Kaylea Cross

Friends to lovers. Forbidden love. Best friend's sister. Small town romance. Trapped together. Military romance. Soldier hero. She unknowingly threatens his control. Single mom Tala Baldwin is no stranger to sacrifice. After losing her leg while serving her country, she’s now training to become a competitive biathlete. With her daughter off to college, she’s able to shoot for her dream of making the national masters team. Even her Christmas break in Rifle Creek doesn’t slow her down. She’s asked her trusted friend Braxton to help her train—all while trying to pretend she doesn’t ache for him. Braxton was there for her during the darkest day of her life and he’s been there for her since…but only as a friend. In fact, he seems more determined than ever to hold her at arm’s length—until a deadly blizzard traps them in the mountains with a wanted killer hot on their trail. Now Tala once again finds her life in his hands as they face the lethal threats together. Now he’s at his breaking point. Sgt. Braxton Hillard is a master sniper, renowned for his ability to operate without emotion. Except with Tala. She’s all he’s ever wanted—but can’t have. For four long years he’s kept his distance. She’s way too good for him and she would realize that if he ever made a move. But the attraction between them is too powerful to deny, and once she makes it clear she wants him, he can’t keep his distance any longer. As they fight to survive in the mountains, all bets are off. Braxton is ready to sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves—even his own life.

Lethal Protector

After single mom, Tala Baldwin loses her foot and part of her leg from stepping on an IED, she goes through a long-term healing process.  With the help of her family and friends, Tala not only heals, but also becomes a triathlete.  When her unrequited love interest, Sgt. Braxton Hillard, comes home, Tala vows to spend time with him, so she asks him to help her practice shooting.  While out in the wilderness, the two become trapped by a blizzard and run across a dangerous fugitive.

Lethal Protector is too short to do much in the way of character development, but the plot is action packed and filled with dangerous events.  The chemistry between the characters is more told than shown, but there is enough angst to build to a climax that finally brings them together.  The real stand out part of this story is Tala dealing with her prosthetic leg and how she adjusts to life with a missing limb.  Overall, Lethal Protector is a fairly average romantic suspense with a few shining moments.

Lynn Braden

After single mom, Tala Baldwin loses her foot and part of her leg from stepping on an IED, she goes through a long-term healing process.  With the help of her family and friends, Tala not only heals, but also becomes a triathlete.  When her unrequited love interest, Sgt. Braxton Hillard, comes home, Tala vows to spend time with him, so she asks him to help her practice shooting.  While out in the wilderness, the two become trapped by a blizzard and run across a dangerous fugitive.

Lethal Protector is too short to do much in the way of character development, but the plot is action packed and filled with dangerous events.  The chemistry between the characters is more told than shown, but there is enough angst to build to a climax that finally brings them together.  The real stand out part of this story is Tala dealing with her prosthetic leg and how she adjusts to life with a missing limb.  Overall, Lethal Protector is a fairly average romantic suspense with a few shining moments.

Nicola Sarah Brooks

Tala and Brax are the epitome of long simmer passion! These two friends have seen each other through the worst things. Tala's injury, however, has put her at a disadvantage - Does Brax's continued contact with her mean he likes her as a friend, an injured colleague. Or does he have deeper emotions in play? Tala doesn't want to risk her heart to her best friend. She does a damn good job of working, training for the Biathlon, and raising her daughter. A tangled love life could blow her world apart.

Barx may have been there when Tala was injured and through parts of her recovery. He knows exactly what she has lost but he has never seen her as anything less than Tala - with or without her appendage lost in Afghanistan. But Braxton has big decisions of his own to make - re-enlist, join his friends at Rifle Creek or go off and do something else. He's enticed by working with his friends but he doesn't feel done yet with the military. He may want Tala but can he put her before his career, just as she deserves?

After a training session goes wrong, Tala and Brax are on their own in the wild trying to survive a gunman. Will they make it out alive?

Tala and Braxton are perfect together. Tala comes over as gung-ho, take no prisoners, my disability will not impair me. But she does have a soft centre and her emotions over the loss of her leg are still quite raw. Braxton also has to decide what's most important to him. I loved the way they were determined to be together. It may not have been anyone else's version of HEA but it totally suited these two independent warriors! 

I do hope Tala's daughter gets a HEA she has been such a great character throughout the books and endured her own harrowing events.

Totally Addicted to Reading

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Her Lethal Protector by Kaylea Cross is the third and final book in the Rifle Creek series, and it delivered a beautiful, friends to lovers slow burn romance, with a dash of suspense making it a fitting end to the series. All three books are independent of each other, rendering it easy to read in any order one desires. The reader got her first glimpse of Braxton and Tala in the previous book and wanted to learn more about them. Therefore, the opportunity to read and review Lethal Protector was met with absolute delight.

Tala, a former soldier, and single mother lost a leg while on duty. Being a strong and determined woman, she would not allow an injury to hold her back, and so she began training to become a biathlete with her eye on becoming a member of the National Masters Team.

Braxton Hilliard is a sergeant and an elite sniper in the Canadian army. He and Tala shared a special bond that was further strengthened the day she lost her leg in an explosion four years ago. He would love to share more than friendship with her, but believes she deserves better than him, given his track record with relationships. Despite his futile attempts to distance himself from her, he could not stay away, especially when he learnt she reciprocated his feelings.

I admired Tala’s strength and determination, which was further put to the test when both she and Braxton unwittingly found themselves in the crosshairs of a killer while trapped in a snowstorm. This aspect of the story had me on the edge of my seat. Braxton’s protective nature and his alpha side revealed itself during these harrowing moments. He did not have the best of life in his younger years, which played a major role in his doubts about being emotionally available for Tala. Their team effort when facing down a cold-blooded killer while trying to survive in a raging snowstorm was admirable.

I enjoyed how their romance developed and loved how they worked through their issues, which arose due to distance, insecurities and fears. The author’s portrayal of the characters’ emotions and reactions added to the story’s authenticity. She made it easy for the reader to relate to their fears and struggles. The story wrapped up nicely, leaving me satisfied and looking forward to read more from the author.

Looking for a heartfelt, friends to lover’s romance with suspense in the mix, get yourself a copy of Lethal Protector.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

Lethal Protector

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