Publisher: Self-Published
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: Review copy from author
Every step leads her deeper into danger…
Eden Miller has her life arranged exactly as she wants it–until a reunion with her high school BFFs places her in the middle of a turf war with a ruthless prison gang, their terrorist allies, and the hunters tracking them. Her every move draws her deeper into the danger surrounding Ty Bladen and his team of terror fighters, but his seductive charm and engaging smile make her believe his promises of protection.
A secret is a dangerous thing…
When the terrorists Ty Bladen is tracking infiltrate his remote ranch in Wyoming, he learns the past he buried cannot be so easily escaped. Though he’s recovering from a bullet wound he received in Afghanistan and is hunted by an unseen enemy, he knows he can’t leave Eden alone to face the danger swirling around her, danger he and his team have brought to her–even if the has to risk letting her near his frozen heart. But when she learns his terrible secret, will she stay or will she run?
*Blurb from Goodreads*
After reading the first book in this new series, I was hooked on Levine’s writing and the world that she had created. Between the sexy military men and the cowboy setting, I knew that these books would be something special.
When we last left Ty, he was literally left for dead, fighting to stay alive after being hunted down by the terrorist he and his team have been fighting for years. I was so worried about him at the end of the last book, so when we picked up right where we left off, I was immediately thrust back into that nervous place. But of course Ty is able to get out and get himself safe, only in doing so he runs into Eden, and must help her and her friends escape the hands of some local thugs.
Eden doesn’t want to trust Ty, or his band of brothers, but after the local gang tries taking a shot at her, she doesn’t have much of a choice. At least her skills as a dog sniffing trainer come in handy with Ty’s team. As things heat up between Eden and Ty, the danger with the local biker gang, and the terrorist hunting them down reaches a boiling point. With bullets whizzing by and both their lives on the line, will Eden and Ty make it out alive?
I honestly believe that Levine has something special with the Red Team series. It’s like Cindy Gerard’s Black Ops Inc. guys, only they are fighting their own private war in America’s homeland. That and Levine seems to make it a point to take some serious issues in each book. In the first book, we watched as Rocco dealt with some serious PTSD issues, and Levine did not sugar coat it in the slightest. With this book, I knew that from Ty’s reaction to being home, there was probably some abuse in his past with his father. However, as Ty’s history unraveled, I was shocked and stunned by the level of abuse that Ty suffered as a child. When I say that Levine doesn’t hold her punches, she really doesn’t. Some of Ty’s memories might be difficult (or impossible) for some to read, and although I was absolutely sick for Ty, it explained so much about him.
While I enjoyed Eden’s character, it took me awhile to get there with her. She came across as spoiled and I worried that she would pull of some TSTL moves. While she was reluctant to trust Ty and his team, she also didn’t seem to take any unnecessary risks, and was willing to admit when she needed Ty’s help. It wasn’t until she went back home with Ty, and did her dog sniffing thing that I really started enjoying her character.
The romance between Ty and Eden was also a little shaky at first. I’m a huge fan of books where the hero chases the heroine, and I loved that Ty was the one to pursue Eden relentlessly. He knew that he wanted her from the beginning, and he wasn’t afraid to fight for the chance to be with her. The fact that Eden was so reluctant wasn’t a huge surprise to me, but I also hoped that she could see just how much Ty was fighting for her, and them.
The suspense aspect of this series is one that is continuously ongoing. With each step that the Red Team takes forward in taking out the terrorist, they also take a step back, or a step to the side. When one battle is won, another is lost, or another arises. But I have to admit, for as unlikely as the whole plot is, it absolutely sucks me in and keeps me on the seat of my pants with all the twists and turns. I can’t wait to see where the series goes next!
All in all I enjoyed this following up novel in the Red Team series. While the first book in the series still stands out more to me in terms of romance and characters, I did end up falling for both Ty and Eden as well as their romance. I can’t wait to see which of the team members will be up next, and where the overall series goes.
I give Shattered Valor a B
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