SEAL’S HONOR sucked me in from the first page to the last. Grizzly Harbor, Alaska and Chicago play the backdrops in this first book in the ALASKA FORCE series. The first chapter is set six months prior to the story and gives a lot of background information on the members of Alaska Force, and especially on the character of Blue, who is no longer a Navy SEAL.

The scenic descriptions were breathtaking and vivid. The characters had depth and plenty of secrets too. Blue and Everly meet up in Alaska, where Everly goes looking for him for help despite not having seen him for twenty years. She needs him to help clear her as someone who isn’t crazy. Everly witnessed a murder that others say didn’t happen. And once she and Blue get together, things get interesting fast.

Blue and Everly have an attraction, but both are fighting it. Watching them take a step closer and two or three back was heartbreaking, especially given Blue’s past. As the story twists and turns with a lot of mystery, murder, and near murders, my interest was held. Blue and Everly make a good team, but he can’t get away fast enough. Or so he thinks at first…

There are lighthearted moments thrown in to this gripping romance. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, SNIPER’S PRIDE, to see what the team is up to next.

Ms Crane, who also writes under the name of Caitlin Crews, is a new-to-me author. I look forward to reading more of her books, not just those in this series.

His old friend’s sister is all grown up and smack of a dangerous murder investigation and while the last thing Blue Hendricks needs is trouble, he didn’t become a SEAL to turn his back on the hard stuff. Her murdered roommate’s body has vanished and Everly Campbell fears she’s next. Desperate, she runs to a remote Alaskan town to find a man she only vaguely remembers. Blue wants to keep things all business, but as the men on Everly’s tail draw closer, Blue will do anything to protect the woman he’s starting to think of as his…

The first book in the ‘Alaska Force’ series is an engaging and suspenseful read that draws readers in and refuses to let go. The strong, compelling characters are easily connected to and readers can’t help but enjoy the gruff Navy SEAL Blue Hendricks that tries his best to keep his distance from the spunky Everly. The chemistry is positively electrical and the emotions are wrenchingly gripping as this couple try to determine just what happened to Everly’s roommate. However, the relationship has a bit of an obstacle in regards to Blue’s past and the angst that stems from it, keeping the happily ever after in question throughout.

The whole group of military men in a remote Alaska wilderness captures readers’ imaginations and sends hearts pounding from the very beginning as the author sets up a smorgasbord of temptation for books in this series. In this one, the plot is steady paced and full of suspense that keeps the anticipation building and as the danger escalates so does the adrenaline pumping excitement. And with a couple of stunning twists, throws everything the reader thought completely out the door in this fascinating and exhilarating romance.

The last thing Blue Hendricks needs six months into his uneasy reentry into civilian life is trouble in the form of his old friend's kid sister, all grown up and smack in the middle of a dangerous murder investigation. But he didn't become a SEAL to turn his back on the hard stuff, and he can't bring himself to ignore Everly's call for help--no matter how much he knows he's not fit to be around the soft, vibrant woman she's become. Not after the things he's done. Everly Campbell is desperate. When her roommate is murdered and the body vanishes, Everly fears she might be next. With no one to believe her, Everly runs to a remote Alaskan town to find a man she only vaguely remembers and his crew of ex-military brothers who could be her only hope. Blue wants to keep things all business but Everly isn't a little girl anymore and the commanding former SEAL is more temptation than she can resist. As the men on Everly's trail draw closer, Blue will do anything to protect the woman he's starting to think of as his…
This was a pretty decent story. Pretty straight-forward mystery with the friend’s little sister trope to boot. I read through it pretty quickly and look forward to more from this author. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jerjen

This is the first book in the Alaska Force series, and it was an enjoyable read. The author combined romance, suspense, and intrigue and crafted a good book.

Blue is not a happy man. He has retired from the Seals and he does not know what he is going to do with the rest of his life. He feels that his options are limited. He did not have a happy childhood so returning to Chicago is not really an option. He really is a bitter man.

Everly has a problem. She witnessed her roommate’s murder but no one will believe her. She knows she needs help to stay safe because whoever committed the crime may come back to tie up a loose end–her. She can only think of one person who can really help–Blue. She tracks him down in Alaska and asks him for his help, and as you can imagine, that did not go well. Even though she knows him from their youth, he does not want to get involved. She has had a crush on him since they were kids and she is willing to trust him with her life. Eventually, he agrees to help her and they find themselves back in Chicago and the real action starts taking place. Will Blue be able to keep her safe and will they be able to protect their hearts during the process?

The characters were well developed and well rounded. I know Blue was going through a tough time but he was a little too much for me to take at times. Everly accepted Blue as he was, but sometimes I think she should have had more of a backbone. The author is very talented in creating suspense with the written word and I was drawn into the story to see what was going to happen next.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys well-crafted romantic suspense. I will definitely look for the next book in this series.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This is the first book I've read by Megan Crane, and I had a tough time finishing. I love romantic suspense novels, but this book did not hold my attention as it was difficult to connect with the characters.

First book by Megan Crane I've read, kind of slow going into which can some times be a good thing or a bad thing , especially if it's a romance, not sure which this one is ,if it's a good or bad, but it is slow to get into the story.With that said I want to think Netgalley for letting me read it and review it in a change for my honest opinion.

SEAL's Honor by Megan Crane is the first story in her new romantic suspense series Alaska Force. It's about a group of ex-military men who work as mercenaries to help those who find themselves in unique and life threatening circumstances – men willing to risk everything to keep someone safe.

Everly Campbell isn't sure if she's going crazy or not but one thing is certain – her roommate is missing and likely dead. Certain she's next for witnessing something she shouldn't have, she remembers her brother's high school friend (and her childhood crush) who joined the military and finds out he's now living in Grizzly Rim, Alaska. He's the only man she can think of who might have the skills to help protect her and find out what really happened to her roommate.

Blue Hendricks doesn't know what to make of Everly showing up on his remote Alaskan doorstep but he can't turn away a woman in distress, even if she brings back unwelcome memories of home. He believes her story, and heads back to Chicago with Everly to investigate. Everly has grown from a sweet young girl into a desirable woman, and the heat between them is scorching. But he's done things that make him believe he isn't worthy of someone like her, and besides, she's his mission now so off limits. As danger closes in, will they solve the mystery and live to have a chance at a happy ever after?

I enjoyed this story, with its exciting twists and turns! Everly's missing roommate is a woman she didn't know very well but finding out about her life is vital to determining what really happened. With the help of Blue's teammates back in Alaska, the clues start to lead up to a shocking possibility.

The story takes place in remote Alaska and back in the big city of Chicago, including in the suburb where Everly and Blue grew up. Blue has a strained relationship with his mother and step-father that led him to leave home and join the military, and he hasn't been back since. With Everly re-entering his life he's forced to look deeper into his reasons for leaving and face some uncomfortable truths. At times Blue is very cold and remote, a consequence of being used to hiding his emotions. As he starts to fall for Everly he has to break out of his shell if he wants to consider a future with her. But his first priority is to keep her alive, and that's a challenge in itself.

There are some sexy scenes as Everly and Blue give into the attraction between them even as the danger increases. There's plenty of action and suspense as they figure out the truth of what happened, and they do get a happy ending with some interesting secondary characters paving the way for future stories. I'm looking forward to the next Alaska Force romance!

Review has been posted at Amazon. It has been posted at Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link.

Many women love a good romance story, and I am one such women. All of us women have our favorite troupes or settings—-some like cowboy romances while others prefer a rogue of the peerage, others like military romances.

For me, I just like a good story but if I’m being honest, I like the rogue of the peerage best but I don’t mind the occasional cross over into other troupes. The book was one that I just happened to see one day while I was scrolling through Netgalley looking at new releases. I had just seen a special on SEAL training on the History Channel so I was immediately drawn to this book.

The last thing Blue Hendricks needs six months into his uneasy reentry into civilian life is trouble in the form of his old friend’s kid sister, all grown up and smack in the middle of a dangerous murder investigation. But he didn’t become a SEAL to turn his back on the hard stuff, and he can’t bring himself to ignore Everly’s call for help–no matter how much he knows he’s not fit to be around the soft, vibrant woman she’s become. Not after the things he’s done.

Everly Campbell is desperate. When her roommate is murdered and the body vanishes, Everly fears she might be next. With no one to believe her, Everly runs to a remote Alaskan town to find a man she only vaguely remembers and his crew of ex-military brothers who could be her only hope. Blue wants to keep things all business but Everly isn’t a little girl anymore and the commanding former SEAL is more temptation than she can resist.

As the men on Everly’s trail draw closer, Blue will do anything to protect the woman he’s starting to think of as his (summary form Goodreads).

When I am looking for a romance, the first thing that I am drawn to is a brooding and flawed bordering on asshole hero. I love watching the hard exterior melt away to reveal a tender hearted hero. I have to admit, Crane did an excellent job at creating just that with her hero, Blue. He was an asshole for much of the book…..bordering on completely unlikeable and unredeemable.

I had to remember that men who join the SEALs aren’t always known for their kind hearted, gentle spirit. These are hard core men who have seen unspeakable horrors and violence. Their work isn’t easy and it truly takes a special person to join such an elite force as the Navy SEALs, so if you look at Blue’s character from that perspective, I think he fits the SEAL role nicely though it makes for a tricky romantic interest.

There were several times that I thought ‘oh my god why are you into him Everly?! Just move on girl!. But Crane offered hints of his redeeming character along the way. Eventually I found that I liked him—maybe I didn’t love him but I liked him enough to completely the story. I didn’t however care for his name—or Everly either for that matter—-and I didn’t like that he called her ‘little girl’ so much in the story but in the end somehow I found myself warming to him—at least a little.

When it comes to romance, as I have said before, you are getting high brown literature, but what you are getting is a guaranteed happily ever after and that’s what I was looking for with this one and it delivered. I loved the suspense/murder investigation in this book. I thought it added a lot to the story and kept a nice balance between romance and mystery.

Crane has written several other books and I think she did a good job writing a believable romance and a dynamic couple that had to work for their romance. I enjoyed reading this book and I thought it offered a nice little escape from daily life. I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one and I found that I would definitely read more by her in the future!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: SEAL’s Honor (Alaska Force #1) by Megan Crane

Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Published November 6th 2018 by Berkley
ASIN B079R6D7KP
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own
Recommendation: 3.5 out of 5
Genre: romance, contempo romance
Memorable lines/quotes

✦Review & Giveaway: SEAL'S HONOR (An Alaska Force Novel) by Megan Crane https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aWB
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel. Yes, it had a few spots that I questioned about the characters knowing things suddenly and a few other things in the storyline. However, the story held me, and I was soon caught up in it. Blue was the classic emotionally closed-off-hot-guy trying to keep Everly at arm’s length. Luckily enough emotion showed throw on the introspection, otherwise I wouldn’t have liked him much. Everly was a damsel in distress but had strength to also handle everything thrown at her. They made a well-matched couple. I would love to spend more time with the Alaska Force group, the brief glimpses showed a fun but odd group with fun banter. I look forward to the next installment.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Kindle $7.99 https://amzn.to/2Em1tOv

I finished SEAL'S Honor by Megan Crane with a happy smile! Fool's Cove is where the Alaska Force Team, a group of ex-military warriors, call home. The town of Grizzly Harbor is filled with charismatic characters and charm.
The heroine, Everly is strong, smart and a determined gal who lives in Chicago and seeks out Blue to help her from a dire situation. He's the only person she trusts to get her out of the mess she finds herself in.
Blue is out of the military and not ready for civilian life. His emotional struggles are genuine and believable, related to family, and self acceptance. Because of his experiences and actions, he thinks of himself as a monster, Last time Blue saw Everly she was the little sister of a friend back home. it's been over 20 years now and she's grown into a beauty. Her visit is a big and unexpected surprise.
Everly is the perfect woman to knock down the walls Blue has built around his heart and they fall in love in the process. The chemistry between them grows slowly while he tries to keep her safe. Their love scenes are sensual and tastefully written. The ending was a fun and happy one! I only wish I could have seen more team engagement in the story! I loved meeting the characters in Grizzly Harbor. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
SEAL'S Honor is filled with action, mystery, passion and the healing of a warrior's heart. I give it 4.5 stars

Quite an enjoyable read, am looking forward to reading the other guys stories, as its quite a good idea for a series.

Emotionally wounded warrior, Blue, is forced to face his life without being an active member of the military when his past, Everly, comes crashing back into his "safe haven" of the Alaska Force requesting help.

Everly witnessed her roommate being murdered, but when she escapes no one believes her because her roommate and the murder scene has disappeared. Fearing for her life, Everly embarks on a trek across treacherous roads to find a hometown hero, Blue. Retired from the military he now works in the private sector at Alaska Force.

Helping Everly is the last thing Blue wants to do, it makes him confront the demons of his past and the life he left behind.

I enjoyed <b>SEAL's Honor</b>. It was a fresh, believable romantic suspense. The story takes on a dark undertone with a tough and harden alpha slowly having his wall taken down one brick at a time.

I received this ARC copy of <b>SEAL's Honor</b> from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. <b>SEAL's Honor</b> is set for publication November 6, 2018.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Megan Crane
Series: An Alaska Force Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
ISBN-10: 0451491491
ISBN-13: 978-0451491497
Genre: Military Romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/SEALS-Honor-Alaska-Force-Novel/dp/0451491491/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seals-honor-megan-crane/1127949762
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/seals-honor/id1347594693?mt=11

DNF @35%

I wasn't a fan of Blue. He was a bully most of the time and I have no idea what Everly saw in him. Everly wasn't what I hope for in a heroine either I questioned her sense several times and that wasn't only because she put up with Blue. This guy talks down to her, calls her "little girl" for much of the story, and is seriously an ass to her, and still Everly somehow believes he's s wonderful guy. Yeah, I think I'll pass.

The writing style was a big part of why this didn't work for me. Too many internal monologues that went on far too long, stalling the plot sooo many times. My mind starting wandering and it was a chore to try and get back into the story.

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley Books in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Seal's Honor
Author: Megan Crane
Publisher: Berkley
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"Seal's Honor" by Megan Crane

My Thoughts.....

We find that retired after twenty years Navy Seal Blue Hendricks was now in Alaska and finds a group of brothers [special ops...The Alaska Force] that seemed to make his life with living trying to regain his balance. Then one day a woman named Everly Campbell comes to Grizzly Harbor, Alaska to find Blue who had lived across the street from her when she was a child and had been her hero and yes it had been some twenty years ago. Now, the question is now that Everly was caught up in this horrible situation would Blue be willing to help her find out what had happened to her roommate back in Chicago? Why was it that Everly considered Blue her hero that could only save her? Well, as the story continues we find they are back in Chicago and will be greatly caught up in a lots of 'drama and danger with the attempts on Everly's life.' By calling in the Alaska Force will they be able to figure out what is going on between them and bringing out all the 'fighting demons of the family variety?' Blue had a hard life and he was 'demanding and intense and had held on to grudges for decades.' To find out what all is going on in this romantic suspense story you will have to pick up this story to see what all will happen after Everly gets Blue to help her find out that she is not crazy or a murderer.

If you are looking for 'drama, suspense, romance and some sexy alpha men' then you have come to the right place for "Seal's Honor" will give it to you and much more.

She's in a killer's sights! With the first book in the Alaska Force series, we get the story of former Navy SEAL Blue and a childhood friend who comes to him for help. The characters were interesting and there was a lot of potential in this story, but unfortunately it fell flat of developing an edge of my seat excitement that this reader needs to enjoy a romantic suspense. If you're looking for a small town romance feel with a hint of mystery then this is the story for you!

Everly Campbell unwittingly finds herself in a dire situation. She's sure she witnessed her roommate being murdered and saw the faces of the men doing it, but the police are telling her there are no signs of anything happening in their apartment and suspecting her of wrong doing! She finds herself running to a remote Alaska town hoping to find help from a man she hasn't seen in years, but is rumored to have the ability to rescue her from this nightmare!

Former Navy SEAL Blue Hendricks has only been re-introducing himself to civilian life for a few months now and as luck would have it, the stories of finding a home with an unsanctioned team of ex-military men in Grizzly Harbor, Alaska came true. He doesn't want to see someone from his past, and he sure doesn't want to head back to his hometown in order to help her uncover the mystery surrounding her ... but he can't say no to the fear and desperation on her face!

**2.5 Stars**

SEAL’s Honor follows Everly, a woman who witnessed the murder of her roommate, and Blue, the special ops, ex-SEAL Everly knew as a child. Blue is a member of Alaska Force, a crew made up of hardcore ex-military guys. Everly drives to Alaska implore Blue to help her solve the murder of her roommate because the police think she’s crazy.

This was my first book by Megan Crane, and I honestly had a tough time finishing. I love romantic suspense novels, but this book just couldn’t keep my attention. It was difficult to connect with the hero (mostly because I didn't like him) and there was a lot of internal monologue from his point of view, so sometimes I stopped reading just to escape his head.

The Pros: Everly. That girl was awesome. She was eternally optimistic and yet still managed to have enough grit to get through the harrowing events of this book. I loved that she took the crazy events happening in her life and used them to change her life for the better. She also knew when to rock a cute flat, which I always appreciate. I wish she had better taste in men.

Alaska Force’s crew seems like it’s going to be a fun one to follow. I thought the secondary characters seemed quirky and exciting and I am hoping we learn more about the Alaska compound. I think the action scenes we fun and I was intrigued by the mystery plot.

The Cons: I don’t mind if a leading couple in a romance novel doesn’t go 50/50 with their effort in the relationship. Couples aren't always going to be equal all the time, and I totally get that. But honestly, in Blue and Everly’s “relationship” (and I use that word lightly because they were absolutely not in a relationship for almost every page of this book) Everly gave 99% and Blue gave 1%. His self-pity and weird reasons for not giving in to his attraction to Everly were crazy. He was cold to her the entire book and freaking Everly just "knew" what he meant from his weird glares and non-existent communication skills. Plus, he was mean to his mom, and that's a hard no-go for me. He also sulked over adolescent problems. I kept thinking, "Dude, you're in your late 30s, it's time to move on."

Overall, I can see what Megan Crane was going for, but the execution just fell flat. Hopefully, this was just a book suffering under the weight kicking off a series. I would give Megan Crane another try and hope that with a better hero, her writing and plots will shine.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Oh My!!! I thoroughly loved reading Blue and Everly’s story in SEAL’s Honor by Megan Crane, book one in her Alaska Force series. I knew returning to civilian life was difficult for many military personnel but Blue gives us an in-depth look of how challenging it was for him to stop being a SEAL. After six months in Alaska, being a member of Alaska Force, he has been tracked down by the younger sister of an old friend, Everly, who is in desperate need of help. Everly is no longer the little girl Blue remembers, but a grown up, vibrant woman who makes it difficult for Blue to ignore his attraction to her. Blue believes he is not good enough for Everly, especially after some of the things he’s done and seen as a SEAL.

Everly is desperate for help and for someone to believe she is not crazy. Her roommate was murdered, the body disappeared, the police don’t believe her, and Everly fears she might be next. Blue is her only hope. Blue agrees to help keep Everly safe, but is not happy about it or about returning to his hometown.

These two are amazing together. Everly stands up to Blue, understanding him like no one else. Blue is struggling to keep his mind focused on the task at hand and not the curves of Everly’s body. As the men get closer and closer to Everly, Blue will do anything he can to protect her, especially since he is finally thinking of her as his.
Ms. Crane wrote an emotional and moving story filled with sexual chemistry, fun dialogue, and endearing characters that is not to be missed. I highly recommend this book to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

There are some truly wonderful things about this book, but it wasn’t quite the right read for me. Too much internal monologuing and not enough interaction between the protagonists meant that I struggled to believe the connection between them.

The suspense side of things was interesting—and the conclusion both exciting and unexpected. Megan Crane did a wonderful job of making me second guess myself as I theorized about what was going to happen. Likewise, the way she introduced her characters and series piqued my interest HARD.

I’ll defintely be back for more of this series, and I was overall very satisfied with this story, I just wish there’d been more showing, less telling—and that maybe our grumpy, stoic hero has been a little less asshole and a little more alphahole.

This book could have been more

I liked the premise of this book - a group of ex-military warriors that have joined together in rugged Alaska to continue fighting the good fight.

I was disappointed with most of the book, though. The first 2/3 of the book was a pretty standard unresolved romance that got boring quickly. But the last 1/3 of the book was what I had hoped for the rest of the story. The Alaska Force actually participated then. There was emotional upheaval, danger, and a great romance. It's too bad the first part of the book felt like filler.

I would have rated it 2 1/2 stars if I could have.

I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Grumpy hero? Check! Damsel in Distress? Check! Beautiful setting? Check! SEAL's Honor is checking all my boxes. Blue is out of the military and kind of lost until a chance meeting with a guy in a bar in Alaska. Once he begins finding his bearings again, a blast from his past shows up and he is NOT interested.

Everly had a huge crush on Blue when they were kids. She was several years younger but never forgot about Blue Hendricks. Now that she is grown up, she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Except, there is no body. Now the cops think she is either crazy or a killer. Everly's brother suggests she seek out Blue and even though he isn't pleased with the memories Everly brings, he and his Alaska Force buddies decide to help her.

Blue is the quintessential grumpy hero. Hardened by his time in the military and struggling to gain a foothold into civilian life, he is not exactly welcoming. However, he has found a brotherhood with the other guys in Alaska Force. All of them are ex-military and struggling with their new normal just like Blue. Everly is a little immature in some of her actions at times, but she isn't one of those 'too stupid to live' heroines. She knows she needs help and drives for days through Canada to get to Alaska and Blue. Also, she is tenacious and doesn't let Blue's misery stop her from pushing through to him. In many 'grumpy heroes' the guy has a few soft spots. Blue seemingly has none! So, its all up to Everly to get through to him.

There is a lot of action to break up the male broodiness! Once Blue and Everly are back in Chicago, it becomes clear quickly that she is in danger and someone is really out to get her. This action helped me not feel so meh about Blue's brooding. Overall, SEAL's Honor is a great start to what I think is a promising series! I can't wait to meet the other Alaska Force men and get their stories!