Ultimate Courage by J. Piper Drake (review)

Ultimate Courage
by J. Piper Drake


Blurb:

LOVE IS AN ACT OF BRAVERY

Retired Navy SEAL Alex Rojas is putting his life back together, one piece at a time. Being a single dad to his young daughter and working at Hope's Crossing Kennels to help rehab a former guard dog, he struggles every day to control his PTSD. But when Elisa Hall shows up, on the run and way too cautious, she unleashes his every protective instinct.

Elisa's past never stays in her rearview mirror for long, and she refuses to put anyone else in danger. But with Alex guarding her so fiercely yet looking at her so tenderly, she's never felt safer . . . or more terrified that the secrets she keeps could put countless people in grave peril. The only way for both to fully escape their demons will take the ultimate act of courage: letting go and learning to trust each other.


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My review:


4.75 out of 5 stars

Ultimate Courage by J. Piper Drake is part of the ‘True Heroes’ series and centers around Elisa Hall who is fleeing her shady ex when she encounters widower Alex Rojas in the emergency room with his daughter Serena (Boom). Somehow father and daughter sense that Elisa needs a temporary safe harbor and manage to draw her into their circle, but Elisa is afraid to trust anyone, and the danger that follows her may make her flee yet again despite the new friends she has made.

This contemporary romantic suspense story is an exciting and heartwarming tale, particularly because of a young girl nicknamed Boom and a canine named Souze. The tension displayed by the beleaguered Elisa Hall and the solace she finds with these wonderfully determined secondary characters enhances the emotional moments in this intense story. It doesn’t hurt that retired SEAL Alex Rojas is a sexy and capable man who balances his innate protectiveness with empathy and determination to deal with his own painful souvenirs from the war. I love that all of the characters demonstrate growth and support for each other and I was grabbed from the first page and anxious to read the entire story but disappointed when it was over because I wanted to read more about these folks. I had no problem whatsoever reading this story even though I am not familiar with the series and I am certainly looking for the rest of the books, not just because of the hunky heroes but also because I want to learn about the other fantastic canines they work with.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review, a version of which was submitted to Night Owl Reviews 


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