His Marine training taught him that failure is never an option regardless of circumstances. That certainly applies to Chad’s need to stop Lost and Found’s deranged client from using the information he gathered to stalk and abuse his ex. Falling in love with the broken woman and her sweet daughter in the middle of rescuing them is definitely not the best timing. But it’s also inevitable. In Book 3 of this heart-warming military romance series, Chad will discover that protecting Lora is a much easier task than proving he’s the one man she can finally trust with her heart.

Weeks of no incriminating evidence should have clued him in sooner about who was the real victim. Now Chad Lowell is wracked with guilt after the woman he’s assigned to investigate is attacked by her abusive ex-husband right under his nose. Lora and her little girl are in incredible danger, and he vows to protect them at all costs, whether the angry and hurt woman wants him to or not. His Marine training makes the protecting part easy, but nothing he does seems to make Lora want to take a chance on him or his love.

Lora O’Neil left a life of abuse to make a new start for herself and her daughter. When her ex hires Lost and Found Investigative Service to track her down, she’s left reeling both physically and emotionally. The private detective that had been watching her for the past couple of months did finally come to her rescue, but does that mean she should now trust him to help her turn their lives around? The sexy former Marine makes her body feel things she thought she’d never feel for a man again, but she just can’t imagine what it would take for her to heal enough to ever say yes.

When Lost and Found messes up they do it in a big way.

As Chad is getting ready to leave his post for the night when he hears a crash and muffled screams. While he isn’t in time to prevent all her injuries he is able to rescue her from further damage being done by his client, her ex.

Appalled Chad informs Duncan and explains everything to the police, even waiting for the babysitter while Lora is taken to the hospital.

We also see more of Aiden in this one as he is finally found and Duncan goes to evaluate his condition at a hospital in Missouri. Far from where he was in Denver, but no less wary of any help.

This is a favorite scene after Lora’s home is broken into.

Lora didn’t know how she felt. It was as good of a place to hide as any, she supposed. “Are we going somewhere in particular?”

His eyes shifted away, and for a moment, he looked a little uncomfortable. “We are. A little place about an hour south of Amarillo called Honeywell, Texas.”

She had never heard of it. “What’s in Honeywell, Texas?”

He grinned at her. “Not much of anything really. Couple restaurants, couple gas stations, a grocery, a feed store. There’s a little movie theater that plays matinees on the weekends.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ve been there before?”

Winking at her, he passed a vehicle. “I might have grown up there.”

Lora didn’t know what to think. Why on Earth would he take her to his home? “Mind explaining that to me?”

Chad sighed. “Well, we’re not connected in any way, so I thought it would be a good place to hide you out. My family has a ranch down here, several thousand acres, and it’s easy to lose yourself on the land. My dad gave me a chunk of the ranch to try to get me to come home a few years ago, but I wasn’t interested in moving back. It’s nice to visit once in a while, but I doubt I’ll ever live there again.”

“And your parents are okay with you bringing a strange woman and child home with you?” She thought his cheeks might have flushed just a bit.

“Well, they’ll probably get the wrong idea, but that may actually work in our favor. I, um,” he coughed into his hand, “well, anytime I come home I have visitors. Of the female persuasion. Maybe if they think I’m off the market they’ll leave us alone.”

Lora shrank back in the seat, cringing. She didn’t want to belong to any man. Did he actually think she would go for that idea? Her gaze furious, she opened her mouth to respond, but he held up a hand.

“I’m sorry, Lora. We’ll come up with another story. No big deal.”

She looked at his clamped jaw and realized he was offended. Why the hell would he… her eyes fell to his left hand, hidden at his side. Ah. He had scars on that side of his neck, too, and she wondered for the first time how far down they reached. It had to have been incredibly painful, what he’d gone through.

Chad had put himself out there to help her, help them both actually, and she’d cut him off at the knees. Shame fought with her instinct to protect herself at all cost. “I can’t… I don’t know that I would be able to fake being with you. Physically, I mean.”

If anything, his jaw hardened even more. “No problem,” he snapped. She clenched her fists and gave a sharp cry, frustrated that she’d hurt him even more. “I can’t do physical. Me. I can’t do that.”

Some of the tension went out of the fist clutching the steering wheel and he glanced at her. “Okay. I can understand that. We’ll come up with something else then.”

Lora wanted to cry, and scream, and most of all she wanted to punch Derek Malone. The man had ruined her life and Mercy’s life, and she didn’t know if they would ever be the same. She missed being a woman, letting a man touch her without shrinking in fear. Dinner out, dessert in. Sharing every day with someone important. For a few precious months, she’d had that.

Chad turned on the radio and concentrated on the road, letting her off the conversational hook. Mercy slept quietly in the back seat, worn out from all that had happened in the night and morning.

Looking out the window, she tried to imagine the life she had before, but it was so shrouded in all the crap that came after. A tear slipped down her cheek and she was glad she had her head turned away.
Madden, J.M.. Embattled Home (Lost and Found Book 3) (pp. 67-68). Kindle Edition.

While Lora recognizes her issues, Chad tries to be patient. He’s already fallen for this feisty single mom and her daughter. He’ll do everything he can to protect her from her ex and his mother.

Lots of action and hold your breath moments when combined with the blossoming relationship keep you turning the pages.

The interactions between Duncan and Aiden will intrigue you and have you asking for more of Aiden. There’s quite the story there I’m sure.

5 Contented Purrs for J.M.!

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

This is a 42,000 word novella. It contains strong language, violence and adult situations. Not for readers under 18.

Zeke Foster has little to no experience with women over the past couple of years, after being injured in Afghanistan. Brutally scarred, he has no expectation that he’ll ever find a woman capable of accepting him the way he is. But he can’t help but be enamored of Ember, the waitress of a local watering hole.

Ember Norton’s life has turned into one devastating catastrophe after another. When the scarred soldier with the kind eyes brings some security to her life, she’s afraid to trust her luck. She’s been self-sufficient for a long time. But his wounded soul calls to her and she finds herself falling for him.

In spite of the secrets he continues to keep.

I absolutely love this book! JM’s characters are portrayed in such a way that in no way do you feel sorry for them you actually cheer them on.

Zeke has had a hard road, with his face brutally scarred, it has also scarred his confidence. He feels unworthy of anything but disgust for his looks.

Ember sees beyond all the scars and sees the man beneath it all. On a personal level her problems are beyond the physical and she finds herself dealing with a lot of changes for both her and her son Drew.

This is a favorite scene after Zeke sees her bruised face.

Ember didn’t know why his halting words disarmed her when nobody else’s concern had, but they did. Another tear escaped. Then another. She swiped them away, but they just seemed to fall faster. The events of the past week weighed on her, and she had decisions to make that were going to change their lives even more. For just a heartbeat in time, she wanted to not be strong.

When the big Marine pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, she leaned into him and curled her hands beneath her chin, desperate for some kind of anchor in the catastrophe her life had become.

His massive arms wrapped around her and she broke into sobs, unable to tamp them down any longer. She heard rumbling beneath her good cheek, but couldn’t understand the words. When he swung her up into his arms, she didn’t even care, as long as he continued to hold her. She heard the squeak as her office door slammed shut, then the world tilted as he sank onto the old couch pushed against the wall.

Time stopped as she sobbed into his shirt and he gently rubbed her back. He was so solid and strong beneath her fists. It felt like the world could be falling down around them and he would still hold her safely above everything. A warrior battling back the nightmares.

She lost track of time as she cuddled into him, but her tears eventually began to dwindle away. Embarrassment rolled in as she realized how soaked his T-shirt was. She ran her hand over his broad chest. “I’m sorry, Zeke.”

His grip tightened around her as she tried to pull away. “It’s okay. J-just a shirt.”

Ember let him hold her for just a minute more before her pride forced her to sit up on his lap. She started to slide off, but he grabbed her hands in his. “What can I do to help?”

She blinked, unused to even being offered help. It had been her and her dad for so long, then Drew had been added to their little group, and they were pretty self-sufficient. That had all changed now, though. She shook her head as she realized she was going to have to ask for help. “I don’t know. I have to move, and find somebody to watch my son. But I have to be here, too, to make sure everything runs right.”

When she lifted her gaze, his bright blue eyes were solid and reassuring. She choked out a laugh. “I can’t believe how much I’m trusting you right now. I hardly know you.”

He grinned at her, and the scar that looped down from his bottom lip pulled his smile off-kilter. “I’m a Marine. I’m a…good guy. Even though I don’t look it.”

Against her better judgment, she grinned too, then flinched when it hurt her jaw. “Ouch.”

His eyes drifted down her face and he raised one hand as if to touch her, but stopped. “Who did this? Really?”

She looked down at her lap, debating what she could tell him. Everybody would probably know eventually anyway. “My dad. I walked into our house last Saturday and it was dark. I thought he was sleeping, so I just started to walk through the house like I always do, but he was having a flashback.”
Madden, J.M.. Embattled Minds (Military Romance) (Lost and Found Book 2) (pp. 23-26). J.M. Madden. Kindle Edition.

PTSD is very real and many older veterans, like Ember’s Dad, didn’t have the resources that are now available.

Zeke on the other hand has more surgeries to endure, but what he least expects is Ember’s anger simmering behind her love and support.

Drew is a piece of work, a typical four year old boy, I fell for him just like Zeke did.

This one will have you laughing and crying.

5 Contented Purrs for J.M.

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Veteran’s charities.

John Palmer hasn’t felt like a real man since he was injured during combat in Iraq. Though not content with his new life, he is mostly adapting, just like the other vets at the Lost ‘N’ Found Investigative Service. When Shannon Murphy is hired on as the new office manager, life suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Before long, John finds himself wondering if he could ever be the kind of man Shannon needs.

Shannon Murphy wasn’t really looking for love when she hired on at LNF, but finds herself hopelessly attracted to the sex-on-wheels former Marine, John Palmer. The man is grumpy and nearly impossible to work with, but his brand of masculinity appeals to her on a basic level. Soon Shannon is wondering just what it would take for John to want her the way she wants him.

When an old enemy tries to settle a vendetta against Shannon, John insists on protecting her. He moves into her house, fanning the spark of attraction into a blaze. But the danger continues to escalate. Will the connection that they’ve found survive when they’re thrust into a fight for their lives?

The first book of the series concentrates on the grumpy John Palmer, and Shannon the administrative assistant at Lost and Found.

We start with Shannon having not one but two flat tires. Now that in itself should be a reason to be wary. However, she just shrugs this off as her kind of luck. That is until she comes home from work and finds a Pepsi can in her trash, a drink she hasn’t had in years.

After John calls to see if she’s okay cause she ‘seemed off’ at work, he immediately drops everything to check things out.

After a dinner made to say thank you, Shannon hands him a kitten.

This is a favorite scene.

Shannon felt her brows lower skeptically. “Oh, please. I’m an okay cook, but certainly not fantastic.”

“After MREs, hospital food and take-out, believe me, this is ambrosia.”

Shannon tipped her head forward. “Well thank you very much for the compliment, John. It’s the least I could do.”

She took a piece of chicken over to the box in the corner and broke it into little pieces. One she gave to the mother, and the others to each of the kittens. John rolled over behind her, and peered down into the box. He scowled as he watched them spit and hiss at each other. “Why are they doing that?” he demanded.

Shannon smiled and separated two of the kittens. “Well, they haven’t been eating solid food very long, and they’re trying to establish a pecking order. They don’t usually hurt each other.”

She handed a small gray bundle of fur to John.

“This is the runt of the litter, and I try to feed her a little more than the others.”

John held the kitten awkwardly in front of him. The young cat’s paws batted the air, looking for something to claw into.

“No, no, hold her against you, like this.”

She settled his hand against his chest and shaped his fingers around the little creature’s bottom. Shannon didn’t even realize how close she had moved to John until she looked up and found him staring at her. Hard. With those heavy black brows furrowed and his dark eyes full of burning emotion.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, and pulled away quickly. She snatched another kitten out of the box and tucked it under her chin.

John’s kitten started to purr.

“What’s it doing now?” he demanded.

Shannon laughed at the ferocious frown on his face. “Relax,” she told him gently, “she’s just purring. It means she’s comfortable and likes what you’re doing.”

John eased back in his chair and eyed the cat.

“Haven’t you ever had a cat?” she asked him curiously.

John’s face lost all expression, and a subtle tension eased into the air. “No, I haven’t. Animals weren’t allowed at the boy’s home where I grew up.”

“Oh.” Shannon felt like a heel as the revelation about his childhood settled into her. It explained so much of who he was.

“I didn’t mean to dig things up,” she told him finally.

John shrugged and stroked the kitten on the top of its head with a huge finger. “No big deal. You didn’t know.”
Madden, J.M.. Embattled Hearts (Military Romantic Suspense) (Lost and Found Book 1) (Kindle Locations 485-506). JM Madden. Kindle Edition.

Full of tension, leads that go nowhere, and a relationship that begins almost reluctantly. I loved that the entire LnF crew gets involved to keep Shannon safe.

I love the cats and John and Shannon together. They are in my opinion the perfect, imperfect couple. There are many twists and turns and one that was very unexpected.

5 Contented Purrs for JM!

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

This is a 20,000 word story, prequel to the Lost and Found Series. It contains strong language, violence and adult situations. Not for readers under 18.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.

In the harrowing prequel to The Lost and Found series, three embattled Marines must deal with their devastating physical and emotional injuries in a world that seems to have turned against them.

When the rescue helicopter crashes into his convoy in Iraq, Marine First Sergeant Duncan Wilde struggles with the loss of men, his career and the use of his body. Things can’t get much worse. Until his fiancée decides she has to move on with her life, and that of her unborn child by another man.

Sergeant Chad Lowell knew when he went to war that it would come with a price. And it did. A young Marine under his command is killed by a landmine. Chad’s left with one less leg and a mountain of recriminations. That doesn’t mean he wants to be a pitied by every female he comes in contact with.

Gunnery Sergeant John Palmer is furious at the hand he’s been dealt. He’s served his country faithfully, if not without antagonism, for many years. Now they’re turning him out like a relative who has overstayed his welcome. And, since he’s not even a real man anymore, maybe it is time to move on permanently.

Can these wounded warriors use a friendship borne out of adversity to form a partnership rescuing others? And can they find real love in spite of their challenges?

This book takes us from deployment to hospital to discharge to the first day of Lost and Found. From First Sargent Duncan Wilde’s injury to his fiancé’s walking out, Sargent Chad Lowell’s injury to his dreams to his almost cheery attitude, and Gunny Sargent John Power’s injury to his adapting and his grumpy FU responses to just about everything, this story captivates.

For the record there is no romance in this one, it shows us what these men have to overcome in order to become partners in LNF.

This is a favorite scene when they are all together for the first time.

A week after Duncan moved in with Palmer, Chad Lowell rolled into the room, pushed by an orderly. His left arm was bandaged and there was a stump below the knee of his left leg, but Duncan grinned in spite of himself and gave a yell. He leaned forward as much as he could and almost fell out of bed clasping arms with his ex-Sergeant, genuinely glad to see his buddy. They’d been on two tours together in the desert and they worked together well, though Duncan was several years older. Chad had been injured months ago while they’d been on patrol, walking next to the Marine that had stepped on the mine, Mike Dodd. Dodd hadn’t survived but Chad had, in spite of the traumatic injuries to his entire left side.

He grinned and Duncan was relieved to see the easy-going character still in there. Though his eyes were haunted, his spirit still seemed strong. Duncan shook his head at the younger man. “I never expected you’d still be here. I asked a couple weeks ago but nobody would answer me. How the hell are you?”

Chad shrugged and motioned to the orderly standing behind him. “Fine. Getting the royal escort.” He looked up at the orderly. “Mind if we hang for a while? I’ll holler when I’m ready to go.”

The orderly gave a laid back wave and left.

Chad looked him over. “You look like crap, Dunc. When I heard you were part of that messy ‘copter crash, I knew it was going to be bad. What’d they tell you?”

Reaching above himself, Duncan used the bar hanging over his head to shift his weight on his hips. He was starting to feel when he’d been in one position too long. “I’m okay. Busted pelvis and a few burns. Spinal cord shock was the biggie. But my feeling is starting to come back.” He grinned in spite of himself, and Chad grinned with him. “What about you?”

“Ah, well,” Chad paused to clear his throat, “you knew my leg was gone. Luckily I still have the knee joint. I’m going to be fitted with a prosthetic next month.” The young Marine looked where his leg used to be. “Damn strange nothing being there.”

Duncan couldn’t imagine. As he looked at the Marine in front of him, changed for the rest of his life, it was hard not to get pissed at the country and all the suits who pretended to run it.

“The arm had third degree burns. I’ve had several grafts that have taken well, but I may need Chad touched the skin of his neck and grimaced as if he didn’t like the feel of it.

Duncan nodded in support. The grafting process was as painful as the actual injury sometimes. They’d taken skin from his thigh to graft to his back. The pieces seemed to be attaching fine but he still took meds to combat rejection and infection.

Chad looked across the room at Gunnery Sergeant Palmer, who was flipping channels on the TV. “Hey, Gunny.”

“Fuck you.”

Chad winked at Duncan. “Yeah, nice to see you too, buddy.”

“I’m not your buddy, Lowell.”

Chad made a comical face at Duncan. “The Gunny and I were in the same airplane for a while, weren’t we? Then we shared a rehab room for a while.”

Duncan looked at Palmer. He’d refused to talk to anybody unless it was to berate them. This was the first time he’d heard the man talk to anyone without having a ‘fuck you’ attached. And though he was flipping channels on the TV, Duncan thought he seemed to be paying more attention than he normally did.

“But don’t worry,” Chad continued. “His bark is worse than his bite.”
Madden, J.M.. The Embattled Road (Military Romantic Suspense) (Lost and Found) (Kindle Locations 203-230). J.M. Madden. Kindle Edition.

You can immediately tell these guys have a camaraderie that can build to a lasting friendship.

I laughed and cried as I read this truly inspiring prequel.

5 Contented Purrs for JM!

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

Finally, the long-awaited spin-off from the Lost and Found Series!

Aiden Willingham has lived a hard life. As a Navy SEAL, he agreed to take part in an ultra-secret government testing program. The company running the program, the Silverstone Collaborative, has produced a serum from an Amazonian plant that’s been proven to enhance physical abilities and mental fortitude. Problem is, men– heroes– have died during the testing, and it’s time for the company to be taken down before more men die needlessly.

Aiden, along with three others, have escaped the camp with evidence of the company’s horrendous practices. Now they’re in a race to expose them. They’ve already lost one of their team, and the Collaborative’s mercenaries are converging.

Angela Holloway knew the homeless man with sadness in his eyes was trouble as soon as she saw him hanging around the site of a murder. Uncooperative, he stonewalls her investigation, but draws her in when the badge comes off. Aiden has scars, both internal and external, that make her heart ache. It’s a serious no-no getting involved with a suspect… too bad her heart isn’t listening. As details come to light about what’s going on in her city, she has to fight for what she believes is right, as well as the man on the wrong side of the law.

First let me say I am very excited for this series. After reading Genesis and remembering Aiden in the Lost and Found Series I sincerely want these guys to have their happily ever after.

Aiden is in his brother’s hometown, a brother he didn’t know he had until recently. His brother John works for Lost and Found as a computer specialist and his wife just had twins. Aiden has been keeping watch over them. Their safety has been his top priority while staying underground out of sight, avoiding the assassins sent to finish him off.

An initial confrontation with Angela, a police officer and former Marine, leaves Aiden feeling things he hasn’t felt in a very long time.

This is part of that meeting, right after he kisses her to distract her.

She heard the snick of handcuffs and a chill ran through her. When the man pulled away, there seemed to be genuine regret in his dark brown eyes. “I’m sorry I had to do this,” he told her, clearing his voice. He backed away, hands held out.

Angela felt tightness on her waist and she jerked. What the hell had he done?

“You, you…” she sputtered, totally, immediately pissed.

He winced and stared at her for a long moment, like he was waffling in his decision, then his eyes cooled and he turned away. As he disappeared around the corner of the building, Angela reached behind her to feel what was holding her. The man had handcuffed the belt loop of her jeans to a utility pole running horizontally across the building.

With a cry of outrage she dug in her pocket for the knife she always carried. It took her less than a minute to cut through the heavy fabric of the belt loop. As soon as she was free, she bolted after the suspect but he was gone.
JM Madden. Chaos (Kindle Locations 123-130).

Now both Aiden and Angela are more than a little confused about the emotions that encounter stirred. Which leads to them seeking each other out, quite the unusual situation.

Fontana and Wolfe play a part in this book as does, Duncan and John from Lost and Found.

There was fun, laughter, sizzling scenes and plenty of action that will keep you turning the pages.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series, but in the meantime I am re-reading LNF to remember Aiden’s role in all of them, hopefully it will ease my impatience for the next book.

5 Contented Purrs for J.M.!

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

After a harrowing mission, Navy SEAL Aiden Willingham was approached to participate in a secret research project. Now he realizes the Spartan Project is a covert, multinational government testing program run by a private company called The Silverstone Collaborative. The company’s mission is to create super soldiers, men capable of recovering from horrendous illness and injuries, using a serum derived from indigenous plants in the Amazon rainforest. The program is brutal and when the men object, they go from test subjects to caged prisoners overnight.

