Ivan

Kit Rocha

Feb 2018 · Gideon's Riders Book 3 · Kit Rocha

About this ebook

Book #3 in the Gideon's Riders Series. As the sheltered princess of Sector One, Maricela's life is defined by duty: to her people and to her family. Her wealth and influence have allowed her to build a better world, but they come with a price---the responsibility to secure political stability with a practical marriage. Maricela cherishes the idea of marrying for love, but there's not much romance in the endless line of suitors interested only in prestige and power. And her handsome, brooding new bodyguard isn't helping the situation. Ivan is the perfect, deadly warrior, a man trained from childhood to be the ultimate protector to the Rios family. His focus on keeping her safe is intense--and a little intoxicating. When the threat of danger cracks his icy control, Maricela realizes she & rsquo;s not the only one fighting against temptation. Ivan knows that the blood on his hands makes him unworthy of the pure-hearted princess. But from the first kiss, their forbidden affair feels inevitable. He can give her a glimpse of life outside her gilded cage and a lover who wants the woman instead of the crown. The only thing he can never do is promise her forever. Because spurning her noble suitors to marry her bodyguard wouldn & rsquo;t just be a scandal. It could set off a political firestorm that would tear Sector One apart.

Ratings and reviews

This is one of those times that I've started a book thinking meh, I'm not really fussed about these two characters but love the author so I'll give it a go. In all series I think we all have characters that we can't wait to read about and others that were not so fussed about. I was very much like that about Maricela, she wasn't a character I was desperate to get too. I was very surprised by just how much I loved her. She was full of depth and much more than she seemed to be in previous sightings of her. She's got the weight of Sector One on her shoulders and seemed to be drowning in everyone's else's need to make a political marriage. It's so easy to make a judgement about someone without really understanding the life they lead. She's a very caring person, warm and welcoming. She needed to find someone to see her for herself, not the title she holds. Ivan is the brooding alpha Rider warrior perfect for the job. He's got his own demons to confront but they seemed to be the perfect antidote to each other's worries. Loyal to the core, it's a real struggle for him to let go and embrace his feelings for Maricela. His sense of duty to Gideon and his fellow Riders has always been his top priority so it was fun to see him succumb They've got red hot chemistry, those scenes were scorchingly hot! We got little snippets of other characters which gave us a good insight into future books, the plot although quite simple in terms of timespan and events, had a lot going on in terms of bringing the story arc forward. We meet a few new characters which should bring some interesting times ahead. Each book expands this universe and while we got a few answers this time we're left with a few more. It's a really good story and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Maricela Rios, Gideon’s sister, Sector One Royalty Ivan Wolff, bodyguard, family history of depression Book 3 of the Gideon’s Riders series brings us back to Sector One. There are still genetically engineered enemies with evil intent. There are strong warriors whose duty is to protect the sector at all costs. There are equally strong women who are trying to make life better for Sector residents and the refugees that resulted from the war with Eden. There are celebrations hosted by the families looking to make political alliances thru marriages. (I heard this party referred to as a "Post-apocalyptic Regency house party".) Ivan has been assigned as Maricela’s bodyguard. He takes his job seriously. Maricela has lived a sheltered life as Gideon’s sister. But Maricela is not innocent as she appears. She is willing to do whatever it takes to protect those she loves. Sector One takes death seriously. When a Rider kills someone, they have a raven tattooed on their body. Maricela has a raven tattoo. Maricela has never been to Eden, so Ivan takes her sightseeing. There is also a date in a Sector dive bar. The fights are epic. Unexplained deaths add to the intrigue. Ivan learns to deal with his Mother’s mental issues. In the end, Gideon and his sister Isabella are planning a huge wedding celebration. Heat level is off the charts (in a good way). I think I know who is Gideon's mate. He is tongue tied around her throughout this story. 5 Stars The book was provided by the authors for an honest review.

***5 Stars*** I seriously love this world. I do. It’s not complicated in any way, it just feels so real to me, like it’s an actual place I’d want to visit and play in, and I love being able to spend a few hours hanging out with the characters ~ no matter which series they come from ~ and learning new things about it and boy do some new things come to light in Ivan! But first...Ivan and Maricela. It was hard not to love these two, separately and together. They both struggle with the expectations that are placed on them simply because of the blood that runs through their veins and while it does weigh heavily on both of them, they actually want to live up to those expectations. They respect their positions in the Sector and understand why things are the way they are...and yet they wish there was a little more wiggle room at times. But that version of Ivan and Maricela are those of the Rider and the Princess, the man and woman who live beneath the titles, aren’t necessarily all that different, but a little more relaxed and their true personalities come out to play as their relationship grows and becomes more than either expected. They fight the good fight for awhile and I really enjoyed the slow burn aspect because I got to see that they were friends and truly cared about each other on a deeper level than simply physical attraction or because of their positions. But once they finally gave in, and not only in the smexy sense ~ though that was hot ~ all bets were off and there was only one outcome could work for both of them. Of course certain issues do spring up in the course of their journey, but I loved how everything worked out for them in the end. Now, I know I’ve said this in every review I’ve done for the Beyond series and the Gideon’s Riders series, but it has to be said. I love the family dynamic that is always present in this series. The bantering, snarkyness and just all around being up in each other business is something I totally enjoy and this one has it in spades. I also liked getting a better idea of the political side of Sector one and all the little intrigues that go on when it comes to the royal and noble families. As far as the Riders are concerned I don’t have a clear favorite because they are all so intriguing to me (though Ashwin is still all KINDS of awesomeness), but I loved spending more time with Laurel (Six is still my absolute fav when it comes to the women in this world, but Laurel could give her some competition) but there was one little section that had me sitting up and going “Ooooohhhhh” I need more of that backstory, like, yesterday! So, needless to say, I loved and adored Ivan as a whole. The romance was well done, the angst was low, and I loved spending time with all the characters and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series! ~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~