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If Not For You
After suffering a life-altering injury in Afghanistan, Marine sniper, Trace Tanner, is medically discharged and comes home to a very different life than he had planned. Jobless and suffering some serious health issues, he is thrust into the center of a series of vicious attacks on the homeless he lives among. When one of his friends is beaten and stabbed, he meets paramedic Amy Quinn Brennan, a woman who offers him hope and direction.He wants nothing to do with her at first. He has enough to deal with as he struggles to cope with his impairments and find work. Though he is strongly attracted to the pretty paramedic, he finds her too perceptive and a persistent. She is a distraction he can't afford. But Amy cannot get the handsome ex-Marine out of her mind. His fortitude and courage compel her to keep reaching out to him. She sees so much more in him than he sees in himself.Amy is determined to help him rebuild his life, but Trace is just as determined to save her from his problems. As their relationship gets more complicated, a brutal killer is equally as determined to prevent them from interfering with his agenda.
- GenresRomance
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2015
13 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Monk
9 books4 followersS.A. Monk is a retired teacher who lives in Southern California with her family and husband of forty-five years. Reading and writing and romance, here and now or in the past, are one of her life's obsessions. Love is, after all, the greatest of all blessings. Sometimes relationships have rocky starts, and sometimes they click right away. Everything else in-between, of course, is possible, and oh what fun it is to craft romantic heroes and heroines with all those possibilities and quirks of fate to work with! Coming together to overcome the difficulties, trials, and dangers life throws at us is one of her favorite themes.
The author loves to hear from her readers. Keep writing those reviews and comments. They are all read and appreciated.
The author loves to hear from her readers. Keep writing those reviews and comments. They are all read and appreciated.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 12, 2019
I have re-read several times and keep going back for more.
August 20, 2020
Absolutely love this book!
Trace and Amy are the most beautiful couple ! Please read this book! A favorite of mine for 3 years, and I read a lot of books!
Trace and Amy are the most beautiful couple ! Please read this book! A favorite of mine for 3 years, and I read a lot of books!
September 3, 2015
⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️
* * * POSSIBLE SPOILERS * * *
"A sincere heart loves another regardless of his or her worth.”
♦️BOOK: #3 - Can be read as a standalone. Kindle loc: 6275
♦️WRITING: good but overly detailed
♦️EDITING: tolerable but needs work - missing/incorrect words & punctuation
♦️POV: Multiple. Third person. POVs change sporadically and without warning.
♦️SETTING: San Diego, CA
♦️HERO: Trace Tanner, 35--Former Marine Force Recon sniper, highly decorated, barely survived four tours & 12 years of service but is now homeless and jobless. Suffering severely from a head injury and PTSD. He's solitary, stubborn and proud but feels insecure and unworthy because of his situation. He's very sweet, caring, and a true protector. 6'4, broad, shaggy dark brown hair, gray eyes, very scarred.
♦️HEROINE: Amy Brennan, 34--Paramedic & firefighter. Sweet, generous, compassionate, kindhearted, courageous. She's short, petite, fair skin, large blue eyes, reddish gold hair.
♦️PLOT: After barely surviving a suicide bomber several months ago, Trace is now struggling to survive the crippling symptoms of a head injury, PTSD, as well as cope with his return to civilian life. Living out of his van and working on and off construction jobs, Trace keeps company with others down on their luck, disabled and homeless vets, runaway teens and prostitutes. When someone begins brutality attacking vagrants in the area, Trace and friends, fearing for their own safety, patrol the streets at night and find themselves at the aid of several of the victims. Amy, an EMT in the area responds to the attacks and strikes up a friendship with Trace that quickly becomes more. As things heat up between the two, the attacks escalate and hit much closer to home, threatening their lives.
Trace struggles to get/keep a job, manage his pain and keep his head above water but little seems to go his way. Amy wants to help but Trace refuses.
♦️REVIEW: Trace is extremely stubborn which got frustrating. The book is a bit long and could cut back on the descriptions as well as the amount of info/background on the numerous secondary characters, which was a little difficult to keep track of. Also, Trace has utilized hookers in the past and is close friends/sorta lives with a prostitute that he has recently had sex with, which isn't something that I was a big fan of.
A long but enjoyable read, touching on many important topics including suicide, PTSD, the treatment and care of our military veterans, treatment of the homeless, faith in God, and the kindness and generosity of others. A good mixture of steamy romance, action, suspense and a damaged hero being saved by a good, deserving woman.
"Where there was love, there was hope."
♦️HEAT LEVEL: moderate, 3.5/5
♦️ENDING: HEA, Epilogue - 1 year later, NO Cliffhanger
* * * POSSIBLE SPOILERS * * *
"A sincere heart loves another regardless of his or her worth.”
♦️BOOK: #3 - Can be read as a standalone. Kindle loc: 6275
♦️WRITING: good but overly detailed
♦️EDITING: tolerable but needs work - missing/incorrect words & punctuation
♦️POV: Multiple. Third person. POVs change sporadically and without warning.
♦️SETTING: San Diego, CA
♦️HERO: Trace Tanner, 35--Former Marine Force Recon sniper, highly decorated, barely survived four tours & 12 years of service but is now homeless and jobless. Suffering severely from a head injury and PTSD. He's solitary, stubborn and proud but feels insecure and unworthy because of his situation. He's very sweet, caring, and a true protector. 6'4, broad, shaggy dark brown hair, gray eyes, very scarred.
♦️HEROINE: Amy Brennan, 34--Paramedic & firefighter. Sweet, generous, compassionate, kindhearted, courageous. She's short, petite, fair skin, large blue eyes, reddish gold hair.
♦️PLOT: After barely surviving a suicide bomber several months ago, Trace is now struggling to survive the crippling symptoms of a head injury, PTSD, as well as cope with his return to civilian life. Living out of his van and working on and off construction jobs, Trace keeps company with others down on their luck, disabled and homeless vets, runaway teens and prostitutes. When someone begins brutality attacking vagrants in the area, Trace and friends, fearing for their own safety, patrol the streets at night and find themselves at the aid of several of the victims. Amy, an EMT in the area responds to the attacks and strikes up a friendship with Trace that quickly becomes more. As things heat up between the two, the attacks escalate and hit much closer to home, threatening their lives.
Trace struggles to get/keep a job, manage his pain and keep his head above water but little seems to go his way. Amy wants to help but Trace refuses.
♦️REVIEW: Trace is extremely stubborn which got frustrating. The book is a bit long and could cut back on the descriptions as well as the amount of info/background on the numerous secondary characters, which was a little difficult to keep track of. Also, Trace has utilized hookers in the past and is close friends/sorta lives with a prostitute that he has recently had sex with, which isn't something that I was a big fan of.
A long but enjoyable read, touching on many important topics including suicide, PTSD, the treatment and care of our military veterans, treatment of the homeless, faith in God, and the kindness and generosity of others. A good mixture of steamy romance, action, suspense and a damaged hero being saved by a good, deserving woman.
"Where there was love, there was hope."
♦️HEAT LEVEL: moderate, 3.5/5
♦️ENDING: HEA, Epilogue - 1 year later, NO Cliffhanger
May 17, 2015
If not for you is a heartbreaking story of our Wounded Warriors
This book highlights not only the issue of homelessness of our Wounded Warriors but the Veterans Affairs issue of their getting care to them once they have been discharged from the service. There is also a focus on someone attacking the homeless because they don't help to sell his expensive condos.
Trace Tanner is the focus of this story as well as Amy who is a paramedic/firefighter whom he meets when a friend is attacked. Both are healing from wounds that can't be seen. Trace suffers from Traumatic brain injury from a suicide bomber who was detonated his bomb while his unit was training Afghanis soldiers to become snipers.
Trace suffers seizures and flashbacks that make it hard to keep a job plus he lives in his van. It's the love of Amy, former marines and a Navy SEAL plus her family that finally convince him that he is loved and can begin to heal from his injuries. Ms. Monk has the characters from the previous two books prominently featured in this book and we get to see how they are doing. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
This book highlights not only the issue of homelessness of our Wounded Warriors but the Veterans Affairs issue of their getting care to them once they have been discharged from the service. There is also a focus on someone attacking the homeless because they don't help to sell his expensive condos.
Trace Tanner is the focus of this story as well as Amy who is a paramedic/firefighter whom he meets when a friend is attacked. Both are healing from wounds that can't be seen. Trace suffers from Traumatic brain injury from a suicide bomber who was detonated his bomb while his unit was training Afghanis soldiers to become snipers.
Trace suffers seizures and flashbacks that make it hard to keep a job plus he lives in his van. It's the love of Amy, former marines and a Navy SEAL plus her family that finally convince him that he is loved and can begin to heal from his injuries. Ms. Monk has the characters from the previous two books prominently featured in this book and we get to see how they are doing. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
April 27, 2015
Heartwarming
This is a beautiful story of love, honor and courage. The struggle that Tanner endured felt real, my heart cried for him and made me think about soldiers and the hardships they have to overcome when they return home. Heartwarming story
This is a beautiful story of love, honor and courage. The struggle that Tanner endured felt real, my heart cried for him and made me think about soldiers and the hardships they have to overcome when they return home. Heartwarming story
March 27, 2015
I loved this book. An injured soldier and an EMT with an eye for PTSD and a big heart. ❤️
January 22, 2024
2 ⭐️
Reread 1/21/24 2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ this was paced way too slowly and so many things were repetitive. The same things or ideas said over and over again very annoying.
Reread 1/21/24 2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ this was paced way too slowly and so many things were repetitive. The same things or ideas said over and over again very annoying.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews