The Adair legacy concludes with a shocking revelation…
Kidnapped and held captive for weeks, Shelby O'Hara is grateful to be rescued by handsome secret service agent Daniel Henderson. But the rebellious beauty balks at his 24/7 protection until she learns the shocking secret of why she was abducted: she's the granddaughter of the former U.S. vice president, a woman with lethal opponents in a deadly political game.
To elude those enemies, Daniel and Shelby go on the run, although they are constantly at each other's throats…until the fighting stops with a torrid kiss. Suddenly, Shelby doesn't feel so safe. From the bad guys, maybe, but from Daniel? He's a clear and present danger to her heart!
Award-winning author Elle James grew up as an air force military brat. She received her work ethic from her rock-solid father, her creative streak from her artistic mother and inspiration from her writing partner and sister, Delilah Devlin. As a former member of the army reserves and a current member of the air force reserves, she's traveled across the United States and to Germany, managed a full-time job, and raised three wonderful children. She and her husband have even tried their hands at ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas) in the Texas hill country. Ask her, and she'll tell you what it's like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird and live to tell about it!
Her adventures in the army and air force reserves, and the wild antics of her life on a small ranch in Texas give her fodder for mystery, suspense and humor in her writing. Elle writes gothic, paranormal mystery for the Harlequin Intrigue line and paranormal romantic comedy for Dorchester Publishing. A former manager of computer programming and project management professionals, Elle is happy she now has the opportunity to pursue her writing full time.
Fantastic conclusion to the series. It begins with Shelby's grandfather arriving at Kate Winston's home to ask her for help locating Shelby - after all, she's Kate's granddaughter too. Kate and her entire family are stunned by this news. Kate had been told that her baby died and had no idea that it was a lie. The rest of the family was just surprised to find out that their mom had had another child. As one of Kate's Secret Service agents, Daniel takes charge as they rush to interrogate another agent who had been arrested for being one of the bad guys. They manage to get the information they need just before the man dies of suspicious causes.
Shelby had been held captive for two weeks, but had not given up hope. She is an independent and determined young woman and has been working to escape her bonds. Just as she is about to escape her abductors set the house on fire and run, leaving her unconscious. She is, of course, rescued just in time by Daniel. She is surprised to learn of her grandmother, but doesn't agree that it should have any effect on the way she lives her life.
The sparks between Daniel and Shelby are instant and strong, but not very welcome. Daniel recognizes right away that he is attracted to Shelby, but his job is protection not seduction. He doesn't want to be a glorified babysitter, but he can't deny Kate when she asks for his help. Shelby is just plain irritated by Daniel. She is stubbornly independent and hates the idea of someone following her around everywhere. She doesn't believe she's really in any danger anyway. Daniel's attitude just makes her mad, and being around him makes her twitchy and she doesn't know why. She finally gives in to her grandfather's pleas that she cooperate, but she isn't happy about it. I have to say that I got quite a chuckle out of the fun that Daniel had with getting Shelby ticked at him. It also made it a little easier for him to keep her at a distance when she was angry at him.
The action was almost constant as Daniel tried to keep Shelby safe from the frequent attacks. He was determined to keep her safe, and Shelby was just as determined to keep her life normal. I got really irritated with her as she tried ditching him at the university and almost got taken again, and then the next day went off jogging alone and was attacked again. I was surprised that Daniel didn't either lock her in her room or spank her like the brat she was acting like. At least she finally realized that she was truly in danger and Daniel was her only protection.
The attraction between them really starts to heat up, fueled by the danger they are in. Daniel tries hard to resist because getting involved with the person he is trying to protect is a really bad idea. But when Shelby decides that she wants him too, his resistance is futile and the chemistry is explosive. They both think that whatever they have together can't last, but they're going to enjoy it while they can. Shelby soon realizes that she wants more than just short term, but has no idea if Daniel is interested in anything more. Being with Shelby makes Daniel realize that there is more to life than devotion to his career, but he does have a few issues with what he sees are the differences between them. I loved seeing Shelby fight him on those.
I enjoyed getting to know Daniel better. In previous books he was always the dedicated, serious agent. In this book he takes Shelby to his parents' home in Maine in an attempt to keep her safe. There we get to see him interacting with his brothers and parents, showing a loving and fun side to his personality. It was great to see him laughing and teasing his brothers, and the sweet way he treats his mom. I also loved the way they embraced Shelby, and how she enjoyed being part of a family unlike her own.
The constant fight that Daniel and Shelby had to stay ahead of the bad guys showed Daniel that there was something going on that allowed them to get so close. I thought that particular culprit was pretty obvious. There was more to the story than just him, and the efforts made by Daniel and the others to uncover the whole mess kept me going. The final confrontation was great as Daniel came riding to the rescue again.
There were a couple really nice twists at the end besides Daniel and Shelby getting their HEA. I loved seeing Kate make her announcements, and was really pleased with her own personal announcement.
I have really enjoyed "The Adair Legacy's series." Each book was very entertaining, with action, suspense, and romance. This book pulled me right in. Kate Winston the former vice president found out her granddaughter had been kidnapped. Kate never knew about Shelby. She was told that her daughter died at birth. As a very young mom, Kate never knew to question. she just went into a deep depression. Now many years later, her granddaughter is in danger. She will do anything to save her, so she can get to know her. Kate ask for Daniels help. He did find and rescue Shelby. Now it's up to Daniel to provide 24/7 protection for Shelby. The two clashed at first. I enjoyed the banter between them. Shelby grew up with her grandfather. They had everything they needed, but was not rich by any means. Shelby is shocked to find out she has a grandmother. Even more shocked to know her grandmother is the former vice president. She does not realize that her life is in danger. She does not want Daniel's protection. She sneaks by him a time or two, but Daniel is always hot on her tail. The romance between Shelby, and Daniel intensifies along with the action. It seems like the danger is always there, no matter what security measures that are put into place to protect Shelby.
I would highly recommend this book. I think this book could be a stand alone, but I would advice reading the other books first to understand the characters, and what has happened up until now. Each book is a very entertaining read.
Secret Service Rescue by Elle James is one of the Adair Legacy novels. It is a romantic suspense. Shelby O’Hare, student and sometimes waitress in her father’s bar, is kidnapped and held captive for two weeks. She is never told anything about why she is being held. Shelby knows her Father would do anything to get her released but knew he didn’t have much money. There seems to be no reason for her kidnapping. When she is freed, Shelby learns she is the granddaughter of Kate Winston, former Vice-President of the United States! Neither she nor Kate was aware of their relationship. Kate believed the daughter she bore out of wedlock had died at birth when in reality, she had been given to her Father to raise. He believed Kate didn’t want either her daughter or him. Knowing Shelby could still be in danger, Kate has her Secret Service man watch over Shelby to make sure she would be safe. Kate has complete trust in Daniel Henderson. After all, he showed his loyalty by taking a bullet for her. Now Daniel has to shadow Shelby to keep her safe. Who will keep him safe from Shelby?
Hero was okay, heroine was too stupid to live as well as a spoilt brat with a chip on her shoulder throughout, didn't feel she did anything to earn her HEA. However, the mystery itself was okay. All in all a disappointing conclusion to what had been a really good series.
This was BY FAR my list favorite of the series. If I hadn't enjoyed the series so much I would have given this 2 stars. There were several problems I had with this book
1. The heroine. I did not like Shelby at all. She was a spoiled child who was also incredibly, incredible stupid. She gets kidnapped and is held for 2 weeks. She was so frightened from the kidnapping (and who wouldn't be) that she had nightmares from it. Yet she runs away on purpose from her bodyguard bc he's talking to some other girls and she acts like a petulant child by running away from him. At which point she is almost kidnapped again. If that's not enough for her to realize the danger she's in she decides to go for a run BY HERSELF, in a neighborhood she's unfamiliar with and guess what happens again, yep someone tries to kidnap her again. Could she be any more stupid. I just didnt like her at all. I didnt like her attitude, I didnt like her personality, nothing. 2. How is everyone so dump they couldnt figure out who the bad guy was. There were literally 8 people who knew where Daniel and Shelby were going to hid. 7 of them were family and Daniel. Hmmmm let's see, who could possibly have given away their location?!?!?! 3. This book did not take off right were the last one did. The attitude of the grandfather in the last book was much more likable. It almost like the whole chapter from the last book was forgotten. I much preferred it to the new one. 4. The story.....it was all about Shelby being an idiot and getting kidnapped. The story line didnt kick in till like the last 2 chapters. They hardly mention the Cartel, theres no movement about finding out who is behind all of this. Then all of a sudden they have all this information, they know who the leader is.....on and on. After writing this review I have to change my rating. I did mark it as 2 stars. While i loved the series this was a VERY disappointing end to it. I'm sorry I spent the money on this book and wish it had been written by one of the other authors in this series.
My first romance novel. Seemed like an R-rated Nancy Drew novel, only a formulaic thriller with explicit sex. It was an easy read. But I don't think I will be reading anymore by this author. I'll try some more because I got some free books sent to me from Harlequin.
I loved the protective mmc in this book, the resue/protection scenes were perfect. I also realso enjoyed the conflict where she doesnt want his protection, it gave it that confrontation edge with attraction!
Yes, make a family tree! And since neither of the ‘Adair’ series has one, I felt compelled to create one. Do let me know how it is, and whether it needs improvement (after reading all the books, of course)!
The reading order of the series is as follows:
“The Adair Legacy” (published 2014)
Her Secret, His Duty by Carla Cassidy Executive Protection by Jennifer Morey Special Ops Rendezvous by Karen Anders Secret Service Rescue by Elle James And then comes:
“The Adair Affairs” (published 2015)
Carrying His Secret by Marie Ferrarella The Marine’s Temptation by Jennifer Morey Secret Agent Boyfriend by Addison Fox Heir to Murder by Elle James
Read the books in the above-mentioned order, and you are good to go!
Needless to say, as all the books in both the series come under the Mills & Boon imprint of ‘Romantic Suspense’, all of the above have tons of suspenseful action! Published a year apart, you can draw parallels between the books of the two series. There are many similarities in their storylines, and it surprised me a lot as nowhere it is given that there is any link between the two series, and I myself stumbled upon them almost a year apart! Thankfully, I had read ‘The Adair Legacy’ first; otherwise, it would have been a bit of a spoiler.
I love the way Kate’s character has been written and also how beautifully it has shaped up over the course of the 8 books. While all other characters are flitting in and out, she is the only constant. Even if briefly, she appears in all the books and makes her appearance count (always the ‘matchmaker’)! Also, being the former vice-president, you almost don’t expect the homey atmosphere of ‘Winston Estate’ which welcomes you to the books, especially in ‘The Adair Legacy’ series.
Both the series are the individual stories of three brothers and their sister, with the only exception being the sister’s daughter replacing her in ‘The Adair Legacy’ (which makes Kate a Grandma!)
Her Secret, His Duty (by Carla Cassidy) (The Adair Legacy #1) What I felt about this one is that it could have had a bit more romance. And the same goes for: Carrying His Secret (by Marie Ferrarella) (The Adair Affairs #5) Appearing under the category of ‘Romantic Suspense’ these two appeared to have missed the romance a little. Similarities: Both are classic M&B ‘secret’ pregnancy tropes with the eldest sons (Trey and Whit) heading their respective businesses while the female protagonists (Debra and Elizabeth) work for one of their parents (part office romance).
Executive Protection (by Jennifer Morey) (The Adair Legacy #2) And The Marine’s Temptation (again, by Jennifer Morey) (The Adair Affairs #6) Similarities: The first one above has the lady convincing the man about falling in love while the second one is vice-versa. But of course, it is only if you narrow it down to that; otherwise, both the books are great to read.
Now’s where the order is getting a bit muddled, as far as similarities are concerned. Special Ops Rendezvous (by Karen Anders) (The Adair Legacy #3) Secret Service Rescue (by Elle James) (The Adair Legacy #4) And Secret Agent Boyfriend (Addison Fox) (The Adair Affairs #7) Heir to Murder (by Elle James) (The Adair Affairs #8) Similarities: While #4 and #7 have secret agents (Daniel and Derek) acting out as boyfriends to their respective female protagonists (Shelby and Landry) as a ruse for investigative purposes, #4 and #8 are all about long-lost identities (of Shelby and Jackson).
While the first series deals almost entirely with an ‘attempt to murder’, the second series deals with an ‘actual’ murder.
And one thing which is common to all of them is that ‘someone is always trying to kill someone’, so definitely suspenseful!
Special Mention: Be sure not to miss Elle James’ books as both of the titles will send you on a roller-coaster ride of nail-gripping action. (I am writing this while searching for more Elle James books. I have fallen in love with her writing!)
Boggled your brains? Well, read it out and then you will know!
I grew up reading Harlequin books, or Mills and Boon as they were known way back when in Australia. I became addicted to them and I am sure that my mother despaired of my obsession each time she had to drive me to the local library and I would emerge much later on with literally a huge stack of them, and then I would devour them and the following week the process would be played out all over again.
I sort of lost my interest in the entire romance genre but found my way back and am certainly glad that I did. Elle James writes sexy male leads and great females often in dangerous situations. I received a free copy of this book for an in return for an honest and impartial review.
I discovered that Secret Service Rescue by Elle James belongs to a series – The Adair Legacy. The other members of the family and their partners are introduced in those various instalments of the series. Ms. James did a good job of introducing the other characters without dumping too much information and I guess that I could go back and read the other stories if I wanted to. Having said that, there were times when I did feel a bit lost because there is obviously much to know about the family and who is who and how they are all connected to each other.