The doctor leading the program is world-renowned for his cutting-edge cures, but Aiden sees only the madness in his eyes. The serum is producing results, but men are dying every day of testing. And, as more men die, the experiments turn more deadly. What the research team doesn’t realize is exactly what the serum is doing … creating a psychic connection between four of the men.

Aiden and his team have to break out of the camp before they’re compromised further. But getting out of the camp is the easy part. They know that actually living to bring the Silverstone Collaborative to justice is going to be the most difficult mission any of them have ever undertaken.

If you are a fan of the Lost and Found Series you will remember that we first met Aiden in Embattled Hearts, and he pops up in the other books as well. Now at long last we get his story, this is the beginning and we meet the others that were with him during this truly trying period of his life.

This is not a romance, this is a detailed accounting of the events leading up to Aiden appearing in Denver. We first meet the four men held close together. Aiden, Wolfe, Fontana and TJ Rector. Wolfe is the only non- American in this group, he is from Germany.

These men originally had volunteered for the program, but when men started dying things changed. They became prisoners.

The conditions are harsh, the treatment is brutal and had me sniffling and holding my breath.

We also meet the cold hearted Priscilla Mattingly, COO of the Silverstone Collaborative. She becomes the most dangerous of all their captors as she lets everyone know who is in charge.

This is a favorite scene as the guys escape this hell.

Like a whisper, Fontana came for him two hours later, with Wulfe and TJ Rector by his side. How the fuck did you get out of your cage? Aiden demanded.

Fontana grinned and moved to the door. Watch. Holding the iron lock in his hand, Fontana just looked at the thing for several seconds. Then, with a click, the lock fell open.

Aiden shook his head, amazed, and honestly a little fearful. Fontana was doing things he’d never even considered.

I managed to get the guards to fall asleep, Fontana told him. We’ve got a little bit of time to get out of here. The cafeteria should be empty right now. I suggest we gather what food and water and supplies we can before we head out.

Agreed.

We’re not leaving.

Aiden’s throat closed up as he stepped outside, unshackled and uncuffed for the first time in months. Yes, he was naked as a jaybird, but he was finally free. No one would be putting him back into handcuffs, he vowed. He would die first. Then what Wulfe said sank in, bringing him back to focus.

What are you thinking?

Wulfe looked at the medical building. Our proof is there.

The rest of them turned to look at the med center, knowing he was right. It housed all of the secrets. Shu had been meticulous about his notes, and they each had files several inches thick. The technicians had complained endlessly about the duplication. It could be a suicide mission going back in there, but they had no other option. Wulfe was right about that.

Rector and Fontana, go to the cafeteria and Shu’s hut. See what you can find. We’ll also probably need something to go through the fence, so look for some tools. Wulfe and I will see what we can find inside. Meet back here in thirty minutes.

The two men nodded and slipped away into the darkness. Aiden looked at Wulfe.

I really don’t want to go in there, he admitted.

I don’t also, but we must, American. This is the only time. She will get rid of everything. Every record, every note. And we will be liars.

Aiden knew he was right, but it didn’t make it any easier to do. He scanned the area, checking for soldiers or guards, but the camp was deathly silent.

He looked at the squat cinder block building, fighting nausea. Deliberately, he slowed his breathing, but it was hard. His heart was trying to thud out of his chest and his body demanded oxygen. Aiden couldn’t even remember how many dangerous missions he’d been on as a SEAL, but certainly into the triple digits. Too many to count. He’d been shot and stabbed, snake-bitten and had busted ankles and knees, and he’d take any one of those injuries again rather than voluntarily walk into that building.

Wulfe was thinking like a squad leader, though. They needed hard, physical proof of what had happened here. Otherwise everything they’d been through would be hearsay, unprovable.

Quietly, Aiden began gearing himself up, just like he did for hard assaults. Neither one of them was physically ready for hand to hand combat and they had no weapons other than their minds…but their fledgling abilities hadn’t been tried in stressful situations. There was a very real chance that the first time he tried to finesse anyone they’d laugh in his face, then shoot him in the head. He was convinced that the sniper in the med center had been a fluke. The man had already wanted to kill— Aiden had just removed the tiniest restriction in his mind.

Wulfe slammed his doubled fists into Aiden’s shoulders to psych him up and they turned toward the building.
Madden, J.M., Genesis: The Dogs of War Prequel (Kindle Locations 443-471). Kindle Edition.

I have to say I was much relieved when the guys got out. However there were many trials and tribulations for them as they trek through the jungle hoping to find a place big enough for phone reception.

Action-packed, emotional, scary and I couldn’t put it down!

5 Contented Purrs for J.M.!

I look forward to reading more of Aiden’s story in Chaos which just released. I am also going back to re-read the Lost and Found Series since I haven’t read it since I purchased it in 2015.

J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

This is the fourth book in the Honeywell series! Yes, this can be read as a standalone, but you’ll have a better read if you follow the series!

Emily Lowell is in a pickle. At her Brother Chad’s wedding shower, her former lover, Jackson, has just shown her exactly how combustible they still are together.

Yes, they made a pact to marry if she hadn’t found anyone else within ten years, but the pact is moot. She’s now engaged to be married to one of the hottest real estate brokers in Houston.

Should she be swayed by the wild heat that Jackson stokes in her, or should she follow the path she’s planned since college?

Jackson may not give her a choice…

I am a sucker for a good love story and this series has them all over the place. The couples aren’t perfect but who is?

In this book we concentrate on Emily, she is the one Lowell that doesn’t have any interest in staying on the ranch. She has made herself successful in marketing and really loves the city life she’s found in Houston. Engaged to a successful Real Estate agent Neil, a man who still hasn’t come to any of her family events, Emily finds herself questioning that relationship.

Jackson is in my opinion every girl’s dream. He has loved Emily since they first got together eleven years ago. He gave her freedom to fly and now he wants her back, fiancé be damned.

This is a favorite scene, when Emily kicks Neil to the curb.

Emily looked down at herself. She was presentable enough, she supposed. She swung the door open. “Hello, Neil.”

Without even a word of greeting her fiancé stormed inside her apartment. “What the hell were you thinking, Emily? You probably just cost me one of the most lucrative commissions of my career.”

Emily laughed in spite of his anger, swinging the door shut behind him. “I doubt that.”

Neil spun on her, his blue eyes furious. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because Jackson is an old boyfriend of mine from Honeywell.”

His face screwed up into confusion. “Where the hell is Honeywell?”

And wasn’t that the rub. She’d been with Neil for months now and he didn’t even remember the name of her hometown. “It doesn’t matter, Neil. What matters is that I think Jackson was using you to get close to me.”

Neil planted his hands on his hips. “So why didn’t you say something at the restaurant? Why did you have to behave that way?”

Emily shook her head, turning to walk across to the window that looked out over the Houston skyline. “I’m not sure.”

A hard hand gripped her elbow and spun her around. Emily gasped at the unexpected movement. Her own anger began to build. “I can see you’re not going to behave rationally, Neil. Let’s meet up and talk about this after you’ve had a chance to cool off.”

“I’m not going to cool off for a while, Emily. I’ve wasted an entire week with this man, running his Indian ass all over Houston when he wasn’t even going to buy anything. I’ve passed on other potential customers because I was catering to him.”

Rather than let her go, Neil grabbed both of her arms and gave her a shake. “How long have you known that he was here? The entire week?”

Emily shook her head. “Tonight was the first time I’ve seen him in three weeks.”

Neil’s eyes narrowed on her. “In three weeks? Where is the last place you saw him?”

“At my father’s ranch for Chad and Lora’s wedding shower.”

Neil shoved her away, violently enough that Emily stumbled on the dragging length of her long sleep pants. Staggering, she recovered her balance, but her anger surged to an all-time high. “I don’t know why you think it’s okay to manhandle me the way you just did, Neil, but you need to get the hell out of my apartment. And you know what?” Emily scrambled at her hand, ripping at the diamond engagement ring there. She tossed it to him, enjoying watching him fumble to catch it. The chunky diamond fell to the floor and he had to scramble to find it. “What the hell are you doing, Emily? Is this really a big enough issue to cancel our engagement over? This is because I won’t settle on a date, right? We’ll settle on a date.”

Emily shook her head, heaving a sigh, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. “You just don’t understand, do you Neil? It’s not about the wedding date or Jackson or any of it. We’ve been together four months and you still don’t remember the name of my hometown, or the fact that I’m severely allergic to crab, or that I get nauseated in your car when you wear the cologne your ex gave you. It’s the fact that you don’t care enough to take the time to learn any of that. You’re too self-involved to even notice the little things that are important.”

He blinked and frowned, and for the first time her words had apparently sunk home.

“Oh. When you lay it out like that I can see why you would be aggravated.” They stared at each other for a long moment. He spun the ring on his forefinger a couple of times before clearing his throat and jolting into motion. He headed to the door of the apartment, but turned back at the last moment. “I’m sorry, Emily. You’re right in everything you said, and I apologize for that. Maybe we can, uh, grab a drink sometime or something.”

Then he disappeared out the door.
J.M. Madden. Trying The Knot (Kindle Locations 878-910). Kindle Edition.

Of course you know Neil isn’t going to stay away. However, Jackson has more than a few surprises for Emily as the Lowell family prepares for Chad and Lora’s wedding.

Laughter, love, snark, tears, and some very hot scenes kept me from putting this down once I started reading.

I really can’t wait for then next book in the series.

5 Contented Purrs for JM!

    J.M. Madden

J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between ‘combat modified’ military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.

J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she’s at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works.

She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She’ll respond.

Introducing Book 2 Of the Lowells of Honeywell, Texas series! Be prepared for hunky men in uniform and strong women refusing to be in distress. This is a sexy male/female book with a happy ever after! No Cliffhangers here!

Cheyenne has too much on her table to even consider letting a man into her life, especially now that it seems her abusive ex is sniffing around her daughters. She’s terrified that he’s going to want to insert himself into their lives again.

Sheriff Sheridan Lane was unable to rescue the beautiful Cheyenne in time seven years ago, but he’s going to do everything in his power to make sure she and her girls stay safe this time around. The best way to do that is to move them into his house where he can keep an eye on everything. His own daughter isn’t wild about the prospect, but even she starts to come around.

Once they’re under his roof, it’s so easy to envision the temporary turning into the permanent. He vows to catch the bad guy, but what else will he have to do to prove he’s the man for Cheyenne?

First I want to thank J.M. for adding me to her review team and for the ARC of this book. Now I have to confess this is the first book I am reading of this series so once again I’ve started at the end and not the beginning. The other books, Forget Me Not (the prequel novella) and Untying His Knot are now purchased and on my kindle waiting for me.

Right away I fell into this story, Cheyenne, single mother of three, juggling her time to get things done. Helping to get a bridal shower planned plus everything else had her grabbing the opportunity to spend just a little time to herself at a new coffee shop in town.

Sheriff Sheridan Lane is every woman’s heartthrob, a single father he hasn’t shown any interest in any of them. He’s been waiting for one woman to be ready to move on, Cheyenne.

This is a favorite scene as Cheyenne makes the first move in putting the past behind her.

“I’m sorry I jumped out there,” she told him abruptly. “I was pretty relaxed in here and you startled me when you grabbed my arm. It wasn’t you, specifically, though. I just wanted you to know that.”

He narrowed his eyes in thought, before nodding. “I know that. I’m a little shocked you’re even talking to me right now, though. What’s changed?”

Cheyenne turned to look out the window. Cars drove by slowly, trucks mostly, hauling feed or wire. There were a few people walking, but not very many. What had changed?

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m just tired of not being normal, I guess. It’s been six years. No, seven now. And I’ve realized how ridiculous I was being, jumping every time I see you.”

Sheridan cocked his head at her. “You can’t always make things better just because you want to.”

There was a glint of humor in his eyes that really appealed to her. She’d missed seeing him and talking to him. They’d been friendly years ago. “I know. We might just have to be happy with this little step for a while.”

They both smiled and took a drink of their coffees.

“Well, when you’re ready for more let me know.”
J.M. Madden. Naughty By Nature (Kindle Locations 155-166).

There’s much to overcome for Cheyenne, and Sheridan is doing his best to keep her and her children safe. His daughter Olivia is a typical teen but even she can be won over.

I really loved Grace’s shenanigans and Savannah’s tattling. Carolyn seemed a bit more mature and helpful but does have an eye-roll or two for her sister.

An emotional story that gives the background of both their stories which had me sniffling, a lot of tension when Cheyenne’s ex shows up, and plenty of sizzle between Sheridan and Cheyenne.

I liked seeing the couples from the Lost and Found series which is another favorite of mine, you should check those books out too.

5 Contented Purrs for J.M.!