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He saved her life…she saved his soul.

Garrett Hawkins is the most valuable asset to his Special Forces unit, because, frankly, the guy doesn’t care if he lives or dies anymore. Since the love of his life, Sage Weston, was kidnapped and killed with her medical unit a year ago, Garrett has turned the shell of his soul into the armor of a finely tuned fighting machine. Being the first tapped for the unit’s craziest missions is just fine by him. The less time for memories and the agony they carve into his soul, the better.

It’s a plan that works, until Garrett’s world is upended one night in the jungles of Thailand. Memories become reality when the unit is called to rescue a group of kidnapped aid workers, and they discover Sage and her teammate among the retrieved women. Now that Sage is back in his arms, Garrett doesn’t know what to do. He has changed in dramatic ways, especially in the darker tastes of his passion. If he touches Sage again, he’ll want to claim her, restrain her...dominate her.

Is Sage’s love strong enough to let Garrett back in, not only as her fiancé but her Dominant? Can she trust that visiting the new shadows of his life will lead her to ecstasy and not ruin? Or can Garrett’s discipline be exactly what her soul needs to find its way back to life—and love—again?

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2013

1855 people are currently reading
6606 people want to read

About the author

Angel Payne

90 books3,319 followers
Writerly sort, with angst + kissing + other stuff.
USAT Bestseller.
Passionate Traveler.
KPop Girlie (StayTiny, Engene, FOHA)
SoCal Girl.
Love is the best super power.

The other parts:
Books & their fun facts:

Lost Princes: Immortal rock stars, mafia, glam world travels

Speed Dating, Hercules and Apollo: Duet with modern mythology and angsty urban suspense

Blood of Zeus Series: Modern mythology, Dante-type hell dives, Professor/student, star-crossed love, fish out of water--and Brock O'Hurn covers!

Shark's Edge (Books 1-6): Glam family saga, romantic suspense, billionaires and their secrets, workplace shenanigans.

The Bolt Saga: Tony Stark meets Christian Grey. Super-powered hero meets sassy heroine for electric attraction. Bad guys follow. Body count rises. More "electric" fun.

Honor Bound: Military Doms and their headstrong heroines in romantic adventures across the globe.

The Cimarron Saga: Dark & brooding royal heroes on a Mediterranean island that's been sealed off from the world for 150 years.

Temptation Court: Cimarron spinoff set in modern-day New York. Yep; another dark & brooding hero too.

Secrets of Stone: Sweeping family saga with emotional twists and turns. And maybe a few "kissing parts". And maybe a little more than that...

Misadventures with a Time Traveler/Misadventures with a Duke: Time-traveling brothers in modern-day settings, meeting their destined loves.

Suited for Sin: High heat alphas who know how to knot more than a tie.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
Profile Image for Chris  C - A Midlife Wife.
1,831 reviews463 followers
December 17, 2017
Hella hot ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book is just full emotion and anticipation. I don’t know how this author could write with so much angst and despair. The build up of the story was almost too hard to take sometimes. I would have to take a breather just to continue on.

The deep love and connection between the two main characters was definitely something to behold. The story and plot was unique and unexpected. The intense heat and high sexual anticipation was felt through the pages and the ending made the rest of the story worth suffering through.

My only complaint is that there was almost too much tension with no relief until 3/4 of the way through the book or so. Only a few parts are very heavy on the BDSM and there is loads of suspense as the story twisted and turned through the painful plot. But a beautiful ending made it worthwhile.

The author is a true wordsmith and crafts amazing characters that you are completely drawn to.

* copy received for review consideration
Profile Image for  ~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~.
1,174 reviews7 followers
January 27, 2014
***Mild Spoilers***

This was a miss for me.

The very beginning, first 3 chapters or so, led me to believe that I was going to get exactly what the blurb for this book suggests I will get.. A deep layered, erotic, heart pounding, touching & intense story.

But that's not what I got. What I got was a very simple, incomplete, non fleshed out plot. On top of that, I got lead characters that don't inspire any type of emotion beyond mild irritation. And they did have me rolling my eyes alot.

Plot
1. What bothered me the most was how 2 Elite Special Ops Officers, who rescued them, choose to NOT tell their charges that the person who has held them captive for over a year, trying to sell them, is now close again. And has tried more than once to re-capture them. And has come close to succeeding. They are worrying & acting like cave men without letting them know what's up. So the chicks are running around doing their own thing & not really as protected as they should be. So in essence are making decisions that could get them re-captured. *rolls eyes*

Which brings me to #2. I don't know of anyone who has gone through what these 2 ladies have & bounced back so quickly (2weeks) after a YEAR of hell, in the slave trade. A slave trade where it appears nothing really happened to them, cos nothing was ever really said or even alluded to them being raped etc.. They got hit a few times, were moved around alot, and apparently got away for a brief time only to be caught again. But I've never heard of people being captured for a year to be used as sex slaves, but never actually being used as sex slaves.

3.Immediately after our lead heroine is back, she only talks to her mom on the phone for a few minutes, we never see her reconnect with her family or anything, and she becomes completely consumed by her man's need to not push her into his darker desires of their physical relationship, that he's apparently opened himself up to for the whole year that he thought she was dead. She immediately starts to scheme & plan on how to push his buttons to get him to dominate her. Not work through her own mental & emotional stuff of being a captive for over a year. Not working through getting her life back to normal a bit after being presumed dead for year. Not working through her emotions at all to see if she can even handle just being intimate with him. Let alone his submissive. And not to mention what he did, immediately after she is returned back to him. I mean the same damn night?! Doesn't seem like he cares too much either. And she's all, not really too ticked about it, if you ask me.

I mean all this had me like...
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And all this being "Saved by his Submissive" did not even happen. He was saved by his Uncle cos his Uncle is the one that got him to see what he needed to do & why. His Uncle was the one that broke through his barrier, not her.

And the cherry on top of this sh*t storm, was the events that occurred that allowed them to first & finally explore this side of their "Love" Can you say beyond tacky & a complete "WTH is this mess & why?"

My point is, if you're going to write erotica/BDSM for erotica/BDSM sake, then why start this type of story on such a serious note, if you're not really gonna expound on it? It made all the "sexy" which wasn't really present anyway, for majority of the story, not so hot. This books lacks everything that would have made this story hot/awesome. Lack of depth. In characters, plot, & journey.

So would I recommend this read?
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180 reviews110 followers
March 26, 2013
There are TWO SEX SCENES! Seriously. Two. I am the girl that, upon starting a book, checks to see how many times the word cock is used. As a rule, the more cock, the better I like it. That sounded pervy, didn't it? I digress. Cock was used 46 times. Pretty good for this length, so I had high hopes. Alas....two sex scenes. We're gonna call this one a cock tease!

Good story. Garrett took an inordinately long time to pull his head out of his ass. This book could have been very dark and I am immensely glad the author didn't go that way. Loved the heroine.
Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
3,010 reviews799 followers
December 7, 2017
I’m going to chalk this one up to that it just wasn’t for me. I’m a fan of this author and have read and loved several of her books. This one was not like any I’ve known from her. I think my biggest issue was that I struggled with behaviors and reactions after certain events in the book. This has some pretty heavy subject matter of kidnapping, physical abuse and threats of sexual abuse but the focus of the book was the heroine trying to convince her fiancé she can handle his dark side after being rescued. I actually found a scene towards the end to be a bit disturbing. Like I said, it just wasn’t for me. ARC provided by NetGalley.
Profile Image for Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~.
497 reviews182 followers
June 22, 2013
I think that the best way to describe this is that it's a hardcore love story.

The the love of Garett's life, the woman he planned to marry, his heart,has been dead for one year, sixteen days and almost twenty-four hours. In that time, Garrett has become the perfect killing machine. He could care less if he lives or dies.

"He'd filled in the cracks in his spirit with the no fuss mortar that let in no more light, and let out no more feeling. He liked it so much that he piled on years worth of the gunk, letting it harden into layers of a warrior they called Hawk. The guy with the surprise claws. The indispensable killer.

He can't move on. He's stuck. Caught in a constant longing for Sage. Unable to cope with her loss. Unable to deal with what the loss of her, the lost of control has brought to the surface in him. He is a changed man.

Then a miracle happens. He goes on a rescue mission, only to find that one of the captives is Sage.

"The angels had given her back to him, and he sure as fuck wasn't blowing the chance. He'd never again let her go, and he'd never again rest before knowing she was safe, secure, completely protected.

. . .

"Welcome back Sage Weston."

. . .

"Welcome back. ...to what?"

"To life, sugar." He brushed her lips softly with his own again. "To life."


However, his vow to protect her, now includes protecting her from himself. He's not the same person he was before she died. He can't reconcile his desires, with his love for her.

******
This book was all sorts of an emotional roller coster. You'd think that the focus of a book where the heroine is rescued from a year in captivity would be healing her, and finding a way to get her to acclimate to being back in her old life. In this case, you'd be wrong.

Sage is a kick-ass heroine (both literally and figuratively ). She has kept her shit together by using Garret as her talisman. Ever step forward was for him. She is so damn strong, there were times I was mad at her for not giving up and breaking down. She was determined. She was not going to let anyone mess up her future with Garrett, not even Garret himself.

Garrett was as frustrating a hero as I've come across in a long time. It all made sense. He's special forces. He's used to keeping secrets, not talking about his feelings. He's used to being in control. Add a year thinking Sage was dead and he has been stripped down to his very core. Only, he doesn't like what's there, and he refuses to be that guy with Sage.

I swear I was ready to crawl into the book and either kick him in the balls or slap him upside the head for being such a stubborn dumbass. The love between Sage and Garret was palatable. It pored off the page. There was no doubt they adored each other beyond all reason. So, it made the fact that Garret was the source of their angst epically maddening.

This book was great - a fresh breath in the sometimes same 'ol same 'ol world of BDSM books. The Sage and Garret felt very real, and I was intensely invested in their struggle. The secondary characters were great as well. I cannot wait to get my hands on Zeke's story. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Erin Lewis.
6,204 reviews221 followers
November 21, 2017
4.5 Star Review of Saved (Honor Bound Book 1) by Angel Payne
This is the first book in the series and one I really enjoyed. I have read other books from Angel Payne so I jumped at the opportunity to read this book as I have always enjoyed her writing style and the depth of characters that she writes about.
Garrett Hawkins is still struggling to fight his way back from the horror of the kidnapping and subsequent death of the woman he loves, Sage Weston. Not caring whether he lives or dies, he goes through the motions as a leader of a special forces team, doing his job but not really living.
Imagine his absolute shock and joy to find that on his latest mission, one of the women he has been sent in to rescue is in fact Sage and her co worker Rayna, who have been presumed dead for over a year.
Both Garrett and Sage struggle to re build their lives, both having changed in so many ways due to the horrors and trauma experienced. Can these two tortured souls find their way back to each other and allow the love they shared to strengthen and subsequently re-connect? Or has the past twelve months destroyed any chance that Garrett and Sage have?

I loved both Garrett and Sage and so admired not only Sage but Rayna for surviving such a harrowing and traumatic experience. Garrett is an alpha and dominant male, as are all the members of his team and it was interesting to see how both he and Sage struggle to reach a compromise as they learn to be with each other again as a couple.
The secondary characters of Zeke and Rayna, along with the other members of Garrett’s team were just as interesting and I cannot wait to read their stories.
There was intrigue, suspense, dominant and tender moments throughout this book and at times I truly felt I was on an emotional roller-coaster of a read. I
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher.
Profile Image for Martha.
599 reviews
September 9, 2025
I really loved book 1 in the Honor Bound Series. Angel Payne did an outstanding job.

This books has all the feels.. Love, loss, passion, sacrifice.

Garrett has been in mourning from the loss of Sage for the past year. He has had trouble moving on and really just getting through his daily life. Not a moment goes by that something does not trigger thoughts of her. Zeke really tries to help Garrett move past the loss and get on with his life, but to no avail.

Little does Garrett know that Sage is alive.. She has survived so much and the only thing that seems to keep her living are thoughts of Garrett. Garrett ends up on a mission and finds that Sage is alive. Garrett is now definitely darker, but Sage does not seem to mind.. She wants ALL of him...

Can they be together again after all they have endured? They are definitely not the same people they were once before. Can he keep her safe? Her captors are not so quick to just let her go.

This story is beautiful. It keeps you reading and wanting more.. You NEED to know what happened. AND who does not love dominant and sexy military men who thrive to be in charge??
Profile Image for Ria Alexander.
2,657 reviews51 followers
December 15, 2021
Second chance love is always the sweetest and the hardest

Angel Payne never puts a word wrong when she is writing about alpha men and the women that they love. SAVED is no exception. Once again Ms. Payne has written a story that will break your heart, laugh, and get extremely frustrated.

Garrett has mourned the loss of his one true love for the past year not knowing that Sage is still very much alive. Sage has survived car bombs, the desert, and kidnappings, all on the way to being miraculously saved by Garrett.

Once they return to the USA, THEIR real struggle to survive as a couple begins. Garrett is in constant denial about being a DOM, while all Sage wants to be is his submissive.

Prepare to fall head over heels for Garrett. Cheer on Sage through all the tragedies and ordeals that she must face to win her man!!!

The main theme throughout this novel is the love that these two people have for each other.

Congrats to Angel Payne for a magnificent story.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

FIVE STARS
Profile Image for Sue.
1,214 reviews
February 24, 2018
What a fantastic start to a new series! Angel Payne has written a sexy, hot, passionate book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will fall in love with Sage and Garrett. I can’t wait to read the next book(s) in this series and hope that Zeke, Ethan and the rest of the crew will get their own stories.

Profile Image for Marie Vasquez.
1,598 reviews78 followers
December 20, 2017
I was introduced to Angel Payne through the Misadventures series. Her story Misadventures with a Super Hero was so exciting, erotic and my favorite of the series. It made me an instant fan. So when I saw that she started a new series, I jumped at the chance to read more of her work.

Saved was a great read. In this story you get the military hero with elements of BDSM which is a genre that I absolutely LOVE.

Garrett was a soldier through and through and having lost the love of his life, he’s become the go-to mission man. So much of his core self changed over the year since the loss, but when Sage is brought back into his life...he’s lost for a whole slew of new reasons. His heart is ecstatic that she’s back, but his dark desires that awoke while she was gone have now caused a deep conflict within himself. His Iowa, good-boy upbringing is at war with the dominant self he’s kept locked away for most of his life.

With Sage, she’s harbored submissive desires for years now and being captive did not sway the need for being bound, claimed and taken by the man she loves. And when she sees the change in Garrett after her return, hope fills her with the change that could take place in their bedroom, but she also sees the fear in Garrett’s eyes due his conflict of being the man he was with the man he knew.

With Garrett’s misunderstanding of what the lifestyle entails, he can’t see the good it could do to help him center himself as well as help Sage with her healing process. There’s quite a bit of inner struggle for both characters as well as struggles for their relationship as they work through their issues while still protecting Sage and keeping her safe from further danger.

