A soldier rescues an aid worker in South Sudan and face a fight for their lives. Bastien is the kind of asshole, arrogant hero who hides a complicated, endearing and fiercely loyal side. Brie is a strong, resilient heroine, repenting her family's misdeeds (could do with less "woe is me"). Their hang-ups + dicey situations give rise to the push pull, but there's good sexual tension, and their camaderie add to their chemistry. They worked well together, and Bastian's protectiveness is sexy. 😂 

Their heartfelt moments show depth to their feelings, giving strength to their romance. I liked that Bastian is 100% gone for Brie and readily admits that. And when they're on, they're *hot*. The conflict/secrecy didn't drag, and there's good effort at fixing things, though not without bumps. The HEA is lovely and satisfying. Action/suspense is exciting, and very well researched. CW:

child trafficking, slavery, sexual assault, violence against women

This was another great story. I'm disappointed that I waited so long to start to read this author. On the bright side, I now have a backlist I can read. 

Brie was a great character with depth that she continued to explore throughout the book. She was willing to expand her horizons and learn new things. Bastian was also great. They started off on the wrong foot, but there was a ton of chemistry. I liked how they were willing to learn about each other. The action is pretty non-stop. There's no danger banging, but the slow burn is worth it.