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Synopsis

He’s an A-list Hollywood heartthrob.
She’s trying to prove herself in a man’s world.
For this female bodyguard, protecting her client is simply business, but what happens when sparks fly and the danger heats up?

After a series of box office flops, Rocco Monroe needs a hit. Bad press, shit talking, rumors, lies…it all goes with the territory after almost two decades in the spotlight, but when he lands the role of his career in a controversial biopic, the part of a lifetime comes with a catch: a hired bodyguard.

Annabelle Clad is so bored she wants to scream. Her life is coding and algorithms and binary codes…rinse and repeat. To her Rocco Monroe means freedom, a chance to show her overprotective brother and business partner that she can contribute to Iron Clad Securities.  And no arrogant playboy will fuck up her concentration by batting his lashes at her. She would never jeopardize her reputation by swooning over any man.  That had happened once, and she wouldn’t bear that loss or humiliation ever again. Even if Rocco looks like a walking fantasy…

 

 

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Review

4 stars!

Love this one! A gorgeous celebrity/bodyguard romance with a twist, as the badass bodyguard is actually a woman, with a smitten alpha moviestar who falls hard for her. It’s fun, sexy and beautifully romantic with a suspense twist, and it’s such a great read. It’s the second book in the Iron Clad Security series, but can easily be read as a standalone.

Rocco Monroe is a huge moviestar. But his career has been made from being the romantic hero, and after a number of flops, he needs a hit, badly. He has just been cast in his first dramatic role and it’s one that could make his career, but playing a real-life Columbian drug lord has all sorts of controversy attached to it, and the film, and him in particular, are facing violence and death threats from the deceased drug lord’s supporters.

In order to protect their investment, the studio insists that Rocco have a bodyguard for the four months of filming. He is less than impressed by this, but during his initial meeting at Iron Clad Security he meets Annie Clad, and seeing her bold feistiness and wicked moves first hand, he knows he has to have her. Plus, with his bodyguard being a hot young woman, he insists that she act as his girlfriend in public so that she can be around him 24/7 as required, but nobody will know that he ‘needs’ protection.

Annie is the youngest in her family, with her and her four brothers all being a part of different branches of the armed forces. Annie herself served in Afghanistan, and it was there that she lost everything. Now she is back home and working in her older brother, Joey’s security business, and she is desperate to get out from behind the desk where they have placed her and do some field work. When the opportunity comes up to work with Rocco Monroe, she knows this is the opportunity she needs to prove herself once and for all, and she takes her new mission seriously – despite Rocco’s plans.

“The point is, I’m here to work.”
“And part of that work entails that you pretend we’re dating.”
“That’s outside this house. In here, I’m just your bodyguard.”
He stepped closer, his breath too close to her ear. “But out there, you’re mine.”

There’s no surprise where this story is going to go. There is some back and forth, teasing, banter and flirting, and a whole lot of chemistry and sexual tension, and I thought their dynamic was so much fun!

“I already know you like me. More than like me. So you can play it off as if you don’t feel the same way, but I know the truth, Tiger … It’s cute how you’re trying to act unfazed. “
“Please, I already did the jealous girlfriend thing. I’m not acting unfazed.”
“Aww, do you admit you’re my girlfriend. Look at you, all girly and sweet.”
She turned back around and scowled and held up her middle finger. “Screw you, Monroe.”
He firmly grabbed her wrist and took that middle finger into his mouth. And sucked. “As you wish,” he said with a growl.

What surprised me about this book though, was the progression of the relationship between Rocco and Annie. It’s a slow burn, with more emotion than just straight-up lust, and I loved how this book had the feeling of a beautiful love story. Of course there is lust there, but there’s true relationship development and real feelings, and I love how easily and naturally Rocco and Annie slip into a functional, honest relationship that is truly special.

“It’s gonna be awesome to watch you fall in love with me, Tiger.”

Their hooking up isn’t openly accepted – with Annie’s brothers, and Rocco’s co-star creating trouble, and then there’s Rocco’s alpha need to protect his woman, despite the fact that she is there to protect him. The conflict is realistic and understandable, and I thought it was handled really well. And of course there’s the real conflict – the reason that Annie was appointed in the first place. The mystery and suspense surrounding who is targeting Rocco and the film, and what their plans are, tie in really nicely to the story, and create a sense of excitement as the anticipation builds to an exciting finish.

I really enjoyed this book. Rocco is a great character – confident and charming yet down to earth and completely open to all that he feels for Annie. And Annie is just awesome. Smart, sassy and brave, I could understand her motivations and her determination to do her job, and again, I loved how willing she was to open herself up to Rocco and explore things with him.

“I don’t want to put a time limit on what we could have. I just…I just want to be with you.”

It’s a gorgeous love story with lots of emotion and a nice amount of sexy time, and a mystery/suspense element that adds to the story rather than overwhelming it. Really well done and I’m excited to carry on with the series.

4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Iron Clad Security

 

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author, Sidney Halston lives her life with one simple rule: “Just Do It”– Nike. And that’s exactly what she did.

After working hard as an attorney, Sidney picked up a pen for the first time at thirty years old to begin her dream of writing. Having never written anything other than very exciting legal briefs, she found an outlet for her imaginative, romantic side and wrote Seeing Red.  That first pen stroke sealed the deal, and she fell in love with writing. Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading and reading and reading. She’s a reader first and a writer second. When she’s not writing or reading, her life is complete and utter chaos, trying to balance family life with work and writing (and reading). But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

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