A great start to a new series, this book was packed full of action, suspense, banter and some smoking hot chemistry. I really enjoyed the way the story flowed, I didn’t want to put it down. Definitely keen to meet the side characters properly in future books!

Love love loved it. The heroine is independent, strong and courageous. The hero is your alpha male with a tragic past. The story is full of suspense and fear as well as determination. Twist and turns will keep you wanting more as think get deeply emotional. What a great story. Can't wait for more.

WOW just WOW. I am a very big fan of Susan Stoker's and this new series of hers is explosive. Can not wait to read the rest of the series!!!

Well, Susan Stoker did it once again.....another page turner that I couldn't put down until the very end of the book.
Defending Allye gives the readers a peek into the horrors of human trafficking and what one person (and I use the term loosely) will do to get what he wants. Since Nightengale couldn't get Allye, the things that he did to her friends were horrendous and gave me chills for hours after. This is the first book in the new Mountain Mercenaries Series and I can't wait for the series to continue.

Defending Allye (Mountain Mercenaries #1) by Susan Stoker is an action packed romance that will hook you from the first page. I love this author’s books. Her writing never disappoints and she definitely doesn’t in this one. It will take you on an amazing adventure and a wild ride of emotion. I loved this book and highly recommend it!!

I’m a huge Susan Stoker fan. I’ve been waiting for this series to start ever since we were teased with Ryder’s book Claiming Felicity.

Gray is a ex-Navy SEAL who now works for the Mountain Mercenaries and is also an accountant (of all things!). He leaves the SEALS after a mission destroys him and finds a new band of brothers. With them he’s able to keep saving people, along with help from their boss, Rex. Speaking of Rex, he intrigues me. I really hope we see more of him in later books. And more of the team! And Dave!

Allye is a dancer with Waardenburg syndrome characterized by two different colored eyes and a streak of white hair. This uniqueness, which made her own mother reject her as a child, attracts the attention of a collector, Nightingale, who literally collects unique humans and keeps them in cages like animals.

After initially escaping his grasp, Nightingale starts hurting people lose to a Allye in the hopes of drawing her to him. With time running out for her friends can Allye and Gray get past their own history and save each other?

After discovering Susan Stoker, I've tried to read as many of her books as possible. I'm not sure anyone could remain that calm after being kidnapped and almost blown up.

Like most of her stories, very insta-lovey. I like seeing all the other guys and can't wait for their stories.

This was an awesome book. I always one click Susan Stoner and this book didn't disappoint. Allye is a tough heroine and makes for an interesting believable story. Of course there's always drama and tension but I love the HEA. Definitely recommended.

Great story. I truly loved the streangth of Allye. She just accepted life, and what Grayson did as a living. Grayson was strong character in the book. The story really grabbed my interest from the very first chapter. A must read.

4 1/2 Star Review.....

Susan Stoker has an uncanny knack for writing truly Alpha heroes; I’m sure if you looked up the definition of ALPHA, it would say “just read anything written by Susan Stoker”. Ms Stoker has done an exceptional job with Defending Allye, and it kicks off her new Mountain Mercenaries series (a spin-off from the Ace Security series) with this action-packed, nail biting, edge of your seat romantic/suspense story.

Readers are introduced to a bevy of new characters, while touching base with some old favourites too. The character personas are well developed, and the world building is informative and clearly outlined throughout the book ensuring that the story flows seamlessly from one scene to the next.

As with previous books by this talented author, Defending Allye is jam-packed with deeply emotional moments, danger, suspense, some fun banter and most of all…..romance. I was wonderfully immersed in this story from start to finish, and thrilled that the heroine was type of strong independent woman we as readers have come to expect from Ms Stoker’s intriguing books. Bring on book two; I can’t wait!

Defending Allye is a new series (Mountain Mercenaries) from Susan Stoker. The Mountain Mercenaries are a group of former military who have formed a group to provide rescues, run by the mysterious Rex. Picture Charlie, from Charlie's Angels. No one knows who he is or what he looks like, but they admire what he has created in this group and cheerfully take their orders from him. The group has a long-term hunt going on for a human trafficker. 

Gray is one of the mercenaries in the group. He will do whatever it takes to bring down the villain. There is some fairly graphic imagery to show Gray's dedication, but he is also seen as a fun-loving, happy guy. He is the right man in the right place to rescue Allye, who has fallen victim of a kidnapping. She is a dancer with some unusual features: mis-matched eyes and a white streak in her hair. These features have brought her to the attention on a nutjob who "collects" unusual people for his own personal "museum". This was seriously creepy. 

