Romance author hires a live in bodyguard - what could possibly happen next? I just didn't get into this book - the characters didn't engage me and I didn't feel the chemistry between them. Overall, the book went on for too long with not enough propelling it forward. This was a miss for me.

This book was overly repetitive to the point it became exhausting. I appreciate the book but I have decided not to publish a review because it would be rated below two stars.

The storyline had tremendous potential, but the fluctuating relationship status was overplayed. The stalker situation appeared to be, for the most part, a side note appearing here and there. If you are not really concerned about the mystery part of this story, then you’ll be entertained.

Whew. This novel starts really, really, really In Media Res. Right smack dab in the middle of Sean and Jade's relationship. Jade is a newly broken out writer who writes lesbian fiction. She was attacked at one point and so hired Sean as a bodyguard/personal assistant.

We step into the story a bit after that has happened. That did make it a little hard to get into-- to get the characters fully in my brain.

Once I did though, it was a fun book (well, a super intense fun book).

I liked the uniqueness of the characters and the who's doing it part of the story kept me guessing just enough too.

There was a little niggling thing that stayed with me though. Jade told Sean about Rachael for the 'first time' not once, but twice, and the second time it pulled me from the story.

Overall it was a good and enjoyable read (hmm... maybe there'll be an Anne story at some point too?)

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

A fun premise with good characters. I would check out this author again

The story is a bit dragged out with a lot of unnecessary details, and a lack of dialogue at times to keep the flow. There is a lot of telling the reader things in the book and not a lot of showing so it made it a little tough to get invested in the characters.

Successful lesbian romance writer Jade Rivers hires ex-Secret Service agent Sean Moore to protect her both at home, and out in the wide world. After stepping around each other for months, the appearance of a homophobic stalker forces them together…
For me, this book got off to a bit of a muddled start. It took a while to sort out Jade and Sean’s history and relationships but once the mystery set it, the book settled into a solid story. As the threat to Jade escalated slowly but steadily, so the main characters’ slow-burn attraction blossomed from a close friendship into an intense affair. In the end, the villain was unexpected, and the happy ending was welcome.
The writing and editing were very good as expected. I didn’t quite love it, but I enjoyed reading this book. Recommended, with a very worthy four stars.

The book was well written and understandable. The characters were attractive and smart. I am not a big fan of the meta "lesbian fiction writer" writing about a "lesbian fiction writer" but that is very much subjective. I also struggle with reading about groceries and dinner being made all the time. It reminds me of my life and that I should be doing that instead of reading all day. I guess I was looking for another "Above All, Honor" which is on me.

Sean Moore is a former secret service agent and current body guard looking to fall in love. Jade Rivers is a successful writer looking for protection against people that want to do her harm. Both characters are interesting with back stories that are not clearly articulated. There is much self-talk and internal struggle in regard to should I or should I not get involved. I appreciated the uncertainty because I thought it reflected real people dealing with past issues that needed to be addressed prior to or while thinking about a new relationship.

Jade Rivers didn’t have the best of childhoods but as an adult she is doing what she loves most, writing lesbian romance novels. But being one of the genres most successful writers comes at a price. For Jade that means trying to deal with a religious fanatic who is threatening to kill her if she doesn’t stop writing. Sean Moore is forced out of the Secret Service over a political scandal and now makes a living providing protection for others as a bodyguard. Working for Jade isn’t a difficult job but it can be challenging due to Jades insistence on doing everything her way even if it means risking her life. Neither of them know that the other has developed feelings for the other. Actually this has turned out to be a really good mystery. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley

Jade is a best selling lesbian author who writes stories involving that sector. She was lucky her books had gained mainstream attention. But then jade had a scare from protestors against the LGBTQ community and had been attacked. Jade felt she had no other option but to get a body guard and got Sean. Sean is and ex Secret Service agent. The Jade starts getting threatening messages from a stalker. Sean is afraid her attraction - though she is trying to hide it -might interfere with her job protecting Jade. Jade resents the time and space her bodyguard takes from her but she does know it is necessary. Sean’s number one goal is to keep Jade safe no matter what.
I only gave this a three as first I don’t like to read M/M, F/F romance just not my type of read I should have checked better but I thought Sean was a male’s name. But I did get through the book just skipped the romance and sex parts as it was my mistake.But I thought this dragged at times anyways and I don’t think the stalker part was as developed as it could have been I did have a hard time getting into this. But this was the same type of story I have read a couple time already only M/F lovers so was predictable for me. So at least i got through this and this is why I rated a three.

1.5 stars.

This was weird. On one hand, it's technically well written, no grammar issues and the writing and dialogue flows well, but on the other, the story is repetitive and characters frustrating and even annoying.

The book starts with them already living together under the same roof for 2 or so years and doesn't explain much so I had to assume a lot of things. Many of which weren't explained at all in the end, for example, why Sean only slept with high-class escorts in an expensive hotel for someone who probably doesn't earn a lot. And why she did that in the first place.

Then there's the extremely repetitive story with 3/4 of the book spent on each character sitting in their own end of the house while justifying why they can't be together. That's frustrating by itself but then Jade is such a petulant child that she refuses to even lock her doors in the face of repeated threats to her safety. She consistently places herself in dangerous situations time and time again, and Sean the supposed ex-secret agent allows that to happen.

The stalker part also wasn't handled well. Just like their relationship didn't go anywhere for 3/4 of the book, so didn't the stalker. The same kind of threats repeated from time to time without escalating tensions and then it quite anticlimactically ended without ever growing that tension. A lost opportunity for sure. Not to mention the stalker being such a stereotype that I can't imagine anything less creative. How about making the stalker an actual lesbian for a change? Not all lesbians are sugar and rainbows all the time you know.

And the most frustrating part - their relationship. Jade is so unlikable I don't understand what Sean sees in her. She just loves her for some random reason. And so after 3/4 of the book spent in a standstill, they go from an employer/employee relationship to planning to build a house together. That was such a whiplash that it almost broke my neck. There is some lust and rather decent sex scenes but no chemistry, no actual love, unfortunately.

I finished it but I didn't like it.

I found this story very tedious and repetitive . The first 3/4's of the book was so repetitive, with the 2 main characters going over and over the same ground. Sean, the body guard, pledges her protection, while Jade acts like a spoiled brat and will not cooperate. That's the tedious and repetitive part. Then there was the ridiculous and confusing wind up ending. I didn't like any of the characters....hmmmm, maybe the female detective, and did not feel any chemistry between the lovers. Lust maybe but no chemistry.
This sort of reads like a first attempt at a mystery in a writing class.
I can't recommend this story.

This was an ok read. I have to admit it started somehow slow and I wasn't sure I'd be interested to finish it at once like I did many other books, but once the real action plot came into game, it got better. I DID expect more from chemistry and romance part, but it wasn't bad at all, it just wasn't great. I'm giving this book 3 stars.

Jade is a lesbian fiction author, who gains mainstream popularity. But becoming a successful author hasn't been without a few bumps, including less than friendly protests and hateful messages, and her safety is in question. Ex service agent Sean has recently been hired as her bodyguard to protect jade from a stalker targeting Jade. Even with the threat on Jade's life, and the quest to discover who the stalker is before it's too late, neither woman can deny the attraction between them.

I found it really hard to connect with this book. The book begins where Sean and Jade have already known each other for a year and the first few chapters is a jumble of present time and flashbacks to when they met and then skipping ahead a few more days, etc... The book evened out and I was able to enjoy it, but because of the beginning I never connected to the characters and I never fully committed to their relationship.

Sean and Jade were interesting characters, both strong and gorgeous and sexy. The thriller side of things was good and the sex scenes were pretty steamy. It was just missing depth and emotional investment for me.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Typically, books have a thriller heavy theme with a tiny bit of romance or a romance heavy theme with a tiny bit of thrill. I feel like this book was fairly balanced. There were sections were the romance dominated and sections where the mystery dominated. I agree with many of the reviewers who would have liked more of their backstory instead of starting two years in, but I don't think it effects the quality of the book. I really liked this author's previous publication, Epicurean Delights and was looking forward to this new one from her. I will admit that several times while reading this I was sure I'd figured out "who done it", but I was so wrong. I was impressed that the culprit hadn't bled into the storyline more. This is a great try at both romance and mystery/thrill writing and I look forward to this author's next book. I received an ARC from Net Galley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This book starts when the characters have already met but have not advanced to a personal relationship. Sean Moore is the personal bodyguard of lesbian writer Jade Rivers, When we meet them they seem to have a professional relationship while both want more. It takes a serial stalker that's getting more dangerous for the two of them to come closer to each other. As for the serial stalker plot itself, the writer dropped some red herrings that really had me wondering. It was a bit of let down who the stalker turned out to be. But the whole book has you on the edge of will they won't they; get together and not get hurt.

3.5 Stars. Now that my beloved Red Sox won the World Series, I can finally get back to reading instead of watching too much TV. This book was next on my read list because I was hoping to get a good romance with some excitement. I thought the romance was decent but the stalker storyline didn’t really come together liked I had hoped. This is Roman’s second book and it is better than her first, but there are still a few bumps.

The story is about a bodyguard Sean that falls for the author she is guarding. Jade is a lesfic author whose books were lucky enough to gain mainstream attention. When she had a scare with protestors against the LGBTQ community, Jade felt she had no other choice but to hire protection. Sean is an ex Secret Service agent and the perfect woman for the job. When a possible stalker starts sending Jade threatening messages, Sean must do everything she can to keep her safe.

One of my issues with the book is sometimes the pace was too slow moving. I found the beginning of the book especially to be slow which made it hard to really get into the story. The book starts and Sean is already Jade’s bodyguard. I don’t really agree with this choice. I think reading what happened to Jade to scare her into getting a bodyguard, maybe even Sean in the Secret Service for a chapter or two, then having the characters meet for the first time, all would have added some great scenes to really pull you into the book. Instead the book started very slow with a lot of inner thoughts about the two characters.

Once the possible stalker storyline came in the book did pick-up some, however I never felt any of that real edge of your seat excitement I was hoping for. As others have mentioned the stalker part did seem more of an afterthought compared to the romance.

The romance was pretty good. I don’t have many complaints except again about the slow pace in the beginning. Once there was actually potential for the couple that book felt much better. The sex scenes were not fantastic but they were solid so no real complaints there either.

I’d say this was a slightly above average read. The book is not going to wow you, but the romance is pretty good. I felt it was a small but noticeable improvement from her last book and I am hoping Roman’s next book will keep going in the right direction.

The tantalizing theme of falling for your bodyguard lured me in immediately to Stroke of Fate. What won me over was the two likable yet human characters of Jade and Sean. The character development for each was in depth and layered, maybe on the touch side of repetitious but satisfying nonetheless. Their romance was slow build and burned hotly at times as their attraction went unrequited for many pages as they sorted through the threat of a dangerous stalker hell bent on Jade’s demise. When they finally do give in it’s spectacular and insanely intense. The suspense of the stalker and the romance blends together seamlessly along with a side of a sweet and cleverly written friendship that adds another layer to their journey. The stalker plot is creepy but not too scary and had twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. It was fun watching these two emotionally walled off and cautious women fall for each other despite their unusual circumstances.

This book is about the relationship between a writer and her bodyguard. Jade is an author of lesbian themed books, I don't remember if they are police or mystery labeled because there is not important at the end, only that their female rols are lesbians, which entails that she has some agresive haters, male and female, stalking her with phone calls and mail. Hence the necessity for a bodyguard, and Sean is so and some more.

Sean is an ex Secret Service agent and is secretly in love with Jade, but her stoicity and training allows her to maintain this fact very well hid. Jade is a little bit annoyed by the necessity of a bodyguard, invading her space and time, but the escalation of stalking and the change in form and animosity, convinces her in the benefits of having a protector.

It's no a bad thing that Sean appears to be a goddess and Jade is a bit like a model too. Because they start having benefits in their relationship, a lot. There are some hot sex scenes, but too short and quick in my opinion, the romantic part is over and above all the rest

And the mystery part is not very well resolved, but after all is only a means to the main fact, that is the romance.

I have enjoyed reading it, it's an entertaining, thrilling at some moments and easy to read. It's a book that I recommend.

Sean was an former Secret Service agent and Jade, who sold her deceased father’s business for two billion dollars, started to write books to fulfill her life long passion. This passion soon garnered her much success along with avid fans and a few crazed ones who behaved in a threatening and obsessive manner. Jade’s publicist, Chad, told her to hire a bodyguard. Sean appeared to be perfect for the bodyguard/assistant job until she found herself falling for Jade; the affection became mutual. This caused a problem. Sean needed to focus on her job and couldn’t compromise this focus with her feelings for Jade. This was basically the problem the women faced throughout the book. It went back and forth…to be together or not to be together.

The storyline had tremendous potential, but the fluctuating relationship status was overplayed. The stalker situation appeared to be, for the most part, a side note appearing here and there. If you are not really concerned about the mystery part of this story, then you’ll be entertained.