The Heart We Guard (Iron Outlaws Colorado MC 4) by S. Cole-review & excerpt tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 7, 2025
Greer
The night I was fired as a surgeon, a dying man told me a secret I wasn’t supposed to hear.
Now someone wants me quiet—and a biker bleeding out in the parking lot might be my only escape.
I didn’t plan to take him home and remove his bullets on my dining table.
Yet, for seven days, he’s the calm in my chaos.
We break rules. Cross lines.
Then he’s gone.
But five weeks later, I find him at the clubhouse—and hand him a note with two words that change everything.
Butcher
I should’ve bled out.
Instead, I ended up in the care of a woman with haunted eyes and hands that didn’t shake—even when mine did.
But Dr. Greer Hansen is too soft for a man like me. Too bright. Too good.
So I leave while she sleeps.
Five weeks later, she finds me with news that hits harder than any bullet ever could.
And the only way to keep her breathing… is to drag her into my world.
Even if she hates me for it.
Even if it costs me everything.
She walked into my world by accident, and now I’ll rip it apart to keep what’s mine safe.
••••••
REVIEW:THE HEART WE GUARD is the fourth instalment in S. Cole’s (Scarlett Cole) contemporary, adult IRON OUTLAWS MC: COLORADO erotic, MC romance series. This is thirty-six year old, surgeon Dr. Greer Hansen, and forty-five year old MC president Butcher aka Nolan’s story line. THE HEART WE GUARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives Butcher and Greer, THE HEART WE GUARD follows in the wake of the suspension and firing of our story line heroine. Overworked, and under paid, Greer finds herself at a crossroads when she saves an injured biker against hospital policy. Suspended for her actions, Greer walks into a bloodbath when another injured biker is brought to the parking lot, and our heroine is determined to save his life. Seven days at home with a man she did not know pushes Greer outside of her comfort zone until said man disappears without a trace. Several weeks later, Greer discovers her life is about to change, and searches for the man with whom she will fall in love.
The world building follows several paths as Butcher reconsiders his future with the club and the woman that calls to his heart but a rival MC is taking aim, and our heroine is about to be targeted for what she knows.
The relationship between Butcher and Greer begins a doctor and patient but performing surgery at home is another risk to her license. Determined to save our hero’s life, Greer finds herself both doctor and friend, that quickly turns into something more. Butcher is struggling with what was in the past, and a future he never expected but Greer is the woman that calls to his heart, and in this, Butcher is ready to prove he is worthy of a second chance. The $ex scenes are provocative and seductive without the use of over the top,sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and determined secondary and supporting characters many of whom we met in the previous instalments including Butcher’s daughter Ember and her partner Atom (The Oath We Take). There is a change in hierarchy, and a new man at the helm when all is said and done.
THE HEART WE GUARD is a story a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, murder and mayhem, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is thought provoking, dramatic and intense; the romance is passionate; the characters are desperate and charismatic.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Grief We Hold
The Oath We Take 2
The Fire We Crave
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
“Sorry, Doc.”
“You know,” she says, pushing her chair away from the table and walking towards me, “films like this
are part of the problem.”
I glance up at her. “And what problem is that, Greer?”
“Eighty percent of violent crime is committed by men. And there’s a whole”—she gestures in a circle
with her hands—“infrastructural, societal, patriarchal…whatever the right word is…mess that causes
it.”
I roll my eyes. “Doc, I’m not drunk enough or high enough for that kind of conversation.”
“Doesn’t make it less true though.” She reaches for the tape holding down the gauze over my
abdomen wound and lifts one corner to peer beneath it. “It’s healing well.” The words are muttered.
Like they aren’t for me but for her. “Women have been cleaning up men’s trail of destruction since
time began.”
I bite down on the grin that’s threatening. “Since time began, huh?”
“Yeah. I mean, let’s take white women in the middle ages. They were only ever involved in war
because of their husband’s alliances. And after battle, they’d be sent out to steal anything of value
from dead or fallen soldiers. They had to nurse the wounded, but not be the doctor, because god
forbid a woman gets educated. With the exception of a rare few like Joan of Arc and Margaret of
Anjou and Aoife MacMurrough, that’s all they could do. And there are even more examples around
the world. Like Fu Hao, a Chinese Empress, and Ahhotep, Queen of Egypt”
“But violence is a man’s game. If someone broke into your house now, I would expect to fight off
whoever it is, and I’d expect you to hide.”
Greer laughs at that. “For the record, if someone broke into this house right now, I would not go and
hide. That’s what women do in movies, and then they end up being dragged from beneath the bed
by one foot and then kidnapped or worse. I’d find a weapon. Your gun. A knife from the kitchen.
Whatever. And I’d fight. And, also for the record, I would be able to do everything so much better
and faster than you. I’d beat you to your gun right now.”
I like how feisty she gets. Pink flushes her cheeks, and outrage sparks in her eyes. Bet it would be fun
to tame a woman like that. “So, you’re more of a Joan of Arc and whoever those other broads
were?”
“Broads?” Greer’s mouth drops open for a moment. “Broads?”
I simply grin.
“Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England, was known as the she-wolf queen. She helped end the
Hundred-Year War and led the Lancastrians into the famed Battle of Tewkesbury. She dared to rule
at a time when it wasn’t seemly for the queen to be anything other than the consort of the king. And
Aoife, also known as Red Eva…she led her troops into battle in a Norman society that was not ready
for the Celtic warrior. They were not broads. They were incredible women who refused to conform
to the misogyny and patriarchy of their time and place.”
When she’s done, her chest heaves like she just ran a sprint. She’s not a particularly curvy woman,
but I still find myself transfixed by the rapid rise of her small yet round breasts.
“Hate to point out the obvious, but they were each just one woman on the battlefield. I’m guessing
their armies were wholly male.”
“I wasn’t there, so I wouldn’t know.”
Her answer makes me laugh. “Jesus, Greer. Sure. None of us were there. For all we know, none of
our historical records are true. But if you had to make a hypothesis, you’d agree they were likely all
men.”
She shrugs. “Fine. Probably. They all were. But they relied on their leader for training, payment,
food, and advanced military tactics and precision. And they—”
“Fine. I get it. They provided.”
Greer lets out a sound akin to a growl. “No. Listen, if we were talking some famed male knight
leading troops, you’d be game to discuss their strategic might, their fearlessness, how brave they
were. But a woman leader, you’re like, oh, think about all the men who fought.”
“You’re a feisty little thing when you get going.”
“And you’re an asshole.” She glares at me for a second. “Actually, I don’t know you well enough to
declare you an asshole just yet. But this conversation is putting you well on the path.”
I start to laugh but have to throttle it and hold a cushion across my abdomen as I do. “Only you could
make an apology become a non-apology so quickly.”
“I wasn’t apologizing. I’m sorry if I made you think I was. Oh, and that was an apology.”
I chuckle again, and she smirks, a self-satisfied expression that says she somehow just won our
conversation. “I like you, Greer. You’re a good sparring partner. A little on the wrong side of the
rules, but not enough that you aren’t liked by those who are rule abiding. You make brave calls
without thinking of yourself first. I was worried when Smoke dumped me in your car. Wasn’t sure
what I was getting myself into. But I like you. Think my club would too.”
Scarlett Cole is a contemporary romance author that calls both Toronto, Canada and Manchester, England home. A born city dweller, she periodically quashes the urge to live in the country by hiking up a mountain to remind herself that living away from people would terrify the pants off her.
She believes everybody deserves their love story to be told and loves her heroes on the rough and rugged side…and usually tall (because she married one of those 6ft 6” men you read about in romance books!). She’s an A-type personality and Scorpio star sign, so good luck getting her to do anything she doesn’t want to.
When she isn’t writing, she’s happy to talk about hot men and expensive shoes while drinking a cold gin and tonic. Don’t bring up olives. As far as Scarlett is concerned, they are the devil’s food. As long as you don’t bring up olives, she’s happy to hear from you any time.
She is represented by Louise Fury at The Fury Agency.
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Terrific review & excerpt, thanks
Fantastic review, thanks for the excerpt
Thanks for another wonderful review and excerpt.
Great review, Sandy. Looks like a very good story.
Wonderful review, Sandy. Looks great.
Very nice review, Sandy. Looks very good.
Terrific review, Sandy. Looks like a very good story line.
Amazing review, thanks🌺
Great review, Sandy. Thanks.
Very nice review and excerpt, thank you
Looks good, thanks again
Great review, Sandy. Sounds like a very good story.
Looks great, thanks for the excerpt
Thanks for the great review and excerpt !
nice review thanks for the excerpt