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Protecting Stella
For police officer Stella Hunt, a routine patrol ends when a roadside encounter brings her face to face with a dangerous stranger. Shots are fired and, in the ensuing bloody mess, she's catapulted into a world of conspiracy and hate.
Former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is having a bad day. A covert op gone sideways means the only way to live another day is to abduct a cop. What he hadn't counted on was his heart getting hijacked by the fiery officer with mesmerizing blue eyes.
Captor.
Savior.
Lines are crossed and emotions become blurred.
Jake's actions put a target on Stella's back.
And when the price of freedom becomes too high, she must decide whether to leave or stay.
As for Jake, the mission was everything before Stella.
Now salvaging the op is secondary to protecting her at all costs.
Former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is having a bad day. A covert op gone sideways means the only way to live another day is to abduct a cop. What he hadn't counted on was his heart getting hijacked by the fiery officer with mesmerizing blue eyes.
Captor.
Savior.
Lines are crossed and emotions become blurred.
Jake's actions put a target on Stella's back.
And when the price of freedom becomes too high, she must decide whether to leave or stay.
As for Jake, the mission was everything before Stella.
Now salvaging the op is secondary to protecting her at all costs.
- GenresRomanceRomantic Suspense
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2020
333 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Paige
32 books1,050 followersVictoria Paige writes smart, edgy, seductive romance.
Her heroes are badass alpha males and her smart, strong-willed heroines can hold their own against a bossy hero. Her books are sexually explicit and may contain dark themes, morally ambiguous choices, and disturbing situations as she injects realism into her stories and gives them her own twist.
Victoria lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and playful German Shepherd Dog, Loki.
Find her at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriapaig...
Twitter: @vpaigebooks
Join my newsletter for new release info, extended epilogues, giveaways and other freebies: https://www.subscribepage.com/victori...
Her heroes are badass alpha males and her smart, strong-willed heroines can hold their own against a bossy hero. Her books are sexually explicit and may contain dark themes, morally ambiguous choices, and disturbing situations as she injects realism into her stories and gives them her own twist.
Victoria lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and playful German Shepherd Dog, Loki.
Find her at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriapaig...
Twitter: @vpaigebooks
Join my newsletter for new release info, extended epilogues, giveaways and other freebies: https://www.subscribepage.com/victori...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 11, 2020
The mission…or, Protecting Stella…
In Victoria Paige’s usual style, we have a fast-paced, sexy story with a hero that falls fast and a heroine that’s more Fighter Girl than damsel in distress. Jake and Stella meet in unusual circumstances that quickly becomes dangerous. Stella is a police officer on night patrol and Jake is working undercover to bust an arms dealer. Stella is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets hauled into Jake’s mission…kicking and screaming.
Jake is a very possessive and protective man who suddenly finds his priorities out of whack. He knows that the mission is important but keeping Stella safe has now become ever more important. His little Fighter wants in on the action, but he can’t do his job when he’s worried about her safety. It doesn’t make sense to Jake that the woman he’s known for hours has gotten under his skin. Whatever it takes, Jake will be Protecting Stella, because he plans to keep her forever.
Stella can’t believe her kidnapper is the man she felt an instant attraction to only minutes earlier. He says he’s one of the good guys but Stella’s going to need some serious convincing before she trusts him. Luckily, Stella has friends in high places and when they find out she’s been kidnapped, bombs are about to go off.
The highlight of reading Protecting Stella was getting to catch up with the Guardians again and ‘seeing’ Viktor Baran. He is one of my favourite characters that Victoria Paige has created. He’s cold, calculating, a wee bit devious, and appears when you least expect it. We also get to ‘see’ Maia again when she comes in to help with the mission. She’s still cool and controlled. This revisit is making me want to re-read their stories. Ms Paige, have you ever thought of audio?
