4.5/5.0
After having read only one other book of this author's that I didn't love,  I am really glad I decided to give her another try!  This story was everything one would want in a romantic suspense! 
Both Everly and Ball's characters are well defined and expertly fleshed out and the pacing of the plot was pitch-perfect. But it was the romance aspect that really made this book shine. It started with a very rocky beginning, then was allowed to develop at a natural and organic rate. Ms. Stoker never succumbed to the temptation to throw Everly and Ball together before they were ready and before readers are allowed to really understand and invest in their growth and love.  It was awesome!! Although the villain was a bit over-the-top and tilted the believably barometer, every other thing in this riveting tale was absolutely top-notch, can't-put-down reading pleasure!

I love these stories by Susan Stoker. Lots of hot alpha men and women who don't back down. 

Yeah, Ball acted like a jerk in the beginning, but he definitely redeemed himself. Loved seeing the relationship with him and Elise as well as Everly.

DEFENDING EVERLY by Susan Stoker.  I honestly do not know how Ms. Stoker does it, but once again she stole my heart with this tale.  I went into this one a bit hesitant as kick butt heroines are not always my favorite (I like heroines to be strong, but now always in a physical sense - I am a true lover of damsel in distress!) However, Ms. Stoker proved me wrong.  I adored Everly - she is strong, inside and out, and tender and gentle but confident too.  Ball, well, he certainly had to win me over more so than Everly!  He needed time to open up and accept, not only Everly, but his shortcomings as well.  Everly's sister, Elise, was a wonderful addition to this story.  I liked that we saw her POV throughout and the bond these two shared as well.  Of course, being Susan Stoker, there is danger and mystery and suspense too which just ramps up my like.  Ms. Stoker writes some nasty villains and comes up with some terrifying scenarios for her characters to go through, which keeps me turning the pages and reading more and more.  This entire series has been a delight to read and it is credited to Ms. Stoker's writing style, cast of characters and intense and crazy plot lines.   Cannot wait for more from this amazing author.  (received ARC from NetGalley for honest review)

I am a fan of this author.  This was a good, fast-moving story with likeable characters. This story is part of a series and this falls nicely into place with the character's progression and development.

What a great story that had a mix of romance, action and drama. Susan Stoker never fails to deliver the good. A+

The story moves quickly and has the same rhythm and flow as the others in this series. Ball is a alpha who goes for what he wants and doesn't give Everly a chance to really think about anything more than how he makes her feel and trying to find her sister.

The story works well and is a fast easy read with the same warning that everyone should give their children you never know who is on the other side of the chat you are using. Parents know what apps are out there because not all are what they seem.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for advance copy of Susan Stoke Defending Everly.

This is book 5 in the Mountain Mercenaries series and it can absolutely be read as a stand alone however I recommend reading the books previous to this one so that you understand the relationships between the characters and some of the things that are mentioned that happened in previous books. This one is about Kannon “Ball” Black and Everly Adams. Ball and Everly got off on the wrong foot from the get go. Everly, who is also a SWAT officer, has come to the Mountain Mercenaries to get help in finding her 15 year old sister. Her fear is that a human trafficking ring has taken her, and if so they only have a short time in order to find her or she will be gone for good. Ball has his reason's for not wanting to work with a woman. But when he is forced to work with Everly, he is also forced to confront those reason's and realize that they can't be attributed to all women. But in working with Everly he also starts to care about her and what happens to her. But when things aren't what they seem in her sister's kidnapping-can he keep not only her sister safe but the woman he has come to love?

I absolutely loved this one!! Ball has so many issues with women in jobs like his that at first you just want to kick him. But once you find out why, it makes a lot more sense. But then he comes to the realization that it's not all women and I love how he is after that! Everly is this kick butt woman who knows her own worth and has no problem standing up for the people she loves. And she is ready and willing to do anything for the people she lets into her circle. And I love that about her! This book has not only romance and suspense but a lot of action as well. I loved it!

I had read this like a week ago but forgot to review...Anywho this story was Balls story and i really enjoyed it. In the last book when he heard what his assignment was going to be he started sprouting out nonsense because he had to work with a woman, said woman was well Everly hence the name. Everly is a cop and works in a man world so she wasn't surprised that Ball would feel that way, but there was no way she would stay behind. Her deaf sister was kidnapped and she knew someone that knew sign language would have to be there and she was going to be that person and not give up..Grab a  copy and enjoy! Ready for the next one!

We are back with the Mountain Mercenaries and this time it’s Kannon “Ball” Black’s story. 
Everly Adams is a cop and SWAT team member in Colorado. When her young teenage half sister  Elise is kidnapped in LA, she goes to the Mountain Mercenaries for help.
The man that is send to help her is Ball, a man that does not want to work with a woman due to his past experiences and betrayals.
But the life of Elise is in danger and he’s determined to find her no matter what. As time goes on , they both realize their prejudices about each other is wrong and a relationship begins.
The story was engaging and thought provoking in various ways. Deaf individuals are just like us .  Frequently more sensitive and with a keen senses of awareness. Elise was an intelligent, sweet and strong teenager.  Sadly, we are also reminded that human trafficking is real . Especially with children and teenagers. 
The characters were complex and once again, the author fgives us a strong female character.
As the book ends , we are left with the disappearance of one of the members of the Mountain Mercenaries. Leading us to the next book in the series.
Though it’s a stand alone, this reader highly recommends that you read the previous books in their order for a more in depth appreciation of all the characters.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Montlake Romance. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

In this 5th Mountain Mercenary story, they’ve been hired to find a missing 15 year old, feared to be picked for human trafficking. Her sister, Everly, is a Colorado Springs police officer and a member of the SWAT team. The team member assigned to the case is Kannnon “Ball” Black. He is a former Coast Guard officer, and very untrusting of women. He been burned by two women in his past so he was not very tolerant. Everly is a tough cop, doesn’t have time for this Neanderthal, and wants to find her sister. Their investigation leads them to L.A. and the home of Everly’s grandparents who have been raising Elise, who is profoundly deaf, which adds another bump in the investigation. After spending time with Everly, Ball realizes how wrong he is to judge her by the other women in his life. He finds a deep respect growing, and some very unexpected feelings for her. Lots of action and a slow growing romance add to the enjoyment. Very entertaining read.

I've read ARCs of all the other books in this series and I've loved the other books, so I was excited for this book to release! I then received an email from the publisher and it included this book, so I quickly sent the ARC to my Kindle and finished the series I was reading before starting this book! I will admit that I went back and read the last chapter of the fourth book before starting this book because it sort of connects to this book! After reading this book, I can say that I really enjoyed it! The plot developed at the perfect pace and kept me hooked! There was quite a bit of action and suspense as well, which added a lot to the plot and made me enjoy it more! There was plenty of romance between the two main characters, which allowed for a few seriously hot scenes! The ending of this book was also left at the perfect place! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Everly was the main female character, and she was a new character to this series, so I didn't know anything about her! I got to know a lot about her in this book and my heart went out to her! Everly had been through a lot in her childhood, but yet she and her sister were both amazing! It was easy to see how much Everly cared about her sister and she was very protective of her! I also admired Everly because she worked a hard job! Kannon 'Ball' was the main male character and love interest of Everly! I've been very intrigued by Ball in the other books in this series, so I was really excited to get inside his head and read his story! I loved Ball in this book! He was seriously hot and quite a guy! Ball also supported Everly and he helped her a lot! It was easy to see his feelings change for her as well and he would do anything for her and wanted her and her sister safe! I loved that this book was written from both Everly and Ball's point of views! I was expecting it to be because the other books in this series have been written from dual point of view, so I'm really happy that this book was too! The synopsis also give the impression that it might be written from only the female character's point of view, but I'm really happy that we got to go inside Ball's head as well! It helped me connect more with both characters and understand them as well! It allowed for more things to happen in the plot as well, which helped as Everly and Ball did spend some of the plot apart and were going through their own things! I now can't wait to read the next book in this series! I know that it's going to focus on secondary characters from the series, but this has me even more excited to read it! I know that the next book doesn't release until March next year, which is a bit of a wait, but I know that it's going to be worth it! I still have a few of this author's other books to read while I wait lol! I also love the cover for this book a lot! It matches the other covers in the series perfectly and it really suits the book! It would attract me to the book and the cover model is the perfect Ball as well!

What can you say? Susan is a queen of suspense, and this book brought that suspense by the bucketful! Everly and Ball didn’t stand a chance, and while the danger and the mystery never seemed to end, the attraction they had grew. Starting out not liking each other very much, the intensity of the time they spend together has them getting to know each other on a deeper level. Once the first wave of pressure passes, they stumble before deciding to give each other a chance

Furiously turning pages with my heart in my throat, this story had me on edge. Then, with that epilogue, bah, can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Susan Stoker knows how to kick off a book with a bang. I love that we get straight to the point- Everly Adam (badass cop) has a sister missing and she needs help picking up the slack by the LAPD on the investigation. Mountain Mercenaries to the rescue! Kannon "Ball" Black is none too happy being paired with Everly for the job. Why you ask? Oh, because she is female. Nope- this doesn't make you hate Ball right off the bat- just irked by him, which shows amazing writing. Ball has his reason for being leery of a female partner, but Everly could care less. She is on a mission to find her sister and it's Ball's problem if he is insecure with her as a partner- she knows her worth (I love it)! 

Once this mission is off the ground, Ball is shown a side of Everly he knows she keeps hidden. He sees the love of the family searching for their granddaughter/sister and he knows he must find Elise. Everly and Ball have sparks and they begin slow and sweet. The thrill of victory is short lived when it appears danger has not been diverted. The action in this story is great. The heat and passion with Ball and Everly amazing. The love family awesome.

Everly is a member of the Colorado Springs SWAT team and when her little sister goes missing, she contacts Mountain Mercenaries. Ball is a former Coast Guard and now a member of Mountain Mercenaries. He has had trouble with female partners and doesn’t want one now but he soon learns that having Everly with him proves to be a life saver. Everly’s sister Elsie is deaf and she’ll do anything to get her back even give herself to the kidnapper.  This is an awesome story with from enemies to lovers relationship. Action, suspense and a slow building attraction. They don’t just jump into bed together, they get to know each other. When they finally do... wow it is steamy.  * Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *

*4.5 stars*

Feel good romantic suspense...

This author’s stories are chock-a-block full of strong men and women which has made the Mountain Mercenaries series so fun to read. This time out saw Ball and Everly battling the unknown in their frantic search for Elise.

I loved how Elise was portrayed – a teenager dealing with all the usual growing up issues plus a wee bit more. She was smart but still a kid and searching for answers in all the places, including where she shouldn’t. How it was dealt with felt true to reality, including her gut-wrenching fear and tension. 

Ball and Everly’s journey from reluctant partners in the search to unexpected supporters. Their fear was no less real and all the emotions they had were close to the surface. Hate and love were a big part of this romantic suspense and it was felt in every snarky exchange, each hard fought battle. My favourite part? Ball's connection with Elise which revealed so much of his true character. Secondary characters, including Everly’s grandparents, stole their moments and made this family-focused romance even better.

Another great read in the series!

This is Everly Adams and Kannon “Ball” Black’s story; book 5 in the Mountain Mercenaries series. A standalone, happily ever after, no cheating action romance with sizzle.
Two people who started off on the wrong foot, look beyond first impression and learn what each is really made of. The story was well developed, great characterization with lots of action and sizzle.
I have read all in this series so far and can’t wait for the next!
Although this is a standalone, the Epilogue is a big tease, setting up for Meat’s story, the next in the series.
I received a copy of this story through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Defending Everly is book 5 in the Mountain Mercenaries by Susan Stoker. 
Even though it’s my first read in this series, I didn’t feel lost when reading this book. But I definitely will go and start reading this series because I want to know more of them. 
Loved it. Loved that Everly is a strong brave heroine. She was kick@ss!!
Everly Adams is a SWAT officer who’s sister has disappeared and she goes to The Mercenaries for help. 
Kannon “Ball” Black doesn’t like working with women and he showed it at the beginning, but he quickly turned around when he realized Everly is not like the women in his past.
Loved the relationship between Ball and Elise, Everly’s sister.
Also loved that he learned sign language to communicate with her. 
Great read and had me hooked since the beginning. 

My Rating: 5 STARS!!

I enjoyed the storyline and both the leading characters. It was quite far-fetched and some of the outcomes were a bit too neatly finished but it was enjoyable and the story moved at a good pace throughout. The epilogue was a good teaser /hook for the next book in the series and I would like to read the back stories to the other men in the squad. 
The nickname of the hero really grated on me though!

This was my first Susan Stoker novel. I can see why she's such a popular writer. Her work is suspenseful, heartfelt, and solid all around. 

What brought me out of the book was the tired battle of men versus women/girl power. Apparently Kannon "Ball" once (only once) had a bad experience working with a woman. He got injured and her tears apparently saved her career. Then when he was recovering, his girlfriend ran off. So, he's since judged all women harshly (I'm sure they're good for sex...). At the beginning, a scene was referenced where Ball went off about having to work with Everly to find her missing sister. Everly over heard and the book opened with them at odds. And I think not including that scene in this book made the whole conflict less impactful. 

Both Ball and Everly kept referring to how chauvinistic and a-holish he acted toward her. And I was like...for one outburst? Yet, the story started with him comforting her on the plane and ensuring she had what she needed to find her sister, and he was exceedingly respectful to her grandparents. So those reference fell flat and left me rolling my eyes. He had to prove to himself and others that he over his "women weak" thing by gushing about Everly's girl power. 

This is my personal grudge against the girl power storyline. I want to read for an escape. Every day of my life, I have had to girl power my way through a male dominated world--growing up, in the military, in my career, and now I have to raise girls to hold their own. When I read, I want to get away, I want to get into characters that have experiences I will never have and don't want to have, but love to read about. 

My only other critique with the book was the wait before they slept together. I think Stoker was tasteful in how she handled the intimate scenes. I don't want to spoil when they finally slept together, but they waited. They waited for six weeks. Ball had no other history with women that would make him want to be different or whatever with this one where waiting would be significant. The same with Everly, there was no reason to wait. It didn't move the story forward and it didn't alter their character arc. I have no idea why it was a thing. 

I read an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.

Susan Stoker is an auto buy for me now - her stories are filled with love, angst, danger and so much more. I fell so in love with Ball (and Everly) in Defending Everly. Both Everly and her sister are strong women and intriguing to read about.  The story is fast paced, full of drama and angst, and made my heart both beat fast and with fear.  I loved every minute of Everly and Ball!