Holiday Defenders: Mission: Christmas Rescue / Special Ops Christmas / Homefront Holiday Hero

by Debby Giusti

This holiday season, three military men of honor must do everything they can to save Christmas 

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti 

On the run from a killer, Elizabeth Tate must accept U.S. Army captain Nick Fontaine's protection for the sake of her young niece and nephew. Now her life is in the hands of the very man who broke her heart years ago. 

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman 

Researcher Claire Reed's top secret project is stolen, putting her at risk of being kidnapped to unlock it. Her undercover bodyguard - her former love, Green Beret Travis Chapman - is on his most dangerous mission yet. 

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey 

When someone tries to kill the daughter of a military official, U.S. Army major Tyler Rainey must keep Kelly Walters from harm…while guarding his own heart against very unexpected feelings.

Genres: Romance, Love Inspired Suspense, Christmas, Love Inspired, Mystery, Christian Fiction, Christian

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Debby Giusti is a medical technologist who loves working with test tubes and petri dishes almost as much as she loves to write. Growing up as an Army Brat, Debby met and married her husband – then a Captain in the Army – at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Together they traveled the world, raised three wonderful Army Brats of their own and have now settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where Debby spins tales of suspense that touch the heart and soul.

Reviews

[Loraine Nunley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti

This was a nice short story with some suspense. I had trouble with the romance between the main characters. It felt a little forced to me. I did enjoy Elizabeth’s niece and nephew as well as Nick’s neighbor who added some depth to the story. 2 out of 5 stars

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman

I enjoyed this story. The romantic tension between Claire and Travis was so good. I also liked the mystery of discovering who was after Claire. 4 out of 5 stars

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey

It took me a few pages to get my bearings on this story because you are dropped right into the action at the beginning. When things slowed down a little and I got to know Tyler and Kelly, I began to enjoy their adventure. I liked the romantic tension between them. 3 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Full review at my website. I received this book in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Becky Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Triple the stories, triple the suspense and fun!!

Christmastime suspense, clean romance, and mystery times three! Debby Giusti, Susan Sleeman, and Jodie Bailey each pen a memorable tale of a military man who must defend a beautiful civilian from dangerous enemies while guarding his heart.

In Mission:Christmas Rescue, Nick, a former flame of Lizzie, returns to whisk her and her niece and nephew into the mountains and out of danger. Due to events at home and in Afghanistan, Nick deals with inferiority issues and is unable to forgive himself for a tragedy that has taken place. His response is to wander away from God. Lizzie deals with feelings of desertion and not being first in a potential military spouse's life. Ms. Giusti writes so descriptively, I felt I was trying to escape with Lizzie and the children.

In Special Ops Christmas, Travis Chapman is a Green Beret assigned to recover stolen software and protect its beautiful designer. I enjoyed reading Ms. Sleeman's description of the helmet mounted technology, which she made inaccessible to anybody without the designer's permission. Therein lies the danger to Claire Reed,the designer, for whom the job comes first. Claire is not quick to trust a military man. Great ending,too!! Sleeman will again surprise you with her wrap-up!

In Homefront Holiday Hero, Jodie Bailey introduces us to Kelly Walters, a civilian who works on base as a counselor for military spouse's and families. Kelly is shot at as she and Tyler Rainey leave the Family Resource Center after wrapping presents late. There is much suspense until finally the culprits who are targeting Kelly are caught... or are they?! Loved the final twist!

I received this book from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review.

