3 1/2 Stars

When Lyosha and Mila meet he is immediate infatuated with her, but knows that she is too sweet for him. Lyosha has a past that is anything but sweet. But when it is clear that Mila's life is in danger, Lyosha take protection to the next level. Could it be his past coming back to haunt him? Or is sweet Mila in her own trouble?

Although I liked Lyosha and Mila ... I just didn't love them, I found the banter between them strained. But I really liked Mila's family dynamic ... that was realistic. The steamy scenes were ... well very steamy. This is the book 16 in this series and it can definitely be read as a standalone as characters from other books are introduced quite nicely.

I received a copy courtesy of KR Press KC through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review

Secret Enemy continues the Red Stone Security series and I might have screamed in excitement when I saw it. I LOVE this series but thought it was done. You don't need to have read the previous books, but you should add them to your TBR because they are good!

Mila and Lyosha are friends. The kind of friends who secretly pine for each other but suffer in silence. That is until Mila shares a concern she has with her roommate's boyfriend. Lyosha is that beautiful blend of totally alpha male and deeply devoted man in love. There is no way Mila couldn't love him because he is just so perfect! Thankfully, Mila is a wonderful heroine so you are just plain happy for them both. Mila is independent and incredibly hard working which is admirable.

Romantic suspense fans simply MUST add Secret Enemy to their TBR. Also, MOM-read these books! I know you will love them. So, basically, everyone AND my mother should read Secret Enemy 😁

This may be book 16 in the Red Stone Security series but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone! In this one we finally get Lyosha's story!! Lyosha met Mila by chance when he brought a stray cat into the animal shelter that she volunteer's at, and ever since then he hasn't been able to get her off his mind. But he won't go there with her and makes the decision that they should just be friends. He skirts the law regularly for his job and he wants to keep her safe not only from the people he may come into contact now but also from his past. But when trouble finds Mila, he will do anything to keep her safe.

I absolutely loved this story! Lyosha wants Mila so bad that he is willing to just be her friend, just because he thinks his past will touch her if they are more. He is definitely this Alpha male bada** but he also has so much heart to him. And I loved that about him! Mila comes across as a marshmallow in the beginning, but she has a spine of steel! She isn't afraid to stand up for what she not only believes in but what she wants to happen in her own life. These two are absolutely perfect for each other! The story line was great and didn't lag in any way, and the suspense part of it kept me reading and wanting to know more right from the beginning. I am so glad this author returned to this world! Loved it and can't wait for the next one!

I have enjoyed all the Red Stone Security series, and this romantic suspense was enjoyable enough, but this felt like a novella to me, with characters that weren’t really part of Red Stone Security. We did see characters from past books and Mila did start a job with Red Stone, but the story was more centered around the Russian Viktor who we had seen in earlier books and who’s story I loved, but mostly about his right hand man, Lyosha, also a Russian. Mila and Lyosha have been friends for months and although they both have feelings, Lyosha does not feel that he is good enough for Mila, and Mila is not sure what to do. All in all, we did get an HEA and I really enjoyed the story.

So happy to have another Red Stone Security book! Lyosha fights his feelings for Mila, but in the end realizes they are meant for each other. OTT H and plenty of action. So excited to be back in this world

Secret Enemy is the 16th book in Katie Reus’s Red Stone Security series. You do not have to read all of the books because they are all written as stand-alone titles. However, this is the series that introduced me to this author, and I’ve read them all. It’s one of my all-time favorite series, so when I heard she was revisiting the Red Stone Security world, I was beyond excited to read this book. If you’re looking for a great romantic suspense series to binge on, I highly recommend this one!

This book is a friends-to-lovers story with danger coming at our heroine, Mila, from several unknown suspects. Our hero, Lyosha, has come from the wrong side of the law to the right side, and because of his past, he feels like he’s not good enough to be more than Mila’s best friend despite feeling much more than friendship for her. Both main characters make several missteps that nearly sever their friendship, but it eventually ends in their happily ever after.

Secret Enemy is a fast-paced, page-turning romantic suspense story filled with all the drama and suspense you desire in such a book, as well as relatable and lovable main characters and a quirky and adorable cast of supporting characters. Even though Lyosha is very much an alpha male character, he treats Mila so well that she doesn’t see him as over the top dominating. She’s sassy enough to speak her mind and make her own decisions but intelligent enough to listen to others when it comes to her safety. While there are many steamy scenes, they aren’t over the top and simply add to the story rather than detracting from the intrigue. It’s a great addition to the Red Stone Security series that stays true to the setting, tone, and general feeling from the previous books that keeps this series of stand-alone titles cohesive. Needless to say, I’m absolutely giddy that there’s going to be another book after this one, and I can’t wait to read it!

NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Secret Enemy by Katie Reus 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Secret Enemy🤩

Wow, loved this story of Mila and Lyosha❣️ This story is a friends to lovers romance with a bit of denial included on Lyosha’s part…..due to his past he doesn’t believe that he’s worthy of Mila but eventually events wear him down and he admits his true feelings. This story is action packed and full of surprises but especially nice to return to our familiar characters at Red Stone Security😍 I’m super excited for the next one in this series😁

I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and voluntarily leave my honest review❤️

I loved being back in the Red Stone Security world. There's something about romantic suspense that just does it for me and Katie Reus is one of my favorite authors.

Lyosha, while not my favorite hero of the Red Stone Security World, is still pretty great. There were a couple of moments that you'd want to yell at him for, but he more than made up for them.

Mila is definitely one of my favorite heroines though. She was strong and knew what she wanted.

Overall I loved the story and the romance.

Complementary copy given for my honest review and opinion. Provided by NetGalley.
This is one of the hottest romances with plenty of mystery and romance. The revisiting of some of my favorite characters was also a treat!!

Yay! I adore this series and was thrilled to see there would be more installments! I really liked Lyosha and Mila. They complement each other well and it's hard not to love them together. Her fmaily is so fun and really brought Lyosha out of his shell a bit. The plot was interesting with a good amount of action and intrigue. My only complaint is that I struggled with understanding why Lyosha pushed her away, I think I just needed a little more there. Overall, I loved it and can't wait for 17!

*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Who doesn't love a man who loves animals! Lyosha rescued a cat and in the process met Mila.
He never managed to take the next step and ask her out, even though he makes up excuses to see her again but he essentially friend-zones himself!

Mila is about to start a new job and it's at the same company Lyosha has links to, Red Stone Security. But someone from his murky past has decided now is the time to strike and they will use the very visible cues that Mila is important to Lyosha and use them to their own advantage!

I enjoyed meeting some old Red Stone Security friends and Mila's family gave her some added depth and much-needed humour. I really loved the way they saw right through her and just niggled at her about Lyosha! Similarly, Lyosha doesn't have the greatest of poker faces either! My fave scene was when Mila's family took over a certain pool!

This is most definitely a slow-burn romance, no insta-love here. Strong storyline, engaging characters, and some hot, hot romance.

Mila met Lyosha when he brought in a half-starved stray cat to the shelter she volunteers at. Mila has a new job at Red Stone Security, which links to Lyosha through his boss' wife, who also works there. Staying in the friend zone was near impossible, but Lyosha didn't think he had anything to offer. Lyosha protects her with everything he has when danger comes around. A sweet and sexy story. Loved the suspense.

Katie Reus has become one of my favorite authors in the romantic suspense genre. Her characters are engaging, and her plots are action packed and keep me guessing.

I was excited to have another book in the Red Stone Security series and this one didn't disappoint. Mila was a likeable character as was Lyosha. Another great read from this author!

4.25⭐

Secret Enemy was a great read. That was fast-paced, and packed with wonderful characters, especially Lyosha. Not to mention a storyline that beautifully blended angst, drama, action, sweetness, heat and a little suspense; and I was gripped throughout. And I'm certainly looking forward to reading more from this series in the future.

Would happily recommend.

Secret Enemy by Katie Reus is suspenseful and romantic, as any romantic suspense should be. However, this novel has that “something extra” beyond a rugged male protagonist who is protective and a female protagonist who has moments of insecurity, but when deeds require it, she comes out strong and fighting.

Lyosha brings in a stray cat to an animal shelter where he meets Mila, a volunteer, and they quickly become friends. He works for Red Stone Security and is their security lead. Mila has finished her degrees in marketing and design and starts work at the same company. However, they are keeping it to a “friends-only” relationship. When a threat from his past walks into their lives and threatens Mila, their lives change in multiple ways.

There was a lot more character development in this book for them than I expected. Lyosha and Mila are very different characters, but each is well-developed revealing both their tough sides and their flaws. I got a good sense of what they enjoyed when they were relaxing as well as how they handled threats and what their vulnerabilities were. The supporting characters of Mila’s family and Lyosha’s friends and co-workers had the right amount of depth for their roles.

This book is set in Miami, Florida and is exactly what you would expect from a well-written romantic suspense novel, with plenty of concern over how to protect someone, working to determine who is threatening them, and just the right amount of friendship and romance. The one thing that I felt was somewhat missing was a strong sense of Miami. This could have taken place in almost any city.

There is a twist to the story that adds another dimension. Suspense and action abound. Steamy scenes don’t come into play until about two-thirds of the way through the book so there isn’t the instant love that so many authors overuse. Themes include threats, family, friendship, attraction, protectiveness, kindness, jealousy, romance, and revenge.

Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and action-oriented. If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you.
This exhilarating novel is the sixteenth in the Red Stone Security series, but it reads well as a standalone. This is the second book that I have read by this author and I can’t wait to find out what is next in this series as well as go back and read the earlier books.

Author Collection 20 – KR Press, LLC and Katie Reus provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 22, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

3.5 stars

This was a fast and easy read that left me with a contented and satisfied feeling. Apparently this is the 16th book in this series. While this is NOT a new author to me, I don't think that I've read any of the books in this series. With that being said, this was absolutely fine to read as a stand alone book. It is apparent as the book progresses that there is interesting background on several of the characters, but I never felt like that information was hindering my ability to figure out what was going on.

The story revolves around Lyosha, who is the head of security for a man named Victor (THAT is something that the earlier books told us about). Lyosha meets and becomes friends with the female MC Mila. It is the classic, "I'm not good enough for you" trope that has the pair dancing around each other. We then get some drama interjected in with someone from Lyosha's past getting out of jail and trying to use Mila to hurt Lyosha. That danger causes everyone to rethink what and who is REALLY important to them.

One thing that really stood out in this book was Mila's family. The portrayal of her family was awesome, from her mother, to her sisters and their husbands - it is one big happy family that helped add some fun and levity to the story.

All in all, not an awful lot of depth, but a story that you can finish fairly quickly that will leave you with a HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC. The opinions in this review are mine and mine alone.

Secret Enemy by Katie Reus
Red Stone Security series, book 16. Romantic suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone.

Lyosha has played “friend” to Mila for the last six months. He definitely wants more, but feels she can do better than him. He’s a former bad guy turned good, or rather, now on the right side of the law. He knows he will have to eventually walk away so it’s for the best if they are just friends.
All Mila knows is that she’d like it to go beyond friendship but she won’t push. Until she goes on a date with someone else, then all bets are off.

I was frustrated when the Lyosha and Mila wouldn’t talk to each other. So I was glad when the “shakeup” occurred. You have to speak up to get what you want from life and I cheered when Mila finally does. They still had a lot to work through, including someone stalking Mila, so don’t think that’s a spoiler.
Loved her family! Close knit and so invested in each other’s happiness. Quirkiness and love. And the fact they cleaned up after a party and put leftovers in the fridge? Priceless. I hope we see more of them in future books.
Engaging, suspenseful and sexy.

Quote:
“He needed to make a move or he was going to lose the best thing that had ever happened to him. He stripped off his shirt and tossed it onto the chair next to her clothes. And found that he liked the way their clothing looked intertwined together. Imagined what it would look like on his bedroom floor.“

4.5
I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.

SECRET ENEMY by Katie Reus. This was such an enjoyable read! I loved Mila - she is sweet and independent but still loves her family and the support hey offer. Lyosha is just dreamy - such the perfect guy! He is protective and big and tough, yet has such a soft and gentle side to him, my heart melted. There is some danger, some action and of course, some romance too. Ms. Reus writing style flows effortlessly too. The Red Stone Security series is one of my faves and Ms. Reus did not disappoint with this one. (NetGalley Arc received for honest review)

I love this author. She never fails to keep me interested. Her books always have strong hero’s and heroines. Lyosha is the perfect example. Strong, handsome and ever so sexy, or so Mila thinks. When their two worlds collide can Lyosha keep her safe while keeping his heart from becoming involved. Read the book and see! Gotta love me with kitty’s.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Thank you to Netgalley & KR Press, LLC for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Secret Enemy is a fast and entertaining read, it's part of the Red Stone Security series, but can be read as a standalone. It has funny scenes, fast paced action, suspense and romance, with multiple POVs!

Mila and Lyosha meet in the prologue at an animal shelter, then six months later, in chapter 1, they are good friends with definitely more than a spark between them. Mila is a badass heroine, with a loving family, and Lyosha is a great guy, but he thinks Mila is too good for him. He tries to stay away from her, but that only works until Mila's life is in danger.

I'd recommend the book to those who like romance books with a bit of action, suspense and funny dialogues. If these tick your boxes, be sure to check out Secret Enemy! Expected publication date is 22 June 2021.
#SecretEnemy #NetGalley