LisaP

5 “The Princess Bride” Stars!

“As you wish..."

Framed is the soon to be released, newest novel by author C.P. Smith. I have a few books by this author under my belt now and can state with certainty that I am a huge fan. Her books never cease to leave me with a big ole goofy smile on my face. They also always have me lusting, panting... whatever... after her over-the-top alpha heroes. C.P. Smith has penned yet another wonderfully entertaining and suspense-filled book where our growly and over-protective hero meets his match in a sassy, spit-fire heroine.

“Six hundred minutes, that’s all it took to lose everything he’d worked so hard for, including his freedom.”

Kade Kingston learned from an early age that he needed to take care of himself. With parents who left him and his younger brother at a young age, he really had no choice. Kade has worked hard to make something of himself and is proud of his service as a SEAL. He returns home from his service to take on the responsibility of caring for his ailing grand-father, the man who raised both him and his brother after their parents left. Almost immediately upon his return, Kade finds himself in the midst of a nightmare. Wrongly accused of murder and imprisoned, it does not take a rocket scientist to establish that Kade was framed.

“...the girl who’d secretly watched the boy, had grown into a woman who desired more than anything to be with the man he’d become.”

Harley Dash has never forgotten the boy who helped her up when she accidentally fell in cheerleading back in high school. Kade was someone who starred in her fantasies as a young teen and made an impression. Harley continued to live her life after high school but Kade has always remained a sweet memory. When Kade makes the news with his conviction, Harley knows deep in her heart that the boy who she idealized in high school who turned into a man who is a hero could never have committed such a heinous crime. Harley works at the Renault Correctional Facility three days a week to help inmates train abused and neglected dogs so they could be adopted into good families. The Inmate Dog Training Program has saved numerous canines and gives the inmates who participate a purpose while they were confined and serving time. It is only a matter of time before she runs into Kade and when she does Harley is determined to have him become involved in the program, a small way to help him while he waits for his SEAL brothers to get back from duty and help clear his name.

Harley is a sight for sore eyes when Kade discovers that she works at the prison. He has always remembered the sweet and innocent cheerleader who he forced himself to stay away from. In his mind, there is no way he would ever become a man that she deserved. She is still as beautiful as ever and Kade believes that he still needs to stay away from her. However, when his SEAL brethren are not so quick to return to US soil to clear Kade’s name, Harley takes matters into her own hands and begins her own little investigation. In the midst of danger, prison life and canine love, will the truth about what really happened that night ever come out into the light? As it becomes clear that Harley is somehow being targeted because of her nosey intervention, Kade will stop at nothing to protect her and claim her as his own. Is Kade the swoony hero Harley has always imagined him to be? Will whoever is responsible for the murder be caught before even more is taken away from Kade?

“Wait for me, baby.”

*****

“This is now how our story will end.”

I absolutely adore the heroes that C.P. Smith seems to create. Kade was no exception. I loved watching this sexy hunk o’ mountain claim his woman and watching how he does everything in his power to protect what is his. Sigh! Yes, his methods often pissed off his spirited love; however, how fun would it be if Harley did not fight back? The push and pull between the two protagonists was great fun to watch. Kade kept wanting to assert his dominance and the most important thing to him was keeping Harley safe and away from the danger that surrounded him. Harley was just as determined to clear her man’s name. She had waited long enough for her white knight and she was on a mission to get Kade out of prison and into her waiting arms.

There is a lot going on with the suspense storyline and all the secondary characters do play an important role. I gotta say that I fell in love with Kade’s SEAL brothers and I am hoping that Prez and D get their own books. They certainly provided the much needed comedic relief, especially D. Further, this author has this innate ability to balance out a heart-stopping romance with a suspense plot. This book was no exception.

All in all, Framed is a book you can drown in never thinking about coming up for air. Packed full with memorable secondary characters, an exceptional plot, and a heart-warming tale of love, this novel was a fantastic read that had me laughing just as quickly as it had me swooning. The heart of the story was the love story between Kade and Harley. Nothing but pure unadulterated sweetness as our heroine finally gets her hero. I also loved the parallels drawn from the movie The Princess Bride. Simply awesome! This is definitely a highly recommended read!

“I’ve been searching for you my whole life. Wished upon a million stars that I would find my own slice of heaven.”

****An advance reading copy of Framed by C.P. Smith was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review.