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Heroes of the Tundra #3
Northern Protector
Constable Ben Koper is still healing from the polar bear attack that almost killed him. Nine months after it happened, he returns to Churchill, Manitoba, a changed man—scarred more than just physically. PTSD is his new shadow, haunting his every step, and he can't seem to kick the pain meds he shouldn't need anymore. He’s determined to prove, to himself and his colleagues, that he’s still up to his job. Failure isn’t an option.
ER nurse Joy Gallagher spent the entire last winter texting with a healing Constable Koper. What started as friendly concern from this single mother has grown into full-fledged romantic feelings, and she’s eager to level up their friendship and introduce him to the idyllic comfort of small-town life. Until a teenager is murdered at a summer party. The crime is strikingly similar to the cold case murder of Joy’s foster sister, stirring old trauma Joy has never fully dealt with.
When another victim is snatched in town, Ben and Joy must confront their own demons, and join forces to track down an elusive killer. The race to rescue the next victim before it’s too late will test Ben and Joy to their limits. Can they survive their encounter with this heinous killer, or will the past destroy them.?
ER nurse Joy Gallagher spent the entire last winter texting with a healing Constable Koper. What started as friendly concern from this single mother has grown into full-fledged romantic feelings, and she’s eager to level up their friendship and introduce him to the idyllic comfort of small-town life. Until a teenager is murdered at a summer party. The crime is strikingly similar to the cold case murder of Joy’s foster sister, stirring old trauma Joy has never fully dealt with.
When another victim is snatched in town, Ben and Joy must confront their own demons, and join forces to track down an elusive killer. The race to rescue the next victim before it’s too late will test Ben and Joy to their limits. Can they survive their encounter with this heinous killer, or will the past destroy them.?
222 pages, ebook
First published December 6, 2020
About the author
Laurie Wood
11 books128 followersLaurie Wood has followed her RCAF serving husband across Canada, raising their two special needs children to adulthood, and "keeping the home fires burning" while she began her writing career. She's a member of Sisters in Crime International and Canada West as well as the Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Fiction Writers. She writes romantic suspense and police/mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 9, 2020
Canadian police constable Ben Koper is still dealing with the horror of being attacked by a bear nine months ago that almost killed him when he’s thrust into a crime that mirrors a cold case. He’s tasked to both cases but fights his PTSD along the way.
When one of the missing teenage girls is left unconscious at the hospital, ER nurse Joy Gallagher is immediately involved in the case. She works with Ben and soon suspects his pain from the attack is plaguing him even though he won’t admit it.
Ben and Joy work together after a teenage girl is found murdered and another one is taken. Can they race against the clock and discover those responsible before the next abducted girl is killed?
Northern Protector grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let go until the very last page! This is my first read by Laurie Wood and I gotta say, I’m now a fan. Loved the plotline, suspense, romance, and characters. She tackles PTSD head on as well as pressures teenagers face today. This is all done in such a believable manner.
I also like the setting of Churchill, Manitoba—polar bear capital of the world. The author has done her research as she puts the reader directly into the small town.
Laurie Wood takes you on a roller coaster ride of romantic suspense. Just when you think the ride is over, it takes another sharp curve and plummets! Readers will fall in love with this author.
I give Northern Protector five stars. Get ready for an adventure on the northern tundra!
**Book has been provided courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
When one of the missing teenage girls is left unconscious at the hospital, ER nurse Joy Gallagher is immediately involved in the case. She works with Ben and soon suspects his pain from the attack is plaguing him even though he won’t admit it.
Ben and Joy work together after a teenage girl is found murdered and another one is taken. Can they race against the clock and discover those responsible before the next abducted girl is killed?
Northern Protector grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let go until the very last page! This is my first read by Laurie Wood and I gotta say, I’m now a fan. Loved the plotline, suspense, romance, and characters. She tackles PTSD head on as well as pressures teenagers face today. This is all done in such a believable manner.
I also like the setting of Churchill, Manitoba—polar bear capital of the world. The author has done her research as she puts the reader directly into the small town.
Laurie Wood takes you on a roller coaster ride of romantic suspense. Just when you think the ride is over, it takes another sharp curve and plummets! Readers will fall in love with this author.
I give Northern Protector five stars. Get ready for an adventure on the northern tundra!
**Book has been provided courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 29, 2020
Ben Koper is a constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but he's been on leave since a polar bear attack that almost cost him his life. He returns to work in Churchill, Manitoba (the polar bear capital of the world), determined to get his life back on track. However, he is still battling PTSD from the attack and has become addicted to pain meds for his healing shoulder.