This book was sexy, a bit suspenseful and kept me intrigued from start to finish. I look forward to reading more from Angel Payne.
Profile Image for MaryAnn Costanzo.
263 reviews
November 17, 2017
He saved her life…she saved his soul.
Read this book as part of Net Galley ARC for an honest review
I can't say enough about this book. Garrett Hawkins part of a special forces unit lost his world Sage Weston only to stumble across her during a mission in Thailand. Can they reconnect and make their love endure the many changes that has happened during the last year?
Profile Image for LisaMarie .
469 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2017
A great premise to A good story.
I was drawn in from the very beginning of Garrett and Sage's story as told by the author, Angel Payne.
Tormented and broken, Garrett tore at my heart.
Sage is strong and A fighter...she refuses to be broken.
They both have changed through their ordeal and once found they have so much work ahead of them.
This story drew me in from the very beginning but lost me a little in the middle. I don't know if it was the editing of the push and pull that got to be too much for me. That ending, though, stripped me bare! I absolutely loved the ending...so perfect!
The emotions, movements, and physical responses were orchestrated so beautifully...they engulfed me...and I was lost.

"Only now could he see that pain he'd dealt her had acted like a key in a lock for her, throwing open doors that had been shut inside her for so long."

I can't wait to read the next books in the series. I long to know so much more about Zeke!

A copy of this book was provided by Waterhouse Press via Netgalley with no requirement for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Sonia Almeida Dias (Peixinho de Prata).
682 reviews30 followers
October 30, 2017
Got this book through Netgalley in exchange for a review.

To be honest, I was expecting something quite different, but the mention of Thailand in the description just made me want to read this book. However it was a huge disappointment.

The story is not well constructed, not believable, and was unable to keep my interest at all. Not very keen to try other books by this author.
Profile Image for ~Mandi~.
281 reviews34 followers
January 18, 2018
Saved
Honor Bound #1
Angel Payne
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another great story by Angel Payne. I never know what to expect when I pick up one of her novels. It’s never just a typical romance.
The beginning of this story was so intense and so difficult to imagine the terror Sage and Rayna had to endure.
And poor Gage has just spent the last year of his life mourning his fiancé he thought had died.
The characters and the relationships are so strong and impressive. They have all been through some traumatic events and the ways they overcome them are quite creative.
Such a great first book to this series. I can’t wait for more to come out.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Anastasia.
404 reviews
November 22, 2017
When you love someone, you should trust them with your wants, needs and cravings. You should never try to be someone you are not or hide from them, because you never know if your wants and needs are their wants and needs. Garrett had to learn that the hard way.
When his fiance Sage was kidnapped and killed, Garrett didn't care for anything. He would do anything and in my opinion wouldn't have minded if he died. He wanted to be with his heart. He wanted to leave the hell he was living. He would never let go of her and each day he was dying more and more inside. He had become a different person in the year+ she was killed. However Garrett's world was turn upside down again for a second time when he was sent on a mission to Thailand with his best friend Zeke. He went in to rescue people and ended up rescuing the one person he was told was dead a year ago.
Sage was strong and had survived some horrible things but when the voice of her hero rang in her ears, she knew that the pain and suffering was over. Garrett and his team had rescued them, they had finally found them. Her life was finally back, well that's she thought at first. But when she returned to the states Garrett was different. Not the person she knew a year ago, which was okay to her because she had changed. Her needs and wants had changed and she needed him to listen to her and understand, because Garrett though that what he wanted and dreamed of were completely crazy!
This book had me captivated from the first moment. There was always something going on. Sage and Garrett could not catch a break, not even for a day! They love each other so much, a love so strong it held on tight for a year of being apart and thinking the other was dead or will never see each other again. Angel this book was amazing and cant wait to read book 2! Definitely a 5 star from me. What I love most about this book was that we had both Garrett's and Sage's point of views and what they were thinking.
Profile Image for Linda Dunn.
1,284 reviews29 followers
November 5, 2017
This story surprised me by pulling all of my emotional strings. Garrett, unyielding in his dedication and devotion to being part of a Special Forces Unit. Built like a tank, but also a prisoner to his dark desires, he finds himself in a constant struggle to come to terms with them. His will to live is almost non-existence after finding out his fiancée Sage was kidnapped and killed in the jungles of Thailand while on an aid mission. The guilt he feels in not being able to protect and save her have left him devastated.

