Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5) by Susan Stoker-Review & Giveaway Tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 10, 2019
Sarah Butler isn’t flattered. She’s angry and unnerved. She’s been getting intimate gifts from a man she barely knows. Nothing threatening yet, but there’s just a weird vibe she can’t ignore. Her recourse is Ace Security. Their solution: self-defense lessons at Rock Hard Gym with a personal, hands-on instructor. One look at the bearded, tattooed, green-eyed alpha is enough to take Sarah’s breath away.
Cole Johnson is definitely the man for the job. He’s eager to train her. Eager to get closer. And when it comes to Sarah’s instincts, Cole knows she’s not imagining things. He’s also not imagining the intense attraction between them—and his desire to protect her is growing. But so are Sarah’s fears, the worst of which come true when she disappears.
Enlisting the help of Ace Security, Cole will stop at nothing to find the love of his life…before she vanishes forever.
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REVIEW: CLAIMING SARAH is the fifth (and final?) instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult ACE SECURITY romantic suspense series. This is gym owner Cole Johnson, and nurse’s aide Sarah Butler’s storyline. CLAIMING SARAH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Cole and Sarah) CLAIMING SARAH follows the quick building relationship between thirty year old, nurse’s aide Sarah Butler, and thirty-one year old, gym owner Cole Johnson. Sarah Butler has a stalker; a mentally handicapped man who believes Sarah is his to own but Sarah struggles with the increase in letters and gifts that are beginning to take on a threatening tone. Desperate to protect herself Sarah enrols in a self-defence class, a class that brings her up close and personal with her future. Enter Cole Johnson, the man with whom Sarah will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Cole and Sarah, and the potential fall-out as Sarah’s stalker demands more from our story line heroine.
Cole Johnson’s attraction to Sarah is immediate and intense, and like all of Susan Stoker’s heroes Cole knows Sarah is his happily ever after. But Cole, along with the Ace Security Team believe Sarah’s stalker is a potential danger, and they begin a search to determine the extent of the threats against our heroine’s life. Sarah Butler is a bit of a Pollyanna who sees the good in everyone she meets but battles between head and heart as it pertains to the man who is currently making her life miserable. Hoping to protect the woman he loves, Cole and Sarah make plans for the future including moving our heroine closer to Cole.
The relationship between Cole and Sarah is one of immediate attraction; an instantaneous match that rapidly turns into something more. Cole wants a future with Sarah Butler, a future that is threatened by a man whose disability doesn’t allow for right and wrong. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary characters including Logan and Grace (Claiming Grace #1), Blake and Alexis (Claiming Alexis), Bailey and Nathan (Claiming Bailey #3) Bailey’s ten year old brother Joel, Ryder and Felicity (Claiming Felicity #4), as well as Sarah’s stalker Owen Montrone.
CLAIMING SARAH is a fast paced story of insta-love; a sensitive tale of obsession and misunderstanding; romance and love. The premise is inviting and realistic; the romance is tender and intense; the characters are sassy, sexy and sensual. CLAIMING SARAH is a heart warming and revealing addition to Susan Stoker’s ACE SECURITY series.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Claiming Grace
Claiming Alexis
Claiming Bailey
Claiming Felicity
Claiming Sarah
Copy supplied by the publisher
Reviewed by Sandy
Cole stared at her for a long moment, and when he frowned, Sarah felt as if she’d somehow disappointed him.
“No, I don’t ask out every woman I train. Not even close. It’s been a long time since I’ve asked anyone out. And believe me, Sarah, I’m looking at you—and I like what I see. A lot. You’ve got an air of innocence about you that I find fascinating. You’ve had a tough life, but haven’t let it harden you. I respect you, and I . . . I’d like to get to know you better.”
She bit her lip and took a deep breath, but didn’t immediately protest, so he went on. “I have a feeling simply being around you will make me a better person.”
Sarah shook her head. “Don’t do that. Don’t put me on a pedestal. I’m not some paragon walking around sprinkling glitter throughout the world.”
Cole laughed. Threw his head back and laughed as if she’d said the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
Sarah tugged on her hand again, somewhat offended, but he still refused to let go.
When he got himself under control, he said, “I know you’re not perfect. You’re too trusting. You see the good in everyone, even when there isn’t any there. You probably neglect your own health in order to do something good for someone else.”
“You make me sound like an idiot,” Sarah grumbled, despite being secretly kind of flattered.
“You’re not an idiot. You’re refreshing. And I’m not. I’ve got more than my share of flaws that I’m sure you’ll discover sooner rather than later. But as I said, if you let me get to know you, go out on a few dates with me, I’m hoping you’ll find that you like me back . . . just a little.”
Sarah frowned. “I already like you, Cole, but I don’t understand you. You don’t know anything about me. I could totally be lying to you right now, and you just bought my lies hook, line, and sinker.”
He smiled again. “You’re not lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m an expert at reading body language. I’ve been around some bad people in my life, angel. You are who you say you are. What you see is what you get.”
Sarah licked her lips nervously, and his gaze immediately followed the movement.
Cole persisted. “Say you’ll go out with me, Sarah.”
“I thought I was here to figure out how to defend myself.”
“You are. And we’ll get to that. Agreeing to go out with me in no way affects whether or not I’ll teach you some basic moves that will allow you to get away from someone and get to safety.”
“But if I say no, things could get weird.”
“Then say yes,” Cole cajoled. “I swear you’ve got nothing to fear from me. I’ll even get references if that will make you feel safer.”
“It’s not that. I think I feel safer with you than anyone I’ve ever been around . . .” She
hesitated.
“But?”
“I’m afraid once you get to know me, you’ll decide I’m annoying. Too much work or something. I work odd hours, weird shifts. And I looked you up online. I know about your friend and what happened to her. And about the Andersons. The last thing I want is my stalker getting upset when he sees us together—because he will—and taking out any anger on you and your friends.”
“Breathe, angel. Take a breath. Nothing is going to happen to them.”
“You can’t control people, Cole,” Sarah pressed. “They’re unpredictable.”
“Fine. Then we’ll meet with Logan, Blake, Nathan, and Ryder, and make sure they know everything about this Owen guy. We’ll let them investigate and figure out what will make him back off. In the meantime, we’ll hang out at my place. Or here. Or your house. We won’t shove our relationship down Owen’s throat. We’ll be discreet. How’s that sound?”
Sarah could only gape at him. “How’d we go from me wanting some tips on protecting myself to having Ace Security investigating Owen and you and me hanging out at each other’s houses?”
He smiled at her again, but didn’t answer her question.
She took a deep breath and gave him the only answer she could. “Okay.”
He beamed. “Okay,” he said quietly. Then he finally let go of her hand and stood, before immediately reaching the same hand down to her again. “Time for your first lesson.”
Automatically, she reached up and let him help her off the floor. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. A kiss to seal the deal. A hug. A discussion about when and where their first date would be. But so far, Cole hadn’t done anything the way she expected him to.
“First lesson for today will be how to get a guy to let go of your hand if he’s been holding on too long and you’re uncomfortable.”
Sarah knew he was referring to her feeble attempts to pull her hand out of his, and blushed. But he was right, this was something she should know. It would come in handy at the hospital too, just in case one of the patients or family members got a little too familiar, as they’d done in the past.
Concentrating on his instruction, she did her best to put her nerves about dating Cole behind her.
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all-American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.
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New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all-American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
