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The Protector #3
Forbidden Stranger
A female bodyguard with enhanced abilities. A billionaire playboy committed to destroying people like her. A romance they didn’t expect…
Nina Bronson and Ewan Donahue have put their love to its limits. To Ewan, she’s the only woman he wants to be with for the rest of his life. To Nina, whose memories have been ripped out of her, Ewan is her kind and generous boss who’s helping her recover after an accident she also can’t remember. The more time they spend together, the more she begins to feel for him, but Ewan knows the truth — she loved him once. As Ewan tries to do whatever it takes to get Nina back to herself without putting her in danger, the two of them have to build a brand new relationship from the ground up. Sometimes, a lie isn’t a betrayal, it’s a lifesaver. Can Nina forgive Ewan for not telling her the truth about why she lost so much of her memories, or are they doomed to never be together again?
Dive into the third book in this fantastic new series set in the near future from New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart!
Nina Bronson and Ewan Donahue have put their love to its limits. To Ewan, she’s the only woman he wants to be with for the rest of his life. To Nina, whose memories have been ripped out of her, Ewan is her kind and generous boss who’s helping her recover after an accident she also can’t remember. The more time they spend together, the more she begins to feel for him, but Ewan knows the truth — she loved him once. As Ewan tries to do whatever it takes to get Nina back to herself without putting her in danger, the two of them have to build a brand new relationship from the ground up. Sometimes, a lie isn’t a betrayal, it’s a lifesaver. Can Nina forgive Ewan for not telling her the truth about why she lost so much of her memories, or are they doomed to never be together again?
Dive into the third book in this fantastic new series set in the near future from New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart!
300 pages, ebook
First published March 6, 2018
About the author
Megan Hart
285 books3,971 followersMegan Hart has written in almost every genre of romantic fiction, including historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, futuristic, fantasy and perhaps most notably, erotic. She also writes non-erotic fantasy and science fiction, as well as continuing to occasionally dabble in horror.
--from the author's website
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
For Megan Hart, the nutritionist, click here
--from the author's website
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
For Megan Hart, the nutritionist, click here
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 25, 2018
2.5 to 3*
Despite having issues with the previous two books (you really need to read those first) I was really looking forward to this one.
Before I really get into my review I have to say that one thing all three of these books had in common is they were just too long. I’ve skimmed all of them at some point just to keep going.
While I like the idea behind these and the characters (for the most part) I found my interest waning.
It started well, after being reset so many times Nina is a mess her memory has gone but the real threat is self termination. The early scenes on the island show us the struggle, the danger and progress plus the developing relationship between Ewan and Nina. Ewan has to lie repeatedly to the woman he loves and it’s hard but she needs to remember things on her own.
My problem is this takes up 70% of the book and honestly I was bored.
I know I’m in the minority here since all the reviews I’ve seen have been 4 and 5* and maybe it’s just me but there’s absolutely no point me writing a review if I’m not going to be totally honest and honestly I was very disappointed in how this ended.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.
February 4, 2018
Nina lost her memory and the only thing she knows right now is that Ewan is her boss and she feels safe when she’s by his side.
So, the thing about this book is how the story is told. I didn’t like it because for the most part of the time I couldn’t connect the dots so I was reading the book but I was completely lost. Something big happened that made Nina lost her memory but you don’t know what that big thing is right away! I understand that this is the main story of this book but so many secrets turned the book into an empty thing!
The couple hasn’t changed much! Ewan is still the sweetest with only eyes for Nina and always worried sick that something might happen to her. Nina is not quite the same anymore: because she lost her memories she’s not even aware of her enhanced abilities!
Overall the book is more of the same when compared to the previous books but it was a lot more confusing and unfulfilling for me.
So, the thing about this book is how the story is told. I didn’t like it because for the most part of the time I couldn’t connect the dots so I was reading the book but I was completely lost. Something big happened that made Nina lost her memory but you don’t know what that big thing is right away! I understand that this is the main story of this book but so many secrets turned the book into an empty thing!
The couple hasn’t changed much! Ewan is still the sweetest with only eyes for Nina and always worried sick that something might happen to her. Nina is not quite the same anymore: because she lost her memories she’s not even aware of her enhanced abilities!
Overall the book is more of the same when compared to the previous books but it was a lot more confusing and unfulfilling for me.
February 11, 2018
FORBIDDEN STRANGER is the third and final book in The Protector series and all I can say is finally. It's over. Any hope that I had with this concluding installment being better, or at least as good, as book one.. well, that hope crashed and burned pretty early on.
She didn't know what was worse, knowing that she'd forgotten something, or being unable to remember that she was constantly forgetting.
My main problem with this series is that it's just too long. Each book is drawn out, repetitive, filled with filler, and in the case of this last book, well.. repetitive. As a result of the end of book two, Nina Bronson, an Enhanced soldier, in and out of a relationship with Ewan Donahue over the course of the series, Ewan being the man who created the technology that gave her her abilities, has lost her memory. As a result we basically get to watch everything that's already happened between them happen again.
"I can't expect her to forgive me for everything, forever."
"Why not? Isn't love about forgiveness?"
"Nobody should expect that of someone else. Love doesn't give you a free pass to hurt someone, over and over again."
Compounded by a tendency to screw first and talk about feelings later, the constant lies or omissions Ewan is once again having to spin, this time 'because the truth might kill her'.. ugh. And don't even get me started on the return of the villainous Jordie, now complete with version 2.0 of his crazy theatrical Lex Luthor impression. I just can't even.
Once again, he'd found himself keeping the truth from her, and once again, he'd convinced himself it was for her safety and well-being.
Everything that I disliked about book one was worse in book two and honestly nothing about three was better. I don't think it was as bad, per se, but honestly my overall tolerance was in the toilet. I skimmed over a lot of details, especially the sexy ones, but even Hart's general dialogue and narrative was repetitive and easy to speed through without much processing power required. This does not lend itself well for keeping a reader interested. Certainly not this one.
"You lied to me. For months and months, Ewan. And I might not remember everything, but I do remember that it's not the first time you've lied to me. You think you're protecting me, you say you love me, but that's not love.
