Chasin’s Surrender by Riley Edwards

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chasin Murray found The One. His perfect match. And in a single act of stupidity he threw her away. Genevieve Ellison is not a woman Chasin can forget, even if she was only his for the weekend. But now that she’s back in his life, the last thing she wants is a reconciliation. And with her comes a deadly secret, one that blindsides the former SEAL. A relentless stalker threatened Genevieve Ellison until she fled Nashville, seeking solace in Kent County at her family’s vacation home. The country music star hadn’t planned on meeting the one person on earth who has no idea who she is. She also hadn’t planned on falling in love only to have her heart shattered.

When new and repulsive evidence comes to light, Genevieve can no longer deny how much danger she’s in. Luckily for her, Gemini Group is willing to protect her. What’s not so lucky—the man who did the heart breaking is back in her life. While Genevieve and Chasin are busy playing games of the heart, the stalker makes a deadly move. The two lovers may have won their battle, but someone is determined to win the war—permanently.

Chasin’s Surrender

The Cheat Reflex

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂☺️😘🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine: Genevieve “Vivi” Ellison

Genevieve Ellison—known to the world as Vivi, a chart-topping country music sensation—isn’t just taking a break in Kent County, Maryland. She’s unraveling. Fame came at a cost: isolation, exhaustion, and a hollowed-out sense of self. Despite her success, Vivi feels invisible, her accomplishments echoing in a vacuum. Her retreat to her uncle’s riverfront home is less about rest and more about survival. Raised by parasitic, alcoholic parents who leeched off her grandparents until they were cut off—her included—Vivi now has wealth but no warmth. Her emotional detachment runs deep; she’s drowning in silence, desperate to be truly seen.

🦸🏻‍♂️ Hero: Chasin Murray

Chasin Murray, former Navy SEAL turned private security operative with The Gemini Group, is no stranger to emotional armor. He’s watched his teammates find love and stability, while he remains adrift—loyal, capable, but quietly lonely. His upbringing in Ohio left scars: a manipulative mother and a father too weak to confront her betrayals. Chasin’s moral compass is rigid, especially when it comes to fidelity. He despises cheaters, and that hatred runs deep. He’s built a life of discipline and control, but beneath it all, he craves connection.

🔥 Plot Snapshot

When Chasin spots a woman tumbling into the river, instinct kicks in—but Vivi doesn’t need saving. Their chemistry is instant, electric, and emotionally charged. What begins as a spontaneous connection quickly turns intimate, with days spent tangled in sheets and shared vulnerability. But when Chasin overhears Vivi telling someone named “Bobby” that she loves him, his world tilts. Old wounds resurface, and he projects his mother’s betrayal onto Vivi. Furious and heartbroken, he walks away, convinced he’s been played.

A week later, irony strikes: The Gemini Group is hired to protect a country singer from a stalker. Chasin is assigned the case, and guess who the client is? Vivi. He’s bracing for diva drama, but what he finds is a woman far more complex—and far more honest—than he gave her credit for.

❤️‍🔥 What Worked

• The emotional misfire between Chasin and Vivi is compelling. His assumptions, her silence, and the slow unraveling of truth create a satisfying tension.
• The stalker subplot adds urgency and stakes, elevating the story beyond the typical star/bodyguard trope. I usually steer clear of that setup, but this series continues to surprise me in the best ways.

🤨 Room for More

• I would’ve loved a deeper dive into Vivi’s music as a form of emotional expression—how her art reflects her inner world.
• Chasin’s emotional pivot felt a bit abrupt; a few more beats of internal struggle could’ve made his arc even stronger.

🎧 Narration Vibes

Told in dual POV with narration by Joe Arden and Erin Mallon—two of my go-to favorites. Arden’s gravelly, emotionally textured delivery is tailor-made for Chasin’s brooding intensity. Mallon brings warmth and vulnerability to Vivi, though her Southern accent wavered at times. It wasn’t distracting, but it did pull me out of the immersion here and there. Still, both narrators brought depth and nuance to the story, elevating the emotional beats.

📝 Final Thoughts

This installment blends emotional miscommunication, trauma recovery, and romantic tension with a dash of suspense. It’s a story about being seen—truly seen—and the courage it takes to let someone in. If you’re into protective heroes with emotional baggage and heroines who fight to reclaim their voice, this one’s worth the listen.

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