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Don’t Tell #3
Under His Guard
Rebel soldier Darke lost his lover during the early stages of the InterNations war. Only the flirtatious attentions of the gorgeous Leon Cheramie brought him back from heartbreak and grief. Unwilling to get attached again, Darke has fought their undeniable attraction to one another. But when Leon's life is threatened, Darke cannot deny what's been brewing between them.
After escaping certain death at the hands of the enemy, the brave and determined Leon has proven himself capable of fighting in the war. The only thing he hasn't been able to do is capture the heart of the fearless warrior Darke. When a huge victory is won for the revolutionaries, Darke and Leon finally give in to their feelings for one another.
But the celebration is short-lived when Leon is infected with a deadly virus. He's a human time bomb set to plague the entire rebel population. Now, the final endgame of the war is pitted against the rebels' race to find a cure before Leon becomes a full-blown carrier and Darke loses the man who managed to win his love and bring him back to life.
Don't miss the other titles in the Don't Tell
In His Command, Book 1
On Her Watch, Book 2
After escaping certain death at the hands of the enemy, the brave and determined Leon has proven himself capable of fighting in the war. The only thing he hasn't been able to do is capture the heart of the fearless warrior Darke. When a huge victory is won for the revolutionaries, Darke and Leon finally give in to their feelings for one another.
But the celebration is short-lived when Leon is infected with a deadly virus. He's a human time bomb set to plague the entire rebel population. Now, the final endgame of the war is pitted against the rebels' race to find a cure before Leon becomes a full-blown carrier and Darke loses the man who managed to win his love and bring him back to life.
Don't miss the other titles in the Don't Tell
In His Command, Book 1
On Her Watch, Book 2
- GenresM M RomanceDystopia
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2015
2 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Rie Warren
52 books674 followersAll of Rie Warren's self-published series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited, including the instant hit Bad Boys of Retribution MC, Carolina Bad Boys, Bad Boy Ballers, and many more!
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is an OG Amazon All Star author of Bad Boy books and MC romance. She delivers five star sex, suspense, and the best banter around. Her stories are one hundred percent original, do not contain fluffy plots or virgin brides, and wring every last emotion from readers to leave them with a satisfied smile. Rie’s tough alpha males are never brought to heel, but are instead healed by the feisty femme fatale of their perfect match.
She grew up in Maine, went to college in Iowa (Iowa, what?), lived in Scotland, and married in Englishman. In true roundabout fashion, they came back to the States, settled in South Carolina’s lowcountry, putting down southern roots and pursuing their arty endeavors. Tale spinner and character diviner, Rie is a lover of sleep, wine, and rude memes often involving either Disney characters or Winnie the Pooh. She is raising two teen daughters along with an entire brain full of unruly characters.
Rough-talking alpha men? Rie has that on tap.
Stubborn sassy heroines? You bet.
Smoldering sex scenes that’ll set your Kindle on fire? Check, check, check.
Keep a fan handy, you’ll need it.
Follow the signup link below to her romance newsletter for sneak peeks, new releases, first looks, and her quirky sense of humor.
https://www.subscribepage.com/riewarr...
And, as always, happy sexy reading to you!
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is an OG Amazon All Star author of Bad Boy books and MC romance. She delivers five star sex, suspense, and the best banter around. Her stories are one hundred percent original, do not contain fluffy plots or virgin brides, and wring every last emotion from readers to leave them with a satisfied smile. Rie’s tough alpha males are never brought to heel, but are instead healed by the feisty femme fatale of their perfect match.
She grew up in Maine, went to college in Iowa (Iowa, what?), lived in Scotland, and married in Englishman. In true roundabout fashion, they came back to the States, settled in South Carolina’s lowcountry, putting down southern roots and pursuing their arty endeavors. Tale spinner and character diviner, Rie is a lover of sleep, wine, and rude memes often involving either Disney characters or Winnie the Pooh. She is raising two teen daughters along with an entire brain full of unruly characters.
Rough-talking alpha men? Rie has that on tap.
Stubborn sassy heroines? You bet.
Smoldering sex scenes that’ll set your Kindle on fire? Check, check, check.
Keep a fan handy, you’ll need it.
Follow the signup link below to her romance newsletter for sneak peeks, new releases, first looks, and her quirky sense of humor.
https://www.subscribepage.com/riewarr...
And, as always, happy sexy reading to you!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 15, 2015
This is the third and final full-length story in the Don't Tell series set in the post-apocalyptic future in a battle between a strict government regime and the loose bands of freedom fighters. So far the series has offered an exciting backdrop, intrigue, danger, passion, tension and that desperation that comes from knowing that the good guys are out-gunned and out-manned. An edgy, gritty and a highly anticipated release knowing that one hero considers himself broken and unable to take the love he is offered until it is too late when the other hero loses his memories and his life is a ticking time bomb thanks to the disease housed in his body.
This is a series that must be read in order like an ongoing saga since it is all tied together. A different pair is highlighted for the romance and character development, but the main plot involves characters and scenes that carry through from the first story.
And just as a side thought, this is a unique series in that the various romantic pairings are not all one sexual orientation. This one happens to be m/m, but the one before it was m/f and there have been m/m/f and f/f in the secondary plots.
The story opens with a small breather after the traumatic events of book two. The freedom fighters pulled off another minor miracle at a great cost on a personal level, but the regime they fight is far from defeated, only weakened. This is proven when word gets out that Leon, during his captivity, was infected with a time-release disease that will be unleashed on everyone if the rebels do not turn themselves in.
Darke has pushed Leon away for a long time trying to hold on to the memories of his dead lovers and not willing to try again even though deep down he loves and wants Leon. Darke's final push away leaves him in a bad place knowing that Leon was captured, endured much, and lost his memories, but it was all enough to wake Darke up so that he was finally shaken into acknowledging the truth instead of denying it. Unfortunately, Leon now wants nothing to do with a man that rejected him even if he can't remember all that went before and seems to only want him out of pity now that he's dying.
The revelation about the Leon and the disease sends Darke and the others on a quest to locate regime leader, Cutler, defeat him and get the antidote before the disease can be released. Ambiguous and shadowy allies must be relied on with treachery possible now that there is a price on their heads and the promise of immunity from the disease if someone turns them in. Tight, dangerous situations with death always close takes them to the other side of the world even and brings the clocking ticking down to the last possible moment for Leon and the survival of the rebel cause. While Darke knows that so much more than Leon's survival hinges on this, it is winning Leon back and saving him that has all his focus.
So, this was for all the marbles and the situation was definitely set up well for a tension-filled exciting finish. It even had a seething-hot romance that has been a long time building since book one. I was totally vested now that things were coming down to it at last. Cutler has been put on the run out of the territory, but still has a strong winning game plan in place to defeat the band of rebels. But, in the end, this story didn't deliver in some ways while it really delivered in others.
I found that the author made some interesting and not necessarily welcome choices when it came to the dominant focus of the story and making this a first person narrative with only Darke as the narrator. I didn't like being trapped in Darke's head the whole time because he was focusing predominantly on Leon. He even admitted that he prioritized Leon over the dire situation going on in the world around him. As much as I'm all for a hero who gets possessive, protective and enthralled by the love of his life, its hard for me to appreciate it when the end of the world stuff is happening and the two spend more time scorching up the sheets than resolving their troubles anyway. I was also not too keen on having ideology pushed at me so hard that it drowned out the story. The ideology aka lesson to be learned in this dystopian fable has been evident since book one and I appreciated it as a reminder to us all, but it went from gentle reminder to soapbox status in this story that I was already struggling to stay vested in since the things that I was really looking forward to and the things I have come to appreciate about this series were lacking or diluted.
The romance which was Darke's focus as I mentioned above didn't quite get there for me. I loved the idea of these seeming opposites who really wanted each other and needed each other to get their chance. They just never seemed to be on the same page even though they both ultimately wanted the same thing. Up until this book, I liked what I saw of them, but I confess that their problems seemed an endless mess. I rooted for their chance at happiness when the resolve came, but it wasn't a romance that really grabbed me like the ones before in the series.
Cutler was evil and I just wanted his reign of terror to be over. I loved that all the main characters from the series were a part of this last effort and I loved the addition of a feisty new gal that could be the feisty, lethal Liz's twin. The situation with the enigmatic Denver who was Cutler's body guard, but supposedly working with the resistance made things quite exciting. The climax was when I re-engaged with the story and really started to care what was going on. Those big money scenes were pretty exciting and I loved the twists that had me second guessing whose side folks were on. The author really has a gift for writing those type of characters that can't be figured out and leave you wondering until she is good and ready to reveal what they are thinking and whether they are a hero or a villain.
So, while I wasn't blow away, like I was with the earlier books, I did enjoy how it all ended in this final story and will miss this series very much. The dystopian world, the plans and plottings of a cold dictator-sort, the underdog freedom fighters and the scorching hot romances between tough characters offered a fantastic series and I would recommend it.
My thanks to Forever Yours and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a series that must be read in order like an ongoing saga since it is all tied together. A different pair is highlighted for the romance and character development, but the main plot involves characters and scenes that carry through from the first story.
And just as a side thought, this is a unique series in that the various romantic pairings are not all one sexual orientation. This one happens to be m/m, but the one before it was m/f and there have been m/m/f and f/f in the secondary plots.
The story opens with a small breather after the traumatic events of book two. The freedom fighters pulled off another minor miracle at a great cost on a personal level, but the regime they fight is far from defeated, only weakened. This is proven when word gets out that Leon, during his captivity, was infected with a time-release disease that will be unleashed on everyone if the rebels do not turn themselves in.
Darke has pushed Leon away for a long time trying to hold on to the memories of his dead lovers and not willing to try again even though deep down he loves and wants Leon. Darke's final push away leaves him in a bad place knowing that Leon was captured, endured much, and lost his memories, but it was all enough to wake Darke up so that he was finally shaken into acknowledging the truth instead of denying it. Unfortunately, Leon now wants nothing to do with a man that rejected him even if he can't remember all that went before and seems to only want him out of pity now that he's dying.
The revelation about the Leon and the disease sends Darke and the others on a quest to locate regime leader, Cutler, defeat him and get the antidote before the disease can be released. Ambiguous and shadowy allies must be relied on with treachery possible now that there is a price on their heads and the promise of immunity from the disease if someone turns them in. Tight, dangerous situations with death always close takes them to the other side of the world even and brings the clocking ticking down to the last possible moment for Leon and the survival of the rebel cause. While Darke knows that so much more than Leon's survival hinges on this, it is winning Leon back and saving him that has all his focus.
So, this was for all the marbles and the situation was definitely set up well for a tension-filled exciting finish. It even had a seething-hot romance that has been a long time building since book one. I was totally vested now that things were coming down to it at last. Cutler has been put on the run out of the territory, but still has a strong winning game plan in place to defeat the band of rebels. But, in the end, this story didn't deliver in some ways while it really delivered in others.
I found that the author made some interesting and not necessarily welcome choices when it came to the dominant focus of the story and making this a first person narrative with only Darke as the narrator. I didn't like being trapped in Darke's head the whole time because he was focusing predominantly on Leon. He even admitted that he prioritized Leon over the dire situation going on in the world around him. As much as I'm all for a hero who gets possessive, protective and enthralled by the love of his life, its hard for me to appreciate it when the end of the world stuff is happening and the two spend more time scorching up the sheets than resolving their troubles anyway. I was also not too keen on having ideology pushed at me so hard that it drowned out the story. The ideology aka lesson to be learned in this dystopian fable has been evident since book one and I appreciated it as a reminder to us all, but it went from gentle reminder to soapbox status in this story that I was already struggling to stay vested in since the things that I was really looking forward to and the things I have come to appreciate about this series were lacking or diluted.
The romance which was Darke's focus as I mentioned above didn't quite get there for me. I loved the idea of these seeming opposites who really wanted each other and needed each other to get their chance. They just never seemed to be on the same page even though they both ultimately wanted the same thing. Up until this book, I liked what I saw of them, but I confess that their problems seemed an endless mess. I rooted for their chance at happiness when the resolve came, but it wasn't a romance that really grabbed me like the ones before in the series.
Cutler was evil and I just wanted his reign of terror to be over. I loved that all the main characters from the series were a part of this last effort and I loved the addition of a feisty new gal that could be the feisty, lethal Liz's twin. The situation with the enigmatic Denver who was Cutler's body guard, but supposedly working with the resistance made things quite exciting. The climax was when I re-engaged with the story and really started to care what was going on. Those big money scenes were pretty exciting and I loved the twists that had me second guessing whose side folks were on. The author really has a gift for writing those type of characters that can't be figured out and leave you wondering until she is good and ready to reveal what they are thinking and whether they are a hero or a villain.
So, while I wasn't blow away, like I was with the earlier books, I did enjoy how it all ended in this final story and will miss this series very much. The dystopian world, the plans and plottings of a cold dictator-sort, the underdog freedom fighters and the scorching hot romances between tough characters offered a fantastic series and I would recommend it.
My thanks to Forever Yours and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2021
Darke lost his lover to the war and still struggles with that. When he meets Leon it like something he thought was gone reignites within him. Just as he allows himself to fall for Leon something neither of them thought would happen does. Leon gets exposed to a deadly virus this changes everything for the both of them. Will they get their happy ending?
This is a great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
This is a great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
January 31, 2015
Darke lost his lover's early on in the ongoing war between the rebels, people who wish to live and love freely, and Cutler and his army, the man that thinks anyone who loves the same sex should be annihilated. Darke doesn't think he has the room in his heart for another after his loss, but Leon challenges that belief. The two spend a great deal of time struggling with their feelings for each other. Darke does anything and everything humanly possible to push Leon away, to the point that when he realizes he is too attached to the cajun to actually let him go, Leon pushes him away.
In an attempt to wipe out the entire rebel population, Cutler not only planted someone close to them, he kidnapped Leon and infected him with the plague that is systematically killing off anyone infected. Leon comes to terms with his fate quickly, but Darke refuses to give up on the one person that taught him how to love again. The rebels race to find a cure for the plague while Darke and Leon try, in vain, to fight their explosive attraction to each other. The clock is ticking and time is running out for Leon, but Cutler continually stays one step ahead of them, as does the cure.
Figuring out how to coexhist as a couple is the least of Darke and Leon's worries, if they can't find the cure, Leon is as good as dead.
Darke and Leon are one of the most stubborn, passionate and intense couplings I've ever read. Darke is strong, domineering and fiercely loyal, which is what almost pushes Leon out of his life. When Darke first starts falling for the gorgeous cajun man, he feels like he is betraying the two lovers he lost, he doesn't think their is enough room in his soul for another, but he is wrong. Leon is a force of nature that takes Darke completely off guard. He continually challenges Darke, his authority and his ego. He stands up to Darke, which in and of itself, is a huge turn on for the big man.
The push and pull teetered close to overbearing, but everytime I thought I might scream or pull my hair out, the sparks between them would ignite and it was so intense and mesmerizing, I would forgot I was just about to get mad at them. I loved the dystopian element to the story with a world where the government has declared same sex relationships forbidden, going so far as to execute anyone that engages in such behavior. And then taking it one step further with the plague that has been formulated, using Leon as the main host, to wipe them all out. It was a very intriguing concept and the science of it all was not only believable but sort of frightening.
My only issue is with this book being labeled as the third book in the series, when it's the fourth book released. That is always confusing to me, perhaps it should have been labeled as a prequel. I was about midway through the story before my mind had picked apart all the details from the other books and caught up to where I should be withing the story, the world. But overall I absolutely love this series, and I loved that Warren brought everyone into this story even if briefly, so fans could see where all their favorites were going and how their storylines were progressing.
A must read for anyone that likes sci-fi and dystopian stories. The plot is intricate, detailed and multi-layered to make you think about what you are reading. And the romance, well, the romance is equal parts hot and demanding and was so intense, I had to wipe the steam off my kindle. Yes, definitely a must read!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
In an attempt to wipe out the entire rebel population, Cutler not only planted someone close to them, he kidnapped Leon and infected him with the plague that is systematically killing off anyone infected. Leon comes to terms with his fate quickly, but Darke refuses to give up on the one person that taught him how to love again. The rebels race to find a cure for the plague while Darke and Leon try, in vain, to fight their explosive attraction to each other. The clock is ticking and time is running out for Leon, but Cutler continually stays one step ahead of them, as does the cure.
Figuring out how to coexhist as a couple is the least of Darke and Leon's worries, if they can't find the cure, Leon is as good as dead.
Darke and Leon are one of the most stubborn, passionate and intense couplings I've ever read. Darke is strong, domineering and fiercely loyal, which is what almost pushes Leon out of his life. When Darke first starts falling for the gorgeous cajun man, he feels like he is betraying the two lovers he lost, he doesn't think their is enough room in his soul for another, but he is wrong. Leon is a force of nature that takes Darke completely off guard. He continually challenges Darke, his authority and his ego. He stands up to Darke, which in and of itself, is a huge turn on for the big man.
The push and pull teetered close to overbearing, but everytime I thought I might scream or pull my hair out, the sparks between them would ignite and it was so intense and mesmerizing, I would forgot I was just about to get mad at them. I loved the dystopian element to the story with a world where the government has declared same sex relationships forbidden, going so far as to execute anyone that engages in such behavior. And then taking it one step further with the plague that has been formulated, using Leon as the main host, to wipe them all out. It was a very intriguing concept and the science of it all was not only believable but sort of frightening.
My only issue is with this book being labeled as the third book in the series, when it's the fourth book released. That is always confusing to me, perhaps it should have been labeled as a prequel. I was about midway through the story before my mind had picked apart all the details from the other books and caught up to where I should be withing the story, the world. But overall I absolutely love this series, and I loved that Warren brought everyone into this story even if briefly, so fans could see where all their favorites were going and how their storylines were progressing.
A must read for anyone that likes sci-fi and dystopian stories. The plot is intricate, detailed and multi-layered to make you think about what you are reading. And the romance, well, the romance is equal parts hot and demanding and was so intense, I had to wipe the steam off my kindle. Yes, definitely a must read!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
February 11, 2015
Hang on to your hats kids because you are for one wild ride with Under his Guard. I just loved this finally entry that is filled with intrigue, action, suspense and hot M/M sex! So emotionally deep we finally find out if the rebels win in this dystopian society and what it cost everyone involved. Best yet is all the doings between Darke and Leon.
The whole book was perfectly orchestrated to put me through a wildly emotional ride that had me alternating between crying and cursing out the author. To start with, I have been waiting from the beginning for Leon to get his HEA. He originally was just a fluff character to me but then he can to be a front and center player. Then we get thrown the curveball with him being infected with a deadly virus. Wait? WHAT! NO! I love Leon, he can't just die. And what about Darke? After losing his previous lovers, he can't lose Leon. Like I said, this is one is uber intense. Guess I’m not the only one who didn’t want to see Leon die because now the focus is not only to over-through the CEO but also the race is on to save Leon.
WHAT A RUSH! Packed with There was no putting this book down because I had to know NOW what was going to happen. Does Leon survive? Do any of the characters survive? Is the rebellion successful? The temptation to jump to the ending was so strong but a resisted and read every page, every word. It was soooo worth it, too, but it was close. Ms. Warren really put me through the ringer of emotions about half way in. I'm sure my family thought I was crazy when I kept screaming "No! No! No! That can't be it!" Thankfully, she redeemed herself. Now I’m not going to lie. I had more than a moment or two where I wanted to just throttle Darke. All his pining for Leon, the ‘I love you’, ‘You deserve better’ brouhaha on occasion did have a tendency to wear thin. But, in the end, as you learn Darke’s story it all begins to make sense.
Discloser time and it’s just two things really. One – This is a series and it HAS to be read in order. Period. Each book in the series meshes adding pieces to the puzzle and by missing one book you will miss critical details that all build up to the climatic ending. In other words, these are not stand-alone books. I can’t begin to stress that enough. Second discloser – This is a M/M romance. There is lots of sex, detailed sex. If you are NOT into M/M then do not read this book and/or series. However, if you chose to take the challenge expect lots of hot delicious action that will melt your hair ribbons.
What a spectacular ending to the Don't Tell series! All the characters brought together and getting to find out how their HEA turned out was probably some of my favorite parts of the book. The best hands down is Caspar and Nathanial’s bittersweet ending. *Le sigh* Everybody’s ending is most satisfying and I’m really going to miss this series. Now that I have finished it I find myself in withdrawals but lucky for me there are more Rie Warren’s to be had. My finals words are this: Read her books. Read this series. Be prepared to be amazed.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 5, Flames - 3
The whole book was perfectly orchestrated to put me through a wildly emotional ride that had me alternating between crying and cursing out the author. To start with, I have been waiting from the beginning for Leon to get his HEA. He originally was just a fluff character to me but then he can to be a front and center player. Then we get thrown the curveball with him being infected with a deadly virus. Wait? WHAT! NO! I love Leon, he can't just die. And what about Darke? After losing his previous lovers, he can't lose Leon. Like I said, this is one is uber intense. Guess I’m not the only one who didn’t want to see Leon die because now the focus is not only to over-through the CEO but also the race is on to save Leon.
