Deserving Henley

The Refuge #2

by Susan Stoker

Years of adversity have molded Henley McClure into the attentive, conscientious psychologist she is today. She lives for her daughter, Jasna, and her work at The Refuge, an exclusive retreat for victims of PTSD. Her life is fulfilling…if a little lonely. But the only man who’s captured her interest, the most standoffish of the mountain retreat’s seven owners, lives in self-imposed isolation. It will take a little vulnerability on her own part, a dead car battery, and the surprising help of her daughter to break through Finn’s defenses.

His Coast Guard career ended in a tragedy that ground Finn “Tonka” Matlick’s life to a halt. For years, his only solace has been the animals he tends to at The Refuge…and admiring Henley from afar. He had no plans to risk potential heartache ever again, until an incident at the retreat had him clinging to Henley like the broken man he is. The kind, patient therapist and her sweet, thoughtful daughter may be the only ones capable of putting him back together.

As Finn slowly heals, and he and Henley grow ever closer, someone is watching. Waiting. Planning. Evil in the making who ultimately wants to watch the world burn, one victim at a time. And they’ll start by targeting one of the people Finn loves most.

**Deserving Henley is the 2nd book in The Refuge Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

Genres: Romance, Military Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Suspense, Military Romance, Audiobook

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2023

About the author

Sign up for my newsletter here:
http://www.stokeraces.com/contact-1.html

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Tennessee where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Tennessee. She's married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.

Follow SUSAN:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsstoker
www.facebook.com/authorsusanstoker
Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorsusanstoker
Twitter: www.twitter.com/susan_stoker
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan...
Amazon: http://amzn.to/238Jw8c

For all upcoming books click here: http://www.stokeraces.com/coming-soon...

Reviews

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Loyalty, and Learning to Trust Again



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂😁😛
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary

Henley McClure is the psychologist at The Refuge, a retreat dedicated to helping people recover from PTSD and trauma. She is compassionate, intelligent, and deeply devoted to her young daughter, Jasna. While Henley has built a fulfilling life centered around helping others, there is still an undercurrent of loneliness. For years, she has been quietly attracted to Finn “Tonka” Matlick, one of The Refuge’s owners.

Finn is easily the most withdrawn member of the group. A former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, he carries crushing guilt and unresolved trauma from a mission that ended in tragedy. Rather than seeking comfort from others, he isolates himself with the animals he cares for at the retreat. He prefers predictable routines and keeps everyone at arm’s length.

A dead car battery, childcare complications, and Jasna’s natural curiosity create opportunities for Henley and Finn to spend time together outside of work. Jasna becomes an unexpected bridge between them, especially as she develops a sweet bond with Finn through the animals. As Finn slowly lowers his defenses and begins imagining a future beyond survival, a dangerous predator lurking in the background shifts his attention toward those Finn has come to love.

Highlights and Limitations

What stood out most to me was Finn’s emotional journey. Susan Stoker did not rush his healing or magically erase years of trauma once he fell in love. Finn struggles with guilt, avoidance, and the fear of causing pain to others. Watching him take small steps forward felt authentic. One of my favorite aspects was how Jasna brought out a gentler side of him. Their interactions with the animals were genuinely heartwarming and often provided much needed moments of lightness.

Henley was equally impressive. She understood trauma professionally, but she also carried scars of her own. I appreciated that she respected Finn’s boundaries while still encouraging him to reconnect with life. She never tried to “fix” him. Instead, she offered patience, consistency, and understanding.

The suspense element was particularly unsettling because readers are given glimpses into the villain’s mindset. Knowing danger is approaching while Henley, Finn, and Jasna are building their fragile happiness creates a steady sense of dread. The threat involving someone Finn deeply cares about significantly raised the emotional stakes.

I have to admit that this villain really disturbed me, he wanted to be one of the worst serial killers the country had ever seen and like many serial killers, he started with animals. I didn’t like the fact that he mentioned torturing a dog for a week before killing it and the fact that his next victim is a donkey he had been eyeing for a while. I have been loving Donkey the Donkey on TikTok lately, so I just didn’t want to have that image in my head.

