Failed Protocol

by Cindy Bonds

Olivia Lloyd left the U.K. to work in Texas as head of security for a tech firm. Her training in the British Army gave her a chance to get into the SAS—Special Air Service. But she washed out, with the help of her uncle and his contacts. Now, here at her uncle’s request, she's lonely and miserable after running away from her last life-altering loss.

Kenton Matthews’ recon days are over. He now works as a detective in Dallas, offering assessments for security when high-value targets come to town. But a request from an old friend has his heart pounding, as the threat to the large tech firm holds more than just a breach of security.

Kenton is determined to battle the failed mission from long ago and will do everything he can to protect Olivia from facing the same torturous man her uncle faced. But can Olivia trust the one man her uncle deems more than worthy?

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Clean Romance, Christian Fiction

306 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2025

About the author

Debut author Cindy Bonds has enjoyed suspense and storytelling all her life. After taking on writing as a hobby, she's looking to make her mark on the Christian book industry with her military characters and tension-filled scenes. When she's not writing or reading, Cindy enjoys spending time with her two children and her husband in their rural Arkansas town.

Reviews

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue to Failed Protocol sets the stage for this edge-of-your-seat suspense as we’re dropped in the middle of the kind of high-stakes extraction you’d see on shows like NCIS or movies like James Bond. It didn’t take long for me to become invested in the wellbeing of these two intelligence/recon officers, which is why I held my breath longer than is probably recommended while following Marcus & Kenton out of Turkey. When next we see these friends nine years later, both men are out of their respective Special Forces (Kenton is a detective and Marcus is running a large tech firm) but that failed mission has just become a threat again. And this time Marcus’ lovely niece Olivia is in the crosshairs too.

Whew. Okay. We can breathe for a minute while Kenton and his partner investigate how the security breach happened. But not for long. On second thought, maybe let’s don’t relax just yet. Because that imminent threat I mentioned means Kenton, Marcus, and Olivia need to stay sharp and on their toes and, by default, so do we as readers. On a completely shallow note here… I loved how easily Kenton slid back into the kind of skills he utilized back in Army Recon, and I don’t know why this being second nature to him seemed so swoony to me, but there we are lol. Also delightful? The chemistry between Olivia and Kenton, even if it’s reluctant at first. Those sparks (and the kisses) grow in intensity as the story progresses and had me alternating from grinning to fanning and back again, leaving my KissingBooks heart quite happy when all was said and done.

Bottom Line: Buckle up, because Failed Protocol by Cindy Bonds is an intense ride from beginning to end. With spy vibes and heart-in-your-throat moments where you’re not sure who’s going to make it out alive, the suspense keeps you invested in the outcome and rooting for the good guys (and gal) to prevail. A sweet & yummy romance softens the sharp edges (and steals your breath for a whole other reason), and I also appreciated that the main characters made prayer a natural part of their lives. There were a few incongruities that lifted me out of the story from time to time, but I was able to re-immerse myself pretty easily. An entertaining romantic suspense that I enjoyed reading – and I think you will too.

(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read via Kindle Unlimited.)

first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Stephanie - Books Less Travelled · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a printed copy of this in a giveaway a couple of months ago around release day, and since I've been wanting to read some of Cindy Bonds' books recently anyway, and I'm working through my unread printed TBR, this seemed to be the perfect. And the timing worked out just right! I've been finding lately that a lot of the books I've read recently tend to be sharing themes between them, and it's interesting to see that this one did too, as unexpected at it was.

This story was well written and I loved getting to know Kenton and Olivia, and Bruno and Marcus honestly. This was such a fun cast with some dramatically different personalities that made for some interesting scenes. Kenton and Olivia were a dramatic duo, and I adored seeing them work through their issues and learn to work together over time.

There was a lot of mentions of him wanting to touch her, hold her hand, and of course kissing. I honestly didn't mind it so much in context, but... I do wonder if it was a bit over used? (As in, a good portion of the story was probably just him [or her, at times] reminding themselves why a relationship, or kissing/holding hands/hugging wasn't the best idea at the moment, or ever?) It wasn't really anything over-the-top or really problematic for the most part, just repetitive and made it clear the the physical aspects were definitely there, but might have taken away from the faith elements in the story. It also meant that some of the other non-physicals aspects of their relationship were often overlooked, although it was clear that there was more than just physical attraction, but also a mutual trust and respect growing between them as they began to really notice and appreciate each other's strengths and unique personalities and traits along the way.

The story was a delightful and action-packed read, and well written. I would love to have a spin-off or companion story of sorts, but even as a stand alone I really enjoyed this one and am so glad I got to read it!

[Beth Westcott · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Kenton Matthews and British Marcus Moore meet at a different time in a different life. When Kenton rescues Marcus from death at the hands of Turkish terrorist Halil Kalid, Kenton and Marcus forge a lifelong bond of friendship. Now Kalil threatens Marcus's tech company, The Reliance Institute, and his niece, Olivia, the head of security, and Marcus calls on Dallas Detective Kenton to help save them. Kalil is smart and always a step or two ahead of them. As with Cindy's other romantic suspense novels, Failed Protocol offers a suspenseful plot, heroic but flawed characters, and a romance that hangs in the balance. A classic tale of good vs. evil with a Christian faith element.

[Gretchen Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In order to stop someone from breaking the chain, we need to know how it's done. Now that we understand how it works, what is takes, companies can create the proper protocols and assessments to make sure it doesn't happen."

This book is full of intrigue and danger. I highly enjoyed it. And the romance was stellar because they fought with each other and with their feelings. I plan on reading another book by this author ASAP.