As for the world building that kept me engaged in this series, nothing was added to that in this wrap-up book, and other than Ewan flexing his Mister Money Bags muscles and having the ability to do anything and everything, even control the weather (not joking).. honestly, it just felt too over the top. Ewan in general was just one of the worst heroes I've read about because all of his bad behaviour is done under the guise of being for another person's benefit or care or protection but without any actual redeeming qualities that might make you feel inclined to forgive him his arrogance (sorry, none of that end of the book 'doing everything for non-profit, underprivileged children' to make the world a better place or whatever made any of it easier to swallow). He's just a dick. A pouty entitled dick and even though Nina acknowledges this, resists, rails at him for it.. lo and behold these two crazy kids are still going to make it work. Sigh.
There was the very real possibility that they were simply incompatible for something beyond the bedroom.
I wish I could've loved this series but unfortunately, I just never did and I would not recommend.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
She didn't know what was worse, knowing that she'd forgotten something, or being unable to remember that she was constantly forgetting.
My main problem with this series is that it's just too long. Each book is drawn out, repetitive, filled with filler, and in the case of this last book, well.. repetitive. As a result of the end of book two, Nina Bronson, an Enhanced soldier, in and out of a relationship with Ewan Donahue over the course of the series, Ewan being the man who created the technology that gave her her abilities, has lost her memory. As a result we basically get to watch everything that's already happened between them happen again.
"I can't expect her to forgive me for everything, forever."
"Why not? Isn't love about forgiveness?"
"Nobody should expect that of someone else. Love doesn't give you a free pass to hurt someone, over and over again."
Compounded by a tendency to screw first and talk about feelings later, the constant lies or omissions Ewan is once again having to spin, this time 'because the truth might kill her'.. ugh. And don't even get me started on the return of the villainous Jordie, now complete with version 2.0 of his crazy theatrical Lex Luthor impression. I just can't even.
Once again, he'd found himself keeping the truth from her, and once again, he'd convinced himself it was for her safety and well-being.
Everything that I disliked about book one was worse in book two and honestly nothing about three was better. I don't think it was as bad, per se, but honestly my overall tolerance was in the toilet. I skimmed over a lot of details, especially the sexy ones, but even Hart's general dialogue and narrative was repetitive and easy to speed through without much processing power required. This does not lend itself well for keeping a reader interested. Certainly not this one.
"You lied to me. For months and months, Ewan. And I might not remember everything, but I do remember that it's not the first time you've lied to me. You think you're protecting me, you say you love me, but that's not love.
As for the world building that kept me engaged in this series, nothing was added to that in this wrap-up book, and other than Ewan flexing his Mister Money Bags muscles and having the ability to do anything and everything, even control the weather (not joking).. honestly, it just felt too over the top. Ewan in general was just one of the worst heroes I've read about because all of his bad behaviour is done under the guise of being for another person's benefit or care or protection but without any actual redeeming qualities that might make you feel inclined to forgive him his arrogance (sorry, none of that end of the book 'doing everything for non-profit, underprivileged children' to make the world a better place or whatever made any of it easier to swallow). He's just a dick. A pouty entitled dick and even though Nina acknowledges this, resists, rails at him for it.. lo and behold these two crazy kids are still going to make it work. Sigh.
There was the very real possibility that they were simply incompatible for something beyond the bedroom.
I wish I could've loved this series but unfortunately, I just never did and I would not recommend.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
June 19, 2018
I've given this an A- for narration and a B- for content at AudioGals.
Forbidden Stranger is the final instalment of Megan Hart’s futuristic Protector trilogy, in which the overarching storyline pairs a kick-ass female bodyguard with a wealthy billionaire industrialist. I loved the premise of the series, the author’s world-building is terrific, the narration is excellent, and the first book is gripping, but sadly, books two and three suffer from the same problems – too much filler, not enough action and final acts that are rushed. On reflection, this story would probably have worked better as a duology, with the events of book two stripped of the filler and combined with a pared-down book three.
Please note that there will be spoilers for books one and two – Dangerous Promise and Wicked Attraction in this review.
In Dangerous Promise, listeners were introduced to the author’s vision of a near-future coloured by war, environmental damage and cyber-terrorism. Nina Bronson is one of fifteen former soldiers who were technologically enhanced during life-saving surgery, the nano-chips implanted in their brains enabling them to be stronger and faster than normal humans and to control their emotional and physical reactions. The chips also allow the enhanced to have their memories wiped and for them to be reset after sensitive assignments should their clients so wish. Nina is engaged by billionaire businessman Ewan Donahue, the most vocal opponent of enhancement technology, as his personal bodyguard after several failed attempts on his life.
You can read the rest of this review at AudioGals .
Forbidden Stranger is the final instalment of Megan Hart’s futuristic Protector trilogy, in which the overarching storyline pairs a kick-ass female bodyguard with a wealthy billionaire industrialist. I loved the premise of the series, the author’s world-building is terrific, the narration is excellent, and the first book is gripping, but sadly, books two and three suffer from the same problems – too much filler, not enough action and final acts that are rushed. On reflection, this story would probably have worked better as a duology, with the events of book two stripped of the filler and combined with a pared-down book three.
Please note that there will be spoilers for books one and two – Dangerous Promise and Wicked Attraction in this review.
In Dangerous Promise, listeners were introduced to the author’s vision of a near-future coloured by war, environmental damage and cyber-terrorism. Nina Bronson is one of fifteen former soldiers who were technologically enhanced during life-saving surgery, the nano-chips implanted in their brains enabling them to be stronger and faster than normal humans and to control their emotional and physical reactions. The chips also allow the enhanced to have their memories wiped and for them to be reset after sensitive assignments should their clients so wish. Nina is engaged by billionaire businessman Ewan Donahue, the most vocal opponent of enhancement technology, as his personal bodyguard after several failed attempts on his life.
You can read the rest of this review at AudioGals .
March 28, 2018
Over the course of two books, Dangerous Promise and Wicked Attraction, Nina Bronson and Ewan Donahue's love story has been full of ups and downs. In both of those parts of the series their relationship was strained at the beginning, after a while it would improve and they'd be a happy couple, and then something major would happen to drive them apart. The same could be said about Forbidden Stranger, with the difference that at the end of the book Nina and Ewan got their HEA. After three novels, all I can say is: Finally!
Nina and Ewan's situation at the end of book two was, to put it delicately, awful. It reminded me of something I read on one of the author's pages. Creator of worlds. Destroyer of worlds. — I believe that's what it said. The happy love bubble Nina and Ewan were living in was destroyed. Nina was in a bad shape, mentally and physically, and Ewan was desperate to make her better. In that desperation, he took Nina to his private island, where she would be taken care of, and be away from anyone who could try to harm her. The majority, and I mean great majority, of this installment is Nina's recovery, and while I understand that regaining her strength and recovering her memories was a slow process, I wish it didn't take up so much of the book. I found myself losing interest in the story, and that is something that doesn't happen to me when I'm reading Megan Hart's books. She writes beautifully, and Forbidden Stranger is beautifully written. However, I didn't enjoy reading this part of the trilogy as much as the previous two. One reason would be that Nina's memory recovery took up about two thirds of the book, if I remember correctly. The other, and the main reason, was that this was the third time Nina and Ewan were going through the stages of their relationship I've mentioned in the beginning, and when it got to "something major would happen to drive them apart", I was frustrated. I was frustrated because it was the third time they were separated, and even more frustrated because this time around Nina's reasoning for cutting Ewan out of her life after everything he did to keep her alive and safe was... ah, I want to say stupid, but I won't. I'll say it was weak, in my opinion. Can Nina forgive Ewan for not telling her the truth about why she lost so much of her memories, or are they doomed to never be together again? The question was even in the blurb, and on behalf of Ewan who was advised/ordered not to tell the truth to Nina by her doctor and anyone in charge of her care, I was insulted. Yes, I was insulted on Ewan's behalf!
In the remainder of the story an old villain reappeared to wreak more havoc than the first time, and endanger the lives of the main characters. This part was fairly short. It kind of just flew by. The ending came. Nina and Ewan get back together. On the last page. How very Megan Hart.
Even though I can't say I liked Forbidden Stranger as much as the previous books, all in all, The Protector series was an enjoyable read. This book, however, made me think it would have worked better as a duology.
***ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
March 7, 2018
Forbidden Stanger is the last book In the protector trilogy, and as with the first two I just couldn't with this one. I was really hoping I would have enjoyed this one, but that ship sailed early on in the story. I think what my main issue is, that every single one of these books was way too long. Each one is repetitive, filled with fillers, and drawn out. I hate when any book has one of these elements.
Plus before you even consider reading this one I would advise you to read the first two.
I was bored was reading this one, I skimmed along some because honestly I just wanted it to be over.
I must be in the minority here since everyone who has read this, or the series are loving it, or that they have been fans of Megan for years. I was one of them, I loved all her early work from years ago, when she was writing with Lauren Dane. So I know that she can do great story building and characters that we love and adore, just with this one. Nope!
Plus before you even consider reading this one I would advise you to read the first two.
I was bored was reading this one, I skimmed along some because honestly I just wanted it to be over.
I must be in the minority here since everyone who has read this, or the series are loving it, or that they have been fans of Megan for years. I was one of them, I loved all her early work from years ago, when she was writing with Lauren Dane. So I know that she can do great story building and characters that we love and adore, just with this one. Nope!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2018
I will happily read just about anything Megan Hart writes and have been a massive fan of her stories for as far back as I can remember. Her Protector trilogy is quite a bit different than many of her more well known books, but was quite enjoyable if you like futuristic romances.
In a world where people have enhances abilities and you can be reset as often as people will the ability to do so choose, can you find any sense of self or something as elusive as love?
Nina has been through a lot in this trilogy and when book three opens, she thinks Ewan is her true love and one of the few people she can trust. Sadly, Ewan is keeping a lot of secrets from her and if she finds out, any hope he has of a future with her will be destroyed. Add in the suspense of Ewan and his tech team trying to come up with the code to save Nina and other enhanced humans like her and there is a lot to sink your teeth into. I really enjoyed Ewan and Nina's relationship and the premise of this trilogy was unique and interesting. My only complaint is that I thought the three books were a bit longer than they maybe needed to be. The length took away a bit from my enjoyment, but I still recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting futuristic/scifi read.
In a world where people have enhances abilities and you can be reset as often as people will the ability to do so choose, can you find any sense of self or something as elusive as love?
Nina has been through a lot in this trilogy and when book three opens, she thinks Ewan is her true love and one of the few people she can trust. Sadly, Ewan is keeping a lot of secrets from her and if she finds out, any hope he has of a future with her will be destroyed. Add in the suspense of Ewan and his tech team trying to come up with the code to save Nina and other enhanced humans like her and there is a lot to sink your teeth into. I really enjoyed Ewan and Nina's relationship and the premise of this trilogy was unique and interesting. My only complaint is that I thought the three books were a bit longer than they maybe needed to be. The length took away a bit from my enjoyment, but I still recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting futuristic/scifi read.
September 15, 2018
3 stars.
Overall, this has been a disappointing trilogy. I get that Nina's memory was reset but her personality changed too much to be believable. This final book was quite draggy and frankly, could have easily been condensed with the previous book.
Overall, this has been a disappointing trilogy. I get that Nina's memory was reset but her personality changed too much to be believable. This final book was quite draggy and frankly, could have easily been condensed with the previous book.
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March 9, 2018dnf - i just got bored to be honest... nothing against the story.
February 12, 2018
This is book 3 of the Protector series, so you should definitely read book 1 and 2 first.
After more broken trust Ewan whisks Nina away to help her recover. It’s a rush to develop the necessary code that will save Nina and the other enhanced. This is a really enjoyable fast paced read full of love, forgiveness and sacrifice.
After more broken trust Ewan whisks Nina away to help her recover. It’s a rush to develop the necessary code that will save Nina and the other enhanced. This is a really enjoyable fast paced read full of love, forgiveness and sacrifice.
March 5, 2018
This is the third and last book in the Protector series, and boy, is it a wild ride. This can’t be read as a standalone, and, fair warning, this review will contain spoilers for the first two books in the series.
When we last left off with Nina and Ewan, Nina had been rescued from bad guys, but had been reset so many times that her memory was pretty much gone, including any memories of Ewan. Even worse, they’ve discovered that part of the upgrade involuntarily installed in Nina by Ewan’s former partner includes self-termination programming. If she comes upon the wrong set of memories or triggers, she’ll attempt to kill herself, and since she’s a super soldier, there’s not much that could stop her from going through with it. Ewan’s already activated the programming once by trying to tell her who she was after they first rescued her, and she threw herself off a cliff. To stop the command, they had to reset her – erase her memories – multiple times, and Ewan fears that any trace of the woman he loved is gone.
So, we start out the book with a very different Nina than the kick-ass super soldier I’ve come to know and love. She’s weak, still recovering from her near-death fall, and unaware of her enhancements. Her memory is still fractured – some days she can barely remember what she ate for breakfast, let alone anything before her “accident.” Because, that’s right! Ewan’s had to lie to her again, only telling her that she was badly injured while she was employed by him. This time, at least, I had to throw up my hands and agree that, yes, Ewan’s lies are finally justified (I cannot believe I’m admitting that). Telling her too much at once could literally lead to her death, so yeah, Ewan’s doing the best he can by her. He’s set her up on a tiny island with two caretakers, trying to keep her safe from anyone who might still be after her (though that’s unlikely) and avoid triggering any memories inadvertently. Though the doctors seem to think that she may recover some of her memories with time, Ewan’s resigned to the fact that, even if she does, she may not want to stay with him. Even so, he’s made plans to turn over the running of his corporation to his second in command so that he can retire to the island with Nina, so he can be close to the woman he still loves.
Nina is alternately confused and frustrated. She knows there’s things she’s not being told, and she knows the work she’s been given to do is just useless busywork. Most unsettling of all, however, is how she feels around her boss, Ewan. Mixed in with Nina’s struggle to regain her memories is Ewan’s quest to, basically, write a patch to remove the self-termination trigger. However, Katrinka Dev, mother to Jordie Dev, the villain from the last book, is also trying to fix the same issue, since the update has basically fried her son’s brain. As Nina’s memories slowly come back, can Nina and Ewan’s relationship survive the confrontation that is sure to come? And, oh, that confrontation was something I’d been expecting since the very first book, and I was extremely pleased with how it turned out. If I’d still had any doubts about Ewan, I think that really put them to rest.
My biggest con was that I felt the resolution at the end was too quick and too pat. There’s a lot of time spent initially on the island with Nina struggling to get her memories back, and then very little on what happens after the big confrontation. I mean, they’ve basically been waffling back and forth over the same trust issues for the entire three books without resolution, and at points it felt like the rest of the plot was just window dressing to test whatever fragile trust they’d build up between them. It felt weird to just have it wrap up so quickly. And, yes, there are some weird gaping plot holes, but I enjoyed Nina and Ewan’s relationship too much to get too worked up about it. Also, I’d really like to see a book with Al, Nina’s enhanced friend!
Overall, I enjoyed this series. I’m a big fan of scifi romance, and this definitely hit a lot of my buttons, even though I was initially worried about Ewan’s continued insistence of lying to Nina. So, one more time – if you’re interested in a scifi bodyguard romance with a kickass alpha heroine, this is definitely the series for you!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“It’s easy to blame someone else for the mistakes you chose to make, but it’s a lot harder to accept responsibility for them”
When we last left off with Nina and Ewan, Nina had been rescued from bad guys, but had been reset so many times that her memory was pretty much gone, including any memories of Ewan. Even worse, they’ve discovered that part of the upgrade involuntarily installed in Nina by Ewan’s former partner includes self-termination programming. If she comes upon the wrong set of memories or triggers, she’ll attempt to kill herself, and since she’s a super soldier, there’s not much that could stop her from going through with it. Ewan’s already activated the programming once by trying to tell her who she was after they first rescued her, and she threw herself off a cliff. To stop the command, they had to reset her – erase her memories – multiple times, and Ewan fears that any trace of the woman he loved is gone.
“Her sunny grin. It was the same and yet so different, the way Nina herself had changed, overall. Gone was the snark, along with her determination, focus, and stubbornness. She hadn’t become anything close to meek or mild, but she never argued with him the way she had before. She was polite, gently humorous, soft-spoken. Appreciative of the roof over her head and the care and keeping of her that she believed he provided because she’d been a valued employee and not because she was the woman he loved so desperately.”
So, we start out the book with a very different Nina than the kick-ass super soldier I’ve come to know and love. She’s weak, still recovering from her near-death fall, and unaware of her enhancements. Her memory is still fractured – some days she can barely remember what she ate for breakfast, let alone anything before her “accident.” Because, that’s right! Ewan’s had to lie to her again, only telling her that she was badly injured while she was employed by him. This time, at least, I had to throw up my hands and agree that, yes, Ewan’s lies are finally justified (I cannot believe I’m admitting that). Telling her too much at once could literally lead to her death, so yeah, Ewan’s doing the best he can by her. He’s set her up on a tiny island with two caretakers, trying to keep her safe from anyone who might still be after her (though that’s unlikely) and avoid triggering any memories inadvertently. Though the doctors seem to think that she may recover some of her memories with time, Ewan’s resigned to the fact that, even if she does, she may not want to stay with him. Even so, he’s made plans to turn over the running of his corporation to his second in command so that he can retire to the island with Nina, so he can be close to the woman he still loves.
“Ewan Donahue, the man who’d saved her life.
She did remember that. Not the details of it, although Aggie had told Nina the story, probably over and over, because Nina’s memory was so broken she was sure she’d asked to hear it more than once. But feeling safe and protected and . . . well, rescued. She could recall that with no problem. It was how she felt every time Ewan was around her.
Safe. Protected. Rescued.”
