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Protection, Inc: Defenders #1
Defender Cave Bear
Two damaged people. One deadly enemy.
And a pair of hell-raising flying kittens....
Tirzah hacked into a shady agency’s computers to get proof of their evil deeds...and uncovered a secret so wild it can’t possibly be real.
Shapeshifting supersoldiers on the run from their creators? A lab studying captive mythical creatures? It has to be some bored employee’s fantasy novel. Right?
Then the flying kitten turns up. And the assassins. And the gargoyles.
But just because Tirzah uses a wheelchair doesn’t mean she’s helpless. Okay, so some secret organization is gunning for her? She’s going to gun right back... and she knows exactly who can help her. If she can track him down...
Pete was once a Recon Marine. That was before he was abducted and turned into a monster. Now he's escaped his prison... but in his heart, he’s still in chains.
It’s not just his ferocious cave bear he has to hide. For the safety of everyone - his team of misfit shifters, his family, and especially his thirteen-year-old daughter - no one can discover what his captors did to him.
He can’t let himself get close to anyone.
Until the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen hacks her way through all his defenses, to offer him a job he can’t refuse...
Zoe Chant returns to the thrilling and heartwarming world of Protection, Inc. with a new team of misfit shifters!
And a pair of hell-raising flying kittens....
Tirzah hacked into a shady agency’s computers to get proof of their evil deeds...and uncovered a secret so wild it can’t possibly be real.
Shapeshifting supersoldiers on the run from their creators? A lab studying captive mythical creatures? It has to be some bored employee’s fantasy novel. Right?
Then the flying kitten turns up. And the assassins. And the gargoyles.
But just because Tirzah uses a wheelchair doesn’t mean she’s helpless. Okay, so some secret organization is gunning for her? She’s going to gun right back... and she knows exactly who can help her. If she can track him down...
Pete was once a Recon Marine. That was before he was abducted and turned into a monster. Now he's escaped his prison... but in his heart, he’s still in chains.
It’s not just his ferocious cave bear he has to hide. For the safety of everyone - his team of misfit shifters, his family, and especially his thirteen-year-old daughter - no one can discover what his captors did to him.
He can’t let himself get close to anyone.
Until the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen hacks her way through all his defenses, to offer him a job he can’t refuse...
Zoe Chant returns to the thrilling and heartwarming world of Protection, Inc. with a new team of misfit shifters!
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2019
1550 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Chant
326 books1,509 followersZoe Chant loves writing paranormal romance. Over a cup of tea (or something stronger) she whips up sexy tales of hunky heroes and adventurous heroines to tantalize and satisfy her readers. Sizzling hot romance, no cliffhangers!
While series should ideally be read in order, all of Zoe’s books are standalones and can be read in any order. This includes books within series.
To get a free book for subscribing to her mailing list, please follow this link: https://www.zoechant.com/join-my-mail...
Zoe's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/32545...
While series should ideally be read in order, all of Zoe’s books are standalones and can be read in any order. This includes books within series.
To get a free book for subscribing to her mailing list, please follow this link: https://www.zoechant.com/join-my-mail...
Zoe's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/32545...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
February 3, 2020
5+ stars! A worthwhile read filled with family, trust, true partnership and plenty of action!
This novel ended up being so much more than I expected! There was so much depth in the storyline which was ever-evolving, the characters who were flawed and real, and in the world Zoe created that was intricately layered. This is one of the few novels I've read that featured a disabled but still strong and capable heroine, and I LOVED that! Tizrah was such a smart, independent and capable heroine, and the fact that Pete saw those qualities in her instead of her injury just made me love both of them even more. Pete was such a kind, self-less and protective hero--my favorite qualities--and seeing how he loved his mother, daughter and eventually Tizrah was so amazing.
This book is so much more than "just another shifter book", and I cannot recommend it enough! I will absolutely be reading more of this series and will be going back and reading the prequel series, Protectors Inc., as well as we get to see some of those characters in this world too.
In short: READ THIS BOOK!! ♡
This novel ended up being so much more than I expected! There was so much depth in the storyline which was ever-evolving, the characters who were flawed and real, and in the world Zoe created that was intricately layered. This is one of the few novels I've read that featured a disabled but still strong and capable heroine, and I LOVED that! Tizrah was such a smart, independent and capable heroine, and the fact that Pete saw those qualities in her instead of her injury just made me love both of them even more. Pete was such a kind, self-less and protective hero--my favorite qualities--and seeing how he loved his mother, daughter and eventually Tizrah was so amazing.
This book is so much more than "just another shifter book", and I cannot recommend it enough! I will absolutely be reading more of this series and will be going back and reading the prequel series, Protectors Inc., as well as we get to see some of those characters in this world too.
In short: READ THIS BOOK!! ♡
February 10, 2021
Tirzah is a hacker, a really good hacker and that's what got her in danger. When she is almost kidnapped and the kidnapper wants her to delete a file she stole, she knows that she's on to something big. But after decoding it, she knows she needs help.
Pete Valdez is a retired Marine and had been kidnapped and experimented on. He can now shift into a cave bear but keeps a strong hold on it because he see's himself and his animal as a monster who would hurt others. He now works for the Defenders Security Agency with a couple of other shifters.
