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Warrior Peak Sanctuary #1
Protective Assignment: A Mountain Protector Suspense Romance
He’s not the man he used to be
He’s the man she needs now
Cade Thatcher is on his way to a mountain retreat when he picks up a hitchhiker. Skittish and withdrawn, River Robertson is obviously running from something. Cade is supposed to be rehabilitating from injuries he endured in Afghanistan, not taking on new duties. But he feels responsible for River, and his instinct to protect her overrides his fears about what he can do with his shattered body. When the cult leader obsessed with River tracks her down, Cade will push himself to the limits to keep her safe.
From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.
Discover more action-packed stories in the Warrior Peak Sanctuary series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:
Book 1: Protective Assignment
He’s the man she needs now
Cade Thatcher is on his way to a mountain retreat when he picks up a hitchhiker. Skittish and withdrawn, River Robertson is obviously running from something. Cade is supposed to be rehabilitating from injuries he endured in Afghanistan, not taking on new duties. But he feels responsible for River, and his instinct to protect her overrides his fears about what he can do with his shattered body. When the cult leader obsessed with River tracks her down, Cade will push himself to the limits to keep her safe.
From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.
Discover more action-packed stories in the Warrior Peak Sanctuary series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:
Book 1: Protective Assignment
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2025
About the author
Janie Crouch
269 books2,051 followersUSA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense.
After a lifetime on the East Coast—and a six-year stint in Germany due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military—Janie has settled into her dream home in Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She loves engaging in all sorts of adventures (triathlons! 200-mile relay races! mountain treks!), traveling, and surviving life with four kids.
Heroes exist. Let a Janie Crouch book prove it to you.
Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at http://www.janiecrouch.com
After a lifetime on the East Coast—and a six-year stint in Germany due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military—Janie has settled into her dream home in Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She loves engaging in all sorts of adventures (triathlons! 200-mile relay races! mountain treks!), traveling, and surviving life with four kids.
Heroes exist. Let a Janie Crouch book prove it to you.
Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at http://www.janiecrouch.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 26, 2026
I did not like how the River Ryker issues was resolved.
August 28, 2025
Trust is the hardest thing to give....
....but it can be the most rewarding.
River is running, running for her life and the only way to stay alive herself and keep others unharmed is to keep to herself and keep running. But Cade offers her safety and security in a way she never thought was possible, and that has her walls crumbling. Watching the more confident River emerge from the broken shell Cade first meets is beautiful, she begins to heal and finally sees the bigger picture and future possibilities.
An explosive start to this new series which introduces us to a fantastic and diverse cast of characters and secrets, I look forward to more visits to Warrior Peak Sanctuary.
....but it can be the most rewarding.
River is running, running for her life and the only way to stay alive herself and keep others unharmed is to keep to herself and keep running. But Cade offers her safety and security in a way she never thought was possible, and that has her walls crumbling. Watching the more confident River emerge from the broken shell Cade first meets is beautiful, she begins to heal and finally sees the bigger picture and future possibilities.
An explosive start to this new series which introduces us to a fantastic and diverse cast of characters and secrets, I look forward to more visits to Warrior Peak Sanctuary.
May 6, 2026
Great start to the new series, which centers on a rehab facility in North Carolina. Cade is former military, recovering from injuries he received in Afghanistan. His brother, Carter, works at Warrior Peak and invited Cade to continue his recovery there. He isn't sure what the future holds for him, and this will give him a chance to explore his options. On an isolated road, he encounters a young woman hitchhiking. With an intensifying storm, he picks her up and takes her with him to Warrior Peak.
River is on the run, staying as far from people as possible. She is about at the end of her rope when she accepts Cade's offer of a ride. Wary of the welcoming people at Warrior Peak, she hesitates to stay.
I liked how the people at Warrior Peak welcomed River. They realize that something is going on, but are willing to wait for her to open up. I loved Cade's protectiveness and his efforts to make her feel safe. I liked watching River come out of her shell as her sense of safety increased, allowing her to form friendships with Hannah and the others. I enjoyed watching Cade and River grow closer, wary of trusting their feelings, but unable to deny them. I liked seeing them look at the future possibilities together.
