Red Stone Security Series Box Set: Volume 2

I must admit to being disappointed with this series. It promised so much but then didn't deliver. I felt that the story line began reasonable and would hook me in but then rather than deepening and expand the plot it went into a lot of sex. Now I don't mind having sex in a book but this kind of got monotonous over the three books and you wished for less of it and more detail about the characters. I also felt that the plotline was a bit tame, a bit predictable about how the hero rescued the woman before anything tragic or thrilling happening and the villian(s) were wimpish. It is only my personal opinion but I have enjoyed similar series of other authors who don't just focus on the relationship of the couple but also write a brilliant story line around the characters. Sadly, I felt this was lacking with this authors writing.

MIAMI, MISTLTOE & MURDER:
This book in the Red Stone Security series features Travis and Noel. If you have read the others, you won't be disappointed with this one. It could be read as a standalone as well since there are not a lot of secondary characters in this book. Katie always seems to have a good plot in her books and it adds some suspense, which I prefer to have in a story.

I really liked the buildup of the relationship between Travis and Noel. Even for a novella, there was some great character and relationship development. Their relationship started out slow and they got to know each other first. Neither of them had overwhelming lustful thoughts about each other, which I thought was more believable. I tend to like the romance/courting stage and getting to know one another before they have serious intimate thoughts about each other in a book. The only full intimate scene in this book was written very well and really matched the characters. Travis is such a sweetheart and Noel understands him very well. They would have been a great couple to follow in a full length novel. I highly recommend!

HIS TO PROTECT:
I have enjoyed all of the books in the Red Stone Security series and this one is no different. Kellen (Kell for short) has been in love with Charlotte since he first met her, however, she was married to another man and one of Kell's friends, so he kept his distance. Time passes, Charlotte's husband passes away, and we learn they were headed for divorce due to his infidelity. Kell and Charlotte spend a night together that neither of them can forget. He tells her he loves her, but she runs. A year later, Charlotte shows up to tell Kell they have a son.

Kell is shocked that Charlotte didn't tell him sooner about his son. Not one to waste time, he asks (insists, really) that Charlotte and their son, Reece, move in with him so he can spend time with both of them. Charlotte isn't so sure because she is worried about falling for Kell and possibly getting her heart broken (like it did with her husband), but her guilt for not telling Kell sooner causes her to agree. Shortly after that, Charlotte witnesses a murder in an alley as she is out at the park with her son. The murderers realize this and she is then on someone's hit list and it is up to Kell and Red Stone to keep her safe.

Katie does a great job with this story. She writes a nice balance of suspense, romance, and some steamy passion. I love second chance stories, so this one was great. Not one to want to let go of characters from other books, I was glad that this one included several members of Red Stone and their wives/significant others including Lizzy and Noel. I also enjoy books that include kids/babies so having Reece in this one and getting to see Kell love on his three-month-old son was great!

Favorite quote: "Greedy and impatient. One of the hundred things I love about you." - Kell to Charlotte.

If you are looking for a romantic suspense that is a quick read, romantic, passionate, and includes a very sweet little baby that win's over tough Security experts, I highly recommend you try this story! You can read any of the Red Stone Security books on their own, so if you haven't read the others, you can still pick up this one and enjoy it.

BREAKING HER RULES:
The Red Stone Security series is awesome. I know that when I read them I will get lots of action, danger, passion and love. I will get to watch the guys and gals of Red Stone support each other like a close knit family. I will also get to read great dialogue with some playful banter between some of them. Of the six books in the Red Stone Security series, Breaking Her Rules is one of my favorite.

In Breaking Her Rules, we get to meet the first female agent of Red Stone, Iris. She is an awesome woman who demands respect from her team by working hard and getting the job done - not by thinking she deserves special treatment because she is a woman. She is down to earth and low maintenance. We also get to meet Wyatt, who is a very wealthy businessman and Iris's best friend since they were about 10 years old. Both of them were Marines, are quite strong, honorable, and can take care of themselves. So when a hit is put out on Wyatt, and he calls Red Stone for extra security, Iris knows he is really concerned. Wyatt pulls some strings to have Iris lead the team even though a secret in their past could get in the way.

I was a little worried that Wyatt would not be as "alpha" as I have come to like in Katie's books because Iris was such a strong woman and the one hired to provide security for Wyatt. Boy was I surprised! Two main characters that can kick a little butt? Yes, please. We also get to see some strong emotions between these two. I totally sided with Wyatt in this book and was glad he didn't give up on Iris. As for the other characters, it is always nice to see some of the guys and gals from the other books make an appearance. I really, really liked Jay and Ellie in this story and while I would love to see them in another book I don't think their stories would take them back to Red Stone.

The writing in Breaking Her Rules is so smooth even when there are a lot of details that need to be included such as in the action scenes. I was able to keep up because Katie provides such great descriptions and I actually felt the action and emotions along with the characters. When she writes the passionate scenes Katie knows exactly how much detail to include and how much to leave to the reader's imagination. If you are looking for a romantic suspense book that grips you from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the end, I recommend Breaking Her Rules.

MIAMI, MISTLTOE & MURDER:
This book in the Red Stone Security series features Travis and Noel. If you have read the others, you won't be disappointed with this one. It could be read as a standalone as well since there are not a lot of secondary characters in this book. Katie always seems to have a good plot in her books and it adds some suspense, which I prefer to have in a story.

I really liked the buildup of the relationship between Travis and Noel. Even for a novella, there was some great character and relationship development. Their relationship started out slow and they got to know each other first. Neither of them had overwhelming lustful thoughts about each other, which I thought was more believable. I tend to like the romance/courting stage and getting to know one another before they have serious intimate thoughts about each other in a book. The only full intimate scene in this book was written very well and really matched the characters. Travis is such a sweetheart and Noel understands him very well. They would have been a great couple to follow in a full length novel. I highly recommend!

HIS TO PROTECT:
I have enjoyed all of the books in the Red Stone Security series and this one is no different. Kellen (Kell for short) has been in love with Charlotte since he first met her, however, she was married to another man and one of Kell's friends, so he kept his distance. Time passes, Charlotte's husband passes away, and we learn they were headed for divorce due to his infidelity. Kell and Charlotte spend a night together that neither of them can forget. He tells her he loves her, but she runs. A year later, Charlotte shows up to tell Kell they have a son.

Kell is shocked that Charlotte didn't tell him sooner about his son. Not one to waste time, he asks (insists, really) that Charlotte and their son, Reece, move in with him so he can spend time with both of them. Charlotte isn't so sure because she is worried about falling for Kell and possibly getting her heart broken (like it did with her husband), but her guilt for not telling Kell sooner causes her to agree. Shortly after that, Charlotte witnesses a murder in an alley as she is out at the park with her son. The murderers realize this and she is then on someone's hit list and it is up to Kell and Red Stone to keep her safe.

Katie does a great job with this story. She writes a nice balance of suspense, romance, and some steamy passion. I love second chance stories, so this one was great. Not one to want to let go of characters from other books, I was glad that this one included several members of Red Stone and their wives/significant others including Lizzy and Noel. I also enjoy books that include kids/babies so having Reece in this one and getting to see Kell love on his three-month-old son was great!

Favorite quote: "Greedy and impatient. One of the hundred things I love about you." - Kell to Charlotte.

If you are looking for a romantic suspense that is a quick read, romantic, passionate, and includes a very sweet little baby that win's over tough Security experts, I highly recommend you try this story! You can read any of the Red Stone Security books on their own, so if you haven't read the others, you can still pick up this one and enjoy it.

BREAKING HER RULES:
The Red Stone Security series is awesome. I know that when I read them I will get lots of action, danger, passion and love. I will get to watch the guys and gals of Red Stone support each other like a close knit family. I will also get to read great dialogue with some playful banter between some of them. Of the six books in the Red Stone Security series, Breaking Her Rules is one of my favorite.

In Breaking Her Rules, we get to meet the first female agent of Red Stone, Iris. She is an awesome woman who demands respect from her team by working hard and getting the job done - not by thinking she deserves special treatment because she is a woman. She is down to earth and low maintenance. We also get to meet Wyatt, who is a very wealthy businessman and Iris's best friend since they were about 10 years old. Both of them were Marines, are quite strong, honorable, and can take care of themselves. So when a hit is put out on Wyatt, and he calls Red Stone for extra security, Iris knows he is really concerned. Wyatt pulls some strings to have Iris lead the team even though a secret in their past could get in the way.

I was a little worried that Wyatt would not be as "alpha" as I have come to like in Katie's books because Iris was such a strong woman and the one hired to provide security for Wyatt. Boy was I surprised! Two main characters that can kick a little butt? Yes, please. We also get to see some strong emotions between these two. I totally sided with Wyatt in this book and was glad he didn't give up on Iris. As for the other characters, it is always nice to see some of the guys and gals from the other books make an appearance. I really, really liked Jay and Ellie in this story and while I would love to see them in another book I don't think their stories would take them back to Red Stone.

The writing in Breaking Her Rules is so smooth even when there are a lot of details that need to be included such as in the action scenes. I was able to keep up because Katie provides such great descriptions and I actually felt the action and emotions along with the characters. When she writes the passionate scenes Katie knows exactly how much detail to include and how much to leave to the reader's imagination. If you are looking for a romantic suspense book that grips you from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the end, I recommend Breaking Her Rules.

Miami, Mistletoe & Murder:

This was the perfect quick read with a very sexy hero and a very awesome heroine. I really loved Travis, and I really enjoyed that the author gave him such an interesting piercing.

Noel is a kind, sweet heroine and perfect for a man like Travis that has had a hard life and needs a place to rest. Noel is that place for him. I enjoyed this quick Christmas novella, and it definitely reflects Ms. Reus’s superb writing skills. She is able to craft a believable, suspenseful and very sexy story in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.

His to Protect:

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always love secret baby stories, but since the baby is still so young, and Charlotte supplies a very believable explanation, I let it go and really enjoyed these two.

Charlotte loves Kell, and Kell loves Charlotte, circumstances have kept them apart because Charlotte wasn’t ready to love again, but once she’s back with Kell and with their son right there bonding them, they both learn to love the idea of being in love with each other.

I really enjoyed the idea and the neat aspect of Charlotte witnessing a crime and then being targeted because of it. Kell is a strong man, and watching him melt with his son, well that really made me fall in love. I give Ms. Reus major applause for writing a story with a baby but still balancing them falling in love because they love each other and not because of the baby.

I recommend this story, it’s full of suspense, and a lovely warm fuzzy of feeling of love at the end.

Breaking Her Rules:

Breaking Her Rules is the sixth story in Katie Reus’ Red Stone Security series, and can be read as a standalone in my opinion. Iris and Wyatt have chemistry from the very first moment we are introduced to them. Their love is great because they’re friends who become lovers, one of my favorite types of stories. There are hot scenes in this book and a wonderfully written suspense plot. I was kept guessing as I tried to figure out just who was the bad guy, while the whole time I wanted Wyatt and Iris to figure out that they loved each other and they could make a relationship work.

Ms. Reus does a great job blending suspense, romance, friendship and hot sex in this story, it’s definitely a story I highly recommend. I enjoy the whole series and this installment did not disappoint.

Miami, Mistletoe & Murder
Stars: 5
Flames: 4

Travis Sanchez has been gifted with a mandatory paid vacation by his boss. As a loner he finds himself without much to do. He is dedicated to his work with Red Stone Security. Now seems as good a time as any to go see the owner of his favorite coffee shop, a woman he has been crushing on for over a year. Noel is not shocked to see Travis. He is one of her regular patrons and happens to be the star of all of her fantasies. His timing is just off. She is running out the door to go help a friend who has been threatened. So in the end it would seem that Travis has perfect timing, and he certainly has the skills that she needs.

This is such a sweet novella. I loved Travis and Noel. Travis is yummy. He's got tattoos and piercings and the icing on the cake is that he is so caring. He is also tough and has the protective instincts that Noel needs in her life at this moment. The fact that he wants to be in her life is a sexy added bonus. Noel is compassionate and offers Travis the warmth that has been missing in his life.

There is a mild suspense element in the mix. Noel has inadvertently put herself in a precarious position and she has taken Travis with her. Travis knows how to handle the situation though. His experience from time in the Marines and now with Red Stone Security will keep them both out of danger and in each other's arms.

His To Protect
Stars: 3
Flames: 3

Kell is working a security detail when he spots a woman he has not seen in over a year, a woman he still wants and yearns for. The problem is that just like the last time they were in the same room together she repeats the same action and moves as far away from him as quickly as possible. Charlotte knows that she has to finally tell Kell about Reece. She just wants to do so under different circumstances than a party she is attending with her family. Kell is the perfect caring alpha in that he won't let her slip through his fingers this time.

I think because I am not a mother I cannot relate to any of the choices Charlotte made in regards to Kell and their baby. The fact that she never told him about the baby made it impossible for me to like her. I wanted to like Charlotte, Kell obviously likes her, and I wanted to feel the same. Kell is an easy hero to just love. His immediate unconditional love of Reece is so very sweet. He is a determined man. He wants Charlotte, he wants their baby in his life, and he will stop at nothing to see this to the end.

Charlotte has not been back in Miami long when she witnesses a murder. The people involved in the murder put her in even more danger than just witnessing a crime could ever do. The romantic suspense element, especially the solution to the threat against Charlotte seemed convenient. The reasoning behind the solution to the threat working out is however plausible.

Breaking Her Rules
4 Star
3 Flames

As one of Red Stone Security's employees Iris takes her job very seriously. It is job she loves and also something that she excels at. Her military experience makes her perfect for the job. Her amazing looks allows her to go unnoticed as a guard on some jobs. Her assignment of Wyatt whom she knows far more about than any of her co-workers would ever suspect is about to take her role as guardian to a whole new level.

There is a spoiler that I totally want to tell you about. It makes Wyatt and Iris so entertaining as a couple. It is something you find out about within the first few pages, but the surprise of it makes it a spoiler. That little bombshell alone is worth buying this book for. It is also that that makes the chemistry between Iris and Wyatt so intense. I also enjoyed the protector role balance between them. Wyatt is as alpha as most worthy romance heroes. This makes him want to protect his lady. Iris is full of bad-assery, she works in private security, Wyatt has hired the company she works for for protection. Oh yes, plenty of entertainment there. The action was a lot more intense with this installment of the series too.
All around great read!

The only thing I did not like about Breaking Her Rules was the flashbacks and reminiscing dreams. That is a personal thing with me, thus it most likely will not affect most people. I am just one of those people that like to stay in the here and now. The dreams and remembrances does have to do with a portion of Iris and Wyatt's happily ever after that the readers are not present for, so they are necessary for the tale.

Each book in the Red Stone Security series can be read as a stand alone. The order in which you read them also does not matter. The setting is Miami and the characters work for Red Stone Security.

the author provided these books to me for the purpose of an honest review

Action, check, suspense, check, protectiveness, check, over bearing, sexy alpha males, check and of course ROMANCE, check.
Now this is my kind of reading. Nice to know that tough alpha males have insecurities as well especially when it involves the woman they love.
Travis with his tattoos and piercings, Kell and his son and of course my favourite Wyatt Christiansen the sexy billionaire. Absolutely loved this volume I think it's my favourite so far.

This set should be marketed as short stories. Each entry in the boxed set is a brief, poorly developed romance novel. If what you're looking for is a well-written mystery, don't look here. If you want breathless chick porn, you won't be disappointed.