Defending Raven

A have a couple of issues with this book. Let me tell you...<br /> 1. This book was too short. I know you might argue with me and say, “but Defending Raven is like 304 pages. That’s a long book.” Sure, 304 pages is a long book. I don’t care. I needed more. I needed more Rex. More Raven. More David. More stars. More nights on the couch. More of it all. <br /><br />2. For whatever reason this week I’m feeling a little blood thirsty (could be the weather. It’s a ridiculous 108* in my neighborhood), so I needed more scorched earth. Like when you’re so beyond angry that you’re having an ‘out of body’ experience a la Shirley McClaine. For the atrocities that Raven lived through, for the daily agony Rex lived through and for the mention of what might continue had certain events not transpired—I desired scorched earth. I wanted blood. Retribution. Revenge. Reckoning. <br /><br />3. This was the last book in one of my favorite Susan Stoker series. As individual books, they are wonderful, wonderful stories. But as a series, it’s sublime. I hate thats it’s over. One of the overall, underlying themes of the books is something I try to make my daily mantra : be decent, do good, find joy. Granted, this doesn’t always work with me—I’m usually quite pissy during the summer ;) But if I can remind myself of those 3 things I mostly manage to have a happy day. <br /><br />Now, let’s review: <br /><br />1. Rex is a resolute and wholly dedicated individual. Every action, every thought and every breath is done for one purpose: finding his wife. <br />Raven is purpose, dedication, and mindful. She was plunged into a sick depraved world. And she survived. How could you not want more of their story? I did. I do. <br /><br />2. After reading the book twice and double checking a few things (Mainly doing a quick self-check to make sure I’m not getting too psycho ?) I’m content with not getting the blood-letting I originally wanted. The revenge I wanted came in the epilogue. It’s the revenge of a life well-lived and well-loved. Maybe revenge isn’t best served cold; it’s best served over a lifetime of living happy, free and loved. <br /><br />3. Last doesn’t mean the end. That’s a sweet little treat that exists in the Susan Stoker book world. Just because this series is over doesn’t mean we won’t see these guys again. There’s always the chance one of the Mountain dudes pop up somewhere else in a different series. I’m so down for that. <br /><br />So, yeah. My issues aren’t as bad as I thought. You don’t need to read the previous 6 books of the series to know what’s going on in 7, but seriously? Go read 1-6 ?. You won’t regret it. <br />

Typical SS book in style of writing. <br />Man has honor, respect for women etc.<br /><br />This one has the Hero and heroine as a married couple, that are separated for ten years and Hero hasn't been with anyone else.<br /><br />Possible triggers.<br />No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine but the heroine has been a sex slave so she has suffered abuse and there are some references though not huge detail and it's relayed in memories rather than present events.<br /><br /><br />HEA.<br /><br />Epilogues. Several years ahead.

She’s not a statistic. She’s his wife.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1593168226i/29712620._SY540_.jpg" width="400" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Defending Raven<br>Amazon US: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://amzn.to/2QF4qhC">https://amzn.to/2QF4qhC</a><br>Amazon UK: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081DQ9M1F">https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081DQ9M1F</a><br>Amazon AU: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B081DQ9M1F">https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B081DQ9M1F</a><br>Amazon CA: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B081DQ9M1F">https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B081DQ9M1F</a><br>Paperback: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://amzn.to/34bQuQ8">https://amzn.to/34bQuQ8</a><br>Audio: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://adbl.co/3bzvpSH">https://adbl.co/3bzvpSH</a><br><br>