WHAT A RUSH! Packed with There was no putting this book down because I had to know NOW what was going to happen. Does Leon survive? Do any of the characters survive? Is the rebellion successful? The temptation to jump to the ending was so strong but a resisted and read every page, every word. It was soooo worth it, too, but it was close. Ms. Warren really put me through the ringer of emotions about half way in. I'm sure my family thought I was crazy when I kept screaming "No! No! No! That can't be it!" Thankfully, she redeemed herself. Now I’m not going to lie. I had more than a moment or two where I wanted to just throttle Darke. All his pining for Leon, the ‘I love you’, ‘You deserve better’ brouhaha on occasion did have a tendency to wear thin. But, in the end, as you learn Darke’s story it all begins to make sense.
Discloser time and it’s just two things really. One – This is a series and it HAS to be read in order. Period. Each book in the series meshes adding pieces to the puzzle and by missing one book you will miss critical details that all build up to the climatic ending. In other words, these are not stand-alone books. I can’t begin to stress that enough. Second discloser – This is a M/M romance. There is lots of sex, detailed sex. If you are NOT into M/M then do not read this book and/or series. However, if you chose to take the challenge expect lots of hot delicious action that will melt your hair ribbons.
What a spectacular ending to the Don't Tell series! All the characters brought together and getting to find out how their HEA turned out was probably some of my favorite parts of the book. The best hands down is Caspar and Nathanial’s bittersweet ending. *Le sigh* Everybody’s ending is most satisfying and I’m really going to miss this series. Now that I have finished it I find myself in withdrawals but lucky for me there are more Rie Warren’s to be had. My finals words are this: Read her books. Read this series. Be prepared to be amazed.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 5, Flames - 3
April 12, 2015
Having read the novella, In His Sights, I was already familiar with the future world this book was set in. Even though I haven’t read books one and two, I don’t think it is necessary to do so in order to enjoy Under His Guard. Although I suspect doing so may add to your overall enjoyment as you will be more familiar with several of the characters that make up this rag-tag group of rebels, this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone read. That said, I have enjoyed the two books I have now read in the Don’t Tell series and plan to go back and read books one and two as I do enjoy the world Ms. Warren has created and her writing style.
As I said, I haven’t read In His Command or On Her Watch so I don’t know how much backstory followers of the series have into the lives of Darke and Leon. With the way that Ms. Warren presents their story, I found myself suitably up to speed on the problems that had been plaguing their almost-relationship. Despite the loss of months of his memory, Leon knows that there is a history between him and Darke and his rebuke of Darke once they all learn of Leon’s infection is understandable. Under His Guard is told from Darke’s point of view, so the reader gets to see why Darke has kept Leon at a distance and why he chooses to stop fighting Leon when he does. The back and forth between the men is understandable and given the circumstances, it feels realistic rather than contrived angst. When the decision is made to leave Chitamauga to find Cutler and the cure, emotions run even higher as hope mixes with worry that many in their group won’t make it back.
Ms. Warren does an excellent job of weaving Darke and Leon’s love story within the action of the war. I enjoyed the balance she strikes between the intrigue, the fighting, the romance, and the seriously hot sex. The chemistry between Darke and Leon is intense and I could feel the connection between the two men. I was so relieved when they finally stopped fighting each other and embraced the love between them. Were it not for that, I’m not sure that the end would have been the same. As always occurs in war, there were so many casualties – known and unknown, deserving and undeserving – and what the group faced upon their return to Chitamauga was both hopeful and heartbreaking. According to the Acknowledgements, this is the final installment in the Don’t Tell series and I think Ms. Warren did an excellent job in bringing the war to a satisfying end. While I can understand her decision to do so, I can only hope that her muse comes a-knockin’ and gives us a glimpse into the lives of this motley crew in the new world they are helping to shape.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
As I said, I haven’t read In His Command or On Her Watch so I don’t know how much backstory followers of the series have into the lives of Darke and Leon. With the way that Ms. Warren presents their story, I found myself suitably up to speed on the problems that had been plaguing their almost-relationship. Despite the loss of months of his memory, Leon knows that there is a history between him and Darke and his rebuke of Darke once they all learn of Leon’s infection is understandable. Under His Guard is told from Darke’s point of view, so the reader gets to see why Darke has kept Leon at a distance and why he chooses to stop fighting Leon when he does. The back and forth between the men is understandable and given the circumstances, it feels realistic rather than contrived angst. When the decision is made to leave Chitamauga to find Cutler and the cure, emotions run even higher as hope mixes with worry that many in their group won’t make it back.
