ARC Review: Call to Honor (A Seal Brotherhood) by Tawny Weber

Never slow down. That mantra is the perfect tagline for both author and characters. Ms. Weber holds nothing back with her alpha heroes and the danger in the plot, she adds more fuel to the fire with her equally strong willed heroines. With Call to Honor, she threw me at first. For a man like Diego who struggles with powerful emotions and dangerous enemies, Harper did seem like she fit him. However, as the blinders come off and the secrets start to explode we see a fierce attraction blossom and Tawny Weber at her best. Suspense is the name of the game with this mysterious couple. ( )

Link to full review below! Unique storyline! See full review on The Book Disciple ( )

Very good book that had me hooked from the beginning. It opens with the SEAL team in their downtime, their natural competitiveness at the forefront of their interactions. I liked Diego right away. He lives for his work as a SEAL, determined to be the best. He doesn't seek the limelight or see himself as a hero. His early years were rough, but he pulled himself out of it. There are indications that he has a temper, but he also controls it. Other SEALs are introduced at the same time. Lansky, Diego's best friend, who is also known as MacGyver. He's a bit more volatile, also makes up his mind quickly about people and is reluctant to be convinced otherwise. Then there is Ramsey, a new arrival to the team. He is handsome, arrogant, and believes that he is the best of them all. He doesn't take well to losing at anything. He rubbed me the wrong way from the start, with his comments about his ex and his son. There was something about him that came across as creepy. He is also very jealous of Diego's place on the team and his reputation. When the next mission goes wrong, Ramsey is missing and presumed dead - until critical information finds its way to the enemy and the team comes under investigation. Their commander doesn't trust the CIA and NI investigators, so he sends Diego and Lansky to investigate the one person most likely to know anything - Ramsey's ex, Harper.

Harper is a single mother, doing her best to raise her son alone. She fell for the slick Ramsey when she was only seventeen. When she discovered she was pregnant, he told her to get rid of the baby or his parents would take it from her. Then he walked out, and she never saw him again. Harper grew up in a bad part of town and was determined to make a better life for her son. Through sacrifice and hard work, she is now a respected and in-demand interior designer. Nathan is also the only male in her life. She has dated a little bit, but no one has been able to break through her mistrust. Her friend Andi is determined to get Harper to start living again.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship build between Diego and Harper. There is no question about the chemistry between these two; it sparks every time they are together. Diego tries very hard to keep his mind on business, his instructions are to observe and investigate, but not to engage. However, there is something about her that he can't resist. He feels somewhat guilty about using the attraction to get closer, especially once he realizes that there is no way that she is involved in her ex's activities. Harper tries to resist the attraction until she decides that she's let her past affect her life long enough. She knows Diego won't be around long and that makes him perfect for a quick fling. She's no more interested in a long term relationship than he is. It was fun seeing them get to know each other. Diego is so out of his element in "suburbia" but is slowly drawn in by both Harper and Nathan. I loved seeing Diego with Nathan. They connected so quickly, and it was awesome to see Diego fall so hard for the little boy. That connection is one of the things that drew Harper to Diego, other than the intense attraction. I loved seeing Harper decide to go after Diego, fighting through her nervousness. There was no doubt that their physical relationship was explosive, and it didn't take long for each of them to realize that they wanted more. But Diego is still hiding the real reason he is there, and that secret comes out in the worst possible way. I ached for Harper and her feelings of betrayal that just piled up on her fears for Nathan's safety. She didn't want to trust Diego, but she knew deep down that he was the one who could get Nathan back. I ached for Diego, too, because he hated that he had hurt Harper. I loved his determination and seeing his take charge attitude. He was also sensitive to Harper's feelings and found ways to help her deal with what was going on. There's a great scene where they end up facing part of Harper's past, and he doesn't react the way she expects. Both of them have to overcome their pasts before they can believe in a future together. I loved their big moment at the end as they each take a risk on expressing their feelings.

The suspense of the story was just as compelling as the romance. The thought that they were betrayed by one of their own motivates Diego and Lansky to get to the truth. I loved how their commander paired the two up; Diego with his reluctance to believe that it is possible, and Lansky with his absolute conviction that Ramsey, and possibly Harper, are guilty as sin. The conversations between these two give both sides of an extremely volatile situation. It was fascinating to see them work to discover the truth. There were also questions raised by the box Harper received, that the men knew nothing about. It revealed a possible second player in the game, adding to the intensity. Each new piece of information helped put the puzzle together, and Nathan's kidnapping created an undeniable urgency. I loved seeing the members of the team come together to find him. The buildup to the final confrontation was intense. I loved Diego's determination and initiative. There was an interesting twist that I did not expect and left a few questions unanswered. I can't wait for the next book. ( )

I received an advanced copy of Call to Honor in exchange for a review. I have read several other books by Tawny Weber and I have enjoyed them. Call to Honor was worth the time to read. There were hot alpha males, danger, and steam. There was also a SEAL and a SWCC who were not the honorable men you would expect them to be. The reminder that being a special operator does not always make a man a good person kept the story from being too sweet. While I am sure a SEAL would find mistakes in the story, it was clear that Weber has done her homework in researching her subject. Once again, she allowed the story to have depth by focusing on just a few characters. She didn't overload a short novel with a huge cast and too much action. She also gave us a tantalizing set up for a future installment. Those characters are not slated to have a book yet, but one can hope they will soon. ( )

Brand new SEAL military romance series with hot hunky men dealing with perilous situations and finding love interests that fit them well. These men are brothers not related by birth but committed to their country and one another. Great beginning - can’t wait for book two!

Diego Torres has worked his way up in the Navy to become a SEAL lieutenant leading men to achieve what common men cannot. He is honor bound to his country and team having found as an adult what he was missing as a child. In this book he is sent to keep an eye on Harper Maclean and her son. He finds the time spent watching her difficult as he is a man of action and not one to sit idly watching. As he lives next door and watches he meets first Nathan and then his mother, Harper. They begin to get acquainted and with one thing leading to another Harper and Diego end up horizontal before long. With Diego’s mission focused on finding out which team member treasonously compromised their last mission and whether or not that person might is dead or alive Diego watches and questions and searches to find out all he can from Harper and Nathan BUT in so doing he grows closer to them than he thought he would.

Harper is a hoot. She is a successful interior designer, great friend to Andi, wonderful mother to Nathan, able to see what she has come from and where she wants to end up. She has focused her efforts on providing for Nathan and remaking herself and to achieve what she set out to has put her personal life on the back burner for years. Well, that changes when Diego moves in next door.

I liked the introduction to the team, the setup for future stories, the character development and the feeling that Poseidon Team is one that is close-knit and dedicated to one another and the mission. Diego was a wonderful book boyfriend and Harper his equal in so many ways. The dilemma they faced, the trust issues that arose, the interactions with one another and with others…all were spot on and wonderful to read. And, with that said, I am more than eager to read the next book in the series as soon as it comes out.

Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest review. ( )