I didn't connect with this one quite as much at the others but still good. ( )

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Arin Siri is a K9 handler on a current mission with her team, Search and Protect and runs into Jason Landon again. This time under very tenuous circumstances. He is wounded and Arin has to abort her mission to get him to safety. When Jason wakes up in a hospital, he is shocked to see Arin standing guard over him. If she could, Arin would leave Jason to deal with his circumstances and try and complete her task, but that is not what happens.

Although at first seriously hurt, Jason just wants to get back on his own mission. To some degree it is at cross-purposes with Arin's, but he reluctantly knows that she can help him. What Jason is striving to do is to take a kidnapping ring down. Arin's goal to destroy a trafficking operation at her home base in Hawaii.

Just as in the four previous stories in the True Heroes series, Fierce Justice does not disappoint. This story, like the others, has serious themes, and as always, a romance between the principal characters.Although these stories do well as standalones, there is always the inclusion of secondary characters from the other stories. In this case most notably, Mali, Arin's sister.

While readers of the fourth book in the series, Total Bravery, might recall, Arin's job, former career and even character traits are made known. In this case, there is an extra layer to Jason's character. In his job as a mercenary, he has seen some difficult, if not questionable things. His last case left him wanting for more, very much concerned about certain things. With current circumstances Jason realizes that things must change. But how?

The romance in this story is a bit more of a slow burn compared to the others, but that just might be because of the scenarios Jason and Arin face. And, as always, each Search and Protect team member has a dog as a partner, so readers got to enjoy Arin's German Shepherd Dog King. This book was wonderful, providing action without letup, but I am holding back a half of a star due to the rather abrupt ending. I look forward to the next book in the series.

As mentioned, this is the fifth book in the series. Other books are Extreme Honor, Ultimate Courage, Winter Valor (novella), Total Bravery, Absolute Trust and Forever Strong. ( )

Good book. It starts a few months after the end of the previous book (Total Bravery). Though this one is connected to the last book, it can be read as a standalone as earlier events are seamlessly explained. Arin (Ah-rin) and her dog King are part of a team that continues to investigate human trafficking in Hawaii. She's surprised to stumble across a former foe unconscious and bleeding and not very happy to have to abort her mission to get him to safety. But considering where she saw him last, he may have information vital to their investigation.

When Jason comes to, he's surprised to find Arin standing guard in his hospital room. The last time he saw her, they were on opposites sides of a mission. But the things she told him made him question his actions and ticked off the wrong people. Now he's on a quest to bring down a kidnapping ring and maybe make up for some of those past actions. It's too much for one man alone to handle, and the Search and Protect team are the only ones who might be able to help him.

I liked the combination of personal and professional relationships between Arin and Jason. Neither one was able to forget the other after their last meeting, and Jason at least was happy to get to spend some time with Arin. She isn't too sure that she can trust him, and the hoops she made him jump through at first both annoyed and amused him. Jason will do whatever he needs to to get their help in stopping the kidnapping ring. That it meshes well with their trafficking investigation is a bonus.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Arin and Jason. She is tough, independent, and sometimes abrasive, but she also has a vulnerable side that she hides well. Jason hasn't always been too concerned about the morality of the jobs he took, but the last one made him take a closer look at himself. Determined to do better, Jason puts himself at Arin's disposal. He is smart, thinks fast on his feet, and is very observant. I loved how well he understood Arin. He saw the vulnerability that she hid from everyone else, but he also appreciated her strength and capabilities. It was awesome to see that he could be protective without trying to hold her back. Arin was stunned to realize that Jason had gotten under her skin. His acceptance of her just as she was is something she'd never experienced before. Underneath it all was an explosive attraction that neither one could resist. As they grew closer physically and emotionally, each of them wondered what would become of what they had. The ending had a twist I didn't see coming but was exactly right for them.

The suspense was terrific. The wariness between Arin and Jason at first added an extra layer of tension to the investigation. Their partnership in the first rescue went a long way toward resolving their trust issues. I was on the edge of my seat as they found the first set of victims, and Arin had to rely on Jason's skills to prevent a tragedy. I liked their teamwork as their investigation led them to the identity of the new head of the trafficking ring. The actual takedown was a nailbiter as Jason went undercover to get the proof they needed. But it wasn't quite over, as there was still another "shipment" that had to be found. The author's descriptions of that rescue were so vivid that I felt as though I was there, from the sights and smells to the heart-pounding terror of the victims themselves. Once again Jason and Arin made an outstanding team and brought all to a satisfying conclusion. There was a neat bit at the end that looks like it may be the lead-in to the next book and I can't wait to read it.

One of my favorite characters was Arin's K9 partner, King. I loved the intensity of their bond. King was one of the few beings that Arin trusted unconditionally. I enjoyed her surprise at the way King took to Jason. This made it a little easier for her to start to trust Jason. There were a couple of good scenes between Jason and King. I especially liked the one where Jason took King out for a walk while Arin slept.

Another important part of the book was the continued repairing of the relationship between Arin and her sister Mali. There were several times when Mali irritated me with her attitude toward Arin. She really had a hard time accepting Arin the way she was. Her instructions to Arin for the reception made me think that she still didn't respect her sister's choices. It made me understand why Arin always felt so out-of-step with her own family. I was doubly glad that Jason was there to support her. ( )