Pleasing Her SEAL

SEALs of Fantasy Island #2

by Anne Marsh

Navy SEAL Mason Black

Remain undercover…even if it means going commando!

Wedding blogger Maddie Holmes is twelve times the bridesmaid and never the bride. Still, being on the sidelines of everyone else's happy endings has its perks, like staying at the luxurious, decadent Fantasy Island. The resort isn't just romantic—it's filled with sinful temptations…like delicious hottie resort chef Mason Black. And Maddie can't wait to take a bite!

There's just a teeny problem with her plan. She has no idea that Mason is an undercover Navy SEAL who needs photographs Maddie took that put both his mission and her life at risk. Mason's plan? Retrieve the pics and indulge in a few X-rated fantasies with the curvy redhead…and hope like hell that being between the sheets doesn't blow his cover.

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin, Military Fiction, Contemporary Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 15, 2015

About the author

Anne Marsh is a sucker for a grumpy hero who falls hard, a sunshine heroine who won't back down, and small towns where everyone knows your business (but shows up with casseroles anyway).

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with 30+ romance novels, Anne writes contemporary and paranormal stories full of banter, steam, heroines navigating real challenges (chronic illness, anxiety, all the messy parts of being human), and happily-ever-afters you can believe in.

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Talia Hibbert, and Olivia Dade.

Anne lives in rural North Carolina with rescue cats who barely tolerate her and neighbors who are real-life heroes—fixing cars, hauling mulch, pulling you out of ditches without even being asked. Her books are love letters to small-town kindness and big-hearted romance.

COMING SOON: Hot for Preacher (Harlequin Afterglow) - February 24, 2026
Grumpy preacher. Sunshine country singer living with rheumatoid arthritis. Second chances. Small-town meddling. So. Much. Heat.

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Reviews

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddie is a photographer and wedding blogger, and the chance to photograph a wedding at a luxury resort on Fantasy Island, and get some publicity and revenue for her blog is too good to pass up. And so is hot chef (and undercover Navy SEAL) Mason, with his sexy smile and ability to melt her heart - and her panties too. Mason is swoonworthy all right, knowing just the right things to give Maddie a vacation she'll never forget, as he's been tasked with keeping an eye on her as part of his undercover operation. But when she lets her feelings get away with her, will Mason come along for the ride? Or will the revelation that he's not the man she thought he was leave her with just the memories of a vacation fling over too soon?

The Blaze line can be counted on for low angst and fun sexy times and that's exactly what's delivered here. Add to that a tropical locale and it makes for a delightfully entertaining story. Maddie comes across as a feisty, free spirited and confident woman, both in the bedroom and out, though she is wearying a bit of attending weddings that aren't her own. Mason is almost too good to be true - he's charming, patient, fun and friendly and it's hard for her to picture a more perfect match. There were some super steamy scenes between them, and it's clear that Maddie is falling for Mason, even as he's struggling with the fact that he's keeping secrets from her. Though the core of him is still the same, he's not able to share with her the true nature of his work and feels that he's not worthy of her deeper emotions. Since this is a Navy SEAL story, there are some exciting action scenes to go along with the sexy romance, as well as the good natured camaraderie with his military brothers (and sister) who are also part of the op at the island resort. The story is fairly predictable but enjoyable as a quick paced read. 4 stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Harlequin Books]

"The latest Uniformly Hot! installment is a playful adventure with lots of humor and a touch of suspense that features a strong heroine who isn’t afraid to go after her heart’s desire" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

Miniseries: Uniformly Hot!

[Geraldine Sadiku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navy Seal Mason Black is working undercover on Fantasy Island as chef when he comes across wedding blogger Maddie Holmes who has taken some pictures that could put his mission and Maddie's life in jeopardy. Sparks fly between these two characters and what follows is a hot sexy romance.

[Lissanne Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Maddie Holmes is one of my favourite heroines ever! Redhead? Check. Not afraid to tell a man exactly what she wants? Check. Not afraid to go after Mason, despite her misgivings? Check. She proposes to Mason first? Check. Maddie is sassy and sexy and straight forward, and I absolutely loved her.

Fantasy Island flies her there on an all expenses paid week holiday, so she can review the resort for her popular wedding blog and hopefully bring in more business for them as a luxury wedding resort. Maddie lays eyes on Mason, the resort’s chef, and can’t get him off her mind. Unfortunately, what Maddie doesn’t know is that Mason is not only a good cook, but an undercover Navy SEAL on a mission to capture a wanted warlord. When Maddie inadvertently takes pictures of the SEALs and becomes a potential target, Mason is assigned to not only protect her, but get to her laptop so his team can destroy any photos that could put them in danger.

Mason is attracted to Maddie and loves her lack of shyness, but he was married and divorced by the age of twenty, and his job isn’t exactly conductive to a long-term relationship. But he finds himself unable to resist Maddie’s repeated and blatant attempts at seduction, and they have majorly hot sex. I loved the teasing and lead up to the initial sex scene, and I also loved that while Mason pleasured Maddie several times, she didn’t reciprocate – not for lack of trying, but because they were too hot for each other and couldn’t wait.

Maddie follows her heart and takes a leap, asking Mason to marry her. He doesn’t actually say no, but knows he can’t possibly give her the life she deserves and he’s pulled away from the island, so he flees, leaving a heartbroken Maddie behind. When the SEALs storm the compound of their target and find photos of Maddie everywhere, Mason bolts back to Fantasy Island. Maddie finds out the truth about him and is understandably so angry that she ends their relationship and walks away without a second glance.

But, three weeks later, while once again a bridesmaid, Maddie admits to herself that she misses Mason. When he turns up in uniform at the wedding and proposes with a gorgeous ring, Maddie can’t say anything but yes.

This book could definitely have been part of the Dare imprint (had it been around at time of publication) and I actually enjoyed this more than Anne Marsh’s Dare book. The language was certainly racy enough for Dare. Loved, loved, loved, and will be seeking out more Blaze book by Anne pronto 🙂

[Christine D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I really liked Maddie and Mason, they were a lot of fun. Also, the banter between Mason and his SEAL buddies was also entertaining. HOT things happen on fantasy island in this trilogy, I enjoyed this.
My only hang up is the "insta love" factor. Other than that, good stuff.

[Rae Latte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can the wedding planner find her prince charming? Get ready to meet a devious SEAL and a sizzling story! I love Harlequin Blaze stories and can't wait for the next one to release!

I received an advance reader copy for a fair and honest review.

[Wickedfade · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was adorable.

[Geena Kenemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WANT A SEAL

[Cheriwinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook read by Abby Craden

[Book Binge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The members of SEAL Team Sigma keep on getting into trouble of the romantic kind while they lie in wait for the leader of a very dangerous drug cartel who is coming to Fantasy Island to marry his current squeeze. Like his commander, Gray Jackson, hero in book one of this trilogy, Mason Black is undercover as a chef at the resort. Now unlike Gray, Mason really does know what he is doing. He has been cooking for years and feeding his team members and his family when he is on furlough with gourmet food. So he can indeed pull his undercover assignment off. What he doesn’t expect is to literally have Maddie Holmes run into him in an out-of-the-way portion of the island where she has set up cameras in order to snap shots of sunrises and sunsets for her wedding blog. If she can do a good job, she will land some significant advertising dollars and as she puts it, be able to not only enjoy writing her blog but paying her rent and keeping the lights on. One problem as Mason sees it: her photos have also included the activity of the undercover SEAL team, unbeknownst to her. So he is dispatched to literally woo her away from her camera so he can erase any shots that may include any team members or the boats that they were waiting to board.

This is a fun story in so many ways. Maddie is kind of a scatter brained female, messy and disorganized apparently, yet she manages to keep her life and her internet activities organized as she sees it. She is funny and well spoken, but underneath her cutesy exterior is a woman who is insecure and who has experienced lots of disappointment in her life. She has come to Fantasy Island on a freebie vacation as a potential public relations connection for the resort. She seems determined to get as much out of it as she can. Mason is one of those alpha males who like what he likes but whose personal history has been a disappointment so far. He loves his sisters and his family, but his long absences has created emotional distance from them. Being with Maddie, even just a little bit, awakens within him the desire for a family, something that is just a bit more normal than living in foxholes or tents in the jungle. The conversations between the characters is witty and enlightening. Readers will see into the inner thoughts of these people but she has kept a good balance between introspection and dialogue, something I personally appreciate.

This story is well written and demonstrates the author’s experience and writing expertise. She has an extensive writing resume and after reading the first two books in this trilogy, I understand why readers keep coming back for more. It you like good romance with generous helpings of hot loving and well-seasoned with humor and as well as with the authentic friendship one will encounter between the SEALs, then you will like this novel. I have a feeling that if this is your first Anne Marsh book, you will look for the others in this trilogy as well as other series she has written. A truly delightful read and one I happily give a rating of 5 out of 5.

[Donna Repsher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of the Kindle version of this novel in exchange for an honest review and here it is. 4.5 stars.

We're back at Fantasy Island, right where we left off in Teasing Her SEAL, and this installment features Mason, a member of the SEAL team who has been working undercover as a gourmet chef at the resort and teaching cooking classes, which is where he meets Maddy Holmes, a wedding blogger who is at the resort to photograph and document the wedding of an couple of Fantasy Island guests for her blog. What she doesn't know is that the groom in question is Santiago, one of the ruthless criminals that the SEAL team is there to intercept and capture. Although Mason has admired Maddy from the start, when he spots her taking sunrise photos from a high lookout over the lagoon he realizes that she may have just photographed two Zodiacs approaching the far end of the island, and by doing so, compromised their op. Mason manages to get her camera's memory card, but Maddy lets him know that her camera has already uploaded those photos to her laptop. Ordered to get close to her, get access to her laptop and keep an eye on her, be begins to respond to her flirting.

Well, he certainly keeps more than an eye on her, and the attraction that builds between these two absolutely sizzles. Maddy is as up-front a character as she can be--always ready with a quip or funny comeback, a trait Mason admires, and interspersed between the chapters are her blog entries, and if her blog were real, I'd be as addicted to reading it as I am to reading this funny, exciting, steamy and entertaining series. If you've not yet paid a visit to Fantasy Island, I suggest you do so--Anne Marsh has written another engaging episode and I cannot wait for the next one.

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the Blaze SEAL series, they are hot, light, entertaining, with a little SEAL action on the side as an added spice to the story, and sometimes just what I like to read.
Maddie is such a sassy and fun character, she goes after what she wants, she is honest about it, and have very few filters. She loves life, and it shows. And she wants to have someone to share it with her, that special someone. In the past 18 months, she has been in 13 weddings, giving her lots to work with as a wedding blogger, and even more to think of, as she attends yet another wedding alone, and spending two weeks on the glorious Fantasy Island.
Mason is like a dream come true, honorable, solid, alpha man, with a great sense of humor, and moral compass, that makes it hard for him to lie about the undercover mission he is on, at least to Maddie.
There are some hot hot hot scenes between them, as they live through some of the fantasies the island brings on. Mason's undercover as a chef guarantees some delicious foods are at hand, as Mason and Maddie get creative with it.
A delightful to read, and will certainly heat up the cold winter days. Mason and Maddie love to banter, as do the SEAL brothers, and Maddie also delivers a surprise, both to the readers and to Mason. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
~ Four Spoons

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Two of this trilogy and SEAL Mason Black is undercover on the Fantasy Island as a chef. Now he does love to cook, has done so for years and is truly a gift to womanhood with four sisters and numerous female aunts and cousins who have educated him in the ways of women. He just loves the female of the species but he has finds that Maddie has captured his notice and her insistent picture taking has involved his undercover presence. He has to woo her away from her camera in order to preserve the secrecy of their mission. Maddie is a wedding blogger. She loves weddings even though she has continually been the bridesmaid and never the bride. She loves the cake and the partying, the frills and the frippery of bride and bridesmaid alike. She would just like to snag her own bridegroom for a change. This is a fun story and the friendship between Maddie, Laney, and Ashley plays front and center in this story. Once again we have a SEAL who just can't see himself in a long-term committed relationship, having been married briefly and seen that marriage bite the dust due to the stresses of deployment. Yet whether she realizes it or not, Maddie has set her hook, and this fun romance will keep the reader engaged completely as these two figure out that love will find a way. A truly delightful read.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

See more of my reviews on my blog Thoughts At One In The Morning.

My Thoughts:

I'm absolutely loving these SEAL books by Anne Marsh! It takes place in the same spot as Teasing Her SEAL--a resort called Fantasy Island. Maddie is the wedding photographer and she may have taken some pictures that Mason needs to get his hands on to protect the mission. The thing is, Maddie doesn't know Mason is undercover as the chef at the resort. When the two of them succumb to the temptation, it's only going to be a matter of time before the truth comes out. Will the two of them be able to work together to make things right again?

Pleasing her SEAL is a hot and steamy read. Maddie and Mason have a great chemistry between them. Maddie is a strong woman, and Mason is a sweet man. I loved the pairing. And I loved the way the story progressed, how much Mason cared about Maddie and hated to be keeping secrets from her while on his mission. Another great story from Anne Marsh!

My Rating: Very Good

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed to suspend disbelief even more in this second book in the series re: plot set up and I can not believe a SEAL team would be okay with having their photos posted on the internet and videos posted on YouTube...but if you can look past the implausibility of some of the plot set up, then the dialogue and characters were fun and engaging. The ending *Spoiler Alert* was too much of an Officer and Gentleman throwback, but still enjoyed the book. 3 Stars

[Maggie Hesseling · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were parts of this novel that I really liked, and others that I was really frustrated with. I thought it was funny and inventive, but it could have had so much more. I think the ending was really cut short and I expected a lot more than a sweep-off-your-feet-instant-forgiveness scene. I love Marsh's novels, but this one just didn't hold up to the others.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this next installment!!!

[Jo-Ann Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book out of the 3 book series.

In this book, we have a person who blogs about weddings. Then she runs into the chef (our hero) that's on the island, she wants nothing better than to gobble him up. However, when our hero realizes that the blogger, our heroine, might be a target for a criminal someone has to stay close to her. Too bad he can't get too close because our hero is actually a SEAL that's undercover. Can he catch the bad guy without getting serious with the heroine or will he just get serious about the heroine?

The plot seemed ok, but haters were a bit on the thin side with personality - it seemed the writer kept repeating instead of giving you more info about them. The story did seem to lag in spots. It was an ok read. I hope the last one gets better as I was hoping for more in the series.