I can't get enough of this series! Meat and Zara's story had me at the edge of my seat. Zara's backstory comes to light and it is a horrific journey that allows us to understand her fully. Meat can't help the protectiveness that develops throughout their time together. This slip of a quiet being, became his protector from the very beginning. Heroes come in all sizes!

I hope the next story comes out soon! This story was a winner!

This was an interesting romantic/suspense story, but the second half for me was a bit of a yawn, as the suspense disappeared pretty quickly. It was well written but could have done without the use of 'basically', 'technically', essentially, etc, thrown in to flesh out sentences. Sorry, those type of words bother me. I enjoyed the first part set in Lima, Peru. There was lots of action and I needed to know what happened, so I was glued to the e-reader. I still don't understand though, what the mercenary team actually accomplished in Peru while they were there. There was lots of complaining about missing their wives/girlfriends.

All was fine until the H/h arrived back in the US. More characters appeared in and out of the mix and filtered the romance right down. there were lots of descriptions about what Zara and Meat did each day, reading email, doing this and that. Worrying about the media - story fleshing and filling - skipping weeks. The romance was extremely slow burn. When the sex scenes eventually appeared 75% in, they were very well written.

I found myself skimming latter chapters, waiting for something really interesting to happen and that isn't a good sign for my enjoyment of a book. There was good character development for Zara. Meat I wasn't sure about, as his background wasn't mentioned in any detail - apart from him being ex-army and a mercenary. I assume he's appeared in the other books in this series so maybe his life has been slowly revealed that way. MEAT... Sorry, I have to say that the hero's nickname did NOT endear me to him. All I could think about was slabs of meat whenever they mentioned his name. His name is Hunter! - who doesn't like that name for a hero?

Overall, this was an interesting story and stands alone. I will read more from this author as I have several of her other books. If you like a perfect hero who is so nice it hurts and helps everyone, a troubled heroine who helps everyone, dedicated friends, with a few bad guys sprinkled in to upset all the perfectness, then you'll probably love this book, as many people obviously have if you skim it's ratings. I prefer an edgier read and flawed characters. I liked this book but didn't love it. My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the gift of the e-ARC in return for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars.

Meat finds himself at the mercy of Zara and a doctor after he was beaten and left for dead in an alley in Lima. He has no way to contact his team and can barley stand so he must trust that when the time comes, Zara will take him out of the slums and to his team. Zara though has the opportunity she has been dreaming of since she was orphaned and abandoned in the slums at the age of 10, the chance to go home to the US. She trusts this Meat, why she cannot understand and finds herself drawn to him. Meat feels the same. But life will may just be as complicated as it was in the Lima and danger will come from where she least expects it. Tragic story with a happily-ever-after that left me happy and satisfied. Cannot wait for the next one! It's gonna be epic!

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Zara has seen the worst in humanity.
But that does not stop her in helping someone in need.
Hunter was badly beaten and left for dead.
He is rescued by Zara.
Will they be able to rescue each other ?
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Wow what a great addition to the series! A fast paced, suspense and action filled storyline, I could not put it down and read it in one sitting.

Such a beautiful, tremendous personal journey!

This story hits the ground running with Zara and her friends in Lima, Peru rescuing a badly-beaten Meat and risking everything to nurse him back to health. As Meat is healing, he discovers that Zara was abandoned there in Lima when she was ten years old after the murder of her parents. Now fifteen years later, he knows that once he gets back to his team, their new mission will be to get Zara back home.

The first part of the book gives us a no-holds-barred look at the life of the very poor barrio residents, then transitions to the cutthroat media frenzy surrounding Zara's return and the vast inheritance she finds waiting for her. There are plenty of vultures hoping to separate her from her money, and the Mountain Mercenaries have to keep one step ahead of those who mean her harm.

Throughout all this, we get to see Zara adjust to a life of comfort and plenty after so many years of living in abject poverty. Her relationship with Meat is so pure, so sweet, regardless of the circumstances that brought them together. He's her partner and champion, and provides the perfect emotional safety that she needs as she blossoms into the person she was always meant to be.

This is a well-written, exciting story with a strong emotional foundation and a heartwarming romance. The surprising twist at the end hints at a long-awaited break for one of their team, and I can't wait to read about that in the next book in this thrilling series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Mountain Mercenary Hunter “Meat” Snow and the team are in Lima, Peru with the sole purpose of eliminating human traffickers. But when Meat and Black are attacked Meat ends up separated from the team - badly beaten and left for dead. He's rescued by a beautiful stranger who takes care of him.

Zara Layne was ten years old when her parents were brutally murdered in front of her while they were on vacation in Peru. She is now orphaned, abandoned and living on the streets fending for herself for 15 years. Trusting people -- especially men - is not something she has been able to do. But Meat makes her feel safe like she has not felt since her parents. The Mountain Mercenaries are not the type of men to leave a woman or child who needs help. When their leader Rex learns of Zara's circumstances he does what he does best and puts things in action to return Zara where she belongs.

Zara learns the harsh realities of life when she returns. She also learns that when the Mercenaries makes a promise she can depend on them when Meat's life is once again in danger. The team will finally (surprisingly) learn the identity of Rex. Looking forward to his story!

A somber slow burn romance with a touch of suspense, Defending Zara is a solid addition to the series. This very much reads like a Susan Stoker romance - it features a gentle alpha ready for commitment, a battered but not broken heroine, a connection that deepens as the story goes on, and suspense that culminates in an action-packed conclusion. However, this also had a heavy, serious first half that focuses on the hardships our heroine has faced, making it a little heartbreaking as well (plenty of triggers with this one).

The story follows Zara, a woman who has spent the last 15 years posing as a teenage boy to avoid unwanted attention from men. She lives on the streets in Peru, with only the barest of necessities and a daily experience that's completely unlike what she would've had back home in the States. When she encounters Meat (yes, this is a nickname, but that's what he goes by for the whole book so I'm sticking to it), he's injured and barely able to function. Though she's wary of all men, something about Meat makes Zara feel safe, and he trusts her to take care of him. It's not long before the tables are turned and it's Zara who must trust in Meat to care for her as they slowly build from strangers to friends to lovers.

Stoker's writing is as solid as ever, and fans of the series are likely to enjoy this book immensely. Personally, I found the first half difficult to get into - it is just so focused on the atrocities that Zara faced that it was pretty heavy. Once the story moved into the second act, I found it much easier to enjoy. Meat is such a tender, caring, and patient man that it was easy to root for him and Zara. He's definitely got some alpha tendencies, but I didn't feel like they overpowered the story. And the ending sets up the next book in a big way, giving readers a hint of what they're in store for. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review of this suspenseful romance.

Wow! Another winner in the Mountain Mercenaries series.. Zara was kidnapped and abandoned in the barrios of Peru as a young child and has struggled to survive every day for fifteen years when she encounters Meat. Meat is there, working with the Peruvians, when he is brutally attacked and left for dead. Zara rescues him, then trusts him with her story.

While all of this author's books tug on the heart strings, this one was especially poignant as it shines a light on the plight of children and the very poor in some countries. Despite the horrific circumstances, Zara somehow manages to maintain a sense of right and wrong.

This is an engaging novel that had me hooked from the very first page and kept me flipping pages until the very end. I couldn't put this one down and stayed up way too late reading it.

This one is a must read as if you enjoy the genre, you will love this book. Put it at the top of your TBR list, or, better yet, pre-order it so you don't have to wait a moment longer than necessary to read it. The author is on my must read authors' list.