Comeback Hero

Redleg Security, Book 3

By: Jackie Walker

Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Ava Lucas

Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Everything changed the night Kri almost died.

Simply being her coworker or her friend is no longer enough.

I need more. I want forever.

When she woke up from that coma, her eyes sought mine.

My hand was the first one she held.

And for eight weeks, I stayed in the hospital with her.

No matter how many times she tried to push me away, I never faltered.

Two years ago, we shared a passionate moment, but she quickly retreated from our connection.

I've craved her ever since.

Kri's clearly been hurt before, so I've been patient.

But I can't stop fantasizing about how it'll feel to drive her wild with pleasure.

I'm done waiting.

My plan to win her heart starts falling into place when she agrees to live with me while she recovers.

But she's determined to keep it platonic.

Until the night she gives in and slams her mouth to mine.

With her back to the wall, I give her a glimpse of how it feels to surrender to her desire. And to me.

Then she pushes me away. Again.

Now I'm longing for the inevitable moment when she lets me claim her - body, mind, heart, and soul.

But danger knocks at our door.

And we've got a houseguest - an unruly teenager needing our protection.

No matter the threat, I'll do what I do best.

Protect those I love.

And make no mistake, I'll get the girl.

Whether she likes it or not.

Author's Note: Comeback Hero is Book 3 in the Redleg Security Series (spicy bodyguard romantic suspense with romcom vibes). The series is best heard in order to avoid suspense-related plot spoilers. Each book starts right where the prior book ends. If you do not wish to listen to them all, then this story can listened to as a stand-alone.

©2023 Jackie Walker (P)2024 Jackie Walker

Amazing & steamy suspense romance—stellar performance!!

Story Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (The Redleg Security series on audiobook is my dream come true.)
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

Updated Audiobook Review:
🤩🎧 Ava Lucas is amazing at all the different personalities—sassy, strong, sweet, sensual Kri, scared Valerie, creepy Killers, baby girl from Shep—it’s an award worthy performance.
🤩🎧 Jacob Morgan is the perfect Shep and his British conscience! And when he is drunk Shep with the Russia mobster, totally my new favorite thing. Laugh-out-loud funny and such amazing talent/entertainment. No worries—he gives it all to us: caring, compassionate, and even tender and vulnerable as an emotionally wounded veteran.
🤩🎧 Book boyfriend and girlfriend of the year—these narrators take them to a whole new level.
🤩🎧 The baby girl argument chapter is everything. I cannot get enough of these two and baby girl. I’m obsessed.

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 It can read as a standalone but is very connected to the other characters in the Redleg Security series.
🤩 If you loved TWNGO by Lucy Score I recommend you try this one.
🤩 If you like Julie James’ books (her books showed me how much I really enjoy the mix of romance suspense) I recommend you try this series.
🤩 Suspense romcom from Jackie Walker equals ultimate entertainment and feels!
🤩 The tropes: workplace romance (partners, stakeouts, when faking is part of the cover—yes, please) and forced proximity plus he takes care of her.
🤩 Ex-military heroes—both MCs! They are both so spunky and loving despite their trauma.
🤩 MCs and side characters are original, interesting, and oh so entertaining!!
🤩 The multiple timelines/flashbacks—such a powerful writing technique to help us long for the MCs to love each other forever.
🤩 These two are so hot and give all the lusty feels. But their emotional bond makes it even better.
🤩 The laughs and family fun—so much laughing out loud. And thank goodness because:
🤩 You experience heart-wrenching emotions in this beautiful book too—I had tears streaming down my face more than once.
🤩 The found-family love is the strongest & most genuine I’ve read in a steamy romance book. “I hope we can keep her.”
🤩 Such beautiful and authentic mental health/therapy representation and awareness.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 There are some emotionally hard parts in this book with the death and trauma. Thanks goodness Jackie has a magical way of bringing the funny and steamy back without keeping my heart wrecked very long.

Trigger Warnings:
🔬 PTSD from war.
🔬 PTSD from past workplace sexual harassment.
🔬 Multiple deaths in a family—past and on page.

More Redleg Greatness! Awesome Story & Listen🎧

Jackie Walker pens another fabulous novel set in her amazing “Redleg Security” series, a romantic suspense with a side of humor to lighten things up. Each book in the series features different characters, a member or two of Redleg Security, the books stand on their own, but characters from earlier books appear and knowing their back story is beneficial and adds depth, besides seeing the again is like seeing an old friend. This third book is Shepherd “Shep” Collins and Kristian “Kri” Dayton’s story. Both are members of Redleg Security and former military. Kri is recovering from the injuries she sustained while guarding Sammy and is also feeling guilty about what happened. Shep has been at her side while she was in the hospital and continues to be while she recovers. Kri hasn’t returned to work, with Shep with her Redleg is short staffed, so when a friend brings in a teenage girl, Valerie, in for protection, they ask Kri to be her temporary guardian and Shep to be her guard. Someone murdered Valerie’s parents and they think she may be a target and in danger, too. There are lots of layers to this story, Kri is dealing with her recovery and her guilt and Shep is dealing with PTSD, then his own inner demons cause his nightmares to return. Add a teenager into the mix to complicate matters, but having Valerie there takes their mind off their own troubles and they are busy trying to figure out who killed her parents and why. I adored these characters and loved watching Kri and Shep fight the chemistry that is between them, mostly Kri, and knowing it was going to be a losing battle for them. And how they were with Valerie had me appreciate them even more. It was great to see the other members of the Redleg, too. I loved how everything played out in this book, it is a cleverly plotted with plenty of drama, some angst, some humor to lighten things up, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Jackie Walker, thank you for another fantastic story and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 The wonderfully talented Ava Lucas and Jacob Morgan did a fabulous job bringing these characters to life and did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying. I loved how they took their roles and made them their own, sounding believable and just as I imagined the characters to sound. Morgan nailed it as Shep, grasping every aspect of his personality, his humor and inner dialogue was hilarious, accent and all. Lucas was just as amazing as Kri, also grasping all sides of her personality, from her insecurities to her strength and badassery. They set the right tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their performance elevates the story to another level. Thanks for another amazing listen.

Kri & Shep

This is the third book in a series and definitely my fave so far, it’s so rare for a series to get better with each book but this one is! I’ve done all three on audio so far and that is the way to go, all have had amazing narrators and this one was dual narration by Jacob Morgan and Ava Lucas and these two were both 🔥 Jacob as drunk Shep was one of my favorite audio scenes ever 😂 and Ava portrayed Kri’s emotional state throughout the book so incredibly well. I love romantic suspense so much and the tension here was next level. Most of the rom suspense I read has very little humor but the author makes me crack up one minute and then has me on the edge of my seat the next. Such a hard combination to pull off but she does it so well! I am already dying to read the next book but I’m waiting on audio, definitely check this whole series out if you like spice, tension, laughs and top tier narration.

Another Great Book in the Redleg Series

I love this book and audio! The story is about Kri and Shep, who we've met in other books, but this can be a standalone. I love the way their relationship grows and how hot they are together. Shep is a caring respectful partner to Kri and she is an understanding respectful partner to him.
The story is great and wonderfully told by Jacob and Ava. I swear they are plucked out of my head to be exactly what Shep and Kri should sound like. They both did a phenomenal job and brought to life the story as it should be.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Kri & Shep’s story!!

📚⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️

* Bodyguards • Former Military • Trauma Recovery • Friends to Lovers • Close Proximity • Found Family • He Falls First • Praise • Workplace Romance • PTSD rep • Soft Dom •

Dual Narration performed by Jacob Morgan & Ava Lucas

LOVE LOVE LOVE Kri & Shep’s story!! We got a hint at their dynamic in book 2 and tragedy struck at the end of that book. This book picks up a little after where book 2 left off and the way Shep’s only true mission is to help Kri recover. I loved watching their love unfold. And of course, he fell first and she resists because their coworkers and working in a male dominated field, she feels she has to constantly prove she deserves to be there.

Shep is such a soft dom. I love the way he anticipates all of Kri’s needs and so subtly meets every single one without pressuring or being overbearing. But he’s also dealing with his own PTSD from his time in the military that was triggered by Kri’s incident.

The character development that Kri goes through in this book was soo good! She really grows in herself and learns so much about who she really is and the strength she actually possesses.

Lots of suspense, great reveals. Loved the found family situation that comes about by the end. The addition of teenage sass from Val was fantastic! Jackie Walker always writes such amazing banter and this book is an excellent example of that.

Ava Lucas and Jacob Morgan were fantastic! We get an amazing Foghorn Leghorn impersonation and drunkenness both performed by Jacob. Ava is always amazing, I love her voice work.

Get ready to lose yourself

This is the 3rd book I have listened to in the Redleg Security series by Jackie Walker. I didn’t think the storyline could get any better and here we are. Comeback Hero narrated by Jacob Morgan and Ava Lucas is just incredible *chefs kiss*.

I love how Jacob Morgan (Shepard) and Ava Lucas (Kri) bring them to life. The tension and frustration of the story is heard through the voices. Shepard... my God... Ladies you may need a new pair of panties after this one. “Baby girl”. That’s all I need to say.

This story between Shep and Kri is just beautiful. I love the way the characters grow together. I just love all of it.

If you haven’t read this.. or listened (highly recommend listening, it just brings the story to life) you need to do it ASAP. Bump it to the top of you TBR. You wont regret it.

a little long but worth it

this was a great story of strength and weakness and the fragility of life and the human body. it's a great love story showing what someone will truly do when they love you and a journey of self awareness for the female lead. I really loved their dynamic as well as with Valerie when she comes along (no, not a love triangle). it was funny and sweet and suspenseful and the narration was great! it was just a bit longer than it needed to be I think, but I'm learning her books tend to be. it was worth it though.

Action, suspense, and steam!

Jacob Morgan and Ava Lucas brought Rival Hero to life with their excellent narration skills. Jacob as Shep was perfect, adapting Shep’s laid-back personality and his take-charge alpha growl in the bedroom. He also captured Shep’s British-sounding conscience perfectly and I laughed every time he surfaced. Ava as Kri was also excellent at voicing Kri’s tough-as-nails, badass personality, but also her softer voice when she talked to Valerie and her friends. If you’re a fan of audio books I recommend you listen to this one!

Shep and Kri have been co-workers and friends for a long time. Shep has always wanted more but Kri has a hard and fast “no dating co-workers” rule that she won’t break, even for him. When Kri is brutally attacked while protecting a client, Shep never leaves her side during the weeks she’s hospitalized, he also realizes he’s falling in love with her! Shep takes her to his house to recuperate and as they grow closer, he tries harder to convince her they belong together. But Kri won’t give in to him, no matter how much their attraction grows.

Kri has rules for a reason. All her life she’s been rejected and hurt by those she loved the most. When her grandfather died, she felt completely alone and unloved. When the one relationship she had while she was in Afghanistan ended, she was treated badly by the rest of the platoon tried to take advantage of her, thinking she was “easy” and it ruined her reputation. This experience made her determined to never have a relationship with a co-worker again. No one has come close to making her break that rule until Shep.

When a young girl’s (Valerie) parents and aunt are murdered, Redleg becomes involved in finding who and why they were murdered. Shep & Kri take her into protective custody, and she moves into Shep's house with them. As they get closer to finding out what happened, it’s clear that someone is also after Val. While Shep & Kri grow closer, and Val becomes part of the family, they work harder to find the danger and get drawn into more intrigue.

This story is full of suspense and takes you in directions you didn’t see coming. And the steam growing between Shep and Kri will keep you listening to find out what happens!
This is the third book in the Redleg Security series, and I loved it!

Shep is my new husband

Jackie Walker writes some of the most swoony men and some of the strongest women. I absolutely love the Redleg Security series. After reading the first 2 in the series, I was waiting to read about Shep and Kri, and their story did not disappoint. I laughed, I cried, I giggled. I could not love this couple more. And the narrators?!?! Oh my goodness. Zachary Webber IS Shep. I swear. And Ava Lucas has the exact tone and attitude I imagined for Kri. There could not have been a better choice or pairing. I love this book SO MUCH!

Amazing Story

Comeback Hero is an intriguing read that hooked me on the first page. Kri is the only female bodyguard at Redleg Security, she ends up living with Shep after an injury. Kri is a strong independent woman who does not need a man to dominate her. Shep only wants to dominate her in the bedroom and for her to be his. Kri is not going to give in so easily, she doesn't date coworkers. She is worried the past will repeat itself, but living with her super hot coworker and a teenager they are assigned to protect has her seeing things differently. This is the first book I have read by Jackie Walker, and it will not be the only. The characters are well portrayed, the storyline is clear and easy to follow. This steamy and suspenseful book is a must read recommendation for me. I have read this book and listened to the audio and the audio of this book was amazing I loved the narrators that were picked for this book. They work so well for the characters. I didn’t think I was a fan of audio books but I have loved all the ones for Jackie’s books so far. I recommend getting the audio for this book as well.