One Lucky Hero: The Men in Uniform Series

Violet Douglas finally has one night to relax; she goes out to a club with her friend Tracy. Violet is guardian of her 17 year-old sister Daisy and 14 year-old brother Casey, and between work and classes, she never has time for herself. At 24, Violet is beginning to feel old before her time. She has no time for relationships, so that evening, at best, she was looking for a one-night thing. Then she sees the perfect candidate: Sgt. Dean Sparks. Dean is definitely not looking for anything permanent: a soldier, he’s merely waiting for his psychological evaluation to go through before going back to what he does best, but a horrific event sidelined him for a while in Sacramento. He’s director of the Alpha Dog Training Program, which helps youths at risk. Violet and Dean hook up, but Casey gets himself arrested and things get even more complicated. ONE LUCKY HERO was definitely not what I expected: I was looking forward to a sexy and sweet, laidback romance with maybe a little drama, but this book left me exhausted; Violet, Dean, Daisy and Casey all have serious issues and it was not light reading at all, and only the banter between Dean and his mates at Alpha Dog kept ONE LUCKY HERO from being entirely dark, in my opinion. The writing is absolutely impeccable, the characters extremely complex, the background stories heart-wrenching and so true to life, it’s a bit scary, in a way. It is a fabulous story of a young woman who has led a very hard life, and seems to get no reprieve. Why only three stars then? I could never get into the romance part between Dean and Violet. I could not grasp why a woman who definitely needs some fun, something light and uncomplicated, to forget her dreary life for a while, decides to hook up with a guy as surly and “taciturn” as Dean. Granted, she goes nuts over his hotness, but for a one-night-stand, I expect some flirtation, some playfulness, and there was none of that with Dean, unlike what happened with Tracy and Best, her one-nighter. Maybe I’m not superficial enough, but when you want a good time, wouldn’t you choose someone who seems fun to be with? Dean definitely wasn’t fun. Had Violet and Dean met when Casey at Alpha Dog, then I think the romance would have worked for me because the circumstances would have been different, and Dean’s attitude would not have been an issue. They could have drooled over each other, while not wanting to make a move because neither of them was looking for something more permanent at the time. I adore Codi Gary, she is a spectacular writer and a lovely person, and I feel I must apologise for this review, but it is what it is: I just did not feel the romance. I could say it’s because I read the book “on the wrong day”, but it would not have changed my mind about hooking up with an aloof, boorish hottie. I also had a problem with the extraordinary amount of violence within the book, almost all of it merely implied, but it bothered me just the same. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One Lucky Hero by Codi Gary....Wow, I could not put this book down. The story was so gripping and it sucks you in. When I finished it I felt like I just got off a roller coaster with the ups and downs, twists and turns. Codi Gary has written a perfect balance of emotions and tough issues in this great story. Her characters are so well written, likeable and relatable. I loved the strength and how sassy they are with one another. Violet and Dean are so perfect for each other, but both have baggage, you will have read and find out if they work together. I was given a complimentary book from publisher for an honest review.

ARC Review: One Lucky Hero (Men in Uniform) by Codi Gary Codi Gary is not one to shy away from hot button issues. That point is made abundantly clear throughout One Lucky Hero. From a young age life was not easy for Violet. A drug addict father, dealing with her mother's suicide and taking over the rearing of siblings was alot of responsibility for someone who missed out on the innocence of childhood. One night of escape, could end up being her saving grace or her biggest mistake. This is not the fluffy, stars in your eyes, Prince Charming romance. One Lucky Hero is a story of hard knocks, heartbreaking reveals and gritty dialogue. The truths are excruciating to say the least. The enduring legacy of One Lucky Hero is that a make-believe scenario, can end up helping someone facing similar situations in the real world. With this story Ms. Gary is making a difference and there is no greater reward than that .