Book Tour for Guarding Midnight by Kacey Hammell (REVIEW)

As a fan of damaged heroes I found myself drawn to Guarding Midnight by Kacey Hammell.  Keep reading to get a glimpse of this sensual and suspenseful read, along with my impressions of it.  Learn why Ms. Hammell writes romance and learn even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour too.

I Write Romance Stories Because….

Good morning, and thanks for hosting me on Day 9 of the Guarding Midnight tour.

I write romance stories because…I grew up reading it! From about the age of thirteen (nearly three decades ago), I found the gorgeous red covers of Silhouette Desires and fell in love with writers like Joan Johnston, Diana Palmer, Cait London and Maureen Child, to name a few. Then I discovered the Special Moments with Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts and more, and couldn’t get enough of so many of their books. The authors I’ve mentioned are definitely legends in the business and set me on the path of everything romance. Even now, I soak up whatever any of them release new, and there’s a legion of other authors who have been added to the list over the years. Nora Roberts is a number one author on my buy list. I never miss anything she writes for sure, and of course her alter ego, JD Robb quickly fell into that category when she branched out.

Romance stories are something every woman latches on to as a young woman, wanting that knight in shining armor and wanting to be swept away by the words on paper. What began as a way to get me through my teen years, losing myself in the world of romance, has grown into a career I am slowly building and loving every exhausting second of it. It’s always an adventure writing these stories, and I hope I might be reaching a few readers who get swept up in one of my stories that make him/her smile, and escape from the world for a little while.

Happy Reading!!

Muscle …

When Desires Need Protecting.

No one knows sacrifice better than former Army Sergeant Gavin Bennett. He’s witnessed firsthand the emotional, physical and mental toll of being caught in the crossfire. Being a bouncer-slash-bodyguard may not be Gavin’s dream job, but he’s willing to do just about anything to help out family. When Gavin reports for his first day of work, he quickly discovers a woman who threatens to crack his legendary cool.

Shree Walker is on the run from a dark past she tried to shut away. Battered and broken, a happily ever after doesn’t exist for her. Ready to start fresh with a new life in a new city, she is happy dancing at the Vixen Club. She’d be even happier without the presence of the prickly new bouncer who won’t let anyone or anything get past his carefully guarded defenses. He’s a distraction she doesn’t need. And a temptation she can’t resist.

When Shree is kidnapped by the criminal mastermind hell-bent on taking the club at any cost, Gavin has to make a decision. Hold tight and continue to keep Shree at arm’s length. Or break down his walls and take a chance on something more powerful than them both: Love.

GUARDING MIDNIGHT BOOK PAGE here.

WATCH THE TRAILER here.

BUY LINKS:  EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING  |  AMAZON (US)  |  AMAZON (CA) |  AMAZON (UK)  |  ARe  |  BOOKSTRAND  |  SMASHWORDS

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Ms. Hammell's Canadian Muscle series gets off to a rousing start with this exhilarating blend of suspense and eroticism.  Add in a drool-worthy hero who is a born savior and an independant woman with a damaged past whose combustible connection scorches the pages and you have an exciting and fast-paced read.

As a reader who loves scarred heroes I was instantly drawn to Gavin with his limp and damaged hearing due to his wartime duty.  In promise to a friend he starts working as a bouncer/bodyguard in a burlesque club that's been targeted by underworld criminals.  Though Gavin doesn't like to stay in any one place for long he's determined to bring this vile villain to justice as he hates bullies and those who hurt those who are weaker.  Distracting him during this new mission is the sexy and conflicted Shree who he feels an instant attraction to.  Though the attraction is superficial at first he slowly grows closer to her as her past is revealed.  When the enemy hits close to home Gavin will have to call on all his military training to save the one woman to finally give him a reason to stay in one place.  I adored Gavin as he never let his disabilities define him, he remained the badass hero with the brawn to get the job done.  He has a softer side too that was seen through his strong protective instincts that were a bit smothering at times but always came from the heart and it further endeared him to me.

Shree's an intriguing heroine that was a good match for Gavin as her strong side was an aphrodisiac to him with her damaged past calling to his protective nature.  On every level he wanted her and their insta-love relationship crackled with sexual tension.  Shree knows that Gavin doesn't believe in commitment which is fine by her as she'll be leaving the club as soon as she graduates.  She'll enjoy what he's offering for now but not count on the future.  Her past further tarnishes their future as her fears over dominant and strong-willed men leave her a bit leery of Gavin.  This uncertainty put her in danger, held captive by a madman, and had me on the edge of my seat waiting for Gavin to rescue her.  For the most part I liked Shree and admired her surviving her tragic past to make something of her future by juggling work and school.  I was frustrated though by the doubts she had of Gavin as he never gave her a reason to fear him or doubt his ability to protect her.

From start to finish this was an engaging story that nicely balanced the suspense with the burgeoning and erotic relationship between Gavin and Shree.  Their sexual interludes were scorching and left me parched with their intensity but we're nicely spaced throughout the story to keep them meaningful.  Gavin is a wonderful hero with a good heart who always put others first.  He's a loyal man who inspires loyalty in others as seen by the secondary characters who aid him in bringing down the bad guy.  Shree's a strong-willed heroine whose pigheadedness put her in danger but who still left me rooting for her as her strength continued to shine through even in the face of danger.  I enjoyed Charlie and her sweet and endearing connection to Gavin as his honorary sister.  She's another strong-willed heroine who I hope to see more of as she never gave in to fear or intimidation.  Readers who love erotic tales with combustible interactions and a pulsepounding pace will be drawn to this series starter and clamoring in anticipation for the next installment.

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from the authors for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Canadian-born author Kacey Hammell is definitely a book-a-holic. A romance reader from a young age, she fell in love with happily ever afters.  These days, as a multi-published erotic romance author, she enjoys adding a lot of heat, sass, and emotion to the many genres she writes.

A mom of three, Kacey has made certain each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right. She lives her own happily ever after with her perfect hero in Ontario, Canada, and is a true romantic at heart.

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