I am much more familiar with Grant's PNR books, but I wanted to give this one a shot. Romantic suspense readers will enjoy this-3 military brothers return to Texas to find their kidnapped father. There are wonderful elements of a good romantic suspense. You are on edge following the journey and the pace is quick. The second chance romance is solid as well! Overall, this was a good start to the series, and while the romance is an HEA, the overall plot continues into the next book.

ARC provided by the Publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm giving The Hero a 3 star rating. I wanted to like the book, the parts that worked for me in the book was the suspense part. I didn't care for the romance between Owen and Natalie.

Owen Loughman, a Navy SEAL is finally coming home in the middle of his mission. He ever wanted to be back at his ranch, this place had too many sour memories for him. Now he is back at his childhood home and only smells death all around.
He wasn’t the only one back, his two brothers were back as well. and they were facing murder of his uncle and aunt. Not only they are facing death, now he finds out his father is missing.
Owen and his brothers were happy until their mother was murdered and raised by his uncle and aunt. Brothers never the same after his mother’s death while his father was on mission around the world. They all joined different elite military units soon as they were old enough to join.
Owen and Natalie were madly in love. They were first for each other but he never wanted to live a life like his father and was afraid if his career will end up like his father so he decided to let Natalie go. His love of life....
Natalie never thought she would face Owen after 14 years. She was working in Russian embassy and Owen’s father’s sudden visit piqued her curiosity and decided to dig deeper and that put her in danger. When Owen was back in front of her, all her feelings were flooding back and she knew he was the one who got away but she won’t fall back to his charm yet it is easier than said.
Loughman brothers were all paired up with a partner and they were trying to figure out what happened to his father. Now they have parted to work together to find his father.

Story has more suspense than romance and that makes story move much faster. It is full of mysteries and suspense surrounding his father’s kidnaping and a mysterious vial. It does end with a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read about his other brothers. If you love suspense with romance this is one..

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for my ARC in exchange for honest review.

An interesting story in that I felt there were some discrepancies I couldn't overlook. The premise and setting lend itself to capture the reader's attention, but it's down hill from. I normally enjoy this author's books, this one just didn't do it for me.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

The newest experiment by favorite author Donna Grant has hit the shelves with a bang. I enjoy everything I have read by Donna so when I heard she was trying her hand at contemporary romantic suspense, I knew I had to give it a shot. I enjoyed the first read, though I found it very similar to a few other series I am currently reading, but Grant, as always, has her own writing style and a true way with the alpha men in her stories. The story kicks off with a seriously scary loss of life and the reunion of the three brothers that have until now been scattered to the winds of the world as they each protected the innocents of the world in their own way. Owen has been estranged from his father a long time, long before he left his small hometown really, blaming his dad for the murder of his mother when he was very young. He loved Natalie, but knew he would never be able to have a wife, afraid of placing her in the same danger that cost him his mother, but now he is back on a mission to save his family… and the woman that still holds his heart. Natalie has worked hard to get over the loss of Owen and has made something of her life, but now she finds herself smack in the middle of the danger that has come for Owen’s father and the only person that can keep her alive is Owen, with a little help from his brothers. Owen is the quintessential Navy SEAL, badass to the bone, but he is also dealing with a lot of bad memories of his mother’s death and fears that Natalie, the only woman he’s ever loved will follow that same tragic end. There were moments I wanted to smack him for being so callous, but there were also moments were his sweetness and consideration made me want to hug him until he released all his pent-up emotion. Natalie is the kind of lady that I imagine I would be if I were to ever find myself in this kind of situation. She manages to be an asset to the team, holding her shit together, despite being a novice spy/special operator and when push comes to shove she is able to keep her man safe. She obviously never stopped loving Owen and still misses him with a deep intensity, but she isn’t willing to be a detour from his life plan; she’ll only ever give herself and her heart to him again if he faces his fears and promises her the life they should have always had. This story follows the couple as they and the rest of their family/team work to find their kidnapped father and uncover a dangerous conspiracy with foreign spies at the center of it. While there were some moments of disbelief for me, overall I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the other two brothers falling in love with their teammates. If you are a fan of romantic suspense authors like Pamela Clare or Lori Foster, there is much to recommend this story and for fans of Donna Grant’s paranormal works I can only say, give the series a shot for yourself and see if you enjoy this new side to our favorite author.

The Hero is the first story in Donna Grant’s contemporary suspense romance series and it met myatruegemaward high expectations. The story delivers suspense and action from beginning to end and has me hooked. The first book laid the groundwork for the series and it has the potential of being a good one. It opens with murder, mystery and a missing bioweapon. The Russians are involved, which reminds me of the Cold War days when you wonder who your friends are and who can be trusted.

Three brothers have returned to Texas to figure out this mess their father is involved in and is currently missing. Owen Loughman hasn’t been back in 14 years and didn’t expect to run into his high school sweetheart, who somehow got caught up in the danger. He had misguided intentions when he left so long ago but sees that his feelings haven’t changed and wants Natalie back. He just has to figure out how to convince her for a second chance. Being back with his brothers also give him a second chance with his family. Their life were fractured after their mother’s murder and sees this as an opportunity to be a family again after they get their Dad back. The present danger and his mom’s murder are somehow connected and he and his brothers are going to figure it out.

Natalie Dixon was blindsided when Owen left her heartbroken. It took time and one bad marriage, but she is in a good place now and doesn’t need a man in her life. Being with Owen again has stirred old feelings and she’s not sure if she wants them. The chemistry is still there between her and Owen and the sex is better than before. But can she let him back in her life again? I liked that she paused to figure what she really wanted. I liked Natalie and was a strong character that pushed her out of her comfort zone in order to help Owen figure out this mystery they’re involved in.

When I saw that Donna Grant was venturing into a contemporary romance series I was very excited and looking forward to it. I am very familiar with her paranormal series and love the worlds she has created, and felt she could do the same with a contemporary one. Reading it had me on the edge of my seat with the suspense and nonstop danger. Knowing that this will arc over two more books has me excited for Wyatt and Cullen’s stories. If you like Rebecca Zanetti and Lori Foster, you are going to love reading The Hero and The Sons of Texas.

Sammy’s review of The Hero (Sons of Texas, Book 1) by Donna Grant
Romantic Suspense published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 06 Dec 16

Romantic suspense holds a very special place in my book reader heart. Some of my comfort reads are written by Suzanne Brockmann, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Cindy Gerard, Roxanne St. Claire, Stephanie Tyler, Marliss Melton, HelenKay Dimon, Elizabeth Lowell, Tami Hoag, Julie Garwood, just to name a few. When this book came on my radar, I jumped in with both feet. I need to stress for me as a reader what all these authors have in common: a 50/50 ratio of believable romance with a story. I am very picky when it comes to this sub-genre. It has to make sense and be plausibly believable. Unfortunately, I had some issues with this book. I want to be transparent. I made it through 20% of the book and put it down. Then the holidays rolled around and I forgot about it. Then I received a nudge from Sandy, the wet noodle wielder (I type that with immense love and respect), and I didn’t feel comfortable writing up a DNF review with only reading less than a quarter of the book. I made it to the 50% mark and I gave up again.

The book opens with Natalie Dixon meeting with Orrin Loughman, a retired Navy SEAL, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s father. Natalie works for the Russian Embassy in Dallas. Dallas. She works for the Russian Embassy in Dallas. That was the first moment I was thrown a bit. I let it go and I rolled with it. He meets with her at a restaurant and wants to know if there are whisperings about something called Ragnarok. Orrin tells her if she hears anything about it to give him a call. Two weeks go by and Natalie is in the office and sees a report on Ragnarok on her boss’ desk. This encounter turns deadly for not only Natalie but Loughman’s three sons, as well as Callie, Orrin’s sorta adopted daughter.

The Loughman brothers are called back to Orrin’s ranch one by one, each landing on the property knowing that shit is going down. They know their father has a private firm with his own men and they know the government sending them home means they will have to figure out what’s going on and clean up their father’s mess. Not that the American government isn’t involved, they are very much in the mix. As Owen, Wyatt, and Cullen make their way to the house, they come across Natalie and Callie. The Loughman men’s aunt and uncle were murdered in the family den and their father is missing, along with his team. As soon as Owen lays eyes on his high school sweetheart he loses brain cells. As Natalie and Owen are standing in family room where people have been murdered, Natalie suffers from hard nipples and Owen has a case of twitching dick syndrome. Not to mention the mental lusting that went on for pages and pages. Ugh. This is when I put the book down the first time.

Owen, Wyatt, and Cullen secure the ranch and go rescue Natalie, since there are Russians on US soil trying to kill her, since she knows about the biochemical weapon Ragnarok the US government stole from them. There’s a lot of escape and evade. The body count of the Russians are stacking up and the Loughmans, along with Callie, and Natalie have to figure things out. They know Orrin is in big trouble and they know his entire team was killed. All this time with the seriousness of a biochemical agent out there somewhere, Russians coming out of the woodwork like cockroaches to kill them. In trying to come up with a plan of action, Owen and Natalie have inner monologues of shoulda, coulda, woulda, with the added bonus of those pesky hard nipples and twitchy dick.

A package addressed to Natalie arrives in the mail while they are at the ranch and it turns out to be from Orrin. That package contains Ragnarok. Natalie and Owen decide to bring the chemical to Baylor College in Waco, Texas to see what they are actually dealing with. While they are heading to the college, they have a car tailing them. Owen and Natalie know it’s the Russians and they know they are in grave danger. So I guess they thought it was a great idea to bring a biochemical weapon to the college where thousands of children attend classes every day and also the fact they are being hunted by these Russians to kill them. They make it into the school, the Russians are in the parking lot making their way into the building, Natalie meets her friend – who also happens to run the Science Department – and instead of dealing with the very important chemical stuffed in her pocketbook, her friend wants to know who the hottie guy is with the smooth whisky voice and wink wink, if you don’t get on that buck, she’d be willing to give him a ride. If that’s not bad enough, they finally get around to giving the biochemical weapon to another scientist and with one eye on the door waiting for the Russians to kill them all, Owen and Natalie are talking about their past and the mistakes he made and plenty of kisses in between. More inner thoughts, damp panties, and hard dicks. Just when you think I couldn’t read another page, I did.

Orrin is captured by Yuri, a big bad Russian general who is torturing him for the information about Ragnarok’s location. As Orrin is getting water boarded and tortured, he’s listening to Yuri’s conversation with his men about Natalie and his sons. He’s thinking how bad he feels and how he now has to worry about Natalie too. WHAT? You brought her into this mess on one page into the book, and now you’re worried about her safety? Then between his battered face, broken ribs, and god knows what else he’s hurting from, he thinks his son was an idiot for letting Natalie go. He hopes his son fixes that. That was it for me.

I wish I could have loved this book. The blurb and type of story is usually one I devour. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. Maybe your mileage will vary.

Grade:DNF

I love second chance romance along with suspense and action - this story while good in some parts did fall flat for me in others.

Owen left home 14 years ago for college then became a Navy Seal which in his mind was always the dream, leaving behind Natalie without a word along with his dad and brothers. Now his dad is in trouble and Owen and his brothers have been called home by the government to find out what happened. As soon as he lands he finds Natalie there also brought into to find his dad and a bioweapon that Russia is hiding. Seeing Natalie and his brothers again reminds him of all he left behind and why the reasons he left in the first place now don't make sense. Can he convince Natalie he is back for good and his love never went away?

Natalie has sworn off men completely, after having her heart broken by Owen she left for college and now works in the Russia Embassy after finding out she had a flair for languages. She married (didn't last long) and now is on her own and that's fine. When Owen's dad asks for her help she does so willingly not knowing that now the Russian mob is after her. On top of which Owen is now back in her life, she doesn't want him or needs him any longer, or at least that is what she tells herself. Now with her life in danger and Owen saying all the right things - can she walk away from him when this is over?

The story is very fast paced which for this type of story works, there is a lot of action which I did enjoy. I found Owen and Natalie inconsistent in their decisions when it came to their relationship - especially Natalie. The overall story was a little far-fetched as well and in some cases hard to follow. I did like the 3 brothers when they were together and some of the secondary characters. I just wished the romance was more authentic.

There are 2 other books (1 for each brother) that I will read, now I want to know what happens. I just wish the main characters in book 1 were more memorable.

2.5 Stars!




My the Hero thoughts,

I know its a romance book but when its a matter of life and death they seem to kiss at the most inopportune times. Which kind of ruined aspects of the story for me.

Didn't love it but it has potential and started to get momentum as the book went on

I really liked and enjoyed this one. Was hooked form the moment I started this book. Great start to this new series. Can't wait to read more.

Pulse pounding action and a steamy second chance romance will draw readers in and have them eagerly turning pages to see what happens next. Definitely recommend.

First off, I'm going to be recommending this to several different groups of readers - those that like military heroes, those that love romantic suspense, and romance readers that love a second-chance story. As I'm a fan of all of the above, of course I loved this book. It jumps into the plot right away, and moves at a fast pace - making sure you never want to put it down.

I will admit to getting a little confused now and again - how some people fit into the overall plot, why some actions would be helpful and others weren't, especially in the beginning. But it moved so smoothly that it didn't worry or confuse me for long.

I loved the relationship between Owen and Natalie. You can tell they still had strong feelings for one another despite being apart for years, but they still had plenty of work to do before they would fit into each others' lives now. Natalie couldn't just get past how Owen dumped her so suddenly, and she shouldn't have to - Owen gave her a very raw deal when he left, and she deserved the groveling Owen had to do to win her trust back. That said, I also rather enjoyed how Owen would get grumpy when Natalie would brush a kiss or anything else off as being unimportant - I think he deserved a little extra heartbreak for leaving like he did.

And I'll admit, I might have cheered out loud when Natalie asked Owen if he wanted her back now that he had already gone out and lived his life the way he wanted - and when he said yes, she replied with "Too damn bad" - go you, Natalie! Looking forward to the next book, though I think I'm anticipating Wyatt's story (book 3) even more.

Donna Grant is well liked in my library system for her paranormal titles/series, but I wasn't sure how well a contemporary romantic suspense would play out. From what I've read, this author likes large complex plots, and when it comes to suspense, that can either make things intense, or overbearing. I was very pleasantly surprised when I read The Hero - the author managed to give readers the larger story arc that was necessary to keep this series moving, but still provided at least a for-now ending for the two characters in this book.

I also appreciated how genuine the characters were, especially Natalie. Just because she still loved Owen, doesn't mean she still has to like him or forgive him for leaving in the first place - and that tension created some fantastic scenes. I will definitely be purchasing this title for my library system, as I know it will go over well with our romantic suspense readers, or lovers of military heroes (both of which have a dedicated following in my system). Will also be purchasing the next books in the series, because I'm sure other readers will be as desperate as I am to see how it all turns out.

The suspense was great!! A biochemical weapon is missing, the Loughman's father is held hostage and time is of the essence!! The romance was on the blah side though because it was really all about their previous relationship in their teens, where he left her behind and broke her heart. There isn't much grovelling on his part, they both just seem to agree they love each other, while I thought it was too soon. Will be reading on to see about the other brothers.

The Hero was an absolute delight to read. With a mix of action, adventure, romance, and mystery, Donna Grant created amazing characters, intriguing plot, and an overall great read.

THE HERO is a compelling, complex read. As a first contemporary/action book for author Donna Grant I have to say she has laid out something that will keep readers glued to the pages. At first it took a bit to get the feel for the characters, figure out their past, but as the reader reads on it all becomes clear and you feel for these "boys". The romance between Owen and Natalie is slow moving at first but considering there are 14 years to be made up for and forgiven for, it is to be expected. I must admit that at times the dialogue seemed tedious to me, but I chalked it up to world building and allowing us to get a more in-depth look into brothers.

Another thing that I did enjoy and seemed quite different was getting glimpses of their father, Orrin, and his situation, which I cannot tell you about ... as you might guess that would be a big spoiler.

THE HERO is a book filled with heroes; three brothers trained to defend and protect; a heroine who isn't about to back down, bad guys who are really bad and a love that just won't die. For a first foray into this new genre I do believe readers will love this book as much as Ms. Grant's "Kings" if not even more.

Annetta Sweetko, Fresh Fiction reviewer

To read the complete review please go to http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=61835

Donna Grants new contemporary romantic suspense Sons Of Texas series brings on this author at her very best. Front loaded with her fast and furious pacing The Hero sets the foundation for her signature style of broad story arcs to take off.

When Navy Seal Owen Loughman along with his two brothers, both serving in Special Forces units, are pulled from the field and brought home to their family ranch in Texas the devastation they encounter is reeling. Tasked with finding their father, a soldier with vast secret military ties, who has mysteriously disappeared and seeking answers to questions that many feel are threatening and best left unanswered, danger is ever present. Natalie Dixon the girl Owen has always loved has been out of his life for 14 years but her association with the Dallas Russian Embassy has made her a target and she is key to helping expose wide ranging corruption on an international level. Passion and espionage bring the two long estranged lovers back into each other’s lives to reveal lies, secrets and their hearts.

Sexy and sharp this story like its author has it going on sharing a great intro to the world of the Sons Of Texas. Giving every indication that once again Donna Grant has nailed her characters and set up a fantastic series in The Hero readers will be drawn in from the start. The relationship between Owen and Natalie was well thought out as well as full of intriguing personal history and passion. Juggling lots of dynamics and subplots this author displays them like the pro she is with her skillful writing. In The Hero Donna Grant proves she defies genre and can pull in an audience no matter what she writes.