Synopsis
A dedicated teacher of homeless children, Isabella Camarena's life is interrupted by a midnight call threatening her students. Isabella speeds across state to save a family of kidnapped migrant farm workers, but is soon in over her head helping a family lost to the world of human trafficking. During an undercover assignment at Isabella's school, former Special Forces Army Rangers Leif Johansen and Caleb Samuels met Isabella. After the assignment ends, they continue volunteering there, to pursue a relationship with Isabella, only to discover she's missing. After a harrowing rescue, Leif and Caleb bring Isabella home with them to recuperate. She reluctantly agrees so that she can stay close to the rescued children. Amid the struggle to ensure the safety of the families, Leif and Caleb are determined to win Isabella's heart. Despite her fierce independence, Isabella is naive to the ways in which they want to love her. Can these former Rangers help Isabella embrace her submissive nature? ** A Siren Erotic Romance
Excerpt
Caleb made sure the door was shut softly and they were well away from Isabella’s room, before he rounded on Leif.
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Though his tone was low, he knew that Leif was aware he was being shouted at.
“What is your problem?”
“You looked like you were ready to spank that girl in there.” Caleb looked at his friend, and didn’t see a single bit of remorse on Leif’s face. He couldn’t believe the level of stupidity that was surrounding him today. First, there was Isabella who couldn’t see that she had been a child wracked with sorrow, reaching out for comfort, and used by predatory scum in college. Now here was Leif, with his inner Dom in full force, planning on showing her the error of her ways because she didn’t think she was worthy.
“Caleb, didn’t you hear the crap that she was saying about herself?”
“Yes, Leif, I did. Shall I recap for you?” Caleb knew his voice was sarcastic, but his temper was blown. Leif should know better than this. He continued, “I know that we are dealing with someone who has almost no sexual experience. Would you agree?” Caleb waited, and finally Leif nodded.
“We are dealing with someone who thinks she has been promiscuous and if I had to guess, based on her upbringing, she sees what happened to her as something sinful that she alone caused. Are you with me, Leif? Are you tracking?”
“Yes, Samuels, I’m tracking.”
“We are dealing with someone who is sheltered and by her own admission, is still struggling with her deep attraction to the two of us. Still with me?” Leif just stared at him.
“And that precious woman in there just basically said that she cared enough for us, that she could see herself falling in love with us. She told us that she wants us to have the best possible woman to make a life with, but that she doesn’t think that she is good enough to be that woman.” Caleb took a deep breath and continued. “She said that, Leif, because she is empathetic, caring, loving and wonderful. Meanwhile, you’re over there thinking with your goddamn dominant dick, instead of realizing that we have a chance to nurture and love and be loved by the best thing that has ever happened to us.”
Caleb watched as his words sank in.
“But how can she doubt herself like that, Caleb? It makes no sense!” Leif walked over to the counter where he had left his beer, felt the warm bottle and poured it down the sink before getting a cold one out of the fridge.
“Didn’t you ever spend any time with your mom or your sister?” Caleb held out his hand and Leif handed him a beer as well.
“Yeah, I guess Kara was going through some stuff where she didn’t know which way was up, but she always knew her own worth.” Seriously surrounded by stupidity, Caleb thought to himself as he took a pull from his beer.
“Leif, let’s look at this from another angle. I know that there were times when all four of you Johansen kids took shit because you had two dads.”
“We sure as hell didn’t take it for long.” Leif’s grin was feral. Caleb couldn’t help but smile back. Growing up in Fate Harbor, he was often right beside Caleb and his siblings whenever a disparaging comment was made about the Johansen parents being a triad. Soon there was no kid in school who had anything to say about the Johansens or any triad families, because they knew they’d get the shit kicked out of them.
“What I’m saying is that Isabella is cut from a different cloth than the Johansen clan. Clearly, she got called some pretty vicious names while she was in college. These accusatory labels apparently tied into her moral upbringing. So it’s easy to see how she ended up with some deep-seated beliefs about who she is, and level of worthiness she’s assigned to herself since those days. This is not about somebody who is mouthing off things to offend her Dom so she can get spanked, Leif! This is a young woman who has a broken mirror.” Caleb took another long pull off his beer and set it down on the counter, happy to see Leif really thinking about what he had said. He turned and made his way back down the hall.
Review
This was a really great book about a girl that has a problem trusting people but at the same time she has a submissive side to her. I liked Isabella because she had no problem running into danger to do what she feels is the right thing to do but at the same time she has a problem with loving people. Isabella went through something tragic and it makes it hard for her to open up to people because she feels like they will leave her. In walks Leif and Caleb two guys that both want her and two very dominate guys that are willing to do whatever it takes for Isabella to see that she is worthy of love. This was a book about really discovering your worth and getting over the past.
Rating
Other books by Caitlyn O'Leary:
Trusting Chance
Josie Decker and Chance Reynolds knew each other years ago when they were in the same foster home, before Josie's birth mother reclaimed her. Now, Chance and his best friend, Sam Booth an Afghan war veteran are living in Fate Harbor, Washington, when Josie reestablishes ties with her foster parents and opens a bakery in the quaint town. Chance realizes that growing up with her birth mother has left Josie with physical and emotional scars and a deep belief that she is unworthy of love. Fate Harbor is very accepting of triad alliances, and Chance believes that the relationship that will ultimately heal Josie is one that includes both he and Sam. Sam's recent trauma, fighting for his country, has left him beyond hurt. Chance has despaired of saving the brother of his heart, but finding Josie again has given him hope, and a plan. Can the three of them make the perfect future together?
Protecting Olivia
After almost being beaten to death, Olivia Prescott is recovering in Fate Harbor. There she meets firefighter Joshua Parker, who was everything she wants in a man, and she begins to fall in love. Later, his best friend and fellow firefighter, Ian Ransom, returns, and she recognizes a long lost piece of her soul. Rather than coming between the two friends, she flees back to Boston. When Joshua and Ian find out that Olivia's life is in danger, they realize that their friendship and Olivia mean more to them than any sense of betrayal. They recognize that to keep her they must learn to share her. Their background in law enforcement allows Joshua and Ian to protect Olivia while helping to discover who is behind the attempts on her life. While finding out who is behind the plot to kill Olivia, can they convince Olivia that the three of them are meant to be together and make a life in Fate Harbor?
Claiming Kara
Five years ago, Kara Johansen met and fell in love with brothers Ben and Quinn Shotbrook while on vacation with her fire fighter brothers in Sitka, Alaska.They planned to marry, when tragedy struck the Shotbrook family, leaving the brothers to care for their mother and younger brothers again. They sent Kara back home to Fate Harbor, Washington, promising that one day they would reunite. Years later, Kara has made the decision that she wants to marry and start a family of her own. She has put away her dreams of ever being with Ben and Quinn and instead focuses on men who are available to her here and now. Her meddling brothers inform Ben and Quinn of her plans. The brothers Shotbrook rush to Fate Harbor to do whatever it takes to reclaim the woman they never stopped loving. Has too much changed between them to save their love?
Author Bio
I write the Fate Harbor series for Siren. Fate Harbor is based on the Pacific Northwest town where I grew up, and filled with the same kind of quirky, loving people I remember.
My books are filled with men and women who aren't perfect. They have problems, issues, angst, but every single one of them are good people who are deserving of love, (and steamy ménage sex.)
On May 23rd 2014, USA Today Recommended "Protecting Olivia" in their Hot New Romance Books. "Protecting Olivia" is book number two in the Fate Harbor Series.
I hope you'll take your time to explore the site, check out the books and excerpts and sign up for the newsletter. You can also send me comments. I would LOVE to hear whose story your think should be next.
Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card
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