While I enjoyed reading Protecting Stella,I don’t think it being novella-length does this story justice. For starters, love happens too quickly, and I was rolling my eyes with the intense feelings Jake felt for Stella. Sure, I get lust, but love after three days is a bit full-on. I needed to see Jake and Stella together for a bit longer before I could believe their happy ever after.
Protecting Stella was a great story that kept my attention from start to finish. Jake and Stella had some serious chemistry and their sexy times were HOT! I loved revisiting some of my favourite characters and thought Stella’s grandmother was a crack up.
If you’re looking for an action-packed love story and don’t mind a bit of insta-loving, I highly recommend giving Protecting Stella a try.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
In Victoria Paige’s usual style, we have a fast-paced, sexy story with a hero that falls fast and a heroine that’s more Fighter Girl than damsel in distress. Jake and Stella meet in unusual circumstances that quickly becomes dangerous. Stella is a police officer on night patrol and Jake is working undercover to bust an arms dealer. Stella is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets hauled into Jake’s mission…kicking and screaming.
Jake is a very possessive and protective man who suddenly finds his priorities out of whack. He knows that the mission is important but keeping Stella safe has now become ever more important. His little Fighter wants in on the action, but he can’t do his job when he’s worried about her safety. It doesn’t make sense to Jake that the woman he’s known for hours has gotten under his skin. Whatever it takes, Jake will be Protecting Stella, because he plans to keep her forever.
Stella can’t believe her kidnapper is the man she felt an instant attraction to only minutes earlier. He says he’s one of the good guys but Stella’s going to need some serious convincing before she trusts him. Luckily, Stella has friends in high places and when they find out she’s been kidnapped, bombs are about to go off.
The highlight of reading Protecting Stella was getting to catch up with the Guardians again and ‘seeing’ Viktor Baran. He is one of my favourite characters that Victoria Paige has created. He’s cold, calculating, a wee bit devious, and appears when you least expect it. We also get to ‘see’ Maia again when she comes in to help with the mission. She’s still cool and controlled. This revisit is making me want to re-read their stories. Ms Paige, have you ever thought of audio?
While I enjoyed reading Protecting Stella,I don’t think it being novella-length does this story justice. For starters, love happens too quickly, and I was rolling my eyes with the intense feelings Jake felt for Stella. Sure, I get lust, but love after three days is a bit full-on. I needed to see Jake and Stella together for a bit longer before I could believe their happy ever after.
Protecting Stella was a great story that kept my attention from start to finish. Jake and Stella had some serious chemistry and their sexy times were HOT! I loved revisiting some of my favourite characters and thought Stella’s grandmother was a crack up.
If you’re looking for an action-packed love story and don’t mind a bit of insta-loving, I highly recommend giving Protecting Stella a try.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
October 21, 2022
A Fun Crossover Story
Victoria Paige has written a romantic suspense novella from the world of Susan Stoker’s Special Forces series and Ms. Paige's Guardians series. It was a lot of fun to read, and I always enjoy seeing any of the characters from the Guardians series make another appearance. (Yay Viktor!)
Stella Hunt is finding her way in a difficult profession during her first year as a police officer. She faces her first dangerous encounter when a suspicious Jake Banning crosses her path during a routine patrol. Former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is excited to prove himself on his first covert op for the Guardians Services when suddenly everything goes sideways. Panic ensues and sparks fly as Jake resorts to kidnapping Stella to save the op and the feisty, determined officer. Now they have to figure out how to proceed while feeling a bit out of their depth and yet determined to do what they both consider the right thing.
Stark reality sets in when you are suddenly learning on a job with lives at risk and inconvenient feelings starting to interfere with your judgement. It’s all very precarious when someone really special causes your priorities to change or calls into question your career choices. Stella may be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Jake needs her cooperation and her expertise to safely get through this mission together. And who knows where these inconvenient passionate feelings will lead them.
As usual the story took some unexpected twists that I’ve come to expect from this author, and that always enriches the reading experience. I liked seeing these young characters explore the other possibilities that are wide open in their future careers and relationship. Stella and Jake learn that life goals and dreams can change if you’re willing to adjust to your strengths and weaknesses and make room for an amazing new love life. I really appreciated the nice epilogue that was included at the end. It was fun to read about Stella’s cute grandmother too. The story had a good balance of suspense and romance to make for a satisfying escape in my book world.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Copy.
Victoria Paige has written a romantic suspense novella from the world of Susan Stoker’s Special Forces series and Ms. Paige's Guardians series. It was a lot of fun to read, and I always enjoy seeing any of the characters from the Guardians series make another appearance. (Yay Viktor!)
Stella Hunt is finding her way in a difficult profession during her first year as a police officer. She faces her first dangerous encounter when a suspicious Jake Banning crosses her path during a routine patrol. Former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is excited to prove himself on his first covert op for the Guardians Services when suddenly everything goes sideways. Panic ensues and sparks fly as Jake resorts to kidnapping Stella to save the op and the feisty, determined officer. Now they have to figure out how to proceed while feeling a bit out of their depth and yet determined to do what they both consider the right thing.
Stark reality sets in when you are suddenly learning on a job with lives at risk and inconvenient feelings starting to interfere with your judgement. It’s all very precarious when someone really special causes your priorities to change or calls into question your career choices. Stella may be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Jake needs her cooperation and her expertise to safely get through this mission together. And who knows where these inconvenient passionate feelings will lead them.
As usual the story took some unexpected twists that I’ve come to expect from this author, and that always enriches the reading experience. I liked seeing these young characters explore the other possibilities that are wide open in their future careers and relationship. Stella and Jake learn that life goals and dreams can change if you’re willing to adjust to your strengths and weaknesses and make room for an amazing new love life. I really appreciated the nice epilogue that was included at the end. It was fun to read about Stella’s cute grandmother too. The story had a good balance of suspense and romance to make for a satisfying escape in my book world.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Copy.
May 12, 2020
I loved this! Jake and Stella were great together. They had strong chemistry from the start.
Stella gets into a risky situation. She's a rookie cop.
Jake is the hero, but Stella, the heroine holds her own very well.
I loved the Guardians series & I missed them!
I love Viktor. I picture him with broad shoulders and a hairy chest. LOL
This is 3rd person POV which is perfect for this story.
A real page turner. Double crossing, intrigue. Hot... Jake! Of course. Talk about big hunky guy with broad shoulders.
Great ending and epilogue!
Ok, Ms Paige... I want more.
NOW Live on Kindle Unlimited
Stella gets into a risky situation. She's a rookie cop.
Jake is the hero, but Stella, the heroine holds her own very well.
I loved the Guardians series & I missed them!
I love Viktor. I picture him with broad shoulders and a hairy chest. LOL
This is 3rd person POV which is perfect for this story.
A real page turner. Double crossing, intrigue. Hot... Jake! Of course. Talk about big hunky guy with broad shoulders.
Great ending and epilogue!
Ok, Ms Paige... I want more.
NOW Live on Kindle Unlimited
July 18, 2021
Stella is a rookie cop. Fresh on her shift she spies two men in the convience store she frequented. The taller of the two "The Mountain Man" caught her eye. Who knew that unscripted meeting would lead to her most serious assignment.
Buckle up butter cups...if you want a suspenseful fire of a life time, well Victoria Paige will give you just that with book. Enjoy the crazy ride of Stella and Jake. Also, this is a Special Forces: Operation Alpha book. We are so lucky to be graced with Susan Stoker characters.
Buckle up butter cups...if you want a suspenseful fire of a life time, well Victoria Paige will give you just that with book. Enjoy the crazy ride of Stella and Jake. Also, this is a Special Forces: Operation Alpha book. We are so lucky to be graced with Susan Stoker characters.
