Series: True Heroes (Book 3)
LOVE IS THE GREATEST RISK OF ALL
After multiple tours of duty, Brandon Forte returns to his hometown on a personal mission: to open a facility for military service dogs like Haydn, a German shepherd who's seen his share of combat and loss. It also brings him back to Sophie Kim, a beacon of light in his life . . . and the one woman he can't have. But Forte's success means he's made enemies in high places. Enemies who are now after Sophie . . .
When Forte enlisted and left without saying goodbye, Sophie did her best to move on. But with her first love back in town, looking sexier than ever, she's constantly reminded of what they could have had. Then after he risks himself for her, Sophie realizes she'll have to put her life in the hands of the man who broke her heart, knowing the danger -and the sparks between them- could consume them both.
Good second chance/friends to lovers story with some excellent suspense to go along with it. Brandon and Sophie had known each other since they were in school, becoming more than friends when they were in high school. But after graduation, Brandon left for the military without a word to Sophie, not even a goodbye, breaking her heart. When he left the military, he came back to Hope's Crossing to open a training facility for military dogs. And right back to Sophie, who has been his anchor, even if she didn't know it.
When Brandon left, Sophie went on with her life. She went to school, got a good job, everything to live up to her parents' expectations. But she drew the line at settling down with one of the "nice boys" that her parents pushed at her. When Brandon came back to town, they slid right back into their old friends routine.
It is clear to everyone that there is still something there between Brandon and Sophie, but neither one can see it in the other. Brandon loves Sophie and always has, but has never felt good enough for her. This feeling was reinforced when he was a teenager by Sophie's parents' attitude toward him. The things that happened during the war only added to his need to keep his darker side away from her. Sophie has always loved Brandon, in spite of her parents' feelings about him. With Brandon back in town, she will try to content herself with friendship, but she really wants more.
I liked the development of the relationship between Brandon and Sophie. Because they've known each other for so long, there aren't many secrets, yet it is still a journey of discovery for them. Alone together in a place where Brandon hopes to keep her safe, both are forced to face their feelings about themselves and each other. No more hiding behind the façade of friendship. I loved seeing Brandon's protectiveness after the car bomb, and the depth of caring he showed as he took care of Sophie. I especially loved the scene with the cat café, as it showed how well he knows her. When they reached their cabin hideout, the heat between them really kicked in. Though Brandon tried to hold back, Sophie had had enough and went after what she wanted. I also liked the fact that she also took a hard look at her life and saw that she had just been going with the flow and took steps to change it. I really liked how one of the first things she did was demand answers from Brandon about why he had left her. I ached a bit for Brandon, as he admitted his insecurities to her, and how they had driven him to make the choices he had made. He still feels that he isn't good enough for her, but he's reached the point that he is going after what he wants anyway. I loved the ending, as both Brandon and Sophie admitted their mistakes and took that final leap of faith.
The suspense of the story was really good. The car bomb was a real attention getter, especially since the only thing that saved Sophie was the chance meeting with Brandon and Haydn. From there, the race was on to see if Brandon and the others could find out the who and why before it was too late. There were several possibilities, from someone trying to get to Brandon by using Sophie to some potential funny business going on at Sophie's workplace. I enjoyed the buildup to the confrontation at the cabin and seeing the steps Brandon went through to keep Sophie safe. The confrontation was a nail-biter to the end. I especially liked seeing Sophie's active participation rather than just waiting for rescue. At the end of the confrontation, there were still some unanswered questions. I loved Brandon's effort to get answers to those questions. There were some unexpected connections that became clear, as well as an unusual hero who helped get those answers.
Two of my favorite characters were the dog, Haydn, and the cat, Tessa. I loved how Brandon and the crew at Hope's Crossing Kennels gave Haydn a new purpose after the loss of his leg and his handler during the war. From the moment he alerted on the explosives in Sophie's car, I could see his determination and his enthusiasm for what he was doing. I was not at all surprised by his participation in Sophie's rescue. I also loved how it was him and the dogs from the previous books who gave Brandon ideas and motivations for the future of the kennels. I also adored the kitten, Tessa. Her rough start in life tugged at Sophie's heartstrings, leading to her adoption. It was amusing to see her reactions to Haydn, and his to her. I was a bit surprised that Brandon and Sophie took her along to the cabin, considering what they expected to happen. Probably the funniest moment with her was her encounter with Raul Sa after the cabin incident.
Speaking of Raul Sa, I was very happy to discover that this is not the last book in the series. Raul's presence in this book, and his need for a working dog, is the lead-in to the next book. I liked what I saw of Raul and am looking forward to reading his book.
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