HERO’S PRIZE (Linear Tactical: Oak Creek 3) by Janie Crouch-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 27, 2024

When a deadly accident leaves extreme sport superstar Colton Harrison questioning what his future holds, he decides to take a timeout in his hometown of Oak Creek.

He knows the mountains and wildness of Wyoming will help him heal.

But he has no idea how he’s known sweet Ella O’Conner all his life but is somehow only really seeing her for the first time now.

People in his world may say she doesn’t measure up, but this woman—and all her sexy curves—is downright beautiful to Colton.

Ella is who he wants. Who he needs. Who he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

Although convincing her of that will be tricky. All she’s ever wanted was a quiet existence, and life in the public eye can be brutal—no matter how much Colton vows to protect her.

Especially when a stalker is willing to do anything to keep Colton for themself.

•••••

REVIEW: HERO’S PRIZE is the third instalment in Janie Crouch’s contemporary, adult LINEAR TACTICAL; OAK CREEK romantic suspense series, a second-generation spin off from the author’s LINEAR TACTICAL series. This is thirty-two year old, extreme sports star Colton Harrison, and bakery owner Ella O’Conner’s story line. HERO’S PRIZE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Colton and Ella) HERO’S PRIZE follows the friends to to lovers relationship between our story line couple. Colton Harrison has returned to his home town of Oak Creek, to film his latest extreme sport adventure. A friend’s wedding brings Colton up close and personal with Ella O’Conner where he will discover that Ella has crushed after our story line hero for as long as she could remember but one night together ends when Ella ghosts Colton the next morning, ghosting that left Colton wondering what happened or why but Colton’s adventure doesn’t go according to plan, and weeks will pass before our couple come face to face, again. Colton has a stalker; someone who is amping up the apparent ‘threats’ but our heroine is about to pay the price for Colton’s star power and popularity.

The world building focuses on Colton’s career; a possible career ending injury; the back and forth relationship between Colton and Ella, and the threats against our story line couple.

The relationship between Colton and Ella is a friends to lovers. Everyone in Oak Creek is aware of Ella’s attraction to our story line hero but Colton himself. Having followed Colton’s career, the town of Oak Creek will have to come together to protect one of their own. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of familiar and charismatic secondary and supporting characters from both the Linear Tactical and the second generation Oak Creek series. We are introduced to videographer Rick, and Colton’s assistant Tony.

HERO’S PRIZE is a story of betrayal, obsession and jealousy; family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is intriguing and captivating; the romance is fated and heart breaking; the characters are strong-willed, struggling and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Hero Unbound
Hero’s Flight

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

USA TODAY bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense. She is a winner and/or finalist of multiple romance literary awards including the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the coveted RITA© Award by the Romance Writers of America.

Janie recently relocated with her husband and their four teenagers to Germany (due to her husband’s job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys engaging in all sorts of crazy adventures (200-mile relay races; Ironman Triathlons, treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp) traveling, and movies of all kinds.

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