May 6, 2020
I love this book. Jake and Stella are great together. I was very happy to that Victoria Paige brought in Tex, Wolf and Caroline from Susan Stoker's books and Maia , Viktor & Marcus from her other Guardians books. I loved the humor in the book. It was just altogether very well written.
May 14, 2020
Stella is a cop. While on duty, she stops at a convenience store. Two men come in. One catches her eye. Later, she comes upon these two and ends up shooting one of them and the other kidnaps her.
Jake works for Guardians and is undercover. He noticed the cop at the convenience store. He can't believe she just shot the guy who could get him to the boss he needed to find. He didn't think, he just took her. Now Wolf and Tex just broke in and found them.
Jake and Stella are working together to take down the guy that wants his weapons back. Stella had figured out she is being set up. Jake will do whatever he has to do to protect Stella.
Will they find out who is behind setting her up? Will they bring down the man after her? Will Jake and Stella figure out their relationship?
Jake works for Guardians and is undercover. He noticed the cop at the convenience store. He can't believe she just shot the guy who could get him to the boss he needed to find. He didn't think, he just took her. Now Wolf and Tex just broke in and found them.
Jake and Stella are working together to take down the guy that wants his weapons back. Stella had figured out she is being set up. Jake will do whatever he has to do to protect Stella.
Will they find out who is behind setting her up? Will they bring down the man after her? Will Jake and Stella figure out their relationship?
May 13, 2020
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of "PROTECTING STELLA" I love this Guardians series Victoria Paige knows how to write about hot alpha heroes that take control of the situation which is what Jake Banning did when things were going to sh*t.
Stella Hunt is a cop not to her Gram Pearls approval she doesn't like her job and has made it well known out on patrol she stops at Hamid and Soosan's store to get something to eat this where she meets two men Tom Gould snd Jake Banning for first time her spidey senses go off alerting her to maybe a problem.
Stella ends up seeing the Black Van that left the store on the side of the road and Jake had to control the situation because the Schneider men are suppose to meet them to get the guns tbey have in the Van.
Jake is ex-military working for the Guardians undercover on a mission Special Op there looking onto the Cartel he had to convince Stella after taking her hostage when she kills Tom Gould to save her they head to the safe house.
Stella has people in high place that will do anything when they find out she's missing which could put Jakes operation in danger he'll do anything to protect Stella seems she's gotten under his skin and become a priority to his mission,
I loved the scorching hot chemistry between Jake and Stella she was one sassy, feisty, take no sh*t from anyone kind of girl I liked his nickname for her "Fighter Girl" she was all of 5 foot nothing and he was huge well over 6 feet and built.
I definitely recommend to this book this entire series is a must read with great interesting, entertainING well developed characters so well worth the read it won't disappoint.
Stella Hunt is a cop not to her Gram Pearls approval she doesn't like her job and has made it well known out on patrol she stops at Hamid and Soosan's store to get something to eat this where she meets two men Tom Gould snd Jake Banning for first time her spidey senses go off alerting her to maybe a problem.
Stella ends up seeing the Black Van that left the store on the side of the road and Jake had to control the situation because the Schneider men are suppose to meet them to get the guns tbey have in the Van.
Jake is ex-military working for the Guardians undercover on a mission Special Op there looking onto the Cartel he had to convince Stella after taking her hostage when she kills Tom Gould to save her they head to the safe house.
Stella has people in high place that will do anything when they find out she's missing which could put Jakes operation in danger he'll do anything to protect Stella seems she's gotten under his skin and become a priority to his mission,
I loved the scorching hot chemistry between Jake and Stella she was one sassy, feisty, take no sh*t from anyone kind of girl I liked his nickname for her "Fighter Girl" she was all of 5 foot nothing and he was huge well over 6 feet and built.
I definitely recommend to this book this entire series is a must read with great interesting, entertainING well developed characters so well worth the read it won't disappoint.