Nina is alternately confused and frustrated. She knows there’s things she’s not being told, and she knows the work she’s been given to do is just useless busywork. Most unsettling of all, however, is how she feels around her boss, Ewan. Mixed in with Nina’s struggle to regain her memories is Ewan’s quest to, basically, write a patch to remove the self-termination trigger. However, Katrinka Dev, mother to Jordie Dev, the villain from the last book, is also trying to fix the same issue, since the update has basically fried her son’s brain. As Nina’s memories slowly come back, can Nina and Ewan’s relationship survive the confrontation that is sure to come? And, oh, that confrontation was something I’d been expecting since the very first book, and I was extremely pleased with how it turned out. If I’d still had any doubts about Ewan, I think that really put them to rest.
“Sometimes, a lie wasn’t a betrayal, it was a lifesaver.”
My biggest con was that I felt the resolution at the end was too quick and too pat. There’s a lot of time spent initially on the island with Nina struggling to get her memories back, and then very little on what happens after the big confrontation. I mean, they’ve basically been waffling back and forth over the same trust issues for the entire three books without resolution, and at points it felt like the rest of the plot was just window dressing to test whatever fragile trust they’d build up between them. It felt weird to just have it wrap up so quickly. And, yes, there are some weird gaping plot holes, but I enjoyed Nina and Ewan’s relationship too much to get too worked up about it. Also, I’d really like to see a book with Al, Nina’s enhanced friend!
“’You were strong,’ Ewan said, surprising her. ‘You’re still strong. You were funny, with a sharp wit. You still have that, too. You were loyal and brave and committed. You’ve lost the memories of you, Nina, but I promise, you haven’t lost you.’”
Overall, I enjoyed this series. I’m a big fan of scifi romance, and this definitely hit a lot of my buttons, even though I was initially worried about Ewan’s continued insistence of lying to Nina. So, one more time – if you’re interested in a scifi bodyguard romance with a kickass alpha heroine, this is definitely the series for you!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 11, 2018
Forbidden Stranger is the final book in this series and while I have enjoyed the premise behind the storyline, I feel that some of the impact was lost in the drawn out length of each book. My opinion only, but the author would have been better served, compiling all three books and omitting some of the needless and confusing details; this would have resulted in a five star 4-5 star read.
So with that said, the story was good, but not great, and I didn’t really like the ending; however I’m sure there are certainly some readers who will gobbled this series up with enthusiasm.
So with that said, the story was good, but not great, and I didn’t really like the ending; however I’m sure there are certainly some readers who will gobbled this series up with enthusiasm.
March 9, 2018
ARC REVIEW
The Protector Series #3, Megan Hart's sci-fi-ish series takes place in a futuristic place that puts me in mind of Philip K. Dick, where at first appearances it's very Utopia like but under the surface lies a dark side that threatens to unravel it all. If you are going to read this one I really recommend reading the first two books in the series first because the events in those books rely heavily on what happened previously. My main issue with this book is that after two books with the back and forth I love you/I'm angry at you and never want to see you again between Nina and Ewan got old. The events in this book felt paltry compared to the other books and the external conflict was so short and underwhelming. Keeping with the theme of the other two books the first half of the book was Nina and Ewan falling in love all over again. I kind of wish it was switched that the romance part was much shorter and the external conflict with Jordan and the other enhanced lasted longer.
Due to the events of the the previous book Nina has no memory, it's been several months since Ewan and Al found Nina and since then they discovered not only did they take her memory they activated a self destruct type switch in her programing. (For those of you who don't know, Nina was a soldier who died in battle and was brought back using nanotech now she is enhanced. She's stronger, faster, an all around better soldier but when the world found out about it they ostracized her and the fourteen like her and they weren't allowed to be soldiers anymore so they went into private detail which is how Nina met Ewan.) The bad guys activated that switch so when ever Nina tries to remember what happened when she was kidnapped the self destruct coding gets activated and she tries to kill herself. She has already failed at such attempts, she was lucky Ewan was there with his team of doctors to save her. Now she's on an isolated island protected from the world while she tries to figure things out on her own without killing herself.
As much as it kills Ewan to not tell her he loves her for fear of everything that can happen he tries to keep Nina at a distance. Although Nina might not be able to remember she still loves Ewan, she just thinks it is wrong to lust after your boss that way. Nina works up the courage to make a move and Ewan isn't strong enough to turn her away. While they maybe enjoying their island paradise Ewan keeps getting reports the one by one the other enhanced are commiting suicide. Ewan has his people working on it as fast as they can but he's not the only one a former friend and now bitter enemy is working to figure out the coding too.
Overall, I did enjoy it the story fell a little flat for me especially the ending.
The Protector Series #3, Megan Hart's sci-fi-ish series takes place in a futuristic place that puts me in mind of Philip K. Dick, where at first appearances it's very Utopia like but under the surface lies a dark side that threatens to unravel it all. If you are going to read this one I really recommend reading the first two books in the series first because the events in those books rely heavily on what happened previously. My main issue with this book is that after two books with the back and forth I love you/I'm angry at you and never want to see you again between Nina and Ewan got old. The events in this book felt paltry compared to the other books and the external conflict was so short and underwhelming. Keeping with the theme of the other two books the first half of the book was Nina and Ewan falling in love all over again. I kind of wish it was switched that the romance part was much shorter and the external conflict with Jordan and the other enhanced lasted longer.
Due to the events of the the previous book Nina has no memory, it's been several months since Ewan and Al found Nina and since then they discovered not only did they take her memory they activated a self destruct type switch in her programing. (For those of you who don't know, Nina was a soldier who died in battle and was brought back using nanotech now she is enhanced. She's stronger, faster, an all around better soldier but when the world found out about it they ostracized her and the fourteen like her and they weren't allowed to be soldiers anymore so they went into private detail which is how Nina met Ewan.) The bad guys activated that switch so when ever Nina tries to remember what happened when she was kidnapped the self destruct coding gets activated and she tries to kill herself. She has already failed at such attempts, she was lucky Ewan was there with his team of doctors to save her. Now she's on an isolated island protected from the world while she tries to figure things out on her own without killing herself.
As much as it kills Ewan to not tell her he loves her for fear of everything that can happen he tries to keep Nina at a distance. Although Nina might not be able to remember she still loves Ewan, she just thinks it is wrong to lust after your boss that way. Nina works up the courage to make a move and Ewan isn't strong enough to turn her away. While they maybe enjoying their island paradise Ewan keeps getting reports the one by one the other enhanced are commiting suicide. Ewan has his people working on it as fast as they can but he's not the only one a former friend and now bitter enemy is working to figure out the coding too.
Overall, I did enjoy it the story fell a little flat for me especially the ending.
March 14, 2018
Forbidden Stranger is the third and final installment in The Protector series by author Megan Hart. This book is a continuation of the previous books, and picks up a few months after the ending of the second book. With secrets, lies, betrayals, intense situations, danger, and intriguing twists and turns, this emotional roller-coaster of a story will pull you in, and you won't be able to put it down until the end. It was a great ending to this terrific series.
The situation between Ewan and Nina has drastically changed, but the one thing that hasn't changed is that the secrets and lies continue. After going through months of numerous types of therapies, Nina still hasn't regained her memories, and continues having difficulties with remembering things, as well as day to day stuff. She believes that her injuries are a result of an accident, that Ewan is her boss, but knows nothing about their previous relationship.
It's an emotional challenge for both of them, but the doctors advise that telling her about her former self could do more harm than good. Ewan has his teams working frantically to find out how to fix the issues with the Tech that came to light after Nina's abduction, but so far they can't find the answers they need. When things start heating up again, there's an unknown threat that they won't see coming until it's too late. Will Ewan be able to keep Nina safe this time? Will Nina ever regain her memories, and her former self? Or will the unknown threat make sure that neither of them have a chance to make things right? Will they ever be able to get past all of the secrets and lies, and will their love be enough? Will they get the HEA that they both want and deserve? You'll have to read this to find out, but you won't be disappointed.
This is a series that must be read from the beginning, and in the order written, in order to understand the full concept of the entire story. They can not be read as stand alone books. If you haven't read the previous books, I strongly suggest that you start from the beginning. This is a great series, and I believe that anyone can easily enjoy it.
I would recommend this book, series, and great author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
The situation between Ewan and Nina has drastically changed, but the one thing that hasn't changed is that the secrets and lies continue. After going through months of numerous types of therapies, Nina still hasn't regained her memories, and continues having difficulties with remembering things, as well as day to day stuff. She believes that her injuries are a result of an accident, that Ewan is her boss, but knows nothing about their previous relationship.
It's an emotional challenge for both of them, but the doctors advise that telling her about her former self could do more harm than good. Ewan has his teams working frantically to find out how to fix the issues with the Tech that came to light after Nina's abduction, but so far they can't find the answers they need. When things start heating up again, there's an unknown threat that they won't see coming until it's too late. Will Ewan be able to keep Nina safe this time? Will Nina ever regain her memories, and her former self? Or will the unknown threat make sure that neither of them have a chance to make things right? Will they ever be able to get past all of the secrets and lies, and will their love be enough? Will they get the HEA that they both want and deserve? You'll have to read this to find out, but you won't be disappointed.
This is a series that must be read from the beginning, and in the order written, in order to understand the full concept of the entire story. They can not be read as stand alone books. If you haven't read the previous books, I strongly suggest that you start from the beginning. This is a great series, and I believe that anyone can easily enjoy it.
I would recommend this book, series, and great author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 23, 2020
The conclusion to the love affair between Nina and Ewan continues to take twists and turns. This book is not a standalone, it is best to read the books in the order published. Nina is constantly struggling with her memory and possible threat of her termination. I loathe to state this, but perhaps this should not have been a trilogy and instead should have been combined into 1 novel and the repetitive scenes could have been cut.
The conflict in each book is a new person who wants to get rid of Nina or use her tech. And that new person seems to be all connected to the same person. What is painful is watching Nina trying to figure out what is going on. For someone who used to be able to make split decisions in battle, to constantly wonder if she's already done something before, met someone before is unnerving. It does demoralize a person and make her questions her sanity. I didn't like this part. And with Ewan trying to take care of everything, basically making Nina a victim all over again puts me ill at ease. He means well, but basically leaves Nina powerless instead of empowering her.
He takes advantage of her memory loss to do a "do-over". This comes across as dishonest to me. Maybe more disingenuine because once again he comes from a position of power and knowledge whilst Nina is in the dark. This is not something I like. Nina and Ewan does not seem to ever come together on equal footing. Ewan always has the upper hand. This final book brings a nice closure to the romance.
*provided by NetGalley
The conflict in each book is a new person who wants to get rid of Nina or use her tech. And that new person seems to be all connected to the same person. What is painful is watching Nina trying to figure out what is going on. For someone who used to be able to make split decisions in battle, to constantly wonder if she's already done something before, met someone before is unnerving. It does demoralize a person and make her questions her sanity. I didn't like this part. And with Ewan trying to take care of everything, basically making Nina a victim all over again puts me ill at ease. He means well, but basically leaves Nina powerless instead of empowering her.
He takes advantage of her memory loss to do a "do-over". This comes across as dishonest to me. Maybe more disingenuine because once again he comes from a position of power and knowledge whilst Nina is in the dark. This is not something I like. Nina and Ewan does not seem to ever come together on equal footing. Ewan always has the upper hand. This final book brings a nice closure to the romance.
*provided by NetGalley
March 1, 2018
Megan Hart’s Forbidden Stranger is book three of the near future science fiction story of Nina Bronson and Ewan Donahue. Book two ended with a major cliffhanger which is where Forbidden Stranger begins. So it would be confusing for any reader to begin with this book; reading the series in order is best.
The title is a play on the storyline since Nina has no memory of the events in the first two books. Given the characters history, amnesia is a good plot device. There has been much bad and good to go on between Nina and Ewan in the first two books that a clean slate is about the only way these two can go ahead with their relationship. Still it is not long before problems and keeping of secrets surface, making the relationship murky once more.
At times I felt as if the story is drawn out when I would have preferred it to be all neatly tied up. However, more realistically, this would be how it would really play out. A unique take on enhancement and science fiction stories in general. I would give it stars just for being a science fiction story that is not having aliens kidnap humans! Romance readers of science fiction will enjoy unique series.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
The title is a play on the storyline since Nina has no memory of the events in the first two books. Given the characters history, amnesia is a good plot device. There has been much bad and good to go on between Nina and Ewan in the first two books that a clean slate is about the only way these two can go ahead with their relationship. Still it is not long before problems and keeping of secrets surface, making the relationship murky once more.
At times I felt as if the story is drawn out when I would have preferred it to be all neatly tied up. However, more realistically, this would be how it would really play out. A unique take on enhancement and science fiction stories in general. I would give it stars just for being a science fiction story that is not having aliens kidnap humans! Romance readers of science fiction will enjoy unique series.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
January 22, 2018
This is the third book in the series - the previous books should read before this one , especially book two in order to set the characters in context .
At the close of book 2 we see Nina's rescue by Ewan and Al - her enhancements reset multiple times .
Ewan takes her to one of his safe havens , an island fully secure and protected from outside influences . Here he hopes that her memories will come back slowly and SAFELY and that she will yet again forgive him for keeping secrets from her .
With more and more of the enhanced 'self terminating' Ewan and his tech team are pulling out all the stops to devise 'code' that will stop Nina and others from suiciding .
But someone else is also rushing to devise the code first - what is their motive ?, will they allow Nina access if they succeed first ?
Ewan must put aside his own desires in order to protect Nina from the 'self termination' program even if it means their love love might not survive....... if she does .
This is a great read - of love , of loss and sacrifice .
I will be looking for more books from this Author
I was given an arc of this book by the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
At the close of book 2 we see Nina's rescue by Ewan and Al - her enhancements reset multiple times .
Ewan takes her to one of his safe havens , an island fully secure and protected from outside influences . Here he hopes that her memories will come back slowly and SAFELY and that she will yet again forgive him for keeping secrets from her .
With more and more of the enhanced 'self terminating' Ewan and his tech team are pulling out all the stops to devise 'code' that will stop Nina and others from suiciding .
But someone else is also rushing to devise the code first - what is their motive ?, will they allow Nina access if they succeed first ?
Ewan must put aside his own desires in order to protect Nina from the 'self termination' program even if it means their love love might not survive....... if she does .
This is a great read - of love , of loss and sacrifice .
I will be looking for more books from this Author
I was given an arc of this book by the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
January 20, 2018
Well, THAT was a crazy end to a crazy ride. Forbidden Stranger was the final book in this series. When I read book one, I quickly realized it wasn't like anything I expected, and wasn't sure what to think of it all. I mean, future Earth where everything is different and people have all these enhancements? Wow. But I got so hooked. And now it's over, but I kinda wish there was a bit more still, like an epilogue, or a novella about one of the side characters or something.
This book starts off and you don't totally know what's going on. They have to go back and explain because even more craziness has happened since book 2. I swear, this poor doomed couple have to fight harder for their happy ever after than maybe anyone I have ever seen. For real.
Oh and don't forget, there's more than just a love story goin on up in here. Halfway through, things get way WAY adventurous and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful! So, every series eventually ends and this one does in a grand, big way. I super loved the journey.
This book starts off and you don't totally know what's going on. They have to go back and explain because even more craziness has happened since book 2. I swear, this poor doomed couple have to fight harder for their happy ever after than maybe anyone I have ever seen. For real.
Oh and don't forget, there's more than just a love story goin on up in here. Halfway through, things get way WAY adventurous and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful! So, every series eventually ends and this one does in a grand, big way. I super loved the journey.
March 5, 2018
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from st. Martin's press and I was excited. Other than the first two, which you need to read first, being tooo long they were good.
This one I'm not sure what happened. As an and Nina are still keeping secrets from each other, Nina isn't the same but hello she was reset how many times? As an is still in love with Nina, and we have people who believe they are above the law and everyone seems to know what's going down but doing nothing to stop it.
For me I do not dnf books unless it takes me a long time to read. This one made me skim. I just couldn't. There was too much filler and not enough of moving on with the story. Again it goes to there being just to many pages. I feel half the length and we could have gotten th3 same effect.
There were still quite a few of the same issues occurring from the first two and you would thing As an and Katrinka would have learned but nope. Oh well I barely finished it but just because I felt this way doesn't mean someone else won't love it.
This one I'm not sure what happened. As an and Nina are still keeping secrets from each other, Nina isn't the same but hello she was reset how many times? As an is still in love with Nina, and we have people who believe they are above the law and everyone seems to know what's going down but doing nothing to stop it.
For me I do not dnf books unless it takes me a long time to read. This one made me skim. I just couldn't. There was too much filler and not enough of moving on with the story. Again it goes to there being just to many pages. I feel half the length and we could have gotten th3 same effect.
There were still quite a few of the same issues occurring from the first two and you would thing As an and Katrinka would have learned but nope. Oh well I barely finished it but just because I felt this way doesn't mean someone else won't love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2018
A wonderful end to The Protector series. Forbidden Stranger takes place just about where Wicked Attraction leaves off. Nina and Ewan fighting for their love. Nina is struggling with her memory and then ultimately trust with Ewan. Ewan just wants to do right by his love for Nina and protect her. He tries so hard to help her heal and set things right again. Their love proves that even when all may seem lost it can be found again. Nina and Ewan may have a few road blocks placed for them but still continue to fight for each other. I really enjoyed this series. It's been so different from what I've been reading of late. If you are looking for different, futuristic love story then this is a series to pick up.
March 3, 2018
Ewan is responsible for the program that made soldiers enhanced so when Nina was assigned to guard him they fell in love, then out of love then in love when something happened. Nina was injured pretty severely both physically and mentally so Ewan takes her to his safe house to help her heal. Part of her healing it not to tell her about her memories just to let them come to her for risking her hurting herself again. Nina and Ewan have a very complicated relationship and how Nina will come back to Ewan remains to be seen. The story is set in the future and having not read the prior books I found this easy to get involved in.
Reviewed on behalf of Once upon an Alpha
Reviewed on behalf of Once upon an Alpha
March 4, 2018
This is the conclusion of the three box series of Ewan and Nina. You need to read these books in order or you'll think you drank something really weird because nothing makes sense.
Nina has lost her memories and Ewan is doing everything within his considerable power to help her mend. This part of the book dragged on, it took effort to keep going because frankly I was invested and wanted to know how it ended.
You might be really irritated with the turns at the end and the very quick resolution of the story arc. But ultimately we got all of our loose ends tied up and very little left to be explored.
Nina has lost her memories and Ewan is doing everything within his considerable power to help her mend. This part of the book dragged on, it took effort to keep going because frankly I was invested and wanted to know how it ended.
You might be really irritated with the turns at the end and the very quick resolution of the story arc. But ultimately we got all of our loose ends tied up and very little left to be explored.
April 20, 2019
Ewan is responsible for the program that made soldiers enhanced so when Nina was assigned to guard him they fell in love, then out of love then in love when something happened. Nina was injured pretty severely both physically and mentally so Ewan takes her to his safe house to help her heal. Part of her healing it not to tell her about her memories just to let them come to her for risking her hurting herself again. Nina and Ewan have a very complicated relationship and how Nina will come back to Ewan remains to be seen. The story is set in the future and having not read the prior books I found this easy to get involved in. - Reviewed by Linda
February 15, 2018
This story had it all, tech, romance, combat and so much more!!
It was not the normal type of story that I would go for but I was pleasantly surprised and I really enjoyed it- I got straight in to the story and was hooked within a few chapters!
The two main characters were good, the story was well detailed and you didn't get lost in the plot. This is the third book in the series and as I haven't read the previous two I would say that this is fine to be read as a stand alone as I have given it five stars!!
A very well written story and I would definitely recommend this one!
It was not the normal type of story that I would go for but I was pleasantly surprised and I really enjoyed it- I got straight in to the story and was hooked within a few chapters!
The two main characters were good, the story was well detailed and you didn't get lost in the plot. This is the third book in the series and as I haven't read the previous two I would say that this is fine to be read as a stand alone as I have given it five stars!!
A very well written story and I would definitely recommend this one!
March 6, 2018
This series and genre is not something I would normally go for, but I am glad I gave it a chance. Forbidden Stranger is the third book in the series, bringing about the conclusion to Ewan and Nina's story. The story line was imaginative and creative and I liked the characters. I did think the story was a little hard to follow at times and probably could have been shorter in length. It was on okay read for me.
March 19, 2018
Thank you Netgalley for providing me an arc of this book. Full disclosure, I love Megan Hart. I've read many of her books & love how diverse her range is. This book is no exception to that diversity.
The third novel in this series. I really enjoyed the series & the relationship between Nina & Ewan. I did find Nina's recovery a little frustrating, but no doubt, so did Nina! This book had me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. It was a shiny fine book that I'm sure you'll enjoy.
The third novel in this series. I really enjoyed the series & the relationship between Nina & Ewan. I did find Nina's recovery a little frustrating, but no doubt, so did Nina! This book had me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. It was a shiny fine book that I'm sure you'll enjoy.
March 3, 2018
ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest
Nina lost her memories. She doesn't really "remember" Ewan.
Ewan is still super protective of Nina.
I loved the storytelling + the characters
The storytelling + the character's build were awesome!
Nina lost her memories. She doesn't really "remember" Ewan.
Ewan is still super protective of Nina.
I loved the storytelling + the characters
The storytelling + the character's build were awesome!
April 21, 2020
Phenomenal!
Extremely emotional roller coaster! I loved the way this trilogy ended and can't wait to read more by Ms. Hart!
I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
Extremely emotional roller coaster! I loved the way this trilogy ended and can't wait to read more by Ms. Hart!
I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
October 20, 2020
Painful
The overall concept is good, but oh so much angst! All three books could have been edited to one long book by taking out some sex scenes and teenage drama.
The overall concept is good, but oh so much angst! All three books could have been edited to one long book by taking out some sex scenes and teenage drama.
March 6, 2018
4.25-4.5 STARS
In this final installment to author Megan Hart’s Protector Series, Ewan and Nina’s tumultuous journey pulses forward, leading the reader towards a conclusion that left me craving more. With the addition of an epilogue, this series could have been wrapped up with a much more substantial bow. That aside, the conclusion to this crazy rollercoaster ride was an enjoyable one, overall.
Picking up where the last book left us hanging, we jump ahead a bit to find that Ewan has attempted to secure Nina’s safety by tucking her away on his island hideaway. And, so, with Nina now "reset," Ewan must (once again) strive to win her heart. But since Nina’s memories could prove detrimental, Ewan must tread carefully, lest he destroy the woman that he loves. Slowly, the story peaks, reaching for a climax that’s fitting but not totally unexpected.
While futuristic stories are not my typical norm, this is simply a love story at its very core. And as such, I give my props to Megan Hart for delivering a beautifully traditional romance wrapped up in such a non-traditional way.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book, which was provided to me through Netgalley.
In this final installment to author Megan Hart’s Protector Series, Ewan and Nina’s tumultuous journey pulses forward, leading the reader towards a conclusion that left me craving more. With the addition of an epilogue, this series could have been wrapped up with a much more substantial bow. That aside, the conclusion to this crazy rollercoaster ride was an enjoyable one, overall.
Picking up where the last book left us hanging, we jump ahead a bit to find that Ewan has attempted to secure Nina’s safety by tucking her away on his island hideaway. And, so, with Nina now "reset," Ewan must (once again) strive to win her heart. But since Nina’s memories could prove detrimental, Ewan must tread carefully, lest he destroy the woman that he loves. Slowly, the story peaks, reaching for a climax that’s fitting but not totally unexpected.
While futuristic stories are not my typical norm, this is simply a love story at its very core. And as such, I give my props to Megan Hart for delivering a beautifully traditional romance wrapped up in such a non-traditional way.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book, which was provided to me through Netgalley.
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