Library Journal: Watching this romance unfold from Ian’s point of view is refreshing and insightful. A stock womanizer soon unfolds into a complex hero. But as with all heroes, Ian has flaws and is all the more lovable for them. Savoring each page of this novel, this reviewer found the end unfolding a bit too quickly; still, with this first-time effort, Braden will soon amass a strong readership.
Debut author Braden introduces us to Ian Fairchild, a Manhattan playboy forced to take a break from his law firm after a rough case results in an accident and an addiction to painkillers. Ian’s brother, Preston, a military contractor, calls on the one person he can trust—former U.S. Marine captain Cecily Knight—to take Ian in and give him the help the treatment centers could not provide. With that setup, readers might look to the traditional plot of the female caretaker saving the damaged philanderer; however, Braden soon reveals why Cecily is beholden to Preston Fairchild. Preston defied military codes of conduct to rescue Cecily after three days of torture and captivity in the Middle East, after which Cecily withdrew from society and retreated to the Canadian wilderness. Perhaps the wounded player can take on the role of caretaker to heal both of their hearts.