Rose Dioro and Troy Duran are wonderfully talented narrators and versatile voice artists. They have a complete understanding of the characters they are portraying, give each a voice that is a perfect fit for that character’s persona and are believable in every role they play. They set the perfect tone for the story, capture all the character’s emotions and project them into their performance and have you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their narration enhances an already wonderful story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.
Saving Shelby
RAPTOR, Book 1
By: PJ Fiala
Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Troy Duran
I loved everything about this amazing romantic suspense, from PJ Fiala’s wonderful writing style to the fabulous characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narrators who bring it all to life from the pages to your ears. This story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it straight to the end, it also tugged on my heartstrings. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to like and care about too. Shelby Davidson’s sister is missing, and she is certain her husband had something to do with that but right now the important thing is to get her niece, Callie, and nephew, Anders, out of that house and away from their father, her brother-in-law, Kurtis, who she fears may hurt them. She planned her escape and timed it to where she would have a good head start before Kurtis knew they were gone. Kurtis, an influential man who is used to being in control and getting what he wants, reports the kidnapping and hires RAPTOR to track them down. RAPTOR is a team of former military and special operatives. Diego Josephs has been with them for a year when his boss, Emersyn Copeland, assigns him to find Shelby and the kids. Each operative in RAPTOR has their own story, wounded while serving, either physically or mentally, rehabilitated and retrained to work there. Diego suffers from PTSD and has a canine partner and therapy dog, Teddy, who is a big help, actually they help each other. Diego wants to prove himself worthy with this case and after he tracks and observes Shelby and the kids, he has a hunch not is all what it appears to be. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is cleverly plotted with a perfect balance of drama, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn romance. PJ Fiala, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, PJ Fiala could not have chosen a better cast to bring her characters and story to life. Rose Dioro and Troy Duran are wonderfully talented narrators and versatile voice artists. They have a complete understanding of the characters they are portraying, give each a voice that is a perfect fit for that character’s persona and are believable in every role they play. They set the perfect tone for the story, capture all the character’s emotions and project them into their performance and have you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their narration enhances an already wonderful story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.
August 9, 2021
Shelby's sister has gone missing and she is convinced that Stacey's husband is to blame. In order to keep her niece and nephew safe, Shelby packs the kids up and heads out of town. Her brother in law does not contact the police, instead, he hires RAPTOR to look into the kidnapping. Diego Josephs is a special agent with the RAPTOR group. He, like all their agents, is former military. He suffers from PTSD and has a hard time adjusting to civilian life until joining this group. He has resigned himself to living alone and never having a family. Then he is assigned to find Shelby and the children. The RAPTOR group realizes there is something off about this whole situation and digs deeper to solve the mystery surrounding this whole situation. When there is attempt made on the lives of Shelby and the kids, Diego saves them and is committed to keeping them safe.
Great read by Fiala!! This is the first in a new RAPTOR series. This group focuses on helping children. Love the premise for this book and of course getting to see some of our favorite GHOST characters is a plus as well. Diego is a character that your heart will go out to. Seeing him find success with his new employment is so satisfying. He does not just find a job and his PTSD is gone. He goes through a lot of work to get where he is and is a work in progress but is surrounded by a team that supports him one hundred percent and Shelby is the perfect person for him, helping him work through his episodes. Another great aspect of this book is how the children slowly learn to trust Diego and are able to see that all men will not hurt. Seeing these kids open up to Diego is heart melting. I would definitely recommend this book.
I received a review copy of this book from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great read by Fiala!! This is the first in a new RAPTOR series. This group focuses on helping children. Love the premise for this book and of course getting to see some of our favorite GHOST characters is a plus as well. Diego is a character that your heart will go out to. Seeing him find success with his new employment is so satisfying. He does not just find a job and his PTSD is gone. He goes through a lot of work to get where he is and is a work in progress but is surrounded by a team that supports him one hundred percent and Shelby is the perfect person for him, helping him work through his episodes. Another great aspect of this book is how the children slowly learn to trust Diego and are able to see that all men will not hurt. Seeing these kids open up to Diego is heart melting. I would definitely recommend this book.
I received a review copy of this book from the author. I am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 31, 2023
The couple: Diego and Shelby
Romance trope: romantic suspense
Series: RAPTOR
Length: 370 pages
Plot: Shelby knows that her brother-in-law has something to do with her sister's disappearance and believes he will harm his children. So she takes her niece and nephew and she runs, trying to avoid being caught. The BIL hires RAPTOR to find his children and when Diego does come across them, he doesn't believe that Shelby is the evil mastermind her BIL claims. He and his team find evidence of wrongdoing and when they go to save Shelby, they discover that she's in more danger than ever.
Commentary: This was a sweet story. There is the slightest undertone of religion but not so much that it turned me off of the story. Diego and Shelby were that couple that you just know from the start is going to make it and live happily ever after - couple goals! He was methodical and kind and insightful and she was compassionate and selfless and let herself be vulnerable even after being hurt. I also liked that Diego let himself be vulnerable as well with his PTSD and anxiety and the fact that he had a service dog who helped him through it. This is a series that I will keep reading.
Previous book in the series: RAPTOR Rising
Next book in the series: Holding Hadleigh
Romance trope: romantic suspense
Series: RAPTOR
Length: 370 pages
Plot: Shelby knows that her brother-in-law has something to do with her sister's disappearance and believes he will harm his children. So she takes her niece and nephew and she runs, trying to avoid being caught. The BIL hires RAPTOR to find his children and when Diego does come across them, he doesn't believe that Shelby is the evil mastermind her BIL claims. He and his team find evidence of wrongdoing and when they go to save Shelby, they discover that she's in more danger than ever.
Commentary: This was a sweet story. There is the slightest undertone of religion but not so much that it turned me off of the story. Diego and Shelby were that couple that you just know from the start is going to make it and live happily ever after - couple goals! He was methodical and kind and insightful and she was compassionate and selfless and let herself be vulnerable even after being hurt. I also liked that Diego let himself be vulnerable as well with his PTSD and anxiety and the fact that he had a service dog who helped him through it. This is a series that I will keep reading.
Previous book in the series: RAPTOR Rising
Next book in the series: Holding Hadleigh
July 11, 2021
I received this book as an ARC for an honest and voluntary review. This is a spin off of Ms. Fiala's popular GHOST series. Think back to the beginning, the first GHOST book, Defending Kiernan, we meet Dane Copeland and his loveable daughter Emersyn, Emmy. Well She's all grown up and has started a company of her own RAPTOR, (Revenge And Protect Team Operation Recovery) right next door to GHOST run by her these days by her Uncle. This allows her to tap into the vast resources that GHOST has. Her employees are special, they all have some remaining reminder of the recent war. Emmy herself injuries from an IED blast. Some have visible reminders, and others like our hero Diego have those you cant see. He has PTSD and a really cool support dog Ted, who has a lot of fun in the book. I'm not a tell you what the book is about person, I want you to read the book. But RAPTOR tends to deal a lot with child exploitation, such as kidnapping and other child predators.
Shelby Davidson knows that first her sister Stacy would never leave her children behind, and second that she doesn't trust her brother-in-law Kurtis Kennedy at all with the children. So what's a girl to do? Why run away with them of course. Which is how Diego intersects with the family, hired by Kurtis, who Emmy quickly figures out is not on the up and up. You'll just have to read the book, it's sweet, funny, and sexy
Shelby Davidson knows that first her sister Stacy would never leave her children behind, and second that she doesn't trust her brother-in-law Kurtis Kennedy at all with the children. So what's a girl to do? Why run away with them of course. Which is how Diego intersects with the family, hired by Kurtis, who Emmy quickly figures out is not on the up and up. You'll just have to read the book, it's sweet, funny, and sexy
January 15, 2022
Diego Josephs retrained as an operative in RAPTOR and is determined to take down a kidnapper who is on the run with two children. But when he tracks down the woman who is accused of kidnapping two children after murdering their mother it becomes clear to him that nothing is as it seems. Shelby Davidson is determined to save her niece and nephew while being determined to stop at nothing to reveal the truth about her sinister brother-in-law who she knows has everything to do with her sister's disappearance. However, convincing the rugged and irresistible operative might be hard. But when Diego realises that she is telling the truth he knows that he must protect the children while at the same time, saving Shelby.
I really enjoyed this story which was very dramatic with moments of intense danger and drama interspersed with moments of tenderness and stolen chances at trying to give the children as normal a life as they could. I loved that Diego had PTSD and the role that his therapy dog played in the story. It was really like a suspense film you would see at the movies as they tried to get to the bottom of who killed her sister, how to stop the evil brother-in-law, how to avoid the police who believed his lies, and how to make as good a life and protect the children as much as they could. Easy to read and feel it also meant that it was easy to understand everything. Beautiful HEA at the end.
I really enjoyed this story which was very dramatic with moments of intense danger and drama interspersed with moments of tenderness and stolen chances at trying to give the children as normal a life as they could. I loved that Diego had PTSD and the role that his therapy dog played in the story. It was really like a suspense film you would see at the movies as they tried to get to the bottom of who killed her sister, how to stop the evil brother-in-law, how to avoid the police who believed his lies, and how to make as good a life and protect the children as much as they could. Easy to read and feel it also meant that it was easy to understand everything. Beautiful HEA at the end.
August 24, 2022
Saving Shelby
RAPTOR, Book 1
By: PJ Fiala
Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Troy Duran
Romantic suspense at its best, PJ Fiala begins her Raptor series with Diego and Shelby's story! And what a fantastic book this is. Shelby is on the run with her niece and nephew. When her sister went missing, and the kids showed bruising, she knew she had to do something. Taking the kids and starting somewhere new to keep them safe was the plan. But her brother-in-law wasn't giving in that quick. Hiring Diego to find the kidnapper, he begins to watch Shelby, only to find her to have the best interest of the children. So what is the real story here? Diego and the Raptor and Ghost's are on the mission, and what they find is scary! Will they be able to keep Shelby and the kids safe? And will Diego make his claim on Shelby? Fun, exciting and community building already, I am in love with this series. Diego is an amazing man. He is protective, objective and loving. Shelby is the star for me, standing up for what she believes in, knowing what is best for the kids and putting herself at risk to do it. This is a wonderful story with a little too much reality! Loved every minute of this and on to the next one!
Troy Duran and Rose Dioro are our storytellers, and this seasoned team keep the suspense high and romance building. I love these two together, and the way they take on their characters. Fiala's dream team and I am loving them!
RAPTOR, Book 1
By: PJ Fiala
Narrated by: Rose Dioro, Troy Duran
Romantic suspense at its best, PJ Fiala begins her Raptor series with Diego and Shelby's story! And what a fantastic book this is. Shelby is on the run with her niece and nephew. When her sister went missing, and the kids showed bruising, she knew she had to do something. Taking the kids and starting somewhere new to keep them safe was the plan. But her brother-in-law wasn't giving in that quick. Hiring Diego to find the kidnapper, he begins to watch Shelby, only to find her to have the best interest of the children. So what is the real story here? Diego and the Raptor and Ghost's are on the mission, and what they find is scary! Will they be able to keep Shelby and the kids safe? And will Diego make his claim on Shelby? Fun, exciting and community building already, I am in love with this series. Diego is an amazing man. He is protective, objective and loving. Shelby is the star for me, standing up for what she believes in, knowing what is best for the kids and putting herself at risk to do it. This is a wonderful story with a little too much reality! Loved every minute of this and on to the next one!
Troy Duran and Rose Dioro are our storytellers, and this seasoned team keep the suspense high and romance building. I love these two together, and the way they take on their characters. Fiala's dream team and I am loving them!
July 20, 2021
Shelby knew she had to first, get her niece and nephew to safety and second, find out what happened to her sister Stacy. Her brother in law Kurtis was involved somehow, she just knew it. Getting them as far from him as fast as possible was her most important job right now. She didn’t know what to expect him to do about it but knowing he had a lot of money and seemingly everyone in his pockets,she knew it wouldn’t be easy to stay hidden.
Diego got the new assignment and right from his briefing was certain he knew what happened, but something about Shelby’s eyes drew him in. Was this all as cut and dry as it appeared on paper? Catching up with her on the run has him doubting his initial reactions to her and the case. But the longer he stays with them, the more convinced he becomes that his role in this mission has changed.
Saving Shelby is the first book in the new RAPTOR series by the author. RAPTOR is a subsidiary of sorts to the GHOST team we met in earlier books. This division is made up of mostly disabled former military looking to continue to be active in ops missions while learning to live life again with their physical or mental limitations.
Great first book in the series, I love getting to find new favorite characters while catching up with some favorites from the past. Can’t wait to see where this series leads me.
Diego got the new assignment and right from his briefing was certain he knew what happened, but something about Shelby’s eyes drew him in. Was this all as cut and dry as it appeared on paper? Catching up with her on the run has him doubting his initial reactions to her and the case. But the longer he stays with them, the more convinced he becomes that his role in this mission has changed.
Saving Shelby is the first book in the new RAPTOR series by the author. RAPTOR is a subsidiary of sorts to the GHOST team we met in earlier books. This division is made up of mostly disabled former military looking to continue to be active in ops missions while learning to live life again with their physical or mental limitations.
