Text (Take It Off #4) written by Cambria Hebert (227 pgs) – finished 12/4/13 – 5 stars

Oh, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan – you’re such a hottie! A “warrior” just like the character, Honor, in Cambria Hebert’s Take It Off series puts it. Loyal. Protective. Respectable. And, sexy as all hell, when springing into action to help kidnap victim, Honor Calhoun. Nathan Reed is a Staff Sargeant in the United States Marines. He’s known loss and tragedy before, and when he gets an alarming text from an unknown individual, he can’t help but do the right thing – try and rescue her! Honor went for a run to melt away some stress and get in the mood to continue writing her romantic trysts between love-induced heroines and their sexy heroes. But, when running along the trail that is not far from her home, she is brutally attacked and kidnapped by a madman. This is the start of fifteen hours of horror, brutality, and the sense of not knowing if she will survive the horrific ordeal. Will she get rescued? And, what price will she have to pay when the lunactic that kidnapped her is still on the run after alluding capture? And, the bitch of it all, is that the lunatic is one of Nathan’s own – a marine!

The emotions were all over the place. Tragic and sad, but happy because of the newly discovered love between a pair of respectable and compassionate individuals. Both looking for acceptance and a way just to be needed and loved. Nathan’s character was sorely damaged from a previous tragedy, but loving Honor gave him hope and a better understanding of how to separate and move on from the atrocities of war. And, Honor, was strong and smart. She tried to think logically when she knew time was running out if she wanted to get out of her dire situation alive. She also put her trust in Nathan, which only sealed the deal that she was wildly attracted to him and his unfathomable desire of protection and commitment.

“Baby, I would go anywhere for you. I would drop everything and come running”. ~ Nathan (Chap. 29)

Nathan was a survivor, and he was loyal to the point of almost obsessiveness. He would always be there for the ones he loved and, being in the military, only solidified his true beliefs in respect, loyalty, and honesty. He was a special man – especially to Honor who needed to be rescued from a violent and tragic crime, which no woman should ever have to face.

“Nathan was real. He wasn’t perfect. He was a man who had seem many hardships, a man who faced death and war. He was scarred (inside and out), and he would always battle with some sort of inner demons.

It’s what made him so remarkable. There were some people like him that might collapse under the weight of all they carried. But he didn’t. Yeah, I could see in his eyes and hear in his voice there were times he stumbled, but he kept getting up.

I didn’t want a knight in shining armor. Knights with shining armor were posers. Everyone knew that the really good knights were the ones whose armor bore chinks and scratches from a battle they were strong enough to survive”. ~ Honor (Chap. 31)

Ms. Hebert writes a novel embroiled in suspense and romance. The action is riveting and the romance is hot. The villain’s attitude is spot-on with his obscene disrespect for woman and his uncaring mental state. Obviously his mind had snapped somewhere along the way. Military brothers usually have each other’s back, but this guy had no concern for the unwritten code of integrity and recognition of one’s fellow comrade. He’s tainted and disgraceful. Therefore, he must be eliminated from service. And, Nathan is just the person to make damn sure that he will not hurt another innocent woman.

This was a well thought out and thrilling novel. Action and intrigue with a hint of mystery were explored as well. The romance built as the two main characters realized their attraction was intense to the extend that it could be something special between them. In reality, I believed they saved each other. Nathan coming to the aide of Honor to rescue her from a situation so harrowing. And, Honor, saving Nathan from the ravages of war that plagued his conscience day after day. Two strong characters that relied on that survival instinct to pull them through their sad and grievous suffering while hoping that they could trust someone else to help see them through something so painful.  A novel not to be missed. I read this book pretty quickly because it just sucked me in from the first few pages turned. Ms. Hebert is quickly becoming a new favorite author of mine. Looking forward to reading Tipsy – her next Take It Off novel.

And, what a magnificent cover too!!! It just totally entices the reader;)

   

Review Written, 1/6/14