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Hillcroft Group #1
The Story of Danny Rose
The Hillcroft Group, #1 Standalone Age gap Military DD/lb
“Try to read his file from the Army from another perspective. Less stone-faced, devoid of emotion, SAS operator and more as…oh, I don’t know, the loving, caring, nurturing Dom that you are.”
There was nothing like kicking off your vacation by realizing someone had broken in to your cabin. More than that, he was waiting when you arrived.
This young guy had plagued my dreams when I’d spent two months with his detachment a couple years ago. He was cocky, volatile, and resourceful. Resourceful enough to track me down, piss me off, and get himself invited for steaks and beer.
I was quickly going to learn there was a lot more to him than being a soldier with boundary issues, though. Starting the moment I accidentally spotted a small stuffed animal in his backpack.
He changed everything. The story of Danny Rose went from anecdotes I occasionally shared with recruits, to…becoming my whole bloody life.
___________
“Try to read his file from the Army from another perspective. Less stone-faced, devoid of emotion, SAS operator and more as…oh, I don’t know, the loving, caring, nurturing Dom that you are.”
There was nothing like kicking off your vacation by realizing someone had broken in to your cabin. More than that, he was waiting when you arrived.
This young guy had plagued my dreams when I’d spent two months with his detachment a couple years ago. He was cocky, volatile, and resourceful. Resourceful enough to track me down, piss me off, and get himself invited for steaks and beer.
I was quickly going to learn there was a lot more to him than being a soldier with boundary issues, though. Starting the moment I accidentally spotted a small stuffed animal in his backpack.
He changed everything. The story of Danny Rose went from anecdotes I occasionally shared with recruits, to…becoming my whole bloody life.
___________
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2024
279 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,085 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
May 27, 2025
I'm not quite sure what to do with this story. I liked it a lot, except for the eternally long epilogue. I read the book in one go, so as usual with this author, very well-written and accommodating to me in terms of style.
Most of the story is also very charming and a bit kinky. Very nice.
But
... maybe a few words about kink first:
This is declared DD/lb. And yes, it is. But if you as a reader approach the story with this expectation, you'll be disappointed pretty quickly. Yes Danny is a little boy at heart and likes his stuffed animal, yes Em is a Daddy Dom and he thrives on being able to take care of Danny. Yes they refer to each other as Daddy and Little boy here and there. But that's about it.
I myself am completely satisfied with it. Having read rather too many age-play stories and being a bit fed up with the trope, I found the kink here very enjoyable as a side note.
There are also quite a few time jumps between the chapters, so a lot happens off-screen and unfortunately you don't get to read everything. It's a bit of a shame that you can't follow the development of the relationship directly. Nevertheless, I have to say that it is very well done and speaks for the author's good writing that I didn't lose interest and always had the feeling of being close to the characters.
It is also a military story. Now as a reader you might expect a lot of action. But it is not. Up until the epilogue, it's a very fluffy affair plot-wise. Again, perfect for me, but probably boring for some readers.
The sex scenes, very few. But very, very good. Also, holy shit those voyeuristic twins ...
I tightened my grasp on his cock and slipped my free hand to his throat. “It’s gotta be us. You and me.”
He gasped and nodded jerkily, slamming down on me so hard that I sounded like a fucking animal when I cursed.
That seemed to set him off. One moan bled into another as he fucked himself on me, and within minutes, I was swimming in filth and desire. I heard his shallow whisper as if we were underwater. I think they’re watching us, Daddy. We didn’t stop. I couldn’t. He went faster. Not a quiet moment. My groans mingled with his moans, and my hand got wet from the liquid trickling down his cock. 🤤🤤🤤
The epilogue: very long and shows various episodes over a long period of time, including 911. In terms of plot, it was far too much information in too short snippets. But I understand the intention behind it. And yes, in retrospect it whets the appetite for more of this series. Phew, but for Danny and Em's relationship it's not really a nice way to wrap things up. It just lacks depth and makes the charming story of the two of them a bit superfluous.
Overall, I think I enjoyed too much of this story to rate it lower.
Most of the story is also very charming and a bit kinky. Very nice.
But
... maybe a few words about kink first:
This is declared DD/lb. And yes, it is. But if you as a reader approach the story with this expectation, you'll be disappointed pretty quickly. Yes Danny is a little boy at heart and likes his stuffed animal, yes Em is a Daddy Dom and he thrives on being able to take care of Danny. Yes they refer to each other as Daddy and Little boy here and there. But that's about it.
I myself am completely satisfied with it. Having read rather too many age-play stories and being a bit fed up with the trope, I found the kink here very enjoyable as a side note.
There are also quite a few time jumps between the chapters, so a lot happens off-screen and unfortunately you don't get to read everything. It's a bit of a shame that you can't follow the development of the relationship directly. Nevertheless, I have to say that it is very well done and speaks for the author's good writing that I didn't lose interest and always had the feeling of being close to the characters.
It is also a military story. Now as a reader you might expect a lot of action. But it is not. Up until the epilogue, it's a very fluffy affair plot-wise. Again, perfect for me, but probably boring for some readers.
The sex scenes, very few. But very, very good. Also, holy shit those voyeuristic twins ...
I tightened my grasp on his cock and slipped my free hand to his throat. “It’s gotta be us. You and me.”
He gasped and nodded jerkily, slamming down on me so hard that I sounded like a fucking animal when I cursed.
That seemed to set him off. One moan bled into another as he fucked himself on me, and within minutes, I was swimming in filth and desire. I heard his shallow whisper as if we were underwater. I think they’re watching us, Daddy. We didn’t stop. I couldn’t. He went faster. Not a quiet moment. My groans mingled with his moans, and my hand got wet from the liquid trickling down his cock. 🤤🤤🤤
The epilogue: very long and shows various episodes over a long period of time, including 911. In terms of plot, it was far too much information in too short snippets. But I understand the intention behind it. And yes, in retrospect it whets the appetite for more of this series. Phew, but for Danny and Em's relationship it's not really a nice way to wrap things up. It just lacks depth and makes the charming story of the two of them a bit superfluous.
Overall, I think I enjoyed too much of this story to rate it lower.
April 30, 2025
Loved this the first time I read it, still love it now in its expanded edition.
I can't remember where/when it was originally published, possibly as part of an anthology, but I adore Danny Rose and Emmerson Payne big time.
This jumps back almost four decades as we see the very beginnings of not only the Tenley twins but also a very young Darius Quinn.
Cara has taken fans of her brilliant interconnected universe to the 1990s and the Hillcroft Group, which featured heavily in the Renegades series.
Danny and Em are a perfect match and, having seen them blissfully happy decades later, this book showing how they came to be is a gift.
I'm seriously invested in this new series already.
#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I can't remember where/when it was originally published, possibly as part of an anthology, but I adore Danny Rose and Emmerson Payne big time.
This jumps back almost four decades as we see the very beginnings of not only the Tenley twins but also a very young Darius Quinn.
Cara has taken fans of her brilliant interconnected universe to the 1990s and the Hillcroft Group, which featured heavily in the Renegades series.
Danny and Em are a perfect match and, having seen them blissfully happy decades later, this book showing how they came to be is a gift.
I'm seriously invested in this new series already.
#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 10, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
Danny wasn’t necessarily looking for the next compliment as much as he wanted constant approval. The boy wanted to be seen.
I gotta admit I’m confused by this one and have no idea what to even say about it. It’s described as a standalone which I dare say isn’t true. It’s my first Cara Dee book, and although I know this book shows the backstory for many beloved characters, it felt like I was supposed to know all of them already. I can only assume River and Reese are popular characters from this author, because it felt like they were more important than the actual MCs at times.
Danny was a bratty sweetheart with anger issues and I wish the relationship was a bigger focus in the story. Em fit with him well.
It felt like background story for existing characters and the private ops firm they work for, instead of a romance story for Em and Danny. I mean, it was there, but secondary. Maybe that’s Cara’s typical vibe? I wouldn’t know. Anyway. The ending was weird, skipping ahead a few months or a year at a time to missions and times it felt like I was supposed to already know about from side characters.
Strange, yet not entirely unenjoyable.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Age gap
Mild age play
Romantic suspense
Military romance
1998-2002 historical
British MC
Former special forces soldier
Size difference
Forced proximity
Exhibitionism
Daddy/boy
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Details from 9/11 terror attacks
Brief mention of death of sibling (past)
Gun violence
Some details of past child abuse (physical, neglect, from MC’s parent)
Explicit sexual content
Penetration without lube or prep
Exhibitionism
Brief mention of animal abuse (past)
Vomiting
Mild age play
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Romantic suspense, historical (1998)
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 28 and 40
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 199
Happy ending: Yes
God-fucking-dammit, I felt for him. Because I knew exactly what would happen if someone laughed at him for having a stuffed animal. Danny would put that person in the hospital and hide his own hurt.
“I’ll be your superior,” I said. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.” That one made him huff. “Thanks, but I can make decisions for myself even when I’d bending over for my hot CO.” Fucking brat.
I let out a breath. “I wish I could marry you.” He swallowed, and the pinch of soft amusement left his eyes. “Me too. Maybe one day?”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
Danny wasn’t necessarily looking for the next compliment as much as he wanted constant approval. The boy wanted to be seen.
I gotta admit I’m confused by this one and have no idea what to even say about it. It’s described as a standalone which I dare say isn’t true. It’s my first Cara Dee book, and although I know this book shows the backstory for many beloved characters, it felt like I was supposed to know all of them already. I can only assume River and Reese are popular characters from this author, because it felt like they were more important than the actual MCs at times.
Danny was a bratty sweetheart with anger issues and I wish the relationship was a bigger focus in the story. Em fit with him well.
It felt like background story for existing characters and the private ops firm they work for, instead of a romance story for Em and Danny. I mean, it was there, but secondary. Maybe that’s Cara’s typical vibe? I wouldn’t know. Anyway. The ending was weird, skipping ahead a few months or a year at a time to missions and times it felt like I was supposed to already know about from side characters.
Strange, yet not entirely unenjoyable.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Age gap
Mild age play
Romantic suspense
Military romance
1998-2002 historical
British MC
Former special forces soldier
Size difference
Forced proximity
Exhibitionism
Daddy/boy
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Details from 9/11 terror attacks
Brief mention of death of sibling (past)
Gun violence
Some details of past child abuse (physical, neglect, from MC’s parent)
Explicit sexual content
Penetration without lube or prep
Exhibitionism
Brief mention of animal abuse (past)
Vomiting
Mild age play
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Romantic suspense, historical (1998)
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 28 and 40
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 199
Happy ending: Yes
God-fucking-dammit, I felt for him. Because I knew exactly what would happen if someone laughed at him for having a stuffed animal. Danny would put that person in the hospital and hide his own hurt.
“I’ll be your superior,” I said. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.” That one made him huff. “Thanks, but I can make decisions for myself even when I’d bending over for my hot CO.” Fucking brat.
I let out a breath. “I wish I could marry you.” He swallowed, and the pinch of soft amusement left his eyes. “Me too. Maybe one day?”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
February 12, 2025
Loved it. Need the next one.
October 25, 2024
3.5 stars
October 24, 2024
The cat and mouse game at the start of this had me hooked in the novella. So to see Emerson and Danny’s romance played out over several decades in this was very satisfying.
Emerson is a fantastic character. Tactical. Cunning. Evaluating. It’s so much fun to be in his head as he discards everything he knows and goes on instincts and snap decisions when it comes to Danny. Which leads them to a life long love.
Their banter and honesty with each other is a huge part of why I liked this book. Here’s two men who are ready to go all in. No safety net. No miscommunications.
The only thing missing for me was the kink. Sure there were little glimpses here and there. Some fabulous cameos from the Tenley Twins. Voyeurism anyone?? But on the whole this is not a kinky book.
But I’m intrigued by Hillcroft. There’s some interesting characters there. Some plot bunnies just waiting to emerge. And there’s a lot of page time dedicated to talking tactics and warfare and world events, which will thrill some fans.
All in all I liked this for what it was. A brief look at the early romance and life of Danny and Emerson, and then a glimpse into their future.
Well written, as always. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Emerson is a fantastic character. Tactical. Cunning. Evaluating. It’s so much fun to be in his head as he discards everything he knows and goes on instincts and snap decisions when it comes to Danny. Which leads them to a life long love.
Their banter and honesty with each other is a huge part of why I liked this book. Here’s two men who are ready to go all in. No safety net. No miscommunications.
The only thing missing for me was the kink. Sure there were little glimpses here and there. Some fabulous cameos from the Tenley Twins. Voyeurism anyone?? But on the whole this is not a kinky book.
But I’m intrigued by Hillcroft. There’s some interesting characters there. Some plot bunnies just waiting to emerge. And there’s a lot of page time dedicated to talking tactics and warfare and world events, which will thrill some fans.
All in all I liked this for what it was. A brief look at the early romance and life of Danny and Emerson, and then a glimpse into their future.
Well written, as always. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 7, 2024
Okay so, I love Cara Dee and I love almost everything I've ever read by her. And I get it, almost all the American characters are all ex-military and were active during the Iraq war and therefore have pretty intense views. In The Game series, Auctioned, and Renegades, you learn to love these characters and it's all very romantic and lovely.
And this book is so cool because you can see early Tenley twin moments and loads of cameos of other characters which we meet in the future.
And the romance etc. is very sweet in this book, as always.
But like damn the way the Middle East is discussed is just soooooooooooo uncomfortable to read. It's always sort of been part of these series, The Game and Renegades especially, but this time, it was obviously set exactly in that time. I just find it really hard to hear the way the characters talk about "these people" in "these countries" in the desert, etc. Just, I'm not an American so I think I have a certain distance to the events and obviously I'm reading this in 2024, so it's hard to like...root for the Americans when a lot of the problems we are currently facing in the world, come this era in history. I know it's not supposed to be that deep, but it was really hard to ignore that stuff in this book. It's obviously not necessary for these characters to be critical of American foreign policy...I just personally found it hard to totally get into the story when I kept thinking "damn they are going to kill so many innocent people, totally unrelated to the actual terrorists and we'll still see the devastation of this war decades later.' You know?
And this book is so cool because you can see early Tenley twin moments and loads of cameos of other characters which we meet in the future.
And the romance etc. is very sweet in this book, as always.
But like damn the way the Middle East is discussed is just soooooooooooo uncomfortable to read. It's always sort of been part of these series, The Game and Renegades especially, but this time, it was obviously set exactly in that time. I just find it really hard to hear the way the characters talk about "these people" in "these countries" in the desert, etc. Just, I'm not an American so I think I have a certain distance to the events and obviously I'm reading this in 2024, so it's hard to like...root for the Americans when a lot of the problems we are currently facing in the world, come this era in history. I know it's not supposed to be that deep, but it was really hard to ignore that stuff in this book. It's obviously not necessary for these characters to be critical of American foreign policy...I just personally found it hard to totally get into the story when I kept thinking "damn they are going to kill so many innocent people, totally unrelated to the actual terrorists and we'll still see the devastation of this war decades later.' You know?
October 27, 2024
3.5**
October 28, 2024
C'est toujours sympathique de retrouver l'univers de Cara Dee, car oui, même si c'est une nouvelle saga, on se retrouve dans le même univers que les précédents romans. Cette fois, on retourne en 1998 auprès de Emerson et... les jeunes frères Tenley.
Je n'en dirai pas plus car le roman est déjà super court. Je m'attendais à un peu plus de dynamisme, je ne sais pas... J'imaginais autre chose derrière l'histoire de Danny Rose.
Nous sommes ici dans une romance Daddy/little boy, un peu comme le précédent de l'auteur. L'age gap est présent mais pas trop exploité... Mon problème ici est le manque de développement, tout va trop vite, tout comme les sentiments. J'aime les formats courts de l'auteur, mais là c'est vraiment trop court...
Après c'était chouette de revoir certains personnages ^^
Je n'en dirai pas plus car le roman est déjà super court. Je m'attendais à un peu plus de dynamisme, je ne sais pas... J'imaginais autre chose derrière l'histoire de Danny Rose.
Nous sommes ici dans une romance Daddy/little boy, un peu comme le précédent de l'auteur. L'age gap est présent mais pas trop exploité... Mon problème ici est le manque de développement, tout va trop vite, tout comme les sentiments. J'aime les formats courts de l'auteur, mais là c'est vraiment trop court...
Après c'était chouette de revoir certains personnages ^^
October 29, 2024
3.5 Stars
October 25, 2024
What a stellar first book in this new series from Cara Dee. I am so hooked to this world and these characters, how deftly she weaves reality of the times and fiction into a fantastic story. I completely loved Em and Danny 😍. So perfect for each other and they recognise it too there is no beating around the bush or testing waters for these two.. they are all in and it’s perfect for them. Set in the late 90’s to early 2000s around a PMC organisation - the Hillcroft Group this was just a great read. I loved that we get to see much younger Tenleys- almost like an origin story for them and I loved seeing Darius always he’s a favourite for me. The intermingling romance, action, k1nk, found family vibes and the larger geopolitical stage work beautifully to give a story I ended up reading without being able to put it down.
Expect:
* Military
* Age gap
* Daddy little
* Fast burn
* Found family
* Low angst
* Voyeurism
Expect:
* Military
* Age gap
* Daddy little
* Fast burn
* Found family
* Low angst
* Voyeurism
October 22, 2024
I’m so glad that Danny & Emerson’s story got expanded! I loved reading the first version of this when it was published in an anthology and this version was even better! I was stoked to get to the part where the anthology version wrapped up and see I still had 55% left.
I adore Danny & Em on their own but the baby Tenley’s added into the mix just makes it 10x better. I die over how much you can see their experiences in this shape who they turn into by the time they meet Shay.
If you’re a game series fan, an auctioned fan, or a renegades fan this is a must read, and I’m extremely excited to get my grubby little hands on book 2.
I adore Danny & Em on their own but the baby Tenley’s added into the mix just makes it 10x better. I die over how much you can see their experiences in this shape who they turn into by the time they meet Shay.
If you’re a game series fan, an auctioned fan, or a renegades fan this is a must read, and I’m extremely excited to get my grubby little hands on book 2.
November 4, 2024
Great book. I liked it a lot. Could have been a little longer and a little kinkier but otherwise really enjoyable.
October 27, 2024
Another wonderfully written story by this author. My goodness there are so many warm feelings, THIS is what I love.
Meeting Danny and Emerson in 1998 was absolutely brilliant.
Em has the Tenley twins, Reese and River, under his wing, to train them to PMC operators for the private agency The Hillcroft Group.
One day Danny Rose, a highly skilled soldier, arrives at Em’s secluded cabin, he wants to be trained by Emerson to become also a private. He was searching for him for over two years, after they worked on the same team, and finally found him.
Accidentally Em spotted a stuffy in Danny’s bag. Being a Daddy Dom his heart warmed and the inevitable happened.
The way their relationship developed, combined with the work environments, was absolutely the best!
Yes, there are characters you recognize from other stories.
A fabulous piece of work!
Meeting Danny and Emerson in 1998 was absolutely brilliant.
Em has the Tenley twins, Reese and River, under his wing, to train them to PMC operators for the private agency The Hillcroft Group.
One day Danny Rose, a highly skilled soldier, arrives at Em’s secluded cabin, he wants to be trained by Emerson to become also a private. He was searching for him for over two years, after they worked on the same team, and finally found him.
Accidentally Em spotted a stuffy in Danny’s bag. Being a Daddy Dom his heart warmed and the inevitable happened.
The way their relationship developed, combined with the work environments, was absolutely the best!
Yes, there are characters you recognize from other stories.
A fabulous piece of work!
October 26, 2024
Oh loved this❤️❤️❤️❤️ They are so cute, oh my heart!! And just reading about ‘everyone’ when they were young, how they all met, the camaraderie. Loved reading about young River and Reese! And Emerson’s and Danny’s love story, I feel like I will hit a reading slump after this book, they have my heart!
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
December 14, 2024
4⭐️
Thank you Cara for giving us more of your worlds. I devoured this book in one sitting. Loved the dynamic between Danny and Emerson. Also, I was excited to see familiar faces like Darius, River and Reese. The grin I had every time a familiar face appeared was huge. I’m looking forward to more stories about the men in the Hillcroft Group.
Thank you Cara for giving us more of your worlds. I devoured this book in one sitting. Loved the dynamic between Danny and Emerson. Also, I was excited to see familiar faces like Darius, River and Reese. The grin I had every time a familiar face appeared was huge. I’m looking forward to more stories about the men in the Hillcroft Group.
October 20, 2024
I first read this story when it was a novella in an anthology, and I was excited to get my hands on an ARC for the extended story. We get young Tenley twins you guys. That's enough said, amiright?
So basically this story is a flashback timeline-wise in the Caraverse. We start a new series with this book, diving into the men of Hillcroft (the private military company the Tenley twins used to work for). This book focuses on Emerson and Danny, two ex-military men who crossed paths a few years ago.
In this story we get Daddy kink, voyeurism, a sneak peek into the inner workings of Hillcroft, and of course, young Tenley twins! As always with Cara, the writing itself was good. There's fun banter and witty dialogue right alongside military talk and the differences between it and the world of PMC.
"Take me to Poundtown, Sir. Then to Bonneville.
And possibly Fuckistan." - Danny Rose 🤣🤣🤣
What keeps this from being a five star read for me is that it's once again a shorter story. Most of Cara's books have been shorter lately, and I really feel it's a disservice to her storytelling. We aren't getting fleshed out characters or storylines.
The relationship between Danny and Emerson felt rushed. Just because they knew each other professionally for a few months in the past doesn't mean we should just "skip to the good stuff".
I personally would much rather get a couple of books a year that were really fleshed out and told a full story than these shorter snapshots in time that we've been getting lately.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
So basically this story is a flashback timeline-wise in the Caraverse. We start a new series with this book, diving into the men of Hillcroft (the private military company the Tenley twins used to work for). This book focuses on Emerson and Danny, two ex-military men who crossed paths a few years ago.
In this story we get Daddy kink, voyeurism, a sneak peek into the inner workings of Hillcroft, and of course, young Tenley twins! As always with Cara, the writing itself was good. There's fun banter and witty dialogue right alongside military talk and the differences between it and the world of PMC.
"Take me to Poundtown, Sir. Then to Bonneville.
And possibly Fuckistan." - Danny Rose 🤣🤣🤣
What keeps this from being a five star read for me is that it's once again a shorter story. Most of Cara's books have been shorter lately, and I really feel it's a disservice to her storytelling. We aren't getting fleshed out characters or storylines.
The relationship between Danny and Emerson felt rushed. Just because they knew each other professionally for a few months in the past doesn't mean we should just "skip to the good stuff".
I personally would much rather get a couple of books a year that were really fleshed out and told a full story than these shorter snapshots in time that we've been getting lately.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
October 27, 2024
The entire time I was reading this book, I kept saying losing my shit over the glimpses of characters that I know and love and seeing how they all connect. Baby Kit with his parents 😭, the twins, Darius, Elliott. I truly don’t know how Dee keeps the universe in order. I have yet to find a continuity error, which has to be SO difficult when this book pulls in 3? 4? other well established or completed series. She has to have one of those murder walls in her house somewhere.
Now, about the book. I was SO HAPPY to finally get Em and Danny’s story. They are such a huge part of the Tenleys being, well, the Tenleys, and they’re arguably one of my favorite characters in the entire universe. (Yeah yeah, they’re twins but they count as one, and if you’ve read any of the books they’re in you know you agree!)
Tropes: age gap, workplace, medium kink
Now, about the book. I was SO HAPPY to finally get Em and Danny’s story. They are such a huge part of the Tenleys being, well, the Tenleys, and they’re arguably one of my favorite characters in the entire universe. (Yeah yeah, they’re twins but they count as one, and if you’ve read any of the books they’re in you know you agree!)
Tropes: age gap, workplace, medium kink
October 22, 2024
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
The Story of Danny Rose by Cara Dee hit the spot. A top of his class soldier who is the best at everything he does but has a bit of a temper and sometimes just wants to snuggle his stuffie and needs a hug. Seriously Danny Rose is one of those characters who I want to protect at all costs. Does he need it ? Absolutely not but I want to anyways lol I loved Danny and his Daddy Emerson, and I adored the twins who I assume will be getting a book which I can't wait for! The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that I wanted more Daddy/little time ( which is something I never thought I would ever write ) but I definitely wish they was more time shown of Danny finding comfort letting go as a little.
The Story of Danny Rose by Cara Dee hit the spot. A top of his class soldier who is the best at everything he does but has a bit of a temper and sometimes just wants to snuggle his stuffie and needs a hug. Seriously Danny Rose is one of those characters who I want to protect at all costs. Does he need it ? Absolutely not but I want to anyways lol I loved Danny and his Daddy Emerson, and I adored the twins who I assume will be getting a book which I can't wait for! The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that I wanted more Daddy/little time ( which is something I never thought I would ever write ) but I definitely wish they was more time shown of Danny finding comfort letting go as a little.
October 29, 2024
Danny Rose and Emerson Payne! Such an amazing couple and an awesome start to the Hillcroft Group! I am obsessed with the timing of this story (late 90s into early 2000s). I was in seventh grade during these events and remember it all so vividly! I’m looking forward to more in this series and seeing events unfold for this group!
Danny and Emerson complement each other so well. They truly just need each other. Em needs to be a daddy dom and to be fulfilled and have someone to care for. Danny needs to be loved, cared for and have structure. He had a less than desirable childhood and needs the love and support that Em can give him.
Seeing their dreams come true together warmed my heart! I loved their relationship and can’t wait to see more of them in the future! Also, seeing River and Reese in their young age was AMAZING!
Danny and Emerson complement each other so well. They truly just need each other. Em needs to be a daddy dom and to be fulfilled and have someone to care for. Danny needs to be loved, cared for and have structure. He had a less than desirable childhood and needs the love and support that Em can give him.
Seeing their dreams come true together warmed my heart! I loved their relationship and can’t wait to see more of them in the future! Also, seeing River and Reese in their young age was AMAZING!
October 24, 2024
The Story of Danny Rose is book one the Hillcroft Group series.
This is your vibe if you like
Daddy/Boy
Age gap
Military romance
It will come as absolutely no surprise that I ate this up. Absolutely devoured every crumb! Not only did we get Emerson's story (If you read other Cara series you've meet him) but we got the Tenley twins in their prime haha.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Danny & Emerson. But I think seeing Tenley twins the early days really had my hooked. The story is not theirs, but they get some great page time.
Im looking forward to more from this series and more glimpses at our Cara faves.
This is your vibe if you like
Daddy/Boy
Age gap
Military romance
It will come as absolutely no surprise that I ate this up. Absolutely devoured every crumb! Not only did we get Emerson's story (If you read other Cara series you've meet him) but we got the Tenley twins in their prime haha.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Danny & Emerson. But I think seeing Tenley twins the early days really had my hooked. The story is not theirs, but they get some great page time.
Im looking forward to more from this series and more glimpses at our Cara faves.
March 18, 2025
I’ve read most of The Game series, and I have complicated feelings about all of it. But I am fascinated by Cara Dee’s writing and immersive stories of kink, so I picked this one up. This was definitely much tamer than The Game, and I wouldn’t even consider it a romance at all. The romance is sidelined in favor of describing the military aspects of the story. It was all about how SAS operatives are trained, like a textbook. It felt like a big info-dump about military stuff that I’m not interested in and don’t care about. So it was very disappointing in that regard. But it was written well and it wasn’t hard to read. Just not what I was expecting it to be.
October 23, 2024
Another sweet Daddy stories with ex military ~
Another good story from Cara. ❤️
The cherry on top? The Tenleys twin in their twenties 😍😍🤩 ! OMG love love and love.
Emerson & Danny are just sweet and fun together ~ fast pace, fast read, just love it.
Ex instructor and ex military reunited years later ! Danny was just so sweet and I love that the daddy kink is not super deep in this story ~ it’s just sweeeeet !
I love the Caraverse 🥰
Another good story from Cara. ❤️
The cherry on top? The Tenleys twin in their twenties 😍😍🤩 ! OMG love love and love.
Emerson & Danny are just sweet and fun together ~ fast pace, fast read, just love it.
Ex instructor and ex military reunited years later ! Danny was just so sweet and I love that the daddy kink is not super deep in this story ~ it’s just sweeeeet !
I love the Caraverse 🥰
October 20, 2024
This is officially one of my FAVORITE Cara Dee books EVER EVER EVER!!!! I love absolutely everything about Danny & Em. Their dynamic is what dreams are made of. Perfect. Just complete perfection. I don't know how to express just how much I loved this book. I squealed, I kicked my feet, I laughed. Just all of the emotions.
Also, seeing so many of my favorite Cara Dee characters in their younger years was AMAZING! I am so beyond excited for the rest of this series.
-Age Gap
-Daddy/Boy
-Coworkers
-Military/PMC
Also, seeing so many of my favorite Cara Dee characters in their younger years was AMAZING! I am so beyond excited for the rest of this series.
-Age Gap
-Daddy/Boy
-Coworkers
-Military/PMC
October 27, 2024
This book has become one of my absolute favorites. I loved every word on every page, and I couldn't read it fast enough or slow enough. I couldn't wait to see how it ended, but at the same time, I didn't want it to ever end.
This author is one of my one click buys. If Cara writes it, I read it. Every single book she puts out is an automatic preorder.
This author is one of my one click buys. If Cara writes it, I read it. Every single book she puts out is an automatic preorder.
December 20, 2024
There was no substance to this book.
February 2, 2025
This book did not work for me. I knew it was a military romance going into it, and it had a strong start for me. I really liked Danny and Emerson, thought they were good characters. But, there were so many explanations about military info, and it got to be too much for me. And it took forever for anything to start between them. However, I really like the cover and the writing style was good.
October 25, 2024
This is the first book in the new series about The Hillcroft group!
We meet Emerson a private concert military man, but also a daddy dom- And Danny a lost soul, and a boy.
We are back in 1998, when the wold was a completely different place. We experience the would change through the eyes of the military people and their loved ones!
We are lucky enough to meet Reese and River, and a young Darius
I absolutely love Cara writing style, and every time there is a new book out my heart beats a little faster
We meet Emerson a private concert military man, but also a daddy dom- And Danny a lost soul, and a boy.
We are back in 1998, when the wold was a completely different place. We experience the would change through the eyes of the military people and their loved ones!
We are lucky enough to meet Reese and River, and a young Darius
I absolutely love Cara writing style, and every time there is a new book out my heart beats a little faster
October 26, 2024
It's been almost three years since I last read a Cara Dee-penned book, and the time has come to rectify that misstep! The Story of Danny Rose is the first book in Dee's new The Hillcroft Group series, and now, I think I'm going to need to do a bit of catching up since this appears to be a prequel of sorts that involve two other main characters that appear in her The Game and The Renegades series, twin brothers River and Reese Tenley. But what's great about this new story is that I don't feel like I'm missing important information, so I'm not lost in terms of what's happening. Maybe it has to do with events taking place prior to the ones involving the twins in the previous aforementioned series. However, I've read some of the reviews online and realizing that the Tenley twins are such popular and beloved characters that Dee has created, my curiosity is piqued and I'm going to do a deep dive via Kindle Unlimited sometime soon.
The Story of Danny Rose takes place in 1998, with other events in the story occurring in the months and years after, and it involves a former SAS operator and a recently discharged Green Beret who met and spent time together two years prior to the start of the book. At the age of forty, nothing much surprises Emerson Payne, a Brit who grew up in the US only to return to London from DC after his father's death and then head back to DC to work as an operator for The Hillcroft Group after leaving the SAS. Then Daniel Rose shows up at his cabin uninvited and insisting Em train him to become an operator as well. It's been two years since Em last saw the younger man, but twenty-nine-year-old Danny is still as cocky and headstrong as ever but one of the best soldiers Em had ever met. However, it seems that there's something essential he's about to learn about Danny once he spies the blue plushie in Danny's backpack.
I was sucked into all things Danny and Em from the moment the former left those notes for the latter during a planned getaway with the Tenley twins that Em was training for The Hillcroft Group. Their story plays out over less than two hundred pages, but I had their past, present, and future right there, and I relished every bit of it. The age gap alongside the Daddy Dom/Little Boy (DD/lb) proclivity aspect was one layer of their relationship, but theirs was more than a sexual connection. Em may have been exactly what Danny needed, but the same goes the other way around. They were sweet and romantic, and yes, they were hot together when it came to the sex. Their bond with River and Reese also highlighted that theirs was a found family, which is why I want to get to know the twins more and see where this new series will take readers next as more characters are highlighted. Five stars for The Story of Danny Rose.
The Story of Danny Rose takes place in 1998, with other events in the story occurring in the months and years after, and it involves a former SAS operator and a recently discharged Green Beret who met and spent time together two years prior to the start of the book. At the age of forty, nothing much surprises Emerson Payne, a Brit who grew up in the US only to return to London from DC after his father's death and then head back to DC to work as an operator for The Hillcroft Group after leaving the SAS. Then Daniel Rose shows up at his cabin uninvited and insisting Em train him to become an operator as well. It's been two years since Em last saw the younger man, but twenty-nine-year-old Danny is still as cocky and headstrong as ever but one of the best soldiers Em had ever met. However, it seems that there's something essential he's about to learn about Danny once he spies the blue plushie in Danny's backpack.
I was sucked into all things Danny and Em from the moment the former left those notes for the latter during a planned getaway with the Tenley twins that Em was training for The Hillcroft Group. Their story plays out over less than two hundred pages, but I had their past, present, and future right there, and I relished every bit of it. The age gap alongside the Daddy Dom/Little Boy (DD/lb) proclivity aspect was one layer of their relationship, but theirs was more than a sexual connection. Em may have been exactly what Danny needed, but the same goes the other way around. They were sweet and romantic, and yes, they were hot together when it came to the sex. Their bond with River and Reese also highlighted that theirs was a found family, which is why I want to get to know the twins more and see where this new series will take readers next as more characters are highlighted. Five stars for The Story of Danny Rose.
October 24, 2024
This was not quite what I was expecting, but it was very good. Emerson is a seasoned soldier and operative for a special company sending operatives all over the world to collect intelligence, extract persons, all the kinds of covert ops that are part of the world today. Danny is a young man just out of the Army, one that Em had done some specialized training with as part of a group two years ago, suddenly reappearing in his life. Danny wants something from Em, and Em is intrigued enough to agree. There is also a physical attraction between the two, one that was there two years ago, but not acted upon. Em quickly discovers that Danny is a Little, and conveniently, Em is a Daddy Dom. The book revolves around their developing relationship, as well as Danny’s training to become an operative in Em’s organization, so it is heavy on the training Danny goes through, along with operations Em, then both go through together. It isn’t overly heavy on steamy times, less than I have found from this author before, but focusing more on the emotional connection found by these two loners finding their life partner, the person that completes them, in these treacherous and dangerous times.
The “story of Danny” is woven throughout as a means to tie this story together, but also as a way to impact others we come across. There are two twin brothers, Reese and River, that play a big part in the book, and I would think a possibility for a book of their own, along with a couple of other side characters with that option.
The ending surprised me, as I was expecting something totally different, but it worked for me anyway. The story is told from Em’s point of view, the characters kept me interested and engaged, as did the story overall. The amount of ”technical stuff” was just right, not too much for someone with little background in covert ops, but enough to get a basic understanding, and the Daddy/little dynamic was there but not overly so. The book kept my interest, and if you are a fan of this author, I definitely recommend it. Since this is #1, I hope #2 will be Reese and River’s story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The “story of Danny” is woven throughout as a means to tie this story together, but also as a way to impact others we come across. There are two twin brothers, Reese and River, that play a big part in the book, and I would think a possibility for a book of their own, along with a couple of other side characters with that option.
The ending surprised me, as I was expecting something totally different, but it worked for me anyway. The story is told from Em’s point of view, the characters kept me interested and engaged, as did the story overall. The amount of ”technical stuff” was just right, not too much for someone with little background in covert ops, but enough to get a basic understanding, and the Daddy/little dynamic was there but not overly so. The book kept my interest, and if you are a fan of this author, I definitely recommend it. Since this is #1, I hope #2 will be Reese and River’s story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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