THE LUMBERJACK (Game of Chance 4) by Susan Stoker-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 30, 2024

A game of chance during a horrific POW experience decided the future for Jackson “JJ” Justice and his teammates. Years later, they’re well settled into their lumberjack business in small-town Maine. And for nearly as long, JJ’s been pining for April, the woman largely responsible for growing their business, but insecurities keep him at arm’s length from the sexy receptionist.

April Hoffman loves her job…and her boss. She’s unsure where JJ’s head is at, but for her part, she knows exactly why she’s not revealed her feelings. Not only does she have one failed relationship under her belt, she’s also several years older than JJ. Why would a man so brutally hot settle for someone almost past her prime?

After a car accident nearly takes April’s life, leaving her with temporary amnesia, they both understand what they almost lost. The floodgates are open, their feelings exposed…but it may be too little, too late.

An enemy from JJ’s past has come calling, putting not only his future happiness on the line, but the lives of several people he holds dear—starting with April.

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REVIEW: THE LUMBERJACK is the fourth and final instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult GAME OF CHANCE romantic suspense series focusing on a group of former US Special Forces soldiers and former POWs (Callum ‘Cal’ Redman, Kendrick ‘Bob’ Evans, Jackson ‘JJ’ Justice, Riggs ‘Chappy’ Chapman) who own and operate a tree service, search and rescue, Appalachian Trail maintenance company called Jack’s Lumber. This is thirty-nine year old Jackson ‘JJ’ Justice, and forty-six year old, office manager April Hoffman’s story line. THE LUMBERJACK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. There is a slight cross-over using a number of characters from several of Susan Stoker’s interconnected series.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Jack and April) THE LUMBERJACK follows in the aftermath of a car accident that sent our heroine to the hospital. Struggling with severe headaches and the after affects of the accident, April temporarily moves in with her boss Jackson Justice, the man with whom April will fall in love but someone is taking aim at the close knit group of former US Special Forces soldiers, and the women they love will pay the price. What ensues is the building relationship between Jack and April, and the potential fall-out as the women fall victim to a man demanding revenge for sins of the past.

The world building follows several paths including the building relationship between our story line couple. Jackson Justice has lusted after April Hoffman for as long as he can remember but Jack’s attitude often left April confused, and in this, April is willing to walk away to allow Jack to reconsider his choices going forward but the past is about to take aim at the women involved with Jackson and his friends, threatening the lives of everyone, a threat meant to kill them all.

The relationship between Jack and April is a friends to lovers in which Jack declares himself guardian and protector of our story line heroine. An accident that may have been anything but finds Jack declaring his love for the woman in his life, a woman who will pay the price for another man’s sins. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of fantastic and familiar secondary and supporting characters including all of the previous story line couples, as well as several search and rescue members, former soldiers, and assassins from the author’s interconnected series.

THE LUMBERJACK is a story of obsession, vengeance and madness, family and friendships, relationships and love. The premise is dramatic, edgy and emotional; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate, dynamic and professional.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Protector
The Royal Game
The Hero

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy