Review: Under His Protection by Karen Erickson

Under His Protection
(Protect and Defend, book 1)

Karen Erickson

April 2, 2012

200 pages

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Protecting the vice president’s daughter is Secret Service agent Mason Russell’s top priority. With the election looming and the party’s hold shaky, Mason’s been given an important assignment – rein the controversial party girl Blake Hewitt in. He’d like to rein Blake in all right. Keep her under his control and naked beneath him at all times. Blake is the sexiest thing he’s ever seen but she’s strictly off limits. Though she tempts him like no other. Banished from the capital and sent far away to the family’s vacation home, Blake seizes her chance. She’ll make Mason hers no matter what it takes. But the noble Mason doesn’t make it easy, and danger lurks where they least expect it…

Review: 
There can be a fine line between a manly hero and an overbearing one. Karen Erikson manages to create our hero, Mason, who is both super-protective (he's a secret service agent!), yet also is incredibly thoughtful and sweet. That thrown in with just a slight bit of vulnerability and I was hooked. Even though he literally has to watch over Blake, the vice president's daughter, 24/7, it never once seems like he misuses that power. In fact, he does everything he can to remain a gentleman and keep his distance. Until that moment when the tension builds to a level too high to ignore. And boy, is it worth it when they are finally able to let loose.

I thought I was going to find Blake a bit annoying after the book opens with her being called a "party girl" But, once she and Mason get exiled far away from Washington, her true nature is seen, and she becomes very likable.

Although the book is categorized as "romantic suspense", it's really about 90% romance and 10% suspense. But, I didn't miss the extra action. The story did just fine focusing on the relationship between Mason and Blake. The ending was nice, but sort of felt like an epilogue wrapped up a bit too neatly. I think I instead would have liked to see a bit more of the private struggles for each of them in that time between the climax and the ending. As it is, they are only mentioned in passing.

Overall, a very good romantic "suspense" novel. I read it in a day.

3.5/5 stars.