ARC Review – Beneath the Badge (First Responders #4) by Donna Alward

I always enjoy when characters are a little tortured but finally realize that having someone to lean on isn’t the worst thing in the world. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures

Description:
They both have courage until it comes to love.

RCMP officer Matt Parker is weary from years of soul-draining work undercover and on special task forces. He d like to erase one of his recent cases from his memory forever, but it haunts him night and day.

A temporary assignment to cover for an officer on maternity leave could be the small-town, low-demand break he needs to put the past behind him. Especially with the sexy local vet, who makes him forget everything but the way her body feels in his arms.

Lindsay Snow can t help but notice the new cop in her small town he s hot, charming and best of all he s not in town for long. When a call to shut down a horrific puppy mill exposes the tough, sexy cop s dark memories, Lindsay s heart wants desperately to reach out to him. Even as her instincts remind her that relationships are just a train wreck waiting to happen

Warning: Contains a tortured hero hot enough to melt even the toughest woman’s resolve.

Review copy provided for an honest review

I’ve enjoyed this series by Donna Alward but this is my favorite book so far. I thoroughly enjoyed Beneath The Badge; the characters just seemed a little bit richer, the plot a little deeper, and the ending just made me happy.

Matt Parker is an RCMP officer in town covering a maternity leave but it’s more than that. Burned out from an undercover assignment he can’t seem to forget, he simply wants some time without horrific cases to regroup and recharge. When he meets local veterinarian, Lindsay Snow, he thinks he’s found just the thing to help him do just that. Lindsay is flattered by Matt but has no intentions of getting involved with a man so charming and seemingly so perfect. From personal experience she knows perfect usually means something is lurking beneath the surface.

These are some seriously messed up people who end up seeking comfort in the arms of each other while trying to convince themselves it doesn’t mean anything. Soon they are sharing intimate details of their past lives and growing closer than either one cares to admit. It’s so obvious these two need each other, but with the baggage they are carrying around admitting that doesn’t come easy.

My heart hurt for these two as they try to muddle through their lives and their non relationship while trying so desperately to prove they can handle things on their own. Matt realizing he feels better when Lindsay is around is huge and I applaud him for realizing that he needs help. Lindsay was a tougher nut and it took a crisis and an embarrassing episode to realize she was capable of far more than she ever thought.

I got so caught up in Matt and Lindsay’s story that at times I wanted to smack them upside their heads to make them see that the best thing for them was right in front of them. I really enjoyed seeing them interact with the couples from the first three books and although these scenes were brief we get a glimpse into what is going on with these couples.

There is an emotional depth to Beneath The Badge that makes this book my favorite in the First Responders series. I always enjoy when characters are a little tortured but finally realize that having someone to lean on isn’t the worst thing in the world. In this case, we have two of those characters and they find that out and so much more.

4.5 Stars