When He Defends (Protector & Defender 4) by Cynthia Eden-review

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He didn’t want a new partner, especially not her.

FBI Agent Gray Stone knows killers. As a top profiler at the Bureau, monsters are truly his business. So he absolutely does not need to be paired up with the infuriating—and gorgeous—Dr. Emerson Marlowe. But her mother is a senator with far too much power, and, all of a sudden, Gray finds himself on training duty, a duty that includes way too many hours and way too much temptingly close contact with Emerson.

He doesn’t play well with others. In fact, he doesn’t play at all.

What’s he supposed to do with a sexy shadow? One who is just as good at mind games as he is? One who is smart and funny and…dammit. Emerson has practically no field experience, and the last thing Gray wants to do is put her in harm’s way. He may not want to work with Emerson, but he will not let anyone hurt her. So when a new case goes sideways and a killer gets chillingly close, Gray has to come up with a new training plan.

New She follows his orders. She does exactly what he says. And she does not get in the way.

Except Emerson can’t follow orders to save her life. She does whatever she wants, and the woman is one hundred percent in his way. In his way. In his mind. In his dreams. And, maybe, just maybe, the infuriating Emerson is even working her sneaky way into his heart. But danger is growing around her, danger that doesn’t seem to just be coming from their work at the FBI. A stalker has eyes on Emerson, a predator who is well-acquainted with darkness and pain. A perp who wants Emerson to suffer.

To protect his new partner, Gray will have to let his own darkness come out to hunt.

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REVIEW:WHEN HE DEFENDS is the fourth instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is psychiatrist Dr. Emerson Marlowe, and former US Marine turned FBI profiler Gray Stone’s story line. WHEN HE DEFENDS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Emerson and Gray WHEN HE DEFENDS focuses on the search for a serial killer. Someone is targeting married couples,and with her expertise the field of psychiatry, Emerson has asked to be paired with our story line hero but never expected to find herself hunting a killer on a secluded island.

Meanwhile, Emerson’s life has never been her own, and with her mother constantly taking control, our heroine is determined to break free but all is not as it appears to be, so with the help of his fellow friends and agents, Gray begins a deep dive into the history of the Marlowe family.

The world building follows several paths as our couple go undercover to ferret out a killer. From the outset, our couple find themselves a target of someone unknown but as Emerson and Gray get closer to the truth, someone else takes aim determined to stop them both.

The relationship between Gray and Emerson begins as a professional pairing that will quickly turn into something more. Undercover as a married couple, Gray is determined to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love. The $ex scenes are. Intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are desperate and colorful. We are introduced to Emerson’s overbearing and over protective mother Senator Marlowe, and her security guard Owen: Emerson’s ex Nathaniel; Gray’s cousin and MC member Cassius ‘Cass’ Striker, as well as several FBI agents and friends including Rhylan, Malik, Ronan, Tyler and Kane. The requisite evil has many faces.

WHEN HE DEFENDS is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession and jealousy, family and relationships, acceptance and love.The character driven premise is intriguing , engaging and suspenseful; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic, determined and charismatic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
When He Protects
When He Hunts
When He Fights

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy