The Lumberjack is the fourth and final book in the Game of Chance series and while I did read it as a standalone I don't think I got the full effect and would have benefitted from reading previous stories. Jack and April's connection felt rushed and incomplete to me but it seems this was probably played out across the series.

Overall I'm always a fan of 'reverse' age gaps (she's 46, he's 39 but his age is only finally mentioned right at the very end) though in this instance, it was a minor plot point. The two main characters here choose to remain childfree, though there's an outrageous number of 'nieces' and 'nephews' from their friends which feature in a not-at-all-satisfying epilogue, and there are some really nice touches like when Jack rushes out of his house in the middle of the night to get to April, only to discover he's just in his underwear. Oh, and April is the architect of the women's rescue - so they don't really need all those pesky special forces men!

On the downside, the story is, as expected, incredibly, unbelievably, far-fetched, the baddie is a borderline racist caricature that shows little imagination has been spent on developing the idea of a terrorist, and while the men dote on 'their women', their obsessive possessiveness is the wrong side of fun and bookishly weird - these guys just don't want 'their women' to go out and have fun without them.

So a mixed bag. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. If you like a bit of melodrama and enjoy the whole 'US special forces boys are the best' vibe then you might like it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the published for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

Book 4 in the Game of Chances Series, The Lumberjack is Jack (JJ) and April’s love story, accelerated or pushed along after April is in a car accident, sending JJ into a panic and realization that life is short, and he needs to stop holding back.

While the story includes JJ and April finally coming to their senses after 5 years of knowing each other, working together and wanting each other but not taking the chance for many reasons, it encompasses all four men who are friends, ex-military who served together and were POW’s and their wives.

All couples are in danger when someone from the men’s past wants revenge, even if his logic for who to take that revenge out on is a little twisted.

This story showcases the strong bonds between the 4 men, the strong, smart women they love as they all work together to survive. The epilogue, set 10yrs later encapsulates all 4 couples not just April & JJ, giving a wrap up to the series as a whole.

If you have not read the first 3 books, that’s ok, there are snippets shared of the other couples' stories, although the epilogue no doubt has a lot more meaning and impact and likely draws more of an emotional response for those who have read the other books in the series, for me it fell a little flat.

There is a bit of repetition in the telling of the story (characters traits, what they like, why they held back, how they know each other), and the epilogue, but overall, an easy read that will have you wanting to know how all the action will shake out, how good will overcome a crazed adversary.

I wish I would’ve read the first there books before this one, but I’m planning on doing that next! Always love a protective MMC, one who would burn the world to save his woman.

Jackson and April’s love story was my first into to this Game of Chance series, but it was still a great intro. April has a tragic car accident where she wakes up with amnesia and can’t recall anything from the past 5 years of her life. She doesn’t know why, but she feels this draw and sense of safety with her boss, Jackson. As they kindle their relationship, they, alone with their group of friends, face someone from their past who is seeking revenge.

I think the story was pretty good overall. Having not read the previous 3 books in the series, I still felt I had a good grasp on all the characters and the dynamics. I did feel the timeline of April and Jackson getting together was rushed and unrealistic, especially because she did not remember the past, but this might have been set up more in the previous books. It was cute to see how loving and protective Jackson was over April, even though he is this rough and tough veteran who has gone through some tragic experiences. Overall, this was a cute story about them finding each other with a suspenseful twist that I did not see coming.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Lumberjack is the long-awaited story of JJ and April, who we've seen glimpses from the series' previous books.

The story picks up where April got into an accident and she wakes up with no memory of what happened. This accident wakes JJ up to the fact that time is short and he shouldn't have waited so long to claim April as his girl.

Wanting to take care of April and keep her safe, JJ takes April to his house and makes sure she's comfortable and taken care of. April, on the other hand, wants to regain her memories quickly after hearing from all their friends that she and JJ were never a couple.

There's also a thriller/suspense aspect to the story where a character wants to get revenge on JJ and his friend group. We get his POV scattered throughout the book as he plots his revenge.

I loved that JJ and April finally have their story and we get front-row seats to how their love unfolds. I also loved that we get cameos of everyone in the series so far and how tight-knit the friend group is.

I rated The Lumberjack 3/5 stars because I think that JJ and April's story felt a little rushed. The revenge plot took over most of the book and it was more planning to save lives rather than a deep love story.

Overall, still great storytelling and I recommend this to anyone who's been waiting on JJ and April's story!

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Susan Stoker's books. Her romances make my heart go pitter patter. This series is great because each of the POWs find love. JJ is the last one in the series. He and April have always had chemistry and sexual tension. He is pretty much all in, but she is the one constantly putting on the breaks. In the last book, she is involved in a wreck and JJ is the first one on the scene. In this continuation, JJ gets to the hospital and April's ex-husband is trying to be the caring ex who wants to take care of his "wife". Well JJ smells a rat and refuses to leave April's side. Since she has amnesia and JJ knows the medical staff, it is easy to get April to go home with him and let him care for her. She listens to her body and gives in to what her heart is telling her versus what her brain has been spouting all along. It's time for April to get a man that she deserves and JJ is the man for the job.

Susan Stoker gives us quite the conclusion to the Game of Chance Series. An enemy from the past comes for the guys and their women. I loved how the series ended and how Stoker brought in characters from several other series - Mountain Mercenaries, Silverstone, and Ace Security.

This is book four in The Game of Chance series and it is Jackson ( JJ ) and April’s story and it is definitely a must read. JJ and April have history because not only did they work together and have feelings for each other but because April was older than JJ and also gone through a divorce she doesn’t think that she is good enough for him so they are both in denial of how they feel until April is in a serious car accident and had lost the last five years of her memories which is now making everything even more difficult and complicated but now JJ was determined to do everything possible to take care of April and stay by her side while she heals and then maybe she will give him a chance to prove that he is the one for her. JJ and April have been in love which each other for years and now after a near death experience neither one of them are willing to let any more time pass because they want to be with each other but things are starting to happen that can’t be explained and danger is closer than they know or think and they are watching and waiting for the right time to strike and take away everything but will they be able to eliminate the threat before it takes away all there happiness and future that they all have and deserve. Wow this book certainly takes you on a rollercoaster journey of emotions and actions and I read it in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down as it was so addictive. I absolutely loved this book and series so much and this group of friends that became family was so special especially after everything that they had all been through and how they were always there for each other, support and help when needed regardless of the situation and consequences. Susan Stoker is an amazing author and writer and she certainly knows how to keep her readers attention and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I so enjoyed this book. Although this book is #4 in the Game of Chance series, the writing was well done and the flow of the book never faltered. I never felt I was missing something.

April has been in a car accident and now has amnesia. She can't remember anything about the past 5 years. She does know she feels safe when Jack 'JJ' Justice is around. Jack can't believe he almost lost April. He's been in love with her for a long time, but now that she has amnesia, he's not sure he should make a romantic move on her. until she gets her memory back.

The amnesia was resolved very early in the book and although it was a bit of a hook, it didn't play a huge part in the complete story. It's almost like this was a two part story. The first is about April's amnesia and getting over it, then JJ and April are a couple. With the three other couples in their group, it feels like they're all going to ride off into the sunset. But, there are a few hints of sinister goings on and when I was about 50% done with the book, the crazy begins.

The book sped up and I couldn't put it down! Thrilling ending. I also loved the epilogue! We get to see all four couples as they are 10 years after the incident in this book. A wonderful ending to this series.

Susan Stoker knows how to write a romantic suspense with the most delicious MMCs! The perfect ending for the series

3.5/5 Action packed friends to lovers with some amnesia thrown in

I received an advance copy from NetGalley. The story was good and the action and drama in the second half was certainly enjoyable. I hadn’t read the previous books so I felt I had missed out on some on the romance build up, but was still able to easily follow along. I liked that the FMC was older and a force of nature. The MMC was fierce and protective and loving. All in all and enjoyable read.

I just finished "The Lumberjack" by Susan Stoker and it totally blew me away. JJ and April stole my heart from the get-go in the series, so I had high hopes. Their chemistry? Off the charts. The banter had me grinning, the longing had me rooting for them, and the steamy scenes? Let's just say they were perfectly spicy. As a sucker for military romances, this one hit all the right spots—it's got that blend of tender moments and heart-pounding suspense that kept me hooked. Set in the picturesque Maine woods, the story unfolds beautifully as JJ and April navigate their insecurities and missed chances to finally confront their feeling. The author's knack for describing lumberjack life and Maine's rugged charm really brought the story to life making me feel as if I too was in their little small town. "The Lumberjack" is a heartwarming reminder that love can conquer all, wrapped in a thrilling package that had me turning pages. If you're into romance with a side of adrenaline, "The Lumberjack" is your next must-read. It's got everything—a captivating storyline, characters you'll root for, and enough romance to keep you swooning.

"The Lumberjack" by Susan Stoker is a captivating romance that beautifully concludes the Game of Chance series. The story revolves around ex-soldier Jackson "JJ" Justice and his longtime crush, April Hoffman. Their chemistry and witty banter make for an engaging read. April's near-fatal car accident and subsequent amnesia bring their buried feelings to the surface, adding depth to their relationship. The suspense heightens as an enemy from JJ's past threatens their newfound happiness. Stoker masterfully blends romance and danger, making this novel a thrilling and heartwarming conclusion to the series. A must-read for romance fans!

Jack and April's journey was a nice way to complete this series it has a nice balance of drama, action and a few unexpected surprise's along the way to keep us invested in the outcome of the story and its core group of found family.
I received a advance readers copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review

The Lumberjack🤩

Finally, JJ gets his head out of the sand when April is involved in a car accident and temporarily loses her memories of the last five years. JJ cares for April during her recovery but won’t make any advances until she has regained all her memories, convinced she won’t want to be with him when
she does🥹

April feels safe with JJ even though he’s a stranger to her, upon her waking up after the accident. Though after finally leaving the hospital, her and JJ embark on a new journey together but unfortunately, an enemy with plans of revenge is closer than any of them thought and when all four women disappear, the men rally the troops to get them back…which is more daunting and hopeless than originally thought when they have literally no clues😭

Loved meeting up with some old favourites and the suspense and anguish the men were going through not knowing what was happening to their women but knowing what it’s like to be a prisoner😳 Suffice to say I enjoyed this ending to the series, and that epilogue was magical❣️I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and willingly leave my honest review❤️

I like romance novels, because a ‘romance novel’ can be so many things. Helen Hoang’s trilogy that’s a sensory delight with often heartbreaking plot, incredibly complex and real autistic heroines – romances. The old Harlequin pulp pocketbooks – romances. <i>Lord of the Rings</i> – well, not officially, but Frodo and Sam seem to follow the romance beats quite well, except for that bit where they don’t even kiss (but one carries the other). And there is so much in between. I love so much of it. I love Judith Krantz’s pomp and circumstance, I notice, but don’t complain about the billionaire ripped guys and virgins half their age giving up their inconsequential jobs – a friend of mine has written a thesis on the success and structure of Harlequin novels, and while all of them are similar, some are really good at it. I also tried to write romance and I failed, because it’s the most difficult genre. Hoang’s <i>The Kiss Quotient</i> was my book of the year because of how structured romance actually is, how strict its rules are, and how much she managed to do within those confines. I only know it’s a romance novel because I have read so many (and tried so hard) that I can recognise the bits and the tropes. But that’s the point of the genre. It has to be unpredictably predictable. The things that are supposed to happen have to come from a not-that-long list, which combines into a finite number of possibilities, and they have to surprise the reader without <i>over</i> surprising the reader. Romance writing is an art and I will die on this hill, while trying to get it semi-right myself just once.

Susan Stoker resolved those problems in a new, unexpected way: <i>The Lumberjack</i> is not a romance. So, that’s the first thing I had wrong about it when I requested it on NetGalley. In my defence, look at the cover. And the fact the book is listed in the romance genre. Reader, this book is not a romance. If you don’t mind that, and Stoker is a NYT bestseller so you probably don’t, you’re up for something that is either an accidental or conscious self-satire with Hawt Sex. (No, that’s not the male MC’s, his name is Jackson Justice.) Also, it paradoxically provides me a weapon in my eternal battle against the idea that ‘women’s fiction’ is a genre, while ‘men’s fiction’ is just called fiction. This is a women’s thriller with sex and controlling men going bonkers when out of control.

We meet April, our heroine, when not just we, but also April has to learn about herself, because she had an accident. When she hit her head, she lost memories specifically from the last five years, but not the years before. She is forbidden from trying to remember anything, because that can worsen the brain swelling. I am completely convinced this is a legit medical condition. Jackson Justice, or JJ for short, is – as I mentioned – the male MC, not a tribute album to Michael Jackson. He’s hot. I mean, he’s a lumberjack. AND an ex-super-duper-elite-soldier. (I kinda confuse the Deltas and the SWATs and the Marines, not the author’s fault and not sarcasm, I just can’t remember.) It has apparently been April’s ~*hilarious*~ idea to name the lumberjack shop Jack’s Lumber, which brought a lot of business. However, the nature of the business is quite… vague. In the book called <i>The Lumberjack</i> I received absolutely no actual lumberjacking, and (for research purposes) I hoped for lots of close-ups of sweaty, burly, muscular men chopping and chainsawing in the metaphorical sense before progressing to the literal sense. The sense of the author having actively avoided research extended past the fact that the entire knowledge of chain saws the collective employers of Lumber’s Jack display is that chain saws need oil. The sentence “he watched as she efficiently did what she needed to do in order to secure the computer and the files she’d been working on” (…logged out?) made me wonder what machinery the author used to write the book, and “

Normally this would be a compliment: the men in the book (except the Baddie – who’s coming!) believe in equal treatment of both genders, there is no sexism, and the butts compared to each other are the men’s. EXCEPT April and her workmates keep being referred to either as ‘our woman’ when there’s only one, or ‘our women’, or, once the Baddie enters the scene (that in itself was quite a plot twist – I thought I was reading a romance?!) and JJ + Chappy + Cal + Bob (the Jack’s Lumber bros) are joined by, I think, 16 more SEALs, Deltas, Special Forces, assassins, and a whole selection of other men whose camaraderie (not my word) spared Jackson Justice from being intimidated by so much testosterone (also not my word), who then proceed to refer to the women as ‘your women’ in preparation to save them from the baddie. (Out of the 16 testos, one actually gets to do something.)

THE BADDIE IS NOT AMERICAN. You must know that. The author will hammer (accidental pun, but it stays) home many, many times. Ryan is NOT AN AMERICAN no matter how good his English sounds. He is the brother of a man who tortured JJ, 2Cs, and B (there are surprisingly gruesome flashbacks) and wants revenge. With great fascination, I watched the Computer Whiz get to this conclusion from the fact that the Baddie, who is VERY BAD, introduced himself as Ryan Jackson, has been identified as twenty years old, and has a porn channel subscription. This, together with the fact that Ryan captures four (our) women, three of them very pregnant, hits them, and throws around phrases like “shooting the fetus first” (the Whiz doesn’t know that last one) helps the Whiz deduct he is a male family member of one of the many killed foreign tormentors of the good American men who now lumber while jack. (To give Justice justice, as April notices, he is not perfectly ripped from all that off-page lumberjacking, there is a ‘small pouch’ that surprises her.) ANYWAY. RYAN IS NOT AMERICAN. Write that down somewhere and look at every time he hits one of the women (mostly, but not exclusively, April) or says things like *insert incredibly clichéd horrible things a Baddie would say to pregnant women*.

I haven’t read the first three books (this is the #4 in <i>Game of Chance</i> series) but it works as a standalone, since over the 253 pages at least 15 are devoted to flashbacks, largely consisting of how brave Our Women were while the men were rescuing them from the sort of situations women belonging to Deltas and NAVYs tend to find themselves. Such as hiding in an underground bunker during an avalanche.

The fatphobia in the book is of the “look at me not being there” sort. The epilogue graced me with “His wife had gained some weight over the years, but that just meant there was more of her to love. And Chappy loved every inch. It didn’t matter what the scale said when she stepped on it. She was the best wife, mother, and a friend he could ever ask for.” (This gives away both the top three ways in which Chappy sees his ever-growing woman <i>and</i> spares him from having to call her a ‘person’ with a ‘personality’. Also, isn’t Chappy the best for loving her no matter what the scale said? I think Chappy deserves a round of applause.) April’s insecurities are written in a similar way. It doesn’t feel like she’s battling insecurities and JJ helps her feel better, but April displays them, i.e. there is a light on, and together with his small surprise pouch (the other pouch is unsuprisingly of the large variety) JJ doesn’t comment unpleasantly. This is the ‘despite’ sort of body positivity. To my surprise, Bob openly ‘grumbles’ (NOT MY WORD) about “why couldn’t we have had a boy first?” – and “they’d had many conversations like this.” (Bob’s epilogue in its entirety freaks me out a bit.) (OMG THAT ONE DETAIL I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT. THE <i>BIGGEST</i> ONE.)

(THE BADDIE IS NOT AMERICAN FYI.)

I could go on for a while. Not because I feel deceived, although I do too, or because the author wrote a conversation that uses, in order: ‘swore’, ‘exclaimed’, ‘said in a vicious tone’, ‘didn’t say a word’, ‘continued to swear’, ‘ordered firmly’, ‘barked’, ‘ranted’, ‘muttered’ and, finally, ‘told’ – and what he told was “strap on your boots, Deltas – we have work to do.” Or because you can learn about lumberjack work from YouTube over the course of two minutes if you speed the video up and use subtitles. But mostly, I am proud of myself for finishing it [because NetGalley keeps stats – Ed.] even when seriously graphic (NON AMERICAN) violence towards a gaggle of heavily pregnant Our Women not just started, but continued. With the first 20% and the interesting injury that causes brains to potentially explode from thinking about missing memories and Jackson Justice being a lumberjack, I set my expectations… to average, possibly funny. I think this is a book for American women who are afraid of foreigners, secretly hate their bodies for being fat (but Chappy will love every inch), are insecure about sex because they’re pregnant (Bob will give you the BIGGEST detail) or Too Old and Too Having Things Removed to be (JJ won’t mind), and… uh… this bit defeats me. Want to get roughed and then saved by many, many Special Delta SEALs who have names and nothing else? (My guess is that they’re characters from Stoker’s previous novels? So many questions???)

Well, let’s focus on the positives. The word lumberjack in itself sounds cool. April is cool. The guys have good butts (not pictured). I liked the cover. The grammar was correct and I haven’t noticed any typos. *sound of barrel bottoms being scraped* Oh! Wait! I just found out how to become a NYT bestselling author!

The Lumberjack is the the 4th and final book in the Game of Chance series, which should be read in order for context and background, even though there is quite a bit of repetition of past events. JJ and April make a wonderful couple and I loved their emotional journey to a HEA. But to get there, they have to survice an attack, not just on them, but on the whole group of friends and their partners. More so than the other books, The Lumberjack's focus is not just on the main characters, but rather on the group as a whole, right down to the wonderful epilogue which gives us a real insight into all their lives years down the road. A worthwile, entertaining read to wrap up a fabulous series!

This was such a wonderful story. April and JJ’s road to a HEA is difficult There are several things that are impeding their romance: she’s older, he’s her boss, she has amnesia, and there. Is danger afoot. We have seen their attraction in the previous stories and how they look out for each other but still maintain their distance. Susan weaves a delightful tale that you get lost in and root for the two of them to find their HEA. This could be read alone but I think reading the previous stories is beneficial. We get updates on the three previous couples in this story.I would recommend this book and series. I was given an arc from NetGalley but this is my honest review.

Solid conclusion to the series. I enjoyed seeing April and Jack’s relationship grow, along with April’s confidence. Action packed, low angst. Three stars because the romance was run of the mill and I found the inclusion of so many secondary characters distracting. The epilogue was a sweet way to send off the characters.

I loved the romance between the two leads but did not like the introduction of peril from a man avenging his dead brother. It wasn't a necessary addition for me in the romance and I skipped large chunks.