Series: Team Poseidon/SEAL Brotherhood (Book 1)
The Poseidon team are hard-bodied, fiercely competitive navy SEALs. But when a sensitive mission goes disastrously wrong, three of the team's finest will have to trust their hearts and instincts to uncover the truth…
"No man left behind" is inscribed in the DNA of every SEAL and Lieutenant Diego Torres is no exception. But with a team member killed -- and the body missing -- Diego's honor is sorely tested. Now his career and reputation are on the line, and a traitor is hiding among them. Diego wants answers…and only one woman has them.
Single mom Harper Maclean has two priorities -- raising her son Nathan and starting a new life. Her mysterious new neighbor may be impossibly charming, but Diego asks too many questions about her past -- and about the father of her child. Questions she fears will reveal her burning attraction for Diego, and ultimately put them all in danger's path.
Very good book that had me hooked from the beginning. It opens with the SEAL team in their downtime, their natural competitiveness at the forefront of their interactions. I liked Diego right away. He lives for his work as a SEAL, determined to be the best. He doesn't seek the limelight or see himself as a hero. His early years were rough, but he pulled himself out of it. There are indications that he has a temper, but he also controls it. Other SEALs are introduced at the same time. Lansky, Diego's best friend, who is also known as MacGyver. He's a bit more volatile, also makes up his mind quickly about people and is reluctant to be convinced otherwise. Then there is Ramsey, a new arrival to the team. He is handsome, arrogant, and believes that he is the best of them all. He doesn't take well to losing at anything. He rubbed me the wrong way from the start, with his comments about his ex and his son. There was something about him that came across as creepy. He is also very jealous of Diego's place on the team and his reputation. When the next mission goes wrong, Ramsey is missing and presumed dead - until critical information finds its way to the enemy and the team comes under investigation. Their commander doesn't trust the CIA and NI investigators, so he sends Diego and Lansky to investigate the one person most likely to know anything - Ramsey's ex, Harper.
Harper is a single mother, doing her best to raise her son alone. She fell for the slick Ramsey when she was only seventeen. When she discovered she was pregnant, he told her to get rid of the baby or his parents would take it from her. Then he walked out, and she never saw him again. Harper grew up in a bad part of town and was determined to make a better life for her son. Through sacrifice and hard work, she is now a respected and in-demand interior designer. Nathan is also the only male in her life. She has dated a little bit, but no one has been able to break through her mistrust. Her friend Andi is determined to get Harper to start living again.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship build between Diego and Harper. There is no question about the chemistry between these two; it sparks every time they are together. Diego tries very hard to keep his mind on business, his instructions are to observe and investigate, but not to engage. However, there is something about her that he can't resist. He feels somewhat guilty about using the attraction to get closer, especially once he realizes that there is no way that she is involved in her ex's activities. Harper tries to resist the attraction until she decides that she's let her past affect her life long enough. She knows Diego won't be around long and that makes him perfect for a quick fling. She's no more interested in a long term relationship than he is. It was fun seeing them get to know each other. Diego is so out of his element in "suburbia" but is slowly drawn in by both Harper and Nathan. I loved seeing Diego with Nathan. They connected so quickly, and it was awesome to see Diego fall so hard for the little boy. That connection is one of the things that drew Harper to Diego, other than the intense attraction. I loved seeing Harper decide to go after Diego, fighting through her nervousness. There was no doubt that their physical relationship was explosive, and it didn't take long for each of them to realize that they wanted more. But Diego is still hiding the real reason he is there, and that secret comes out in the worst possible way. I ached for Harper and her feelings of betrayal that just piled up on her fears for Nathan's safety. She didn't want to trust Diego, but she knew deep down that he was the one who could get Nathan back. I ached for Diego, too, because he hated that he had hurt Harper. I loved his determination and seeing his take charge attitude. He was also sensitive to Harper's feelings and found ways to help her deal with what was going on. There's a great scene where they end up facing part of Harper's past, and he doesn't react the way she expects. Both of them have to overcome their pasts before they can believe in a future together. I loved their big moment at the end as they each take a risk on expressing their feelings.
The suspense of the story was just as compelling as the romance. The thought that they were betrayed by one of their own motivates Diego and Lansky to get to the truth. I loved how their commander paired the two up; Diego with his reluctance to believe that it is possible, and Lansky with his absolute conviction that Ramsey, and possibly Harper, are guilty as sin. The conversations between these two give both sides of an extremely volatile situation. It was fascinating to see them work to discover the truth. There were also questions raised by the box Harper received, that the men knew nothing about. It revealed a possible second player in the game, adding to the intensity. Each new piece of information helped put the puzzle together, and Nathan's kidnapping created an undeniable urgency. I loved seeing the members of the team come together to find him. The buildup to the final confrontation was intense. I loved Diego's determination and initiative. There was an interesting twist that I did not expect and left a few questions unanswered. I can't wait for the next book.
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