Last Marine Standing (Heroes: Book 2)

Title:  Last Marine Standing    (Heroes: Book 2)

Author:  RJ Scott

Publisher:  Love Lane Books

Length:  190 pages

Rating:  B List

Quad Shot of Love

 

Blurb:  Book 2 in the Heroes Series

Former Marine Recon, Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jackson has secrets. The things he did for his country, the things he saw, must never be spoken about. Until that is, his team is targeted.

A shift in political alliances means one particular mission undertaken by Mac and his Fire Team needs to be wiped from the history books. Starting with the team itself.

Forest Ranger, Samuel Larson wants to find the Marines who saved his life. He just wants to say thank you. What he can’t know is that he’s walking into a firestorm of betrayal and murder.

When Samuel arrives at Mac’s place he throws Mac’s plans for hiding out of the window. Abruptly Mac has to protect a man that threatens his heart, only this time he can’t be sure he will succeed in keeping Sam alive.

When the people you trusted turn on you, when you are the last one standing, should you take your secrets to the grave? Or make the murderers pay?

 

Review:  This is the second book in the Heroes series and while it can be read alone, reading the first book, A Reason To Stay, is recommended. Sam was in the first book and the mc’s of the first book are referenced and in this book. Also there are tie-ins with the Sanctuary series that again not necessary, but add to the sense that you are understanding who everyone is. They are fun and sexy books so it’s a win win.

Sam is strong and beautiful, although he doesn’t see himself that way. He has worked hard to become a Forest Ranger, to get his body to the place where he can be an asset and he frequently downplays the pain that he is in. Traumatic events when he was fourteen caused him to spend most of his teen years in and out of hospitals. They also mean that he has no idea just how attractive he is, both inside and out. A chance meeting led him down a different path as a Forest Ranger and he has embraced his new life. But he has never stopped thinking about the men who rescued him and his sister from certain death. And he is ready to find those men and thank them, especially the team leader, Mac, who helped talk a struggling young man off the emotional ledge.

Mac has withdrawn from the world. A mission gone wrong destroyed his team and ended his career as a Recon Fireteam Marine. He still deals with the effects of the injury and he doesn’t know how to not be an active Marine.

 

“You’re an ex-Marine.”

“No such thing,” Mac said with a shrug. “Former Marine… You’re never not a Marine.”

When Sam goes looking to say thank you to his Marines he finds that half the team is dead and the two left alive won’t be for much longer if they can’t figure out who is hunting their team. Pulled into a deadly situation, Sam is unprepared for the emotional impact of seeing Mac again, even as they run for their lives he can’t help but fall for the strong, deadly and endearing man.

Mac is so good at keeping his reactions hidden that Sam has no idea that his lust and affection are wholeheartedly returned. It was fun and frustrating watching the boys dance around as the sparks flew between them. And the pay off when they succumbed to their need was delicious. Watching the build of deeper emotions as Mac began to see Sam’s vision of their future was fantastic.

I really enjoyed this book. It is full of sarcasm, friendship, loyalty, healing, strength, hot men having steamy sex, brotherhood, courage, and a lot of action. While on the surface it is a sexy military men story, there are a lot of emotional undercurrents. Relationships that need healing, complicated and painful pasts, and a Marine who needs to find his place and value in the world now that he is no longer serving his country.

 

*****Trigger Warnings That Contain Spoilers – There are references to when the men met where Mac ran the op that rescued Sam (14) and his sister (18) who had been kidnapped. Sam was severely assaulted both physically and sexually. It is all off page ie. discussed not shown, but Sam was badly hurt. *****

 

Reviewed by Nina