One year later, Garrett volunteers to go on a search and rescue mission. He really does not care if he lives or dies at this point in his life. The love of his life is gone, he is an empty shell and his only goal is getting the job done. He is shocked to find Sage amongst the prisoners.

They are both home safe and sound but the two of them each now have demons that have surfaced as a result of both their experiences. Garrett believing that Sage was dead and is now alive, and Sage definitely fighting the demons and horror she had to endure for over a year. Garrett has closed off his true self to Sage because if he reveals it to her, he believes she will no longer want or love him. He does not want to risk that now that she is safe with him again.

We go through their difficult journey together with the hope that they will find each other again. He wants to keep her safe and for him to remain her hero. This was an emotional rollercoaster ride, and one you do not want to miss.....


Profile Image for Pennie Morgan.
2,336 reviews10 followers
December 17, 2017
Oh my! This has so much heart and soul wrapped up in the pages it can hardly contain it! Sage and Rayna were kidnapped and considered dead a year ago. Garrett Hawkins, with the Special Forces unit, is being sent in on a mission to rescue aid workers who were kidnapped. A year after his fiance has been killed he is barely hanging on and lives for any mission but this one is cutting it close to the bone. Especially when one of the prisoners they rescue is his fiance. Getting Sage back is just the beginning, now they need to learn to live together again. Garrett has changed in the last year. His dominant side has come full force and he does not know how to deal with it. It is going to take everything and all the love they have for each other to save each other again and again...especially since the danger is still present even though they have returned home. This story grips you from page one and keeps rolling and picking up pace until I couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend this one and glad to see it appears to be the start of a series!

Definitely recommend this one!

**Received an ARC copy from the publisher via NetGalley**
Profile Image for Amber Rose.
321 reviews840 followers
June 17, 2013
Garrett believed he lost his love of his life. He is struggling, puts his heart on hold since there is only one women that he loved and will ever love. On a mission in the special force in the jungle Sage his dead Sage is alive. Not dead!

Sage has been kidnapped with her medical group and everyone thought she was dead. Garrett sees Sage and he is afraid, his heart has been broken for a year. But he wants her, but he knows if he touches her then he will want to dominate Sage.

I had a couple of problems when it came to Sage. She felt to much put together in this book. I felt she needed to be weaker since everything she has endured while being captive. It seems Garrett was the one struggling more so then Sage. She should be more broken instead of Garrett.

But overall this story is great. I really enjoyed the dark struggle with Garrett. This is a different type of BDSM romance that I have read. Looking forward to more of this Author to come.

I received a copy from the Author for exchanged for an honest review.
Profile Image for Becky Wise.
2,837 reviews52 followers
October 27, 2017
Tantalizing. Hot. Sexy. Scorching. Badass. Strength. Are just a few words I would use to describe Saved. Just wow and this is only book one of the Honor Bound Series. Saved is all Garrett and Sage. Let me tell you this hold onto your seats and your panties and enjoy the roller coaster. After all this time being held I'm amazed by Sage's strength and courage to keep going. She not only fought for herself and her friends while being held captive but she also ends up fighting for Garrett. After Sage was taken you get the sense that Garrett is propelled into a dark place he doesn't know how to handle it. You get the dominate just waiting to come out. You feel his struggle to handle the BDSM lifestyle with all that Sage has gone through. I loved how she accepted everything. I love them as a couple. I really can't wait to see what Angel Payne has in stored for Zeke, Rayne, Ethan and the rest of the crew. I have a feeling this series is just going to get hotter and more gripping. If you haven't had a chance to read Angel yet then this may be a great place to start.
Profile Image for Kelly Kemmerly.
621 reviews9 followers
December 19, 2017
I love a book that works under your skin and makes you tingle, itch, and shiver for days after! Saved by the daringly talented, Angel Payne hits all the high notes with this book as the first in her Honor Bound Series. Truthfully, I was smitten with Garrett from the first page as he bites into Sage's flesh. Sage captured my interest with her fighting spirit and willingness to count on hope when it all seemed lost.
SavedSaved will introduce a party of characters that have incredible worth and charisma. I cannot wait to see what happens next in Cuffed the Honor Bound Series as we are tempted with following Zeke and Rayna as they both face a reality neither one is prepared to handle.
646 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2017
Exciting, sexy military BDSM romance

Angel Payne out does herself in this the first of the Honor Bound series. Garrett and Sage are reunited when he rescue Sage after thinking she'd been killed a year earlier. Their love is still strong but they have an emotional and physical journey to complete and Evil has to be thwarted before they get their HEA. This book kept my attention from the first to last chapter. Well written characters and plot had me finishing it in one sitting. I found the secondary characters equally well developed and look forward to reading their stories in the next books.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance reader copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Krista Ricchi.
826 reviews14 followers
December 4, 2017
This book has everything love, loss, passion and action. The characters have so much depth and the writing was amazing. I have recently starting reading Angel’s books and I loved everything about them. This book had such an incredible plot. Losing you soulmate can crush and harden you but finding out it was all a lie will turn you into someone that everyone should fear. The story unfolds perfectly and I love how everything slowly comes together. Love is never easy and this couple definitely has some struggles to work through and in the end if they are strong enough they will find their way back to each other. Such a beautiful love story you should pick up a copy and enjoy it for yourself.
I was given a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
Profile Image for United Indie Book Blog.
4,681 reviews85 followers
December 18, 2017
This my first time reading one of Angel Payne books. I'm now hooked on her. I will be definitely reading more of her books. This is story is about Love, loss, passion, sacrifice. It's Garrett and Sage story. I was drawn in from the very beginning. Garrett is tormented and broken and he tore at my heart so much. Your heart will go out to him. While Sage is strong and A fighter. This is the first book in this series. It's MUST READ too!!! You will have to get this one and read it, to see what's all going on with Garrett and Sage. Angel did an amazing job with story-line and creating each characters. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. Keep up the amazing work Angel! You will not be disappointed in this one.

Review by Chantelle
Profile Image for Ashley Olson- lovestoread08.
549 reviews16 followers
October 31, 2017
I received this as an ARC through netgalley for an honest review! Sexy, thrilling, and captivating!!!! Amazing start to a new series! Garrett and Sage both showed amazing strength and devotion to each other through their journey. Chemistry was off the charts between these two! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Profile Image for Christine.
1,750 reviews
December 19, 2017
Garrett is one hot alpha man. Sage is one complicated woman. They make for one hot sexy complicated couple. They saved each other. Could not wait to see where the story would go. Loved this couple. A must read.
Profile Image for Phuong.
464 reviews
December 17, 2017
Garrett Hawkins is a special forces operative who has been struggling to survive the last year after losing his fiancee Sage Weston. Sage was presumed dead after her vehicle was blown up and no bodies were found. After losing Sage, Garrett doesn't really care if he lives or dies and continues to go on dangerous mission after mission.

Garrett's current mission in Thailand is to break up a sex slavery ring of captured American females. The mission is a success and gives Garrett the shock of his life when he finds Sage and her friend Rayna among the captured females. Garrett and Sage are reunited but Garrett has changed in the last year and is afraid that the changes will hurt Sage. Garrett's dominate side came out during the last year and he really doesn't want to accept that he can be like that. Most of the members of his special ops team are dominates but a traumatic event when Garrett was young makes him feel that this is not an acceptable lifestyle. Sage actually likes the changes but can't convince Garrett that she wants to try it.

Once they are back in the States, Sage and Garrett tries to adjust to the new individuals that they have become in the last year when Sage was presumed dead. They must decide if their relationship can survive the changes while the danger that Sage was in continues to follow her but Garrett is keeping that information from her to protect her. Also Sage needs to convince Garrett that she is interested and wants to try the dominate/submissive lifestyle. Sage works to find out why Garrett is so resistant to this new side of him and tries to make him understand that it is not a bad thing.