Tirzah is a hacker that called herself Override. The file she decoded and opened read like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. It claimed that Secret black ops experiments on kidnapped soldiers gave them super powers and turned into shape shifters. But it was all real because Pete was a cave bear shifter and one of the guys he worked with was a velociraptor shifter.
Tirzah hired Pete from the Defenders Security Agency to keep her safe. But when another shifter comes after her, Pete keeps her safe but gets hurt and they end up back at his place so he can heal. For a moment they think they are out of danger but the danger just keeps coming which gives them time to get to know one another better.
The twists, the flying kittens and the secrets really made this a fun book.
Pete Valdez is a retired Marine and had been kidnapped and experimented on. He can now shift into a cave bear but keeps a strong hold on it because he see's himself and his animal as a monster who would hurt others. He now works for the Defenders Security Agency with a couple of other shifters.
Tirzah is a hacker that called herself Override. The file she decoded and opened read like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. It claimed that Secret black ops experiments on kidnapped soldiers gave them super powers and turned into shape shifters. But it was all real because Pete was a cave bear shifter and one of the guys he worked with was a velociraptor shifter.
Tirzah hired Pete from the Defenders Security Agency to keep her safe. But when another shifter comes after her, Pete keeps her safe but gets hurt and they end up back at his place so he can heal. For a moment they think they are out of danger but the danger just keeps coming which gives them time to get to know one another better.
The twists, the flying kittens and the secrets really made this a fun book.
March 8, 2020
Holy cow!
I selected this for an "Out of your comfort zone" challenge - not because I thought any of it would make me uncomfortable, but because it's so different from what I usually read. But, holy cow! If you are looking for something to distract you from coronavirus, politics, climate change, or songbird loss, this is DEFINITELY what you want. SO much fun. Magical flying unicorns! Velociraptor shapeshifter! Extremely well-described hot guys! Sassy, brilliant, eventually-fearless female characters! You can't beat any of that.
I selected this for an "Out of your comfort zone" challenge - not because I thought any of it would make me uncomfortable, but because it's so different from what I usually read. But, holy cow! If you are looking for something to distract you from coronavirus, politics, climate change, or songbird loss, this is DEFINITELY what you want. SO much fun. Magical flying unicorns! Velociraptor shapeshifter! Extremely well-described hot guys! Sassy, brilliant, eventually-fearless female characters! You can't beat any of that.
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November 22, 2025🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/29/2020)! 🎁
September 29, 2020
When hacktivist Tirzah uncovers a file about a group called "Apex," she's targeted by an assassin, so she looks for a bodyguard -- and the best in town (Protection, Inc.) turn out to be the same men referred to in the "Apex" file. Her hacking into Protection, Inc. doesn't go unnoticed, and she gets a visit from ex-Marine Pete (as well as two strange flying kittens), who has to help save her when the assassin finds her again.
I love the insanity that is the Protection, Inc.: Defenders series. Ex-soldiers who shapeshift into prehistoric and mythic creatures? Flying cactus kittens? A Pegasus that shrinks to toy size? All awesome. Plus, we see the challenges of wheelchair-bound heroine Tirzah, whose "handicaps" have the bad guy underestimating her. This is a great book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
I love the insanity that is the Protection, Inc.: Defenders series. Ex-soldiers who shapeshift into prehistoric and mythic creatures? Flying cactus kittens? A Pegasus that shrinks to toy size? All awesome. Plus, we see the challenges of wheelchair-bound heroine Tirzah, whose "handicaps" have the bad guy underestimating her. This is a great book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
April 16, 2020
Magical and hilarious!
I highly recommend this fantastical imaginative book and the series that inspired it. I adore all the marvelous creatures, both the ones that can shift to human and those that are beyond amazingly magical. Enjoy!
I highly recommend this fantastical imaginative book and the series that inspired it. I adore all the marvelous creatures, both the ones that can shift to human and those that are beyond amazingly magical. Enjoy!
August 24, 2019
This book is a real start to our newest Defender Protectors. I love how over the top these characters and their critters are. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 17, 2023
The couple: Pete and Tirzah
Romance trope: shifters; bodyguard
Series: Protection, Inc: Defenders
Length: 316 pages
Plot: Tirzah is mostly content with her life, even as she works to overcome the challenges of being left in a wheelchair by a car accident. But she discovers, through her computer hacking, information that puts her in danger, so she contacts (in a way) Pete at Protection, Inc. Pete is struggling too; he must come to terms with the experiments that left him part man part cave bear. Maybe they are exactly what the other needs.
Commentary: Flying kittens - that was so adorable! I wish I knew why in particular the mini-pegasus went to Pete's daughter - if there is something about the family that attracts that sort of thing - but I'm glad they were able to bring her into the fold, so to speak. Tirzah and Pete were perfect for each other - he didn't make a big deal about her disability and she didn't make a big deal about his shifter nature.
Also interesting - we hardly ever see a Jewish heroine (or hero, to be honest), and while Tirzah didn't seem observant, there were little hints that she was, at the very least, culturally Jewish, and that was something different.
