Extreme Honor

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Even though David is out of the service now, he is still military to his core and his work with military and police dogs in-training and rehabilitating showcase this. When one of his friends is killed overseas he makes sure he gets his dog, Atlas, and begins work to rehabilitate the traumatized dog. When a beautiful woman shows up claiming to have been hired to help with Atlas, David thinks back to a few mysterious messages Atlas' handler sent him and the odd instances starting to happen around the kennels and immediately is distrustful of her. Lyn knows dogs but humans have always been difficult for show more her but she won't back down to the alpha hunk trying to dictate how she does her job. David and Lyn work to help Atlas and fight the danger starting to circle them.

First in a new series, Extreme Honor has a hot cover that no doggie or muscle loving person can turn away from. The inside story, however, evoked less passionate feelings for me. The bases of the story with a military veteran and a harder edged woman working to help a traumatized dog, while uncovering military secrets, sounded exciting and steamy. Unfortunately, the story read very dry to me. There is no cute whimsy to the dog and interactions around him, which is completely fine, just don't go looking for a Shalvis comparable here. The writing style and character interactions were more clinical and while a lot is relayed in how to behave around a traumatized dog and how training with military dogs differs greatly from basic guard dogs, Lyn's interactions with Atlas were boiled down to her giving him long walks, belly rubs, and talking to him. This was obviously to showcase Atlas needing a softer touch and more heart but purposefully contrasting it with David's more technical approach had it falling into gender stereotypes and devalued Lyn's dog training skills, in my opinion.

Usually, the hero is the more walled off character but here, it is Lyn. Her step-father was military and she always felt the cold shoulder from him and felt like she was never good enough, giving her self-confidence issues. She is attracted to David right away but as they are working together in a professional capacity, she declines his first advances. David was the more flushed out character with his friends and life given a fuller outline. However, his character had a glaring inconsistency that I couldn't get past. He first accepts that Lyn wants to keep things professional but one or two days later he is grabbing her and kissing her, disregarding her feelings and certain she wants him as much as he wants her but yet, when Lyn wants to have sex, he refuses. One time it's because he feels she is too emotionally vulnerable and another, the timing isn't right. I completely understand his reasonings for saying no but with his personality composed as it was and as the story went on, it began to feel needlessly drawn out, until they seemingly out of nowhere give in. I can't say I ever truly felt the chemistry between this couple but that could be to me, personally, feeling the writing style as clinical.

The suspense story with murder, corruption, and hidden identities and how it tied all in with Atlas, David, and Lyn got very convoluted in the end. Random secondary characters popped in and out without much distinction and a secondary character's surprise turnabout was more head scratching than shocking. There are clearly some heroes waiting in the wings with David's friends at the kennel and maybe some future heroines working there, too. If you like a more straightforward and cool tone and want a military dog aspect in your romantic suspense, then maybe you wouldn't mind the author's writing style but for more passionate people, the cover is probably your stopping point. show less

Extreme Honor is the first book in the True Heroes series, focusing on the Hope's Crossing Kennel and the three men who work there (all ex-military), the dogs they work with (military dogs and police dogs, as well as some "regular" dogs and their humans), and, of course, the women they encounter along the way. Book one is David Cruz, Atlas, and Evelyn Jones's story.

Atlas worked with a close friend of David's who was KIA, and the dog has yet to recover from his loss. He's lethargic and uninterested in continuing his training. Just before his friend's death, David received a strange message from him that he'd initially discounted as a "drunk text"; now he's not so sure. He's immediately suspicious of Evelyn, however, who shows up at the show more facility unannounced to work with the canine, sent by someone with connections. When Atlas--and Lyn--appear to be in some sort of danger, David's protective instincts come to life. What is the common demoninator between Atlas, Lyn, and David's friend? What do the men who appear to be after them want, and why?

I enjoyed this story, my first from this author. Though David and Lyn have great chemistry together, it's the connection they both forge with Atlas that really makes the book shine. He's a working dog, not a pet, though, so if you're looking for a book with a lovable fur baby he's not going to quite fit the bill. However, I found the loyalty he showed toward those he'd accepted as his handlers and his intelligence made him into a character that was on par with the book's humans. The suspense part was nicely done, though the ending still left a few questions, and one character's switch from villain to apparent hero was a bit abrupt. Still, I had a hard time putting the book down once I'd started.

David's coworkers are nicely set up to be heroes in future books; I'm looking forward to learning their stories and reading more about the amazing animals they work with.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. show less

Very good book. It caught my interest from the beginning and I couldn't put it down until I was done. I really loved the setting of a place that trains and rehabilitates dogs. The romance between David and Lyn was great and the suspense was intriguing.

David and his friends started Hope's Crossing when each of them left the military. They love their work and it suits their post-war needs. David's biggest challenge right now is Atlas, a dog that he had trained. Atlas's handler had been a friend of David's and Calhoun's death has hit both David and Atlas hard. Atlas has lost interest in everything as he grieves his partner, until Lyn Jones arrives to work with him.

Lyn has made a career of helping dogs and owners. As a matter of fact, she show more prefers animals to people. When she read an article about Atlas, she was sure she could help him and did everything she could to get hired to work with him. Atlas walks right into her heart as soon as she meets him, increasing her determination to help him.

The initial meeting between David and Lyn was pretty rocky. David hadn't been told anything about an outsider coming to help with Atlas and isn't very happy about it. Lyn, having grown up with a military stepfather, feels that she has to establish herself immediately and comes across pretty bitchy. I liked that they overcame that first meeting quickly, once they both realized that Atlas's recovery is the important thing. I loved seeing them bond over their care for the dog. Also humming along between them is an intense attraction. David makes his interest known immediately, though Lyn starts out trying to keep things professional between them. I loved the way that David accepted it without pouting or trying to change her mind. He also didn't let it affect their working relationship. When Lyn was attacked, David's protectiveness kicked in. His rescue of her was exciting, but even better was his sensitivity to the aftermath. I loved his matter-of-fact support and understanding. It was fun to see how Lyn changed her mind about being with him, and her frustration when David refused to take advantage of her vulnerability. I loved seeing them grow closer as they worked with Atlas. I also loved Lyn's reaction to David's story about his family, a support that he had never experienced before. They ran into a rocky spot in their developing relationship at the end, but came through it well. I loved the respect and love they have for each other and how it showed in the way that Lyn stood up for her feelings at the end.

The suspense of the story was really good. From the beginning, David has suspected that there was more to his friend's death than was reported. When Lyn was attacked soon after arriving, and Atlas seems to be the motivating factor, David's suspicions increase. The evidence that he discovers raises more questions and puts him and Lyn in greater danger as they investigate what they have learned. There are several really intense confrontations that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering how they were going to get through them. The final confrontation was really exciting, with an interesting twist to it.

I loved the few glimpses of David's partners, Brandon and Alex. Both of them showed the same protectiveness and intensity as he did. I'm really looking forward to their stories. I also loved Atlas. His grief over the loss of his handler was obvious. I liked the little hint of interest he showed when Lyn appeared, and David's bit of jealousy over it. I also liked the fact that it wasn't an immediate healing, but a gradual process, which was much more realistic. I liked the bits of his personality that showed through, like when David was kissing Lyn. I also loved how he connected with Lyn and protected her. show less

Extreme Honor by Piper J. Drake
Book #1: True Heroes Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 3/5 stars
My Review:

Atlas is an exceptionally trained Belgian Malinois who lost his handler in combat. Since the loss of his friend and partner, Atlas has shown little to no interest in participating in life. In fact, despite some very significant efforts, Atlas is wasting away as a result of his grief.

Evelyn Jones is an exceptionally trained dog trainer/handler who has been given the opportunity to work with Atlas. Atlas is not yet past his prime and the military is most interested in seeing him go back to work. Work won’t be possible if Evelyn can’t break through Atlas’s grief and encourage him to work again. From the moment she meets him, show more Atlas responds to Evelyn in a way no one has seen since he lost his partner. Atlas likes Evelyn and within just a few minutes of their meeting, the big dog is responding to the trainer.

David Cruz has an affinity with dogs and, given his own military background has a particular skill set qualifying him to work with military dogs like Atlas. David has worked with Atlas before but has had no luck in getting the grieving dog to respond to him. Though David isn’t thrilled about an outsider coming in to work with Atlas, even he has to admit, the woman’s got game. David is forced to recognize Atlas’s quick acknowledgement of Evelyn and her presence has a clear impact on the dog. In fact, within just a day or two, Atlas is hesitant to leave Evelyn’s side and is becoming far more active than he has been in months.

For a few brief moments, Evelyn and David both feel like Atlas’s situation is getting better. Unfortunately, it’s not. Oh, he is certainly responding to training but he also carries with him evidence of an ugly plot that not only got his handler killed but will also threaten the lives of man, many active duty men. The men running the plot are desperate to keep their plans well-hidden and that means tying up any and all loose ends that could expose them. Evelyn, David, and Atlas are all loose ends. Over the course of just a few days, Evelyn is attacked, David is damn-near run down, and the men they can find to talk to refuse to do so. Every near-miss makes David and Evelyn more determined to get to the bottom of the plot so they can not only be free and clear from the personal danger but also to understand what happened to Atlas’s former partner, and protect Atlas. Complicating the entire situation is the intense attraction between David and Evelyn; Evelyn wants to be closer to David while David struggles to remain a gentleman and not take advantage of a vulnerable woman. As their situation becomes more intense so does the attraction.

The Bottom Line: For a fist in a series book, Extreme Honor is a decent read. Drake has a lot of ground work to lay for the future of the series as well as telling Evelyn, David, and Atlas’s story. For the most part, everything comes together in a pleasing way. Though I liked David and Evelyn well enough, the star of the show for me is Atlas. Drake has done an excellent job of creating a real character with Atlas, one who feels and responds to loss and love just as intensely as his human counterparts. I became quite invested in Atlas and found myself rooting for him more than for David and Evelyn. I knew the humans would end up with an HEA but the dog, not so much. Overall, I can’t say I am over the moon about Extreme Honor but I also recognize it is the first in a series and that book isn’t always the strongest in a series. I read the excerpt from book two at the end of Extreme Honor and I will definitely be back for more.  show less

Extreme Honor by Piper Drake

A contemporary romantic suspense with ex-military men and highly trained and lovable dogs. First in a series.

The hero plays the honorable card even though an immediate attraction makes restraint difficult for both. Once they succumb to passion, the devotion and emotional commitment to each other is fantastic and well written. It seemed to be an abrupt change from sexual attraction to an emotional one, but sex and highly stressed situations will probably do that.

I was surprised by one character near the end.
Bottom line, an engaging romantic suspense novel and an author I look forward to reading again.

I fell in love within the first 10 pages of this book... it was the sweetest bit of instalove ever, and it was for a dog. I have been kicking around the idea of adopting a retired military or police dog for a while now, and this book really has me leaning closer to filling out the application. I loved everything about Atlas. His loyalty and love for his handler was heartwarming, and his dejection after losing his handler was heartwrenching. Whenever the book was focused on Atlas, I was invested in the story 100%.

However there was more to the story than Atlas' rehabilitation after losing his handler. There is a bit of romance, and a bit of mystery and suspense. It appears this new series from [a:Piper J. Drake|13868164|Piper J. show more Drake|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1444263948p2/13868164.jpg] is going to focus on a group of vets who have come home and formed Hope's Crossing Kennels to train military and police dogs, and provide civilian dog obedience classes. Because the guys are the focal point, I will start with our hero - David Cruz. He was quite yummy and matches up with the cover model nicely (as did our doggie hero, Atlas). Cruz is a former para rescue jumper for the Air Force and is now working with dogs. I can't tell you much else about him - other than he doesn't fit in with his family and is somewhat estranged from them. I would have liked to see his character developed more, maybe with regard to his time in the military or what his actual experience training dogs involved.

The heroine of this first book is Evelyn Jones, stepdaughter of a very serious and stoic military man. Her chosen profession is dog rehabilitation and psychology. We have a little more backstory on the heroine, mainly focusing on her hard-to-please stepfather. I would have liked to know more about her mom and her professional history and qualifications. She was okay as a heroine - but her character was somewhat predictable. You know from the start with the way she wants to please the ol' stepdad that she is going to end up doing something stupid to hurt Cruz and/or Atlas. So of course when that happened, I couldn't really feel bad for the predicament she found herself in.

As I said above, I really enjoyed all of the aspects of the story that involved Atlas. However the other parts kinda fell apart for me, and the middle of the story lagged. I found myself zoning out a few times and had to go back and re-read pages. I think this may be the first book I have read where a dog was a central character, and I can't believe it. As a huge dog person, I definitely want to read more of these types of stories. There is a sneak peak into the next book in the series, [b:Ultimate Courage|27416021|Ultimate Courage (True Heroes, #2)|Piper J. Drake|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1447941358s/27416021.jpg|47465111], and it intrigued me. So I will most likely book up the next book when it comes out.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars / 3 flames. show less

Atlas is a gorgeous Belgian Malinois whose handler died in combat. The outfit David Cruz works for, the Search and Protect Corporation, hired dog whisperer Evelyn Jones to try and rehabilitate Atlas. Suffering from grief, Atlas's suffering is concerning. Fortunately, one look at Lyn and Atlas all but melts. He becomes responsive and the timing is good, as he is an excellent protector, especially when he is at his best.

David has been through quite a lot, and maybe due to his former army training, he is exceptionally skilled as a trainer. He has unique qualities and this has helped him to draw very close to Atlas, so he works alongside Lyn. His work is heightened because almost immediately Lyn is in danger, and had been accosted. Being at show more the right place a the right time allowed David to save Lyn's life. There is inherent danger, however, for both Lyn and Atlas, and seemingly, it never lets up.

Extreme Honor is the first book in the True Heroes series. This book makes an excellent start to a promising series. I absolutely love books with dogs! This one is no exception. Atlas is definitely well-trained, and due to such training, extremely lethal. Watching his experiences made for a great read. I enjoyed the love story, of course, as well as the mystery as to why Lyn and Atlas were in danger. show less