Finally April and JJ's story. Seeing the hints of what could be between them over the series and this was all the better. I especially liked how things were tied up at the end for all the characters.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance

This was a story that I was looking forward to. The Lumberjack is actually JJ, a former military POW turned businessman with a couple of his friends. When April is in an accident, JJ stops at nothing to get to her and when he realizes that he’s been biding his time for nothing, JJ will pull out all of the stops to show April that he not only needs her, but wants her and loves her too.

April loves her job. After leaving a less than stellar marriage, she’s trying to start over. She finds herself at JJ’s business and now she’s indispensable. When she drives off the road, she loses her memory. Her friends all band together to help her through this trial, but when her husband comes back and states that they made a mistake, will April feel the same way?

JJ and April have a family surrounding them and cheering them on. Both will need to take a leap of faith to figure out what’s going on around them or who is trying to harm their friends.

This is a sweet love story about friends who must face their attraction or risk losing everything dear to them. I really enjoyed this story.

Triggers: POW and Stalking.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series, and I would highly recommend that you read them in order, because the overall story is definitely growing through the books. We get to spend time with all the previous couples, and their support for April is down to the care that she has shown them through their own nightmares.

April would not admit, or act on it, but she has been in love with JJ, one of her bosses, for many years. All her friends, including his colleagues, know this, and know he loves her... but they respect their need to work it out themselves (most of the time!). When April loses her memory in a serious car accident, she remembers nothing of the last few years, but she does know in her heart that she can trust JJ with everything.

As they play it safe due to JJ's concerns about her not wanting him when her memory returns, we also learn that the dangers from their pasts are not over yet. It is typically tense, but with some clever twists – and a lot of drama that these couples really do not need to suffer. We even get to catch up with a lot of our other favourites from other series from this very talented author. I love how April has a chance to feel she is worthy, and that she should not waste another minute without JJ.

It is great to see how the group of men get to fulfil their dreams and get their well-deserved happily ever afters. Whether prince or pauper, their backgrounds have not affected their friendship or their happiness. Thank you, Susan Stoker, for another great story.

Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

This is book 4 in the Game of Chance series and it features Jackson “JJ” Justice, and April Hoffman. She runs the office at Jack’s Lumber, which is owned by JJ, Chappy, Cal and Bob. Later in the story, all the guys and their wives play a bigger role in the storyline. An accident and a case of amnesia makes JJ regret loving April from afar for way too many years. Now he needs to help her get her memory back and tell her how he really feels.
This book was almost like reading two books in one. The first part of this story was about JJ and April. Everyone else had already gotten their HEA’s and this is the last book of the series. The second part of this book was a smooth transition into the guy’s past coming back to haunt them in a BIG way! This book is full of friendship, family, love, anger, revenge, and ultimately brotherhood.
BRAVO! Excellent way to end a fantastic series!

This was a good conclusion to the series. It was nice to see JJ and April finally get to be together. They were just too stubborn in admitting their feelings. The suspense plot was fun and I loved the epilogue of everyone.

I received an arc through netgalley.

THE LUMBERJACK by Susan Stoker. This is the fourth and final book of this series and I feel Ms. Stoker did a great job. JJ and April are really perfect for each other. But their road has not been an easy one. Being a Stoker tale, we have danger, mystery, love and some action too. Having read the previous books, it was fun to see earlier characters and “catch upl. Overall another enjoyable read from Susan Stoker. (Received NetGalley ARC for honest review)

April has worked for the lumberjack company that Jack is a partner in with his three friends for years. She may have feelings for Jack, but she has not acted on them until she is injured in a car accident and is left with temporary amnesia. This is the catalyst that will bring them together, but the return of her memory also escalates the danger surrounding them.

Jack did not want to destroy the friendship that he shared with April but seeing her injured changes everything. Knowing what could have happened forces him to acknowledge how he really feels about her, but their newfound happiness is about to be interrupted as the past returns with a vengeance.

The intrigue part of the story will leave no one untouched and it allows us to catch up with other characters we have come to know but it also allows us to experience the depth of the love these couples share. Through the narration you could feel everything from despair to elation and it only enhanced the dangerous situation that they found themselves in.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

A great conclusion to the Game of Chance series.

POW Jackson “JJ” Justice and April Hoffman have been dancing around each other for several years. But when Alice is involved in a car accident that leads to amnesia they both come to a realization of all the time they wasted.

