What do you think?
Rate this book
Navy SEAL Defenders #5
The SEAL's Secret Child
SHIELDING HIS FAMILY
Defending an accused kidnapper could get attorney Josie Bishop killed—but facing the father of her child for the first time in seven years could destroy her heart. Yet when her ex-fiancé, former SEAL Edward "Blade" Harding, shows up at her door ready to offer his protection, she can't deny him. Nor can she deny him the chance to know their son. Then shots are fired at Josie's home and a brick is thrown through her window with a scrawled note that says "Drop the case or pay the price." Now Blade is more determined than ever to protect his newfound family at all costs. But can he overcome his past mistakes in order to make sure they survive their present…and possibly have a future together?
Defending an accused kidnapper could get attorney Josie Bishop killed—but facing the father of her child for the first time in seven years could destroy her heart. Yet when her ex-fiancé, former SEAL Edward "Blade" Harding, shows up at her door ready to offer his protection, she can't deny him. Nor can she deny him the chance to know their son. Then shots are fired at Josie's home and a brick is thrown through her window with a scrawled note that says "Drop the case or pay the price." Now Blade is more determined than ever to protect his newfound family at all costs. But can he overcome his past mistakes in order to make sure they survive their present…and possibly have a future together?
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2017
80 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Rees
40 books34 followersI am an author for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense series. If you enjoy fast paced romance with a dash of Christian faith then dive right in.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 4, 2017
Wow, I am sorry to say that I disliked this book a good deal. The main reason was the heroine, Josie. She was nasty, as well as patronizing. She had it in her head that since he lost his leg and had a prosthesis he needed help rising from a chair or going up the stairs. She kept it up way too long and as time went by I liked her less and less. I hated what she thought of as her parenting technique. She was making a wuss out of her young son.
Blade, our hero, had a much better perception of discipline and how to deal with a rowdy boy. The mother thought the child should just sit still and be quiet. He didn't get to rough and tumble like other little boys did. She saw that as bad, as ineffectual parenting if she let him cut loose. As soon as the father showed up (seven years too late if you ask me) the boy immediately began doing more daring things...without encouragement or being told to and it was always the father's fault in her eyes.
It was crazy! When a book in is the 'Love Inspired' line up I know there will be Christianity involved but this woman didn't even resemble a Christian in any way in my opinion. There was very little she did that would resemble a Christian. She was a negative Nelly, a Debbie downer, a know it all who thought she was the only person who was right. I despised her. There was not enough redemption for her character. Blade gave us a better reflection of faith but I don't know how he could tolerate being around her. There seemed to be a vacancy in the connection department between them. Then all of the sudden between her griping and complaining he loved her.? What?
I cannot recommend.
Blade, our hero, had a much better perception of discipline and how to deal with a rowdy boy. The mother thought the child should just sit still and be quiet. He didn't get to rough and tumble like other little boys did. She saw that as bad, as ineffectual parenting if she let him cut loose. As soon as the father showed up (seven years too late if you ask me) the boy immediately began doing more daring things...without encouragement or being told to and it was always the father's fault in her eyes.
It was crazy! When a book in is the 'Love Inspired' line up I know there will be Christianity involved but this woman didn't even resemble a Christian in any way in my opinion. There was very little she did that would resemble a Christian. She was a negative Nelly, a Debbie downer, a know it all who thought she was the only person who was right. I despised her. There was not enough redemption for her character. Blade gave us a better reflection of faith but I don't know how he could tolerate being around her. There seemed to be a vacancy in the connection department between them. Then all of the sudden between her griping and complaining he loved her.? What?
I cannot recommend.
March 22, 2017
There were many things I liked about this book - the hero, the suspense, the basic plot - but the heroine drove me nuts! As the daughter of someone who is handicapped, I could see her patronizing of Blade from her first interaction and she didn't think she treated him any different?? She does so many things and her attitudes are so annoying that I would have told her off long before Blade did. And then she was offended? All that said, the suspense was strong and the hero was stronger.
January 9, 2017
The Seal’s Secret Child: Navy Seal Defenders #5 was written by Elisabeth Rees. It is about second chances both for a Navy Seal and a man accused of child abduction. Could Attorney Josie Bishop handle both?
