Steamy with plenty of angst and a bit of suspense, The Protector is an enthralling second chance, enemies to lovers romance. It’s got everything you could want in a romance novel with two compelling characters that have an interesting and intense connection.
The first in the Four Forces Security series and focuses on
Jimmy and Blaire. He’s the bodyguard whose job it is to protect the heiress
businesswoman Blaire. From the beginning, it’s clear that the two have a past
of sorts, and it’s not a good one. Turns out, they once went out on a blind
date set up by Blaire’s best friend and Jimmy’s little sister, Harper. While
the night went well for them, Jimmy leaves as Blaire sleeps, and nothing from
there goes over nicely. Fast forward three months, and Blaire’s father has
employed Jimmy as Blaire’s bodyguard not knowing that his daughter and her new
protector have a more than rocky past. Neither Jimmy nor Blaire are pleased by
this arrangement, but they don’t exactly have a choice in the matter either. Blaire’s
in potential danger, and Jimmy has to be the one to make sure nothing bad happens
to her. This story goes through what happens when two people have a difficult past
and must push through for other reasons and how feelings can change with the
right person.
Right from the start, Blaire gets a bad rap. This story is
told from both Jimmy and Blaire’s vantage points, and the way Jimmy talks about
Blaire, you’d think she’s just an awful, spoiled brat. Thankfully, she’s not at
all the terrible princess Jimmy makes her seem in the beginning, and really I’m
not sure Jimmy even necessarily believes the vitriol with which he talks about
her. She’s fiery and smart, and I appreciate that about her character. She’s definitely
not some vapid heiress that as a reader you can’t connect with. Blaire turns
out to be very likeable and certainly has her comedic moments. Jimmy on the
other hand is rather rude and gruff where Blaire is concerned, but he’s
wounded, too. As the story progresses, we see him go from growly alpha to a
character suffering from a past loss that makes him so vulnerable. It’s like his
unpleasant and closed off façade he puts up with Blaire is just poorly
constructed armor that he protects himself with. These two characters have such
a push and pull and steamy quality to their explosive relationship that the
whole opposites attract thing works wonderfully to propel the story forward.
Also, the way this story is written is done well. Clearly,
Jimmy and Blaire have an unpleasant past together, and Jimmy has a different past
that influences his present with her, which we get to see both of in the form
of flashbacks. Sometimes I feel like flashbacks serve as a sort of filler in
books but not in this one. They’re so purposeful and act as catalysts for what
happens next in the story. I think without them Jimmy and Blaire’s story would feel
unfinished and the pacing would be off, and I’m happy they were written into
the book. The flashbacks give the story a gravity that I believe would otherwise
be missing.
This is a surprisingly emotional but still passionate novel
that needs to be read if you’re a fan of second chance and/or opposites attract
romances. Jimmy and Blaire will leave you intrigued by their story and
ultimately satisfied.
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