Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: March 9th
How I got this book: NetGalley
Reviewer: MinnChica
Retired marine Sawyer Cain can’t forget all he’s seen and lost, but he can try to start over. Opening a gun range with his closest friends is the first step toward a new life—one where he finally buries the guilt he can’t seem to shake. So much depends on the property he needs to buy…and the gorgeous but completely frustrating woman who refuses to sell it.
Hailey Thorne is done—with loss and with anything military, after the closest thing she had to an uncle died in Afghanistan. When Sawyer shows up on her porch he has military written all over him. He’s one more in a long line of people who wants the land she inherited, and suddenly he’s everywhere she goes. Hailey can’t get the broad-shouldered, dirty-talking, dead-serious man out of her head. Or her life.
Sawyer’s not above using his skills in the bedroom to try to convince her to sell, and Hailey is more than willing to let him. Their pleasure-only arrangement works…until emotions get in the way. But Sawyer has a secret he’s convinced will have Hailey hating him forever, and Hailey’s not willing to risk loving anyone she could lose.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
I really enjoy Dimon’s writing, so when I saw she was starting a new series, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!
Hailey is devastated by the loss of her uncle, and dealing with the fallout of the land he left her adds even more stress. She is constantly bombarded by people who want to buy the property, while all she wants to do is grieve. When Sawyer approaches her about a deal he made with her Uncle, Hailey is left confused and frustrated that Sawyer is just another person who wants something from her.
Sawyer can’t believe the immediate attraction he feels toward Hailey. She is sexy and fun, but demands that he keep business and their personal lives separate. But Sawyer is willing to do just about anything to get his hands on her land, until he realizes that he might have to choose between keeping the girl, or keeping her property.
Dimon is such an amazing storyteller, and I absolutely loved the setup of this series. I can’t wait to see how things progress with Sawyer and his buddies building the gun range, and how they plan to help fellow veterans. I am such a sucker for ex-military heroes, and Sawyer was such a great hero.
Even after Hailey demands they have either a professional or personal relationship, poor Sawyer struggles so hard with what he wants. He makes no secret that his reason for walking into her life is her land, but the more time they spend together, the more he realizes that the property isn’t nearly as important as the relationship he’s built with her. I loved how he slowly started to see just how important Hailey was, and how their business dealings could have the real potential to ruin everything he wanted.
I adored Hailey. She was sweet and kind, and the grief she felt for her uncle was real and heartbreaking. I love that she was able to share her grief with her best friends, and still managed to be the rock of their little group. No matter how stressed she got, she was always there to lend a shoulder or whatever was needed to her girlfriends. I adored that caring and motherly nature she had.
The secondary characters in this book rock. I love Sawyer’s friends, Hailey’s friends. Everyone was so different and engaging and I am anxiously awaiting for each and every one of their stories. I love that Sawyer and Hailey’s friends somewhat merged into this larger group that watched out for one another and helped each other. It was the kind of blending that I love to see in romance novels.
All in all, Dimon has another winner of her hands. I think this series is going to be a new favorite for contemporary romance fans. It has a wonderful setting and plot arc, fabulous characters, and the kind of sweet and sexy mix that Dimon does so well. The romance between Hailey and Sawyer was so well done in this book. It’s a must read!
I give Chain of Command a B+