Great first book in the series, I love getting to find new favorite characters while catching up with some favorites from the past. Can’t wait to see where this series leads me.
August 9, 2021
This is book 1 in the RAPTOR series and what a way to draw me in! Diego has been tasked with finding a kidnapper and the children she has taken. But when he finds the woman, not all is as it seems. He knows he has to figure out exactly what is going on, before they are found. Shelby is determined to save her niece and nephew. She knows her brother in law had something to do with her sister's disappearance and now will do anything to keep these children safe. But when she meet's Diego, she has to not only trust him but hope he believes her when she tells him what is going on. And once Diego realizes what the truth is, can he keep them all safe?
I really liked this story! It showed exactly what people are willing to do for those that they love! Shelby has this absolute heart of gold. And although she is scared and not sure what to do, she is still willing to do anything and everything for these kids. Diego may be doing something completely different from what he was originally trained for, but he is smart and trusts his instincts. All to the better for Shelby and the kids. I really enjoyed reading it and learning not only about the main characters but the side characters as well. Definitely a great way to hook my interest-a great story with side characters that make me want to read more!
I really liked this story! It showed exactly what people are willing to do for those that they love! Shelby has this absolute heart of gold. And although she is scared and not sure what to do, she is still willing to do anything and everything for these kids. Diego may be doing something completely different from what he was originally trained for, but he is smart and trusts his instincts. All to the better for Shelby and the kids. I really enjoyed reading it and learning not only about the main characters but the side characters as well. Definitely a great way to hook my interest-a great story with side characters that make me want to read more!
July 7, 2021
This is the first book in the RAPTOR series, which is a spinoff of the GHOST series. I loved this book from page one! PJ Fiala definitely did not disappoint. RAPTOR is a group of men and women who are wounded veterans that have a burning desire to do more and be useful without the constraints of the military. Their leader is Emersyn Copeland. Her father and uncle founded GHOST, which is the facility right next door. A call comes in about 2 kidnapped children and Diego Josephs is assigned the case. Shelby Davidson has had a bad feeling about her brother in law, Kurtis for a while now. Especially since her sister has turned up missing and no one is concerned except Shelby. She is determined to keep the kids safe, no matter what it takes. They stop in a small town and decide to stay for a couple of days. Unbeknownst to Shelby, Diego has found them. He nonchalantly introduced himself and his dog to the kids and her. Through observing Shelby with the kids, Diego is starting to wonder if he and his team have the whole story. This book has everything, edge of your seat suspense, danger, car chases and romance. Get this book ASAP. I promise you won't regret it. Sorry, no spoilers. I received this ARC and here is my honest review
June 12, 2021
This new series by this very talented author is a spinoff of her much loved GHOST series. But rest assure, it stands on its own.
RAPTOR was created by Emmy, the daughter of one of GHOST’S owners, with the intend of employing former military men and women who though injured in battle, still have a lot to offer. This book belongs to Diego Josephs.
Joseph is a man that still suffers from PTSD but with the help of his dog and RAPTOR, is leading a meaningful life.
Shelby Davidson loves her sister and her niece and nephew, and when her sister goes missing, she suspects her husband has killed her. Wanting to protect the children from their abusive father, she kidnaps them leading the children’s father to engage RAPTOR in finding her.
The moment Diego finds her, he realizes that their client was not whom RAPTOR thought he was , thus making Diego realize he will do anything to protect this selfless woman and the kids.
This was an engaging story from beginning to end with strong characters perfect in their imperfection . It was also a story that will leave the reader anxious to read the next story in the series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
RAPTOR was created by Emmy, the daughter of one of GHOST’S owners, with the intend of employing former military men and women who though injured in battle, still have a lot to offer. This book belongs to Diego Josephs.
Joseph is a man that still suffers from PTSD but with the help of his dog and RAPTOR, is leading a meaningful life.
Shelby Davidson loves her sister and her niece and nephew, and when her sister goes missing, she suspects her husband has killed her. Wanting to protect the children from their abusive father, she kidnaps them leading the children’s father to engage RAPTOR in finding her.
The moment Diego finds her, he realizes that their client was not whom RAPTOR thought he was , thus making Diego realize he will do anything to protect this selfless woman and the kids.
This was an engaging story from beginning to end with strong characters perfect in their imperfection . It was also a story that will leave the reader anxious to read the next story in the series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
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