Nurse and single Mum Joy Gallagher helped keep his spirits up, with emails and texts while he was recovering, but can their friendship become anything more now they're in the same town? Joy also has issues to deal with, as a new murder bears some resemblances to the cold-case murder of her foster-sister some years before.
Can Ben make himself vulnerable enough to let Joy into his world? And will they solve the murders before other lives are lost?
I really enjoyed this romantic-suspense novel. The characters are likable, but had relatable flaws. I like the way it dealt with some deeper issues, like PTSD and addiction, and showed the characters grappling with issues of faith. The writing was good, and I loved the setting and suspense. My only slight reservation is that I felt the twist could have been set up a little better. It felt more like a surprise for me and I had to go back and re-read some sections to refresh my memory. But I may have also missed something along the way. I still enjoyed it though and would definitely read more from this author.
This can be read as a stand-alone book. However, if you read 'Northern Deception' first, you'll have the background to the polar bear attack. A couple of characters from the novella 'Northern Hearts' also pop in, though it's not essential to read that book in order to enjoy this one.
If you like Christian romantic-suspense authors like Dani Pettrey and Colleen Coble, you will enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.
Nurse and single Mum Joy Gallagher helped keep his spirits up, with emails and texts while he was recovering, but can their friendship become anything more now they're in the same town? Joy also has issues to deal with, as a new murder bears some resemblances to the cold-case murder of her foster-sister some years before.
Can Ben make himself vulnerable enough to let Joy into his world? And will they solve the murders before other lives are lost?
I really enjoyed this romantic-suspense novel. The characters are likable, but had relatable flaws. I like the way it dealt with some deeper issues, like PTSD and addiction, and showed the characters grappling with issues of faith. The writing was good, and I loved the setting and suspense. My only slight reservation is that I felt the twist could have been set up a little better. It felt more like a surprise for me and I had to go back and re-read some sections to refresh my memory. But I may have also missed something along the way. I still enjoyed it though and would definitely read more from this author.
This can be read as a stand-alone book. However, if you read 'Northern Deception' first, you'll have the background to the polar bear attack. A couple of characters from the novella 'Northern Hearts' also pop in, though it's not essential to read that book in order to enjoy this one.
If you like Christian romantic-suspense authors like Dani Pettrey and Colleen Coble, you will enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.
November 28, 2020
As always, Laurie Wood delivers a compelling story.
The story takes us back to Churchill, MB an isolated but perfect setting for a page-turning police procedural to take place. With vivid descriptions and hair raising scenes, readers will be treated to an experience one soon won’t forget.
Injured RCMP officer Ben Roper returns to Churchill, MB a mere nine months after his run-in with a mama polar bear. No amount of plastic surgery, physio therapy or counselling sessions could prepare Ben for life back north. The scars of his past are more than skin-deep.
Nurse Joy Gallagher is happy to see Ben back at work, but her medical eye is quick to see his pain is causing a formed dependency on pain-killers and that he’s not as well as he claims to be.
When the town experiences a murder of a young woman, the scene is eerily familiar to Joy and her family. And one that Ben will stop at nothing to solve.
I quite enjoyed this read, especially the faith journey the characters go through as they face some pretty harsh situations.
The author does a tremendous job in showing sensitivity and weaving a message of hope in a terrible situation (PTSD, drug addiction, abuse).
The story takes us back to Churchill, MB an isolated but perfect setting for a page-turning police procedural to take place. With vivid descriptions and hair raising scenes, readers will be treated to an experience one soon won’t forget.
Injured RCMP officer Ben Roper returns to Churchill, MB a mere nine months after his run-in with a mama polar bear. No amount of plastic surgery, physio therapy or counselling sessions could prepare Ben for life back north. The scars of his past are more than skin-deep.
Nurse Joy Gallagher is happy to see Ben back at work, but her medical eye is quick to see his pain is causing a formed dependency on pain-killers and that he’s not as well as he claims to be.
When the town experiences a murder of a young woman, the scene is eerily familiar to Joy and her family. And one that Ben will stop at nothing to solve.
I quite enjoyed this read, especially the faith journey the characters go through as they face some pretty harsh situations.
The author does a tremendous job in showing sensitivity and weaving a message of hope in a terrible situation (PTSD, drug addiction, abuse).
January 30, 2021
This book tackled several tough topics. Abduction/assault/murder as well as prescription drug use. I liked how Ben and Joy had become friends via texting but then turned to more. Joy's daughter is adorable. Her mom is the town saint for all of the help she gives people. Only one thing confused me - Ben & joy left the north to try to save a cold case. I felt like that was left up in the air - maybe I missed something? Anyway for that reason, I would give the book a 4.5
I have now read all three books in the Heroes of the Tundra series. I think they go better together. But one could read them as stand alone novels. I do recommend the series.
I have now read all three books in the Heroes of the Tundra series. I think they go better together. But one could read them as stand alone novels. I do recommend the series.
November 24, 2020
I loved the mystery and suspense in this book. It kept me turning the page to find out who was behind the crimes in the small town. The book also deals with the hero's PTSD from a polar bear attach, and I thought did a great job describing the hero's issues. The romance between the hero and heroine was sweet and built in a way that made me sigh. :) I thought this was a great book and I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
February 1, 2021
Northern Protector (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) is an excellent read. I enjoyed the first book of this series--this one is even better. Ben Koper is a believable character in his struggles to overcome an attack by a polar bear. His decision to continue to work in the town where it happened, his dependence on pain meds, and his determination to solve two separate murders requires courage and mettle. ER nurse Joy Gallagher fights her own battles within the same set of circumstances. Laurie Wood does a tremendous job juggling the pace, the suspense of who's behind the killings, and Ben and Joy's budding romance. Looking forward to Book 3 of this series.
June 4, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this first (to me) in a series. I particularly loved that it was set in Churchill, Manitoba, a place I've always wanted to visit. The characters are well drawn, interesting and engaging. The mystery of who was kidnapping and hurting those teenage girls kept me thinking about the story even when I wasn't reading it. I was rooting for Ben and Joy to bypass all the hurdles and find their way to each other.
Laurie Wood is an excellent storyteller and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
Laurie Wood is an excellent storyteller and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
February 3, 2022
Another murder to solve
Not back very long after healing from a polar bear attach and helping solve a murder and assault. He was lucky to be alive would would he be able to keep doing his job ? What would become of his continuing friendship with the nurse who kept him going through their texts while he was recovering? A wonderful second book in this enjoyable and intriguing story that I could not put down. I highly recommend this wonderful author and can't wait to read more of her work.
Not back very long after healing from a polar bear attach and helping solve a murder and assault. He was lucky to be alive would would he be able to keep doing his job ? What would become of his continuing friendship with the nurse who kept him going through their texts while he was recovering? A wonderful second book in this enjoyable and intriguing story that I could not put down. I highly recommend this wonderful author and can't wait to read more of her work.
March 28, 2024
Northern Protector is a the third book in the Heroes of the Tundra romantic mystery series set in northern Canada in Churchill. Colleen Coble has written a suspenseful story where Constable Ben Koper and ER nurse Joy are brought together through Ben’s bear attack. Each person is struggling with different pain from their past and this is a story of redemption, healing and hope with an edge of danger.
April 9, 2021
Gripping reading!
This was excellent: intriguing, exciting with a good mix of suspense and romance. The plot kept me guessing until the end. I loved the setting and found the location fascinating, especially with the polar bears who sometimes wander through the town.
This was excellent: intriguing, exciting with a good mix of suspense and romance. The plot kept me guessing until the end. I loved the setting and found the location fascinating, especially with the polar bears who sometimes wander through the town.
June 14, 2021
Northern Protector the heroes of the tundra book 2
This is a very touching story of Ben and Joy's adventure and finding a New life together. I have enjoyed reading both of Laurie Wood's books . You can't go wrong in choosing "Northern Protector" for your next great read.
This is a very touching story of Ben and Joy's adventure and finding a New life together. I have enjoyed reading both of Laurie Wood's books . You can't go wrong in choosing "Northern Protector" for your next great read.
December 18, 2021
Really good Christian police procedural that takes place in Northern Canada. Just a touch of Christianity. Deals with abuse of teenage girls and its investigation by a addicted policeman recovering from a Polar Bear attack with a little PTSD. Nice little clean romance also.
February 10, 2024
A very good story. It was nice to read a story with flawed characters. This is a Christian romance with some suspense. It takes place in Northern Manitoba, in Churchill. It was different, which I appreciated.
March 6, 2024
I enjoyed the other two books in this series, but this one was even better than those two. It had a great plot/mystery, and Ben was a great hero/main character. Definitely flawed, but he did face his issues and did something about them.
February 2, 2023
Polar bears and murder
Another great story by Laurie Wood. This story has suspense, a broken hero, and a strong, intelligent lady to help him heal.
Another great story by Laurie Wood. This story has suspense, a broken hero, and a strong, intelligent lady to help him heal.