May 12, 2020
Protecting Stella definitely came out of the gate with a bang, and it never slowed down from there. It's the story of new police officer, Stella Hunt, who ends up in a shootout & kidnapped during a routine patrol shift, and former Navy SEAL Jake Banning, who is undercover when things go sideways so he's the one who kidnaps Stella, messing up the op in big ways. From there, it's race against time to find out who is behind all the chaos since there is now a huge target on Stella's back from Jake's bad day/decision. With his team & her family/friends making appearances as the secondaries, I was highly entertained by so much. Plus, they have some serious heat going, and when two people are in the middle of the chaos these two are, well sexy times are HOT, while feelings are caught quickly. Can everyone together figure out who is behind everything before the bad guys get to Stella?! You'll have to hit those one click buttons to find out! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
May 12, 2020
Stella is a rookie police officer who finds herself in over her head when the man she stops takes a turn and she finds herself in peril when she is kidnapped for her own protection. Jake is an ex-Navy SEAL who is working undercover, and Stella’s interference has not only placed both of them in jeopardy but the mission as well.
Things are about to get complicated as the only way that they are going to be able to complete the mission and escape with their lives is if they work together. For that to happen he first has to convince her that he is on her side and they will need to keep their personal feelings in check. What could possibly go wrong?
This story takes you on a wild ride filled with intrigue, twists and romance.
Things are about to get complicated as the only way that they are going to be able to complete the mission and escape with their lives is if they work together. For that to happen he first has to convince her that he is on her side and they will need to keep their personal feelings in check. What could possibly go wrong?
This story takes you on a wild ride filled with intrigue, twists and romance.
May 11, 2020
I received this book as an ARC for an honest and voluntary review. This book is a spin off of Susan Stoker's Special Forces Operation Alpha, as well as one of Ms. Paige's Guardians series. Those combinations I knew it was going to be a winner. Ms. Paige is wonderful at writing rugged Alpha Males that just command the scene. Which is exactly what Jake Banning does the moments he crosses paths with Stella Hunt a rookie cop in a convenience store. Soon after a traffic stop goes bad and he kidnaps Stella to protect his cover, however he quickly realizes he'd rather protect Stella. It's also a fast paced ride
May 7, 2020
Great addition to the series. This is Stella and Jake's story. I really liked Jake and Stella's characters and the way they interacted. He's working undercover and she's a cop in the wrong place when things go wrong. I enjoyed seeing Tex, Wolf and Caroline also Viktor and Marcus for the Guardian books. There's action, betrayal,, danger, romance and humor.
May 23, 2020
If you enjoy action, adventure, mystery and romance, this is the book for you. There are many things happening with undercover work, special ops and interaction of agents plus friends including Grams. The story-line includes tender moments, hugs from Gram and interaction between agencies that protect us every day in real-life. There are sensual scenes so I recommend this book for adults only.
May 12, 2020
This book will take you on a suspense filled ride. The author's way of combining soft moments with danger are great. Outstanding book.
May 12, 2020
Such a great story, action packed!
Great characters -- love the grandmother!! -- and perfect ending!
Great characters -- love the grandmother!! -- and perfect ending!
May 12, 2020
Stella is a cop and Jake is an ex Navy Seal. They meet in strange circumstances. Before long they are fighting for their lives and their hearts. I liked the suspense and the way these two worked together.
May 24, 2020
I had the honor of BETA reading Protecting Stella and loved it!
May 5, 2020
Another great addition to Victoria's series. This is about Stella and Jake. Big macho ex seal with insecurity issues about his abilities at black ops. And falling for Stella at first site messes with his ability to do his job. He's working undercover when things go wrong and Stella is a cop in the middle of it. Lots of danger, bad cops and lots of heat. HEA.
May 21, 2020
I really enjoyed this story about Stella and Jake. Bad guys, action, drama, suspense, sexy, twists and turns, great characters and secondary characters and an easy to read story line are just some of the reasons this is a great story to read. You stay very invested and won't want to put it down once you start it. I would definitely recommend this book!
June 11, 2020
Protecting Stella: Special Forces: Operation Alpha is by Victoria Paige. This is part of the Guardian series which is stories about a group of Seals and those of other equal quality from the other Armed Forces who have joined this company to protect people and to do the things the government can’t. If an American is captured by some terrorist group, they may be called in to rescue them, especially when negotiations is out of the realm. The book is very good but the character of Jake was a little weak. His character relied too heavily on his physical appearance and left you feeling he might be a little slower than others because of his size. You cannot be a SEAL unless you have the brain as well as the brawn.
Stella Hunt is a small woman who had a big job as a police officer. Her Gran, Pearl, hadn’t wanted her to become an officer; but when Stella’s brother Sam was killed in an apartment fire, she knew Stella needed to go her own way. Gram would have preferred she continue her chemical engineering degree and follow in her footsteps. Besides, it was definitely the safer of the two occupations. Because of this, Stella tried to be very careful while on the job. This evening, she had been assigned night patrol and had to leave her Gram and guests as well as dinner; but she planned to spend the next day with them. She stopped at a convenience store to get a snack and was there when two men came in. One was smaller and skinny while the other was really pumped up. He just looked former military and was definitely fit. She felt a connection with him; but of course, buried it. She was getting bad vibes while they were in the store so she followed when they left.
Jake Banning was an ex-Seal who was working for the Guardians and Victor. He was currently undercover as a dock worker, hoping to get into Schneider’s realm and find out where he was getting his arms and where they were going. He and Tom Gould had a van of guns they were to take to Schneider. That, he hoped, would bring him even closer in the gang and get drugs off the street. He was surprised with his reaction to Police Officer Stella Hunt when they met. After that brief exchange in the store, he and Tom left. Just down the road, Tom nearly hit a deer and swerved off the road. When it was discovered they had a flat, he insisted Jake fix it. That gave Stella time to come upon them and step out of her car to investigate these men more carefully. She ended up shooting Tom and being kidnapped by Jake. He took her because he knew she would get hurt really bad by being “smacked down” by Schneider’s men.
This sets off a turn of events that makes Stella being hunted by the sheriff’s office as well as the criminal elements. It is just a matter of time as to which one pays for.
Stella Hunt is a small woman who had a big job as a police officer. Her Gran, Pearl, hadn’t wanted her to become an officer; but when Stella’s brother Sam was killed in an apartment fire, she knew Stella needed to go her own way. Gram would have preferred she continue her chemical engineering degree and follow in her footsteps. Besides, it was definitely the safer of the two occupations. Because of this, Stella tried to be very careful while on the job. This evening, she had been assigned night patrol and had to leave her Gram and guests as well as dinner; but she planned to spend the next day with them. She stopped at a convenience store to get a snack and was there when two men came in. One was smaller and skinny while the other was really pumped up. He just looked former military and was definitely fit. She felt a connection with him; but of course, buried it. She was getting bad vibes while they were in the store so she followed when they left.
Jake Banning was an ex-Seal who was working for the Guardians and Victor. He was currently undercover as a dock worker, hoping to get into Schneider’s realm and find out where he was getting his arms and where they were going. He and Tom Gould had a van of guns they were to take to Schneider. That, he hoped, would bring him even closer in the gang and get drugs off the street. He was surprised with his reaction to Police Officer Stella Hunt when they met. After that brief exchange in the store, he and Tom left. Just down the road, Tom nearly hit a deer and swerved off the road. When it was discovered they had a flat, he insisted Jake fix it. That gave Stella time to come upon them and step out of her car to investigate these men more carefully. She ended up shooting Tom and being kidnapped by Jake. He took her because he knew she would get hurt really bad by being “smacked down” by Schneider’s men.
This sets off a turn of events that makes Stella being hunted by the sheriff’s office as well as the criminal elements. It is just a matter of time as to which one pays for.
May 10, 2020
A rookie and a first-time undercover operative...
This is a Kindle Worlds book in the Special Forces: Operation Alpha series that can be read as a stand-alone.
As part of the Virginia Beach police department Officer Stella Hunt, a rookie, just a year out of the academy is on patrol alone at night, she runs into trouble when she stops to check a stopped van. This reader wondered what was this municipality thinking to allow a rookie to patrol alone and at night. For the first time Stella draws her gun and had to use it, it was no wonder that she hesitated afterward and ended up kidnapped by the sexy man she’d met earlier who swears he’s undercover. This reader never understood why she trusted him, the sexual attraction she felt was not enough of a reason. From her thoughts throughout the story, it’s learned that law enforcement was not her primary calling, she’s a cop who should never have been a cop.
Always wanting to be an undercover operative, former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is given his chance. Why he wanted this so much was unclear to this reader and at the first sign of trouble, his mission becomes secondary to protecting the sexy cop who he’d pulled into his operation. Partnering with Stella, Jake tries to get the mission back on track but can’t focus on it whenever she’s in any kind of danger. Jake lacks confidence in himself to do this type of job which is surprising for a trained SEAL. He’s an undercover agent who shouldn’t be working undercover.
This book is a longer length novella, the trope that of instalust/instalove which is not this reader’s favorite. The blurb leads you to expect a romantic suspense read but the balance is weighted heavily towards the romance, the interesting suspenseful part of the plot wasn’t elaborated upon enough and suffered from there being too many sex scenes. This reader prefers more than just an emphasis on sexual attraction and did not connect with either protagonist.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the author.
2.5 stars
This is a Kindle Worlds book in the Special Forces: Operation Alpha series that can be read as a stand-alone.
As part of the Virginia Beach police department Officer Stella Hunt, a rookie, just a year out of the academy is on patrol alone at night, she runs into trouble when she stops to check a stopped van. This reader wondered what was this municipality thinking to allow a rookie to patrol alone and at night. For the first time Stella draws her gun and had to use it, it was no wonder that she hesitated afterward and ended up kidnapped by the sexy man she’d met earlier who swears he’s undercover. This reader never understood why she trusted him, the sexual attraction she felt was not enough of a reason. From her thoughts throughout the story, it’s learned that law enforcement was not her primary calling, she’s a cop who should never have been a cop.
Always wanting to be an undercover operative, former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is given his chance. Why he wanted this so much was unclear to this reader and at the first sign of trouble, his mission becomes secondary to protecting the sexy cop who he’d pulled into his operation. Partnering with Stella, Jake tries to get the mission back on track but can’t focus on it whenever she’s in any kind of danger. Jake lacks confidence in himself to do this type of job which is surprising for a trained SEAL. He’s an undercover agent who shouldn’t be working undercover.
This book is a longer length novella, the trope that of instalust/instalove which is not this reader’s favorite. The blurb leads you to expect a romantic suspense read but the balance is weighted heavily towards the romance, the interesting suspenseful part of the plot wasn’t elaborated upon enough and suffered from there being too many sex scenes. This reader prefers more than just an emphasis on sexual attraction and did not connect with either protagonist.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the author.
2.5 stars
February 19, 2021
For police officer Stella Hunt, a routine patrol ends when a roadside encounter brings her face to face with a dangerous stranger. Former Navy SEAL Jake Banning is having a bad day. A covert op gone sideways means the only way to live another day is to abduct a cop. Lines are crossed and emotions become blurred. Jake's actions put a target on his fighter girl's back. Sparks fly, emotions are high, lots of danger and suspense makes this a great read from one of Susan Stoker's Operation Alpha World.
May 30, 2020
Good read
Stella first saw Jake when she stopped in the convenience store to get her supper. Their eyes connected at once, but she went on patrol. Later during her shift she runs into Jake and this time he kidnaps her. It's to keep her safe, but she isn't happy about it. She does love missing him.
Stella first saw Jake when she stopped in the convenience store to get her supper. Their eyes connected at once, but she went on patrol. Later during her shift she runs into Jake and this time he kidnaps her. It's to keep her safe, but she isn't happy about it. She does love missing him.
August 22, 2020
Choppy and rushed
I didn’t like this book and won’t be reading the others. The “relationship” between Stella snd Jake was rushed and didn’t feel real. So many times, something would happen with no back ground and just didn’t make sense. Character development was zero. I almost didn’t even finish this book. I’m glad I didn’t pay for it.
I didn’t like this book and won’t be reading the others. The “relationship” between Stella snd Jake was rushed and didn’t feel real. So many times, something would happen with no back ground and just didn’t make sense. Character development was zero. I almost didn’t even finish this book. I’m glad I didn’t pay for it.
September 29, 2020
Chemistry is the name of the game
Lots of chemical reactions happening in this book. A strong female police officer and a covert operator meet up during a shoot out, have an adventure, and fall in love. Some favorite characters from Susan Stoker’s Seal of Protection series make appearances. Definitely a must read.
Lots of chemical reactions happening in this book. A strong female police officer and a covert operator meet up during a shoot out, have an adventure, and fall in love. Some favorite characters from Susan Stoker’s Seal of Protection series make appearances. Definitely a must read.
October 8, 2021
Another great addition to this series and this world! It’s always fun to see characters come back from stories you’ve read before and this one didn’t disappoint with tons of cameos. Jake was all alpha, very protective and sweet at the same time. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the mc’s as much as I did in the previous books, but it was still a very decent read. 3.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 7, 2022
Enjoyed
I really enjoyed this story. I always like stories with tough women and Stella definitely fit that character as a police officer who found herself in the middle of a mess. Jake fell hard and quickly for her, and danger and suspense ensued amongst their growing passion as they navigated their feelings and the threats to their HEA.
I really enjoyed this story. I always like stories with tough women and Stella definitely fit that character as a police officer who found herself in the middle of a mess. Jake fell hard and quickly for her, and danger and suspense ensued amongst their growing passion as they navigated their feelings and the threats to their HEA.
May 13, 2020
3.5 Stars
Protecting Stella was fast paced, suspenseful, insta love, and it had some humor. The characters Undercover Jake, and Police Officer Stella were likeable, and they had steamy chemistry. I liked seeing some of my favorite Susan Stoker characters involved in the story too. I thought it was a entertaining read.
Protecting Stella was fast paced, suspenseful, insta love, and it had some humor. The characters Undercover Jake, and Police Officer Stella were likeable, and they had steamy chemistry. I liked seeing some of my favorite Susan Stoker characters involved in the story too. I thought it was a entertaining read.
May 29, 2020
Good
Good quick romance. Seemed a little too quick and to the point, so I didn’t feel much connection to the characters, but if you like alpha males, HEA, and some action, this will work for you.
Good quick romance. Seemed a little too quick and to the point, so I didn’t feel much connection to the characters, but if you like alpha males, HEA, and some action, this will work for you.
May 29, 2020
Good read
Another good read from Victoria Paige, At 5 feet tall Stella is a tiny policewoman , but she sure has attitude and sass! Jake is a giant at 6 feet 4, but the chemistry between them is hot..I have several more Victoria Paige books to read, but I do recommend this one.
Another good read from Victoria Paige, At 5 feet tall Stella is a tiny policewoman , but she sure has attitude and sass! Jake is a giant at 6 feet 4, but the chemistry between them is hot..I have several more Victoria Paige books to read, but I do recommend this one.
May 27, 2020
Chandra 's Review
I truly enjoyed reading this book it was intriguing romantic mysterious and loving! I would definitely recommend this book to read!🙌🙌😊😊
I truly enjoyed reading this book it was intriguing romantic mysterious and loving! I would definitely recommend this book to read!🙌🙌😊😊
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