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Protecting Emma: Forced Proximity Opposites Attract Romance
Emma Hayes crashes into my world like a wrecking ball— bruised, beautiful, and running for her life.
I am Ryder Black. Ex-SEAL. Outlaw biker. Not the hero anyone asks for.
Now, we’re stuck on top of each other in this cramped, lonely apartment above my grease-stained garage.
She’s sweet and stubborn, all sunshine and scars.
I am all darkness and silence, the danger parents whisper about.
She flinches at shadows, but never bows.
I catch myself wishing I could be her safe place.
I see her trying to heal, see her spark when I push too close.
She’s fire in my fists, honey in my veins.
Enemies close in.
My old instincts snap to life.
Bad men want her.
I want to destroy them.
Steel meets softness in these four walls.
Lines blur. Hearts pound.
The real fight is for trust—hers, mine, ours.
This time, I’m not walking away.
This time, I am the shield.
Ashes turn to embers.
We burn.
And nobody will tear us apart.
I am Ryder Black. Ex-SEAL. Outlaw biker. Not the hero anyone asks for.
Now, we’re stuck on top of each other in this cramped, lonely apartment above my grease-stained garage.
She’s sweet and stubborn, all sunshine and scars.
I am all darkness and silence, the danger parents whisper about.
She flinches at shadows, but never bows.
I catch myself wishing I could be her safe place.
I see her trying to heal, see her spark when I push too close.
She’s fire in my fists, honey in my veins.
Enemies close in.
My old instincts snap to life.
Bad men want her.
I want to destroy them.
Steel meets softness in these four walls.
Lines blur. Hearts pound.
The real fight is for trust—hers, mine, ours.
This time, I’m not walking away.
This time, I am the shield.
Ashes turn to embers.
We burn.
And nobody will tear us apart.
111 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2025
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 1, 2025
Ryder Black is the kind of hero who lives in the shadows: ex-SEAL, outlaw biker, equal parts steel and silence. He’s not looking for love—he’s looking for safety, for an order that keeps pain from getting in. Then Emma Hayes crashes into his life—literally—and everything shifts. Bruised, brave, and fiercely human, Emma is sunshine threaded with scars; she flinches at shadows but refuses to be small. When fate traps them under the same roof (an apartment above Ryder’s grease-stained garage), what begins as an awkward sheltering becomes two people learning how to stand again.
Page balances high-stakes danger with intimate, healing moments. The pulse-quickening suspense—bad men circling, Ryder’s instincts snapping to life—keeps the pages turning, but it’s the quieter scenes that stay with you: Emma teaching Ryder that vulnerability isn’t weakness; Ryder becoming a protector who can also love; the small, bruised gestures that build trust. Their chemistry is fierce without being performative; it’s tenderness earned through trauma and courageous enough to change both of them.
What makes this book sing is the emotional truth. Ryder’s struggle with guilt and the weight of his past feels real; Emma’s resilience and slow reclaiming of power are inspiring. This isn’t a glossy rescue—healing is messy, trust is fragile, and love takes work. But Page writes those cracks into something beautiful.
If you love gruff, alpha protectors who learn to give their hearts away; heroines who aren’t defined by their wounds; and romantic suspense that leans as much on emotion as on action—Protecting Emma will grab you, hold you, and leave you cheering for the hard, hopeful ending.
Perfect for fans of: grumpy/protector heroes, forced-proximity romance, romantic suspense, found family, and emotional redemption arcs.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Page balances high-stakes danger with intimate, healing moments. The pulse-quickening suspense—bad men circling, Ryder’s instincts snapping to life—keeps the pages turning, but it’s the quieter scenes that stay with you: Emma teaching Ryder that vulnerability isn’t weakness; Ryder becoming a protector who can also love; the small, bruised gestures that build trust. Their chemistry is fierce without being performative; it’s tenderness earned through trauma and courageous enough to change both of them.
What makes this book sing is the emotional truth. Ryder’s struggle with guilt and the weight of his past feels real; Emma’s resilience and slow reclaiming of power are inspiring. This isn’t a glossy rescue—healing is messy, trust is fragile, and love takes work. But Page writes those cracks into something beautiful.
If you love gruff, alpha protectors who learn to give their hearts away; heroines who aren’t defined by their wounds; and romantic suspense that leans as much on emotion as on action—Protecting Emma will grab you, hold you, and leave you cheering for the hard, hopeful ending.
Perfect for fans of: grumpy/protector heroes, forced-proximity romance, romantic suspense, found family, and emotional redemption arcs.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 2, 2025
“Protecting Emma” by Marjorie Page
-A tense, emotional romantic suspense where danger and healing intertwine. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Ryder, the gruff ex-SEAL mechanic, and Emma, the brave witness on the run, ignite instant chemistry. Their forced proximity turns fear into trust, and protection into love.
Dark, gritty, and heartfelt—imperfect in pacing, but rich in emotional depth and redemption.
-A tense, emotional romantic suspense where danger and healing intertwine. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Ryder, the gruff ex-SEAL mechanic, and Emma, the brave witness on the run, ignite instant chemistry. Their forced proximity turns fear into trust, and protection into love.
Dark, gritty, and heartfelt—imperfect in pacing, but rich in emotional depth and redemption.
November 3, 2025
Her Safe Place
Emma witnessed a crime. She was seen and chased. She ran to the only safe place she could think of. Ryder's mechanic shop. She pounded on the door, he pulled her inside, and promised her protection. He was the town's bad boy, but to her, he was her safe place. This is the beginning of the takedown of an organization of crime in their little town. This is a great story of overcoming fears and finding love. I really enjoyed this book.
Emma witnessed a crime. She was seen and chased. She ran to the only safe place she could think of. Ryder's mechanic shop. She pounded on the door, he pulled her inside, and promised her protection. He was the town's bad boy, but to her, he was her safe place. This is the beginning of the takedown of an organization of crime in their little town. This is a great story of overcoming fears and finding love. I really enjoyed this book.
November 1, 2025
Click the read now button to see where this romance book is going to take you. There’s nothing better than reading this book about Ryder and Emma on a fall day or any day for that matter. So, for your next must-read romance story make it be this one right here.
February 17, 2026
Loved It
I loved this book. The story moved along at a good pace. The characters were interesting. I loved the way their relationship developed. They were both kind of lost and when they met, they were perfect together. I will read more from this author.
I loved this book. The story moved along at a good pace. The characters were interesting. I loved the way their relationship developed. They were both kind of lost and when they met, they were perfect together. I will read more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews