Self-Published | October 21, 2015 | Romantic Suspense
Men of Mercy, book 1
★★★★1/2
SOURCE: TASTY BOOK TOURS
Hunter James didn’t want or need redemption.
Until one mission turns his world upside down.
He left Mercy to fight for his country and escape a broken heart. Years later, he is hard. Cold. A man without mercy. Part of an elite Task Force, he tracks a brutal terrorist to his home town. And runs into the woman who betrayed him…
Evangeline Videl was destroyed when Hunter left. Determined to move on, she finds another man, but discovers too late the monster hidden beneath his smooth smile. Struggling to find the conviction to live, Evie finds her life spinning out of control.
Then Hunter returns…
Forced to band together to find the terrorist before its too late, Hunter and Evie must learn to forgive or risk losing the promise of redemption and their lives…
Self-Published | October 21, 2015 | Romantic Suspense
Men of Mercy, book 2
★★★★★
SOURCE: TASTY BOOK TOURS
Ranger James accepted his best friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…
Desire for his best friend’s widow.
Killed in Action. That’s why Rachel Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home.
A war widow, alone and broke, Rachel struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes to the skies to find escape. Escape from the pain. From the guilt. From the earth-shattering desire for her husband’s best friend.
Rachel and Ranger can’t fight the attraction between them any longer. But one fateful night cleaves their new found love in two...
Can they find the will to fight for true love? Or will an evil so shocking destroy their lives for good?
Self-Published | October 21, 2015 | Romantic Suspense
Men of Mercy, book 3
★★★★1/2
SOURCE: TASTY BOOK TOURS
They say you can’t go home again. Jared Crowe never wanted to.
Home meant facing memories of abuse and neglect. Of dark closets and evil nightmares. Of his own relatives intent on killing him. But now his brother’s kidnapping forces him to face those demons. Only this time, Jared isn’t a scared little boy. He’s a full-grown Special Forces operative bent on revenge.
As a little girl, Sparrow Pickney risked her life to free two abused boys. As a grown woman Sparrow needs to earn a place in her adopted family’s business or be forced into a life of degradation. The chance to prove her family loyalty comes when she catches Jared spying on the compound and captures him.
When Jared sees his captor, he realizes she’s the girl of his dreams and vows to rescue her from a life of poverty. What Jared doesn’t know is Sparrow may not be the savior he remembers…but the one responsible for abducting and torturing his brother.
Jared is determined to find the truth. But that truth may be more than his heart can take.
{ about lindsay cross } .
Lindsay Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is happily married to the man of her dreams – a soldier and veteran. During one of her husband’s deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation.
An avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years of reading, she discovered her true passion – writing. Her alpha military men are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of their dreams.
{ excerpt } .
From Resurrection River
Rachel spun around, the yellow airplane a perfect backdrop to her beautiful face. “What are you doing here?”
Ranger let his gaze travel from her scruffy boots, torn jeans and gloriously figure hugging tank, to the top of her dark red head. Her pink cheeks flushed.
“Like what you see?”
Ranger approached, her green gaze turned wary. Good. She should be worried. She’d doused him in chemicals. His skin still itched. He reached forward, plucked an oil stick from her ponytail and sent her hair spilling to her shoulders. He caught the brief scent of flowers and oil.
Rachel grabbed her hair, lips parted. Angry. Stubborn. Sexy.
He held up the stick right in front of her face. “Oil stick.”
Rachel snatched it from his fingers and tossed it across the room. “I told you to stay away from me.”
Ranger shrugged, his brain still caught on the image of her jean-clad ass hanging out of that airplane. Forget Sports Illustrated. He had farm fucking fantastic right here.
"Don't you think dropping that all-natural excuse for chemicals on me is a bit dramatic? If you want to get me naked all you had to do is ask." Ranger gestured to himself, sweeping his hand from his head down to his torso, Rachel's eyes followed.
That definitely wasn't desperation or anger in her gaze.
The desire he’d been trying to hold in check for months reared up inside him.
"You think I want to see you naked?” Rachel snorted, lifted her chin. “Besides, I figured anything would be an improvement to your normal smell.” So much for her vulnerability.
The wind picked up, blew into the hangar. Ranger shifted, praying the wind wouldn’t open the fly on his boxers, and almost covered himself. Almost. Until he remembered she was the reason for his stench. Instead, he stood tall. “You’ve never had a problem with the way I smelled before.”
“My manners were just too good to say anything.” She strode past him, punishing him with the sexy sway of her hips.
Dammit, he was so hard up for her, even her walk had his mind blanking. He stood there, nearly naked, and drenched in herbicide, and she walked past him like a stranger on a sidewalk.
Running from him. Again.
“Rachel Ann.” He didn’t yell, but she stopped mid-stride. Turned. Lips parted.
“You did that on purpose,” Ranger said. She’d been hard headed even in high-school, when he tried to break up with her, explaining that he needed a little space to see if life in Mercy was what he really wanted. Jumping on the marriage and kids bandwagon at eighteen years old had scared the shit out of him. But he’d obliterated any chance for reconnecting with Rachel when she’d seen him making out with Tonya at the football game senior year.
He hadn’t thought that leaving her to sow the wild oats of his youth would be a self-fulfilling prophecy of regret. Or that his best friend would move in on Rachel so fast and fill the void that Ranger had left in her heart.
“You bet your ass I did.”
“What the hell for?” He couldn’t get her smell, her taste, her touch out of his head. But she’d dumped shit on him for the last time.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips flattened. “I warned you.”
Yeah, she’d warned him to stay away from her. He’d stayed with her for weeks, helping her after the funeral. She’d healed physically, but remained an emotional tomb.
“I promised Shane, if anything ever happened to him, I’d look out for you.” He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss that angry expression right off her face. He’d wanted her since high-school, but when she’d married Shane, he’d vowed to put those feelings away. Forever. But the attraction hadn’t disappeared. And he knew it never would. “I know the chemistry between us is weird. Scary. But dammit it’s real and it’s here and now. You’re just flying through the clouds because you don’t want to see what’s on the ground right in front of you.”
If he hadn’t been studying every minute expression on her face he would have missed the brief flash of vulnerability in her gaze. Then her anger slid back in place. “The only thing I feel is annoyance. Are you so desperate that you have to chase after what you can’t have? You dumped me first, remember?”
Him? Desperate? No. He’d never had a problem getting women. Until Rachel.
If he hadn’t been so young and stupid he would have been the one she’d married. Not Shane.
Now all he could think, all he could see, was the small sprinkle of freckles across her pert nose. He could be on a mission in a third world country or down the road. It didn’t matter. She affected him.
He had an all-consuming need for his best friend’s wife. He hadn’t counted on lust eating him alive.
But he had honor. He had loyalty. Ranger had vowed over Shane’s grave to take care of Rachel.
Ranger let his gaze travel from her scruffy boots, torn jeans and gloriously figure hugging tank, to the top of her dark red head. Her pink cheeks flushed.
“Like what you see?”
Ranger approached, her green gaze turned wary. Good. She should be worried. She’d doused him in chemicals. His skin still itched. He reached forward, plucked an oil stick from her ponytail and sent her hair spilling to her shoulders. He caught the brief scent of flowers and oil.
Rachel grabbed her hair, lips parted. Angry. Stubborn. Sexy.
He held up the stick right in front of her face. “Oil stick.”
Rachel snatched it from his fingers and tossed it across the room. “I told you to stay away from me.”
Ranger shrugged, his brain still caught on the image of her jean-clad ass hanging out of that airplane. Forget Sports Illustrated. He had farm fucking fantastic right here.
"Don't you think dropping that all-natural excuse for chemicals on me is a bit dramatic? If you want to get me naked all you had to do is ask." Ranger gestured to himself, sweeping his hand from his head down to his torso, Rachel's eyes followed.
That definitely wasn't desperation or anger in her gaze.
The desire he’d been trying to hold in check for months reared up inside him.
"You think I want to see you naked?” Rachel snorted, lifted her chin. “Besides, I figured anything would be an improvement to your normal smell.” So much for her vulnerability.
The wind picked up, blew into the hangar. Ranger shifted, praying the wind wouldn’t open the fly on his boxers, and almost covered himself. Almost. Until he remembered she was the reason for his stench. Instead, he stood tall. “You’ve never had a problem with the way I smelled before.”
“My manners were just too good to say anything.” She strode past him, punishing him with the sexy sway of her hips.
Dammit, he was so hard up for her, even her walk had his mind blanking. He stood there, nearly naked, and drenched in herbicide, and she walked past him like a stranger on a sidewalk.
Running from him. Again.
“Rachel Ann.” He didn’t yell, but she stopped mid-stride. Turned. Lips parted.
“You did that on purpose,” Ranger said. She’d been hard headed even in high-school, when he tried to break up with her, explaining that he needed a little space to see if life in Mercy was what he really wanted. Jumping on the marriage and kids bandwagon at eighteen years old had scared the shit out of him. But he’d obliterated any chance for reconnecting with Rachel when she’d seen him making out with Tonya at the football game senior year.
He hadn’t thought that leaving her to sow the wild oats of his youth would be a self-fulfilling prophecy of regret. Or that his best friend would move in on Rachel so fast and fill the void that Ranger had left in her heart.
“You bet your ass I did.”
“What the hell for?” He couldn’t get her smell, her taste, her touch out of his head. But she’d dumped shit on him for the last time.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips flattened. “I warned you.”
Yeah, she’d warned him to stay away from her. He’d stayed with her for weeks, helping her after the funeral. She’d healed physically, but remained an emotional tomb.
“I promised Shane, if anything ever happened to him, I’d look out for you.” He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss that angry expression right off her face. He’d wanted her since high-school, but when she’d married Shane, he’d vowed to put those feelings away. Forever. But the attraction hadn’t disappeared. And he knew it never would. “I know the chemistry between us is weird. Scary. But dammit it’s real and it’s here and now. You’re just flying through the clouds because you don’t want to see what’s on the ground right in front of you.”
If he hadn’t been studying every minute expression on her face he would have missed the brief flash of vulnerability in her gaze. Then her anger slid back in place. “The only thing I feel is annoyance. Are you so desperate that you have to chase after what you can’t have? You dumped me first, remember?”
Him? Desperate? No. He’d never had a problem getting women. Until Rachel.
If he hadn’t been so young and stupid he would have been the one she’d married. Not Shane.
Now all he could think, all he could see, was the small sprinkle of freckles across her pert nose. He could be on a mission in a third world country or down the road. It didn’t matter. She affected him.
He had an all-consuming need for his best friend’s wife. He hadn’t counted on lust eating him alive.
But he had honor. He had loyalty. Ranger had vowed over Shane’s grave to take care of Rachel.
{ reviews } .
Redemption River
Right from the beginning, I knew that this was going to be one of those military-romance series that was going to be a must read for me, like Cristin's TITAN, or Kaylea's BANGRAM. This first book showcases Cross's ability to write the military scene -- we're brought straight into a mission that goes wrong, a mission that has feelings that cross over in the next books.
What I found a little odd was that these men were in the same group -- they were a group of friends and group of brothers who were all from the same town.
This first book belongs to Hunter James (who's brother, Ranger, has book two). When the boys return home from their latest mission, the mission follows them and he finds himself paired with the one woman who he'd loved and was betrayed by -- but also the woman who was last on his mind before blacking out when hurt.
For a debut book and the beginning of a series, I felt that REDEMPTION RIVER was extremely solid and great look into what Lindsay Cross can bring to the table. Like I said, I knew immediately in the first chapter that this was going to be a solid military-romantic suspense series, and I can't wait to see what else comes with this group of men..!
Resurrection River
Ranger had been in love with his best friend's wife, but Rachel had chosen Shane and he respected that. When Shane dies in a mission gone wrong, Ranger wants to be the one to tell Rachel -- the three of them had been close for years, and he wanted Rachel to be told by someone who was close.
This one, of the first three released, was easily my favorite. I loved Ranger's love for Rachel; I loved his respect for his late friend; I loved Rachel's inner battle when it came to Ranger. My heart broke right from the beginning, with Ranger coming to Rachel about Shane, but also Rachel's current situation.
RESURRECTION RIVER had a huge twist that I wasn't expecting -- so kudos to Cross for that! The emotion and the re-growth of old feelings between Ranger and Rachel firmly put these two in 'favorite Cross character' category.
Reckless River
Now that the James' boys are hitched, it's time to move on to some of the other Mercy men. And first up? Jared Crowe. I truly enjoyed Jared and Sparrow's story; Jared's early years weren't exactly favorable, and Sparrow was the one who freed him and his brother, Hoyt.
Jared has a bit more than hero-worship for the woman who saved them, but questions arise as the book goes on, and he begins to question everything where she's concerned. I enjoyed the growth of both these characters -- Sparrow and Squirrel's name made me chuckle, but I really enjoyed their characters.
...and RECKLESS ends with a nice set up for the next book; could Hoyt be the next one to fall in RAVAGED RIVER?
Right from the beginning, I knew that this was going to be one of those military-romance series that was going to be a must read for me, like Cristin's TITAN, or Kaylea's BANGRAM. This first book showcases Cross's ability to write the military scene -- we're brought straight into a mission that goes wrong, a mission that has feelings that cross over in the next books.
What I found a little odd was that these men were in the same group -- they were a group of friends and group of brothers who were all from the same town.
This first book belongs to Hunter James (who's brother, Ranger, has book two). When the boys return home from their latest mission, the mission follows them and he finds himself paired with the one woman who he'd loved and was betrayed by -- but also the woman who was last on his mind before blacking out when hurt.
For a debut book and the beginning of a series, I felt that REDEMPTION RIVER was extremely solid and great look into what Lindsay Cross can bring to the table. Like I said, I knew immediately in the first chapter that this was going to be a solid military-romantic suspense series, and I can't wait to see what else comes with this group of men..!
Ranger had been in love with his best friend's wife, but Rachel had chosen Shane and he respected that. When Shane dies in a mission gone wrong, Ranger wants to be the one to tell Rachel -- the three of them had been close for years, and he wanted Rachel to be told by someone who was close.
This one, of the first three released, was easily my favorite. I loved Ranger's love for Rachel; I loved his respect for his late friend; I loved Rachel's inner battle when it came to Ranger. My heart broke right from the beginning, with Ranger coming to Rachel about Shane, but also Rachel's current situation.
RESURRECTION RIVER had a huge twist that I wasn't expecting -- so kudos to Cross for that! The emotion and the re-growth of old feelings between Ranger and Rachel firmly put these two in 'favorite Cross character' category.
Reckless River
Now that the James' boys are hitched, it's time to move on to some of the other Mercy men. And first up? Jared Crowe. I truly enjoyed Jared and Sparrow's story; Jared's early years weren't exactly favorable, and Sparrow was the one who freed him and his brother, Hoyt.
Jared has a bit more than hero-worship for the woman who saved them, but questions arise as the book goes on, and he begins to question everything where she's concerned. I enjoyed the growth of both these characters -- Sparrow and Squirrel's name made me chuckle, but I really enjoyed their characters.
...and RECKLESS ends with a nice set up for the next book; could Hoyt be the next one to fall in RAVAGED RIVER?
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