Two million people disappear into human trafficking every year. Olivia Parker would never have believed she could be one of them. Born to a barely functional mother and caring for her dependent brother, Olivia was determined to make their future better than their troubled past. Instead, she finds herself thrown into a nightmare from which she cannot awaken
Navy Seal, Grayson "Bruiser" Titus, abandoned as a baby, creates a family with his SEAL team. He would do anything for them and knows they would do the same. However, something is missing - could he find it with the intriguing beautiful sister of Jayden Parker? Meeting Olivia feels like looking at his future wrapped in a pair of deep hazel eyes.
Bruiser's team would follow him into the pits of hell. It only stands to reason when Olivia disappears they rally around him. Being SEALs meant they often battled the worse dregs of humanity for God and Country.
However, this is personal.
Saving her is a one-in-a-million long shot, but they will do whatever it takes to bring her home. The only question is: will it be in time to save both body and mind or will her new reality finally break her spirit?
Melissa was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in Houlka, a small rural town forty-five minutes southwest down the famous Natchez Trace. She found a love of reading very early and quickly devoured everything she could. Told repeatedly that she had a wonderful imagination, she turned to scribbling her musings and wrote her first novel while in college. It was never published and has since vanished. The death of a close friend who aspired to become an author reawakened her own desire resulting in penning her first book, Shattered Dreams, published in 2013.
Melissa now resides in Meridian, Mississippi with her supportive family – husband, Robert and daughter Rebecca, two cats, and two dogs. When she isn't writing, she spends way too much time with her online friends and feeding her ravenous appetite for the written word.
Army vet Olivia Parker is adjusting to civilian life and starting college while caring for her special needs little brother Jayden. Grayson "Bruiser" Titus is a Navy SEAL who bonds with Jayden while volunteering at a community center and is interested in Jayden's smart, tough, attractive big sister. Their budding relationship and hope of seeing him and her family again is all that keeps Olivia going when she is kidnapped and sold by human traffickers, leading Bruiser and his SEAL team to track her down.
Melissa Kay Clarke is my favorite author (so far) in the Operation Alpha Kindle Worlds project. She balances out romance and action seamlessly, where other authors make the action seem like an afterthought. The characters are real and compelling, from little brother Jayden to Olivia's fellow human trafficking victims and Bruiser's SEAL Team. Best of all, Olivia is a veteran of the U.S. Army, and was trained to kick butt -- she doesn't need a man to save her (even if she's grateful for his help).
This is the 2nd book in the Team Cerberus series. Be aware this goes by other series names.
Please see above the reviews for a blurb on what the book is about.
The story line and author do a great job with the topic of human trafficking in this book. It was different on how they got to the heroine and how the people who took her put her on display. It was really believable. I also loved how the author put the brother as having difficulties and was not the typical brother nor them having the typical up bringing.
The hero you have met in book 1 and you develop an understanding on how he acts and why he does the way he does. I didn't find it too believable for the hero in this one to be so slow in acting with their relationship. However, you get the true understanding on how he feels about her when she's taken.
The author does a great job with the human trafficking part of the story. I would definitely read this to get a different take on it. Also, even with having self defense training, you get taught you still need backup. You will understand this more when you read the book.
Bruiser & Olivia have quite a tough road to travel before they can be truly together. They meet & have an instant chemistry, a connection. They're just getting to know one another when tragedy strikes, and they have to work their way back to each other.
What didn't work for me - This story is ... darker... than what I enjoy. Bruiser & Olivia aren't together for the majority - they're each fighting to get back to the other, but their actual "page time" together wasn't enough for me.
However, I enjoyed the characters, and when our H/h ARE together, as I said, you can feel the connection leaping off the page. The writing is sharp & very well done. The story is INTENSE and told in a way that will keep you turning pages. There's action & humor & emotion that will keep you on the edge of your seat, rooting for not only Bruiser & Livy, but the other characters as well. : )
This is a new author for me and, trust me, I will be reading more of her books. She really brought to life the devastating impact of human trafficking, not only on the victim, but on their families as well. She also gave explicit descriptions of the evil and demented people involved in this trade. At times this book was hard to read and at times I truly was close to tears. However, when a book moves me as much as this one did, I know I have a great read. I work with officers and investigators and have done some research I this area for my job, this book is as real as it really is. I also like the ending in that through tragedy there is strength and life worth living. Thanks for writing about such an important topic. The more people are aware this does happen in America, the quicker we can bring an end to it.
