Stealth

Locked Security #1

by Sarah Peis

Some mistakes are worth repeating.

Freya Olysses loves her quiet life in the sleepy little town of Ferguson. She’s made a home where she least expected to.

Until her past catches up with her in the form of a six-foot-something behemoth she never wanted to see again.

Now she’s not only running for her life, but also trying not to repeat past mistakes.

Gunner Anderson has seen it all. A decorated war veteran who now owns his own security firm, he is an expert in his field. His authority is never in question, his commands followed without delay.

Until Freya.

The first person who refuses to play by the rules and challenges him at every turn.

But if there is one thing he can’t resist, it’s a challenge.

Game on.

This is the first book in the Locked Security series and an enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romantic suspense.

Genres: Suspense, Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Mystery, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers

ebook

First published April 28, 2022

About the author

I love the written word in all forms and shapes and if I'm not glued to a book I'm attempting to write one.

I’m a frequent blonde moment sufferer and still trying to figure out how to adult. I live in Melbourne, Australia, with my two little humans, the holder of my heart and two furry demons. I love to hear from readers so feel free to get in touch.

Reviews

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5)
Trope: forced proximity
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥

Stealth is the first book in the Locked Security Series by Sara Peis and is a standalone. Gunner Anderson has been responsible for the surveillance of Freya Oyssess, runaway Mob Princess extraordinaire for the past 2 years, unbeknownst to her. When a credible threat is made on her life, Gunner has to step out of the shadows to take care of Freya whether she wants it or not. I had a hard time getting into this one. I found Freya to be a bit too immature, despite saying she was no longer the immature girl she was. The writing was solid though and there was tons of action, so maybe this one just wasn't for me. I'll definitely be willing to give her another go :)

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25+ stars

[Thuy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author to me, romantic suspense, mafia-ish, strong willed female character, overprotective family. Freya and Gunner have a little bit of history. She has left the family to figure out her own life. She comes from a powerful family, she also is being suffocated in that life. Thinking she has been living life and thriving on her own, boy was she wrong. Soon enough, Gunner shows up and chaos ensues. I enjoyed this story and the all the supporting characters. This story had its funny moments, serious moments and steamy moments. A good enjoyable romantic suspense. Looking forward to all the brothers books!

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's the deal, I LOVED this story a ton but I do wish I had read Locked Security (the Prequel) first since I sat & obsessed about what went down with Freya & Gunner in the past because of the strong feelings she had against him as this book took off. I'm not saying that to be negative because again, I LOVED this story, I'm just saying that y'all should start with Locked Security. Now that I got that out of the way, let's talk shop. Freya has been living independently (or so she thought) from her family, but her father has Gunner watching her to make sure she's safe. Of course things escalate so Gunner is tasked with getting Freya to keep her safe, and that didn't go over well whatsoever. I really wanted to throat punch Gunner at first because of the digs he got in (totally a me thing), but thankfully I ended up really falling hard for him. He & Freya had serious chemistry & in close quarters so it was just a matter of time before they set the sheets on fire. Of course my favorite part was the twists coming in hot as they had to stay a couple of steps ahead of the Irish so I was on the edge of my seat turning the pages so fast it was unreal LOL! I'm super excited about this new series & HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!

[Ursula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow- infantile MCs, especially the FMC, who was supposedly the daughter of some big shot Mafia boss. So unconvincing, and added to that, a silly, boring plot. Made it about a third through.

[Kristine Kalinina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic! I had the possobility to read ARC and feel so lucky. This was such a good story and I already can tell that I can not wait for the next book with Blake. But Gunners and Freya's story is captivating. I love that they both are strong in their own way. And the story has it all - there is humor and danger, action and love, spice and hotness. All beautifully woven together in one great book. Could not put it down until the last page.

[Reading by Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunner is in the surveillance room when Carter enters and starts laughing at him for watching surveillance tapes as it was below Gunner's pay grade. But not when there was a high-profile client and Freya Olysses was as high profile as they get being the daughter of the Greek Chicago mob boss.

He did most of the surveillance himself as he didn't want the other guys on the team watching her. Over the last two years, he had become obsessed with her even though she was the opposite of everything he believed in and a woman he thought he never wanted to see again after his first assignment to watch over her didn't end well.

Freya left Chicago soon after not realizing that her father had known all along that she was hiding out in Washington and had hired Locked Security to put a protective detail on her. Protective details didn't usually last this long especially when they didn't realize they were being protected. Now there was a threat and her father wants Gunner to retrieve her.

Freya had been getting weird hangup calls lately and considering who her family was it was starting to concern her. Had her family found her? One of their enemies? She had left Chicago two years ago to make her own choices in life without the interference of her three overbearing brothers and her protective father. She wanted a life without everyone knowing who her family was.

She loved the small town outside of Seattle. She finally found a friend and started a web design business. She had met Quinn at a knitting group when she first moved to Ferguson and they had both decided immediately that they were a disaster at knitting and instead became inseparable either meeting for drinks or at Quinn's family restaurant Deliziosa.

She is walking home from the restaurant when three men that she recognizes from the Irish mob corner her in an alley. Regretting that she had gotten out of the habit of carrying a gun at all times, she manages to evade them temporarily as she turns to run...right into the hard chest of a man she hoped to never lay eyes on again after he had humiliated her at a party she had snuck off to.

I loved this story! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. My first time reading Sarah Peis was with her Sweet Dreams Series and fell in love with this rom-com series, but I have to say I love her romantic suspense even more. You will still laugh, especially when you meet Quinn.

This story is action-packed from beginning to end. To say this is an enemy-to-lovers story is putting it mildly. But despite their animosity towards each other, they can't seem to stay away from each other for long when they are forced on the run. This book is full of danger, suspense and will light your Kindle on fire.

Highly recommend!

[Claudia |✨Cushin Violeta's Bookish Realm✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑮𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 & 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒂 & 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 🥰

𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑲 𝑯𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺 :📑

💌 Romantic Suspense
💌 Bodyguard
💌 Sassy h/ Heroine in danger
💌 Forced Proximity
💌 Enemies to Lovers

𝑴𝒀 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾: 📝

I had first read about Gunner and Freya in the Tainted King and it had me so wanting to read about Freya and Gunner.
The Owner of Locked Security and the Mafia Princess had me oh so excited and they sure took me on a rollercoaster ride in this one.

Freya is the youngest of four brothers and moreover, she comes from a mafia family. She knows her family is loving and is fiercely protective of her but she feels smothered by being looked out for constantly and hence to have her own independence, she flees away to live in the small town of Ferguson now where she can live under the radar.

What started off an an assignment two years before has gone on to become something that Gunner doesn't know how to put in words.
But Freya definitely ignites something in him and try as he might, he can't get over the stubborn and Sassy woman.

Now when the danger has risen and seems like Freya's family's enemies are closing in, Gunner is asked by Freya's father to personally make sure his daughter remains safe.

So begins the wild rollercoaster adventure where Gunner swears to protect Freya at any cost and we are taken along an action filled ride, escaping the constant chase by the enemies.

Ooohhh... The time at the Cabin really made me feel like I was the one who was trapped along with a hot guy.
With nowhere to go, they are unable to resist what has been simmering for a long time on the back burner between them.

Freya and Gunner were perfect together. He is a fierce protector and she is a sassy Spitfire who can't be controlled and doesn't take things lying down.

My goodness was Freya so stubborn and acted like a spoiled brat at times. But I also loved how Gunner could take it and treat her perfectly.

Quinn as Freya's friend was great and after having read her and Liam's book, I liked seeing how they actually met before.
Their book is also amazing where Liam, Freya's eldest brother becomes obsessed with Quinn.
Also, having just read Gabriel and Vanna's book, Oh my goodness, theirs is definitely a must read as Gabriel the second brother of Freya marries none other than the daughter of a Russian. Ooohhh... Loved their book.

