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Redwood Coast Rescue #2
Searching for Risk
She woke up with the wrong man.
Sasha LeBlanc had her life all planned out. Become a veterinarian? Check. Build a thriving practice? Check. Settle down with a nice guy? Not yet, but she has her heart set on the local sheriff, and Redwood Coast Rescue’s charity masquerade ball is the perfect opportunity to seduce him. So why does she wake up with a sexy, heavily tattooed former Marine in her bed instead?
But he's the only man who has ever made her feel alive.
Donovan Scott has always been a risk-taker, but after a traumatic brain injury ended his military career, he lost everything. His only solace is his K9 partner, Spirit, who understands him in a way that no human ever could. But that all changes after his night with Sasha. She’s beautiful, smart, and his opposite in every way. She makes him want to be a better man.
Is she willing to risk everything to be with him–even her life?
When a serial arsonist starts targeting everyone Donovan loves, he knows his murky past has finally caught up to him. He can't protect Sasha without revealing his secrets, but will she still want him when she discovers the truth?
Searching for Risk is the second book in the Redwood Coast Rescue romantic suspense series, but it can be read as a standalone. If you love protective bad boys, curvy heroines, and steamy romance with a side of danger, then you won't be able to put down this thrilling adventure by Tonya Burrows!
Sasha LeBlanc had her life all planned out. Become a veterinarian? Check. Build a thriving practice? Check. Settle down with a nice guy? Not yet, but she has her heart set on the local sheriff, and Redwood Coast Rescue’s charity masquerade ball is the perfect opportunity to seduce him. So why does she wake up with a sexy, heavily tattooed former Marine in her bed instead?
But he's the only man who has ever made her feel alive.
Donovan Scott has always been a risk-taker, but after a traumatic brain injury ended his military career, he lost everything. His only solace is his K9 partner, Spirit, who understands him in a way that no human ever could. But that all changes after his night with Sasha. She’s beautiful, smart, and his opposite in every way. She makes him want to be a better man.
Is she willing to risk everything to be with him–even her life?
When a serial arsonist starts targeting everyone Donovan loves, he knows his murky past has finally caught up to him. He can't protect Sasha without revealing his secrets, but will she still want him when she discovers the truth?
Searching for Risk is the second book in the Redwood Coast Rescue romantic suspense series, but it can be read as a standalone. If you love protective bad boys, curvy heroines, and steamy romance with a side of danger, then you won't be able to put down this thrilling adventure by Tonya Burrows!
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2022
574 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Tonya Burrows
47 books1,147 followersTonya Burrows wrote her first romance at age thirteen and hasn't put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and is still searching for a place to call home. She shares her adventures with her husband, two adorable doodles, and Scribble the Writer Cat.
When she's not writing about hunky military heroes and their courageous K9s, Tonya can be found watching either true crime or baking shows while snuggled up on the couch with her furbabies. She also enjoys traveling—especially long road trips to see the National Parks.
To learn more about Tonya and her books, please visit her website. She's also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @authortonyaburrows.
When she's not writing about hunky military heroes and their courageous K9s, Tonya can be found watching either true crime or baking shows while snuggled up on the couch with her furbabies. She also enjoys traveling—especially long road trips to see the National Parks.
To learn more about Tonya and her books, please visit her website. She's also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @authortonyaburrows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
July 15, 2024
the setup…
Sasha LeBlanc is a curvy veterinarian who is finally going to make her move on Sheriff Ash Rawlings at the masquerade ball fundraiser, the man she’s crushed on for quite some time. Instead, she’s enthralled by the man in the “demon” mask and leaves the party with him for the sexiest night of her life. Turns out that masked man is Donovan Scott, the former Marine bomb expert who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury suffered from a blast that ended his military career. He’s returned to Steam Valley, the hometown that isn’t all that welcoming as suspicions still abound about him having something to do with the disappearance of his former girlfriend Darcy Cantrell fifteen years ago.
the heart of the story…
While they might have had a chance encounter to begin their relationship, Donovan has had his sights set on Sasha from the moment they first met. He’s got plenty of the proverbial baggage with his brain injury, murky past and tough persona. He and Sasha are complete opposites but seem to be a perfect fit, her yin to his yang. But it’s his service dog Spirit, a border collie, who steals the limelight. She’s a former bomb sniffing dog who also experienced a traumatic brain injury and is recuperating along with Donovan. Always in the background, though, is Darcy’s open case, stirred up again by a podcaster who is exploring the investigation of her disappearance.
the bottom line…
While Sasha and Donovan’s relationship starts steamy (and continues), his devotion to her is pretty special. As Darcy’s case heats up, especially after a body is found that is believed to be her, his relationships are tested, complicated by what appears to be attempts to hurt the people closest to him. I enjoyed the mystery as much as the romance and was caught flatfooted by the outcome. Still loving this series, especially with the focus on service animals as part of emotional therapy.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Sasha LeBlanc is a curvy veterinarian who is finally going to make her move on Sheriff Ash Rawlings at the masquerade ball fundraiser, the man she’s crushed on for quite some time. Instead, she’s enthralled by the man in the “demon” mask and leaves the party with him for the sexiest night of her life. Turns out that masked man is Donovan Scott, the former Marine bomb expert who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury suffered from a blast that ended his military career. He’s returned to Steam Valley, the hometown that isn’t all that welcoming as suspicions still abound about him having something to do with the disappearance of his former girlfriend Darcy Cantrell fifteen years ago.
the heart of the story…
While they might have had a chance encounter to begin their relationship, Donovan has had his sights set on Sasha from the moment they first met. He’s got plenty of the proverbial baggage with his brain injury, murky past and tough persona. He and Sasha are complete opposites but seem to be a perfect fit, her yin to his yang. But it’s his service dog Spirit, a border collie, who steals the limelight. She’s a former bomb sniffing dog who also experienced a traumatic brain injury and is recuperating along with Donovan. Always in the background, though, is Darcy’s open case, stirred up again by a podcaster who is exploring the investigation of her disappearance.
the bottom line…
While Sasha and Donovan’s relationship starts steamy (and continues), his devotion to her is pretty special. As Darcy’s case heats up, especially after a body is found that is believed to be her, his relationships are tested, complicated by what appears to be attempts to hurt the people closest to him. I enjoyed the mystery as much as the romance and was caught flatfooted by the outcome. Still loving this series, especially with the focus on service animals as part of emotional therapy.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
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April 17, 2023Donovan & Sasha are so hot together! I had so much fun writing this book. It's the first I've written with a plus-sized heroine and also where the hero falls first!
August 3, 2024
Love this one, was so good.
Donovan was hurting badly, after years of being seen as the town's "killer". The poor man didn't deserve that.
I loved Sasha and how she got to know Donovan despite his reputation, she didn't let that deter her.
I loved them together, the demon and the angel.
I have to say the twist at the end was something else. I was not expecting Darcy to be alive and then there she was. I knew she was a bit of a b*tch from her diary passages but not that much. She killed the only person that helped escape town because she didn't want to be known that she was alive after all. I understand wanting to escape your life but ruining someone's life, Donovan, and don't even caring is just cold. He could have been arrested for real and she didn't care.
And I guesses who her "killer" was from the beggining, it was obvious but still.
Overall, I loved this and I have to read more from these series
Donovan was hurting badly, after years of being seen as the town's "killer". The poor man didn't deserve that.
I loved Sasha and how she got to know Donovan despite his reputation, she didn't let that deter her.
I loved them together, the demon and the angel.
I have to say the twist at the end was something else. I was not expecting Darcy to be alive and then there she was. I knew she was a bit of a b*tch from her diary passages but not that much. She killed the only person that helped escape town because she didn't want to be known that she was alive after all. I understand wanting to escape your life but ruining someone's life, Donovan, and don't even caring is just cold. He could have been arrested for real and she didn't care.
And I guesses who her "killer" was from the beggining, it was obvious but still.
Overall, I loved this and I have to read more from these series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2023
I loved the hero! Donovan was troubled, sexy, damaged, and fighting his reputation as the town's bad boy--yet this veteran Marine had a heart of gold. Especially, when it came to curvy veterinarian Dr. Sasha LeBlanc. His dog, a Border Collie named Spirit, who is recovering from brain surgery and is now trained to detect bombs played a pretty spiffy role, too.
I hope the other members of their veterans PTSD therapy group all get their own stories.
I hope the other members of their veterans PTSD therapy group all get their own stories.
