Brutal Obsession

Safeguard #1

by Kennedy Layne

From USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne comes a thrilling new romantic suspense series that will leave you on the edge of your seat... Keane Sanderson never thought he’d survive to see a day past his latest deployment with the United States Marines in Iraq. That was six years ago, and he’s finally ready to ease off the accelerator. A unique opportunity to work for a top-shelf security and investigations firm in Florida is right up his alley. Ashlyn Ellis has everything she’s ever wanted—a high-profile career as a federal prosecutor, an upscale apartment in the city, and a beach house for when she needs to decompress from all the stress that accompanies the job. All three are threatened when she realizes someone has been following her every move for a very long time. When Ashlyn comprehends the lengths her pursuer is willing to take things, she calls in a favor. She never expected her plea for assistance to materialize in the form of Keane Sanderson—the one man who has every reason to revel in her misfortune. She’s finally given the chance to rekindle the flames of desire she never should have extinguished, just in time for it all to be taken away when the stalker takes his obsession a step too far. Series Safeguard Security & Investigations (SSI) is owned and operated by Townes Calvert, a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant who returned home to the States a bit more damaged than he’d care to admit. Not that anyone could tell outside of a very select group of former active duty buddies. It had taken Townes quite a while to acclimate to civilian life and he’d kept himself busy in the interim working in treacherous situations with even more dangerous friends. The final result is a close-knit unit of highly trained former military men who have the experience to protect the innocent, investigate crimes on the gritty edge, and aid local law enforcement when justice has taken a back seat to political correctness. Follow along as Kennedy Layne conveys each of their gripping stories as they work together on investigations that lead them down perilous paths of passion, intrigue, and suspense…

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Amazon

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2016

About the author

Kennedy Layne is a USA Today bestselling author. She draws inspiration for her romantic thrillers in part from her not-so-secret second life as a wife of a retired Marine Master Sergeant. He doubles as her critique partner, beta reader, and military consultant. Kennedy also has a deep love for cozy mysteries, thrillers, and basically any book that can keep her guessing until the very end. They live in the Midwest with their menagerie of pets. The loyal dogs and mischievous cats appreciate her writing days as much as she does, usually curled up in front of the fireplace.

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Reviews

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great thriller, I didn't know who the bad guy was until the end.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love finding new series to read. Brutal Obsession introduces us to the men who have just joined Safeguard Security & Investigations. Its run by a retired Marine and the men he hires to work for him are all former military.

First up is Keane Sanderson. After many deployments with the Marines and working on the LA SWAT team he's ready to slow things down and takes a job with SSI in Florida. Before he can even unpack his bags he's sent on his first job to D.C. A Federal Prosecutor is being stalked and Keane is sent to be her body guard until the FBI can figure out who the stalker is. One little problem is Keane and Ashlyn Ellis had a hot affair in Los Angeles years ago when she was there prosecuting a case. Due to neither being willing to give up their careers the relationship ended on a sour note.

Ashlyn loves her job to the point she's sacrificed any form of a personal life. She is all about putting the bad guys away. She hasn't taken her admirer to seriously in the past until she realizes he's hacked into her computer and has been watching her at home through its camera.

I appreciated that the author didn't give Ashlyn any of those TSTL moments. She didn't hesitate to call the cops and then work with the FBI and even though it was a shock to see Keane again she knew she had a very cunning predator after her and needed the protection.

We got to meet each of the men who just joined SSI and each have some baggage that's going to be interesting to find out more about in their stories. This was a fairly quick read but kept you on the edge of your seat and had a satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next book.

[Poppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant start to what is going to be a brilliant series by a brilliant author!

Calvert Townes is running his own Rodeo and Keane Sanderson is the operative up first.

Ashlyn Ellis is the assignment, keep her safe... let the story telling begin!

Well crafted as usual from Kennedy with the "who is it" factor running through the plot line. Can't wait for book 2! The guys all look interesting indeed and we'll get to meet Townes in his own domain more.

[Allena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurb doesn't do justice to the book; it was freaking fantastic. I usually figure out who the protagonist is well before the end; not so this time.

Great mystery, good flow, hot sex scenes and a great HEA. I think Kennedy Layne's new series is up there with her other ones like CSI, can't wait to get to know the rest of the guys.

[lindel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Down right boring

.
Sadly this book had a!I the makings of something good but missed the mark entirely. Boring as hell. No detectable spark between the h/H. Even the stalker was boring. And the sex? Almost none existent. Written in such a way that you could easily have missed it.

[Coco.V]

FREE on Amazon today (10/13/2017)!

[Debra Johnson]

Thriller Mystery
Steamy Sex Scenes
HEA
Purchased from Amazon December 12, 2017

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal Obsession!!

This new series from Layne packs a powerful punch! Keane is ex-military and ex-SWAT, looking for something more in his life other than adrenaline. So when Townes gives him a job with SSI he moves to Florida. His first assignment is not what he expected and ends up with him having to protect the one that got away. Ashlyn is a Federal Prosecutor and is being stalked! She finally calls in the FBI and ends up being protected by Keane, the only man to make her feel anything. Against all odds and circumstances, they rekindle their feelings, but first they have to stop the stalker from achieving his objective!

[Darcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve read a couple of books by this author that I’ve really liked so I thought I’d check this book out. Not sure why, but this one turned me off from the start. I felt for Ashlyn and how she was stalked, hoped that things would end in her favor. Keane came off as a whiny baby, one who didn’t want to do his job because of his past with Ashlyn. After reading about him trying to get out of working the job I just couldn’t go any further, couldn’t see him as someone I would root for. In the end this one wasn’t for me.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overnight. I read this story overnight. It's beautiful.

This new series from Kennedy Layne is off to a suspenseful, romantic, great start. I am a fan of her works, and this one is right up there with them. A powerful district attorney and a summer fling from her past come together in a heart stopping, run for your life, thriller. The author does not disappoint with the weaving of her characters, her knowledge of a professional security firm, and lots of romantic suspense.

[Toi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It

Great start to a new series - I love how Keane and Ashlyn come back together after five years and still love each other, although there is a lot they need to get through before it can happen. Looking forward to book two.

[Denise H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice start to a new series and I cannot wait to see how it progresses. This individual book centers on a hero/heroine with a HEA but does have several other characters thrown into the mix and though the story on the highlighted couple in this book is wrapped up, the book ends with a cliffhanger for the series which leads into the next book.

After being in the Maries and working for a short while for SWAT in LA, Keane Sanderson makes a change and moves to Florida to join a new investigate and security firm (SSI) made up of ex-military. Before he even gets moved and settled, his boss sends him on an assignment to be a bodyguard for a Washington DC federal prosecutor who is being stalked. He is shocked at who the prosecutor is (because he has a past with her, one that ended badly) and reluctantly accepts the assignment.

Ashlyn Ellis is a high-profile federal prosecutor whose sole focus is on her career, leaving her no time for friends or a social life, and is being stalked by an unknown person. She always feels as if she is being watched and is terrified by the lengths this person will go. He goes so far as to enter her home while she is sleeping and go through her things. She is hardheaded and stubborn to a fault, ignoring her own safety, determined to push ahead when the choice is taken out of her hands and she is assigned a bodyguard (Keane) while the authorities seek the perpetrator.

This is a good suspense that keeps you guessing who the stalker is and has a nice romantic aspect that allows Keane and Ashlyn to work through their issues for a HEA. The series cliffhanger at the end was a surprise and leaves you wondering what will be next in this series.

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal Obsession (Safeguard #1) is a slam dunk winner. I was surprised to discover that Kennedy Layne was a woman because she writes a no holds barred thriller the way a man would. Perhaps there was a time when the rekindled romance between our hero and heroine would have been a clue to the authors gender, but that is no longer the case today. There was a day when most female authors wrote their sex scenes less explicitly then Kennedy wrote hers in this story, but that's no longer the case today either. Nevertheless, Kennedy has nailed it, everything works. This is a book that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat, turning the pages. When you do read the last page, you will find yourself wishing that there were more pages to read. You'll find yourself wanting to know what happens to Ashly and Keane after this story ends.

If you love a thriller with a lot of blood and guts. A story where the suspense builds to a fever pitch. A thriller with romance thrown in, where there is sex but not gratuitous sex. A story where the hero and heroine overcome almost impossible odds. Read this book. You'll love it. If you don't read it you'll forever regret missing this opportunity to read it.

[Vickie Chaisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal Obsession is Wow!!!!

This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride of suspense, political intrigue, murder and a second chance at love for the main characters Keane and Ashlyn. Kennedy Layne was on the top of her game when she started this new series. I read this in a few hours and could not put it down. The premise of the story is air tight and riveting. Two former lovers are brought together when Federal Prosecutor Ashlyn has a stalker who is escalating and Keane is brought in as her personal protection detail. As the chemistry between them gets hotter so does the threat against her. The book is written with riveting detail to the backstory as well as to the present situation. Kennedy Layne writes for her readers pleasure and it is very evident she takes great pleasure in her craft.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. I really like this author and was excited when I ran across this book. I have to say the first half I struggled not to quit several times because it was so boring , but the second half picked up and saved the day. Perseverance paid off. Ashlyn is a federal prosecutor that has acquired an obsessed stalker that is accelerating in intensity to entering her bedroom while she sleeps. Keane is new to SSI security firm that has been hired by the feds to provide private security until they catch her stalker in spite of the fact they had a brief history five years ago and went their separate ways.

