Thrive

By: Aly Martinez

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Jason Carpenter

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

When I was nineteen years old, I was faced with a choice that changed my life.

Keep the safety of what I already knew or risk losing everything with the young, hotheaded soldier who stole my heart. 

I chose the wrong man, and for seventeen years, I paid in tears, blood, and shattered dreams for that decision. 

Now, there’s a man in my house, holding a gun to my head on the order of my ex-husband—given from his prison cell. 

That hotheaded soldier I was too afraid to choose? He’s now a six-foot-three wall of muscle who works at the country’s most premier bodyguard agency. I’ve always wanted him, but now, I’ve never needed him more.

It’s the call I’m terrified to make. 

I’m sure he still hates me… Even though I’ve never stopped loving him. 

©2018 Aly Martinez (P)2017 Aly Martinez

Guardian can protect me

4.5 stars for - Thrive - book two in the Guardian Protection series by Aly Martinez. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but book one - Singe - is one of my most favorite books of all time so you know I absolutely recommend reading it too! Fans of this author are in for a treat as we get to see many characters we know and love make an appearance in this book. Honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to a second chance romance since this has never been my favorite romance trope, but the way Aly brings these characters to life in her stories - I can't help falling in love.
Mira York has spent almost twenty years wondering what her life would have been like if she chose a different man all those years ago. The man she married betrayed her and left her practically destitute when he went away to prison. Now that she can finally see light at the end of the tunnel her ex-husband has placed her in danger once again. The only person she can turn to is also the last person in the world that will ever want to speak to her again, but Jeremy is her only hope of getting out of this situation unscathed.
Jeremy Lark is the oldest member of Guardian, but don't you dare tell him he can't keep up. He dresses and acts the part of a gentleman, but if you threaten someone he cares about he will come after you with fists swinging. His job and twin daughters are his entire world so when a phone call comes into Guardian from the very last person he ever thought he would hear from again he is shocked and angry in equal measure. The one woman who shattered his heart is in a world of trouble and needs his help...
Another epic romantic suspense that kept me glued to my kindle from start to finish. I love everything about this series from the broody, bad boys with issues to the people they ultimately end up falling hard and fast for. Can't wait to read Braydon's story next!!!

LOVED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE

I loved this one. Had a little bit of a mystery some cute kids hot guy and hotter sex! Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. Narration was stellar

Action and emotion

Something happens when Aly Martinez puts pen to paper... or finger to keyboard... or however it is done for her, that something is unexplainable to me but the most overused of words if magic. She has a very whole approach to stories, including romance, suspense, humor, action, family, steam, Aly Martinez includes it all. And not just in Thrive, in all her books but this is why I love her storytelling.

In Thrive, we are back with our sexy men of Guardian Protection Agency, this time hearing the story of Jeremy and Mira. Jeremy is insanely protective and alpha as he lost Mira for 17 years and Mira is independent and broken as she has been beaten down for 17 years. Bringing them together, now with them in adult stages of their lives was such a different but awesome spin on romance stories. Being 38 myself, it was actually nice to read a book with characters in the same age range. Now don’t let this fool you into thinking it is not a sexy book because Jeremy is insanely sexy and the way he dominates Mira is so hot. I adored the way he would lose control.

Andi Arndt and Jason Carpenter are the pros and came in doing what the pros do. Can’t complain about a minute of their audio skills.

I'm so disappointed...

First, love the work of Aly Martinez. I have read numerous books by her and this one - according to the blurb - seemed to be another winner . NOT!
Had I known that Mira, the so called heroine, would be a cheater just like the man she marries knowing he too cheats, never would have bought this. And she doesn't redeem herself.
Jeremy just deserves a better woman. He's a basically good man, other than the cheating part. Well, he is complicit. Have to admit.
Just couldn't get around the cheating part. Nope.
Martinez, you are a fantastic writer but this one? A big fat No.

4.5 Strong stars.

This second change rimance was a slow burn drawing you in a little at a time then wham you can't put it down.

Brilliant

With each book of Aly Martinez’s that I partake in, I am in total awe of this woman and her writing. She not only gives us brilliant storylines with excellent characters, she gives us a sense of wonderment of the emotional journey that her stories take us on.

Thrive is the second book in the Guardian Protection series and just like the first book in this series; the story is innovative and memorizing. With some twist and turns that you don’t see coming, it is a thoroughly enjoyable story.

The characters, Jeremy and Lark, are complex with a background story that will have you wondering about the outcome of their most recent encounter.

I enjoyed this book in audio version and Andi Arndt and Jason Carpenter did a fantastic job in bringing Jeremy and Lark to life.

I don’t have the words to express how much I loved this story, the narration and the overall feeling of satisfaction I had when it was over. I do know that I do and will continue to recommend Ms. Martinez books to any and everyone.

Fan-friggin-tastic!

For the first 1/3rd of the story I struggled with liking Mira. I know it was because she made bad choices but she really didn’t deserve most of my dislike. She deserved some, because, she really made some bad choices… paying more attention to the name on her material things than who was with her. She seriously lived and learned the hard way!

For such a heat-pulling story this book sure had quite a few parts that made me hoot out with laughter. Aly Martinez sure has this fun, quick-wit that I just love! I mean, a snit-fit and Mr. Hyde… how can you make it through that? Finally, that epilogue though, sigh, what a wonderfully perfect epilogue. It ended the story nicely and just wrapped everything up. It also made me start thinking about the next Guardian book in the series.

I’m gonna wrap this up by saying Aly Martinez sure has a way of writing. Her characters are so complex and fun. I felt like I really got to know everyone. It seemed deeper than most books go and it’s pretty much the same length so I know it’s all on Martinez’s writing. So I listened to the early released audio book. Andi Arndt and Jason Carpenter were perfection… complete perfection! I was super impressed with Arndt, she could alter her voice for every feeling Mira experienced. You could tell by her voice when it was getting hot in the book. I loved it! Both of them also made me laugh out loud with their banter. It was great! I’d actually rate it higher than 5 stars if I could!

Love

Any additional comments?

I almost passed on this one because I don't usually like this story line and I hate cheating in books but I loved this author and she's never let me down so I took a chance. I'm so glad I did because I loved it. I started out hating the heroine but of course she made me change my mind as the story went on. I love hero too, he's just enough alpha to satisfy my needs.

🌻I love this type of story🌻

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻V from Kansas🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Young love getting a second chance, is one of my favorite kind of stories. This one also has action, a mystery and a cast of great characters. I’m really liking this guardian protection series and am looking forward to book 3.

Keeping it simple

Give me more please. I just found this author, and I’m obsessed. Listen to 3 books in one weekend. I listened with one headphone as I fed my son and did bath times because I didn’t want to stop listening. Don’t listen out loud, a lot of f-bombs. Bring on Braydon and Whitney ❤️❤️❤️