Justice

Creed Brothers, Book 1

De: K.C. Lynn

Narrado por: Callie Dalton, Teddy Hamilton

Fate made us brothers, loyalty made us family.

A bond that runs deeper than the Mississippi, my brothers and I might not have the same DNA but what we share is far more powerful. Our loyalty to one another and the man who made us a family is stronger than those bound by blood.

The most sought out sharp shooters in the country, our paths were certain, before one woman changed my life and altered the relationship I have with my brothers.

Ryanne Lockwood disappeared without a trace but her memory never faded, torturing me on the darkest nights. Until a twist of fate leads me back to her, sending our worlds to collide once more, and this time, there will be no escaping me.

Justice Creed's bad boy appeal caught my attention from the moment he rolled into town. For years I watched from afar, swallowing up the rumors that surrounded him. Until we shared a night of forbidden passion. One that destroyed my heart and reshaped my soul, and it sent me fleeing from the only town I've ever known.

Now, years later, he's barged back into my life, uncovering a secret I've worked so hard to keep and it's one that will change our lives forever.

Contains mature themes.

©2018 K.C. LYNN (P)2023 Tantor

Secrets, Sharpshooters, and Southern Tension

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚❤️🤎
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀😛
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Justice (Creed Brothers, #1)

Author: K.C. Lynn
Genre: Dark Romance / Military Romance
Narrators: Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Justice

Justice’s backstory is rooted in systemic neglect and childhood trauma, shaping him into a character defined by survival instincts and fierce loyalty. Alongside Knox and Braxton, he escapes an abusive group home at fourteen, forging a brotherhood built on necessity and shared suffering. Their eventual arrival in the Mississippi Delta — and the intervention of Thatcher Creed — introduces the novel’s central contrast: the brutality of their early lives versus the stability and belonging Thatcher offers.

As adults, the brothers’ transformation into elite sharpshooters adds a high‑stakes, action‑oriented layer to the narrative. However, the emotional complexity of their bond sometimes clashes with the book’s portrayal of their interpersonal choices, particularly around intimacy and loyalty.

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Ryanne

Ryanne’s upbringing mirrors Justice’s in emotional deprivation, though hers is wrapped in the veneer of generational wealth and social expectation. As a member of one of Winchester’s founding families, she grows up under the weight of legacy, image, and parental disdain. Her long‑standing crush on Justice reflects both her desire for genuine connection and her rebellion against the rigid class boundaries that define her world.

Her environment — loveless home, social scrutiny, and the town’s fixation on bloodlines — positions her as a character caught between privilege and profound loneliness. This tension fuels many of her choices, including her impulsive, emotionally charged pursuit of Justice.

📚 The Plot

The early connection between Ryanne and Justice is framed as a formative emotional anchor for both characters, though the execution leans heavily into melodrama. Their motorcycle rides and brief conversations are meant to establish intimacy, but the narrative often signals significance rather than allowing it to emerge organically.

Their reunion on Ryanne’s eighteenth birthday — culminating in a single night that alters the trajectory of her life — serves as the emotional catalyst for the story. Her subsequent disappearance introduces the secret‑baby trope, which may divide readers depending on their tolerance for withheld‑information conflicts.

Parallel to the romance is a more compelling external plot: the founders’ escalating attempts to seize Thatcher’s land. This storyline injects tension, reveals long‑buried secrets, and grounds the book in a broader community conflict that often outshines the central relationship.

🌟 What Worked

• The Creed brothers’ shared trauma creates a strong thematic foundation, though the narrative’s handling of their adult dynamics sometimes undermines the emotional weight of that bond.
• The land‑dispute subplot is one of the book’s strongest elements, offering escalating suspense, meaningful stakes, and satisfying revelations that deepen the worldbuilding.

💔 What Fell Short

• The early Justice/Ryanne scenes feel overwrought, relying on heightened emotion rather than earned intimacy. The writing signals depth instead of building it.
• The secret‑baby trope introduces avoidable frustration, especially since the justification for keeping the child hidden doesn’t align with the gravity of the decision. For readers who prefer transparency in romantic conflict, this may feel like an unnecessary obstacle.

🎙️ Narration

The dual POV structure benefits from the pairing of Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton. Dalton’s youthful, expressive delivery suits Ryanne’s emotional vulnerability, while Hamilton’s deep, resonant tone brings gravitas to Justice’s internal world. Their performances elevate the material, particularly in emotionally charged or sensual scenes, and add texture to characters who sometimes feel inconsistently written on the page.

💬 Final Thoughts

Justice delivers an engaging blend of small‑town tension, found‑family loyalty, and high‑stakes romance, but its emotional execution is uneven. The external conflict surrounding the founders’ obsession with Thatcher’s land provides the book’s most compelling momentum, grounding the story in mystery and escalating danger. Justice and Ryanne’s relationship, while rooted in meaningful parallels between their upbringings, often leans on melodrama and familiar tropes that don’t always feel fully earned.

Still, the worldbuilding around the Creed family, the layered community politics, and the strong narration from Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton elevate the experience. Readers who enjoy protective heroes, deep‑seated family secrets, and a mix of romance and suspense will find plenty to appreciate — even if some character choices and emotional beats may spark debate.

Female narrator ruined it for me

When you have Teddy Hamilton as the male narrator (with the sexiest voice ever), WHY would the robotic, nasally, female narrator cover all of the sexy chapters? Huge fail.

I liked the book, characters, storyline. I don’t think I can listen to book two though. Even though I’m dying to hear Braxton’s story.

Awesome but .....

I love this book and the next one but Ryanne got on my nerves a lot , she made some very stupid decisions.. I did manage to get past her and enjoy the rest of the book. I don't know why author's put stupid things in a good book.. other then her the book was really good and I will listen to it again I'll just fast forward a lot of her crap..

❤️❤️‍🩹 JUSTICE TICKED ALL MY BADBOY BOXES ❤️‍🩹❤️

I must admit, at first, I thought damn because it sounded like this was going to be too YA for me as eighteen yo Ryanne speaks of her long-time crush and love for the badboy of her small town.. with an outcast dark reputation along with his two brothers. However, that part was over very quickly as Ryanne loses her v card and gets her ‘one night only’ with Justice Creed. It’s a bitter-sweet night knowing that’s all it can ever be.. but is it? Because ‘something’ and someone shatters her world and sends Ryanne fleeing. Six years later, when a very angry Justice storms back into her life, there’s true concern, rekindled desire, combustible chemistry, guilt and remorse.. and endless sweet possibilities. And Justice is swoon-worthy as he rages, slowly simmers, calms and possessively claims what’s his in a very sexy, very heartfelt, very alpha badass way. The emotional rollercoaster that follows.. the fireworks, heat and voyeurism.. the wonderful feels coming from a sweet little girl.. the close brotherhood and fatherly bond and values of a ‘chosen’ family.. and the drama, secrets and suspense from the town’s controlling powerful villains, makes this book a very enjoyable listen. Told in dual POV by Callie and Teddy whose voice acting not only fit the characters perfectly but they also skilfully brought it all together and delivered a five star stellar performance.

Worth a credit? Yes, I really liked it.. and that cover is SOOOOO Justice 🥰🪭😉.

love

Great Narration by Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton they complimented each other very well. bravo!