September 22, 2021
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
December 1, 2020
Gripping romantic suspense!
In Northern Protector, the newest book in the Heroes of the Tundra series, author Laurie Wood puts you right into the middle of the intense action. ER nurse and single mom Joy Gallagher is attracted to Ben Koper, the law officer she care for after he was severely injured during a polar bear attack. When the body of a young woman is discovered out on the tundra, they work together to find the murderer.
I enjoyed the characters, especially hero Ben as he struggles with his disfigurement and issues of PTSD. He is protective and kind, wanting the best for Joy and her little girl, Emberlyn. Though this book is a stand alone, it was fun to revisit to Churchill and the various townspeople. The beautiful epilogue is Christmas perfection!
The suspenseful writing in this romance is captivating. This book is hard to put down! Author Laurie Wood traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, for her research, and she is a former policewoman. Her background is evident in the realistic polar bear encounters and in the authentic crime scene descriptions she includes in the book. If you like suspense stories which keep you guessing, plus romantic law enforcement heroes and virtual travel locations, you definitely won’t be disappointed in Laurie Wood’s Northern Protector!
Favorite quote: “Just because we’re believers doesn’t mean we don’t suffer from the same problems as anyone else.”
*I received a copy of this book with no requirement to write a positive review. I’m offering my honest opinion.
In Northern Protector, the newest book in the Heroes of the Tundra series, author Laurie Wood puts you right into the middle of the intense action. ER nurse and single mom Joy Gallagher is attracted to Ben Koper, the law officer she care for after he was severely injured during a polar bear attack. When the body of a young woman is discovered out on the tundra, they work together to find the murderer.
I enjoyed the characters, especially hero Ben as he struggles with his disfigurement and issues of PTSD. He is protective and kind, wanting the best for Joy and her little girl, Emberlyn. Though this book is a stand alone, it was fun to revisit to Churchill and the various townspeople. The beautiful epilogue is Christmas perfection!
The suspenseful writing in this romance is captivating. This book is hard to put down! Author Laurie Wood traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, for her research, and she is a former policewoman. Her background is evident in the realistic polar bear encounters and in the authentic crime scene descriptions she includes in the book. If you like suspense stories which keep you guessing, plus romantic law enforcement heroes and virtual travel locations, you definitely won’t be disappointed in Laurie Wood’s Northern Protector!
Favorite quote: “Just because we’re believers doesn’t mean we don’t suffer from the same problems as anyone else.”
*I received a copy of this book with no requirement to write a positive review. I’m offering my honest opinion.
July 8, 2021
I'm really enjoying this series. The location is unique and anything but a quiet, small town. Can't wait to read the next installment.
January 3, 2021
Author Laurie Wood has written three books that are set in Churchill, Manitoba, a northern Canadian town famed for its polar bears and Northern Lights. I am not usually a big reader of romance but this series appealed to me because of the mix of mystery and romance in a unique setting. I read Northern Deception and Northern Hearts, the first two books and I enjoyed them both but this third book, Northern Protector, was my favorite. The author is a former police officer and it shows in her writing. She doesn’t glorify or dwell on the gory details of horrible crimes but she manages to portray them realistically. She also doesn’t shy away from showing the effects that crimes have on victims, families, and even their communities. Northern Protector pulled me in right from the start. I felt connected to the characters and completely invested in the outcome. The story line kept me reading eagerly right to the end. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
December 3, 2020
This is a nail-biting and fitting conclusion to the Heroes of the Tundra Series. Once I started reading, I literally only put it down to catch a few hours of sleep. Northern Protector is a gripping tale and Wood tells the story clearly and vividly. It's like you are standing right there in the room as officer Ben investigates. This book tackles themes such as PTSD, Struggles Teenagers face, and the joys of living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else-- you know-- while looking out for polar bears on the street. Set in Churchill, Manitoba, we get a taste of what life is like there.
Laurie Wood puts the Suspense, in Romantic Suspense without neglecting these older characters as they explore their budding romance.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher. My opinion is my own.
Laurie Wood puts the Suspense, in Romantic Suspense without neglecting these older characters as they explore their budding romance.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher. My opinion is my own.
December 9, 2020
This story of Ben and Joy showcases the trials and battles needed to recover from severe trauma and the resulting aftermath. Add in a hefty dose of pride and stubbornness and the stage is set. The suspense portion is heart wrenching and sadly so true in today’s world. I feel the author dealt with this issue in a most respectful way while creating a suspenseful atmosphere. An excellent addition to the Heroes of the Tundra series and I loo forward to reading more from the author.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews