Eden and her Mercenary

Changing of the Guards #3.6

by Aquila Thorne

Ever since Eden Wade did her first dog run to Montreal, she was hooked on transporting canines from abusive situations to new lives in loving homes. But this transport isn’t going as smoothly as planned. A black SUV has been following her since the moment she left Vancouver, bound for Ontario. And when she gets a text message demanding a trade for one of her charges for five thousand dollars, she knows something is up and will do whatever it takes to keep the dogs safe.


It was a rainy night when Royal O'Toole was heading home, minding his own business, when some whack job in a van cut him off. He took it personally and chased them down to a seedy hotel on the edge of the nearest town. What he wasn’t expecting was to have a pistol pointed at his chest and a pint-sized wildcat whipping around. The steadiness of her hand told him she knew how to use it and wasn’t afraid to do so.
“Back off,” she warned, her voice steady despite the wild look in her eyes. “I don't have time for this.”
That’s when he heard it, a soft whine coming from the back of the van. Fortunately for her, he’s a sucker for dogs, guns, and women in distress.

197 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

Born in Southern Ontario, Aquila was raised on the outskirts of a small town. With nothing to do, she took to reading historical romance novels and vowed to write a book of her own one day. Fast forward 28 years and she did just that with her first Contemporary Romance titled Moonlit Night and a Series to follow. She still lives in that small town where she was born, her escape is within the pages of her writings

Reviews

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. I 10/10 recommend reading it

Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️

[KimMacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden and Her Mercenary by Aquila Thorne delivers a thrilling blend of action and romance that will keep you hooked from start to finish. While it’s a spinoff of the Changing of the Guards mafia series, it works beautifully as a standalone read. Fast-paced and engaging, it’s the perfect pick when you’re in the mood for a heartfelt, emotional romance but don’t have time to dive into a long book.

Eden dedicates her life to transporting dogs rescued from abusive and dangerous situations. Her latest mission proves riskier than expected, and when her path collides with Royal’s, the two embark on a daring quest to save one special dog. Royal is the morally gray mercenary that you can't help to fall in love with. Along the way, their journey takes unexpected turns—leading not only to danger and suspense, but also to a love that’s deeper than either of them anticipated.

This book completely stole my heart—it’s easily one of my top Aquila Thorne favorites. With the perfect blend of wit, sass, spice, and tender moments, it’s a story you can sink into and savor. Next time you have a couple of hours to curl up by the fire, give it a read—you won’t be disappointed with Eden and Royal's story!

[Leisel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant addition to Aquila Thorne's Changing of the Guard series, this book can easily be enjoyed as a standalone—but I highly recommend reading Lily and Her Mercenary first, as this is the brother's story and the added context makes it even more special.

As an animal lover, I adored the rescue dog element woven through the plot. While the subject could have been heavy, the story handles it with care, keeping the focus on hope, healing, and connection rather than unnecessary violence.

Eden and Royal make a fantastic lead pair, with plenty of action, drama, emotional pull, and sizzling chemistry. Yet, it was Stella—the dog—who completely stole my heart. I also loved the crossovers with previous characters and would have enjoyed a scene where Eden meets Lily, acknowledging the family bond between the mercenary brothers and their new loves.

This story captures everything I want in a romance: strong, resilient characters, heartfelt compassion, and a relationship that feels as real as it is rewarding. Heartwarming, gripping, and utterly satisfying.

[Megan Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aquila comes through with another wonderful read. Short but full of action and heart. Always such easy reads that you lose yourself into.
Stella stole my heart from the beginning. Let’s not forget about Taco and Bell cats Declan and Wren have. Love their names!

My favorite line from the book: “Sometimes the most unexpected detours lead exactly where you’re meant to be. “
— I resonate with this so much because let me tell you my life has been full of detours and I just got dealt one more. Just lets me know I haven’t made it where I’m meant to be just yet. But I’m enjoying the ride.
—I love when lines from books helps give us words of advice and encouragement that we might not even realize we need.

Kim and Dean showing up for Bertha was awesome! And telling Royal and Eden about the ghosts, yes! Such a great addition to the story.

Looking forward to seeing what comes next from Aquila and this wonderful world she has created.

*I am an arc and beta reader for Aquila. I’ve read all her work. My reviews are my honest opinion and given freely and voluntarily.*

[Ronda Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden, FMC and Royal, MMC meet up after she is attacked while delivering rescue dogs. Both have troubled past that they relate to each other as the solve why the attacks and demands for one of her dogs. High tech testing from Biomedical group and government, create a suspenseful story as they fight to survive attacks. Characters from the Changing of Guard series play a vital part to the story, but you do not have to have read them to follow this story. Yes, HEA but not the dominant theme of book, but does make you happy

[Tracy ann Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden helps the dog shelter by taking the dogs to new homes. On this trip, she has a special dog named Stella, but things take a turn when she needs to disappear. Eden realizes she is being followed. Meanwhile, Royal is on his way to Pearl Lake when a reckless driver nearly runs him off the road—it turns out to be Eden. Royal offers to help and takes her to his off-grid cabin. Their story, along with Stella, is quite an emotional one. This was an amazing read, and I absolutely love this author's books.

[Simone Haeseler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden has a very unusual job, and I think she doesn't explain how she earned her money. Royal was a hero from the start, helping her instantly and all, very gentlemanly. The two together make a great couple. It was a nice story with a not foreseeable plot, at least I thing it's original. Other than that we have a lot of dogs in it, love dogs. All in all a nice fresh story, with a dog carrier, a mercenary, government conspiracy or something like it, a lot of danger and a Stella.

[Kellie Waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden didn't know anything about Stella except to make her disappear. She didn't know the past of the dog but quickly found out that she is wanted. While trying to dodge some dognappers she meets Royal. Little did any of them know that this would become a high speed espionage problem. In an instant there was a connection, but could it last?

Great read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! It’s official, I cannot pick a favorite book from this series. I just love them all so much! Eden’s story is great and I love how much of a part Stella, the dog, has in the book! I can’t wait for more!

[Tola Odu · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great read

I love it. Short sweet straight to the point, animal rescued, international shady organization, the characters from previous books are back to defend the innocent. And we are introduced to the mercenaries who are great characters.