This one was just OK. The second chance romance was decent--things moved a bit quickly after so many years apart, but it wasn't totally unbelievable. The resolution of the suspense portion, however, was *really* rushed at the end. The author made some word choices that drew me out of the story a few times (twice she used "tap down" instead of "tamp down" for example) which made me think the book could have benefitted from more vigorous editing, but overall it wasn't horrible.

Rating: 3 stars / C

voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

His to Defend was a really great, fast-paced romantic suspense where both the romance and the suspense plot felt fully realized. If anything, the romance timeline felt maybe a tad quick, but not in a way that detracted from my enjoyment or caused me to not believe in the romance. I really enjoy Sharon C. Cooper's writing and I'm looking forward to reading many more books from her.

This book is about Mina, a nurse, and Maxwell, a cop. Maxwell is with his ex-best friend when Jeremy is killed on duty and he goes to tell Mina, his ex-wife, and the woman Maxwell has always felt drawn to. There's a lot in this book about how Jeremy was actually super shady, and I could see some readers finding his characterization to be a little over the top. I did not have that issue, but I did wish sometimes that the mystery aspect didn't resolve so much around him. Anyway, when Max tells Mina, things sort of take off from there. She's mugged in the parking lot leaving the hospital the next day and Max comes to pick her up from the hospital and from there, the feelings they've been fighting become truly impossible to ignore.

The only thing I wish we had gotten to see a little bit more of was how it goes becoming public with their relationship, given that everyone in their lives was so familiar with what had gone down with Jeremy and Mina and the complicated nature of dating your former best friend's ex-wife. We don't really get to see that, but Maxwell and Mina do talk about it as an issue. Anyway, all that to say, I really enjoyed the book and I hope to read more Sharon C. Cooper soon!

Quem não ama um bom romance com policial gato e protetor?



Amina casou com o melhor amigo de Maxwell, Jeremy, e quando ele partiu seu coração ela se viu sem saída. Agora, seis meses depois do divórcio, Jeremy está morto e Max irá se aproximar novamente de Amina para dar todo o suporte a ela. Quando estranhos ataques começam a acontecer colocando a vida dela em risco, Maxwell fará de tudo para protegê-la.



Primeira experiência com a escrita dessa autora e eu estou muito satisfeita em como a autora trabalhou com um protagonista protetor na medida certa.



Maxwell é um perfeito cavalheiro, desde o princípio ele confia que Amina sabe cuidar de si, até que as coisas ficam mais perigosas e é aí que ele vai tentar protegê-la, mas mesmo assim respeitando suas vontades.



Amina viveu um relacionamento abusivo com o ex, que a maltratou logo depois que eles casaram. Na verdade, Amina era só uma maneira de Jeremy se vingar do amigo, que havia se interessado por ela desde o início.



Não dá nem pra começar a dizer como o ex de Amina foi horrível e ainda bem que ele já morreu no início ou a gente ia querer matar ele de novo.



A relação de Maxwell e Amina evolui da maneira que teria que evoluir se Jeremy não tivesse intervido, e posso dizer que eles combinam demais. Maxwell é super romântico e Amina está pronta para amar novamente.



Indico esse romance para quem quer ler um protetor na medida certa.

His to Defend gives us a second chance romance between Amina and Maxwell. It is a romantic suspense, but I'd have to say the love story is first and foremost here with the suspense coming in second. That's not to say the suspense isn't good because it is. I tend to like a little more intrigue, but I really liked these characters and enjoyed their journey to a second chance at love. Regardless of which element took the lead, the book is well written and entertaining. This is the first book I've read by Sharon C Cooper, but it won't be my last. I liked the pacing and it's the kind of story you can curl up with and while away a few hours.

Amina and Max hit it off from first glance. The problem was that Max's best friend Jeremy also liked Amina. In fact, Jeremy swept Amina off her feet and she married him. However, things did not turn out well and that marriage did not last. It is a few years later and police officers Jeremy and Max are on a call and Jeremy was killed in the line of duty.

The story evolved like this. While Jeremy and Amina did not stay married for long, Amina and Max still did not have a chance. In fact, Amina knew pretty early on that she chose the wrong man, but there was not much she could do to change what happened. Max has to tell Amina what happened to Jeremy. Of course, she was saddened by Jeremy's death, but there was no love left in her heart for him by that time. What of the feelings that Max and Amina once shared? Could the timing for them be right at this point in their lives, even with the grief facing them?

Feelings of hurt, anger, resentment and sadness go right along with warmth, attraction and soon love. In fact, there is more than a bit of intrigue in this story as Jeremy's past begins to be unearthed. In fact, there are some minor characters who played a role in this story that just might have the answers as to what happened to Jeremy, his brief marriage to Amina, and what possible future that might exist for Max and Amina.

This is more than a second-chance romance. It is an exploration of recovering old feelings while building a stronger foundation for what promised to be a lasting relationship.

Many thanks to Harlequin Romantic Suspense and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

In this second chance romance, Sargent Maxwell Layton is reunited with the woman he lost to his best friend and coworker.

When Maxwell met Amina, he was definitely smitten but when he had to leave the social event,he asks his friend Jeremy to give Amina a message that she never gets. To make matters even worse, Jeremy pursues Amina himself and ends up marrying her, straining Max and Jeremy's working relationship. While Max accepted Amina's decision, he still had feelings for her and decided to distance himself.

When a routine investigation turns tragic, Max has the opportunity to reunite with Amina. As it turns out that Amina also has lingering feelings for Max, and they rekindle their friendship which turns into so much more.

Complications arise when the current case involves Amina and she's injured during an attempted mugging and her house is ransacked. As Max and his friend Trace investigate, it becomes clear that there's some criminal behavior going on.

I really enjoyed this story. There's plenty of heat between Amina and Maxwell and they just really work well together. The criminal case is an entertaining who-done-it and there were a few nice twists to the story. It's also the perfect size in that the story doesn't drag. I really liked that about His to Defend.

Overall, a quick read that kept my interest until the end. Interesting characters and a romance I could cheer for has me giving this title four stars.

Well! Sharon Cooper does it again. I love her romance suspense, they are so good!

Max and Amina share the grief over the loss of Jeremy, both neither one of them particularly fond of anymore. That grief brings them together again in His to Defend. With Max trying to find out what happened to why what happened to Jeremy happened and now protecting Amina because of that something, this story kept me on my toes.

Ms. Cooper doesn't skim on the romance nor the suspense in the book, it was a perfect blend of both. And with both Amina and Max trying to find out Jeremy's secrets? Honey!

Okay. The suspense plot was worth every page turned and it didn't get in the romance. I liked Max and Amina on page. They had great energy together especially with Max being the wonderful protector that he was and Amina's fun and caring ways as a nurse. With both of them trying solve this mystery.... listen, fire! The romance didn't take a hit and I think the author did a good job with balance between both. His to Defend has good pacing, engaging characters and a gripping storyline.

If you're a fan of romance suspense, then I highly recommend reading this book now.

He sees his one-time best friend gunned down in the line of duty and now he has the mystery of the man’s life and death to investigate. But, the investigation that has him feeling the most danger is into his feelings for the man’s ex-wife. Danger lurks in Vegas and I was eager to plunge in with my first full-length book by the author who has been catching my interest for some time.

His to Defend is the start of a new series, but the author’s note does explain that the hero was an important (aka fascinating) character in her earlier Sin City Temptation with Max’s sister’s story. One can start here easily though now I’m curious to get Trin and Gunner’s story after the mentions.

So, Maxwell is a stellar police sergeant and up for lieutenant. Max has lost all patience and all respect for his former best friend and now patrol partner. This latest incident between Jeremy and another officer fist fighting are nothing compared to the seething anger and betrayal Max feels because Jeremy Kelly stole the woman Max saw first, married her, and then destroyed his own marriage.
Jeremy is killed in the line of duty. Max has mixed feelings, but grief and loss are there with the hurt and anger. Surprising himself, the first person he goes to for comfort is Mina, the woman who chose Jeremy over him. He can’t go there and knows it- too complicated. He also can’t stop wondering about what was really up with Jeremy who turned mean and temperamental which got him divorced from Amina and nearly kicked off the force and if the disturbance call and subsequent shot were specifically meant for Jeremy.