[Katrina Epperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collaboration of three talented authors that gives us 3 unique suspenseful romances centered around the Christmas season. Who do you trust? Can you trust again?
In each story that is the underlying question.
The first story takes place in Tenn. and we are introduced to Elizabeth Tate and Capt. Nick Fontaine. Elizabeth and Nick have a past which didn't end well, but for Elizabeth the past is hard to let go when you truly don't know what went wrong. Nick has always wanted to keep Elizabeth safe, even from himself. The second story leads us to sunny Florida where we meet government researcher Claire Reed and Green Beret Travis Chapman. Claire has developed a secret program which has been stolen from her lab. Unexpectedly Travis shows up to act as her bodyguard. Travis knows this is a dangerous assignment for him because Claire has broken his heart once and he plans to not let her get a second chance. The third story takes us to Fort Campbell, Ky. where we meet Major Tyler Rainey and Kelly Walters. Tyler has been on medical after being injured on deployment and is on medical leave to finish up his rehab. Tyler feels he needs to return to active duty to help in the fight against terrorism, but what he doesn't expect is to have to defend against it on American soil. Kelly is a civilian who works on post with Family Resources to assist with the families of deployed solders. Suddenly it appears Kelly is the target of a deadly plan to undermine an important maneuver in Afghanistan.
Each author brings character depth, suspense, and a good clean romance. This is a book I would recommend to anyone.

[Sherida Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A TRIO OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS

What a Christmas treats-a trio of novellas filled with surprises and holiday romance!

The three stories in Holiday Defenders are exciting suspense-filled romances with touches of Christmas warmth.

Mission: Christmas Rescue, by Debby Giusti, has plenty of page-turning action as an intriguing mystery must be solved in order for soldier Nick Fontaine to protect his former girlfriend, teacher Liz Tate. Criminals who have abducted her brother are also after Liz and the children she is charged to keep safe. Filled with continuous excitement, the story ends with a charming Christmas tradition. A heart-touching romance by one of my favorite authors!

Special Ops Christmas, by Susan Sleeman, is set in Florida where there are harrowing attempts on scientist Claire Reed's life. Green Beret Travis Chapman must keep her safe, even though this is difficult because of their past relationship. I was kept guessing about the attacker's identity. Touches of holiday spirit are sprinkled throughout the story.

Homefront Holiday Hero, by Jodie Bailey, finds Kelly Walters busy with Christmas preparations for military families. Soldier Tyler Rainey is determined to find out who is behind the attacks on Kelly. There are unforeseen twists in his investigation as he finds himself attracted to Kelly.

Thank you Debby Giusti, Susan Sleeman, and Jodie Bailey, for your faith-touched stories, each a gift of exciting suspense with touches of Christmas warmth and holiday love. I read these with deepening appreciation for the holiday and year-round sacrifices of our military families. Holiday Defenders would be a perfect Christmas present to give this year!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(1) MISSION: CHRISTMAS RESCUE by Debbie Giusti is a great romantic/inspirational/suspense story with a great story line and colorful and interesting characters. The pacing moves along smoothly, and the story line kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. This novella comes to a very satisfactory conclusion of love, faith, hope and inspiration. I give it 4 stars.
(2) SPECIAL OPS CHRISTMAS by Susan Sleeman is one of those fast paced, nail biting, page turner, can't lay it down stories! Susan writes her scenes so real that you feel like you are there with her characters! I felt like I was running right along with Claire Reed in the first chapter and was ready to crash by the time I got to Chapter two!! Filled with action!! She is one outstanding writer! I give this novella a 5 star and highly recommend it.
(3) HOMEFRONT HOLIDAY HERO by Jodie Bailey is a great romantic/inspirational/suspense story that is heartwarming with many difficult circumstances. The characters must depend on God as their only source of help. I love happy and surprise endings and you will not be disappointed with this one! I give this novella 4 stars.

HOLIDAY DEFENDERS is an excellent novella story-wise, and would be a wonderful Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for readers of all genres, especially ones that are in a branch of the services or has a loved one in service. All three authors, do an excellent job in honoring the men and women serving their Country. I loved this book and highly recommend it to all. I give the overall book 5 stars.

[The Bookish Panda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti 3 stars.

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman 3 stars.

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey 3.5 stars.