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Review: This highly suspenseful novel is told in third person pov with a male narrator. A well crafted novel brimming with mystery, suspense, murder, political intrigue, romance along with a detailed backstory & well seasoned character's. I struggled with the narration in the beginning but got used to it however, I absolutely hated it. As, he spoke the character's thoughts even the male voices were awful. Ashlyn sounded very loud in a weird voice. She sounded like she was a mental patient. I just don't think this narrator is a good fit for this story. Overall, the story could be better we the right narrator. I'm not saying this narrator is bad just not the right fit for the story.

[Leila Mota · Rating 3 out of 5]

Já conhecia a autora de uma série, passei para outra (Touch of Evil), bem cheia de suspense (graças ao vilão-mor), e cheguei nessa. Não sei se vou ler os outros livros, as personagens femininas de uma e outra série me parecem ter muitas características em comum. Acaba ficando um pouco repetitivo. Quer dizer, numa série específica acaba sendo inevitável que só variem as tramas (embora também haja algumas frases que são repetidas até no mesmo livro, e haja descrições detalhadas em excesso). De uma série para outra gostaria que houvesse menos copia-e-cola. Mas vale como entretenimento.

[David Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal Obsession.

A very good read. Was a little slow start, but picked up as the pages turned. I only could give it four stars because at times I thought there was something missing from one chapter to the next. By no means did it take anything away from the book, but would have to go back to make sure I didn't miss some. Most importantly, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more in this series and beyond from Kennedy Layne.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast Paced Romance Suspense!

This was my first book to read of Kennedy Layne's. It was absolutely amazing! The twists and turns kept throwing me for a loop with romance thrown in. Definite must read if you want suspense, murder and romance rolled into one! The ending left a small cliffhanger which I hope moves into the next book! Way to grab more of my attention to want to read more!

[Mella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy enough read. I didn't hate the main characters but I didn't particularly love them either. The rest of the team weren't fleshed out enough but they did at least seem interesting. The suspense aspect was good but not quite enough for my tastes. The romance was pretty mild, lots of angst about how they left one another - but it wasn't too overwhelming. The villain was unexpected. I'll likely pick up the next one at some point. 2.5 stars.

[karn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a page turning suspense novel with a little of love thrown in. I just recently found Ms Layne and I now read every book of hers. I will immediately buy book 2 in this series . If you enjoy mystery, suspense ex-military, men needing to love-not necessarily wanting to love then you will love this book. Enjoy!

[Shanea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it

This is an interesting read. I love the intrigue. And the surprise villain. The author does a great job setting up for future books. My only complaints are 1. Not enough juiciness to the sex and 2. Sometimes too much detail in some scenes. I am going to finish the series in hopes that both improve

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashlyn had everything she had set out for. As a prosecuting attorney, a great team under her, an a success at winning her cases. When she is being stalked, at work and at home, it had escalated to where his technology suppress anything they had seen. The solution is a safe house, and murder still happened, he still knew there every moment. It is tense to the end.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I want to say that this story is very well written and flows quite well. However it is NOT my kind of story, hence the 4 stars, instead of 5. The main characters are interesting, the plot is easily followed and as I said before the story is very well written. For someone who enjoys this type of story I do highly recommend it.

[r · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf’d this book within the first three chapters and i don’t think i would ever pick it up again. the writing style was not for me at all- it was so needlessly detailed about every little thing almost as if to increase the word count. i’m more of a show not tell person so that perhaps accounts for this.

[Minxy's Momma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nope

The book was going okay until the end where it got a little unbelievable. He's there to protect her, but they end up in bed all night? Furthermore, it was aggravating to see the smart female, with no military or police background, do the dumbest thing at the very end thinking that she would save the day.

[dbbooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to a new series

I had a little trouble keeping up with all the names and legal cases at first- worried I miss some connection that was going to be important later but so worth sticking with the story! Exciting, very suspenseful and a great second-chance romance.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Brutal Obsession. The twists and turns in the plot, the suspense and the romantic factor. The bringing together ex military personnel etc to make up SSI, each person having a different skill. Keane and Ashlyn's romantic past having a chance to be rekindled adds to the story.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg

This book was one I could not put down! There was no detailed sex just the second chance of two very strong and powerful characters. Ash and Keane are absolutely perfect counterparts.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SOLID FOUNDATION

A solid foundation is the primary requisite in everything from a building to a
series of books, that being said , '' BRUTAL OBSESSION " is a great entree for
a forthcoming serial with strong characters that hold the readers interest