An action packed ride filled ride sprinkled with suspense and two people who will absolutely drive you crazy and also will make you have a blast going onto an adventure filled ride with them. Loved Gunner and Freya.❤️❤️❤️

[Christy Davisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angsty, action packed, with a fun second chance romance mixed in!

I loved this version of this story, not only was this more action packed with some suspense added into the mix, but it has dual POV's of Freya and Gunner this time around. Normally Sara, gives you her fun lighthearted quirky characters and steamy romances she's known for but this was quite a departure from those. I loved that she took a novella/prequel of sorts of this story and added to it and made it just so much more. Yes you have a few lol moments but this series is more serious than her previous ones.

Freya's character was fun to read. She is a mafia boss's daughter with not only an overprotective father but brothers that made her love life trying at times. Leaving that life behind she ends up pulled back into it and not only has to deal with said family, she also has the one guy who she never wants to see again as her protector. To say her and Gunner have issues and possibly unrequited feelings. These two heat up the storyline as it unfolds.

Gunner, what can I say about this giant overprotective broody head of security? Well he definitely has a dirty side with a lot of alpha moments also. We definitely get to see a new side to him once he crosses the line with Freya.

If you like an easy-to-read second chance romance with some suspense mixed in, then this is a great book to grab. I voluntarily signed up for an ARC to give my honest review with nothing to gain. Excited to see where this new series goes and the little extra sneak peek at the end was definitely intriguing.

[justlarissareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freya is the daughter of a powerful crime boss which is why her father has hired Locked Security for her personal protection. She is fiercely independent and hates that she has to have body guards wherever she goes. So she leaves town to get away from it all. But unbeknownst to her, Gunner, owner of Locked Security, has had her under surveillance for the past two years under her father’s orders.

Her family is at war with an Irish crime mobster and Daddy has ordered Gunner to retrieve Freya and take her into hiding. Which will be a difficult task because she doesn’t even know she’s been watched the past couple years.

This was a fun, fast paced story with several characters, including her overprotective brothers. Freya is a down to earth, independent, sassy, escape artist who keeps Gunner on his toes. He’s very serious about keeping Freya and her bunny Killer safe. Well he doesn’t care about the “rat” so much as Freya does. We even get an introduction to a bear at a cabin in the woods.

Filled with action, suspense, wit, funny banter, romance and more, you’re surely to find yourself loving Gunner and Freya’s story.

ARC REVIEW

4/5⭐️
2.5/5���

Body Guard, Suspense, Romance, Forced Proximity, Mafia Daughter, Enemies to Lovers

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Sarah. Gunner and Freya meet 5 years ago and neither one of them has been able to forget about the other. Now they are about to be forced together again. Their last meeting didn’t end well. Freya is in danger because of her family ties. Gunner is going to do his job and protect Freya even if she doesn’t want him to. They are both attracted to each other but fight it. Now that they are forced to stay together for Freya’s protection how long will they able to fight those feelings. Freya has grown and changed over the years. Gunner finds this new Freya even harder to resist. This book was a fantastic read. There is action, danger, and romance. Freya is feisty and sweet. There is a prequel for this series. I didn’t know about it when I read this book. But, I have it now and plan to read it. I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it comes out. The characters in this book are wonderful. Great job Sarah.

[♡︎ Kesa Subban ♡︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hero - Gunner
Heroine - Freya
4 Cabin Stars
Overall Opinion

Stealth By Sarah Peis

First read by this author and I really enjoyed it.

Freya, a mafia princess left the lifestyle she had for a small town, in the hopes of living peacefully and doing something with the degree she got and making a name for herself.

Gunner, for the past two years has been protecting the h from afar, his feelings have grown from the last time he saw her, but he has never wanted to cross the line from protector to something more.

When Freya finds herself in danger, due to who her family is, all cards are off the table and Gunner will do everything he can to keep her safe.

Freya's immaturity really ticked me off sometimes, but other than that, we got some steamy moments, twists and turns, betrayal and one hell of a cliffhanger, that will revolve around other characters for the next book.

Secondary Characters

The h brothers❤️ hopefully we get there books!!!
The H friends.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 💻💻💻💻
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 🔥🔥🔥
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 📚📚📚📚
𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 💧

[Rmc · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2***. This is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity mafia romance. The MFC, Freya, is a mafia princess by birth who had moved away from her mob familia and has been trying to earn her own way honestly. Her family's enemy has targeted Freya for kidnapping so she is being protected whether she wants it or not.

This story has no depth and seems to be written for YA/NAs.

"Four hours?" she shrieked. "Are you insane? You can't keep me cuffed to a towel bar for four hours!". He frowned as if he couldn't understand why I was upset.

I tried to ignore how many times the MMC, Gunner, her unwanted protector, called her spoiled and ungrateful while he constantly cuffs her to the car or inside the different safe houses. Of course, he's hot and lusts after her, so we are supposed to think this is normal adult behaviour. Eventually, Freya's overprotective mob brothers get involved but the story doesn't get any better - it just isn't believable.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freya Olysses is living far away from her mobster family’s home and lifestyle. However, she has no idea that her father has her under surveillance by a top notch security firm. These “bodyguards” have to step in to get her out of harm’s way. She is not happy to be locked away, and she is not happy with her security in the form of a hunky, muscleman named Gunner. They are on the run, and she cannot be trusted not to escape. The characters in this book were great. Freya is a real spitfire with an attitude. Gunner is a protector. I loved her brothers and their “attitudes”. I found myself laughing out loud at their bullish, testosterone fueled antics! This book has it all with mystery, romance and a little humor mixed in. This is the first installment in the Locked Security series. I look forward to the next one. Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealth has a good plot line, is fast-paced written, and has quite a few hilarious situations. His main job is to keep her under surveillance and also out of danger but he has a huge crush on her. She believes nobody knows where she is and is still fighting her anger against the man that was once her bodyguard. Their encounter is a huge confrontation of egos and emotions. They will run together, suffer together, hunt together, and finally, get rid of one of the mob problems. Sarah writes her stories with comedic lines, and in this book, she stresses the importance of family, friendship, and partnership (although in a not-so-clean-minded family). If you want to enjoy a few hours of entertainment, this is a must-read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author and this is my unbiased opinion.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series and is Gunner and Freya’s story. Freya is the only daughter of a mafia boss, and she has had to contend with not just an overprotective dad, but brothers’ as well, and she move to a small town when she is content with the quiet life. Gunner is broody, and protective, and is a decorated war veteran who owns a security company. The chemistry between these two is undeniable, and Freya challenges Gunner at every turn, but they complement each other perfectly. This is a well written enemies / lovers’ story, with suspense, danger, intrigue, action, family, humor, and love, which leads to a fun and entertaining addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Suze82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and suspense
Freya is a feisty young woman who won´t take any nonsense from anybody, not even from grumpy Gunner for whom she has had a secret crush for about forever.
Gunner´s job often makes the difference between life or death, so he isn´t exactly the fun type and showing softness or admitting to feelings simply isn´t is modus operandi.
I loved how Freya´s standing up for herself and fighting for her freedom clashed with Gunner´s protectiveness and taking his job seriously. Reading about their constant head butting and driving each other up the wall was very amusing although we all know that there´s nothing funny about a life threatening situation.
I received this book as a review copy.

[Brianna at Renee Entress's Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Sarah Peis is a new-ish author for me and since I'm a sucker for a good romantic suspense, i jumped on this beauty and y'all. Gosh. What. A. Book. Packed with all of heart and heat shed known for, Sarah takes readers on a dangerous, suspenseful, unputdownable journey that'll have you on the edge of your seat the. whole. book. and give you allllll the feels the whole time.

Stealth is the first book in the Locked Security series and wowza. Y'all. Just wait until you meet Freya and Gunner.. they'll hook you hard and fast right from the very start of their story.

Stop what you are doing and grab this beauty.. you will not be disappointed for a moment.

I totally recommend this book.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

[Paperbeautiful · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed, enemies to lovers, second chance story!

I really enjoyed this story. The chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts! Freya is the daughter of a mob boss that wants to live her own life, so she runs away to the opposite side of the country. Gunner is the main hired to watch /protect her. They have a bit of a past, but he will do whatever he has to in order to keep her safe. When her life is threatened, Gunner is there for her no matter what.

Freya was the perfect girl for Gunner. She stood up to him and never backed down. She was never intimated by him or anything. Gunner also didn't care who her family was, he wanted her.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stealth by Sarah Peis is the First book in the Locked Security Series. This is the story of Gunner Anderson and Freya Olysses. Freya is trying to get away from her mafia controlling family. But her family is still in protective mode for her which is where Gunner comes in. Gunner is a former veteran but now owns a Security company. Gunner is out to protect Freya who of course is fighting him at every turn. But their attractions is something neither can fight it would seem. I can't wait for more in this series and by this author.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Peis's Stealth was an entertaining read. The easy-to-read fast-paced page-turning novel was filled with hilarity, romance, and action. Additionally, the dynamic main characters, Gunner and Freya, gushed with chemistry. On top of it, Freya had an adorable floppy-eared bunny which was ironically named Killer! The author's use of vivid descriptions helped to create an upbeat tone. I enjoyed reading the narrative.
I received an advanced copy. I am voluntarily giving my honest review.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a very interesting family and overprotective tendencies, Freya had a lot to deal with. I really enjoyed all of her quirky reactions, hardheadedness and of course the reactions everyone had to Killer. The misunderstood enemies to lovers relationship between Gunner and Freya amidst her unique family situation meant entertainment and action right till the very end.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily sharing my honest review.

[Sophie Ruthven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a new to me author and one I'll definitely be reading more from, including the next book in the series.
This was definitely a good way to start a series and setting up some of the future books.
Even though the female main character's naivety and lack of common sense got to me at times, I still found myself madly turning pages from cover to cover trying to piece everything together, and loved the four legged tag a long.
Can't wait to see what happens next after that ending.

[Baca Buku · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was looking forward to a story with a mafia princess. Good setup, then became messy and unfocused. A book can be serious, with humour thrown in, but the bits meant to be funny were slapstick and incongruous with the overall tone. Plus, plot holes.

Heroine Freya is TSTL, she really has no sense at times. And why, oh why do so many authors love to make the OTP a giant man and a diminutive woman?

[Cindy Fong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good story. Freya and Gunner have a lot of history filled with no angst. She's a Mafia princess tying to live outside of the family life. Gunner is charged with watching Freya and keeping her safe.
Forced cohabitation seems to eventually work out the kinks between them. Gunner will do whatever it takes to keep Freya safe. There were a couple of continuity issues in the story but it kept my attention throughout. I thought Killer's character humanized the other characters.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This was a pretty good story. Freya and Gunner have a lot of history filled with no angst. She's a Mafia princess tying to live outside of the family life. Gunner is charged with watching Freya and keeping her safe.
Forced cohabitation seems to eventually work out the kinks between them. Gunner will do whatever it takes to keep Freya safe. There were a couple of continuity issues in the story but it kept my attention throughout. I thought Killer's character humanized the other characters.
"

[Lee Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review

I liked most of the book and the preview of the next book. You praised your editor but I did not. There was too much that was not edited well. I would like to be an editor reader for you. Even the note about the author is not verbally correct. I am a large time reader and do not like moving through books that are poorly edited, but I believe in reading from beginning to rnd.

[Rhonda Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great suspence, mystery romance by Sarah. A page turner and definitely could not put the book down. Had to find out what happens next!! Some interesting plots and twists that keeps you interested from start to finish!! Oh and the angst and banter between the characters is really comical!

[Glenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't stand Freya. She knew her family's business yet was so immature about her safety. Freya always talked about not being included and not having friends. She was boring. I still didn't understand how this enterprising Chicago family let things happen to the princess of the group.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

really liked this

I’m glad this is the start of a series because I definitely want to read more just like it. I also felt like as I was reading I was wondering what was going to become of the side characters. I can’t wait to find out.