The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas Published by Forever on September 6th 2016
Pages: 384
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THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THIS MAN TRILOGY AND ONE NIGHT TRILOGY!
People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy's girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father's bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she's made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.
Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn't the woman she's perceived to be. She's warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.
When I found out Jodi Ellen Malpas was writing a standalone I was crazy excited. Factor in the premise of a bodyguard falling for his client, and The Protector was an easy sell for me. Perhaps my expectations were a bit too high, but this wound up being a middle of the road read for me. It wasn’t my favorite, but I didn’t hate it.
I couldn’t wait to dive in, but it took a l-o-n-g time—like 25% into the book—before the story began to click for me. Jake is a former SAS sniper turned professional bodyguard. He’s your typical ex-military alpha jerk with PTSD—a drop dead gorgeous but self-loathing and rigid man who uses work, booze, and one nighters to distract him from his past. He gets hired to protect Camille—a fashion supermodel and daughter to an unscrupulous gazillionaire businessman—against death threats.
I loved Jake with his badass I’ll cut you if you look at my girl the wrong way attitude. He prides himself on being composed, detached, and a true ass, but I enjoyed discovering his tenderness as Camille tempts him to break his own rules. He’s the best part of the book.
I didn’t fancy Camille as much, especially in the beginning. She seemed like a bratty 25 year-old, indulging in temper tantrums and rebellion. And hello, why is she running away from her hot as hell bodyguard and making him sleep on the couch in her penthouse? Send him to my house. I’d be happy to have him guard my body up close and personal. She grew on me though.
Honestly, the mystery surrounding who was threatening Camille never really intrigued me, and the whodunit revelations towards the end were either illogical or underwhelming. I was far more interested in the romance between Camille and Jake, as well as discovering what happened in his past to wound him so deeply. I really enjoyed their steamy chemistry and Jake’s fierce protectiveness. There were many sweet moments as well. Technically, theirs isn’t a case of insta-love, but let’s just say it’s an awfully speedy progression towards the L word.
I wound up enjoying this spicy romance overall, despite some misses here and there. The melt your heart, fairy tale ending is absolutely wonderful. I’m still a JEM fan.
Recommended for fans of:
Damsels in distress
The Bodyguard
Military men
Forbidden romance
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
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About Jodi Ellen Malpas
Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a mojito addict, is famous for her obsession with Converse, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males. Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers
All seven of her published novels have hit the New York Times best sellers list – as well as the Sunday Times list and various international best seller lists. Her work is now published in over 24 languages across the world.
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