Josie Bishop had been in love with Edward Harding and intended to marry him until he was injured in Afghanistan. When he lost his leg, he became a different man and broke his engagement by note and disappeared. Josie was unable to find him and thus was unable to tell him he was to be a father. With the help of her parents, she has spent the last six years raising Archie as a single parent. In addition, she was a public defender who had a definite following. Now she was getting ready for the trial of a man who had been found with a three-year-old girl in his kitchen. He was being tried for child abduction but he said she must have just come into his kitchen and found his cookie jar and sat down to eat. He had been in the living room carving figurines and didn’t know she was there. He had been nice to her when she went by his house and so she just came in. Unfortunately for Norman, he had cerebral palsy and was a recluse. When he did go out, he always wore a long coat to cover his deformity. He was strange to his neighbors so they thought the worst of him. Josie believed him; but someone wanted her to drop the case and was harassing and scaring her. She had police protection; but would it be enough as the harassment escalated?
Blade Harding (Edward) received a letter from a six-year-old boy claiming to be his son. He had seen Blade on television and recognized the name and thought he looked like Blade. He wanted Blade to come meet him and to help his mother keep the “bad men” away. Blade had started to ignore it; but when he saw Josie’s name, he began to wonder if he did have a child. If he did, he needed to be there to protect him and his mother. Blade was curious about Josie as well; but his main interest was Archie. When Blade arrives at their house, a man begins shooting at the house, even with the police outside. Blade rushes to help and finds himself involved in keeping them safe. However, he resents the fact that Josie sees him as an invalid and wants to protect him from getting his leg hurt. Blade has come to the conclusion that he is perfectly fit and had adapted to his prosthesis and his running blade. Can this fact stand between them?
Josie Bishop had been in love with Edward Harding and intended to marry him until he was injured in Afghanistan. When he lost his leg, he became a different man and broke his engagement by note and disappeared. Josie was unable to find him and thus was unable to tell him he was to be a father. With the help of her parents, she has spent the last six years raising Archie as a single parent. In addition, she was a public defender who had a definite following. Now she was getting ready for the trial of a man who had been found with a three-year-old girl in his kitchen. He was being tried for child abduction but he said she must have just come into his kitchen and found his cookie jar and sat down to eat. He had been in the living room carving figurines and didn’t know she was there. He had been nice to her when she went by his house and so she just came in. Unfortunately for Norman, he had cerebral palsy and was a recluse. When he did go out, he always wore a long coat to cover his deformity. He was strange to his neighbors so they thought the worst of him. Josie believed him; but someone wanted her to drop the case and was harassing and scaring her. She had police protection; but would it be enough as the harassment escalated?
Blade Harding (Edward) received a letter from a six-year-old boy claiming to be his son. He had seen Blade on television and recognized the name and thought he looked like Blade. He wanted Blade to come meet him and to help his mother keep the “bad men” away. Blade had started to ignore it; but when he saw Josie’s name, he began to wonder if he did have a child. If he did, he needed to be there to protect him and his mother. Blade was curious about Josie as well; but his main interest was Archie. When Blade arrives at their house, a man begins shooting at the house, even with the police outside. Blade rushes to help and finds himself involved in keeping them safe. However, he resents the fact that Josie sees him as an invalid and wants to protect him from getting his leg hurt. Blade has come to the conclusion that he is perfectly fit and had adapted to his prosthesis and his running blade. Can this fact stand between them?
May 1, 2017
As a rule, I'm not a huge fan of secret baby stories. and that's because I feel there has to be a really good reason for a woman to keep the birth of a baby from its father. It really bothers me when the reason for keeping baby a secret is shallow or self-serving. So, frankly, I wasn't certain about this Love Inspired Suspense story.BUT I'm a big Elisabeth Rees fan so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and I'm so glad I did!
The secret child angle is really well done, and, without giving anything away, I totally bought into the circumstances that left Josie a single mom and Blade unaware that he had fathered a son. It's a pivotal part of the story and creates some luscious tension between Josie and Blade. And Rees got all the protective mama emotions just right. My stomach churned right along with Josie's as she watched her son hero worship his new-found dad.
Blade is a phenomenal hero but I find myself weighing my words because I don't want to post any spoilers. And there are a lot of surprises when it comes to this intrepid hero. But part of the joy of the read is discovering him as the story unfolds so I'm not going to say much more other than...blissful sigh.
Intriguing suspense and heart-hammering action paired with a second second chance romance makes for a lethal combination.
The secret child angle is really well done, and, without giving anything away, I totally bought into the circumstances that left Josie a single mom and Blade unaware that he had fathered a son. It's a pivotal part of the story and creates some luscious tension between Josie and Blade. And Rees got all the protective mama emotions just right. My stomach churned right along with Josie's as she watched her son hero worship his new-found dad.
Blade is a phenomenal hero but I find myself weighing my words because I don't want to post any spoilers. And there are a lot of surprises when it comes to this intrepid hero. But part of the joy of the read is discovering him as the story unfolds so I'm not going to say much more other than...blissful sigh.
Intriguing suspense and heart-hammering action paired with a second second chance romance makes for a lethal combination.
March 9, 2017
This is pretty much your typical "happy ever after" with a good element of suspense thrown in, but the heroine annoyed me a fair bit with some of her attitudes and behaviour.
March 8, 2017
This is the fifth book in the Navy Seal Defenders Series and it is an awesome book. You are probably tired of hearing about my military background and how I love the Seals and other special ops. service teams. Elisabeth does a great job with these books. I'm always excited to get her books. This one is well written, fast paced and full of action. There is always faith filling her stories and I love that. I know you will love this book.
Attorney Josie Bishop is defending an accused kidnapper. This man is accused of kidnapping a three year old girl. Josie knows there is no way this man could have done this but the whole town turns against her as she sets up her defense. She fears for her life and the life of her son. Her son gets on line and finds the father he has never known. He tells his father that his mother is in trouble so his father comes running.
Former Navy Seal Edward (Blade) Harding lost his leg years ago. He saw himself as half a man so leaving a note to his fiance` he took off. He never thought she might carry his child. When he receives an email from a child claiming to be his son and that his mother is in trouble he comes to save them.
There can be no future for them as she still treats him as half a man but he will fight to the death for his family.
A journey of two broken hearts that long to come together but past baggage stands between them. God has a plan for this little family; a plan of forgiveness and restoration. God has a plan for you too. Just surrender your heart to Him and watch Him restore what you have lost. He will make all things whole.
Attorney Josie Bishop is defending an accused kidnapper. This man is accused of kidnapping a three year old girl. Josie knows there is no way this man could have done this but the whole town turns against her as she sets up her defense. She fears for her life and the life of her son. Her son gets on line and finds the father he has never known. He tells his father that his mother is in trouble so his father comes running.
Former Navy Seal Edward (Blade) Harding lost his leg years ago. He saw himself as half a man so leaving a note to his fiance` he took off. He never thought she might carry his child. When he receives an email from a child claiming to be his son and that his mother is in trouble he comes to save them.
There can be no future for them as she still treats him as half a man but he will fight to the death for his family.
A journey of two broken hearts that long to come together but past baggage stands between them. God has a plan for this little family; a plan of forgiveness and restoration. God has a plan for you too. Just surrender your heart to Him and watch Him restore what you have lost. He will make all things whole.
April 3, 2023
I would bother trashing this, but instead I just 'liked' another person's review explaining why this hot mess is to be avoided. And yes, it's *ABSOLUTELY* having to do with patronizing, belittling disabled people, bad parenting, and horrific writing.
I DNF-ed at pg 26, if that's any indication.
More, this is the FIRST book I've ever had to dog-ear FOUR TIMES on one page - having to actually rip the page to do it. I've dog-eared three times on a page before, but this? THIS takes crappy books to a whole new low.
Congratulations, Rees. You succeeded in breaking my record, and in the worst possible way. This should NEVER have been published. It's terrible, and I do not recommend.
I DNF-ed at pg 26, if that's any indication.
More, this is the FIRST book I've ever had to dog-ear FOUR TIMES on one page - having to actually rip the page to do it. I've dog-eared three times on a page before, but this? THIS takes crappy books to a whole new low.
Congratulations, Rees. You succeeded in breaking my record, and in the worst possible way. This should NEVER have been published. It's terrible, and I do not recommend.
January 1, 2021
The SEAL's Secret Child
When Blade was contacted by his estranged wife due to threats to her he is blindsided by the fact that she has kept a secret from him. A son she has never told him they have. He is a disabled vet. Losing part of his lower leg to an IED has placed him in a new category of being disabled. The story shows a different light about an alpha male who even though disabled can still be the best at what he did before and now when his family is in danger he can protect them. Now she will have to decide whether she wants to make a relationship that includes this new him.
When Blade was contacted by his estranged wife due to threats to her he is blindsided by the fact that she has kept a secret from him. A son she has never told him they have. He is a disabled vet. Losing part of his lower leg to an IED has placed him in a new category of being disabled. The story shows a different light about an alpha male who even though disabled can still be the best at what he did before and now when his family is in danger he can protect them. Now she will have to decide whether she wants to make a relationship that includes this new him.
March 9, 2019
The Seal’s Secret Child
Elisabeth Rees
Had a hard time liking Josie at first because of her attitude toward Blade, but she was a work in progress.
Overcoming the loss of part of his leg took a lot for Blade. When his son found him and sent him an email to come protect his mom,it brought them back together after 7 years.
Strong determined characters who butt heads, but come together to fight for what’s right.
From the beginning to the end you find twists and turns that keep you intrigued with all that’s going on until the surprise ending.
Elisabeth Rees
Had a hard time liking Josie at first because of her attitude toward Blade, but she was a work in progress.
Overcoming the loss of part of his leg took a lot for Blade. When his son found him and sent him an email to come protect his mom,it brought them back together after 7 years.
Strong determined characters who butt heads, but come together to fight for what’s right.
From the beginning to the end you find twists and turns that keep you intrigued with all that’s going on until the surprise ending.
April 29, 2025
Can She Survive?
He's a former seal on a mission to protect his ex-fiance and the six year old son he never knew he had. The danger is real, but the enemy is unknown. An exciting story about two parents trying to find common ground after seven years apart while a killer promises retribution. Very enjoyable.
He's a former seal on a mission to protect his ex-fiance and the six year old son he never knew he had. The danger is real, but the enemy is unknown. An exciting story about two parents trying to find common ground after seven years apart while a killer promises retribution. Very enjoyable.
December 4, 2025
Great storyline and has you cheering for the couple!
Your 6 yr old son finds his Dad online and now he is back in your life. Just in time to save your life, if he can. Great store and plenty of angst.
Your 6 yr old son finds his Dad online and now he is back in your life. Just in time to save your life, if he can. Great store and plenty of angst.
August 24, 2017
loved this book. couldn't put it down.
November 6, 2018
awesome suspenseful read
January 5, 2020
Great
Elizabeth Reed really delivers the goods,an amazing story with plenty of action.Thrills,thrills and more thrills.I never even saw that ending coming.
Elizabeth Reed really delivers the goods,an amazing story with plenty of action.Thrills,thrills and more thrills.I never even saw that ending coming.
February 11, 2020
GREAT BOOK
I really enjoyed this book. It was very hard to put it down so I could go to sleep. Thank you
I really enjoyed this book. It was very hard to put it down so I could go to sleep. Thank you
March 21, 2017
Plot: 3.5/5
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
Read
March 1, 2017Miniseries: Navy SEAL Defenders
January 1, 2017
I loved the story. It's hard to understand how to help someone with a disability without making them feel helpless and useless
Read
March 1, 2017Miniseries: Navy SEAL Defenders
May 1, 2017
Was surprised at the story quality, was a fairly good plot and more serious then I expected. Glad it proved me wrong :)
September 24, 2017
This is the 1st book I read by Elisabeth Rees. I liked Archie's character. I thought Archie was adorable. I liked Blade's character. I thought Blade was a stand up guy. I enjoyed reading about Blade's accomplishments. I didn't like Josie's character. I didn't like Josie's attitude, it got on my nerves. I didn't like the way she treated Blade.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews