Diana Gardin

Bennett Blacke never expected to join the ranks of Night Eagle Security, especially since he was an ex-con. Once a military man, that part of his life was over, or so he thought. His life had taken a turn and he is now working as a bartender in a bar. While tending bar one evening, a buddy comes in with the rest of the team of NES. Bennett is offered the job of a lifetime. Come work with NES on a trial basis with a unit of brothers where his special skill set could be utilized instead of show more squashed. Bennett is unsure because of his PTSD, which has already led him astray and landed him in prison. He was afraid of turning into the man he once had become. It takes just one member of the team, Sayward Diaz, also known as Viper, to get Bennett to say yes to the deal.

Sayward Diaz, or Viper as she is called by members of the NES team, is a skilled computer whiz and beneficial to the team. Although she is not in the field, her expertise in computers and hacking is an essential part of the team. Sayward has not had an easy childhood and having autism did not help either. Even though she was on the low end of the spectrum, she still has trouble connecting with people. When her life is put in jeopardy, the NES and Bennett will do everything in their power to protect her.

I just have to say that I absolutely loved the instant connection between Bennett and Sayward. For all intents and purposes Sayward has no clue just how desirable she is and Bennett is the first man in…OK maybe the first man ever to make her feel like a woman with needs. Bennett is the first person to ever make her feel like she wanted someone’s touch. Having autism has prevented Sayward from getting close to people. Her life was full of routines and she has her own coping mechanisms to get through things she is uncomfortable with, but with Bennett she can finally feel like she is normal for once.

The way autism is brought out into the story is done with such care and it is evident that the author, Diana Gardin has really done her research. I have a friend with autism who is on the lower end of the spectrum as well. I can relate to some of the actions and feelings that Sayward goes through as I have experienced them myself first hand through my friend. It is not often that you see an author take a risk with a character with a disorder that can effect their social interactions as social interactions are paramount to any story. MINE TO SAVE shows that autism is not just a disorder, that the person with autism, in this case, Sayward, is still a woman capable of love and feelings and having a connection with another person.

Bennett is the perfect hero for her as he is not looking to change Sayward. He accepts her for who she is. He does not treat her any differently, but he does give her the space she needs when she needs it. He can easily pick up on her ques and knows when to hold back. He is patient and kind, but he still treats her like a woman. A woman that he desires and wants in his life and he will do everything that he can to make sure she stays safe.

MINE TO SAVE is the third book in the Rescue Ops series. It is not necessary to have read the first two books to enjoy reading this new installment to the series. There are references to past things that have taken place, but it does not distract from this story. The story is told from alternating points of view which I loved as it gave me the chance to get inside both of their heads and to experience both Sayward and Bennett’s thoughts and feelings. The suspense is a slow build up and will keep you guessing with the action picking up about halfway through the story. All in all this is a 5 star read for me and I will be going back to reading the first 2 books in the series so I can catch up on the stories of the other heroes in the NES because lets face it they all sound so hot! *fans herself* show less

Out of the Ashes tells the story of Paige Hill whose life changed after surviving a fire that took the lives of her family. It’s a story of survival and finding the strength needed to move on from the pain of one’s past.
Out of the Ashes began with the heroine leaving the hospital after spending time in the burn unit recovering from burns received in a house fire. The same fire that killed her entire family. With her best friend by her side she enrolled in college. She’s determined to show more make for the time lost. Paige struggles with self image, due to the scarring from the burns, and PTSD. Despite all of this she displayed an admirable level of strength.

Now Paige is just looking to survive college, so the entrance of Clay into her life came as a complete surprise. A surprise, which she cautiously welcomed. Soon the tow became inseparable. However, Clay’s past indiscretions threatened to tear them apart. Clay was a love them and leave them type of a guy, but all that changed when he met Paige. None of the girls he was with before could hold a candle to Paige. She was definitely it for him, but one particular female didn’t seem to get that memo.