If I had one criticism, it would be that the pacing occasionally leaned more heavily into the emotional healing and domestic moments before the suspense fully escalated. Readers looking for nonstop action from beginning to end may find the first half slower than some of Stoker’s other books. However, I felt the quieter moments were necessary to establish the emotional investment that made the later danger so effective.

Narration

The three narrators complemented one another beautifully.

Ramona Master captured Henley’s warmth, competence, and vulnerability. She conveyed Henley’s maternal instincts without making her sound overly sentimental and handled the emotional scenes with sincerity.

Aaron Shedlock gave Finn the gruff, guarded tone I expected from a man carrying so much pain. He excelled during Finn’s introspective moments, allowing listeners to hear both his strength and his uncertainty.

Teddy Hamilton’s contributions added variety and polish to the production. Together, the cast created an engaging listening experience that helped distinguish the characters and maintained momentum throughout the story.

The use of multiple narrators enhanced the emotional depth of the audiobook and made the relationships feel more immediate.

Final Opinion

Deserving Henley delivered exactly what I have come to expect from Susan Stoker: a blend of romance, suspense, and characters who genuinely deserve their happy ending. Finn’s transformation from isolated caretaker to devoted partner and protector was deeply satisfying, and Jasna absolutely stole scenes without overshadowing the romance. Her relationship with Finn was just as meaningful as the love story developing between Finn and Henley.

This audiobook balanced tenderness with tension, explored the long shadow trauma can cast over a person’s life, and reminded listeners that healing often happens through connection rather than grand gestures. It was emotional, suspenseful, and incredibly easy to root for. If you enjoy romantic suspense featuring damaged heroes, capable heroines, found family, and a child character who adds heart instead of frustration, this is a wonderful addition to The Refuge series.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub

[Susan Stoker]

Single mother, tortured hero, cute kid and even cuter pets.



Deserving Henley
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3pQEyAR
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PKTHZWX
Amazon AU: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09PKTHZWX
Amazon CA: www.amazon.ca/dp/B09PKTHZWX
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dese...
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=...
Audio: https://tinyurl.com/58erxthn
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3LNOrrA
Apple: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1603...
Google Play: https://tinyurl.com/4uuvxrc4
Auf Detusch: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0B25WRZRG
In Italiano: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0B4DT5XNQ
En Francais: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0B4BQZ4NP

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it was because I was in an emotional mood this week, but this had me in 😢 at several instances. It could be that reading about loss, especially of a beloved friend (human or animal) is just hard. Despite this, I loved this story. Although it focuses on Finn and Henley here, The Refuge is really a tight group so you get hints of the personality of the other guys as well.

I was really dreading what the antagonist was planning on doing, and actually got angry at the reasoning of why Stoker decided to make that person the target. I usually don't get so bothered, but fortunately, it worked out in a way that didn't bother me too much in the end.

I look forward to continuing this series.

[Dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I love about this series it that it doesn’t shy away from the fragility of life. It also doesn’t hide the joy and wonder that life can bring, and this book brought that tenfold. Tonka is the most damaged of the owners at The Refuge, which means he has the most to feel and give. After opening up a very small amount, he found he could a little bit more, each time he tried. Henley and Jasna allow him the time and space he needs, while being with him when he needs it. Loved the crossover to the Eagle Point Search and Rescue series, and that bit of insight into a character there.

