Synopsis

After a tragic incident in Afghanistan leaves Master Sergeant Nathan Ryker the only man standing in his tight-knit team, he spirals into an alcohol-and-sex induced escape. A call from his lifelong buddy pulls Ryker from the shadows with a request for help with his stunt company’s latest blockbuster. If Ryker can survive the next three weeks of leave and get back to his remaining men, he might just be all right. But a sexy woman who can take his mind off his trauma is too hard to resist, and when he hooks up with Renegades’ sultry, snarky office manager, his sanity takes a backseat to the first glimpse of a future he isn’t sure he deserves.

Still reeling from a bitter romantic betrayal, Rachel Hart wants nothing more than an uncomplicated hookup. So when the mysterious Nathan seduces her with a little dirty talk and one delicious kiss, Rachel drowns all her good sense in a Mandarin and soda and gives herself over to a night of sexual bliss. But her memories tarnish in the morning light when Rachel discovers his real identity and his link to Renegades. Her job and her friends are the only thing holding her life together, and she won’t be ruined by one sultry night with this damaged and dangerously sexy man.

Review

It's book 3 in the Renegades series which is contemporary romance series focused on a stunt company in LA. This one was about Rachel, the company's secretary/office manager and to-go girl and Nathan Ryker, Troy's best buddy and a explosive specialist in the military. 

This is hands down my favourite book of the series so far. I loved both Rachel and Nathan and their romance was both sizzling hot and tender. There is some angst and seriousness of the issues dealt with in this story (unlike the previous two books which are lighter reads) but once again there is no unnecessary drama and the characters seem real and easy to relate to.

The affair between Rachel and Nathan starts as a one-night stand with a stranger (at least she thinks so) and then continues as a secret affair on the set of the biggest stunt/blasting scene they are filming.

I like the writing style of Ms Jordan, she draws the reader into the story and manages to make all the characters, main and secondary seem real and full of life. The story flows easily, there is a lot of fun and sexy times. 

This time we get a true broken, tortured hero in Ryker, unlike Jax ans Wes from the previous books. His PTSD was presented with sympathy and understanding and the scene where he visits his army buddy who survived a blast in Afghanistan which almost killed Ryker's unit, was heartbreaking and touching. 

I liked Rachel a lot as well. She tried to have a casual sexual relationship with Nathan but this just wasn't her. She cared about the people around her and grew to care even more for Nathan.

They struggle with the feelings they develop for each other. He treats her rather awful at some point, in a misguided attempt to let her go for her thinking he is not good enough for her. He was ultimately forgiven after a particularly sweet apology scene, still I felt his transgressions were too great and he needed to do a lot more grovelling before they got back together. 

I loved the happy end, but it felt rushed, all things were tied up a bit too neatly.

PS: I think that Josh was an interesting character and deserves his HEA in a book of his own, hint, hint, Ms Jordan :)

Overall, this is a great light sexy series, and even tough this installment had a darker, more serious dimension, still it makes a perfect read for the beach this summer.

Purchase links: Amazon