I really enjoy this book. The characters are strong, both male and female, and I can't wait to read more about the other characters in this new series.
Profile Image for Romance Readers Retreat.
2,346 reviews225 followers
December 19, 2017
Garrett’s life as he knew it ended the day his fiancé was kidnapped and then killed. He is a shell of his former self. Over time he has developed a need to dominate and is an asset to his Special Forces team because he takes risks only someone who doesn’t care about dying would take. He has no problem being called for the craziest and riskiest missions. It gives him little time to think about the pain he feels losing Sage.

When Garrett’s team is on a rescue mission in Thailand his life changes once again. He is shocked when they find Sage and her friend are alive. They rescue them from the horrific trauma they have been exposed to and Garrett wants nothing more than to resume his life with his fiancé. How can he expose her though to his newer desire to dominate? Is his soul too damaged? Is Sage strong enough bring Garrett back into the land of the living once more?

This was a well written military bdsm story with plenty of suspense and emotional angst to keep me hooked. I felt for Sage and Garrett, though I wanted to shake him at times. I adored the secondary characters and cannot wait to read their stories.
Profile Image for Heather Bass.
649 reviews9 followers
December 19, 2017
This is the first book of the Honor Band series and this is how you start off a new series. Wow. I absolutely love military romances. This author made me fall in love with this genre even more now. I could not put this book down. I was glued to my Kindle all night long. It only took me a few hours to devour this epic love story.

Garrett had the love of his life until one day a phone call shattered it all. He finds out that his Sage was killed in a mission and his heart is broken. A year passes and he still mourns her death. Garrett can’t get over her and get on with his life. He has a good friend he considers his brother, Zeke. His friend even tries to help him move on but he just can’t. Garrett craves violence to lessen his pain. He is told that he is going on a very important mission and he can’t mess it up. Garrett and Zeke are on a rescue mission. They are to rescue some American woman that have been held as prisoners for a year. All of a sudden he can’t believe his eyes Sage is one of the women he rescues. Garrett knew deep down that she was still alive, but now what? He quickly realizes that Sage is not the same woman he used to know. Garrett wants to help her but he also has been hiding a secret too. Can Garrett keep her safe or will he put her back into danger?

This story is a beautiful masterpiece. The storyline has it all romance, suspense, and forgiveness. You will fall in love with all of the characters. Sage is very strong and brave. She wants to be loved by Garrett no matter how dark he can be. Garrett is a beautiful soldier that will do anything for the woman he loves. He is a true hero in my eyes. These characters will make you believe in soulmates. Garrett and Sage have some steamy scenes that will make your toes curl. My favorite part is that this talented author wrote this book in both characters points of views. This gives you more of a personal connection to the characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in this new and incredible series.
Profile Image for Kath Dee.
777 reviews26 followers
November 19, 2017
Saved - Honour Bound by Angel Payne

This story interested me from the beginning, with its story connections to Special Ops, humanitarian workers and human trafficking but I wasn’t prepared for the emotional connections that Angel Payne was able to establish in just the first few chapters.

Garrett and Sage both have their demons but when they are ripped apart by a human trafficking ring leader, both are set to test their limits.

Garrett throws himself into his operations with his team, thinking the love of his life is dead and buried after a year, while Sage and the other captives must survive the inhuman conditions of their captors.
Exploring some darker subtexts like BDSM and the brutality of the traffickers, these subjects were handled with great discretion and care by Angel Payne.

Some seriously rough and tumultuous situations scattered through the story but underlying it all is a deep seeded passion and love between Garrett and Sage. The supporting characters add some nice balance and a little humour in some very dark situations and I particularly liked Zeke’s smart mouthed banter with Garrett and Rayna’s deep friendship with Sage.

Overall and enjoyable read that I’ll certainly follow with the next in series.

Thank you to Angel Payne, NetGalley and Waterhouse Press for the opportunity to review.


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