Searching for Khloe by Susan Stoker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

She thought secrets would tear them apart; instead, they brought them together.

Khloe Moore has secrets. She came to Fallport, Virginia, under false pretenses, only intending to stay for a short while. Over a year later, she’s found the town has everything she’s ever wanted, including friends, a supportive community, and a boss she kinda wants to smack—sometimes with her lips, sometimes with her hand. But when Raiden’s beloved dog is in serious medical danger, all of Khloe’s secrets come spilling out when she risks her privacy to save him. 

Since leaving the Coast Guard, Raiden Walker has lived a quiet life as the town librarian. But he has secrets of his own. Horrors from his last mission in the military. Torments he endured as a kid. What he does in his basement every Friday night… It’s easier to keep his head down and avoid tight connections, even with the men he spends time with on the Eagle Point Search and Rescue team. His four-legged search partner is his best friend. And when his bloodhound’s life is in peril, the last person he expects to save him is Raid’s equally standoffish library employee.

Khloe and Raiden never thought they’d find the one thing they’d always longed for in each other—a loving partner. They’d sniped at one other for so long, once they stopped trying to hide their true selves, they were blindsided by their connection.

Settling into their newfound relationship is exciting…but hardly smooth sailing. Both have skeletons in their closets that aren’t content to stay put. On top of that, a member of their community is doing his best to discredit them both. They’ll have to fight to build a life together in the small town they consider home. And it will take each and every one of their friends—people only too happy to accept them exactly as they are—to ensure they get their happy ending.

A Vet in Hiding, a Hero in Waiting

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚❤️🤎
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀😛😘🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Searching for Khloe (Eagle Point Search and Rescue, #7)

Author: Susan Stoker
Genre: Military romance / romantic suspense
Narrators: Jason Clarke and Lucy Rivers

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Khloe

Khloe has been living under the weight of a past she refuses to let anyone see. After failing to save a prized coonhound at her veterinary clinic, she became the target of the dog’s owner, Alan Mather — a man whose rage escalated to attempted murder. While her lawyer fought to put him behind bars, Khloe hid in Fallport, Virginia, trying to rebuild a life in the shadows.

But when she returns home for the trial, the verdict is a gut punch: Mather is convicted, but only sentenced to seven years — meaning he’ll likely be out in just over three. Meanwhile, Khloe has lost everything: her clinic, her community, her sense of safety. Rather than risk bringing danger to Fallport, she decides it’s time to disappear again… even if it means leaving behind the fragile peace she’s found.

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Raiden

Raiden is the quiet storm of the Eagle Point Search and Rescue team — a former Coast Guardsman who sees himself as the oddball, the nerd, the one who never quite fits. By day, he’s Khloe’s gruff, introverted boss at the library. By heart, he’s a fiercely loyal man who would walk through fire for the people (and animals) he loves.

His closest companion is Duke, the bloodhound he rescued from the brink of starvation. Duke doesn’t warm up to many people, but Raiden and Khloe are his chosen few — a detail that says more about both of them than they realize.

📚 The Plot

When Duke suddenly shows signs of gastric torsion — a life‑threatening emergency — Khloe snaps into action despite the pain in her injured leg. With no time to spare, she insists they break into the local vet clinic so she can perform emergency surgery.

Raiden is blindsided. He had no idea Khloe was a skilled veterinarian, and every new revelation about her only deepens the mystery. She frustrates him, fascinates him, and constantly keeps him off balance. Just when he thinks he’s figured her out, she shifts again. And no matter how much he wants more between them, she keeps their relationship firmly locked at “boss and employee.”

🌟 Strengths

• Saving this couple’s story for the final book was a smart move — Khloe and Raiden have been the series’ most enigmatic characters, and their reveal feels earned.
• The medical emergency involving Duke is handled with impressive accuracy. Having lost a dog to the same condition, I felt the realism and the emotional punch.
• Raiden’s secret Friday‑night ritual adds depth and humanity to a character who often hides behind silence.
• Unlike earlier books, both main characters are being hunted — raising the stakes and giving the story a dual‑threat tension that works beautifully.

💔 Limitations

• A recurring theme in the series is villains blaming their victims for their own failures. It’s believable, but it can feel repetitive.
• Trigger warning: animal abuse. It’s painful, but it also highlights how fiercely the characters love and protect their animals.

🎙️ Narration

The dual POV is brought to life by Jason Clarke and Lucy Rivers. Jason’s deep, gravelly tone fits Raiden perfectly — especially in the more intimate moments. Lucy Rivers, however, may be hit‑or‑miss for some listeners. Her pacing and tendency to stretch or lift the final syllables of sentences pulled me out of the story at times.

💬 Final Assessment

A tense, emotional, character‑driven finale that finally pulls back the curtain on two of the series’ most intriguing figures. High stakes, heartfelt moments, and a dog at the center of it all — this one delivers both suspense and tenderness.

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