Shelby O’Hara has been kidnapped and she doesn’t know why at first, and when she does, she finds out that she is the granddaughter of the former vice president who has some deadly political enemies. What puzzled me was how the enemies knew about Shelby and why they kept targeting her again and again when her own family didn’t even know about her?
Up until she discovered the other family she had, Shelby had been a normal grad student, with only her grandfather to call family. All of a sudden, she has been kidnapped, nearly dies in a fire, and gets rescued by a seriously sexy Secret Service Agent, Daniel Henderson, who also happens to be quite the alpha male who expects her to do as she is told.
Needless to say, Shelby doesn’t meekly do as she is told and to be quite honest, there were times when I was so frustrated with her and absently doodled on my pad – TSTL, after I read about another stupid escapade. There are a few attempts on her life after she is rescued from the initial kidnapping and instead of staying safely in the family compound, she leaves it to go jogging of all things and nearly becomes a casualty again. Then, she spots a suspicious looking male, and doesn’t tell Daniel about her suspicions until it is almost too late. I had my moments with Shelby I have to say.
The rekindling of the romance between Shelby’s grandfather and grandmother was done very quickly off scene and while there were allusions made to the fireworks between them, it seemed to happen almost out of the blue to round off a story thread. On my part, I would have loved to see more interaction between these two as they rediscovered each other again and worked through their issues.
I do have to say that apart from my little niggles with the story, I did enjoy reading Secret Service Rescue. It was suspenseful enough and while I had an inkling of who the bad guy was, I really wasn’t too sure right up until the end. A little bit more information about this mysterious cartel would not have gone amiss either, particularly for readers who might read this as a standalone story.
The scenes between Shelby and Daniel were like fireworks going off, and Daniel is quite conflicted about getting involved with the person he has to protect, knowing full well what the results could be if anything were to happen to Shelby. Luckily, he goes for it and they share some hot and sexy moments and I really could see them as a couple.
Unfortunately both Shelby and Daniel know that what they have will come to an end when the bad guys are found and dealt with. Will they survive the threat and find the traitor who threatens them? What about the Cartel? Can they lop the head off the dangerous snake or will it continue to threaten the family and the Adair legacy? Will there be a happy ever after for Daniel and Shelby? Get yourself a copy of Secret Service Rescue to find out.
I have now had the pleasure of reading several books by Elle James and with each book I fall in love with her writing style all the more.
Secret Service Rescue kept me on the edge of my seat with bated breath. Wow this book was an exciting read.
Daniel Henderson saves Shelby O'Hara from her captives and then has to keep this girl safe. That is a job! Shelby has a way of finding her self in danger before she even knows what is going on. Daniel saves this girl's rear end several times. He finds it to be a mighty fine rear end as well.
I loved watching these to spar off against each other. My goodness their attraction for each other leads to some sparks as they strike each other wrong. However when they finally do give into their attraction look out! They create some might strong fireworks.
I liked the family aspect of this book. Not only is Shelby's newly found family included, so is Daniel's family. I love books that include the families. I always think it gives a little bit better insight into the characters.
This book had a surprise ending for me. I have to say I thought there was someone that was up to no good that knew too much but I never suspected who it was. I was shocked when the "bad guy" was revealed.
On the whole I really enjoyed this book. There is plenty of drama and suspense that kept me flipping pages quickly. There are a few steamy scenes between Shelby and Daniel that heat up the pages.
This book is part of The Adair Legacy. I have not read any of the other books in the series and I had no problem reading it as a stand alone. I don't think you will have a problem reading either if you want to read Elle James' contribution first.
I do really enjoy Elle James' writing style. She can certainly keep me intrigued with interesting characters, suspenseful story lines, drama, and some steam too. I can't wait for her next release to see what fun she has in store for us lucky readers.
I was given the opportunity to read this book so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you on Secret Service Rescue.
I absolutely loved this book. It was great with awesome characters that pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me engaged. I loved the way that they interacted with each other and it felt like something that could, would, and probably has happened. Daniel and Shelby rub each other wrong at first but as they get to know each other they start getting along and admiring each other. And of course they have the chemistry the whole time, they just fight it.
