Stand & Deliver

4.5 Star Review of Stand and Deliver (Men of Haven #5) by Rhenna Morgan  Rhenna Morgan is a new author to me and why that is I have no idea and although book number 5 in the series, I had no issues reading Stand and Deliver. This is security expert Beckett Tate and Gia Sinclair’s story. Gia is extremely successful in the male dominated world she works in with Beckett. Whilst he is a total alpha male, Gia can hold her own professionally but in the bedroom she has no issue with Beckett taking the lead. The tug of war between Beckett and Gia intrigued me. The chemistry between Beckett and Gia was smoking hot and certainly heated up the pages.   Beckett is a man I would want to have in my corner, he is hard working, honest, protective and has an aura of power I found overwhelmingly attractive. I love how feisty Gia is and yet underneath it all she has a softer, more vulnerable side. It is that softer side that finally gives Beckett the incentive to pursue the woman he has feelings for, after all he has wanted her for years. There was suspense, mystery and romance which had me hooked from the start. The banter between Beckett and Gia had me in stitches at times. I thoroughly enjoyed Stand and Deliver which was well written and I recommend it happily.    

I just read a thrilling and passionate contemporary romance that had me falling hard and fast for the Men of Haven. There is no doubt that bad boys are just hot and sexy, and Beckett Tate is definitely both of those, but he also has a vulnerable side that just made me want to snatch him up and cuddle, of course that might have been a bit difficult considering he fell for tough as nails, Gia. Both characters are strong and very compelling and easily connected to and their relationship is one full of emotional turbulence and a kind of “tip toe” through the minefields of their issues. Let me clarify, while the couple had issues, the author did a great job of bringing those issues to my attention and having the couple deal with them without overdoing them and making it seem impossible. The relationship moved at a believable pace and was full of electrifying chemistry and red hot passion. Stand & Deliver is fast paced and full of thrills and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat with twists and turns that kept me guessing. The plot had several intriguing conspiracies going on throughout so there was never a dull moment to be found. The story also had lots of intriguing secondary characters that rounded out the story and ensured that I want to get to know them all. This is the first book that I have read by Rhenna Morgan and I just have to wonder how I managed to do that. Her world and characters are well developed and intriguing and the Men of Haven are just my type of bad boy – ones who play by their own rules. I am definitely going to be reading the previous books while I await the next book in the series.

I’m not sure I can fall more in love with the Men of Haven than I have with Beckett in Stand & Deliver. This book is everything I love when reading. And Beckett. Oh my gawd! I love Beckett! Gia and Beckett have known each other for a few years now as they have worked together off and on. She’s protective of her reputation being a woman in a male dominated field. Therefore, she’s pretty much ignored the feelings she experiences when he’s near. Or at least she’s tried to. Until one drunken confession opens the door to an opportunity she could never have imagined. Beckett has had his eye on Gia since day one. But she’s quick to shut every man down that even hints at more and he’s pretty sure that would include him. It doesn’t stop him from wanting her, watching her and taking into account all of her likes and dislikes along the way. On a night that she’s drunk out of her mind, Beckett jumps on the chance to escort her home. What he learns that night is exactly what he has dreamed of. Now all he has to do is go slow and teach her to trust him. I absolutely loved everything about this couple. Sometimes a tough heroine can grate on my nerves but Gia was mature enough to slowly let go of the reins and allow Beckett to have her back. The fact that Beckett proved he could step aside and let her lead made that decision easier. Together, they both had their issues and it was together that they found a way to deal with them. Each of them supplied the outlet and support for the other, strengthening their relationship along the way. This was probably one of the most organic and beautifully written progressions into love I’ve read in a long time. When these two came together sexually it was not your typical “place A in slot B” scenes. Each time increased the trust and emotions between these characters. The scenes added to the overall story rather than act as a filler or something that readers expected. That made this book just that much more enjoyable! All the characters from the series play a part in this story and added to the growth of the heroine as she moves from a place of isolation into one of family. No unnecessary secondary characters here. There was never a lag in the story and no point at which I felt the need to skim. I wanted to absorb every wonderful word this author had written. In case I haven’t made myself clear…I LOVED Beckett, Gia, and Stand & Deliver! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Carina Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.