An enemy from JJ's past may end what they both finally realize.

April and JJ have been avoiding their attraction to each other for years. After April has a car accident and loses her memories it gives JJ the motivation he needs to finally step up and claim April once and for all. JJ has some obstacles to climb, first April has no memories of the last 5 years of her life so she doesn’t remember JJ or anyone from Jack’s Lumber. He also has to deal with the sudden appearance of April’s ex husband who wants to misrepresent the current status of their relationship and is trying to get April back. Even though April doesn’t remember JJ, she does feel a connection to him. As they are trying to navigate her injury and memory loss they finally start being honest about their feelings for each other.

This is the final book in the Game of Chance Series and it did not disappoint. Not only do we finally get to see JJ and April get together, we get to see some of our favorite Susan stoker characters rally around a friend in need. There are some interesting twists and turns in this book that did not disappoint. This might be my favorite of the 4 books (yes I think I probably said that about each new book) but this one was a great ending to another great Susan stoker series. Check out all the books in the series.

Considering how prolific Susan Stoker is it seems a travesty that this is my first book by her. Romantic suspense used to be one of my main reading genres and it was good to back in that world. A protective hero will get me every time, and JJ is definitely that. He is so gone for his lady and I love it. The way he was able to provide safety for April in the beginning even though she didn’t remember him was testament to his character. April was also a little badass. Once she regained her memories she was tough as nails, and might I say I’d love to have an April in a crisis.
Romantic and sweet, whilst also being full of danger and revenge, this was an action packed read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I actually thought I’d gotten through unscathed but the epilogue brought tears to my eyes. Dogs, they do it every time. I also loved the story about the royal wedding. All in all a fantastic start to my Susan Stoker journey.

Susan Stoker's "The Lumberjack" marks a thrilling conclusion to a beloved series, and it's been an absolute joy to experience. The swift transition of the main characters into their relationship was a satisfying payoff, long-awaited by fans. This pacing allowed for a rich development of the suspenseful plot.

The narrative takes a dark turn as the team becomes the target of a mysterious adversary, with April's accident being the first of several ominous events. Without revealing too much, the climax is a rollercoaster of emotions, culminating in a dramatic and explosive finale. In a show of solidarity, JJ and his comrades rally their extensive network of allies. The numerous appearances by characters from Stoker's other series are delightful surprises that warm the heart.

The epilogue is a masterpiece in itself, showcasing Stoker's talent for providing a peek into her characters' futures, wrapping up the series with a satisfying glimpse of continued happiness for each couple. A particularly touching scene with Baxter ties the story back to its beginnings, evoking a poignant emotional response.

While it's bittersweet to bid farewell to this series, there's an eager anticipation for the future cameos of these cherished characters in upcoming works. The excitement for what Susan Stoker will create next is palpable.

I admit, The Lumberjack didn’t start out with as much excitement as the previous book, The Hero. Of course, we knew April had been in a car accident and that JJ would keep himself very close. So, that’s where we begin in this story.
The hope that April regains her memories gives us something to look forward to. But, until the exciting twist halfway through the book, I wasn’t sure if I could stick with it. I was glad I did, though. It was nail-biting until the end!
4 stars overall.

To Be honest, this book felt like going back to around 2016 when I had a slight obsession with military romance novels, and I don't complain about it at all because I enjoyed it. April is our main protagonist, already in her forties and with a job she loves, but she has an accident that causes her to lose her memory. This is where JJ, our other protagonist, comes in, he's younger than her and her boss. Before the accident, they both had feelings for each other but didn't act on them. You know how it goes: you don't realize what you have until you lose it, and JJ makes that clear when he takes care of April. Now, the first part of this book bored me a little, to be honest, but after the 40% mark, everything takes a turn, and I couldn't go to sleep until I finished it. There's action (and even though this book doesn’t have trigger warnings at the beginning, I can say it has some moments that might evoke strong emotions, so proceed with caution), as everyone comes together, they form a great family. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I liked it. Obviously I'll read the rest of this series (even though I know they all end happily). In terms of romance, April's relationship with JJ was sweet and good, they were a perfect match and that little piece of their story in the general epilogue? Loved it. A story that didn't grab me much at the beginning, but I'm glad I kept reading because it turned out to be quite a good one!

📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

I went into this book blind, thanks to NetGalley, having not read the previous books. And though it probably would have made a better reading experience, I’m kind of glad about it.
It starts off with the FMC having short term memory loss of the last 5 years after a terrible car accident. 5 years which would have taken up the previous 3 books. Susan really fills in what happened in those books and it was like I was learning about these memories along with April.
This was a such a cute, romantic, slightly steamy, and nail biting story. And loved every second of it

JJ aka Jack, and April have been dancing around each other for years, him not wanting to mess up their friendship and ruin what they have and her, worried about being older and not what JJ would want.
Both were WRONG and finally JJ is done playing games. After almost losing her to an accident, he wakes up and will stop at nothing to make her his….except for her amnesia. JJ will not take advantage and April senses she has wanted Jack for a long time and until she is fully recovered, the two will take it slow…until the time is right for both of them. But the past catches up to JJ and just as they are beginning…the end may be here.
Loved these two and a bittersweet ending to this series that wraps up all their stories with a glimpse into each couples future. JJ and April, no more messing around…finally…the sparks and steam….finally. Suspense and a reunion of past characters….YES…..the story flowed beautifully that kept me flipping the pages…loved it!!

What a fitting finale this book was. I have been totally invested in this series since the beginning and although we knew Jack and April would get together, I had not figured out how ( which is why I am not an author) but in the capable hands of Susan Stoker, a very exciting last book this was. We had already met all the characters in the previous books…although all are standalones… and this one certainly put the “icing on the cake”. There are pregnancies, kidnapping,a baby delivered in a shack,and of course an HEA. Thank you Ms. Stoker for a wonderful series, with relatable characters. Can’t wait to see what the next series will be.

I loved this story of JJ and April! They have been dancing around each other the whole series. But an accident and amnesia moves Jack into action. He moves April in with him to help her and keep her safe. But there is another foe waiting around the corner. The guys will step up, along with some friends, you probably will recognize, to take down the bad guy. I'm so sad that this series is over! I love it so much. I love that Susan gave us a glimpse of the future! But if I know Susan, we may see the guys again in a future series! I highly recommend thus book and series! You will not be disappointed.

I enjoyed the overall story of this book and the characters. This was the first book of this type that I've read, where we jump straight into the story where April has lost her memories of the last five months without us getting to know her and everyone else first. And while it was an adjustment, it was also interesting to get to see everything that happened from April's POV and truly be able to put ourselves into her shoes since we knew as much as she did and we got to learn everything along with her. That being said, I do feel like that might have been what threw me off a little bit, I think I would have enjoyed it more to start the novel during her accident, getting to see what happened in a short prologue and then jumping into the hospital. And next to that, I think I just felt like the pacing was off in some parts, the whole memory recovery plotline felt a little bit rushed and left me feeling a bit strange.

Jack is a lumberjack. He and his friends run Jack’s Lumber with April running the office. He has been in love with April for years but is afraid if he tells her, she might not reciprocate and ruin their friendship and working relationship. When April gets injured in a car accident, he decides he has to take a chance and tell her because he’s terrified of losing her. They quickly fall into a relationship but there is a bad guy lurking in the background. Will the bad guy win before Jack and April can build a life together?

This is a sweet love story between two people who don’t want to take the chance of ruining a great friendship. It was nice that the author started with April already in the hospital following her accident. It allowed April to depend on Jack and give them a chance to be together with a reason beyond being in a relationship. I haven’t read the prior books in the series but that was fine because the author did a good job introducing all of the characters from the prior books and showing how they are part of the story. There is a bad guy who is part of the story. The author introduces him to the readers and allows his perspective at points in the story. Even though he is a bad guy, I like that the author included his perspective.

The side story of April’s ex-husband goes nowhere. I expected April to shut down her ex-husband and stop her mother from sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. I was hoping that April would get closure since she was going to start a new life with Jack.

This is the fourth and final book in the Game of Chance series. I have not read the prior books so I can say for sure that you can read this as a stand-alone story. This is a contemporary romance with former military men and the women they love. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

This is not my first book by this author but I have not read the previous ones in this series. The characters overlap but there is a new storyline for this book. It follows the author's typical style and format, so I had no problem following what was happening.

April wakes up and doesn't remember the last five years. She always dreamed of having close friends who are like family and now she does, if only she could remember them. JJ hasn't left her side in the hospital and now he is going to let her stay with him while she continues to recover.

Books with memory loss and romance rub me the wrong way most of the time but I felt this one was done well. The story ends with a recap of all of the series main characters and gives a peak into their futures.