Alpha Bravo SEAL - Carol Ericson (HI #1710 - May 2017)

Series: Red White and Built (Book 2)

Navy SEAL Protector

When members of her film crew start being killed off, documentarian Nicole Hastings is relieved to find the man following her is Slade Gallagher -- a navy SEAL sniper who once saved Nicole from Somali kidnappers. Now he's shadowing her to trap the terrorists behind the killings and find out just what they want.

Nicole couldn't be more different from the women Slade usually falls for. But he quickly learns that there's a lot more to this socialite than he first thought. And as Slade's admiration for her courage and resilience grows, so does his yearning. Protecting Nicole is an assignment, but can he let her go when it's all over?

Good book. Nicole is a documentary filmmaker. She and her film crew had been captured by Somali pirates, then rescued by a group of Navy SEALs. Eighteen months later, the other members of her crew are dying under mysterious circumstances and Nicole suspects something is wrong.

One of those SEALs was Slade. He had been fascinated by her at the time, intrigued by a wealthy woman that doesn't act like the ones he's used to. Then he's assigned to protect her again, this time from deadly terrorists who are after her.

I liked both Nicole and Slade. Both have come from wealthy, privileged backgrounds, but prefer to make their own way in the world. Thanks to her work in frequently hazardous areas, Nicole is not easily flustered or frightened. She is also smart, feisty, and determined. Slade is smart, determined and protective. He has been burned pretty well by his few relationships with wealthy women and tends to steer clear of them now. I enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship. First up is the attraction between them, which simmers under the surface from the start. Neither had been able to forget the other, even though they hadn't actually met. Second was the connection between them that quickly became a friendship, then more. I liked that Nicole was strong and independent, but could lean on Slade when she needed to. I also loved that while Slade was protective, he trusted Nicole to know what she could handle. I liked how they came together at the end, with no angst or trouble, just an admission that they want to see where the relationship goes.

The suspense of the book was really good. We quickly learn that the bad guys are after some film footage, though not exactly why. They are ruthless and have no problem with leaving a high body count. Slade and Nicole follow the leads to track down the footage, but the bad guys are never far away. The intensity increases when they find the film, but Nicole is taken. The final confrontation is exciting, though doesn't go quite like I expected, but it certainly brings things into a nice neat circle, with just one loose thread. I can't wait to read the next one.

My only real quibble is with the cover of the book. It takes place almost entirely in New York City, so the African cover is a bit misleading.