Allye is quick-witted and captures Gray's interest because of her plucky nature. Still, once rescued, the two separate until Rex brings them back together. Then the two, along with the other Mountain Mercenaries, are on the hunt for this sicko collector of humans.  There are genuinely spooky scenes that may give you some goosebumps!

I enjoyed the story, as I do with all of Susan Stoker's books. She is a prolific writer who has a definite pattern of strong men, typically former military, who rescue/protect a woman who needs help. That doesn't mean the women aren't strong characters, but they all need assistance in some way. The men and women have a good camaraderie in their groups, dialogue is natural and authentic. There is a similarity among the books, but for fans, that mean more to enjoy.

Defending Allye was a fantastic read. Another very good suspenseful and romantic book. I couldn't put the book down, the story was so exciting. Susan Stoker has brought two characters to life in the pages of this book. This is a one click buy! You won't be disappointed at all in this story!

Definite read! great start to a new series. interaction between the couple is great and I always love the feeling that come through in all of Ms. Stoker's characters. I started reading hers since Caroline and watching the growth has been amazing and the different storylines are great - nothing is ever a repeat. This is a fabulous start to a series and she doesn't skimp to get the story rolling. Almost like we have a front row view and are there with them.

After hitting send I found some mistakes. Sorry. Robin

DEFENDING ALLYE – Susan Stoker

Mountain Mercenaries – book 1
Montlake Romance
ISBN-10: 1503949907
ISBN-13: 978-1503949904
August 2018

San Francisco, California and Colorado Springs, Colorado – The Present

Grayson Rogers, called Gray, is a former Navy SEAL, and now a member of the Mountain Mercenaries, a group formed by an unidentified man who calls himself Rex. Gray is on a mission with another Mountain Mercenary, Black, off the coast of San Francisco. They are to stop the exchange of a large amount of money in a sex trafficking deal by one leader of a trafficking group, Gage Nightingale. Nightingale sells women and children all over the world, even specifically targeted individuals. Gray covertly swims to the intended target, an older boat, and boards with little problem. He encounters and kills the two crewmen of the ship, but the ship is sinking when he finds the targeted woman, a dancer, handcuffed in one of the compartments on board. He frees her, and soon, after the boats sinks, they are swimming miles off the coast of San Francisco, although the city's lights are visible. The water is cold, and while Gray wears a dry suit, the woman does not. He fears Black won’t reach them with their pick up boat in time to save her. During their swim her courage and sarcasm impress him.

Allye Martin, after a childhood with a mother who showed no love, had found a place that gave her a sense of value, the Dance Theatre of San Francisco. She was in a cab when she lost consciousness and ended up on a boat with no idea of where she was. Before she leaves with her rescuer, she grabs something she thinks might help discover her abductors. Alley's appearance is different in that she has one blue eye and one hazel-brown eye. A white streak also adorns her brown hair. These features have grabbed the attention of an obsessive and aberrant man who wants her as his property. She won’t be the first woman in his collection, but they are all trained to do exactly what he wants.

Gray and Allye have a reluctant but strong attraction, but his job and her situation seem impossible walls to any future romance. Gray is protective, however, and one of the crew on the old boat from which he rescued Alley said the person who bought her will do anything to get her, and he will eventually succeed. Gray is also cold-hearted toward those who profit from trafficking and has no compunction in killing them. This story is full of very dangerous situations of depraved evil along with the romantic tension between Gray and Allye, who is by no means a complacent woman, which creates a compelling narrative. Readers should also note there are warring ethical and moral challenges, which some might find offensive, but trafficking is a very immoral business.

Robin Lee

Dancer Allye is kidnapped and enter the Mountain Mercenary team to find her. Allye’s rescuer Gray Rogers is former Navy Seal and even though he has saved her, the kidnapping doesn’t stop. Whoever is behind this is determined to have Allye and she will do anything to keep her friends safe. But even with Gray and the other in the team helping, will it be enough to keep her alive.
This is a great book by Susan Stoker and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I have a lot of love for Susan Stoker, her books are an automatic one click for me so I was so excited to get a copy of this book for me to read.