This is my review and how I see it. In Saving Olivia (Team Cereberus Book 1) author Melissa Kay Clarke gives us a clean romance with hints of darkness. Olivia meets Grayson 'Bruiser' Tyson on leave from the military and they are instantly attracted to each to each other. Olivia has a plan for her life, go to college; become a trauma therapist and get her brother into a school for special needs gifted. All those dreams seem to go up in flames at a chance meeting in the airport and Olivia his kidnapped. Olivia did not have an easy life, but she managed to survive her childhood, only to find love and almost lose it at the hands of a monster. Her knight "Bruiser" and his merry man search until they find her.
I started this late evening, i got so involved that I wasn’t able to but it down. Never no what comes to your mind we you read something that makes you really feel what’s going on in the story. I applaud Olivia to go though that as a child & then go through something similar as an adult. Also made me think of a relative of mine who wasn’t so lucky, sad part the same abuse she experienced so did all of her children, worse then her. She didn’t even have custody of them when it happen. Wow, it would have been great if they had someone like Bruiser to save them. Brought back memories, but this was a fabulous read.
Olivia has survived her abusive mother and a pimp hell bent on making her his. But can she survive this latest hell? When Olivia is kidnapped, it's a million to one shot that Bruiser will be able to find her. But with the help of his fellow SEALs, he is going to do his damnedest, because failure is not an option. Ms. Clarke has written an eye opening story regarding Human Trafficking. It is something that is not often spoke of. If you or someone else needs help, please call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 888-373-7888.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Loved it awesome discovered Clark thru operation alpha have read 2 books from her in 24hrs couldn't out kindle down can't wait to start next team Cerberus book.well written informative info about sex trafficking God bless you eloquently discussed a subject most don't acknowledge and the only way to end the horror is to pull
back the curtain of ignorance. Love the dreamy scenes that better show the emotions without need for full physicality of sex . The undertone of sexuality leans toward better titillation. Love the value put on love of physicality
Olivia and Jayden (her brother) had a hard life with a drugie for a mother. But some horrible things happened later on and that got out of that mess. They went to stay with her aunt and later joined the Army. Bruiser is a Navy Seal and he and his team are tight. When something happens they wonder if that is where their meant to be. Bruiser meets Olivia and sparks fly. There is a lot of drama, danger, kidnapping, human trafficking and HEA.
Wow this book was a real surprise, a really good storyline and a H/H that never give up.. Olivia is such a strong determined lady, she loves her aunt and her brother, who I adored in this story. Bruiser was just the sort of Alpha to take care of problems, and he loves her aunt and brother. The storyline revolves around sex trafficking, it is written very well, I would recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one!
This is the kind of story that truly fits into Susan Stoker's Kindle World! Olivia and Bruiser are made for each other, but they have a huge hurtle to defeat before they can find their Happily-Ever- After.
OMG. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I could not put this book down . I finished this book at three o'clock in the morning. I could not go to bed without knowing how this book would end. This is a must read book.
Yikes, a scary reality mixed with a sweet love story
This story was pretty dang intense. It is sad that human trafficking is a reality. Olivia’s experiences as a child and then as a slave was heartbreaking. However, through it all was Brutis. Their love story is sweet.
The book was awesome if you are into romance and suspense this book kept me reading and I can't wait to start the next book in the series . Thank you for awesome read keep books coming!!!!
Three head are better than one and Team Cerberus has more so the better to work and take on any task. Rescuing Olivia from human traffickers take all their knowledge to accomplish.
Wow what Olivia has lived through is enough to break anyone - I'm so glad that Bruiser didn't give up and was able to bring her back to her brother and her aunt,
Olivia met Bruiser when she was home on leave. He had brought her brother home. There is a man obsessed with her and has kidnapped her. Bruiser and his team will find her.