Cyclone: A Protective Hero Romantic Suspense (Linear Tactical Book 1)

Anne’s dysfunctional family had never seen her beauty inside or out. But her friend Becky had taken her under her wing. Becky had a loving, giving Mom who had taken Anne in at the worst of times. Zac, Becky’s boyfriend had been there as a friend too, but for the rest of the town’s people she was invisible. Anne thought she could hide the longing, the love she felt for Zac but Becky saw it and understood. So Anne poured all longing in to studying for medical school so she could use her determination and love to help others. Never allowing her love for Zac to show. Until Becky, Zac’s wife, and their son Micah died in a car accident. Two weeks after their death Anne stood by as Zac got blind drunk. She tried to offer him comfort, whatever he needed, especially if it was her giving him her virginity. But it backfired, he became furious, throwing her out of the room telling her to leave and never come back. She had. Now, six years later she was back. She hadn’t had a choice, when Becky’s Mom Carol left Anne her home when she died. A damn good doctor now, Anne was broke, divorced and devastated. And Zac was firmly planted in the old town. It was a small town but maybe she could stay under his radar, safe. What she didn’t know was that Zac had never forgotten her. He had a lot to make up for. Well played out with characters that had seen a great deal of action and pain. There is a rapist on the loose and years of past regrets to for Zac to make up to Anne. Even most of the towns people had ignored what had been happening to the child Anne had been. Now the time had come for the town to step up as well, to see Anne for who she was, see her care of the people came to her when they were hurt or sick. When she needed their help most would they be there? Tense moments, spicy romance, friendships and leads into more stories to come. This is well played out bringing a second chance to heal, love and build friendships. Right old wrongs. This one is a story well worth hearing. Triggers for some maybe death of child and a beloved spouse, stalking, rape and spicy romantic scenes.

I love military book, or private security books, what can I say I’m a sucker for a hot guy with skills. This isn’t exactly a second chance romance, but close enough to work for me. Zac used to be in the military and is now one of the owners of Linear Tactical, a company that teaches all kind of security skills and tactics and survival skills. He’s a good guy, good friend, hard worker. He has a sad past, his wife and young son both died in a car accident. By the time this book starts a lot of time has past and he’s managed to move on. The thing is that is something that haunts him. Anne. The woman who was best friends with his wife, who he slept with after she died. When Anne shows up back in town as the new ER doc she’s more than a little broken. Her husband left her for a younger more personable woman. She’s back in the town where she was invisible. And oh year she knows at some point she’s going to have to see Zac, the man who really broke her. Zac never expected to find that Anne was afraid of him when they see each other again but she is. I felt so much for Anne. I wanted her to get a happy ending, to feel loved and accepted. Frankly I just wanted to wrap her up in a giant band aide. The thing I loved about this book is how Zac is a good guy, and he seriously wants to fix whatever happened with him and Anne. I love that he’s not afraid of it, that he doesn’t want to leave it unaddressed. Throughout the whole book he’s patient and kind and sweet. He never tries to force her into anything, he’s never overly pushy, he just wants to be around her in whatever way she is okay with. He really is a great hero in this book. I will say there is some serious triggers for people is violence against women is hard for you to read. I didn’t feel like it was over down or gratuitous, don’t get me wrong it was hard to read, but it was necessary for the story and I felt like it was well done. This book had everything I wanted: a great love story, good secondary characters, solid storyline, just a great beginning to a series. I look forward to the next one.

Great characters, good story, nice HEA ! First time reading this author and I have already ordered next two books in this series! Enjoy!

This book is romantic and realistic, because both the main male and female characters, Zac and Anne are romantic and realistic. // Anne (Annie Nichols) Griffin and Zac MacKay are both realistic characters; they both have dealt with the sorrows of the past. Zac has lost his wife and son ( Becky and Micah) in a car accident, and the sorrow has almost done him in; but then he joins the military and being away and having a new mission and life helps him start over. Anne had been Becky's best friend; she and her mother, Carol, gave her a safe place to live when her home life became too difficult with her alcoholic (and neglectful) parents. Through her friendship with Becky, Anne has known Zac since they were in High School. She has always been a bit in love with him too. // After Becky's death there was an incident between Annie and Zac that caused a great deal of emotional hurt to Annie, and a great deal of angst to Zac (he doesn't remember exactly what happened). Zac is a wonderful main character. To some readers it might seem initially that he's not such a nice guy, because of his initial reaction to seeing Anne again. But he's actually a nice, intelligent, and sensitive man. // Now that they are both back in their hometown they find themselves back in one another's lives. This is, of course, where the romance comes into play. Zac needs to remember what happened to make Annie wary of him. Annie wants to trust Zac, but is afraid to do so. // Anne is a survivor of childhood emotional abuse, and this is handled quite realistically by the author, Janie Crouch. Her writing is clear and well executed in this story. // There is a serial rapist in this novel, and the incidents that happen during the story could be an emotional trigger for some readers. However, this part of the story is handled well. I recommend this book, and hope to read the others from this series.

Wonderful book and a great start for a series. Can't wait to read the other books. Lots of turns and twists and a HEA. Perfect.

Fast paced, intense; I could not put down this book! Loved the tension and passion between Zac and Annie. Really felt for and connected with Annie as she struggled with returning to her small hometown where she was more used to being invisible than being recognized, except of course for Zac who always saw her even when he was in love with, and married to, her best friend. When Annie came back into town 6 years after leaving, divorced and broke, to work in the ER, she meets up again with Zac, who doesn’t quite remember what happened during their last meeting a couple weeks after his wife passed. What follows is Zac and Annie falling back in love, overcoming misunderstandings and terrible moments of the past, and of course getting into trouble of the suspenseful kind. Loved the comaderie between Zac and his “brothers” at Linear, how they helped each other out and we got to know and love them as much as we did Zac and Annie. If you love fast paced action scenes with some hot steam thrown in; with a tough but fragile heroine and an alpha male who is super cool and tough but also really romantic and thoughtful – this is definitely the book for you! Can’t wait for the next one in the series! 😊

I originally reviewed this book after receiving an ARC, I just had to get my own copy as I loved it so much and have re-read it quite a few times. The characters are very well developed, the story flows great and the interaction of characters are spot on. This book hooks you from the beginning, it is full of suspense, friendships, family, love, guilt, grief, anguish, sorrow, hopes, dreams, chemistry, jealousy and connections that you 100% believe. No matter how many times that I read this, I smile, cry, sigh and am lost in the story. This is such a great start to a truly fabulous series.

I absolutely loved this book. Some suspense, humour, sexy time and love. The connection between the characters was written so well. I read this book in a day, went out for the evening and couldn’t wait to get home and download the next book in the series. Highly recommend you buy this buy!

Unrequited is one of my favorite tropes and this started great, with a complicated background and a hurt heroine. The Linear Tactical business is pretty well thought and it sounds like a place every woman should have access to, so we could learn everything there is about self-defense. I liked the heroine. She was not the classic “she-says-she’s-not-pretty-but-her-description-is-a-cliche-of-gorgeous” but a realistic beauty. And finally, am I the only one hoping Mia has a love story with a Linear guy?