The Story of Danny Rose by Cara Dee (The Hillcroft Group, #1

In a bit of a departure from what I've seen from Cara Dee, The Story of Danny Rose begins a series focusing on both suspense and romance. 

From the blurb:

The Hillcroft Group, #1 Standalone Age gap Military DD/lb

“Try to read his file from the Army from another perspective. Less stone-faced, devoid of emotion, SAS operator and more as…oh, I don’t know, the loving, caring, nurturing Dom that you are.”

There was nothing like kicking off your vacation by realizing someone had broken in to your cabin. More than that, he was waiting when you arrived.

This young guy had plagued my dreams when I’d spent two months with his detachment a couple years ago. He was cocky, volatile, and resourceful. Resourceful enough to track me down, piss me off, and get himself invited for steaks and beer.

I was quickly going to learn there was a lot more to him than being a soldier with boundary issues, though. Starting the moment I accidentally spotted a small stuffed animal in his backpack.

He changed everything. The story of Danny Rose went from anecdotes I occasionally shared with recruits, to…becoming my whole bloody life.

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All books in the Hillcroft Group series are standalone and can be read out of order, as each story follows a new dynamic with various subgenres within romance. What the characters have in common is the place they work and, of course, the HEA they will fight for. Characters do cross over in multiple titles, but they will be reintroduced, where necessary, to new readers. All books in this series are labeled romantic suspense and military romance. Please look on the copyright page for potential content warnings.

Heather's Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, and I was surprised to be transported to the late '90s as we're introduced to these characters.  I had never read the short story that this novel is based on, so the characters were fresh and new to me, and I was intrigued by the way their past was colliding with their present and how the author weaves history into their story.  As someone who isn't from the US, but spent a lot of time living there, I found the para-military aspects interesting, but I was hoping for more steam and more depth of kink from the romance side.  

The premise of a structured para-military organization from that era is intriguing and I look forward to seeing where The Hillcroft Group stories go next.

Lesetiger's review:

I have read many books by Cara Dee and this is a great start to a new series. What I was really pleased about was that we meet the twins here at a young age at the start of their employment at Hillcroft - that was a delightful surprise.

As always, the author's writing style is wonderfully easy to read. The story focuses on Emerson and Danny, who had both first met when they were both still in the military.

It took Danny two years to track down Emerson because he wants to start working at Hillcroft. He's a man who carries a lot of anger with him, but he was a very good soldier. And the more I learned about Danny's background, the more my heart broke for him.

Unlike the author's other books, this one focuses on the military training, with the steamy scenes taking a bit of a back seat. There is a slight kink, though.

I loved how Emerson and Danny's relationship developed. I found both characters very interesting. Danny knows how to hide his insecurities well, but Emerson is very good at reading him and giving him what he needs at the time. What develops between the two of them happens quickly, but I think it also fit quite well.

There is a lot of action and suspense as well as insights into PMC training. Once I started reading, the story quickly captivated me. I'm already looking forward to the next volume!

The Story of Danny Rose is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription