The Protector by Susan Stoker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker comes a sizzling suspense about the romance that blossoms between two strangers during a snowstorm and the stalker who threatens them both.

Riggs “Chappy” Chapman didn’t expect to be disrupted at his remote cabin in the woods. But when a stray dog arrives on his porch, he winds up finding a stray woman, too, trudging through the snowstorm in search of shelter. His military days may be behind him, but Chappy is hardwired to protect her from the storm and whatever it is she’s running from.

Carlise Edwards didn’t expect her car to break down in the Maine wilderness. All she wants is to escape whoever is stalking her back home. There’s no way anyone’s going to find her and Chappy deep in the forest, especially not in dangerous weather. But she finds it hard to mind the circumstances when the company is this stimulating.

As the snowstorm rages, Chappy and Carlise find that, despite the cold, they can generate plenty of heat of their own…but there’s more than just natural dangers lurking in the woods.

The Stalker, the Storm, and the Soldier

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

🛡️ Audiobook Review: The Protector (Game of Chance, #1)

Author: Susan Stoker
Genre: Military Romance
Narrators: Ava Erickson and Ryan West

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Riggs “Chappy” Chapman

Chappy is a former special forces operative whose life was reshaped by a disastrous mission three years earlier. He and his three brothers-in-arms were sent in with barely any intel, and everything that could go wrong did. Captured and tortured, the four men made a pact: if they survived, they were done with the military, done with blind obedience, and done letting someone else decide their fate.

Once free, they honored that promise. Instead of joining the private security world like so many veterans they knew, they chose something quieter, something theirs. A few rounds of rock-paper-scissors later, they landed in a small town tucked deep in the forests of Maine near the Appalachian Trail. Another round determined their new profession—lumberjacks and forest guides—and they named their business Jack’s Lumber in honor of their team leader, J.J.

Three years later, the business is thriving, and Chappy has fully embraced the solitude and rugged peace of his cabin in the woods.

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Carlise Edwards

Carlise is on the run from a nightmare she hoped she’d left behind. She’s almost certain her stalker is her ex-boyfriend Tommy—a man who started out charming but quickly revealed a possessive, jealous, and violent streak. The first time he shoved her, she was done. Growing up with an abusive father taught her exactly what she would never tolerate in her adult life.

Even after she got a restraining order, the harassment escalated. Calls. Texts. New numbers. New threats. With her work as a French-to-English book translator giving her the freedom to relocate, she finally chose herself and fled Cleveland without a destination in mind—just a desperate need to breathe again.

🔥 Plot Dynamics

A brutal winter storm is barreling toward Maine when Carlise, exhausted and directionless, finds herself driving deeper into the woods. She hasn’t seen a town in ages, the snow is thickening, and when her SUV finally gives out, she knows she’s in real danger.

Her only option is to search for shelter in one of the scattered cabins she passed earlier. That’s when fate—or maybe just good timing—puts her directly in Chappy’s path. He takes her in without hesitation, and the storm traps them together in his isolated cabin.

🌟 Strengths

• Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes, and this book delivers it beautifully: a snowstorm, a remote cabin, and a rugged lumberjack with a military past. It hits every cozy-dangerous note.
• I loved the reciprocity in their dynamic. Chappy rescues Carlise from the blizzard, but when he’s struck with a brutal fever, she becomes the caretaker. Their bond forms not just from attraction but from mutual vulnerability.
• Though their romance develops quickly, it feels earned. Being snowed in together means they spend more uninterrupted time together than most couples do in weeks, and the story uses that closeness well.

💔 Limitations

• Some of the world-building and character setup telegraphed the major conflict early. I could see the big twist coming long before it arrived. That said, the story still managed to slip in a few surprises, which kept things engaging.

🎙 Audiobook Narration

Told in dual POV, the audiobook features Ava Erickson and Ryan West—both excellent choices. Ryan West’s deep, steady voice fits Chappy perfectly, and he differentiates characters well. Ava Erickson brings warmth, emotion, and nuance to Carlise’s chapters, capturing both her strength and her fragility. Together, they elevate the story and make the emotional beats land even harder.

💭 Final Thoughts

This audiobook blends danger, tenderness, and snowy forced proximity into a satisfying, emotionally rich romance. Chappy and Carlise are easy to root for—two wounded people finding safety and connection in the most unexpected place. While some plot elements were predictable, the chemistry, atmosphere, and narration more than made up for it.

Overall, it’s a cozy, protective, slightly wild winter romance with just enough edge to keep the tension high and the heart engaged.

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