Daniel is compassionate and I loved how he reacted to the story of Shelby and how she didn't know her grandmother. He didn't place blame but saw how both sides had been hurt. That drew me in to Daniel from the opening page. Shelby has been kidnapped but she doesn't let that stop her. She keeps fighting and thinking and trying to escape. I loved that aspect. Once she gets rescued she is grateful but of course on edge because of everything that happened. On top of that she is hit with a huge bomb of being related to the ex-vice president and having 3 uncles she never knew about. She just wants to go home, to something familiar, which is understanding after being kidnapped for two weeks. Sadly enough that can't happen because the kidnappers are still after her. Shelby has a hard time believing that at first and so she struggles for some independence at first. She doesn't know what to do with Daniel or her attraction to him, especially because Daniel is hiding his attraction to her.
I really enjoyed this story and the way that it moved. It was nice and smooth and I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and if Shelby and Daniel were finally going to admit their attraction. I loved the secondary characters also. They were well written and just as engaging as the main characters. I'd love to see more of these characters and read some of the secondary characters stories.
“Secret Service Rescue” by Elle James is part of ‘The Adair Legacy’ series. Daniel Henderson is a Secret Service Agent who is the only one former Vice President Kate Winston trusts. When an astonishing reminder of her past reveals a threat that she didn’t know existed, Daniel is the only one she trusts to protect the family she never knew she had, Shelby Raye O’Hara. Shelby is headstrong and unwilling to accept that her lifestyle needs to change and it is up to the determined and conscientious Daniel to protect her despite her protests...but the question is who is going to protect him from the temptation that she poses!
This entertaining romantic suspense story is apparently connected to several others which detail the various members of a powerful woman’s family yet it can be read as a standalone. The mystery and gradually revealed relationships are juxtaposed with an overall threat that looms throughout the various novels in this series which is dealt with in the exciting conclusion. There are both heartwarming and poignant revelations as well as heart-pounding situations that have to be dealt with and this was a very fun read. I look forward to the next great story from this prolific author.
A copy of this story was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Offered to Night Owl Reviews
Shelby O'Hara is a young, no nonsense, graduate student who is swept into a world she neither understands nor wants to participate in. Daniel Henderson is a secret service agent assigned to protect her from this dangerous world. There are wonderful twists and turns in this book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, asking yourself "what is going on?" Just the right amount of suspense and romance!
I have been a fan of Elle James for a few years now and have almost all of her books. Her books always have wonderful plots, great characters, and just enough steamy love scenes! And, Secret Service Rescue, Book 4 in the Adair Legacy, is fantastic! I could not put it down. I often find when I read romantic suspenses that I can guess where the plot is going and who is the mastermind behind the danger midway through a book, but that does not happen with Elle James' books and, especially, not in Secret Service Rescue. I figured out the link and mastermind at the same time the characters did! Because of the amazing job Elle James did with Secret Service Rescue and her ability to interweave the characters from the prior books in the series into her book, I am now going to purchase the rest of the Adair Legacy books because I want to get to know those characters too!
This is the final book in the Adair Legacy series. Outstanding! Truly solidifies my belief that Romantic Suspense is the Best genre there is. Shelby is my kind of female lead - strong, sassy and funny and backs down from no one! AND OH MY! Daniel - gives a whole new meaning to "bodyguard"!
Loved the intrigue, the romance, the interaction of all the characters, and the action! Great suspense with twists and turns I did not expect. I was hooked from chapter one and kept on reading right till The End. Could not wait to see what was going to happen next.
Loved how all the other characters from the other 3 books were brought in at the end, so we see how each couple ends up! Great ending to an extremely enjoyable series!
This was my first book by Elle James and I look forward to reading many more!
Loved this quote by Daniel:
"To be a good bodyguard, he needed to be impartial, focused and free of distraction. Shelby O'Hara had distraction in every ounce of her gorgeous body."
Set in this time. Against the backdrop of American politics. I never read any of the previous books. I just wanted to clarify that. And I was given one by the author for an honest review. Which I thank her because they were funny moments that I really laughed out loud. I liked Scarlette's strong character. She was complex yes like we all are but she was molded that way by her grandpa. I also loved Daniel's character he was also complex in trying to deny his feelings for her and his duty to the agency he works for. Also he is hotness personified. Who wouldn't love that! Their attraction towards one another does jump off of the page. Made my toes curl. And I did have to fan myself. I loved the action and the who dun it suspense of the story. It was a page turner. Would I read this one again yes.
"Daniel and Shelby’s romance is genuinely tender and the relationships within the Adair-Winston family are heartwarming. Add to that vulnerable characters and a sweet ending, and this story is one engaging read" (RT Book Reviews). 4 stars
This was a really good book I really enjoyed the twists and turns that it had. I like the way elle james writes and look for more of these great books. Perfect summer read and review.