Angel
4 Stars

Gabriel Collingwood will do anything to protect his sister and that includes running off the ex-con who has attached herself to Violet. But not even his Navy SEAL training can prepare Gabriel for the intense attraction he feels for Jordan Reiss, the town outcast, who is determined to make amends even for crimes of which she is blameless. Can Gabriel get past his preconceived notions to accept Jordan and will she let him past her defenses?

Jordan is another of Crouch's damaged yet exceedingly sympathetic heroines. Similar to Anne and Charlie in the first two books, Jordan's past consists of one tragedy after another, and it is clear that she deserves her happily ever after. Her opposites-attract romance with Gabe is delightful, and it is fun to see him lose control and give in to his desire for Jordan. Although he is often overly judgmental and quick to lash out when angry, it is clear that he loves Jordan, and their chemistry is incredible.

Unlike the previous books, the suspense plot comes in toward the end with the reappearance of Jordan's con-artist father. While this twist is not completely unexpected, it is interesting to see how it plays out and the way in which Jordan and Gabriel handle the situation.

My one minor nitpick is that the town's despicable actions toward Jordan are glossed over too easily at the end, and the resolution of this subplot is a little too saccharine for my tastes. There are several characters who get off far too easily for their behavior toward her.

All in all, an excellent addition to what is rapidly becoming a favorite series. ( )

Best so far

This series. Sweet holy hell. There is so much depth to this series. Every story gets better and better. I loved everything about this story.

Jordan has intrigued me since book one. My heart hurt for her. She was a warrior. Her fight and resilience was truly a testament of her strength. Gabriel. Sweet lord. That man is just plain deliciousness.

This author is definitely one of my favorite things that I've discovered in 2019. Definite one click author for me know. ( )

An excellent addition to the series. I loved every minute of it. There were times I just wanted to smack Gabe upside the head but he made it right in the end so I can forgive him. I’m now wanting Dorian’s story because I have to know why he’s being hunted and by whom. ( )

Janie Crouch is a fabulous writer and she is so talented in her writing that you get totally drawn into her story lines. When reading her stories you can easily forget where you are and what time it is! I started reading this book in the evening while my husband was watching sports. I was so engrossed in this story I didn’t even notice that he went to bed. I looked up at the clock and it was LATE! This storyline was introduced in earlier books and I was so very excited to finally get to find out Jordan’s HEA. This book is book 4 in the series but you can definitely read this one first but I would highly recommend you read them all. This series is awesome! Jordan was just a young girl when she tragically fell asleep at the wheel of her car and killed a young mother and her child. She was put in prison and finally finished her time and the town she loved was not welcoming her back because of her mistake and her good for nothing father that cheated many of the town folks out of their life savings. Between her father and her accident she felt she deserved the terrible treatment from the town. Until things get totally out of hand. She needs a guardian angel and she gets one by the name of Gabriel. Gabe is her savior and her heartbreak. Can he trust Jordan to be who he wants to believe she is? Can she trust this outsider to help her? This story will have you staying up all night to find out! It did me! I loved it and I am so excited for the next book in the series! Janie why can’t you write as fast as I can read your stories? Janie is one of my very favorite writers and I love this book! ( )

Janie Crouch, you will be the death of me yet! I downloaded this book a little before midnight on Monday and told myself I could read a couple of chapters, then go to sleep. Yeah, right. Next thing I knew it was 4 am, and I was on Chapter Seventeen and face-planted on my e-reader. Up again a few hours later and champing at the bit to start reading again, I could not put this book down. I've been intrigued by Jordan since her first appearance and hoped that she would get her own story. When she and Gabe (brother to Violet in Shamrock) met in the previous book the sparks flew, and I couldn't wait to see what happened.

The beginning of this book overlapped with the end of Shamrock, but this time from Gabe and Jordan's points of view. Gabe is protective of his sister and suspicious of ex-con Jordan and her motives for working at Violet's bakery. He was pretty obnoxious in his attempts to bribe Jordan to leave. I loved seeing her stand up to Gabe and do what was right for her. Underneath all that antagonism was attraction, and it burst into flame with an explosive kiss that neither knew how to deal with. Nor could either one forget it. Though he tried, Gabe couldn't stay away, intrigued and curious to find out more about her. There was a sweet, romantic scene involving a sunset and good conversation that exploded into unexpected passion. But when Gabe's desire to treat Jordan the way she should be treated ran into the demons of her past and present, his frustration caused some very boneheaded actions on his part. I ached for Jordan and the hurt she experienced, and even for Gabe because he knew he'd been a jerk.

Jordan is amazing. She has been through so much, but she is determined to have the life she wants. A tragic mistake, when she was seventeen, sent her to prison for six years. Added to the fact that her father stole the retirement funds of most of the people in town, she wasn't surprised by the way she was treated when she came back. All she wanted was the chance to live in peace on her little patch of Wyoming paradise. I ached for her over all the acts of bullying, large and small, that she endured, believing that she doesn't deserve to be treated kindly. I loved how the men and women of Linear Tactical slowly worked past her defenses and gave her the love and friendship she craved.

I loved the development of the relationship between Gabe and Jordan. Though he was suspicious and antagonistic at first, it didn't take long for Gabe to admire Jordan's strength, intelligence, and humor. Jordan was wary. It took a little while for her to trust him, especially when he made some stupid mistakes. He came through brilliantly after the fire at the bakery. I loved seeing him in all his protective glory at the hospital, from the alpha avenger after he saw how she was treated, to the sensitive, observant man who was there when she needed him most. I loved seeing Gabe take care of her, showing her through his actions that she deserved everything he could do for her. The depth of thought and feeling that went into the date he took her on showed just how much he was starting to care about her. I loved watching Jordan blossom under his attention and support.

Just when it looked like life couldn't get any better, Jordan's past comes back to haunt her. With her friends' lives threatened, Jordan found herself in a position that would test Gabe's trust in her. I was on the edge of my seat as I watched Jordan forced to betray him. Intensified by the memory of another recent betrayal, Gabe's reaction was extreme, and I wanted to clobber him with a baseball bat. It was so satisfying to see him realize how big of an ass he had been when he found out what had actually happened. I was glued to the pages as Gabe, Jordan, and the Linear Tactical guys teamed up to bring an end to the threat. The final confrontation was a complex dance that had the potential for either disaster or success. Of course, you know it will be a success, but the process was intense. All that was left was for Gabe to regain Jordan's trust and get her to believe in a future together. I loved his "go big" moment at the end. That hint of vulnerability made it so much sweeter as he found a way to make all of Jordan's dreams come true. ( )