Allye is a victim of human trafficking and she’s so incredibly lucky that Gray saves her. These two connected in ways I was not expecting to see. I instantly wanted the best ending for these two because they deserved it. Their story is one of those stories that will stay with you. I couldn’t put this book down, my zombie mode is in full effect but I have no regrets.

This is one of Susan’s best books to date and I seriously recommend it!

4 stars

Fab new series, which is an offshoot of the Ace Security series. Ryder may have left the team with their blessing but they are still making the world a better place, one dirtbag at a time!

Gray is the least likely accountant in the world! Former badass SEAL and now working on the side for Rex and the team gives him control over the assignments in his life that he didn't have whilst working for Uncle Sam. But the latest assignment went SNAFU pretty quickly. What was supposed to be recon and intel turns into a full on rescue when he finds an abducted woman on board.

Allye has not had the greatest life but found her calling in dance. She loves her troupe but she seems to have caught the eye of a "collector". Her weird hair and eyes making her stand out a bit to much for his exotic tastes not to notice. But Gray lucks out cos this female rolls with the punches. She should be screaming/wigging out but she calmly goes with the flow and even cracks a joke or two. He can't help be impressed!

But when she realises what info she has lucked onto, she has no choice but to contact Rex and beg for help. Leading her once again to the strong arms and chivalrous heart of Gray!

OMG Allye is who I want to be when I grow up LOL. She just takes those lemons that she has been given and squeezes the bejesus out of them. I loves her strong sense of right and how she gladly puts herself in the line of fire to protect her friends (even those who aren't really a friend). Grey is strong, sincere and smoking hot! I loved meeting the other guys in the team again. The anonymous Rex is really getting intriguing. I have a few guesses at who he is but he is totally rocking the "Charlie" from Charlie's Angels!

I received an arc from Netgalley. Allye a dancer finds herself being chased and hunted. Gray, a part of an elite team, is sent in to find out more about who is behind a trafficking ring doesn’t expect to find Allye. The two escape the situation and find they share a mutual attraction.

The road these two travel in this story is one of healing, love and overcoming evil. A great read .

Gray Rogers, a former Navy SEAL, is now a mercenary based in Colorado. A mission gone slightly sideways off the coast of California has him rescuing dancer Allye Martin off a boat. Allye is the unfortunate victim of a supposed sex trafficking ring. She thinks her ordeal is over after being rescued but it quickly becomes apparent that she is still being pursued. Allye reaches back out to Gray for help and draws him into a dangerous situation that is quickly escalating.

This was my first Susan Stoker read. I really enjoyed it. The plot was fast-past and engaging. The characters were complex and had great chemistry. If you are looking for a romantic read this summer, this one is a good one!

The definition of ALPHA: Usually used as a term for a badass male who attracts women without trying. His superiority and pure confidence allows him to achieve success. He does not WANT, because he is the WANTED and BOY do I want Gray! Susan Stoker yet again wow's us with another one of her ADDICTIVE alpha heroes. Grayson Rogers love being one of the Mountain Mercenaries, a group of ex-special forces guys that are sent around the world by their boss Rex to take out the bad guys. But his latest mission leaves him reeling. Allye (pronounced like the space between 2 buildings but the y comes before the e) has had a rough life and karma hates her. Just look at her latest situation. Kidnapped off the street, stuck on a boat...yep karma definitely hates her. Until the door bursts open and Gray rescues her. Maybe her karma might be getting better??

Susan Stoker does an amazing job kicking off her new Mountain Mercenaries series with Defending Allye. A spin-off from her Ace Security series, Ms. Stoker continues with her newest Alpha heroes. But don't think the women in Ms. Stokers books just sit and wait for the hero to save them. Ms. Stoker always matches her heroes with strong independent heroines and Allye Martin is definitely the latest one in this group. I love how Ms. Stoker is able to build the backdrop of the story so well that the reader is immediately immersed and "living" the world with her characters. Blending new characters with old, Ms. Stoker never leaves her readers wondering about previous characters from her other books. The story carries the reader along with witty repartee between not only the main characters but the sub-characters as well. The story is rich with emotion and humor and had me crying, grinning and nail-biting. I loved how the action and suspense had me flipping through the book with eagerness and by the end, I was not disappointed. Another fabulous book for Ms. Stoker. My reading of Defending Allye may be done but Ms. Stoker always leaves her readers with anticipation of the next book!!