This is one of the better books in the Mercenaries series. There is more grit and less focus on insta-love. The two characters- Ball and (my brain just jumped to Chain) Everly are interesting, although the female character suffers from being a little too capable, as if she were a superhero. The villain is creepy in the extreme.

I cannot tell you how much I love this series. Everly and Ball’s story is a fantastic addition to an amazing series. I love Everly’s strength of character. You can see it in her devotion to her deaf sister, her love of family, and the way she treats Ball. Ball and Everly’s chemistry go soul deep. I found the plot and characters amazing and I cannot wait for the next book.

Susan Stoked presents another great story for us to read!! Her hero's are always too notch and the story are always smooth and engaging!

This is a fast paced story that is full of action, love, tears, laughter, angst and so much more! Over all another great book in this series.

Kannon “Ball” Black knocked on the door. He’d been a buutt when he first met Everly Adams. She had every right to be mad at him. But he’d been burned badly, first by his ex-partner . Than after one of the worst times of his life, his girlfriend should have been there for him,, Holly had screwed him over instead. It was a blow “Ball” wasn’t sure he’d ever recover from. So when they celebrated Gray’s and Arrow's engagement he had been out of sorts. It was just bad luck they learned about their new mission the same night and that it a civilian might be highly involved. The civilian was a woman. He’d run his mouth about her and then learned she was standing right behind him and had heard everything he said. Everly’s half sister Elise was missing. And she met often with the Mountain Mercenaries which Ball was a member. Last night it was determined someone had to go with Everly to L A for more information. Everly was a Colorado Springs cop and SWAT officer and had some connections with officers in the LAPD. Than Ball found himself being volunteered to go. He didn’t want to go. He didn’t doubt Everly was a good cop. But his ex partner Riley had the potential to be a good Coastie, look what happened to her…. Everly Adams was the last woman Ball would want to date. She wasn’t his type at all. He also didn’t go out with a woman employed in a field similar to his. Ball didn’t even want to work with a woman. If he ever got married or in a serious relationship it would be with someone he liked and respected but who he wasn’t madly in love with. Elise was fifteen and deaf. Elise was one of the smartest people Everly knew. Someone had Elise, Everly felt it down to her very bones. One of the L A detectives suspected human trafficking which kidnapping and disappearances were on the rose in L A.
This was an awesome and romantic/suspenseful read and I loved it. I loved the Everly was a strong and brave woman and stood up to Ball when she had to. I loved the action,danger, fast pace, and plot. I didn’t want to put this down and only did when I had to. I felt Elise added to this book. I love Everly and Ball together. I also loved Balls and Elise’s relationship. I loved the growth in Ball shown in this book. I also loved everly and elise’s grandparents. I advise you to read all the books in this series in order for a smoother read. I loved the characters and all the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

Kannon and Everly are an engaging couple that know how to pull the heart strings in all the right ways.. Really enjoyed reading this emotionally thrilling adventure. Highly entertaining reading.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller Romance
Triggers: Human trafficking

This is Kannon's book and I've loved each and every one of the Mountain Mercenaries' books. You should get them all! However, this could be read as a standalone book. You might miss some of the relationship nuances, but overall, this could be read as a standalone.

Everly is a strong, independent SWAT officer who knows that her younger sister didn't just run away. Everly knows that something is wrong, and she asks the Mountain Mercenaries to help. But her first impression of Kannon is less than stellar.

Kannon "Ball" has been burned a few times by women he cared about, so when he hears that a civilian, and a female civilian at that, will be accompanying the mission, he voices his objections loudly... with her standing right behind him.

As Ball and Everly try and figure out where Elise could be and who might have taken her, they also discover things about each other that help them see past that horrible first impression. Ball realizes that he did treat the women in his life differently – his own bias shown through without him thinking it had. Everly realized that Ball was protecting himself and that she didn't have to feel guilty about finding herself before reaching out to help her younger sister.

This is action packed and full of slow burn chemistry. I love that Everly can surprise Ball and vice versa. These two have an attraction that goes beyond the physical. It's their minds and abilities that draw them to each other. I loved this story and loved that this was another independent, strong woman who finds her happily ever after.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fifth book in the series, and I would highly recommend that you read them in order, as we get to see each member of the Mountain Mercenaries team find love. In this installment, we get to see how the unfortunate first meeting between Ball and Everly can still lead to a happily ever after... Yes, Susan Stoker is that good!

Kannon aka Ball has a very poor view of women, thanks to two truly awful experiences... but really, can he let the rest of his life be blighted by them? It is fascinating watching how he finally reconciles his past with the potential of a much improved future. Everly most definitely has a significant impact on his thinking, and it would be true to say that the couples that he now spends time with have also made him think more closely about his prejudices. I thought that this worked really well through the book, even if there are times when he can't help but engage alpha mode.

Everly is convinced her sister, Elise, has been kidnapped, and Rex offers to send Ball to help her find Elise. And cue another pretty tense scenario were the men do their thing, and this time Everly gets to show that she too can use her policing skills to find Elise. Ball has no choice but to let her, as her sister is deaf and he doesn't have the skills to communicate with Elise. This gives Ball the chance to show that he is a good guy.

If you like your romance heavily laced with suspense and drama, then this will keep you on the edge of your seat without too much angst. And be warned that the epilogue definitely leaves you wanting more.

In Defending Everly, someone is going around kidnapping young children, just so happens one of the victims is Everly young sister.
Everly seeks help from the Mountain Mercenaries when all else fails.
As they hunt for clues, they come to realize, Elise kidnapping isn't random. And they must do what is necessary to find Elise and the other children before they disappear forever.

With fast-paced action, with likable characters. Defending Everly is another hit for Susan Stoker.

I love this story and this series. It is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me with the uber alpha heroes who fall hard and fast, and strong heroines who are definitely no shrinking violets.

Kannon “Ball” Black is not ready to trust a woman after betrayal by a former girlfriend and by a former female Coast Guard partner. He grudgingly agrees to work with Everly Adams, a SWAT officer who enlists the aid of the Mountain Mercenaries to find her missing teenage sister.

“Everly Adams had snuck under his shields and was slowly but surely chipping them away completely. And the thing of it was, she wasn’t even trying.”

Ball was at times quite a jerk but when he realized his errors he is not afraid to apologize and make up for his bad behavior.
I really enjoy these ‘standalone’ stories that allow peeks into the lives of characters from previous stories and at the end leave little hints of more stories to come.
-5 Stars!-

Not surprisingly another great book by Susan Stoker. If you have not read her books, do it. You won't be disappointed. Alpha men, the women they love, relatable stories that grab you from page one and don't let go. Always on my TBR list.

No matter how many books I read from Susan stoker, it seems I always end up changing my book boyfriend. I really loved this story of Kannon Black (Ball) and Everly. You have Ball a former coast guard who was burned by not only his mentee who forgot, turned the boat and Ball fell out and got injured and his ex girlfriend who was only in it because of his military career and we have Everly, a kick ass police and SWAT officer in a male dominated environment who has a deaf sister, a druggy mother and two loving grandparents. Elise, Everly's sister is gone after a normal day at school but no one knows where she is. It takes Ball and Everly to try and find clues. Through the story we get the perspective from various characters, Ball being an idiot and Everly trying to suss him out. The book was brilliantly written, the characters where all likeable (well apart from the baddies) and the story flowed through as we were taken on a journey of emotions from the perspective of the family of someone who is missing. My word the ending to the book. I am so looking forward to Meat’s story. Over all another great book in this series and I can’t wait for more.

Despite the intriguing synopsis and alpha hero book cover, I'm finding this author's writing style just doesn't do it for me, folks. The words on the pages just blend together and don't grab me like they should. I'm not going to waste your time and mine elaborating more. I wish her continued writing success, and I'm glad others liked it well enough to leave raving reviews. I've tried several of her books and get the same vibe each and every time. I'll stick to Katie Reus when I need this kind of set-up in a romantic read.

(These comments are based on a NetGalley ARC copy.)

Defending Everly is Book 5 of the Mountain Mercenaries series and stands perfectly fine on its own however the back story does continue to build and the characters from the other stories, do appear throughout.

Each story in this series continues to get better and better, which is no small feat since I've enjoyed them all. I loved the interactions between Ball and Everly and the slow burn between them was off the charts. Having a daughter the same age as Everly's sister does hit a little close to home and is a good reminder about reinforcing staying safe online.

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Everly is afraid for her sister Elise.
Elise disappeared without leaving a trace.
Kannon helps Everly to search to her sister.
The clock is ticking, and the chances of finding Elise are getting smaller.
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I have loved the Mountain Mercenaries series so much and I have to say, each book just gets better and better. I was looking forward to Ball's story and it was as good, if not better, than I had anticipated. As with the other books in this series, it's a standalone action romance that doesn't stop from the moment you open the book. Susan knows how to write romantic suspense --she always makes me "think" and ponder when I read these stories -- very thought provoking, sometimes heartbreaking, but very well written and incredibly interesting. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries Book 5)
By: Susan Stoker

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Hauntingly Perfect!

This book was hauntingly perfect. In the Fifth book in the Mountain Mercenaries Book we get a front row seat to Everly and Ball’s story. Police sergeant Everly enlists the Mountain Mercenaries to help find her kidnapped sister. Ball, a retired Coast Guardsman with a chip on his shoulder about working with women, is assigned to take point on this case and accompany Everly to Los Angeles, where her sister lives with her grandparents.

The writing is flawless, and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shocking moments. I really enjoyed this book and it kept me engrossed throughout. I really loved the characters and the way they interacted with each other. This is a fun, hot, romantic must read book and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Authors Blurb: As tough as Everly Adams may be, the Colorado Springs SWAT officer is near a breaking point. Her fifteen-year-old half sister, Elise, has disappeared from Los Angeles without a trace, and the window to find her is closing fast. Committed to the search is Mountain Mercenary Kannon “Ball” Black. He and Everly already have a history—of rubbing each other the wrong way. Still, Everly has to admit the man is heart-stopping. His brash alpha swagger takes her breath away. And most importantly, as a former Coast Guard first responder, Ball has what it takes to bring Elise home.
Nobody’s buying the LAPD’s “runaway” theory. And the fear that Elise is the victim of a human trafficking ring is a gut-punch that Everly and Ball can’t ignore. If only the trail were that clear cut. Because the one they’re following is more insidious and intimately dark than they could have imagined. Now as the bond between Everly and Ball grows stronger, so does the heat. And as the stakes rise, so does the danger.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

When Everly's sister goes missing she calls on the Mountain Mercenary team to help and "Ball" is the one assigned to help her find her. What starts out as a relationship full of hate slowly becomes one of love. This book sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. Constant action and full of feelings.
Good book.

Kannon aka Ball is partnered with Everly, a woman SWAT officer to find her missing sister. Ball is not happy with the pairing, he’s been burned by a woman partner in the past and loops any female into that category as not being “qualified” to be his partner. Everly is as tough as they come and will take a lot of convincing that she is capable of handling herself and having Ball’s back when necessary. As the two get closer and Ball finds out she is more than capable, and when they find her sister...the threat is not over.
This author does again with another suspenseful, action and steamy read that had me glued to the pages and in the end wanting more more more. The characters were amazing and I loved how Ball was able to admit he was wrong and how strong and capable Everly was. These two lit up the pages and were perfect together. Can’t wait to see what happens with the next mercenary, Meat, after that ending.
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy and expressed my honest opinion*

4.25 stars--DEFENDING EVERLY is the fifth instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult MOUNTAIN MERCENARIES military, romantic suspense series focusing on a group of former soldiers and Navy SEALS who call themselves Mountain Mercenaries, headed by the mysterious ‘Rex’. This is forty year old, former Coast Guard officer Kannon ‘Ball’ Black, and thirty-four year old Colorado Springs SWAT officer Everly Adams’ story line. DEFENDING EVERLY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives including Everly and Ball DEFENDING EVERLY follows the search for Everly’s missing fifteen year old sister Elise. Elise Adams is deaf, and disappeared on her way home from her Los Angeles school for the hearing impaired, where she lived with her me-maw and pop, but not all was well in Elise’s life, and the young woman struggled for attention and love. With her sister missing, Everly Adams volunteers to work with the Colorado Mountain Mercenaries, a position that finds Everly coming face to face with a potential misogynistic partner. Enter former Coast Guard officer Kannon ‘Ball’ Black, and the man with whom Everly will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Everly and Ball, and the potential fall-out as Everly is targeted, along with her sister, by a psychotic mind.

Kannon ‘Ball’ Black has been burned in the past, not only by a former girlfriend, but a female partner who threw our hero under the bus. With issues of trust, Ball battles between head and heart when ‘forced’ to work with SWAT police officer Everly Adams, as she desperately searches for her missing sister. Everly Adams struggles with Kannon Black’s attitude when they first met but Kannon’s need to profusely apologize finds Everly falling for the former Coast Guard officer.

The relationship between Ball and Everly is one of immediate attraction but Ball’s initial comments and reactions have raised Everly’s hackles. Our couple struggle to look past their initial introduction, a struggle that eventually finds Ball and Everly falling in love with the well-intentioned help of me-maw and pop. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The numerous secondary and supporting characters include computer guru and Navy SEAL Hunter ’Meat’ Snow; Grayson and Allye (Defending Allye #1), Ronan and Chloe (Defending Choe #2), Archer ‘Arrow’ and Morgan (Defending Morgan #3), Lowell ‘Black’ and Harlow (Defending Harlow #4) as well as the mysterious ‘Rex, the leader and handler of the Mountain Mercenaries. We are introduced to Everly’s sister Elise, their grandparents, Allison and Landen Adams, and Detective Diego Ramirez.

DEFENDING EVERLY is a story of family and friendships; desperation and revelations; camaraderie, drama, passion and suspense. The character driven premise is intriguing and edgy; the romance is tender and hopeful ; the characters are energetic, feisty, courageous and animated. Susan Stoker pulls the reader into an impassioned and intense story of rescue and love.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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Ball is not happy to be assigned working with Everly to try & find her missing teenage sister, Elise. Everly is not looking forward to spending any time with Ball - a man who does not view women as his equal in the workforce. She’s used to this kind of treatment, and all she wants to do is find her sister & hopefully never work with Ball again. But as they spend time together, Ball realizes he was wrong about Everly, and she figures out his feelings towards women have something to do with his past. Will they get to Elise in time or will danger find them instead?

This read was full of action, suspense & drama. The bond of the brotherhood is loyal & fierce, and once Everly is introduced into the circle she immediately is comforted & taken in by the women. Ball was a jerk at times but owns up to his mistakes & misjudgments. This was a great read & I look forward to reading the next one!