Previous book in the series: Hamster Dance
Next book in the series: Defender Raptor
Romance trope: shifters; bodyguard
Series: Protection, Inc: Defenders
Length: 316 pages
Plot: Tirzah is mostly content with her life, even as she works to overcome the challenges of being left in a wheelchair by a car accident. But she discovers, through her computer hacking, information that puts her in danger, so she contacts (in a way) Pete at Protection, Inc. Pete is struggling too; he must come to terms with the experiments that left him part man part cave bear. Maybe they are exactly what the other needs.
Commentary: Flying kittens - that was so adorable! I wish I knew why in particular the mini-pegasus went to Pete's daughter - if there is something about the family that attracts that sort of thing - but I'm glad they were able to bring her into the fold, so to speak. Tirzah and Pete were perfect for each other - he didn't make a big deal about her disability and she didn't make a big deal about his shifter nature.
Also interesting - we hardly ever see a Jewish heroine (or hero, to be honest), and while Tirzah didn't seem observant, there were little hints that she was, at the very least, culturally Jewish, and that was something different.
Previous book in the series: Hamster Dance
Next book in the series: Defender Raptor
June 22, 2021
It’s complicated.
Passive writing; bad grammar; huge plot loopholes: yet compelling enough that I kept reading. I flinched at “those ones,” “lowered down” many other poor grammar choices, but Chant’s tension, pacing, and storytelling skills kept me engaged enough to forgive the third grade writing conventions. I finished the book. I don’t regret reading it on Kindle Unlimited, but I won’t buy it.
Passive writing; bad grammar; huge plot loopholes: yet compelling enough that I kept reading. I flinched at “those ones,” “lowered down” many other poor grammar choices, but Chant’s tension, pacing, and storytelling skills kept me engaged enough to forgive the third grade writing conventions. I finished the book. I don’t regret reading it on Kindle Unlimited, but I won’t buy it.
January 10, 2023
This was a good shifter romance, the first in a spin-off series of the Protection, Inc. series -- Protection, Inc: Defenders. It can be read standalone, but will be much more enjoyable if you read the original Protection, Inc. series first (it introduced this Defenders series, and contains characters who are mentioned in this series).
I liked Pete, but got a little frustrated when he simply refused to believe that he should tell his mom and daughter about what had happened to him, and what his work entailed. He was so sure that they could not handle the information -- but it just made them think he didn't love them enough to share. I was glad when he finally realized that he needed to open up to them (thanks partly to Tirzah, but also to his daughter).
I liked Tirzah, too. Normally I wouldn't like hackers, as they are often criminals -- but Tirzah's hacking was only done to bring down corrupt people/businesses. Yes, what she did was still illegal, but she did it to help others, not herself.
I absolutely loved the cute magical animals in this book. They were creative, and so much fun!
One problem I have with all of Zoe Chant's series is that there is so long between books. Lots of times I have to go back and reread some of the earlier books in a series, simply because it has been so long that I don't remember all the characters. That is frustrating. I know Zoe Chant is actually a group of authors, and one person writes all the books in a series -- but I wish the books in a series could be published closer together. In this case, it had been quite some time since I read the original Protection, Inc. series, so I had trouble remembering some details, especially how the Defenders spin-off series was introduced.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
I liked Pete, but got a little frustrated when he simply refused to believe that he should tell his mom and daughter about what had happened to him, and what his work entailed. He was so sure that they could not handle the information -- but it just made them think he didn't love them enough to share. I was glad when he finally realized that he needed to open up to them (thanks partly to Tirzah, but also to his daughter).
I liked Tirzah, too. Normally I wouldn't like hackers, as they are often criminals -- but Tirzah's hacking was only done to bring down corrupt people/businesses. Yes, what she did was still illegal, but she did it to help others, not herself.
I absolutely loved the cute magical animals in this book. They were creative, and so much fun!
One problem I have with all of Zoe Chant's series is that there is so long between books. Lots of times I have to go back and reread some of the earlier books in a series, simply because it has been so long that I don't remember all the characters. That is frustrating. I know Zoe Chant is actually a group of authors, and one person writes all the books in a series -- but I wish the books in a series could be published closer together. In this case, it had been quite some time since I read the original Protection, Inc. series, so I had trouble remembering some details, especially how the Defenders spin-off series was introduced.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
September 26, 2022
Tirzah is a notorious hacker and she is responsible for exposing the crimes of some corporations. As she is heading towards her home, a man invites her to see the building but it was a trap to lock her up and to demand her to delete an encrypted file. Then, she makes an escape by heads home to her apartment. She decides to crack the file where she uncovers
March 2, 2020
This is a spin off of the Protection, Inc series, which is an awesome series and while mention is made to the old team, you don't need to read any of those books before reading this one (Although you should because, again, awesome series). Once again, Zoe Chant does not disappoint- how this author comes up with these imaginative story lines and characters continues to amaze me.
This story revolves around the characters that were first introduced during the last book of the Protection, Inc series, Top Gun Tiger. In this story, a group of men were experimented on and forced to become shifters of unusual animals. We're talking a Cave Bear (obviously) , a velociraptor, a phoenix a hellhound, and other animals to be seen with the future books. These men, the new Protection Inc, are trying to get used to this new forced development while still protecting people. In this book, Tirzah, the heroine, is a hacker who aims to do good. She unwittingly downloads something that puts her in danger but in doing so, she meets Pete, one of the Defenders and they have to overcome so many obstacles. Zoe Chant makes her heroine so strong, smart and admirable. I loved Tirzah. And Pete is a great character as well, who grows emotionally in the story. This is also a great set up to the rest of the series as we're introduced to the bad guys and what their nefarious goals are. And the animals- the little flying animals are my absolute favorites and I can't wait to see what other animals are introduced. Overall, I couldn't put the book down and I really applaud the imagination that went into story development. Can't wait for the next one!!
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
This story revolves around the characters that were first introduced during the last book of the Protection, Inc series, Top Gun Tiger. In this story, a group of men were experimented on and forced to become shifters of unusual animals. We're talking a Cave Bear (obviously) , a velociraptor, a phoenix a hellhound, and other animals to be seen with the future books. These men, the new Protection Inc, are trying to get used to this new forced development while still protecting people. In this book, Tirzah, the heroine, is a hacker who aims to do good. She unwittingly downloads something that puts her in danger but in doing so, she meets Pete, one of the Defenders and they have to overcome so many obstacles. Zoe Chant makes her heroine so strong, smart and admirable. I loved Tirzah. And Pete is a great character as well, who grows emotionally in the story. This is also a great set up to the rest of the series as we're introduced to the bad guys and what their nefarious goals are. And the animals- the little flying animals are my absolute favorites and I can't wait to see what other animals are introduced. Overall, I couldn't put the book down and I really applaud the imagination that went into story development. Can't wait for the next one!!
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
February 14, 2021
Hmmmm. Not my favorite Zoe Chant read of the handful I've tried out.
This one feels a lot like that OC your friend made, the one who is "half demon, half angel, half werewolf, half vampire, and has amazing powers!!!" I guess what I'm trying to say is, there is a lot going on in here and it's A Bit Much. But I've found a lot of this flavor of fiction can get that way—mixing shifters with powers with magic with mythical creatures with science with secret organizations...with...with...with. Yeah, a lot.
Because of this Muchness going on, this story is actually told from 3 points of view: Pete, Tirzah, and Pete's younger teen daughter.
Pete is pretty run of the mill Ex Military Hero™ and while Tirzah was close to Generically Nice, she did have a few fun hobbies and interesting story twists. I thought the way her PTSD and injuries from an accident she suffered prior to the book was handled pretty well, and I appreciated the talks she had with Pete about therapy.
This story seemed a bit long for what it was, but it's low drama, low angst, and a pretty smooth ride, but it is pretty PG-13 when it comes to sexy times and those are pretty sparse (but, ). That seems to be this author's choice when writing though, so I'm not really dinging the rating for that, just pointing it out. Some stories have a touch more, some have less with just fades to black. And this was just entertaining enough to keep me reading. I did enjoy all of the little nods to different movies and shows in this one.
This one feels a lot like that OC your friend made, the one who is "half demon, half angel, half werewolf, half vampire, and has amazing powers!!!" I guess what I'm trying to say is, there is a lot going on in here and it's A Bit Much. But I've found a lot of this flavor of fiction can get that way—mixing shifters with powers with magic with mythical creatures with science with secret organizations...with...with...with. Yeah, a lot.
Because of this Muchness going on, this story is actually told from 3 points of view: Pete, Tirzah, and Pete's younger teen daughter.
Pete is pretty run of the mill Ex Military Hero™ and while Tirzah was close to Generically Nice, she did have a few fun hobbies and interesting story twists. I thought the way her PTSD and injuries from an accident she suffered prior to the book was handled pretty well, and I appreciated the talks she had with Pete about therapy.
This story seemed a bit long for what it was, but it's low drama, low angst, and a pretty smooth ride, but it is pretty PG-13 when it comes to sexy times and those are pretty sparse (but, ). That seems to be this author's choice when writing though, so I'm not really dinging the rating for that, just pointing it out. Some stories have a touch more, some have less with just fades to black. And this was just entertaining enough to keep me reading. I did enjoy all of the little nods to different movies and shows in this one.
October 5, 2020
Tirzah hacked into a shady agency’s computers to get proof of their evil deeds...and uncovered a secret so wild it can’t possibly be real.
Shapeshifting supersoldiers on the run from their creators? A lab studying captive mythical creatures? It has to be some bored employee’s fantasy novel. Right?
Then the flying kitten turns up. And the assassins. And the gargoyles.
But just because Tirzah uses a wheelchair doesn’t mean she’s helpless. Okay, so some secret organization is gunning for her? She’s going to gun right back... and she knows exactly who can help her. If she can track him down...
Pete was once a Recon Marine. That was before he was abducted and turned into a monster. Now he's escaped his prison... but in his heart, he’s still in chains.
It’s not just his ferocious cave bear he has to hide. For the safety of everyone - his team of misfit shifters, his family, and especially his thirteen-year-old daughter - no one can discover what his captors did to him.
He can’t let himself get close to anyone.
Until the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen hacks her way through all his defenses, to offer him a job he can’t refuse...
Heather's Notes
I found this book to a bit of a disappointment. Maybe if I had start with the original series, it would have been better, but instead I was bored. I also didn't feel like a lot really happened. I felt like Pete was not a good MC. I didn't really connect with Tirzah either. I finally finished it, but I doubt I will go further. I will point out I really liked the flying kittens though.
Shapeshifting supersoldiers on the run from their creators? A lab studying captive mythical creatures? It has to be some bored employee’s fantasy novel. Right?
Then the flying kitten turns up. And the assassins. And the gargoyles.
But just because Tirzah uses a wheelchair doesn’t mean she’s helpless. Okay, so some secret organization is gunning for her? She’s going to gun right back... and she knows exactly who can help her. If she can track him down...
Pete was once a Recon Marine. That was before he was abducted and turned into a monster. Now he's escaped his prison... but in his heart, he’s still in chains.
It’s not just his ferocious cave bear he has to hide. For the safety of everyone - his team of misfit shifters, his family, and especially his thirteen-year-old daughter - no one can discover what his captors did to him.
He can’t let himself get close to anyone.
Until the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen hacks her way through all his defenses, to offer him a job he can’t refuse...
Heather's Notes
I found this book to a bit of a disappointment. Maybe if I had start with the original series, it would have been better, but instead I was bored. I also didn't feel like a lot really happened. I felt like Pete was not a good MC. I didn't really connect with Tirzah either. I finally finished it, but I doubt I will go further. I will point out I really liked the flying kittens though.
Read
January 19, 2025I should leave 1 star. But I'm trying to be nice in the new year and not leave low star reviews. I didn't realize this was the same author as the firefighter ones or I'd have avoided it altogether. As it is I barely made it 15% before throwing in the towel. How can you make a book with a flying kitten boring? The inanity was also off the charts. A supposedly world renowned hacker that has blown open several huge stories, 1 directly affecting people he knows, and he doesn't know it. Also, her just laying it out there? Not exactly hiding her light under a bushel is she? And he isn't much better. Blabbing about some things but others be hides, and neither makes sense. She takes no protective measures, considering her career. A run down apartment that you just know doesn't have an adequate power supply - because seriously, what run down apartment building does? So how's she happily powering all those laptops? And not a mention of a main computer. Yes you can do a lot with a laptop but there is only so much memory space on one. Not to mention video card strength, and other issues that would arise. Most hackers, or even just serious gamers have a built-themselves franken-puter that has all the bells and whistles. Things a laptop just can't do. But anyway, the dialogue is weird, there must be a lot of world building from the previous series which was not mentioned in the blurb as having need to be read first, and the characters are not what was promised in the blurb. I will pay attention to names.more and just avoid anything by this author to spare us both the headaches.
February 13, 2022
On to the newest division of Protection, Inc. The rag-tag crew is struggling to get their new adventure off the ground, while dealing with major trauma from their captive ordeal. Pete is struggling with his Bear, and the well of rage that simmers deep. He's keeping secrets from his mom and daughter, trying to protect them. It's not going that well. Caro is now a teenager, and with his new gift ... it hurts to touch people.
Tirzah is also adjusting to a new reality, finding herself in a wheelchair, and only able to stand for brief moments. She's got skills though. She's an excellent hacker, who finds herself kidnapped and told to delete a file she downloaded. Realizing there's more to it than she though, and that the kidnapper doesn't intend to "let her go". She escapes, cracks the file, and realizes she needs a body guard. When her search for the best reveals men she just cracked the code on... she hacks them for more info.
Needless to say, Carter ... who doesn't work for the team, thank you very much ... catches her, and Pete goes storming over ... only to be come completely smitten with her. The ability for them to recognize their mates was supposed to be severed, but Pete is definitely drawn to her.
So ... he's on the case, at the disappointment of his daughter. It's an excellent weave of damaged characters finding their strengths in each other. Adorable magic kittens and a mini Pegasus just adds to the charm of this story. A few from Protection, Inc. actually make an appearance when Pete gets hurt, which was fun to see them pop in.
Protection, Inc.: Defenders has a ways to go to establish a cohesive team, but the opening was a great start to a new team.
Tirzah is also adjusting to a new reality, finding herself in a wheelchair, and only able to stand for brief moments. She's got skills though. She's an excellent hacker, who finds herself kidnapped and told to delete a file she downloaded. Realizing there's more to it than she though, and that the kidnapper doesn't intend to "let her go". She escapes, cracks the file, and realizes she needs a body guard. When her search for the best reveals men she just cracked the code on... she hacks them for more info.
Needless to say, Carter ... who doesn't work for the team, thank you very much ... catches her, and Pete goes storming over ... only to be come completely smitten with her. The ability for them to recognize their mates was supposed to be severed, but Pete is definitely drawn to her.
So ... he's on the case, at the disappointment of his daughter. It's an excellent weave of damaged characters finding their strengths in each other. Adorable magic kittens and a mini Pegasus just adds to the charm of this story. A few from Protection, Inc. actually make an appearance when Pete gets hurt, which was fun to see them pop in.
Protection, Inc.: Defenders has a ways to go to establish a cohesive team, but the opening was a great start to a new team.
February 14, 2023
I wanted to love this book more than I actually did, and I'm slightly sad about this.
On the one hand, I loved the diversity in the cast: Pete is Latino, and Tirzah is Jewish and disabled. I also love the concept of the flying kittens. And that Tirzah is so damn competent. And some of the points the book makes about accessibility, and about believing people with lived experience when they tell you something is or isn't a problem for them.
BUT. I got so damn frustrated with Pete's refusal to speak honestly with the people he cared about. And Caro may well be a realistic portrayal of a 13-year old, but I spent half the scenes where she was on-page feeling my inner teenager just rolling my eyes at her. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel like the whole flying kittens thing was overdone. I said I loved the concept, and I did. But I also felt like there was way too much page-time focussing on them and their antics, and not enough on moving the plot forward.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed some of the Protector's Inc series. I'm hoping the series improves from here though.
On the one hand, I loved the diversity in the cast: Pete is Latino, and Tirzah is Jewish and disabled. I also love the concept of the flying kittens. And that Tirzah is so damn competent. And some of the points the book makes about accessibility, and about believing people with lived experience when they tell you something is or isn't a problem for them.
BUT. I got so damn frustrated with Pete's refusal to speak honestly with the people he cared about. And Caro may well be a realistic portrayal of a 13-year old, but I spent half the scenes where she was on-page feeling my inner teenager just rolling my eyes at her. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel like the whole flying kittens thing was overdone. I said I loved the concept, and I did. But I also felt like there was way too much page-time focussing on them and their antics, and not enough on moving the plot forward.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed some of the Protector's Inc series. I'm hoping the series improves from here though.
April 28, 2023
The Protection Inc: Defenders series is a spin-off of the Protection Inc. series, and mentions activities, conflicts, and characters that were in that series. I would advise reading it first.
That being said, this series is very different in tone. It's a lot more lightweight and humorous, and the characters are a lot more likeable. There's also a lot more long passages about their feelings, for better or worse.
Each of the Defender bodyguards were experimented on by wizard-scientists and were present when magical animals were released in the last book of Protection Inc. Each character has a shift animal and two powers and at least one power is screwed up because the wizard-scientists tried to cut the mate bond. The mate bond was a weak point in the previous bad guys' dastardly plans. So when each of our troop of misfits meets his mate, they don't recognize her immediately, but when they're bonded, their powers are also straightened out. They also get magical animals coming to them and bonding.
Pretty good. There are characters with disabilities respectfully depicted. All the women are strong, all the men handsome, kind, and nurturing. Nice fantasy.
That being said, this series is very different in tone. It's a lot more lightweight and humorous, and the characters are a lot more likeable. There's also a lot more long passages about their feelings, for better or worse.
Each of the Defender bodyguards were experimented on by wizard-scientists and were present when magical animals were released in the last book of Protection Inc. Each character has a shift animal and two powers and at least one power is screwed up because the wizard-scientists tried to cut the mate bond. The mate bond was a weak point in the previous bad guys' dastardly plans. So when each of our troop of misfits meets his mate, they don't recognize her immediately, but when they're bonded, their powers are also straightened out. They also get magical animals coming to them and bonding.
Pretty good. There are characters with disabilities respectfully depicted. All the women are strong, all the men handsome, kind, and nurturing. Nice fantasy.
March 29, 2020
Cave Bear to the Rescue?
Fantasy, magic, and shifters that weren't born that way. This is a new paranormal world of humans experimented on, first for the military, then, apparently, some magical council of wizards. They have escaped from their manipulators and now have created an agency called Protection, Inc. Agent Pete Valdez, is living with his mom and his daughter. He's mentally carrying a load of baggage and then finds his laptop's been hijacked. Tirza Lowenstein is a computer genius. When she intercepts a dangerous computer file she realizes immediately she's in trouble. Her method to secure a bodyguard is unusual, but brings Pete running. The adventures they encounter as they try to keep Tirza safe are fantastical and mysterious, involving mythical and evolving creatures, who actually save the day. This is an interesting and intriguing story. Leaves you wanting more.
Fantasy, magic, and shifters that weren't born that way. This is a new paranormal world of humans experimented on, first for the military, then, apparently, some magical council of wizards. They have escaped from their manipulators and now have created an agency called Protection, Inc. Agent Pete Valdez, is living with his mom and his daughter. He's mentally carrying a load of baggage and then finds his laptop's been hijacked. Tirza Lowenstein is a computer genius. When she intercepts a dangerous computer file she realizes immediately she's in trouble. Her method to secure a bodyguard is unusual, but brings Pete running. The adventures they encounter as they try to keep Tirza safe are fantastical and mysterious, involving mythical and evolving creatures, who actually save the day. This is an interesting and intriguing story. Leaves you wanting more.
April 22, 2022
Wonderful Start of Spin-off Series!
The Defenders Series is a spin-off of the Protection, Inc series. Am planning to backtrack to the Protection, Inc series before reading Book 2 of Defenders Series which is Merlin's story. Generally I enjoy Zoe Chant storytelling talent so was surprised to read her other pen name is Lia Silver. Will have to make a note to research her books.