Ms. Warren does an excellent job of weaving Darke and Leon’s love story within the action of the war. I enjoyed the balance she strikes between the intrigue, the fighting, the romance, and the seriously hot sex. The chemistry between Darke and Leon is intense and I could feel the connection between the two men. I was so relieved when they finally stopped fighting each other and embraced the love between them. Were it not for that, I’m not sure that the end would have been the same. As always occurs in war, there were so many casualties – known and unknown, deserving and undeserving – and what the group faced upon their return to Chitamauga was both hopeful and heartbreaking. According to the Acknowledgements, this is the final installment in the Don’t Tell series and I think Ms. Warren did an excellent job in bringing the war to a satisfying end. While I can understand her decision to do so, I can only hope that her muse comes a-knockin’ and gives us a glimpse into the lives of this motley crew in the new world they are helping to shape.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
March 13, 2020
I really enjoyed reading “In His Command”, the first book in this series, one of the best m/m romances I’ve ever read. Therefore it was a hard decision to skip the second book, “On Her Watch”, but as I don’t like reading M/F romance it was the right decision for me to jump straight to “Under His Guard”, book three. It’s easy enough to follow the storyline even if you haven’t read the second book - but reading “In His Command”, book one, first is highly recommended, both because it sets does most of the world-building and it’s just a fantastic M/M romance.
Unfortunately the chemistry between Darke and Leon in “Under His Guard” is just nothing like what we had between Cannon and Nathaniel in the first book. I didn’t really get the attraction between Leon and Darke and I found their relationship at times unhealthy. Darke also just lost his long-term lovers to the revolution and was still dealing with his grief at the beginning of the book which resulted in me liking his personal arc even less. Why is Leon so special to him? I never really saw any chemistry between them.
The plot is also not very gripping despite high stakes and the book dragged and dragged. The last quarter is better but overall it is no match for “In His Command”. I’ll still read another Rie Warren book to see if I want to stick with this author long-term.
Unfortunately the chemistry between Darke and Leon in “Under His Guard” is just nothing like what we had between Cannon and Nathaniel in the first book. I didn’t really get the attraction between Leon and Darke and I found their relationship at times unhealthy. Darke also just lost his long-term lovers to the revolution and was still dealing with his grief at the beginning of the book which resulted in me liking his personal arc even less. Why is Leon so special to him? I never really saw any chemistry between them.
The plot is also not very gripping despite high stakes and the book dragged and dragged. The last quarter is better but overall it is no match for “In His Command”. I’ll still read another Rie Warren book to see if I want to stick with this author long-term.
March 6, 2015
Opening the book on Kindle, the minute it was released - at like twelve oh am - I had big expectations for this, the last in the series - A very special series to me! This was my intro into M/M romance - (see my review of In His Command) it was also my intro to the lovely and ohh sooo talented author.
Its been over a year and a half since all that, Rie's published 8 books in that time - and I'm a die hard fan.
Diving in, I thought I knew what to expect. LOL - was I wrong! She never ceases to surprise me.
I expected 100% Leon, he'd grown on us all and I couldn't wait for his HEA. What a twist to get all of DARKE. And boy, what a ride we all took!
I've said before reading a Rie Warren book is like being strapped into a roller coaster, handed a ice cold beer, kissed on the cheek and kicked in the ass as you took off.
Rie's the only author to make me cry. Shed tears in more than 3 of her other books, and this one was no exception. And this fall off the cliff was a big one! I almost got mad at what she'd done. NOT in a moral kinda way.. Rie's not afraid to go places and push boundaries to bring us the real deal - the new experience, and I'll support that about her talent, every time -
No- Rie, almost hurt my Leon more than I could bear, more than Darke could bear.. but as always she redeems herself fantastically ** and that damn Leon was a little brain damaged to begin with - LOL**
Loved seeing all my favs more in this story. Loved Liz's new found "twin" loved the corney-ness thats
Big Man and Blonde - I'm glad that they all have each other - in a place and a world built from our worst nightmares..
Lots of twists and gulps, gasps and sighs...
so sad this ride is over - I will miss these characters - Always wonder how they fared in their hard won freedom.
Excellent series. Insightful writing, fantastic story teller...and damn the sex sizzles right off the pages.
Even, I was walking funny for days after I finished just reading bout all that lovin Darke & Leon shared.
But you can be sure Rie has a whole GANG of new guys to love roaring our way very soon! NOw THATS a HEA!
Its been over a year and a half since all that, Rie's published 8 books in that time - and I'm a die hard fan.
Diving in, I thought I knew what to expect. LOL - was I wrong! She never ceases to surprise me.
I expected 100% Leon, he'd grown on us all and I couldn't wait for his HEA. What a twist to get all of DARKE. And boy, what a ride we all took!
I've said before reading a Rie Warren book is like being strapped into a roller coaster, handed a ice cold beer, kissed on the cheek and kicked in the ass as you took off.
Rie's the only author to make me cry. Shed tears in more than 3 of her other books, and this one was no exception. And this fall off the cliff was a big one! I almost got mad at what she'd done. NOT in a moral kinda way.. Rie's not afraid to go places and push boundaries to bring us the real deal - the new experience, and I'll support that about her talent, every time -
No- Rie, almost hurt my Leon more than I could bear, more than Darke could bear.. but as always she redeems herself fantastically ** and that damn Leon was a little brain damaged to begin with - LOL**
Loved seeing all my favs more in this story. Loved Liz's new found "twin" loved the corney-ness thats
Big Man and Blonde - I'm glad that they all have each other - in a place and a world built from our worst nightmares..
Lots of twists and gulps, gasps and sighs...
so sad this ride is over - I will miss these characters - Always wonder how they fared in their hard won freedom.
Excellent series. Insightful writing, fantastic story teller...and damn the sex sizzles right off the pages.
Even, I was walking funny for days after I finished just reading bout all that lovin Darke & Leon shared.
But you can be sure Rie has a whole GANG of new guys to love roaring our way very soon! NOw THATS a HEA!
January 8, 2017
Sad to see this series end
I waited eight long months for this book and I'm not really sure I can say everything I want to about it right now. I think it's gonna take me a few days to digest everything that happened. My bar was set really high for this book. Some parts of it made me downright angry while others left me in a puddle of tears. But that's what Rie Warren does best - she makes me feel a gamut of emotions while reading her books. This series has made me laugh, broken my heart, set my nerves on edge and made me smile again and again. Her men are sexy as sin and her women stand on their own in this male dominated world. I loved the evolution of Darke and Leon through this series. I wasn't a huge fan of either of them in In His Command (especially Leon) but fell hard for them in On Her Watch. I love them even more now. My favorite part of any series is the reappearance of couples from the prior books. big Man and Blondie and Liz and Linc were integral parts of this story and the war they were fighting. I loved revisiting my old friends. I don't believe in posting spoilers so all I will say is that I adored the end of this book. For me it was the perfect ending for one of my favorite book series.
I waited eight long months for this book and I'm not really sure I can say everything I want to about it right now. I think it's gonna take me a few days to digest everything that happened. My bar was set really high for this book. Some parts of it made me downright angry while others left me in a puddle of tears. But that's what Rie Warren does best - she makes me feel a gamut of emotions while reading her books. This series has made me laugh, broken my heart, set my nerves on edge and made me smile again and again. Her men are sexy as sin and her women stand on their own in this male dominated world. I loved the evolution of Darke and Leon through this series. I wasn't a huge fan of either of them in In His Command (especially Leon) but fell hard for them in On Her Watch. I love them even more now. My favorite part of any series is the reappearance of couples from the prior books. big Man and Blondie and Liz and Linc were integral parts of this story and the war they were fighting. I loved revisiting my old friends. I don't believe in posting spoilers so all I will say is that I adored the end of this book. For me it was the perfect ending for one of my favorite book series.
January 17, 2015
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title through Netgalley.
While I enjoy reading male/male romance, this is definitely not the type I prefer. I don't know if it is because I've been spoiled by so many amazing authors with massive talent and education on how to write great pron, but this book made me laugh through the scenes more than anything else. The actual plot would work well in a YA dystopia world, but in this case, not so much.
While I enjoy reading male/male romance, this is definitely not the type I prefer. I don't know if it is because I've been spoiled by so many amazing authors with massive talent and education on how to write great pron, but this book made me laugh through the scenes more than anything else. The actual plot would work well in a YA dystopia world, but in this case, not so much.
August 10, 2015
A happy resolution to this trilogy. I didn't fall head-over-heels for Darke and Leon (unlike the other protagonists in this series) but maybe you will. I enjoyed the plot and look forward to more stories from Rie.
July 10, 2015
So happy that Darke and Leon finally got their HEA. :-)
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