We all know when you have kids and animals, they steal the show. But we also know when kids or animals are threatened, it squeezes your heart. Be prepared for some tension, but also know there is relief. Once again, the authour has woven a tale that captures your heart and soul, and leaves you happy and satisfied. Loved all the characters, old and new, and cannot wait for more in this world <3

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

sempre più bella questa serie

e siamo al secondo volume di questa serie che già si era configurata in modo molto bello e particolare al primo volume
qui già dalla trama e da quanto intravisto nel primo volume si era capito che la storia sia di finn che di henley sarebbe stata straziante e commovente al tempo stesso, e fin da subito il libro è così
di finn veniamo a conoscenza del suo dolore, della sua anima malinconica e di come si sia volontariamente chiuso a tutto e tutti; ma anche henley è un personaggio che ha alle spalle una vita di perdite violente (bellissima la parte sui native indians)e il suo scegliere di essere madre
due personaggi che decidono di meritarsi quella possibilità, che lentissimamente si avvicinano l'uno all'altra con grande rispetto paura e al tempo stesso speranza
anche la parte "hot" è praticamente molto lenta e prosegue poi in linea con due adulti che hanno deciso da tempo che il s@@@ è lontano dalle loro vite
per le prime cento pagine mi sono commossa di continuo........e brava dunque la stoker, che con questa serie conferma una maturità e profondità diversa, e che sicuramente in italiano viene sottolineata da una traduzione ed editing assolutamente perfetti e privi di sbavature
cinque stelle meritate

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so good from the start to the finish. I like how Tonka has come out of his shell, how he realizes it too. He and Henley are so stinking cute together, but better was how Tonka was respectful of Jasna and her place in Henley's life. At every step of the way, Tonka thought about Jasna and how she would feel, such a great thing! It helped foster a good relationship between the 2 of them, so that she could ask the hard questions of Tonka.

I hated the drama at the end, hated that evil threatened one of the people I've come to love. I liked how things were resolved, but it does make a person wonder...who would do that and have all the secret locations. That will be interesting to find out.

[Phuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Deserving Henley by Susan Stoker and devoured it all in one sitting. This story was beautifully written and it will give you all the feels. Finn and Henley were perfect for each other and I totally adored Henley’s daughter, Jasna who captured Finn’s heart as well as mine. Finn and Jasna’s interactions just melted my heart. I loved that both Henley and Jasna were able to help Finn start living again after what he endured in the past. All three narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life. This was an emotional story with some heart pounding moments that luckily ended quickly. I’m so looking forward to the next book in the Refuge series.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

He lives like a hermit and prefers animals to people....

...but once he lets someone in he is loyal, considerate, protective, gentle and gorgeous, no wonder Henley cannot resist him! Tonka is by far the quietest and most withdrawn of the guys at The Refuge, but that doesn't stop him falling hard and fast for Henley and Jasna. They make him feel again and they bring colour to his very grey and predictable life. This is an emotional but heartwarming journey for the trio, a journey that makes them stronger than any of them could have imagined.

[Jena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all!
I cried in this house, ugly cried even.
The things Finn and Henley went through, the animals, Jasna, . . just read the damn book, and have plenty of Kleenex!

[Sandy (Ms Reads A Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy, spicy, spicy. 😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥

[BOOKLOVER_81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finn was a dog handler in the Coast Guard and has PTSD. He’s more comfortable around animals and works with them at the Refuge, a retreat for people with PTSD. Henley, a single mom, has worked for two years as a psychologist at the Refuge. Jasna, Henley’s daughter, is a wonderful and integral participant in the story rather than a flimsy story prop. Finn and Henley have been attracted to each other since they met but nothing has happened until fate, in the guise of a dead car battery, gives them a nudge. Watching Finn, Henley and Jasna navigate their fledgling relationship while dealing with trauma and PTSD is an engaging, emotional, heart breaking, uplifting, loving, heart pounding roller coaster ride of all the feelings.

3.75 rating... not bad but also not my favorite.

audible 🎶

[Dicina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henley is a therapist both in town and at the Refuge. Having faced deep trauma as a child, she is able to connect with the guests on a deeper level. She loves her job there and her bosses are the best, most especially Finn. Always quiet, he loves animals more than people and spends most of his time with the animals. She knows that he hides a deep pain within him but doesn’t push him.

Henley has a daughter, Jasna, that she raises alone. It is not always easy to juggle her job and her daughter, and today is one of those days : her neighbor who usually watches after Jasna after school is not reachable. Fin steps in and tells her to bring her to the refuge, he will keep an eye on her while Henley works.

With each day that passes Finn and Henley gets closer, but danger is lurking in the shadows.

I had a hard time getting into the story, it lacked the action and tension I usually find in Susan’s book and I didn’t get attached to Henley and Finn as I hoped I would.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henley and Tonga are perfect. These are two imperfect people that have tortured pasts. Each have dealt with them differently, and have formed new lives because of these pasts. Henley is a therapist and single mom to Jasna, who is the best addition to this story. She works at the Refuge with Tonka and the other owners. The two of them have been attracted to each other since they met, but haven’t moved forward with anything. Tonka is still essentially hiding and not dealing with some of the events that have caused his decline of life. This story is one of healing, and one of how there are some people in life that are inherently bad. We get to know the baddie early on in the book and see things from his perspective through the story, and what his goals in life are. Stoker uses this tactic every once in a while, and I always enjoy it. This time the baddie is given a name and a “purpose” for the bad in him. The addition of Jasna in this story works extremely well, she is on page just the right amount but doesn’t overtake the story. Even with the way the story plays out she still has just the right amount of page time. The relationship between Jasna and Tonka is heartwarming and so sweet.

The men of the Refuge, as well as the women, are dynamic and a mix of personalities that blend together perfectly. And as usual with Stoker’s stories the epilogue gives us a sneak into the next story.

PoP: 48%

[Maya · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love her work, I couldn't get into this one and had to force myself to finish this. Didn't care for Henley AT ALL. Didn't care for any of the females in this thing (even more crass than the men). The relationship between Tonka and Henley feels so....meh. The man has issues and didn't come across as the alpha most of this author's characters turn out to be and then when he figures himself out, he turns into a horndog. Too wishy washy for me to find believable. The only saving grace is her daughter. Only character I couldn't turn off if I tried. Not sure I want to continue this saga which is incredibly sad.

[Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the characters and most of the story. The first sex scene went on waaaay too long and felt like a porn bit. Had to page past it and all the subsequent sex scenes.

Not a fan of the mystery person being the rescuer at the end. Felt like a deus ex machina since it came out of nowhere and was left unexplained. I predict it will turn out to be a heroine in a future book, but that doesn’t explain how they knew about the bunkers. I’m speculating that it was Ryan at this point.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit of a drag. But not a bad read.

[Denise H · Rating 5 out of 5]

From heartbreaking to heartwarming to everything in between – this was an awesome book. I absolutely love this new series. I started it last night and could not put it down until I finished it a few hours later. I was so invested in Henley and Finn (Tonka) I just had to know the outcome of their story.

Henley being a psychologist is the absolute perfect match for Finn. Aside from suffering her own trauma when she was younger, she has the perfect temperament and understanding to navigate his feelings and emotional state – to know when to offer her input (rather personal or professional) and when to leave him be and let him come to her when he’s ready. She’s a survivor; strong, brave, and sure in her profession yet vulnerable, shy, and unsure in her personal love life. She’s a single mother who raised her child on her own and I love the relationship the two of them have. Jasna is an awesome kid with great insight beyond her young years. And as for Jasna, I loved seeing her wrap the big guy around her finger and the bond they developed through his work with the animals. It was really endearing to see them together.

As for Finn (Tonka), I felt so absolutely heartbroken for the man. The torment and anguish and guilt he felt for a horrible situation completely out of his control was hard to read. The details explained throughout the book were devastating. For everything he had to endure on his last mission in the Coast Guard, it was completely understandable why he was the way he was. It would be a hard situation to recover from. I loved that he finally started to see and understand his own worth and wanted to get better, to be who he used to be for himself as well as for Hadley and Jasna, and his other friends at The Refuge. He wanted to feel whole again and be who Hadley and Jasna needed. It was wonderful to see his transformation.

For other aspects of this book – I loved all the animal mentions, and the character growth of Finn, Hadley, and even Jasna throughout the story, and the brief crossover mention with Raiden from The Eagle Point Search and Rescue series. The bad guy was seriously evil and demented and reading his sections absolutely gave me chills. I love the mystery surrounding the rescue (though I’m pretty sure I know who was involved and can’t wait to learn more). And of course, I’m not revealing it here – you have to read the book to get all the goods! The friendships formed, the romance and steam, and even the more somber moments all made for a fabulous read!

[Romancing the Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid military romance

Susan Stoker can’t write a bad book, but I can’t say this was one of my favorites.

📚𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Military romance, friends-to-lovers

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Tonka and Henley have been friends ever since she came to work at his recovery center as a psychologist. But he’s spent years building up wants and isolating himself. When he finally decides he wants more for himself and Henley, deconstructing those walls takes time.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I am serious when I say I have never put down one of Stoker’s books and regretted taking the time to read it, but this isn’t one of my favorites.

Stoker is great at military and life after the military romance. She’s actually one of the authors who got me back into reading the genre a few years ago. This new series focuses on vets from a few different branches who opened up a ranch called The Refuge, where people can come when they’re struggling with PTSD or other issues.

Tonka and Henley were a great couple. His trauma was hard to read - fair warning - and made me tear up. And his relationship with Henley’s daughter was beautiful to see. As always, the spice-to-story ratio was perfect. There were some definite swoon worthy moments.

But what Stoker usually does well - writing alpha males who are in control but balancing it with great female leads - was a little off in this one. There were a few cringe moments (can’t go into detail without spoilers) that turned me off, albeit momentarily.

Being honest, I’m clearly going to keep reading her. I just have likes some of her other books and series better.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶

[Wendy Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fin is the quiet one of the guys, reserved and happier to spend his time with the animals, but he is also attracted to Henley. Henley loves her work at the refuge and helping the guests, between two jobs and her daughter she keeps busy, but she really wants a chance to get to know Fin a lot better. I love this couple and Jasna, both have suffered trauma that haunts them but Henley has learnt to deal with hers to a certain point, Fin hasn't, but honestly I get where he was coming from, I'd have been exactly the same. Fabulous mystery left in this book, which is awesome and leaves readers wondering, I hope not for too long. Twists were awesome. I really enjoyed that Fin is brought more into the group and they all become closer as a result. Jasna is special and her love of learning new things and the excitement of being at The Refuge bounced off the pages, it was contagious and I found myself smiling at some of the images it brought to my mind. Powerful and traumatic subject matter is covered and no wonder the characters had PTSD issues, I'd love to think of places like The Refuge being real, somewhere for people to go and find calm, peace and help, because they are needed. It isn't just veteran's that suffer as is outlined in this story. A story I loved and thoroughly emersed myself in from beginning to end.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another trip back to The Refuge offers the next great book in the series. Deserving Henley hits all the marks. It's spicy, romantic, emotional filled and suspenseful with elements of danger. Susan Stoker created a bad guy character that may give you the willies. She's also introduced mysterious character who is quite intriguing and hopefully will be identified in a future book

If somone had asked Finn Matlick if he thought his self isolation would end and his heart would be melted by a 12 year old dynamo and her beautiful caring mother, he would have scoffed. Henley and Jasna McClure may be just what the doctor ordered. Jasna's insatiable curiosity and pureness of heart coupled with Henley's giving, caring personality and deep understanding of emtional, mental and physical trauma made Finn want to start living again. His are not tied literally or figuratively when danger comes calling this time. He'll keep his girls safe or die trying.