The suspense was good. We learn early on that River escaped from a Florida cult leader who was determined to make her his wife. Keeping to herself is the only way she sees to avoid discovery. We see her hope that she has finally succeeded, only to discover that the cult has expanded its operations while the leader continues to hunt for her. The suspense intensified when local law enforcement identified the new criminal activity. I was glued to the pages when River was abducted. Cade's worry and desperation to find her leapt off the page. The nail-biter final confrontation had a twist I didn't expect but loved.
River is on the run, staying as far from people as possible. She is about at the end of her rope when she accepts Cade's offer of a ride. Wary of the welcoming people at Warrior Peak, she hesitates to stay.
I liked how the people at Warrior Peak welcomed River. They realize that something is going on, but are willing to wait for her to open up. I loved Cade's protectiveness and his efforts to make her feel safe. I liked watching River come out of her shell as her sense of safety increased, allowing her to form friendships with Hannah and the others. I enjoyed watching Cade and River grow closer, wary of trusting their feelings, but unable to deny them. I liked seeing them look at the future possibilities together.
The suspense was good. We learn early on that River escaped from a Florida cult leader who was determined to make her his wife. Keeping to herself is the only way she sees to avoid discovery. We see her hope that she has finally succeeded, only to discover that the cult has expanded its operations while the leader continues to hunt for her. The suspense intensified when local law enforcement identified the new criminal activity. I was glued to the pages when River was abducted. Cade's worry and desperation to find her leapt off the page. The nail-biter final confrontation had a twist I didn't expect but loved.
September 14, 2025
A luke-warm, medium-meh, vanilla ice cream sort of book. Not crap, not great, but in-between.
I think where it falls down is it doesn't really develop much of the romance or the suspense.
I didn't feel anything between the h and H. After a few awkward 'hey how ya doin?' passings moments in the cafe, they suddenly kiss and then tip immediately into 'I'll die for you' love. What? When? How? Why? I mean if you say so I guess you are. Very much a 'tell don't show' romance here.
The suspense story was too wishy washy. There is a baddy out there, and a motorbike gang/cult, but everything about them is so vague and distant and 'meeehhh' I found it hard to care or even consider them a threat.
Why is everybody at this ex-military rehab center so mustard keen to adopt/take on/employ/be bosom buddies with a random, shabby, unwell person who is as far as they know a wandering, mentally ill tramp who refuses to tell them her last name? Hannah claps her hands, gushes about 'girl talk' and how she wants to be her bestie friend omggg. They literally just met. Xavier is up for giving her a full time, fully paid up job as 'clothes mender' as though such a thing exists in a rehab center. OK let's be dishing out made-up non-jobs to the fishy runway its fiiiiine. The therapist at the center wants to.... bare with me here... take the twitchy hobo lady on as another therapist (wtf???) because she saw her soothing a dude for like 5 seconds in a hallway. 'Girl you are a natural, I've never seen anybody respond to a patient with PTSD like you have, will you stay on and be my assistant therapist?' Any therapist that wants to take on a nameless, homeless, obviously mentally ill runway to treat ex-servicemen suffering from PTSD needs to have her license revoked.
I think where it falls down is it doesn't really develop much of the romance or the suspense.
I didn't feel anything between the h and H. After a few awkward 'hey how ya doin?' passings moments in the cafe, they suddenly kiss and then tip immediately into 'I'll die for you' love. What? When? How? Why? I mean if you say so I guess you are. Very much a 'tell don't show' romance here.
The suspense story was too wishy washy. There is a baddy out there, and a motorbike gang/cult, but everything about them is so vague and distant and 'meeehhh' I found it hard to care or even consider them a threat.
