Defending Honor by Kelly Underwood [Review]
Susan May Warren's Sunrise Publishing invites new authors to write in and expand on best-selling author's beloved series. Defending Honor by Kelly Underwood is the third book based off of Lynette Eason's Elite Guardians novels.
Title: Defending Honor [Elite Guardians Collection #3]
Author: Kelly Underwood
Published: 2022 by Sunrise Publishing
About the Book:
"Laila Rabbinowitz is all business. Tough and stoic, she was the perfect Mossad agent…until a terrible betrayal led to her worst nightmare. Being a bodyguard with the Elite Guardians allows her to keep her heart safe—she’ll never let anyone close enough to betray her again. And she’s certainly not going to trust anyone who doesn’t earn it.
Billionaire and former playboy Preston Whittaker walked away from his famous family after a terrible event, but then his father and brother are killed in a suspicious boating accident. Since he’s next in line to helm the family business, now someone wants him dead.
Preston needs someone by his side 24/7, and the only solution is a fake marriage. In order to keep him safe, Laila will have to convince everyone that she and Preston are in love. She’s used to putting her life on the line for a client. But what will this case cost her heart?
Book three of the riveting, high-octane world of the Elite Guardians reboot!"
The Artist Librarian Review:
Author Kelly Underwood closes out the first cycle of the Elite Guardians Collection with a successful debut featuring an ex-Israeli intelligence agent and a reformed playboy heir. Laila Rabbinowitz is a strong, capable protagonist. Hired to protect Preston Whittaker, the reluctant heir to a multi-millionaire business, an unexpected comment sparks the idea to disguise her bodyguard status by masquerading as Preston's wife. Can they convince everyone they're totally in love (or maybe they aren't faking it ...)?
While I more commonly see the "fake marriage" trope in historical fiction, Underwood runs with it in a satisfactory way in Defending Honor. Seeing Laila and Preston's relationship evolve from awkward attraction to trust and sacrifice was rewarding to read. The romance was sweet with a bit of steam, and while not the main focus, a spiritual thread about redemption and letting God fight our battles was present. I thought the suspense and mystery aspect was enjoyable: there was lots of action and a sizable list of potential suspects --it felt like I was guessing until the end! Cameos of original creator Lynette Eason's beloved characters and characters from the previous two books show up, but even as someone new to the Elite Guardians books, I wasn't too lost since they weren't the main characters or focus. I definitely will have to read more from this series and I look forward to seeing more romantic suspense from Underwood and the other new authors continuing the Elite Guardians' stories!
[Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher via Just Read Tours]
About the Author:
"Kelly Underwood's favorite things are reading, writing, and drinking coffee. She was born in New Hampshire, but don't ask her about snow, because she's been a Florida girl since she was twelve. She writes book reviews for her blog bestinsuspense.com and is an active member of the Central Florida chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She's a sucker for a good suspense novel, the kind you have to read cover-to-cover until the mystery is solved and the bad guys are in handcuffs. If you're looking for her, she's probably on her back patio with a Kindle in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other."
About the Series Creator:
"Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of Life Flight and the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com."
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