Clay and Paige were great together. I loved how he saw beyond her scars to her beautiful soul. It took sometime for Clay to break through Paige’s walls. However, when he did their relationship developed rather quickly. Despite the fast pace at which their relationship developed the romance felt authentic.

I enjoyed Out of the Ashes, although there were parts where the pacing felt off. First of all it ended with a cliff-hangar, which I never saw coming and secondly it left me wondering if Clay and Paige’s relationship would survive these turn of events. show less

"I'm tough on my own, Ryder...but I think I'm even stronger with you."

Oh, these Delta boyz have me swooning!!! Big, tough, alpha men with a heart as big as the moon!!

Frannie Phillips thought she was safe. She thought he wouldn't find her. Well, at least not this fast. After realizing that her abusive husband is the now at-large ring leader of the exotic car theft ring recently busted, she's now under the protection of NES, specifically Thorn Ryder. It's that or WitSec. Not happy about show more either, she reluctantly chooses Ryder. There could be worse things than being guarded by a tall, muscled, sexy man. The more time she spends with him, the less she can deny the attraction and whatever this is building between them. But, she's keeping a secret. A big one. One that can never come out until her soon-to-be ex is caught. But, betrayal and danger are lurking around the corner and she can only hope that Ryder get to her in time. If not, she's dead.

Thorn Ryder in on babysitting duty until that scumbag is found. Not that he minds. Frannie is drop-dead gorgeous. The attraction is clear, but the mission is temporary. He'll protect her with every fiber of his being, no doubt. But will he be able to walk away when it's over? When he learns of her secret, is it too late? Can he save her in time? He never thought he could feel like this about a woman, and now that he's found her he could lose her forever. Not on his watch.

Oh, Ryder. I think he's my favorite. There is so much more to him than he lets on to his buddies. It just took that one special woman to unlock his vulnerabilities. I'm not going to spoil anything but look for the wings in the story - look for the gesture that is so big, you won't be able to stop yourself from saying "Awwww" or "Oh my God!" out loud while reading. This is only my second read from Ms. Gardin and I can't wait for Book 3!! show less

Settling Ashes by Diana Gardin continues the story of Page and Clay whom we met in Out of the Ashes. Now after the cliff-hanger ending in Out of the Ashes I needed to know what awaited Clay and Paige. Will they be torn apart or will their relationship grow stronger were the two (2) questions on my mind. So I grabbed a copy of Settling Ashes through Kindle Unlimited to get answers to the burning questions.

The story picks up where Out of the Ashes left off. Paige and Clay’s relationship came show more under threat leading to a separation. The separation has taken a toll on them both with Paige believing Clay betrayed her and Clay having a murder charge hanging over his head. Having no family to rely on, Paige turns to the one person who has to connection to her college life, her ex-boyfriend Beau. She intends to return to her friends and college. She, however, needs sometime to come to terms with she perceives as being Clay’s betrayal as well as the murder of her nemesis.

The tale that unfolded intrigued and kept me wondering as to the identity of the villain. I thought I guessed the identity of said villain. Well, I got it wrong, although I wasn’t too far off. The person whom I suspected played a role in some aspect of it. However, it was not clear what they hoped to gain.

It warmed my heart to see Clay and Paige find their way back to each other despite threats from outside forces. Their love for each other was stronger than any threat. Initially, I had a hard time warming up to Paige’s ex, Beau. I found him to be overbearing, however as the story progressed it became how much he truly cared for Paige. The sacrifice he made in the end brought tears to my eyes.

The suspense aspect of the story needed some more development. I say this as no information was provided regarding the outcome for the villain and their accomplice, leaving readers to make assumptions. As much as I enjoyed the story, it needed a good round of editing. Several spelling and grammatical errors were spotted throughout the story

Settling Ashes delivered a fitting conclusion to Paige and Clay’s story. Now, I can’t wait to their friends, Gillian and Drew’s story. show less