October 10, 2023
disappointed
The first Redwood Coast Rescue was very good, a little sex, good story line.
This one was to full of “soft” porn. Really glad it was free and I didn’t waste money on it. Could have been a great story.
The first Redwood Coast Rescue was very good, a little sex, good story line.
This one was to full of “soft” porn. Really glad it was free and I didn’t waste money on it. Could have been a great story.
September 7, 2024
so many plot holes?? felt like the author was just trying to tie up loose ends at the end of the book. no flow between chapters, it was so jarring to read this
also the female lead’s reasons behind initiating the 3rd act breakup was just plain stupid
also the female lead’s reasons behind initiating the 3rd act breakup was just plain stupid
July 10, 2023
disappointed
Good story lines but I’d really enjoy the sex scene if you’d leave something to the imagination. Raw sex on your first meeting was too much.
Good story lines but I’d really enjoy the sex scene if you’d leave something to the imagination. Raw sex on your first meeting was too much.
April 24, 2023
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
Okay I’m having a hard time putting my thoughts together for this review. So here we go!
Sasha LeBlanc is our main character and she is very type A personality has a check list for everything within her life to help eliminate any hurt that could happen. Then we have Donovan Scott an ex military man with a past that he can’t get away from. This book starts out with a true crime podcast going over the details of a missing person over 15 years ago and surprise Donovan is our lead suspect! There is also suspicious activity around all of Donovan’s lovers, is it him or is something more taking place behind the scenes?
This book had me hook with the beginning. We start with the description of a pod cast taking place about a missing girl from years ago. Let me tell you I LOVE true crime podcasts 😁. I love the concept of this book and LOVE the plot of a murder mystery /thriller. I did have two setbacks,
1.) The description says you can read this as a standalone, I felt like I was missing major plot holes. One was these two meeting for the first time, who the friends were and the dynamics within the group. This book just jumps into everything, I highly suggest reading this series in order!
2.) I feel like the romance is told and not really felt. You don’t get to see their first meeting and what draws them together. They meet at a masquerade ball (but they still know who each other are) and then bang they are together.
Over all this is a great book it was fast and I loved the twist and turns it took I will be going back to read the first book!
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review
Okay I’m having a hard time putting my thoughts together for this review. So here we go!
Sasha LeBlanc is our main character and she is very type A personality has a check list for everything within her life to help eliminate any hurt that could happen. Then we have Donovan Scott an ex military man with a past that he can’t get away from. This book starts out with a true crime podcast going over the details of a missing person over 15 years ago and surprise Donovan is our lead suspect! There is also suspicious activity around all of Donovan’s lovers, is it him or is something more taking place behind the scenes?
This book had me hook with the beginning. We start with the description of a pod cast taking place about a missing girl from years ago. Let me tell you I LOVE true crime podcasts 😁. I love the concept of this book and LOVE the plot of a murder mystery /thriller. I did have two setbacks,
1.) The description says you can read this as a standalone, I felt like I was missing major plot holes. One was these two meeting for the first time, who the friends were and the dynamics within the group. This book just jumps into everything, I highly suggest reading this series in order!
2.) I feel like the romance is told and not really felt. You don’t get to see their first meeting and what draws them together. They meet at a masquerade ball (but they still know who each other are) and then bang they are together.
Over all this is a great book it was fast and I loved the twist and turns it took I will be going back to read the first book!
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review
May 27, 2023
So much pain and a town full of corruption and betrayal
Van has spent 15 years fighting the what if's, the why's, the could he have saved her thoughts and the judgement of the whole town. He knows the truth, but the truth no longer matters in a town where a boy from the wrong side of the tracks has already been accused and found guilty in everyone's eyes. My heart breaks for Van and his childhood, for the way he lost Darcy and the stigma it caused and his life now, trying to live with a TBI and find a new normal. But he is older and wiser now, with the truth on his side he is determined to find justice for Darcy and lay his own ghosts to rest too.
This is such an awesome series, I love the support group the injured Veterans have formed and the quirky characters they are, I really love the second chance they and the injured dogs are getting. Whilst the suffering in their lives is heartbreaking, the healing, hope and future they find is heart warming. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
Van has spent 15 years fighting the what if's, the why's, the could he have saved her thoughts and the judgement of the whole town. He knows the truth, but the truth no longer matters in a town where a boy from the wrong side of the tracks has already been accused and found guilty in everyone's eyes. My heart breaks for Van and his childhood, for the way he lost Darcy and the stigma it caused and his life now, trying to live with a TBI and find a new normal. But he is older and wiser now, with the truth on his side he is determined to find justice for Darcy and lay his own ghosts to rest too.
This is such an awesome series, I love the support group the injured Veterans have formed and the quirky characters they are, I really love the second chance they and the injured dogs are getting. Whilst the suffering in their lives is heartbreaking, the healing, hope and future they find is heart warming. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
April 22, 2023
Donovan had a seriously bad taste in women. 👀
I'm glad the plot wasn't as much of a dumpster fire as the romance in this book (get it, because of the arson...ba da pssh) otherwise, I'd have rated it lower. I'm really disappointed, especially because I was so excited for this book. It had a great set up and all my favorite tropes, a lot of which I don't see very often. This is the first book by this author that I've disliked.
Ultimately, I couldn't understood why Donovan, our MMC, loved her (especially so fast), I don't believe Sasha, our FMC, truly loved him, and this may be a bit of a stretch, but their relationship was almost as toxic as his previous one. It was love at first sight for him with Sasha, but after that initial look, they didn't really speak or see each other at all for over a year, so it wasn't a slow burn or sexual tension finally heating up. It practically came out of nowhere. Their relationship was wayyy too fast & lacked any real depth or chemistry to be convincing. They were good when it was good, but it didn't instill the most confidence in me that they'd be able to handle any and everything that came their way together in the future and it lessened the strength of their relationship in my eyes.
Honestly, I don't feel like I know Sasha very well at all. We got glimpses of her in the previous book, but we still didn't learn much about her history or her personality in this book. We got like 5 seconds of the normal her: focused, compassionate (only when it came to the dogs really), sultry when she wants to be. But in the rest of the book, we either got shy, Ash-obsessed Sasha or bitchy, self-centered Sasha.
There were a lot of things that made Sasha stand out that made me excited to read her story: her name, for one. It's a well known name, but not cliché or overly used. Her voice is another. She was described as having a really sexy, husky voice. Add that with her being curvy and it makes for a unique, untraditional heroine that I was really excited to see. But none of that was addressed almost at all. He said it was love at first sight, but what about her drew him in? Her looks, her voice, her love for being a vet, her presence? When it comes to romance, showing is a lot more important than telling, but telling is also important 😅
The nail in the proverbial coffin was the way she treated Donovan. He worked so hard to earn her trust, but like...why? She clearly didn't trust him, never really supported him when he needed it, & only came around when she was in danger or horny, let's keep it real. I wish Donovan had stood up for himself, especially to Sasha. The only people who stood by him was his support group. Honestly, he deserved better, but he was so used to toxic, unhealthy relationships and being a social pariah that he just didn't know anything different.
In terms of the curvy representation in this book, I have mixed feelings. First, I can already tell the model on the cover likely isn't plus size. Boo throwing tomatoes. I love curvy rep, but I'm not a fan when curviness, more accurately possible insecurities about it, is a whole plot point. I feared her insecurities would play a major, if not a dominant, role in their relationship when I went into this book. Thankfully, it didn't (but she did have some unhealthy eating habits and image issues though, like always being on a diet & being annoyingly vocal on eating a salad or fruit as a full meal), but overall, her size was just a physical description, not a full blown issue, so I greatly appreciated that. The thing I didn't like, though, is that her body confidence seemed reliant on men. You should love your body & have confidence no matter what your relationship status is. I wanted to see her love herself on her own, not simply ignore her insecurities because she has a man now. Seeing as it was referred to in the last book, I'd have liked to see her become more comfortable and confident in her body in a realistic yet subtle way. I hope that makes sense 😅 the plus size girlies know what I'm talking about.
I will say, the 2 things that saved this book were the other characters & the plot. I loved learning more about the aftermath of what happened in Zak & Anna's book & seeing how they navigated that. Plus, I always love scenes with the rescue team, especially Pierce. The plot was well paced, had me on the edge of my seat, and was non-stop action from start to finish. I loved the plot twists It gave me flashbacks to my Pretty Little Liars days. I don't know if this author was a fan of that show, but this book gave me major PLL vibes 🤣. Oh & I have to applaud the spice. Solid 4 out of 5 on the 🌶️ scale. It was great & the only time you felt any real chemistry between them. Those scenes may be the only reason I reread this book.
I'm glad the plot wasn't as much of a dumpster fire as the romance in this book (get it, because of the arson...ba da pssh) otherwise, I'd have rated it lower. I'm really disappointed, especially because I was so excited for this book. It had a great set up and all my favorite tropes, a lot of which I don't see very often. This is the first book by this author that I've disliked.
Ultimately, I couldn't understood why Donovan, our MMC, loved her (especially so fast), I don't believe Sasha, our FMC, truly loved him, and this may be a bit of a stretch, but their relationship was almost as toxic as his previous one. It was love at first sight for him with Sasha, but after that initial look, they didn't really speak or see each other at all for over a year, so it wasn't a slow burn or sexual tension finally heating up. It practically came out of nowhere. Their relationship was wayyy too fast & lacked any real depth or chemistry to be convincing. They were good when it was good, but it didn't instill the most confidence in me that they'd be able to handle any and everything that came their way together in the future and it lessened the strength of their relationship in my eyes.
Honestly, I don't feel like I know Sasha very well at all. We got glimpses of her in the previous book, but we still didn't learn much about her history or her personality in this book. We got like 5 seconds of the normal her: focused, compassionate (only when it came to the dogs really), sultry when she wants to be. But in the rest of the book, we either got shy, Ash-obsessed Sasha or bitchy, self-centered Sasha.
There were a lot of things that made Sasha stand out that made me excited to read her story: her name, for one. It's a well known name, but not cliché or overly used. Her voice is another. She was described as having a really sexy, husky voice. Add that with her being curvy and it makes for a unique, untraditional heroine that I was really excited to see. But none of that was addressed almost at all. He said it was love at first sight, but what about her drew him in? Her looks, her voice, her love for being a vet, her presence? When it comes to romance, showing is a lot more important than telling, but telling is also important 😅
The nail in the proverbial coffin was the way she treated Donovan. He worked so hard to earn her trust, but like...why? She clearly didn't trust him, never really supported him when he needed it, & only came around when she was in danger or horny, let's keep it real. I wish Donovan had stood up for himself, especially to Sasha. The only people who stood by him was his support group. Honestly, he deserved better, but he was so used to toxic, unhealthy relationships and being a social pariah that he just didn't know anything different.
In terms of the curvy representation in this book, I have mixed feelings. First, I can already tell the model on the cover likely isn't plus size. Boo throwing tomatoes. I love curvy rep, but I'm not a fan when curviness, more accurately possible insecurities about it, is a whole plot point. I feared her insecurities would play a major, if not a dominant, role in their relationship when I went into this book. Thankfully, it didn't (but she did have some unhealthy eating habits and image issues though, like always being on a diet & being annoyingly vocal on eating a salad or fruit as a full meal), but overall, her size was just a physical description, not a full blown issue, so I greatly appreciated that. The thing I didn't like, though, is that her body confidence seemed reliant on men. You should love your body & have confidence no matter what your relationship status is. I wanted to see her love herself on her own, not simply ignore her insecurities because she has a man now. Seeing as it was referred to in the last book, I'd have liked to see her become more comfortable and confident in her body in a realistic yet subtle way. I hope that makes sense 😅 the plus size girlies know what I'm talking about.
I will say, the 2 things that saved this book were the other characters & the plot. I loved learning more about the aftermath of what happened in Zak & Anna's book & seeing how they navigated that. Plus, I always love scenes with the rescue team, especially Pierce. The plot was well paced, had me on the edge of my seat, and was non-stop action from start to finish. I loved the plot twists It gave me flashbacks to my Pretty Little Liars days. I don't know if this author was a fan of that show, but this book gave me major PLL vibes 🤣. Oh & I have to applaud the spice. Solid 4 out of 5 on the 🌶️ scale. It was great & the only time you felt any real chemistry between them. Those scenes may be the only reason I reread this book.
October 8, 2025
Really enjoyed Sasha & Donovan’s story. Thankfully the FMCs adherence to her “plan” was short lived and the will-she-won-she was kept to a fairly reasonable level. It was so nice to see actual level-headedness and common sense in some elements of decision making.
Was surprised by the twist and wanted to punch them in the face x2 lol. Enjoyed the way the story wrapped up.
Only thing I didn’t like was the true crime podcast aspect. Sort of skimmed through those sections.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Was surprised by the twist and wanted to punch them in the face x2 lol. Enjoyed the way the story wrapped up.
Only thing I didn’t like was the true crime podcast aspect. Sort of skimmed through those sections.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
April 18, 2023
ARC received for an honest review.
The second instalment of the Redwood Coast Series and its Donovan & Sasha’s turn.
There’s twists and “I did not see that coming” with a great storyline.
I loved Donovan, all Alpha male & tattooed.
Great read, highly recommend and can’t wait for the Sheriff next.
The second instalment of the Redwood Coast Series and its Donovan & Sasha’s turn.
There’s twists and “I did not see that coming” with a great storyline.
I loved Donovan, all Alpha male & tattooed.
Great read, highly recommend and can’t wait for the Sheriff next.
July 24, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on September 5, 2024 (currently $4.99 at Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
Searching for Risk is the second book in the series and the people from the first book do play roles here. The couple here is Sasha the veterinarian and the third member of the trio Donovan Scott. While Ash and Zak had good parents, Van did not.
Sasha is the curvy vet who thinks she is going to seduce Ash but instead gets seduced by Van. Van has many secrets from the past and they are all coming to the forefront. His girlfriend in high school, Darcy, disappeared right before he left town. He was always the only suspect but not seriously investigated. He enlisted and served and is now home with a brain injury, and training with Spirit a K9 who has now recovered from a brain injury.
So much happens with an arsonist setting a fire which hurts many in the area. A body is found in the fire area and thought maybe to be Darcy. People are not kind to Van and there are several attempts to kill him or Sasha. Sasha has been strong and supportive until she faces the arsonist and death.
There is so much action at a fast pace here, especially at the end. I really need to read more to find out what happens next. Plus Ash needs some love and support so hopefully he will be part of the next couple.
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on September 5, 2024 (currently $4.99 at Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
Searching for Risk is the second book in the series and the people from the first book do play roles here. The couple here is Sasha the veterinarian and the third member of the trio Donovan Scott. While Ash and Zak had good parents, Van did not.
Sasha is the curvy vet who thinks she is going to seduce Ash but instead gets seduced by Van. Van has many secrets from the past and they are all coming to the forefront. His girlfriend in high school, Darcy, disappeared right before he left town. He was always the only suspect but not seriously investigated. He enlisted and served and is now home with a brain injury, and training with Spirit a K9 who has now recovered from a brain injury.
So much happens with an arsonist setting a fire which hurts many in the area. A body is found in the fire area and thought maybe to be Darcy. People are not kind to Van and there are several attempts to kill him or Sasha. Sasha has been strong and supportive until she faces the arsonist and death.
There is so much action at a fast pace here, especially at the end. I really need to read more to find out what happens next. Plus Ash needs some love and support so hopefully he will be part of the next couple.
August 25, 2023
Excellent Story & Narration🎧Thrilling & Emotional!
Searching for Risk
Redwood Coast Rescue, Book 2
By: Tonya Burrows
Narrated by: Stephen Borne, Auri Alden
Tonya Burrows created something very special when she created the “Redwood Coast Rescue” world. The characters and storylines are intriguing and they pull you right into the story, captivating your attention from start to end. Sasha LeBlac is a planner, and she is at the time in her life to find a nice guy to settle down with. She had her eye on one, Ash, the local sheriff. What she had not planned on was Donovan Scott, the former marine with the bad reputation or the connection she felt with him. The chemistry between them was electric and unlike anything she felt with another. Donovan served his county suffered a traumatic brain injury and has PTSD, but is not the only bad thing in his life, the people in his community look down on him and blame him for the disappearance of Darcy, fifteen years earlier. And when a body turns up outside of town, possibly Darcy’s, he is the prime suspect. Sasha believes in Donovan, knows he is innocent, but that does not stop the rest of the town, even the sheriff from scrutinizing him. No one wants the case solved more than Donovan does, not only to prove his innocence but to get justice for her since he felt he did not prevent something bad from happening to her. I loved how everything played out in this book, the writing and plotting is fantastic and there are a lot of layers to the story. The drama is non-stop, the mystery keeps you thinking, the twists and turns keep you on your toes, the suspense takes you to the edge of your seat, the heartfelt emotions tug at your heartstrings and the romance is steamy. I also loved the podcast episodes, a clever addition to the story. Tonya Borrows, thank you for another fantastic story and emotional rollercoaster ride. I loved that ending too!
🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Stephen Borne continues to do an amazing job bringing these characters to life. His portrayal of each character is spot on, giving each their own voice and personality. I love how he takes each role, runs with it and makes it his own, and is convincing in every role he plays. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and has you feeling every single one. Audi Alden pops in as the podcaster and does a fantastic job delivering them, sounding authentic and just as a podcaster does. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another wonderful listen.
Searching for Risk
Redwood Coast Rescue, Book 2
By: Tonya Burrows
Narrated by: Stephen Borne, Auri Alden
Tonya Burrows created something very special when she created the “Redwood Coast Rescue” world. The characters and storylines are intriguing and they pull you right into the story, captivating your attention from start to end. Sasha LeBlac is a planner, and she is at the time in her life to find a nice guy to settle down with. She had her eye on one, Ash, the local sheriff. What she had not planned on was Donovan Scott, the former marine with the bad reputation or the connection she felt with him. The chemistry between them was electric and unlike anything she felt with another. Donovan served his county suffered a traumatic brain injury and has PTSD, but is not the only bad thing in his life, the people in his community look down on him and blame him for the disappearance of Darcy, fifteen years earlier. And when a body turns up outside of town, possibly Darcy’s, he is the prime suspect. Sasha believes in Donovan, knows he is innocent, but that does not stop the rest of the town, even the sheriff from scrutinizing him. No one wants the case solved more than Donovan does, not only to prove his innocence but to get justice for her since he felt he did not prevent something bad from happening to her. I loved how everything played out in this book, the writing and plotting is fantastic and there are a lot of layers to the story. The drama is non-stop, the mystery keeps you thinking, the twists and turns keep you on your toes, the suspense takes you to the edge of your seat, the heartfelt emotions tug at your heartstrings and the romance is steamy. I also loved the podcast episodes, a clever addition to the story. Tonya Borrows, thank you for another fantastic story and emotional rollercoaster ride. I loved that ending too!
🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Stephen Borne continues to do an amazing job bringing these characters to life. His portrayal of each character is spot on, giving each their own voice and personality. I love how he takes each role, runs with it and makes it his own, and is convincing in every role he plays. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and has you feeling every single one. Audi Alden pops in as the podcaster and does a fantastic job delivering them, sounding authentic and just as a podcaster does. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another wonderful listen.
November 7, 2023
NOTE: This book is not for my clean reads followers. There is lots of language and on-page intimate scenes.
I've enjoyed several of Tonya Burrows' books because she does a great job of having tension and conflict outside of the romance, which makes for a more exciting and enjoyable read. This particular story wasn't my favorite, but it was still good. I'll try and explain.
First, while well-written and narrated, the podcast sections always threw me out of the story. From the beginning, I wondered how those sections would work out since they are obviously setting up our hero (Donovan) as a troubled murderer.
Second, Sasha goes to the masquerade with the intention of seducing the sheriff and working toward the last of her goals--marry a nice guy. Instead, she gives in to the intense attraction she feels for someone else. The way the story was written, she didn't know who it was, but I guess she did? It wasn't clear, but they spent the night together anyway, and she tried to sneak away the next morning. The rest of the story is her swinging between liking him and wondering if he killed his girlfriend 15 years earlier. It was kind of annoying.
For the most part, they were just together but I didn't feel like I knew why other than they were attracted to each other. Donovan was strong/tough, but he deserved someone who believed in him and supported him better than Sasha did.
The narrators were good and made for an enjoyable listen. In the end, I think the issues I had with the story were personal and not related to the actual writing. :)
I give this 4 stars and an R rating.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed-door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed-door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
I've enjoyed several of Tonya Burrows' books because she does a great job of having tension and conflict outside of the romance, which makes for a more exciting and enjoyable read. This particular story wasn't my favorite, but it was still good. I'll try and explain.
First, while well-written and narrated, the podcast sections always threw me out of the story. From the beginning, I wondered how those sections would work out since they are obviously setting up our hero (Donovan) as a troubled murderer.
Second, Sasha goes to the masquerade with the intention of seducing the sheriff and working toward the last of her goals--marry a nice guy. Instead, she gives in to the intense attraction she feels for someone else. The way the story was written, she didn't know who it was, but I guess she did? It wasn't clear, but they spent the night together anyway, and she tried to sneak away the next morning. The rest of the story is her swinging between liking him and wondering if he killed his girlfriend 15 years earlier. It was kind of annoying.
For the most part, they were just together but I didn't feel like I knew why other than they were attracted to each other. Donovan was strong/tough, but he deserved someone who believed in him and supported him better than Sasha did.
The narrators were good and made for an enjoyable listen. In the end, I think the issues I had with the story were personal and not related to the actual writing. :)
I give this 4 stars and an R rating.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed-door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed-door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
August 26, 2023
This is an Audiobook review..!!
This is a fantastic story which kept me intrigued and guessing throughout the book.
Donovan Scott is a troubled man and he was back in the town he escaped from many years ago. After suffering a brain injury when he served in the Military.He came home to be with his sick mum and recover from the injury that ruined his life.
But the town didn't welcome him home as a hero as he was now shrouded in speculation and accustation that he murdered his ex girlfriend Darcy 15 years ago.
Sasha Le Blanc is the Vetenarian in the town and she is quite shy and timid...She had a crush on the Sheriff of the town Ash but he never noticed her.
Being invited to a masquerade ball she meets a mystery man and she lets herself go and spends a passionate night with the masked stranger.Only to discover it was Donovan behind the disguise and they both cannot ignore their chemistry.
With the shadow of the past haunting Donovan's life,he thought he would never find Love,but he quickly falls for Sasha.
Sasha is a bit more reluctant to start anything with the bad boy of the town,between his health and the accusations could she fall for a man who could go to jail?..
This book is full of action and mystery I loved it and it had me gasping more than once.
I never expected what would happen and the ending was a shocker!!!
Narrated by Stephen Borne who did a brilliant performance telling this story and I enjoyed listening to his voice.The added Narration of Auri Alden as the podcast woman was a great touch it made it feel so real,and that the case of Darcy's disappearance/murder seem like a genuine cold case.
It was this podcast that stirred up the past and started the fingers pointing at Donovan...It was so interesting how this story pieced together and like I said it was so unexpected how it ended and what we learn about Darcy.
The Love story that plays out between Sasha and Donovan was so steamy and sweet too,she loves him despite his past and his injury and he loved her even when she couldn't love herself.
Dogs and their healing and comfort in stressful situations play a big part in these books,Searching For Risk was no different and both characters have adorable and intelligent dogs.
My mind is still reeling about the ending with ASH...and those bones...I am already anticipating the 3rd book now,I can't wait for it.
This is an excellent audiobook especially if you like a puzzle to solve and a real thrill ride to go on then this book could be for you.
I relished it.
Marvellous
5 Stars.
This is a fantastic story which kept me intrigued and guessing throughout the book.
Donovan Scott is a troubled man and he was back in the town he escaped from many years ago. After suffering a brain injury when he served in the Military.He came home to be with his sick mum and recover from the injury that ruined his life.
But the town didn't welcome him home as a hero as he was now shrouded in speculation and accustation that he murdered his ex girlfriend Darcy 15 years ago.
Sasha Le Blanc is the Vetenarian in the town and she is quite shy and timid...She had a crush on the Sheriff of the town Ash but he never noticed her.
Being invited to a masquerade ball she meets a mystery man and she lets herself go and spends a passionate night with the masked stranger.Only to discover it was Donovan behind the disguise and they both cannot ignore their chemistry.
With the shadow of the past haunting Donovan's life,he thought he would never find Love,but he quickly falls for Sasha.
Sasha is a bit more reluctant to start anything with the bad boy of the town,between his health and the accusations could she fall for a man who could go to jail?..
This book is full of action and mystery I loved it and it had me gasping more than once.
I never expected what would happen and the ending was a shocker!!!
Narrated by Stephen Borne who did a brilliant performance telling this story and I enjoyed listening to his voice.The added Narration of Auri Alden as the podcast woman was a great touch it made it feel so real,and that the case of Darcy's disappearance/murder seem like a genuine cold case.
It was this podcast that stirred up the past and started the fingers pointing at Donovan...It was so interesting how this story pieced together and like I said it was so unexpected how it ended and what we learn about Darcy.
The Love story that plays out between Sasha and Donovan was so steamy and sweet too,she loves him despite his past and his injury and he loved her even when she couldn't love herself.
Dogs and their healing and comfort in stressful situations play a big part in these books,Searching For Risk was no different and both characters have adorable and intelligent dogs.
My mind is still reeling about the ending with ASH...and those bones...I am already anticipating the 3rd book now,I can't wait for it.
This is an excellent audiobook especially if you like a puzzle to solve and a real thrill ride to go on then this book could be for you.
I relished it.
Marvellous
5 Stars.
September 18, 2023
Another thrilling story from Tonya Burrows! This story is compelling and intriguing and I had trouble putting it down! The book begins with a bang and gets better from there. Sasha and Donovan are wonderfully maligned characters who grow so nicely together. Donovan's demons have followed him for his entire life and only got worst after this time in the military. He's the poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks and everyone's always treated him like that. It only gets worse when there's a cold case podcast airing episodes about a missing girl from his high school days, where he was the main suspect. Sasha has a plan and she plans to stick to it. She does not count on an encounter with the local bad boy.
I enjoyed the character growth from everyone and how first impressions can be wrong and that people can grow and change. Donovan and Sasha were fantastic! I liked how each played of the other and their interactions. The dogs were wonderful and I liked the inclusion of the characters from the previous book. I thought the beginning of the park scene was a nice inclusion!
This book has (lots! of) steam (more than some of Burrow's stories), violence, fire, PTSD, TBI, and SA (off page).
The podcast episodes were well done and nicely narrated. I liked the inclusion because it helped set the suspense of the story, because it offered a real life look at how cases like that are handled, especially from a true crime podcast narration. Because, most of the time, someone's partner did it, so of course police and arm chair detectives would suspect the boyfriend with a criminal past!
This is the second book in the series. It can be read as a standalone as the story is self-contained, but I recommend enjoying the first book before this one for maximum enjoyment!
The narrators were wonderful! I quite like Stephen Borne's narration style and I'm glad the author keeps using him for her books! While the story is told in dual POV, Auri Alden only narrated the podcast episodes, not the chapters/sections from Sasha's perspective. I listened at 1.15x speed. That speed fit the male narrator's voice, but was a little too fast for the female's voice.
I enjoyed the character growth from everyone and how first impressions can be wrong and that people can grow and change. Donovan and Sasha were fantastic! I liked how each played of the other and their interactions. The dogs were wonderful and I liked the inclusion of the characters from the previous book. I thought the beginning of the park scene was a nice inclusion!
This book has (lots! of) steam (more than some of Burrow's stories), violence, fire, PTSD, TBI, and SA (off page).
The podcast episodes were well done and nicely narrated. I liked the inclusion because it helped set the suspense of the story, because it offered a real life look at how cases like that are handled, especially from a true crime podcast narration. Because, most of the time, someone's partner did it, so of course police and arm chair detectives would suspect the boyfriend with a criminal past!
This is the second book in the series. It can be read as a standalone as the story is self-contained, but I recommend enjoying the first book before this one for maximum enjoyment!
The narrators were wonderful! I quite like Stephen Borne's narration style and I'm glad the author keeps using him for her books! While the story is told in dual POV, Auri Alden only narrated the podcast episodes, not the chapters/sections from Sasha's perspective. I listened at 1.15x speed. That speed fit the male narrator's voice, but was a little too fast for the female's voice.
April 20, 2023
If you love K-9 and steamy , very steamy romance this is a fabulous book for you.
Donovan had a difficult life, problem in his family, not from the "good "side of the city so when his girlfriend disappear he is the primary suspect. The teenager he was could not fight the rumor and suspicion so while Darcy's body was never found, that there was no proof she did not leave by herself some decreeted she was murdered by Donovan. Since then no matter what he did, the hero he became and teh price he paid fior his service some think he is a murdered and when a postcast about cold case is taking Darcy case it make things worse.
Only his dog partner spirit helps him overcome his trauma and the situation....until sasha.
Sasha has a plan for everything....life, carriere, husband choice etc...but while participating in a masquarade ball ...her plan to seduce Ash go astray as a attractive male in a demon disguise make her blood boils. She does not recognise Donovan at first and after a night of passion she is confronted to the reality: plans don't always go through. Not sure how to react she tries to keep her distance but is so attracted by their chemistry she can' stay away especially after seeing Donovan risking his life for dogs.
When the tension is high because of the postcast, and a fire put the whole city at risk cold case are not a priority but when the danger level go up with arson, bomb and more the reason could be that Darcy Case and Ash the sheriff and friend of Donovan won't have teh luxury to wait so with veterans of the military from the rescue they will need to uncover the truth if they want to feel safe and have a chance at happiness.
really it was good but due to the very very steamy described scene it's only for adult. I can't wait to see how the series progress.
Donovan had a difficult life, problem in his family, not from the "good "side of the city so when his girlfriend disappear he is the primary suspect. The teenager he was could not fight the rumor and suspicion so while Darcy's body was never found, that there was no proof she did not leave by herself some decreeted she was murdered by Donovan. Since then no matter what he did, the hero he became and teh price he paid fior his service some think he is a murdered and when a postcast about cold case is taking Darcy case it make things worse.
Only his dog partner spirit helps him overcome his trauma and the situation....until sasha.
Sasha has a plan for everything....life, carriere, husband choice etc...but while participating in a masquarade ball ...her plan to seduce Ash go astray as a attractive male in a demon disguise make her blood boils. She does not recognise Donovan at first and after a night of passion she is confronted to the reality: plans don't always go through. Not sure how to react she tries to keep her distance but is so attracted by their chemistry she can' stay away especially after seeing Donovan risking his life for dogs.
When the tension is high because of the postcast, and a fire put the whole city at risk cold case are not a priority but when the danger level go up with arson, bomb and more the reason could be that Darcy Case and Ash the sheriff and friend of Donovan won't have teh luxury to wait so with veterans of the military from the rescue they will need to uncover the truth if they want to feel safe and have a chance at happiness.
really it was good but due to the very very steamy described scene it's only for adult. I can't wait to see how the series progress.
July 20, 2025
🫶 Spoilerfreie Rezension für ein geniales Buch, das definitiv mehr ist als erwartet. Lese-Highlight 🫶
Dieses Buch, Searching for Risk, Band 2 der Redwood Coast Rescue Romantic Suspense - Serie war gesetzt, weil ich das erste Buch der Reihe schon verschlungen habe. Und wie war es jetzt? Lest weiter, dann erfahrt ihr es!
Wie war das Buch? Mir war klar, dass mich eine actionreiche Geschichte erwartet – und ich wurde damit auch wirklich nicht enttäuscht… Das Buch hat mich dennoch darüber hinaus in mehr als einer Hinsicht – dies aber im positiven Sinne – überrascht. Der Schreibstil war vereinnahmend, es war wundervoll geschrieben, man konnte nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen – und es war so was von gut!
Erneut beeindruckte mich, dass wir hier von Schicksalen erfahren, die wirklich zum Teil schonungslos in aller Offenheit thematisiert wurden. Aber gerade das fand ich auch sehr wichtig, denn – auch ohne zu spoilern kann ich mitteilen, dass dies gerade heutzutage wohl eher keine „Ausnahmefälle“ mehr sind, sondern in bestimmten Regionen sicherlich zur Regel werden. So traurig und erschreckend das auch ist...
Insofern finde ich es toll, dass Autorinnen auch diese Thematik aufgreifen und ins Rampenlicht bringen – denn nichts weniger verdienen sie!
Wir lernten in diesem Buch interessante Charaktere und Schicksale kennen – und die Autorin hat uns mehrfach aufs Glatteis geführt! Das war herausragend!
Auch wenn es sich um Bücher handelt, die als Standalone gelten könnten, bin ich mir sicher, dass es bereichernder ist, wenn man die Protagonisten schon in anderen Büchern kennenlernte!
Das Buch hat beeindruckt, der Schreibstil war mitreißend, die Handlungen nachvollziehbar, das Spannungslevel war sehr hoch und konnte mich auch über das gesamte Buch hinweg „festhalten“.
Wer also keine Berührungsängste mit der Thematik hat, bekommt einen wundervollen Pageturner!
Von mir also 5 von 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Sternen dafür und eine absolute Leseempfehlung!
Reihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge:
Searching for Rescue
Searching for Risk
Dieses Buch, Searching for Risk, Band 2 der Redwood Coast Rescue Romantic Suspense - Serie war gesetzt, weil ich das erste Buch der Reihe schon verschlungen habe. Und wie war es jetzt? Lest weiter, dann erfahrt ihr es!
Wie war das Buch? Mir war klar, dass mich eine actionreiche Geschichte erwartet – und ich wurde damit auch wirklich nicht enttäuscht… Das Buch hat mich dennoch darüber hinaus in mehr als einer Hinsicht – dies aber im positiven Sinne – überrascht. Der Schreibstil war vereinnahmend, es war wundervoll geschrieben, man konnte nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen – und es war so was von gut!
Erneut beeindruckte mich, dass wir hier von Schicksalen erfahren, die wirklich zum Teil schonungslos in aller Offenheit thematisiert wurden. Aber gerade das fand ich auch sehr wichtig, denn – auch ohne zu spoilern kann ich mitteilen, dass dies gerade heutzutage wohl eher keine „Ausnahmefälle“ mehr sind, sondern in bestimmten Regionen sicherlich zur Regel werden. So traurig und erschreckend das auch ist...
Insofern finde ich es toll, dass Autorinnen auch diese Thematik aufgreifen und ins Rampenlicht bringen – denn nichts weniger verdienen sie!
Wir lernten in diesem Buch interessante Charaktere und Schicksale kennen – und die Autorin hat uns mehrfach aufs Glatteis geführt! Das war herausragend!
Auch wenn es sich um Bücher handelt, die als Standalone gelten könnten, bin ich mir sicher, dass es bereichernder ist, wenn man die Protagonisten schon in anderen Büchern kennenlernte!
Das Buch hat beeindruckt, der Schreibstil war mitreißend, die Handlungen nachvollziehbar, das Spannungslevel war sehr hoch und konnte mich auch über das gesamte Buch hinweg „festhalten“.
Wer also keine Berührungsängste mit der Thematik hat, bekommt einen wundervollen Pageturner!
Von mir also 5 von 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Sternen dafür und eine absolute Leseempfehlung!
Reihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge:
Searching for Rescue
Searching for Risk
July 20, 2025
🫶 Spoilerfreie Rezension für ein geniales Buch, das definitiv mehr ist als erwartet. Lese-Highlight 🫶
Dieses Buch, Searching for Risk, Band 2 der Redwood Coast Rescue Romantic Suspense - Serie war gesetzt, weil ich das erste Buch der Reihe schon verschlungen habe. Und wie war es jetzt? Lest weiter, dann erfahrt ihr es!
Wie war das Buch? Mir war klar, dass mich eine actionreiche Geschichte erwartet – und ich wurde damit auch wirklich nicht enttäuscht… Das Buch hat mich dennoch darüber hinaus in mehr als einer Hinsicht – dies aber im positiven Sinne – überrascht. Der Schreibstil war vereinnahmend, es war wundervoll geschrieben, man konnte nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen – und es war so was von gut!
Erneut beeindruckte mich, dass wir hier von Schicksalen erfahren, die wirklich zum Teil schonungslos in aller Offenheit thematisiert wurden. Aber gerade das fand ich auch sehr wichtig, denn – auch ohne zu spoilern kann ich mitteilen, dass dies gerade heutzutage wohl eher keine „Ausnahmefälle“ mehr sind, sondern in bestimmten Regionen sicherlich zur Regel werden. So traurig und erschreckend das auch ist...
Insofern finde ich es toll, dass Autorinnen auch diese Thematik aufgreifen und ins Rampenlicht bringen – denn nichts weniger verdienen sie!
Wir lernten in diesem Buch interessante Charaktere und Schicksale kennen – und die Autorin hat uns mehrfach aufs Glatteis geführt! Das war herausragend!
Auch wenn es sich um Bücher handelt, die als Standalone gelten könnten, bin ich mir sicher, dass es bereichernder ist, wenn man die Protagonisten schon in anderen Büchern kennenlernte!
Das Buch hat beeindruckt, der Schreibstil war mitreißend, die Handlungen nachvollziehbar, das Spannungslevel war sehr hoch und konnte mich auch über das gesamte Buch hinweg „festhalten“.
Wer also keine Berührungsängste mit der Thematik hat, bekommt einen wundervollen Pageturner!
Von mir also 5 von 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Sternen dafür und eine absolute Leseempfehlung!
Reihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge:
Searching for Rescue
Searching for Risk
Dieses Buch, Searching for Risk, Band 2 der Redwood Coast Rescue Romantic Suspense - Serie war gesetzt, weil ich das erste Buch der Reihe schon verschlungen habe. Und wie war es jetzt? Lest weiter, dann erfahrt ihr es!
Wie war das Buch? Mir war klar, dass mich eine actionreiche Geschichte erwartet – und ich wurde damit auch wirklich nicht enttäuscht… Das Buch hat mich dennoch darüber hinaus in mehr als einer Hinsicht – dies aber im positiven Sinne – überrascht. Der Schreibstil war vereinnahmend, es war wundervoll geschrieben, man konnte nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen – und es war so was von gut!
Erneut beeindruckte mich, dass wir hier von Schicksalen erfahren, die wirklich zum Teil schonungslos in aller Offenheit thematisiert wurden. Aber gerade das fand ich auch sehr wichtig, denn – auch ohne zu spoilern kann ich mitteilen, dass dies gerade heutzutage wohl eher keine „Ausnahmefälle“ mehr sind, sondern in bestimmten Regionen sicherlich zur Regel werden. So traurig und erschreckend das auch ist...
Insofern finde ich es toll, dass Autorinnen auch diese Thematik aufgreifen und ins Rampenlicht bringen – denn nichts weniger verdienen sie!
Wir lernten in diesem Buch interessante Charaktere und Schicksale kennen – und die Autorin hat uns mehrfach aufs Glatteis geführt! Das war herausragend!
Auch wenn es sich um Bücher handelt, die als Standalone gelten könnten, bin ich mir sicher, dass es bereichernder ist, wenn man die Protagonisten schon in anderen Büchern kennenlernte!
Das Buch hat beeindruckt, der Schreibstil war mitreißend, die Handlungen nachvollziehbar, das Spannungslevel war sehr hoch und konnte mich auch über das gesamte Buch hinweg „festhalten“.
Wer also keine Berührungsängste mit der Thematik hat, bekommt einen wundervollen Pageturner!
Von mir also 5 von 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Sternen dafür und eine absolute Leseempfehlung!
Reihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge:
Searching for Rescue
Searching for Risk
May 3, 2023
Oh what a delightful and well written series! This is another injured former Marine with TBI issues. He has a service dog Spirit, a black and white border collie who sniffs out explosives. Donovan Scott was an explosives expert in the service defusing a bomb in Afghanistan who was blown up doing his job. Now he's back home and working with the Redwood Coast Rescue doing search and rescue with Spirit. He's had his eye on Sasha LeBlanc the veterinarian. He decides to make his move at the rescue's masquerade fund raiser.
Sasha LeBlanc is not a risk taker. She makes a plan and sticks to it because life has taught her it always ends up a mess if she doesn't. Her plan for the masquerade is to seduce Ash Rawlings the town sheriff and brother of her best friend Anna. Things don't go according to plan. Ash is called away for work and she finds Donovan, dressed as a pirate, irresistible. After a very hot night she tries to back away but he's not having it.
Donovan is struggling with his scrambled eggs for brains giving him balance issues and hallucinations. He keeps seeing his old girlfriend Darcy Cantrell who disappeared their senior year at a beach party with classmates. She's now a cold case because they never found her, just a shoe. Everyone in town thinks he killed her but he knows he didn't. This becomes a wonderful story of falling in love, trusting the other and following clues to figure out what happened fifteen years ago.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sasha LeBlanc is not a risk taker. She makes a plan and sticks to it because life has taught her it always ends up a mess if she doesn't. Her plan for the masquerade is to seduce Ash Rawlings the town sheriff and brother of her best friend Anna. Things don't go according to plan. Ash is called away for work and she finds Donovan, dressed as a pirate, irresistible. After a very hot night she tries to back away but he's not having it.
Donovan is struggling with his scrambled eggs for brains giving him balance issues and hallucinations. He keeps seeing his old girlfriend Darcy Cantrell who disappeared their senior year at a beach party with classmates. She's now a cold case because they never found her, just a shoe. Everyone in town thinks he killed her but he knows he didn't. This becomes a wonderful story of falling in love, trusting the other and following clues to figure out what happened fifteen years ago.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 24, 2024
Town vet Dr. Sasha LeBlanc’s life is pretty much going according to plan and she’s ready for the next item on her list…. a husband. Her BFF’s twin brother, the town sheriff will do just fine, if she can get him to notice her! At a fundraising masquerade Sasha is dressed for seduction but before the sheriff appears, she’s asked to dance by a guy wearing a devil mask, who has all her attention! Later, Sasha gets the sheriff to dance but she can’t stop searching for her masked man. When the sheriff leaves to fight crime, Sasha finds the devil.
Town bad boy from the trailer park, Donovan Scott went to the dance to support the rescue center that supports his veteran’s therapy group, and connected him with his dog Spirit who helps Van cope with his TBI. After a night that leaves Sasan and Van at love’s door. Van wasn’t the plan but he makes Sasha’s blood and heart sing but he might be too bad. It doesn’t help that a popular podcast is talking about the disappearance of Van’s girlfriend from 15 years ago. He was the only suspect and the town acts as if he’s guilty.
When Van takes Sasha to get her car from the rescue center, where he housed Spirit overnight, it’s ablaze! Van goes in to save the animals, he’s hurt in the process but sees something odd. He tells he sheriff who’s skeptical since it doesn’t fit with a fireman’s account. Then the disappeared girlfriend’s bones are found and the podcast gets even more popular and town more hostile, Donovan doesn’t change his account of the fire or stop protesting his innocence in the disappearance.
Rating: 4.25stars
Town bad boy from the trailer park, Donovan Scott went to the dance to support the rescue center that supports his veteran’s therapy group, and connected him with his dog Spirit who helps Van cope with his TBI. After a night that leaves Sasan and Van at love’s door. Van wasn’t the plan but he makes Sasha’s blood and heart sing but he might be too bad. It doesn’t help that a popular podcast is talking about the disappearance of Van’s girlfriend from 15 years ago. He was the only suspect and the town acts as if he’s guilty.
When Van takes Sasha to get her car from the rescue center, where he housed Spirit overnight, it’s ablaze! Van goes in to save the animals, he’s hurt in the process but sees something odd. He tells he sheriff who’s skeptical since it doesn’t fit with a fireman’s account. Then the disappeared girlfriend’s bones are found and the podcast gets even more popular and town more hostile, Donovan doesn’t change his account of the fire or stop protesting his innocence in the disappearance.
Rating: 4.25stars
April 21, 2023
Donovan, the boy/man from the wrong side of the tracks and a bad boy with quite a reputation which started in his teen years, wants a woman who is his opposite. Now after 15 years an old cold case that involved his girlfriend back then, who disappeared all those years ago presumed dead, resurfaces. He joined the marines back then, proved himself, got blown up a couple of times and is now medically discharged and still suffering the consequences of his injuries. Sasha is the town vet and has her sights set on Ash, the town’s sheriff, but one night with Donovan has her rethinking her carefully constructed checklist and plan she follows meticulously. She’s the good girl, doesn’t get into trouble but she sees beneath the facade Donovan puts out and knows he’s a great man and it doesn’t hurt that he sets her blood on fire….as well as other things. When it’s gets heated between them, someone doesn’t want them to be happy and will do whatever it takes to ruin them….
WOW WOW WOW….the twists and turns, surprises, suspense, heat….and I’m not just talking about the forest fire….the dirty talking, the vulnerabilities, long buried truths and of course Donovan’s angel to his devil….sigh and swoon. The story flowed beautifully without skipping a beat and I couldn’t get enough of these two….KUDOS to the author!!!!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*
WOW WOW WOW….the twists and turns, surprises, suspense, heat….and I’m not just talking about the forest fire….the dirty talking, the vulnerabilities, long buried truths and of course Donovan’s angel to his devil….sigh and swoon. The story flowed beautifully without skipping a beat and I couldn’t get enough of these two….KUDOS to the author!!!!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*
April 24, 2023
I have read many of Tonya Burrows works and she does not disappoint. This is the second book in the Redwood Coast Rescue series and it was a great read. Has your romance that you are looking for plus some mystery/action. I loved the plot and really enjoyed this book. Would definitely recommend is you like an actual plot with your romance.
This book follows Donovan and Sasha. Sasha is the animal vet for Redwood Coast Rescue and Donovan is a wounded veteran who has had massive head injuries. The only thing Donovan lets close is his rescue dog, Spirit. Even though for over a year, he has had feelings for Sasha, he has never acted on them. Besides the damage from being a Marine, Donovan is a pariah in town and is suspected of killing his high school girlfriend who disappeared years ago. Sasha has a plan that does not include Donovan, even though he definitely pushes all of her buttons. After one night together, the two have a hard time staying apart. Add in a massive wild fire that was deliberately set, a charred body that may be the missing high school girl, someone targeting Sasha to get to Donovan and just utter chaos, and you have the basis of this book.
The book is very well written even with all the moving pieces. And the characters are great. I would definitely recommend.
This book follows Donovan and Sasha. Sasha is the animal vet for Redwood Coast Rescue and Donovan is a wounded veteran who has had massive head injuries. The only thing Donovan lets close is his rescue dog, Spirit. Even though for over a year, he has had feelings for Sasha, he has never acted on them. Besides the damage from being a Marine, Donovan is a pariah in town and is suspected of killing his high school girlfriend who disappeared years ago. Sasha has a plan that does not include Donovan, even though he definitely pushes all of her buttons. After one night together, the two have a hard time staying apart. Add in a massive wild fire that was deliberately set, a charred body that may be the missing high school girl, someone targeting Sasha to get to Donovan and just utter chaos, and you have the basis of this book.
The book is very well written even with all the moving pieces. And the characters are great. I would definitely recommend.
August 26, 2023
Searching for Risk
Redwood Coast Rescue, Book 2
By: Tonya Burrows
Narrated by: Stephen Borne, Auri Alden
This is the kind of book I adore! The kind that gets your blood pumping and your heart thumping! Tonya Burrows continues her Redwood Coast Rescue series and this book features Donovan and Sasha. Sasha is ready to make her move. With some liquid courage, she goes into the masked party, ready to seduce Ash, but finds herself in bed with the devil himself. But is her really? Donovan has had a tough life. An abusive childhood, a heartbreak, and a tour in the military has lead him back home only to have his past come back to haunt him. But his heart is true, and it is with Sasha. Will she see through the lies and help fight for his innocence? Will the danger that is lurking ever dissipate? And why is it back? Burrows weaves a fabulous tale with an original feel adding a true crime podcast to the mix. It's refreshing, suspenseful and romantic. Cannot get better than that!
Stephen Borne continues his narration of this fabulous series, and a better voice could not bring this story alive. His rasp and tone are perfect as the broken Donovan, and he easily finds his way to Sasha giving her an amazing female voice. Add in Auri Alden giving the true crime podcast and the suspense builds against Borne's storytelling. It's a phenomenal listen.
Redwood Coast Rescue, Book 2
By: Tonya Burrows
Narrated by: Stephen Borne, Auri Alden
This is the kind of book I adore! The kind that gets your blood pumping and your heart thumping! Tonya Burrows continues her Redwood Coast Rescue series and this book features Donovan and Sasha. Sasha is ready to make her move. With some liquid courage, she goes into the masked party, ready to seduce Ash, but finds herself in bed with the devil himself. But is her really? Donovan has had a tough life. An abusive childhood, a heartbreak, and a tour in the military has lead him back home only to have his past come back to haunt him. But his heart is true, and it is with Sasha. Will she see through the lies and help fight for his innocence? Will the danger that is lurking ever dissipate? And why is it back? Burrows weaves a fabulous tale with an original feel adding a true crime podcast to the mix. It's refreshing, suspenseful and romantic. Cannot get better than that!
Stephen Borne continues his narration of this fabulous series, and a better voice could not bring this story alive. His rasp and tone are perfect as the broken Donovan, and he easily finds his way to Sasha giving her an amazing female voice. Add in Auri Alden giving the true crime podcast and the suspense builds against Borne's storytelling. It's a phenomenal listen.
August 23, 2023
I LOVED this second installment in this series! The story filled my head and I could not wait for this to conclude. On the other hand I did not want it to end because it is so amazing. This crew of old/new friends are all intermingled from the past to the present. I love their attitudes towards each other. They make me laugh/chuckle and actually *feel* empathy for them. I could have cried in here easily a time or two. Mr Scott really had has a tough time and I really felt for him for his past and issues with the town. The therapy group peeps really pull on the heart strings.
This could be listened to as a stand alone but I highly recommend grabbing book 1 for two reasons. Firstly because it is just as good as this one. Secondly because there is a bit of an interconnecting story that pulls together a few different parts. Lastly this has all the adorable dogs that are helpful and personalities in their own right.
I can not say enough good things about this audio. The narration is SWEET! Stephen Borne and Auri Alden do an amazing job. If anything just grab this to listen to Stephen Borne’s gruff and sexy voice! He is perfect voice for the these military baddies.
I can’t wait for more in this series!
This could be listened to as a stand alone but I highly recommend grabbing book 1 for two reasons. Firstly because it is just as good as this one. Secondly because there is a bit of an interconnecting story that pulls together a few different parts. Lastly this has all the adorable dogs that are helpful and personalities in their own right.
I can not say enough good things about this audio. The narration is SWEET! Stephen Borne and Auri Alden do an amazing job. If anything just grab this to listen to Stephen Borne’s gruff and sexy voice! He is perfect voice for the these military baddies.
I can’t wait for more in this series!
December 20, 2024
⭐⭐⭐½
After a traumatic brain injury ended his military career, Donovan Scott returned to his home town where many but his closest friends still believe he’s involved in the unsolved disappearance of Darcy, his highschool girlfriend. His only solace is Spirit, his K9 partner at Redwood Coast Rescue, but Donovan’s always been a risk-taker at heart; when the rescue’s charity ball gives him a chance to sweep RWCR vet Sasha off her feet, he takes it. Sasha attended the ball planning to seduce the county sheriff, the best fit for her perfectly planned life, yet Donovan surprises her with his passion and his heart of gold. However, Donovan’s murky past is catching up to him. A serial arsonist is targeting the few people he loves and trusts, and a true crime podcast stirring new suspicions about his role in Darcy’s disappearance. Even at the risk of losing Sasha, Donovan must reveal his darkest secret to save her.
The second novel in the Redwood Coast Rescue series focuses on MMC Donovan and FMC Sasha. I connected with both characters and their experiences on an individual level and was thrilled to learn more about their pasts and them as people. Their developing relationship is framed as central to the plot and progression of the story, however was realistically secondary to the mystery plot, which was the most engaging aspect. I enjoyed following the investigation and felt a great deal of satisfaction upon the resolution, but the “podcast” element was a miss for me. Admittedly, I don’t listen to any true crime podcasts so maybe I simply don’t understand the genre, but Alexis and her podcast were oft-contradictory. She/her podcast seemed to exist only to force a third-act break-up moment between Donovan and Sasha that felt unrealistic and lessened the sincerity of their HEA.
After a traumatic brain injury ended his military career, Donovan Scott returned to his home town where many but his closest friends still believe he’s involved in the unsolved disappearance of Darcy, his highschool girlfriend. His only solace is Spirit, his K9 partner at Redwood Coast Rescue, but Donovan’s always been a risk-taker at heart; when the rescue’s charity ball gives him a chance to sweep RWCR vet Sasha off her feet, he takes it. Sasha attended the ball planning to seduce the county sheriff, the best fit for her perfectly planned life, yet Donovan surprises her with his passion and his heart of gold. However, Donovan’s murky past is catching up to him. A serial arsonist is targeting the few people he loves and trusts, and a true crime podcast stirring new suspicions about his role in Darcy’s disappearance. Even at the risk of losing Sasha, Donovan must reveal his darkest secret to save her.
The second novel in the Redwood Coast Rescue series focuses on MMC Donovan and FMC Sasha. I connected with both characters and their experiences on an individual level and was thrilled to learn more about their pasts and them as people. Their developing relationship is framed as central to the plot and progression of the story, however was realistically secondary to the mystery plot, which was the most engaging aspect. I enjoyed following the investigation and felt a great deal of satisfaction upon the resolution, but the “podcast” element was a miss for me. Admittedly, I don’t listen to any true crime podcasts so maybe I simply don’t understand the genre, but Alexis and her podcast were oft-contradictory. She/her podcast seemed to exist only to force a third-act break-up moment between Donovan and Sasha that felt unrealistic and lessened the sincerity of their HEA.
August 30, 2023
I liked Donovan. For him to have suffered under the scrutiny of the town for 15 years was too much. It made me wonder why his "friend" Ash hadn't looked at the case before now.
I wished Donovan could have found a woman in his life that truly cared about him. Darcy only wanted him so she could get out of town, and Sasha had no faith in his innocence.
I didn't understand Donovan and Sasha's relationship anyway. He fell for her a year before they connected. She went to the party to seduce someone else. Did Sasha not notice Donovan for an ENTIRE year? What was up with that?
I thought this book was more about Donovan's TBI and the suspicion hanging over his head than his romance with Sasha. Don't get me wrong. I did think the mystery was more interesting than the romance.
I also found it irritating that the podcast cast suspicion on Donovan on each episode. When all the twists and turns came to light, there was no podcast detailing his exoneration.
I did enjoy listening to this audiobook. I thought the narrators did a good job.
I wished Donovan could have found a woman in his life that truly cared about him. Darcy only wanted him so she could get out of town, and Sasha had no faith in his innocence.
I didn't understand Donovan and Sasha's relationship anyway. He fell for her a year before they connected. She went to the party to seduce someone else. Did Sasha not notice Donovan for an ENTIRE year? What was up with that?
I thought this book was more about Donovan's TBI and the suspicion hanging over his head than his romance with Sasha. Don't get me wrong. I did think the mystery was more interesting than the romance.
I also found it irritating that the podcast cast suspicion on Donovan on each episode. When all the twists and turns came to light, there was no podcast detailing his exoneration.
I did enjoy listening to this audiobook. I thought the narrators did a good job.
September 10, 2024
The second book of Redwood Coast Rescue series. I didn’t think I would like Donovan, but I fell in love with him right away. I listen to the audio version of this book and Stephen Borne; the narrator is fantastic. He kept my attention from the beginning and just makes me fall in love with the main characters, I think mainly because Borne’s voice is so sexy. Misunderstood, Donovan Scott and Sasha LeBlanc were the perfect couple. I can relate to Sasha with the crazy diets and the curvy body, I liked her from the start. I was routing for Donovan when she was at the party for Ash. Donovan and Sasha were perfect together. It talks about suicide, so it was sometimes tough to read. I liked that Burrows brought back the characters from the first book. You find out how Ana, Zak and the girls are doing. I loved that. I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the arsonist and I loved the K-9’s. All the dogs in this series, are amazing. Makes me want to get another dog. Such a great book. Highly recommend.
December 7, 2024
Second book in this series; we get Donovan, a former bomb specialist, who was blown up in war and has scrambled mind. A former towns problem child from the wrong side of the track, in a house where his father was an abusive drunk with a past in which his ex-girlfriend disappeared mysteriously and he was a prime suspect.
And we get to know Sasha, a brilliant plus size veterinarian, who spends one night with Donavan, not knowing he's not willing to let her go, since he had his eyes on her for over a year. Her mom died of cancer, and her dad committed suicide, which left her with a huge fear of being left behind.
Things get dangerous when there's an arson at the clinic and their dog care in which Donovan almost dies, but also reveals a body of a woman.
Things get brought out from the past, lies lead to wrong decisions and assumptions and lives get endangered. Truths come to life and some secrets get unburied.
Another amazing read, 5 stars, and I really liked Donovan's possessiveness.
And we get to know Sasha, a brilliant plus size veterinarian, who spends one night with Donavan, not knowing he's not willing to let her go, since he had his eyes on her for over a year. Her mom died of cancer, and her dad committed suicide, which left her with a huge fear of being left behind.
Things get dangerous when there's an arson at the clinic and their dog care in which Donovan almost dies, but also reveals a body of a woman.
Things get brought out from the past, lies lead to wrong decisions and assumptions and lives get endangered. Truths come to life and some secrets get unburied.
Another amazing read, 5 stars, and I really liked Donovan's possessiveness.
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