Defender Cave Bear was an enjoyable action/romance that introduced a highly functional and successful mobility challenged heroine. I especially enjoyed her strengths and optimism. The hero's family and background served to reflect his awareness of the challenges of family and need to protect them.
As always I want to thank Ms. Chant and all authors for sharing their talent and imagination with us. Also to thank Amazon for the Kindle Unlimited (KU) service which is a devote readers dream subscription! Plus KU is helping to save a huge amount of trees normally used for making paper.
The Defenders Series is a spin-off of the Protection, Inc series. Am planning to backtrack to the Protection, Inc series before reading Book 2 of Defenders Series which is Merlin's story. Generally I enjoy Zoe Chant storytelling talent so was surprised to read her other pen name is Lia Silver. Will have to make a note to research her books.
Defender Cave Bear was an enjoyable action/romance that introduced a highly functional and successful mobility challenged heroine. I especially enjoyed her strengths and optimism. The hero's family and background served to reflect his awareness of the challenges of family and need to protect them.
As always I want to thank Ms. Chant and all authors for sharing their talent and imagination with us. Also to thank Amazon for the Kindle Unlimited (KU) service which is a devote readers dream subscription! Plus KU is helping to save a huge amount of trees normally used for making paper.
October 7, 2020
Wonderful
I'm not usually a paranormal romance reader, but the mention of flying kittens caught my attention. This was a delightful, sometimes very funny book with great characters. Tirzah isn't a usual heroine. She's in a wheelchair having had a severe accident, but she's a fighter with a secret identity.
Pete is a caring concerned dad who feels he can't share what happened to him with his mother and teen daughter, making his daughter feel unloved just when she got her dad back in her life.
The writing is spot on when dealing with family dynamics and adolescent emotions. The action is compelling and exciting when the villains attack. It was very hard to stop reading until the end.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these Protectors. Thanks, Zoe!
I'm not usually a paranormal romance reader, but the mention of flying kittens caught my attention. This was a delightful, sometimes very funny book with great characters. Tirzah isn't a usual heroine. She's in a wheelchair having had a severe accident, but she's a fighter with a secret identity.
Pete is a caring concerned dad who feels he can't share what happened to him with his mother and teen daughter, making his daughter feel unloved just when she got her dad back in her life.
The writing is spot on when dealing with family dynamics and adolescent emotions. The action is compelling and exciting when the villains attack. It was very hard to stop reading until the end.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these Protectors. Thanks, Zoe!
May 11, 2021
I love Zoe Chant books and this one is no exception. All of the shifters she creates are loyal, upstanding, loving, all around good people who generally want to make the world a better place. The book is also funny so the shifter main character, Pete, is also kind of flailing around as a shifter (he was experimented on and created rather than born a shifter). He is often self-deprecating, aware of his flaws and trying his best anyways. This is the story of Pete, a single father who can turn into a cave bear who is in pain every time someone touches him and Tirzah, who is a wheel chair bound hacker who accidentally hacks into the database detailing the experiments that created the defenders. Tirzah comes to the group after her discovery when someone tries to kill her so that the defenders can protect her. The book is low angst and has a little bit of everything - sweet moments, a bit of steam, a bit of dangerous action, family drama, painful pasts, and laugh out loud moments. Plus there are magical pets. Experiencing the journey of Pete and Tirzah as they fall in love and work through their individual issues to get to their HEA gave me all the feels - you will definitely laugh, cry, swoon, gasp, and happy sigh.
August 25, 2024
Suspenseful and Fun
Title: Defender Cave Bear
Author: Zoe Chant
Format: ebook
Genre: paranormal romantic suspense, mates, shifter (bear), single dad, military, bodyguard
Standalone: yes
Part of a Series: Protection, Inc: Defenders #1
POV: Tirzah, Pete, Caro
Steam Level: mild
4/5
Defender Cave Bear is the first book in the Protection since series, a spinoff to the Defenders Inc series. However it was a complete standalone. I liked that the main female character was in a wheelchair and also portrayed as confident and capable. At times her strength really shined through. This book was a fun escape. Not much steam but quite a bit of action that started from the beginning and continued throughput.
Title: Defender Cave Bear
Author: Zoe Chant
Format: ebook
Genre: paranormal romantic suspense, mates, shifter (bear), single dad, military, bodyguard
Standalone: yes
Part of a Series: Protection, Inc: Defenders #1
POV: Tirzah, Pete, Caro
Steam Level: mild
4/5
Defender Cave Bear is the first book in the Protection since series, a spinoff to the Defenders Inc series. However it was a complete standalone. I liked that the main female character was in a wheelchair and also portrayed as confident and capable. At times her strength really shined through. This book was a fun escape. Not much steam but quite a bit of action that started from the beginning and continued throughput.
April 4, 2020
What fun!
I truly enjoyed this book. Most of the time I was smiling or laughing, and at other times I was remembering being young and knew exactly how I'd feel if a kitten with wings landed on my window. It's got an interesting story and characters that I want to meet in real life. Well, not all of them! This is book #1 and I didn't realize that a series before this one is the backstory to this series. It's definitely not mandatory to read but I think I'm going back in time. The characters from those books that we met in this one made it sound very much worth it, and I can't help myself!
