Review: The Brave Line by Kate Stewart

The Brave Line by Kate Stewart
Published by Self-Published on March 17th 2016
Pages: 288


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She is a five foot seven long list of things he can’t have.

He is a determined cop, desperate to keep his heart sealed behind his badge.

Michelle is a survivor. With a fresh perspective on life, she trades her tragic past in California for the coastal waters of Charleston. Fueled by a new career as a dispatcher, she’s determined not to let her scars weigh her down. She apologizes for nothing, especially her insatiable need for a certain police officer.

Rowdy is a newly minted sergeant dedicated to his job, but the life of a Charleston police officer has never been more dangerous. With his need to take order of a city spiraling out of control, the last thing he wants is an entanglement with a mouthy dispatcher. But, there’s just one problem. He can’t get enough of her.

As the heat rises between the unlikely pair, so does the tension.

Three months of summer was all it took to shake their foundations, rattle their walls, and bring them crashing down.

It was lust.

It was love.

It was real.

And it would have been perfect . . . if it wasn't already over.

Note to reader:
This book has several elements and explores topics that some may consider triggers. For mature audiences only. Explicit sex, violence, and language.

Kate Stewart has had success writing dramatic contemporary romance. She is equally adept at penning steamy romantic comedy. I’m pretty sure she woke up one morning, put on her crazy pants, and said, “What the heck. I’m gonna see if I can do it all!” The pleasant end result is The Brave Line.

Michelle is a strong, feisty, confident, and fun-loving 911 emergency dispatcher. Rowdy is the grumpy, reserved police sergeant she’s been crushing on for a year, but he won’t give her the time of day. He is wrestling with some serious demons, and he insists the life of a cop doesn’t mix with romantic relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the lives of the men and women who deal with life-altering emergencies and those who willingly put their lives on the line to protect others on a daily basis. The story really highlights what a thankless job police officers have. We have a National Fried Clams Day, a National Coloring Book Day, a National Postage Stamp Day, and even a National Blueberry Popsicle Day for goodness sake! Surely we should have a National Respect for Cops Day. And being a 911 operator? The stress and responsibility of that job would have me popping Xanax day and night.

As far as I’m concerned, Michelle carries this story. I love strong female characters, and she is the very definition of one. She’s a survivor who knows her self-worth and isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. Her back story is really interesting, and despite her painful past, she’s incredibly resilient, kind, easy going, and outrageously irreverent. The woman is quite the catch.

She accuses Rowdy of being a jerk—only she uses a less kind term—and he definitely lives up to that title. He’s emotionally damaged, but in my opinion it’s not enough to justify his poor treatment of Michelle. He basically uses her without giving enough in return, and he treats her like a dirty little secret. It seems out of character for her to put up with his behavior for so long. I’m really torn because he’s such a fantastic cop, and in many ways he reveals what a good person he is fundamentally. I never gave up rooting for Michelle and Rowdy to find their hard-earned HEA.

If you like your romance on the steamy side, you won’t be disappointed. The sexual heat between the insatiable couple is turned way, way up. Rowdy is wonderfully filthy in the bedroom, and Michelle gives as good as she gets.

The book feels a bit too long, and there are a few places where the humor seems rather forced and over the top. They are outweighed by the many hilarious moments, though, that break up the tension nicely. The story is engaging, gritty, emotional, witty, and sultry as all get out. Despite some misgivings, I believe The Brave Line is well worth the read.

Recommended for fans of:
Cops
Second chance romance
Tough heroines

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**

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