I enjoyed each of the stories in this book, they were quick Suspense novels to read. I enjoyed that they were military Suspense novels, I enjoyed that God was a focus in the stories. The ladies were a bit careless, especially one in particular, to try to keep from spoiling which story she belonged too, I won't say her name, but she really kept putting herself into dangerous situations after her first attack, I wanted to shake some sense into her and felt the frustration of tbe soldier trying to protect her.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

These authors have done an amazing job of creating three exceptional suspense stories in a short novella length. Tight plots, intense suspense and a spark of romance make for three thrilling reads. All of them packed with gentle reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. And I love the military theme that binds these novellas together. Perfect reading to herald in the season.

[Wilani Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic Christian suspense at its finest! Plus throw in Christmas makes it even better! All 3 authors did an awesome job with their novellas. I find myself wanting to read more on each of these. Wonderful spell binding page turner effect,

[Judine Brey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understood why these novellas were put together, and I enjoyed the Christmas connection. However, at least two of them would have been better as a full novel. The 80ish page limit caused the endings (especially the capturing of the bad guys) to feel rushed.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three cute holiday stories, perfect for getting into the holiday spirit.

[Dorel · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the books 📚 in this set was okay.
MISSION: CHRISTMAS 🎅🎄🎁 RESCUE :This is the 1st book I read by Debby Giusti. I liked this book's storyline. I liked action in this story. I liked the Christian ✝️ theme in this story. I liked Nick's character. I liked Lizzie's character. I loved ❤️ the kids. I liked the ending. SPECIAL OPS CHRISTMAS 🎅🎄🎁: This book's storyline was okay. I liked the action in this story. I liked the Christian ✝️ theme in this story. Claire's character was okay. I liked Travis's character. I liked the ending.
HOMEFRONT HOLIDAY HERO: This book's storyline was okay. I liked the action in this story. I liked the Christian ✝️ theme in this story. Kelly's character was okay. Tyler's character was okay. I liked the ending. I'm happy 😊 this set introduced me to Debby Giusti.

[Chrissy Hale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first story. The second story was ok but the third story was something else. How can a woman be so stupid? She was shot at twice and her apartment was ransacked but yet she didn’t believe anybody was after her. Then the beginning of chapter 3, they talk about a knife and I am assuming is was used to slash a tire. I have to assume because there was absolutely no detail given on the knife.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The final book, Homefront Holiday Hero, was worth reading. Slightly predictable but still enjoyable. The other two were unrealistic to a fault, and unfortunately just boring. And I like hokey sentimental predictable Christian fiction- the first two titles lacked any substance and emotion. :(

[Alyssa Skaggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love books like this!!!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the three different Christmas military novellas in this one book. I could really relate to the last one with it being so military. Great suspense book

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh Sometimes I wonder...

Christmas Rescue by Debbie Giusti

Elizabeth (Lizzie) often babysits/housesits for her brother (Zack) when he is away doing investigative reports. When Zack calls and tells her to pack up his two young children and run she complies. Zack sends his old friend Nick (and an ex-boyfriends of Elizabeth's) to help her. Having broken her heart by disappearing after prom (first love/ high sweetheart warning) 10 years before, Elizabeth wants nothing to do with Nick other than to say good bye... for all of ten minutes.

Nick rushes in to usher Elizabeth and "the children" get to safety, only to find that they are already being perused. After evading their potential killers Nick takes him to his place where the children amazingly continue to sleep through driving, being moved inside, conversations and of course, the tv being on. Immediately the old flame springs to life, even after 10 years of being hurt and mad at him, Lizzie just can't 'resist'. Ugh.

Going through Zack's laptop, they hope to find what it is he knows that got his contact killed and him on the news as a murder suspect (they of course are also magically wanted by the police). Oh and let's no forget the little one (can't even remember his name) hasn't spoken a word since his mother died. In the course of 2 days the children wake up to be put in a car, put in Zack's house, put in a car again, and to find themselves in a cave on an 'adventure.' These childs must be ideal. They never cry or complain because they haven't seen their lone parent in a few days, they sleep through everything, and they don't get upset when they wake up in a different environment then what they went to sleep in. Oh, and they never seem to need to pee.

Blah blah blah...at the end of the 'Sport' magically finds his voice and it talking non-stop and Lizzie gets "the Christmas she had been waiting to happen her whole life" something about filled with love. Bleh!

I don't think Christian romances are meant to be compressed in this manner...


Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman

A top secret project Claire has been working on has been stolen. Claire who is the only one that knows the code that will open the project. Travis Chapman is sent to protect Claire. Travis and Claire have a past. More 'forget all those feelings of hurt and rejection' ensues in a ridiculously short amount of time. Happy ever after.

I may have started invoking my ability to speed read at this point in time.


Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey

When Kelly Walters is shot at, outside of the Resource Center she works for, Major Tyler Rainey is there to rescue her, of course. Both of them are surprised when the shooter decides to have another go at killing Kelly and fortunately they figured out that 'hey, maybe she's being targeted!' Classic need-a-man-to-rescue-me Mary-Sue action occurs. At this point I was more flipping through than reading to be honest with you.

So basically, what I got out of it is, it doesn't matter if you don't want to fall in love or be in a relationship, your heart will force you to and RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. Lovely.

In Conclusion

I obviously shouldn't read Christian Romance Short Stories. I find them TERRIBLE. It's very, Wham-Bam and Presto! Characters are flat, with apparently shallow emotional pools cause I don't know anyone who would be left standing on their front porch after prom, after a love confession, only to never see the person again and when they show up 10 YEARS later, not be slightly pissed.Guarantee they won't date the ass again is pretty much 100%.

The story is so condensed it pretty much goes, action, heart warming conversation, action aaannnddd repeat! No real background, pretty much always the guy stepping in to save Mary-Sue, and some of the plot devices...I'm going back to Sci-Fi shorts. At least they make sense. Just saying. I like my romances to be somewhat realistic, particularly when they are listed as Christian Fiction...come on.

I am going to be the Grinch on this book and just say no. Sorry!

[Cheri Swalwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading Holiday Defenders by three great authors: Debby Giusti, Susan Sleeman, and Jodie Bailey. I am a fan favorite of Ms. Sleeman but hadn’t had a chance to read Debby Giusti before and have read only one other book of Ms. Bailey which I thoroughly enjoyed.

These three stories were terrific. They went together so well, combining mystery, suspense, a little bit of romance and humor - all tied around the theme of Christmas. We were first introduced to Ms. Giusti’s story and I have to say, I absolutely loved the secondary character, Burl. I could totally picture all the characters but Burl stood out in my mind. Ms. Giusti delivered in painting a picture so realistic, I felt like I was on top of the mountain along with Lizzie and the children. Terrific read…I was sad when it was over although the conclusion was great.

Ms. Sleeman, as always, delivered more than I could have asked for. I love her writing style and the way her characters always come to life. She offers romance, suspense, and always mystery. I was totally caught off guard regarding the villain in the story and I loved it! She ties up loose ends and makes the reader happy with the way she answers the necessary questions at the end. Great characters, great storyline, and great action throughout. Couldn’t have asked for more.

Ms. Bailey ended the three-book series strong. Again, all three storylines went so well together and once again, I had no idea regarding the villain of her story as well. I love when a story surprises like that and to get two storylines that I couldn’t figure out in one book I consider a bonus. The romance and suspense were just as strong. A great read through and through.

While none of the books were overly spiritual, there were many spiritual elements woven throughout all three stories. This makes this book great for people seeking answers to spiritual questions, people who are attracted to stories that deal with Christmas themes, and also Christ followers who want to enjoy a good, clean read.

Another positive about these three books. I always find novellas hard to read. The author has to write a whole story in a very short amount of space, so unless done well, something gets lost in the translation. Not so with these three authors. These stories were short, yes, but they delivered high on all the important elements that make a story great. The conclusions were realistic and I wasn’t left hanging with questions. It was the perfect length to be enjoyed, especially when you want to relax and read during the holidays but don’t have time to sit and read a whole novel. Easy to pick and put down (although I didn’t want to put it down because I wanted to find out who did it.) 