I truly enjoyed this book. Most of the time I was smiling or laughing, and at other times I was remembering being young and knew exactly how I'd feel if a kitten with wings landed on my window. It's got an interesting story and characters that I want to meet in real life. Well, not all of them! This is book #1 and I didn't realize that a series before this one is the backstory to this series. It's definitely not mandatory to read but I think I'm going back in time. The characters from those books that we met in this one made it sound very much worth it, and I can't help myself!
July 18, 2020
Yummy new shifter series.
Pete x-combat marine now body guard, has a huge secret, he is a cave bear shifter, turned against his will.
Taz, is a young woman, with secrets, who needs a body guard, after her alter ego copied a super secret file, that almost got her killed.
A super fast paced romance and action packed story, with more shifter, and an amazing assortment of magical and mythical animals and a deadly threat from wizards.
Read to see how it all entwines into a book that will keep you reading till the end. 3 AM in my case well worth the loss of sleep.
Try it, see what you think, while I dive into Merlin's story. Second in the series. Happy reading
Pete x-combat marine now body guard, has a huge secret, he is a cave bear shifter, turned against his will.
Taz, is a young woman, with secrets, who needs a body guard, after her alter ego copied a super secret file, that almost got her killed.
A super fast paced romance and action packed story, with more shifter, and an amazing assortment of magical and mythical animals and a deadly threat from wizards.
Read to see how it all entwines into a book that will keep you reading till the end. 3 AM in my case well worth the loss of sleep.
Try it, see what you think, while I dive into Merlin's story. Second in the series. Happy reading
November 8, 2020
Wacky, sexy, funny spinoff to a great series. If Protection Inc on the west coast is the A team, Protectors Inc Defenders is definitely the misfits. While reading the first series isn't required to enjoy this one, they are linked and the stories are interconnected - plus both are fun reads! Tirzah hacker extraordinaire needs a bodyguard and what she finds about Protectors, Inc convince her they're the firm for the job. Pete doesn't take kindly to being hacked but once he meets Tirzah knows he has to protect her. As their secrets are revealed, hijinks and sexy times ensue. They may be misfits but this is the team you want on your side when things go bad.
May 19, 2020
Great read!
This was a fun quick read. I haven’t read the previous serious (yet) but I’m excited to get more familiar with this author and her books. One little hiccup was sometimes words were missing and there were tiny grammar things. I still enjoyed the book immensely but if those things throw you, then heads up. I absolutely loved the representation in this book! I love how Tirzahs disability was handled and I love how Pete never treated her like she was incapable of doing things for herself, it was really sweet to see them grow together! ❤️
This was a fun quick read. I haven’t read the previous serious (yet) but I’m excited to get more familiar with this author and her books. One little hiccup was sometimes words were missing and there were tiny grammar things. I still enjoyed the book immensely but if those things throw you, then heads up. I absolutely loved the representation in this book! I love how Tirzahs disability was handled and I love how Pete never treated her like she was incapable of doing things for herself, it was really sweet to see them grow together! ❤️
August 1, 2023
Exciting start to a series
This first book of the series is so exciting and fun to read. I think we all wish we could have bodyguards like Tirzah's. I know I would. Pete is her mate and he is a cave bear. This is a story that will transcend through time. It is also the story that teaches a parent who tries to protect their family members from the truth can end up with it backfiring. Luckily Caro was raised with enough self worth she easily fit right in with all the crazy.
This first book of the series is so exciting and fun to read. I think we all wish we could have bodyguards like Tirzah's. I know I would. Pete is her mate and he is a cave bear. This is a story that will transcend through time. It is also the story that teaches a parent who tries to protect their family members from the truth can end up with it backfiring. Luckily Caro was raised with enough self worth she easily fit right in with all the crazy.
March 5, 2020
Tirzah is determined to expose the wrongs of the world, one hack at a time. Pete is struggling to accept the changes in his life. Someone is out to get them both. Will they be able to escape it? Will they allow love to blossom?
Loved how despite their limitations, both were still determined to do what they could. I loved the fact that they both healed each other and were able to show the other that they were stronger than they thought! Cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Loved how despite their limitations, both were still determined to do what they could. I loved the fact that they both healed each other and were able to show the other that they were stronger than they thought! Cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2020
Fun with action
I’ve not, that I remember, read a book about a main female character differently abled person who uses a wheelchair for mobility. It was written in somewhat flawlessly to make it authentic and still a characteristic like dark hair and brown eyes. The heroine being of Jewish decent (not religious) is also unique. The story is pretty fast paced. Our male lead has a teenaged daughter and mom in the story as well. It’s a great fun afternoon read
I’ve not, that I remember, read a book about a main female character differently abled person who uses a wheelchair for mobility. It was written in somewhat flawlessly to make it authentic and still a characteristic like dark hair and brown eyes. The heroine being of Jewish decent (not religious) is also unique. The story is pretty fast paced. Our male lead has a teenaged daughter and mom in the story as well. It’s a great fun afternoon read
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