Found (Powertools: The Shields #1)
by Jayne Rylon
Blurb:
What could go
wrong when they turn their sights on a human trafficking ring that might have
been the reason their coordinator’s sister disappeared nearly thirty years ago?
Nolan Skalbeck is
sure their assignment is a bad bet. Regardless of whether or not they find the
hauntingly gorgeous woman their artist sketched or not, the horrific things he
discovers about the operation they’ve infiltrated convinces him they have to
shut it down for good by whatever means necessary.
What he doesn’t
expect is to fall for a woman who already has a partner, and is willing to
share him with Nolan. Once he has, it will take every bit of his strength and
training to keep from losing them both.
Even if he’s
successful, how will he convince them, himself included, that he’s not a
horrible person—like the ones they’ve been surrounded by for most of their
lives—even though he hunts and destroys evil bastards for a living?
Themes: Erotica,
Polyamory
Rating: 4.25 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
Who
would have ever thought, when reading the very first Powertools story (Kate's Crew) that the fantastic story
tree Jayne was planting would sprout so many amazing and interesting branches?!
This new spinoff takes us deeper into the world of the Shields, the amazing superhero-esque
team of folks that we’ve met in previous stories and that James has taken
control of as office manager. They are
on their newest and most important mission ever when the world for one of their
operators changes forever as he meets the loves of his life and two people that
he doesn’t believe he will ever be good enough for. I have read and been a fan
of every single story in this ever expanding Powertools universe and the more
Jayne gives us, the more engrossed I find myself, but this newest story made me
cry as much as it did reach for ice to cool off. Nolan, Laurel, and Jace’s story is one that
is filled with emotional trauma coming from all sides, danger, and the fears
that can drive a wedge between people if they don’t fight their way through
it. I loved every single second of this
story and seeing this triad find their HEA and admit their deep emotional
connection and need for one another had me crying happy tears by the end. Jayne has done it again, though I never
understand how she can come up with all these emotional storylines, and I am
dying for the next one in the series for sure as we get to see the rest of the
Shields folks lose their hearts to others.
Nolan
is on a mission to find the first woman that has really ever intrigued him, and
he’s never even seen a real picture of her much less met her in person. James’s older sister Laurel is out there
somewhere, the victim of child trafficking and he refuses to give up until they
know what happened to her. After a wildly
successful takedown of the last trafficker they know had her, Nolan goes rogue
following a lead and finds himself in a compromising situation that could
certainly have been the death of him.
Laurel has found a small measure of peace with her roommate and best
friend Jace, who escaped the traffickers with her, and together they are
working to slowly build a future together, despite the denial of their deeper
connection from both sides. Now they are thrown together with the Shields and
Nolan is their protector, but they are drawn to the strong sexy man in more
than one way. Jace has made it his life’s
work to protect Laurel, even at the chance of them never having a true
relationship, but when Nolan confronts them with the truth of their emotions,
Laurel and Jace have to decide if embracing their connection—and the one with
Nolan—is worth the risks. As they come
together in a blazing embrace, the dangers stalking Laurel and Jace continue to
be very real and when their lives are on the line, Nolan knows he will do
everything including give his life to the two people that have stolen his
heart.
Well,
what can you say about these three sexy, but slightly broken individuals that
have so much to work through, except, WOW.
Nolan was of course the ultimate hero, sweet and sensual with an
undercurrent of danger, but when he was with Laurel and Jace, his sweetness and
caring nature reminded us that there are two important sides of the
protector. He can definitely kick ass
and take names when needed, but on the flip side he can be there to help emotionally
heal those he loves and give those he cares for everything they need to be
whole. I loved getting to know him, and I teared up as he expressed his own vulnerabilities, it was nice to see
that he wasn’t perfect and really was just a man. Laurel and Jace had two of
the saddest, but inspiring stories I have read in a long time, after all who
else do you know who could go through what they did, but come out so brave and
loving in the end. Laurel lost everything, but she never lost the hope that her
baby brother was safe and happy and that reunion was heart-wrenching for sure,
but as she found safety and security she blossomed into the smart and sweet
woman she always should have grown into.
She had such an inner strength, like all the other Powertools (and extended family) ladies,
she just has to dig deeper to find it and understand how to wield it more
subtly. Jace was the darkest character,
letting his past drive him onto a very cynical and skeptical path that made it
nearly impossible for him to trust, even when he is offered a hand up. He knows what he wants, and is willing to
work himself into exhaustion to give Laurel and himself to chance at a future, but
when someone tries to help he resents it.
I loved seeing him mellow as Nolan showed him that there are trustworthy
can caring people in the world that wouldn’t let him down.
This
story truly is one that is about three people that Found that love together was the only path that would lead them out
of the darkness and into the light. I
have read a lot of romances and erotica, including polyamory, and in my humble
opinion, Jayne Rylon remains (along with two of her favorite writing partners)
the best of the bunch. Nolan, Laurel,
and Jace embody the love that we are all looking for, it just so happens they
needed that third piece of their personal puzzle in order for their lasting HEA
to make sense. Nolan was a kick ass
character with an inner sweetness he reserved for his mates, a take no
prisoners alpha nature when taking care of business, and the brains to know
when he has found a good thing in life.
Laurel has lived through a trauma that most people could never imagine,
but she has come out the other side still a caring and loving woman that is
just looking for a chance to have the man (or men) she needs love her right
back and a chance to help others that have lived through similar
situations. Jace had his own path to and
through the darkness, but he has had Laurel to lead him to the light for so
long and protects that at all costs, but he has such beauty inside him as well
and offers his heart to his lovers once he knows there is no way he can live
without them. The heat and passion
between these three was there from the first moment they connected and never
died until the last word and I look forward to seeing more of them in future
stories. I am DYING for the next story
in the series, because honestly, Jayne teased us WAY too much in this one with
what is coming next and really that was just mean! Jayne is the mistress of ménage
and the new Powertools: Shields series is promising to be another masterwork.
*eARC provided by author for the
purpose of an honest and unbiased review.
No compensation was provided.
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