Why is everybody at this ex-military rehab center so mustard keen to adopt/take on/employ/be bosom buddies with a random, shabby, unwell person who is as far as they know a wandering, mentally ill tramp who refuses to tell them her last name? Hannah claps her hands, gushes about 'girl talk' and how she wants to be her bestie friend omggg. They literally just met. Xavier is up for giving her a full time, fully paid up job as 'clothes mender' as though such a thing exists in a rehab center. OK let's be dishing out made-up non-jobs to the fishy runway its fiiiiine. The therapist at the center wants to.... bare with me here... take the twitchy hobo lady on as another therapist (wtf???) because she saw her soothing a dude for like 5 seconds in a hallway. 'Girl you are a natural, I've never seen anybody respond to a patient with PTSD like you have, will you stay on and be my assistant therapist?' Any therapist that wants to take on a nameless, homeless, obviously mentally ill runway to treat ex-servicemen suffering from PTSD needs to have her license revoked.
August 17, 2025
A fun and exciting read! A wounded ex-military protects a woman who escaped from a cult because, of course, the crazy cult leader is hunting her and is obsessed with getting her back. The whole story takes place in a beautiful wooded area that houses a sanctuary for wounded military and law enforcement to rehabilitate and get back on their feet. The description of the area is beautiful, the characters are warm and endearing, and you can tell that the author is setting up for other books in the series because she brings attention to the side characters as well, setting the stage for their stories. The plot line was enjoyable, some suspense and excitement, but nothing heavy. Definitely a closed-door romance, nothing explicit. Sweet and romantic rather than spicy. A fun read on my vacation!
September 12, 2025
Protective Assignment
Warrior Peak Sanctuary Janie Crouch
What a read! An intense story full of characters who fight the trauma to find peace and safety and love. Will Cade be able to find out River’s secret in time to save her in order to have a future with her? Page after page turned into the late night as you have to find out what happens. A great beginning to a series. Definitely a 5 star read!
Warrior Peak Sanctuary Janie Crouch
What a read! An intense story full of characters who fight the trauma to find peace and safety and love. Will Cade be able to find out River’s secret in time to save her in order to have a future with her? Page after page turned into the late night as you have to find out what happens. A great beginning to a series. Definitely a 5 star read!
September 15, 2025
I always enjoy this author’s books and I enjoyed this one as I quickly devoured it. Nicely complex characters with well developed backgrounds set in an environment that I would call a “found family” - all of the pieces that I like to have in a book. Throw in secrets and action and you have the recipe for a page-turner. Definitely recommend. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
October 1, 2025
Cade is on his way to Warrior peak Sanctuary to meet up with his brother and to continue his rehab and to see where he goes now with his life after the military. On his way he picks up a hitchhiker named River who looks like she running from something or someone. What secrets does Rhiver have and can Cade get her to tell him so he can help? Suspense, danger, healing and finding family and love.
November 7, 2025
A perfectly enjoyable romantic thriller. Nothing groundbreaking but engaging and swoon worthy. I much prefer this authors heavier outings but enjoyed nonetheless and will be reading the next in the series.
April 5, 2026
5 star entertainment
The book was very well written. Even though it was a common trope, it still held my attention. It was a thoroughly entertaining book, quick read, and a nice, semi believable HEA.
The book was very well written. Even though it was a common trope, it still held my attention. It was a thoroughly entertaining book, quick read, and a nice, semi believable HEA.
Read
August 2, 2025Romantic Suspense, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective, Crime Thriller
Miniseries
Warrior Peak Sanctuary (Book #1)
Miniseries
Warrior Peak Sanctuary (Book #1)
Read
August 2, 2025Romantic Suspense, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective, Crime Thriller
Miniseries
Warrior Peak Sanctuary (Book #1)
Miniseries
Warrior Peak Sanctuary (Book #1)
August 28, 2025
A Must Read!
Janie Crouch is an excellent storyteller! I have read all of her stories and I loved them all! She doesn’t disappoint!
Janie Crouch is an excellent storyteller! I have read all of her stories and I loved them all! She doesn’t disappoint!
September 6, 2025
Romance
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novel series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novel series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
September 22, 2025
Really great plot. Good writing. I couldn’t put it down.
September 22, 2025
Quick easy enjoyable read.
November 20, 2025
Not one of her best reads.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews