Veena’s review of The Lumberjack (Game of Chance, Book 4) by Susan Stoker
Romantic Suspense published by Montlake 30 Jul 24
As the rest of the guys find their happily ever after and settle down, JJ and April continue their slow-burn avoidance of a relationship, until April is involved in a car accident and loses her memory. Now all bets are off, and JJ is done with restraint and holding back.
April has lost a chunk of memory and doesn’t recognize the guys and the gals to whom she’s become like an older sister/den mother to, when they show up in the hospital. The one thing she knows is JJ makes her feel safe, even as the presence of her ex-husband starts to become an irritant. Once discharged from the hospital, she’s ensconced in JJ’s apartment and begins to open her heart and accept a relationship with him.
At the same time, a young man, who holds JJ responsible for the death of his brother, with a completely warped sense of justice shows up in town, ready to take his revenge on JJ and the guys – hit them where it would hurt most, which would be the wives. A series of small accidents plague the women, but they seem to lead a charmed life, until they are all four kidnapped.
Once again, all bets are off. The guys call in every single favor owed to them, and all the heroes from the other series of Ms. Stoker’s books show up in a cameo appearance to help them find the women and defeat the enemy. The action and adventure are enough to get your adrenaline going for a wonderful finale.
Just a word of caution, this is one of those books where you should have read the earlier stories in the series, so that you can relate to the characters and the references to how each of their romances came to be.
Grade: A
Summary:
A game of chance during a horrific POW experience decided the future for Jackson “JJ” Justice and his teammates. Years later, they’re well settled into their lumberjack business in small-town Maine. And for nearly as long, JJ’s been pining for April, the woman largely responsible for growing their business, but insecurities keep him at arm’s length from the sexy receptionist.
April Hoffman loves her job…and her boss. She’s unsure where JJ’s head is at, but for her part, she knows exactly why she’s not revealed her feelings. Not only does she have one failed relationship under her belt, she’s also several years older than JJ. Why would a man so brutally hot settle for someone almost past her prime?
After a car accident nearly takes April’s life, leaving her with temporary amnesia, they both understand what they almost lost. The floodgates are open, their feelings exposed…but it may be too little, too late.
An enemy from JJ’s past has come calling, putting not only his future happiness on the line, but the lives of several people he holds dear—starting with April.
No excerpt available.
