"His Stubborn Lover" by Leslie North delivers a steamy and passionate romance that sizzles with chemistry. North's characters are brought to life in a narrative filled with desire and emotional depth, making it an enticing read for fans of contemporary romance.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Brock and Keira meet in a car park where he saves her from a fight. Jumping 5 years, Keira is now an operative with Brock and Slade's company but has barely seen Brock in the 5 years. Sent to protect Erin, the Sheikh's wife, means a reunion of sorts, while being undercover as a couple. Interesting ending, leading to the next book.

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! Leslie North is one of my favorites!

A good follow on from the previous series. I enjoyed this story and the fact old characters were brought back. A good short sweet romance

Love put aside comes together in a Middle East security detail - and pretending to be a couple, bring on the fireworks. Light mystery fare, a quick read.

* 3.5 stars *

I'm a huge fan of Leslie North's books, but I feel like this one fell short of my expectations.

The story is a spinoff of a previous series about a sheikh and his American wife (which I haven't read) and I felt that we didn't have a lot of background from any of the characters.

The two main characters met once 5 years ago and they are immediately attracted to each other once they see one another again (the fact that they have to fake-date also helps). I felt that there was a huge lack of chemistry and background in their relationship and I just wished that it had been slightly more developed.

As Leslie has already gotten us used to, this is quite a fast-paced and short story with no dead moments, which is something that I've learned to really enjoy, but I feel like this one particularly really needed a few more chapters.

When security agent Brock rescue Keira in t a parking lot, he thinks she has the makings of a great security agent but that would make her off limits.

Five years later Keira has just been given her own op to lead in Jawharra, she is looking forward to proving herself so is not happy when she arrives to the assignment and finds Brock already there.

Due to some extra Intel it becomes apparent that they will need to work together masquerading as a couple. But what happens when the play acting starts to get real.

A great story, quite compact but full of action. Greatly drawn characters.

Definitely worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review

Keira Mantz has finally hit the goal she's been working towards at her job. She is heading up the protection detail for Erin, the wife of the Sheikh of Jawhara. Keira's making the calls on what to do to keep her safe and showing the high-profile protection firm that she works for exactly what she can do. She's trained to be a part of this elite security team and won't let herself fail. So to say that the changes in the security team blindside her couldn't be closer to the truth. Keira never expected to see Brock there. The same Brock who helped her by getting her the Slade Security job. The same Brock she's been attracted to but knows that Brock doesn't think twice about her.

Little does Keira know that Brock has kept away from her because he doesn't do relationships, and he doesn't jeopardize the job with personal attractions. But when the job changes, his rules change also. So they need to pair up as a convincing couple to help keep the Sheikh and his new wife safe. Neither of them ever dreamed of how difficult it would be to pretend their feelings for each other. Or pretend that their attraction for one another is just for the cover.

I enjoyed reading their snarky and sassy dialogue and watching how they both realized their feelings. The story was fast-paced, entertaining, and fun to read, and the love scenes were steamy! I would have enjoyed a few more pages to get deeper into the characters' connection and read their growth, but for a short story, it flowed well.

I am looking forward to the next installment in the series. I would recommend this to someone looking for a quick read!

I received an advanced review copy free from NetGalley and the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Short book but good story line. Would have been even better if the book was just a couple chapters longer. Didn't get a lot of character development. Loved the chemistry between these two.

This is Book 1 of the Slade Security Team series, and sets it off to a great start. Brock had helped Keira out when he had offered her a place on his security team years ago. He had no doubt she could hold her own and be a great asset to the team. He was not wrong but this new assignment he had given her protecting the Sheikh of Jawhara's wife, is becoming increasingly more dangerous and he decides to intervene. Keira is not too happy with having a partner, but she has no choice but to go along with it. To protect their cover, they pretend they are a couple. Brock has been attracted to Keira from the start, but his past experiences kept him from pursuing a relationship with her. Now that they are pretending to be in one, the lines between fake and reality are becoming blurred. Intrigue and romance kept me interested in this story to see if their romance would last past their current mission. A great start to a new series!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Keira and Brock have been dancing around each other since Brock saved her five years ago. They both work for Slade security. They are both assigned to protect the royal family of Jawara. They must pretend to be a couple to find out who inside the palace is threatening the royal family. Pretend feelings have a way of turning real.

I love that the story gets to the point very early in the book. The heroine is given a chance to prove herself. The hero is very protective but has to let her do what she was hired to do. Leslie North delivered a great story.

There's no there there. That's the best way I can think to describe this newest Leslie North novel. The bones of a good story are definitely there--I was initially hooked by the prologue--but there is little-to-no muscle to propel the story forward. When I finally got to the epilogue (which is more of a teaser for book 2 of this new series), I was left feeling both perplexed and cheated.

Although it's the first in a series, it's really more of a spinoff, I think; the book takes place in a fictitious country created for a past series (which I did not read) about a sheikh and his American girlfriend, now wife. This novel's heroes--security experts--have arrived in the country to provide undercover protection for the new sheikha. I guess this story reads fine a standalone since any gaps in the plot are there because they were never filled and not because the answers can be found in a previous book.

Keira and Brock met briefly (covered in the prologue) and then barely saw or spoke to each other in the intervening five years. The gig at the sheikh's place is supposed to be Keira's to run, but Brock gets there first. Supposedly, new intel has required a greater security presence, so Brock and a bunch of other security join the show. So Brock--not unknown to palace residents--is supposedly playing himself but in the part of Keira's boyfriend. I'm not sure how that helps Keira's undercover persona as an old school chum of the sheikha. I suspect it's more of a quick and easy way to get Brock and Keira between the sheets without having to have any meaningful getting-to-know-you conversation. It would have been better if the two had worked together frequently for these five years, fighting an attraction that reaches a tipping point here, but that's not the case. In short, they have no believable connection or chemistry.

The palace intrigue also falls flat. I never fully understand the threat to the sheikha, though I suppose the author didn't want to rehash the plot from the sheikha's story. What little "undercovering" Keira does is clunky and lacks finesse. I don't think it's her fault though; the author just never gives Keira a chance to do her job. By the time I finished the book, I felt like both Keira and I had wasted our time

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

I am a big fan of Leslie North and this book is a great start to a new series. I really enjoyed this book and the connection to a previous series. Brock and Keira's story grabbed my interest from the beginning. These two make a great couple. I anxiously await the next book in the series.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Relay Publishing for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, which is a spin off of another series. Very convoluted. Although it does read ok as a stand alone. There are a lot of names to get familiar with. I just wasn't that interested in this one for some reason. It was ok but nothing that made my heart sing. 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free copy in exchange of an honest review. So basically it’s about Brock and Keira who work in a security firm and are in charge of protecting these sheikhs. Brock and Keira first met five years ago and had crushes on each other but they didn’t act on it nor did they have contact after that first meeting. Now they’re in charge of an assignment together and well decided to act on those feelings. Okay so it’s a short read but I wouldn’t say it’s good. Like the writing is substandard and I wasn’t invested with the characters. The mystery was also not that appealing to me like it was easy to figure out who the culprit was though the motivation as unexpected. And ofc THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT MENA ARE SO ANNOYING

His stubborn lover by Leslie North.
Book 1 of Slade Security Team.
Keira Mantz just scored the job of a lifetime. She’s been working for a high-end security company for years, and finally she has a mission all her own: to protect Erin, the Sheikh of Jawhara’s wife.
A really enjoyable read. Great story and characters. I am looking forward to the next book. 5*.

This book follows Keira and Brock as they carry out their assignment to protect a Sheikh and his bride from evil opposition. While I though I had the villain figured out, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I did not. A nice and unique twist to a sometimes predictable storyline. Well done. Thank you NetGalley for an advcopy. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Brock helped save a woman who was being ganged up on in the parking lot of the bar he just left. He offered her a ride and during that ride he got her a job to work for Slade and his company. Keira really thought Brock was a savior. She would never have the life she does without his help that night. Now it is five years later and Brock avoids her at all costs. She has wanted to do a security job with him and had even asked Slade about it but was always ignored and denied. Keira is all excited about going on her next assignment but is shocked when she arrives and Brock is there. The first thing he does is walk up to her and kiss her like she has always wanted. Too bad it was all an act or was it? The assignment just became more difficult and she has to work with Brock to ensure the sheikh’s pregnant wife stays safe. Will Brock finally realize what he has with Keira is something special that should come before all else? I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had the book simi figured out. The who but not for the reason given. I enjoyed reading, His Stubborn Lover. I liked that Brock let Keira take the lead.

His Stubborn Lover (Slade Security Team #1) by Leslie North
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance
Published: June 16, 2022

His Stubborn Lover is the first book in the Slade Security Team trilogy by Leslie North. I was so excited when I read the teaser for this series in The Sheik's Captive Bride last month, I just knew I would love it...and I did!!!

This fast-paced romance/adventure was captivating and I could not put it down! I loved the characters and thought they were well-developed and relatable. The story was intense and filled with action and adventure!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.