The Mountain Mercenaries series is one of my top favorites of Susan’s (ACE Security being the other) and the series as a whole has been an amazing, emotional adventure and I am so sad to see it end. However, I am also happy to finally find out who the elusive Rex (the boss man) is and see him finally after so long get his happy ending. But, boy oh boy the gut-wrenching turmoil and devastation he has to face along the way is a killer. To me, I think this one was the most emotional of the series…I am talking the ugly tears too! So fair warning – have lots of tissues on hand. It was great to catch up with the other guys on the team and their families and I really love the way Susan wraps up the series as a whole with this final book. The ending epilogue and the ‘look ahead’ scenes are beautiful and so emotional. It is a great HEA for this couple. <br /><br />Defending Raven is an absolutely amazing book from start to finish; I read it in one sitting and could not put it down. I was so invested in the drama woven around Rex and Raven and all the hurdles they had to overcome after many years of separation. Their struggles, insecurities, motivations, strength and determination were threaded with raw emotion and wrapped up in a story full of survival, abuse, courage, desperation, redemption, and enduring love. This book carries an air of intensity from beginning to end and definitely tears through your feelings. It is heartbreaking, somber, sweet, happy, witty, and romantic and there is plenty of gripping suspense, danger, alpha males, strong women, surprises, and a diabolical bad guy who is beyond rotten to the core that will give you chills.<br /><br />As with any other Susan Stoker book, this one can be read as a standalone or enjoyed in order with the rest of the series. This book does include some sensitive issues and could possibly be triggers for more sensitive readers. <br />

So this is my review for Defending Raven by Susan Stoker. If you’ve followed my other reviews, you’re aware that I am a HUGE Susan Stoker fan. So excited doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings for this book. Especially because it’s the last book in the Mountain Mercenaries series. AKA Rex’s story. But I have to be honest after I finished the book I needed a few days to ruminate before writing this review. Rumination done. Now for my review.<br /><br />As I said, this is the final book in the Mountain Mercenaries series. Rex’s story. And if you’ve read this series, you know that Susan has teased us A LOT about Rex. He was the mysterious leader of this motley band of heroes. We all speculated on who he was and felt for his plight. Knowing that he had been searching for his missing wife for a decade…*sigh*…was just heartbreaking. So anticipation for this book and the conclusion to his story was HIGH.<br /><br />Defending Raven was exquisite. The depth of feels for this book is ginormous. Tissues were used. Heartstrings are tugged. And anger is felt. Anger on Rex’s behalf for the anguish he has gone through searching for his wife. Anger on Raven’s behalf for the horror and pain she has suffered. As a reader (even knowing that these are just characters in a book) I want justice. Retribution. For them to dole out punishment to those who have done them wrong. And although you do get some of this, I felt that it wasn’t enough. <br /><br />Hence my rumination. And it was enlightening. This book is about so much more than revenge. It’s about reconnecting. It’s about unconditional love. It’s about friendship and family. <br /><br />Ms. Stoker takes the reader on an incredible journey and shows us that with unspeakable injustice comes compassion and integrity. Rex WANTS to burn the world and avenge the atrocities that his wife has endured. He wants to make the enemy pay but instead, he realizes that he needs to put aside these feelings and support his wife. To help her move forward and make each day better. To show her that 10 years is a drop in the bucket and his love is still as strong and deep as the day he met her.<br /><br />Raven has lived with unspeakable horrors for 10 years. But she is more than the horrors that were forced upon her. She has picked herself up and made herself stronger. With the appearance of her husband, her very world has been rocked. Although she doubts that he will be able to handle what she has been through she can’t change her past or who she has become.<br /><br />Defending Raven is love. Honor. Commitment. In a world where chaos reigns it’s a beacon to show us that doing what’s RIGHT, though harder, is what each of us needs to do. <br /><br />Take the time to read this book. It’s so much more than a “romance read”. You won’t be disappointed. You will be enlightened.<br />

I devoured Defending Raven by Susan Stoker all in one night and loved it so much! I believe this is her best series finale book ever and she’s had some pretty amazing ones. The storytelling in this book was amazing and beautifully written with all the feels. Raven was a true heroine who survived the most horrific things ever and still showed so much love and compassion to others. And there’s Rex, who never stopped searching for Raven for 10 years and really showed how much of a hero he is in every way, totally swoon worthy. Their love story is one that will capture your heart and I highly recommend this book. I’m already looking forward to reading this book again.

The final novel in the <i>Mountain Mercenaries</i> series has arrived, and it's a doozy. Throughout the series, the Mercenaries have gone on mission after mission rescuing people from human trafficking at the behest of their mysterious boss, Rex. After finding out that "Rex" is actually bartender Dave Justice, the Mercenaries are suspicious, but they go all in when learning that his kidnapped wife has turned up in Peru after more than a decade apart, and they need to help him get her back.<br /><br />Crafting a finale to any series is tricky, and most of the time, Susan Stoker doesn't do it. Instead, she creates sequel series (like <i>Seal of Protection: Legacy</i>). With <i>Defending Raven</i>, she didn't just create an ending, she created an ending with more epilogues than <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, ending up more than ten years in the future by the end of the book. That's all I'll say, to avoid spoilers, but it's a great finale and the most ended book of any of Stoker's books.

Defending Raven: Mountain Mercenaries Book 7 is by Susan Stoker. This is the last book in this series, all of which are fantastic. Susan Stoker has a wonderful way of creating a story that keeps you moving at all times and yet is so sweet and loving that you feel you are floating in romance. One thing you can’t do with her books is put them down. They are addictive. Now it is on to another series by Susan. <br />“Rex” had created and run the Mountain mercenaries for the last ten years. He had connections all over the world and with some of the best and worst people around. He had recruited a team and had them meet at The Pit, a bar run by Dave Justice for an interview. It ended up just being the team members and they spent their time waiting for “Rex” to get to know each other. What they didn’t know then and didn’t know for the next ten years was that Dave was indeed “Rex”. Since he had no military background, he didn’t know if the men would listen to him so set up a persona to front for him. Dave had set up the team to go after sex traffickers. They found victims for specific families or just happened upon through research pods of traffickers. Dave was looking for his wife, Raven. She had been abducted from Las Vegas when they were vacationing. He just knew she was still alive and waiting for him to come rescue her. He searched out every lead possible. Then, after their last mission in which Zara was rescued, Meat, one of the team, had fallen in love with her. He brought her to a gathering at the bar and she recognized Raven’s picture up on the wall. However, she knew her as Mags. Mags had saved her in the barrio in Peru and she had also saved Meat when he was badly beaten there. It was then that Dave told the team members who he was and what their next mission was. Dave was determined to find Raven this time. This time he was going against Roberto Del Rio, the worst trafficker in South America. As powerful as Del Rio was, Dave believed they would win. <br />One thing Dave didn’t think about was that Raven might not want to come back to him as his wife. She might have completely changed while in captivity. What should he do? <br />

So I'm a cheaty McCheat A*Lot and read this book without having read any prior in the series. The good thing about S. Stoker's books is while they are best enjoyed when read together they can be read as a standalone and this one was no different. After reading the blurb I was not going to wait and had to jump in immediately. As usual I was not disappointment and I really loved this book. The hero Dave is not even an actual military member which is something unheard of from this author lol but I was not disappointed because even without official training Dave knows his shit and nothing and NO ONE will stand in his way of bringing his wife home after all these years . He has literally devoted the past ten years of his life looking for his wife and it was really just a beautiful story that proves true love will always stand the test of time. <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="1786bb1e-414d-4238-a49d-0b41c551702b" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="1786bb1e-414d-4238-a49d-0b41c551702b">I was not shocked that Raven had a son because the clues were all there. Honestly I just loved how Dave immediately was calling David his son, not once thinking negatively of him or how he was conceived.</label> I definitely plan to read the entire series at some point but I always sporadically read books by this author and have yet to be disappointed.

I liked it over all. Good characterization of the hero. The heroine was not as well developed. I liked the little boy. I give this about a 3 on the suspense scale. Fairly well done. I'm going to be honest and go against popular opinion and say that I don't like long epilogues that tell you what happens 1 then 5 then 10 then 25 years down the road. I say let the reader imagine what they will. One short epilogue maybe a year or two later is fine. I don't want anymore than that. That dropped this book a star for me.