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserving Henley😍

Book two in this amazing series is finally here and focuses on Henley, the Refuge’s very own psychologist and Finn aka Tonka, one of the owners❣️Both have been attracted to each other for years but neither had acted on their attraction…when Henley brings her daughter around for the first time, to spend time with Finn in the barn and with “his” animals, he soon realises he wants to be more…more involved with everything related to the Refuge but also dig himself out of his head and be present for Henley and Jasna😁

Another great story and with the little mystery question that was posed, I think I know who it might be😉 Suffice to say, I can’t wait for more of these characters and I’m equally excited to get Spike’s story next❤️

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henley & Finn

Finn, aka Tonka, and Henley have had a quiet crush on each other for awhile. When they finally start dating, their relationship is 🔥🔥🔥!

I love the way Jasna is incorporated into the story. She's not an "off the page" kid, and I adore the separate relationship she & Finn form. They bond right away & it's so fun to see the way she helps his healing.

The suspense is shivery goodness & of course creepy and well done!! And looking forward to the next book, of course, plus the mystery introduced here...

😍😍😍

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

I loved this story of Henley and Finn!! Finn was so stand offish in the series so far, because of his trauma in the service. Both he and Henley were attracted to each other, but it didn't seem like either would do anything about it. In comes Jasna, Henley's daughter. Jasna and Henley bring Finn back to life. Jasna's curiosity about everything reminds Finn of Steel, his former canine partner. I love this book and this series! Can't wait for Spike's story!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I enjoyed Henley and Finn's story. Jansa and all the barn animals are adorable and a hoot to read about. I loved getting to see Raid having read Eagle Point series first. They support each other and know what the other one needs. I'm excited to keep reading this series.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henley is a single mother and the therapist at the Refuge. She has her own very traumatic history. She’s drawn to Tonka, who is still scarred from losing his canine partner from the Coast Guard in a horrible way. Love the book and series in general, but in this one the disaster got solved in a very unfulfilling way. Maybe that will evolve in the series, but at the time, it felt like a cop out. I read the ebook. 3.5/5

[Amanda Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Start to 2023

This book had me deep in my feels early.

Finn “Tonka” Matlick and Henley McClure have been attracted to each other for years. Finn is one of the owners of The Refuge and primarily concerns himself with the animals because of past trauma during his time in the Coast Guard. Henley is a psychologist who helps out part time with the guests. She is a single mom who has overcome past traumas of her own. These two are absolutely perfect for each other.

Henley and her daughter, Jasna, help Finn start to heal and let people back into his life. His friendship with Jasna is so sweet. His relationship with Henley is emotional and steamy. Finn is not at all what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised.

Danger is lurking throughout the story and eventually finds its way to the characters. The resolution ends in an HEA, some questions, and an epilogue teaser into the next book.

I am so gone for all of the characters in this series and I can’t wait for more.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

And three makes family

Tonka grabbed me from the first with his working with animals. Henley is a strong female whose story made me bawl in book one. We see there story now and meet Henleys daughter Jasna. The story is full of emotion and bravery as they and other characters work through their trauma and past harms. The relationship is steamy and well developed with emotions and love. Jasna is a precious character and great addition to their story. As a small dog owner I Love the ending and the addition of Beauty. Great epilogue with a teaser for the next book, though I wish there was more about the mysterious Angel who Tex couldn’t find!

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book was really good and this one just seemed to drag along. Once it was known who would be kidnapped, I kept waiting for it to happen. It seemed to take forever; I kept thinking maybe he would toy with Henley, create some tension. But that wasn’t the case. The rescue was too perfect and using “unknown” for the rescue was a cop-out…no pun intended. 😊

[CA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what’s up with me this year but this is the 2nd book that I have given up on. Maybe there was a plot twist that I missed out on by giving up so soon but it felt very predictable. Maybe its because I am from a health and social care work background but I didn’t like how Tonga as an owner of the refuge was sat in so many of the group sessions but not participating, it felt uncomfortable. The only pull I felt was towards Jasna and the animals, I was disappointed to not hear more about their exploits as they made me smile.

[Chandra Woolson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to start the year! I read Deserving Henley this morning and I loved it. The main characters’ flaws and vulnerabilities made me yearn for their HEA. (And someone better than Tex? I can’t wait to find out!)