Amina connected with Max, but then fell for Jeremy’s sexy smiles and attention. It wasn’t long before she knew she made the biggest mistake of her life the way he put her down and grabbed at her- especially when she learned of the way Jeremy tricked her and cut out his own best friend. It was Max who helped her realize she didn’t have to take Jeremy’s abuse or let him reduce her to nothing and now it is Max who is there when Jeremy’s death is the beginning of the danger now dogging her. Amina’s nursing is her calling, but she didn’t grow up the daughter of a decorated police officer for nothing. She and Max must get to the heart of Jeremy’s secrets to keep her safe. And, she wants to delve into other heart-related issues and put the past aside for something new with Max.

His to Defend jumped right in and moved swiftly through an exciting opening scene to the intro and background of the characters. The romance was dominant for much of the book as were the complications because of the dead man and their shared past that stood between them. But, the suspense is simmering in the background and the investigation is what ties them together. It came to an exciting head at the end.

I enjoyed both Max and Amina. He’s a dedicated officer, but he’s a natural protector and knows how to respect, care, and even love a woman tenderly as well as passionately if he can get past the whole ‘best friend’ rule and Mina not choosing him first. Mina, like Max, struck out at love so is married to her job as a compassionate and fun pediatric nurse who is great with her patients. She’s not as fiery as her sisters, but her emotions and thoughts smolder a little deeper. Jeremy hurt her and did a number on her heart. She knows Max isn’t Jeremy and she gets with the program first about giving them a chance.

In summary, this was a quick read offering a steamy romance, an interesting mystery, and some engaging characters. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try Sharon Cooper’s books. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series as well as going back to that fabulous-looking backlist.

I appreciated the characters and the suspense part but the plot was sometimes a bit over my level of suspension of belief and didn't keep my attention
not my cup of
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Terrific blend of romance and suspense that hooked me from the very beginning. Amina met Max and Jeremy on the same night, spending time first with Max. They really hit it off, but he got called away while she was in the ladies' room. So he gave a note with his phone number to his best friend, Jeremy, to deliver to her. Jeremy, the snake, moved in on her instead, and Amina was left feeling that Max had blown her off. By the time Max realized what happened, it was too late - Jeremy had conned Amina into believing they were in love. Heartbroken, Max stayed away as much as possible. It didn't take Amina long to realize her mistake, and she quickly divorced Jeremy. But the damage was done. Max and Jeremy's friendship was over, and he and Amina avoided each other.

As the book opens, Max rides along with Jeremy in his patrol car. As Jeremy's boss, Max has the unenviable task of making Jeremy realize that he's in danger of losing his job. When they get a call about a disturbance at an apartment complex, Max's instincts tell him something is wrong - just before Jeremy is shot and killed. Shocked and devastated by the loss of his former friend, Max knows he should be the one to tell Amina. I liked their shared sorrow over the loss of a life, even though neither one liked Jeremy any longer.

The questions and suspicions start as soon as the police department begins its investigation into what happened. Max's instinct proved correct when it became evident that Jeremy had been a target. As the investigation progressed, it became increasingly evident that neither Max nor Amina knew Jeremy at all. When Amina became the target of a mugging, and then her home ransacked, they wondered what sort of trouble Jeremy brought to her door. I was fascinated by the progression of the investigation and the revelations that came out. At times it seemed as if events were tied together, and others seemed random. As Max and the others closed in on the truth, Amina found herself at the mercy of a desperate crook. I was impressed with Amina's presence of mind during the situation and loved Max's steadiness in2 solving the standoff. There was one surprise yet to come that I didn't see coming until just before it happened.

I loved watching the relationship develop between Max and Amina. Both of them are kind and honorable people. Max respected Amina's marriage and stayed away despite his feelings for her. Even after the divorce, he kept his distance. Amina's hurt over Max's early actions led her to fall under Jeremy's spell, and by the time she knew the truth, it was too late. After Jeremy's death, they could no longer deny the attraction between them. Max's protectiveness kicked in with the attacks on her, but he wasn't overbearing about it. I liked that he appealed to her common sense. I loved watching them get to know each other better and discover how much they had in common. Max was very careful not to push Amina too fast, even though he knew from the beginning that she was the only one for him. There were some very sweet scenes between them, from movie nights to cooking. I loved watching the attraction build also and loved the bubble bath scene. The ending was terrific, as they finally got the future they should have had before.

Sergeant never really forgave his best friend after marrying the women he loved first Amina. Its been a while since then and while working his bestfriend is gunned down in front of him and he got to break the news to Amina. Now it seems the killing wasn't just a mishap and now it seems Amina's life might be in danger and he'll do everything he can to protect her.

This was a pretty fast paced read which I really appreciate. It gave me a little time to escape into and I really enjoyed reading this book. There was so much going on with twists and turns and confusion of who might be behind this and why is Amina in danger. But then there was that simmering attraction between the two. I mean he never really got over her and she was with his bestfriend after he relentlessly persuade her. So theres complicated feelings there but with time its interesting how they settle their growing feelings towards eachother. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.

His to defend by Sharon C. Cooper.
Mills and boon heroes.
Amina Kelly broke Sergeant Maxwell Layton's heart when she married his best friend. But the detective never forgot her…or the sizzling attraction they never acted on. Years later, they’re working together to find her ex's killer. Their desire is stronger than ever, but as Maxwell puts his life on the line to keep Amina safe, he realises that the greatest risk of all might be to his heart.
This was a good read with good characters. I wasn't sure how I felt about Maxwell or Jeremy. I liked Amina though. Maxwell grew on me. I loved the ending. 5*.

This is a Romantic Suspense. This book is fill of suspense and action with some steamy romance. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I loved the mix of action and romance in this book. I did find this to be a book that took me a little bit to get totally pulled into, but once I was in I could not put it down. The two main characters have always felt something for each other, but they lost their chance at love when she married his good friend. This book is all about the two main characters under covering hidden secrets to find who really was the man that hurt both of them so much while they learn that it is ok to fell in love with each other again. I love a book with twist and turns and dark secrets this book has all that. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Romantic Suspense) or author (Sharon C. Cooper) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Another lovely story from a new-to-me author. I really enjoyed the connection the main characters in this book have. Their chemistry is a medium simmer, always under the surface until it gets loose. But the friendship and care these two have for one another is beautifully written.

I’m classifying this story as romantic suspense more because the publisher it categorizing it that way. It definitely has suspense, yet I felt the relationship between Amina and Maxwell often takes precedence over the mystery and suspense of what threw them back together. I feel it’s more of a contemporary romance/mystery with suspense thrown in here and there. It’s not the usual roller-coaster ride a lot of romantic suspense I read usually are.

Both Maxwell and Amina are extremely kind and generous people and instantly had me rooting for them, separately and together. Their origin story is a bit tragic but really helps to set up the intense feeling they have for one another from the start. The hardest thing to reconcile about this story is how either of them felt any sort of love and kinship with Jeremy, Maxwell’s former best-friend and Amina ex-husband. Maxwell, especially, thinks often of how Jeremy had changed since they first met. Yet I felt as though that Jeremy, the one Maxwell thought he knew, was never real. And if he was, it wasn’t adequately explained why these abrupt changes came about.

This story is engaging and kept me guessing. Sometimes I was right, other times I was not. The author had the pieces fall into place in a such a way that the payout came over time instead of all at once. That worked very well for this book. I’m interested to reading more from this author.

A Love Triangle With A Dead Man. This is a second chance romance *and* a love triangle - except the third point, the best friend / ex-husband, is murdered in his very first scene in the book. From there, the suspense involves finding out who murdered him and why, even as our remaining two parts of the triangle work through their long-standing feelings for each other and how their relationships with the third complicated this. Overall a solid story on both the suspense and romance sides, and a touch on the shortish side at under 300 pages (which happens to be a touch on the high side of average for the genre, in my experience). Also a Solid Series Starter, for those following my reviews. ;) I look forward to coming back to this world. Very much recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Amina made the wrong decision several years ago when she picked Maxwell's best friend. Now her ex-husband has been killed in the line of duty and Maxwell and Amina have reconnected. When her life seems to be in jeopardy Maxwell moves her into his home and sparks fly. This is a good suspenseful mystery and a quick read, perfect for the stressful holiday season.

I read a few pages and it didn't catch my interest. I chose to read a different one for the Harlequin Intrigue Winter blog tour instead.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. This one took by surprise!