Review: Unexpected Protector
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 8, 2013
OMG, I hate cliffhangers! And this book has a HUGE one at the end of it. So, fair warning.I loved this book so much. I was a big fan of Unexpected Angel, Book One in the Isthmus Alliance series, but I connected with this book so much more. I think it was because I loved Tommy immediately, and I admired Holly for her strength and spirit. In UA, Dylan bordered on being too much of an controlling jerk for me to really fall for him, and Tasha was just too weak of a character for me. In this book we see Tasha and Dylan as secondary characters, and while Dylan is still very controlling, I was glad to see that he seems to be learning to compromise and Tasha is definitely coming out of her shell and standing up for herself.Unexpected Protector picks up immediately where UA left off, and we see Tommy sitting a bedside vigil next to a comatose Holly. He feels an unexplainable attraction to her, and he will go to any length to protect her and help her recover. When Holly finally regains consciousness, she is suspicious of his generosity and selflessness, but Tasha finally convinces her to take the help that is being offered. Tommy and Tasha nurse Holly back to healthy, both physically and emotionally, and we finally get to see glimpses of the old Holly, and the potential of who she could be.I love how Sloan Johnson knows how to build emotional relationships between her characters. The physical part is there too, and it's freaking HOT, but it seems like more emphasis is put on the mental and emotional connection that is there. Tommy draws Holly out of her shell, and then when he needs her, she is there for him. And everything develops organically and naturally. Nothing felt forced or rushed. They were really just two damaged people that fit together perfectly.The story ended too soon for me though! There are still unresolved issues between Tommy and Holly, plus several developments that involve most of the other characters. And again ~ that cliffhanger!! Geez, way to keep us on the edge of our seats Sloan! I will be counting the days until the next release in this series. :)