Rival Hero: Redleg Security, Book 4 (Unabridged)

🎧Audio Review🎧

Narrated by Erin Mallon & Jason Clarke

5 star

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶🌶🌶🌶

This book could come with a subheading “The awakening of Cal”

Wow… just wow on this suspense romance. This is my first book by Jackie walker and you can bet I’ll be reading more. Rival Hero is book 4 and I’ve already purchased the audios for 1-3 as I can’t wait to dive into the stories about the other team members.

Mia is the new hire at Redleg Security and Cal was her rival for the same position.

Full honestly… I really didn’t like Mia in the beginning. She lied. She snooped. She crossed the line and as of chapter 12 I can’t see what he sees in her beyond sex. But… fear not, she redeems herself and there’s damaged history she’s trying to overcome. And I LOVED her by the end. Can I just say that the “punishment” Cal gives her in the bedroom to teach her a lesson is epic. Mia has awakened a side in him he’s never tapped before. For the listener/reader to experience him learning how to be a Dom/alphahole in the bedroom was one of the hottest things I’ve ever read. I loved their relationship and how safe she felt to let her walls down and she gave him space to learn how to get his bedroom freak on.

There’s intrigue and a suspense plot revolving around mafia and sex trafficking that keeps things moving along. The book did feel a tad too long but factoring in how much I enjoyed their attraction and getting to know each other this still is a 5 star.

Walker does write team camaraderie really well with funny banter. She must have grown up watching her brothers, as she’s spot on with the ribbing. Especially the scene where Cal asks the two other teammates questions about how to be a Dom in the bedroom is fantastic and hilarious. I need more Jackie Walker books

Cinnamon roll turns into an alpha Dom with the help of Mia. I’m all for it.

I loved this audio. Erin Mallon and Jason Clarke knocked it out of the park. Jason superbly narrated Cal in all his emotions. You really heard the change in his voice as Cal made the transition from a gentle lover to Dom in the bedroom. There are so many facets to Mia and Erin Mallon embodied all of them. From her tough exterior to her vulnerabilities, Erin brought the emotions to her performance.

Thank you to Home Cooked Books for an advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own.

Rival Hero is narrated by the rockstar team of Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon. Their performances brought the quirky characters to life, and Jackie Walker's writing adapts really well to audio with the extra commentary for the reader. I'm sure that I liked the story more because I listened to the audiobook.

Rival Hero could be read as a stand alone as it starts with Mia and Cal meeting for the first time, and it progresses through their relationship challenges. Characters from previous books play a significant part in this book, so it's better to read in series, but not required. I've personally listened to 2 of the 3 earlier books. There were short cameos from what I assume are somewhat related series, but I haven't read those personally. The first book in this series was my first book by Jackie Walker. There is some very blunt language and more explicit scenes than the average romance, but I did like the action that goes along with the romantic suspense storyline.

I received a copy of this book at my request, and the opinions here are my own.

Rival Hero is the fourth book in the Redleg Security Series by Jackie Walker. It is the story of Klein and Mia - One-night stand, enemies-to-lovers, and workplace romance.

Klein is former Special OPs turned security/bodyguard and IT for Redleg Security. Klein is eternally optimistic and always has a smile. He is the dutiful son who watches over his mother who suffers from dementia. Despite his “vanilla” vibes it turns out Klein is a cinnamon roll with a touch of dominant.

Mia is former CIA who is looking for a more stable job so that she might be in a position to reconnect with her estranged family without the threat of harm coming to them. As a result of past trauma, Mia has her heart locked up tight and does not trust easily. She has what she calls her “inner pimp” that she blames for her compulsive need to know everything and dig up personal information.

Klein is stunned when the woman he spent an unforgettable one-night stand with turns out to be the person who got the promotion he was so desperately relying on.

While Klein is filled with feelings of anger, and betrayal when he realizes that Mia had dug into his background and orchestrated their supposed initial “chance” meeting, he also cannot ignore his overwhelming pull toward Mia. Feeling the same undeniable chemistry with Klein, Mia is determined to repair the damage she has done. When she expresses her desire to prove herself to him, Klein challenges Mia to “earn” him.

At the heart of the story is the question of whether Mia can in fact earn the trust of Klein and also learn to open her heart to the possibility of love and whether Klein can trust that she has truly changed and allow himself to open up to her.

I have high expectations when it comes to a new book by Jackie Walker and this one did not disappoint. The story kept my attention throughout with its humor, steam, and touch of danger and mystery. The author handled the sensitive topics well. As an added bonus there were glimpses into Tomer’s story which left me anticipating the next book. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates a captivating story and a hard-earned HEA.

🎧AUDIOBOOK🎧

Having read the book I was skeptical that the audio would be able to live up to the book and accurately convey the humor, vulnerability, and steam. Well, I was proven wrong. Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon were masterful as Klein and Mia doing these scenes and the entire story justice. They succeeded in bringing these characters to life and conveying the essence of their personalities.

I highly recommend you read and listen!!