Well done - I will be looking for more books by all three authors. I love to have been introduced to an author I didn’t know, read more from an author I had little of her works, and another chance to read one of my favorite authors. I will be recommending this book often!

[Julie Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debbie Giusti

When Elizabeth’s brother Zack calls and tells her to pack up his children and run she has no idea where she is going to go. Zack sends his old friend Nick to help her. Having broken her heart 10 years before, Elizabeth wants nothing to do with Nick. But Nick is not about to turn down his friend Zack’s call for help. He rushes in to help Elizabeth and Zack’s children get to safety just in time. Working quickly to discover what Zack, an investigative reporter, has been working on Elizabeth and Nick rekindle old feelings for each other. Their top priority though is keeping Zack’s children out of the hands of crooked men bent on using them to keep Zack quiet. Hopefully Nick and Elizabeth can get the information that Zack has gathered into the right hands before Christmas so that Zack and his children will be together. And will Elizabeth be able to forgive Nick for leaving her so long ago and trust him to care for her and the children?

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman

Someone has stolen a top secret project Claire and her team have been working on. Travis Chapman is sent to protect Claire who is the only one that knows the code that will open the project. Travis and Claire have a past though. Claire sent him away and now they will be in close proximity once again. Will they still have the old feelings for each other or will their past stay in the past?
Quite a bit of suspense wrapped up in this short story. Starts and ends with a bang and a few surprises in between. I always enjoy a Susan Sleeman suspense!

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey

When Kelly Walters is shot at outside of the Resource Center she works for, it is a good thing that Major Tyler Rainey is there to rescue her. Thinking this is a random act of mischief they are surprised when the shooter comes back to try again. Pretty soon it is obvious that for some reason Kelly is being targeted. Several attempts are made on her life and each time Tyler is there to rescue her…always in the right place at the right time.
Kelly doesn’t want to date a military man though. After all, her father was never home for her or her mother. Kelly doesn’t want that in a relationship of her own. But the heart wants what the heart wants and for Kelly that is Tyler.
Homefront Holiday Hero is a sweet romantic suspense short story that keeps the reader guessing who the would-be killer is until the very end.

Wrap Up:

I enjoyed all three stories in this Holiday Defenders Love Inspired book. If you like romantic suspense stories then these three short stories will be perfect for you. They are also perfect for your Christmas reading. Curl up with your favorite hot beverage, a warm fire in the fireplace and this romantic suspense book and settle in for a perfect night of reading, you won’t be disappointed!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: HOLIDAY DEFEDERS
Authors: Debby Gusti, Susan Sleeman, Jodie Bailey
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
October 2014
ISBN: 978-0-373-44626-1
Genre: Romantic suspense / Christmas novellas

This holiday season, three military men of honor must do everything they can to save Christmas

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti

On the run from a killer, Elizabeth Tate must accept U.S. Army captain Nick Fontaine's protection for the sake of her young niece and nephew. Now her life is in the hands of the very man who broke her heart years ago.

My thoughts: A sweet romance about two high school lovers who are reunited after a long separation. Now with her brother in danger and wanted by the police for murder, Elizabeth must keep his children safe and find the secret threatening her life. Will Nick keep her safe long enough to find the answers? I had suspicions who the "bad guy" is, but wasn't sure until the end.

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman

Researcher Claire Reed's top secret project is stolen, putting her at risk of being kidnapped to unlock it. Her undercover bodyguard—her former love, Green Beret Travis Chapman—is on his most dangerous mission yet.

My thoughts: Claire and Travis are both strong-willed individuals, working in the military. Old lovers, Travis is the last person Claire wants taking care of her when her life is in danger. Knowing the way romantic suspense usually works, I figured out who the "bad guy" was early on, but kept reading to figure out why. Lots of action to keep pages turning. Will Travis be able to keep Claire safe and recover the stolen items before it's too late?

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey

When someone tries to kill the daughter of a military official, U.S. Army major Tyler Rainey must keep Kelly Walters from harm…while guarding his own heart against very unexpected feelings.

My thoughts: Very cute story, wrapping gifts for military children who has a parent on deployment. Someone is after Kelly but she doesn't know why. The attacks increase until the day of the gift giveaway, when it turns serious? Who is behind it? I had no idea initially, and that surprised me, but then it seemed to end too soon and I knew something bigger was involved. The original "end" was a let down, so glad it continued.

Over all thoughts: GREAT collection of three Christmas romantic suspense novels. Recommend all three. All involved military personnel and danger. If you like romantic suspense and want a Christmas novella collection, HOLIDAY DEFENDERS is a great book to consider. 4.5 stars.

Paperback, 224 pages Available in ebook and paperback.

[Marilyn Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti

Elizabeth Tate has been helping her brother with his two kids. When their life is threatened she must rely on the only man who broke her heart, Nick Fontaine. Can she keep him from breaking her heart again, yet trust him to keep them safe.

Nick Fontaine never intended to run into Elizabeth Tate again, let alone have to keep her alive. Can they figure out who is trying to kill them before its to late, and can he keep his feelings in control in the process?

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman

Travis Chapman was not expecting to be given this special op. How is he going to protect the woman who broke his heart. Will he be able to solve the mystery, keep her safe and keep his heart from being broken?

Claire Reed’s life is turned upside down over night. How is she to keep her secrets and allow Travis to be so near. Will she be able to trust God? At what cost is her fear and job taking her?

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey

Kelly Walters loves her job at The Family Resource Center. She feels she is helping the families left behind while their dads and husbands are oversees. She never imagined her life could be in danger. Is this just a random thing or is someone out to get her? WhenTyler Rainey seems to always be in the right place at the right time can she keep her heart safe?

Tyler Rainey can’t wait to get back to active duty in Afghanistan. When he feels Kelly’s life is in danger can he protect her and his heart at the same time? Will he be able to find who is out to get her before it is to late?

I loved all three novellas and would recommend them all, How great they are all in one book. It is a great quick read. Every author does a great job at making you feel you are right there in the mix.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLIDAY DEFENDERS by Debbie Giusti, Susan Sleeman and Jodie Bailey.
(1) MISSION: CHRISTMAS RESCUE by Debbie Giusti is a great
romantic/inspirational/suspense story with a great story line and colorful
and interesting characters. The pacing moves along smoothly, and the story
line kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. This novella comes
to a very satisfactory conclusion of love, faith, hope and inspiration. I
give it 4 stars.
(2) SPECIAL OPS CHRISTMAS by Susan Sleeman is one of those fast paced, nail
biting, page turner, can't lay it down stories! Susan writes her scenes so
real that you feel like you are there with her characters! I felt like I
was running right along with Claire Reed in the first chapter and was ready
to crash by the time I got to Chapter two!! Filled with action!! She is one
outstanding writer! I give this novella a 5 star and highly recommend it.
(3) HOMEFRONT HOLIDAY HERO by Jodie Bailey is a great
romantic/inspirational/suspense story that is heartwarming with many
difficult circumstances. The characters must depend on God as their only
source of help. I love happy and surprise endings and you will not be
disappointed with this one! I give this novella 4 stars.

HOLIDAY DEFENDERS is an excellent novella story-wise, and would be a
wonderful Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for readers of all genres,
especially ones that are in a branch of the services or has a loved one in
service. All three authors, do an excellent job in honoring the men and
women serving their Country. I loved this book and highly recommend it to
all. I give the overall book 5 stars.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting Reads!

Three exciting reads packed into one paperback book. What a treat!

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti
This short novella had me sitting on the edge of my seat. There were some really heart stopping moments in this story. I loved it! Lots of action, suspense, and special moments.

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman
I thoroughly enjoyed this very suspenseful who-dun-it story. I did figure out who was the thief but not right away. Characters you will love and some you will dislike take you on a wild ride with some romance thrown in!

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey
This is a novella that will have your heart racing. A great suspense with some romance. I kind of guessed who was trying to kill the daughter of a military official but then some twists and turns were thrown in.

I did not have the pleasure of reading anything by these authors until this book. I am happy to say I hope to read many more of their books in the future.

Don’t miss these great reads. Pick up your copy of Holiday Defenders today!

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all three stories in this book. The characters hit home in several ways. I had an Uncle who served in the army and his oldest son and the son's wife were both in the Army as well. Both are retired now and I am glad that they served during a more peaceful time. I have many friends who have either served, are in the reserves or who have family serving now. The three stories in this book point up many things that a lot of people don't realize are actual hardships for military members and their families. We all need a reminder every now and then that we need to be grateful to those who serve. They are protecting our rights and freedoms. I say thank you to the 3 ladies who reminded me about this while entertaining me with 3 very delightful romances. I was very glad to win this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Heather Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday Defenders is a compilation of three novellas, from three different authors. While I don't normally like novellas, each story was complete and the length was great for the busy holiday season. Each story can be read in just an hour or two, and each occurs during the Christmas season.

I was going to pick my favorite story to tell you about in this review, but I couldn't decide! All three were captivating and well written. I could completely picture Elizabeth running for her life, Claire arguing with Travis, and Kelly giving her all for others. In each story, the hero was a military man, who also happened to be the heroine's ex-boyfriend. It made for some interesting conversations and even more mixed feelings.

Overall, this was an awesome book to read during the holiday season.

[Floridallh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday Defenders offers three easy-to-read, faith-renewing stories and a lot of suspense. All are based on believable military characters, with strengths and weaknesses alike. I love Sleeman’s character, Claire, who has an awakening regarding giving in to God’s will and praying for what He wants. My favorite story was Bailey’s “Homefront Holiday Hero.” There were several twists and turns in this story that I didn’t expect, and it was an entertaining way to wrap up the collection of shorter stories. Once I started, I was unable to put the book down. My only regret is that I wish I had read it closer to Christmastime… I am now in the mood for all the season brings!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three authors, three stories and a book that I couldn't put down. I have loved others by Jodie Bailey that I have read and I loved her story in this book. I have not read anything by Susan Sleeman or Debbie Giusti prior to this book, but I will be reading others by them. Each of the stories pulled me in from the first pages and kept me guessing until the end. They are a wonderful combination of romance, mystery and action. I was gifted with a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and I definitely recommend it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trio of novellas, jam packed with suspense and romance. I'm not usually a fan of novellas, because the stories seem so rushed, but the authors did a great job of filling in background and giving a full story in a short amount of pages. I read it straight through last night, then looked up the authors to see what other books they've written to add to my reading pile. This book would make a great stocking stuffer for the bookworm on your shopping list.

[Connie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The three different stories captured my attention. Each story was filled with exceptional heroes and heroines. I was in the middle of each story rooting for the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone. They are romances but they have a lot of action. I think Susan Sleeman. Debby Giusti and Jodie Bailey have done a great job of giving us three very good stories.I was given an advanced reader copy but would buy it anyway.

[Ginger Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas, hunky military heroes, and romance -- the perfect combination in a collection of novellas by Debby Giusti, Susan Sleeman, and Jodie Bailey.

Though the stories were short, each came jam-packed with lots of excitement, intrigue, and love. Reading them was a great way to spend a rare carefree afternoon.

I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories and highly recommend them.

I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Roxann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains three short stories. All the stories have romance and suspense in them. All get done so quickly within 24 to 48 hours. I just have a hard time getting into books/stories where it happens so quickly along with the sudden love or falling in love again plot. I'm still rating the book 4 stars. It is a very fast read, characters are good, suspense and twists in the plots.