Trusting Molly by Susan Stoker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker comes a heart-pounding installment in the Silverstone series about a love-shy ex-military man and a beautiful scientist reeling from a family tragedy.

When Mark “Smoke” Chamberlin ventures into the Nigerian jungle with his team of government assassins, his mission is clear: get in, kill the target, and make it out alive. With his extensive military experience, Smoke has no problem heading into dangerous territory. When it comes to love, though, he’s always been a little wary. But then he meets the beautiful, intrepid Molly Smith.

Schoolteacher Molly has been trying to outrun a lifetime of bad luck, and now she finds herself kidnapped along with a hundred schoolgirls in the jungle. But when Smoke finds them, Molly thinks her luck might be turning around—until she returns to the US to find her beloved grandparents murdered.

Devastated by their deaths and mystified by the turn of events, Molly turns to Smoke for comfort. But as Molly and Smoke grow closer, a different threat emerges…one that will put their relationship to the test and their lives in grave danger.

A Jungle Rescue, A Stalker’s Revenge

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

🎧 Audiobook/Book Review: Trusting Molly (Silverstone, #3)

Author: Susan Stoker
Genre: Military Romance / Suspense
Narrator(s): Lucy Rivers

👫🏻 Character Background & Plot Dynamics

Mark “Smoke” Chamberlin, once a Delta Force operator, has built a new life as co‑owner of Silverstone Towing, a thriving Indiana tow company that doubles as a cover for the team’s off‑the‑books missions for FBI Intelligence. The work is familiar, dangerous, and deeply satisfying, even if every assignment comes with the unspoken truth: if they’re caught, they’re on their own. Like his four brothers in arms, Smoke thrives on the adrenaline and the purpose.

When the story opens, Smoke and the team are deep in the Nigerian jungle, tracking a Boko Haram faction responsible for abducting seventy‑two schoolgirls and an American environmental engineer, Molly Smith. Her small stature and youthful appearance likely led the terrorists to mistake her for one of the students. The team locates the camp, two dozen armed captors, terrified girls, and no sign of Molly. The men’s disgust at the abuse unfolding in front of them is visceral, especially for Eagle and Bull, who now have women they love. Smoke feels the horror too, but with a distance he’s learned to cultivate; without a partner of his own, he doesn’t have the same emotional anchor.

Molly, meanwhile, has endured weeks of captivity. After two failed escape attempts, she’s been thrown into a pit and left to die, surviving on stale bread and muddy rainwater. Her resilience is astonishing, and when Smoke and the team finally find her, she’s battered but unbroken. What follows is a grueling trek out of the jungle and the beginning of a connection neither of them expected.

🌟 Strengths

• Molly is a genuinely strong heroine. Her survival isn’t framed as luck, it’s grit, intelligence, and sheer will. Even after days of starvation and isolation, she refuses to complain during the long hike to safety.
• Her past with Preston adds emotional depth. The history of abuse and stalking makes her hesitation with Smoke feel grounded. Her trauma isn’t used for shock value; it shapes her choices in believable ways.
• The “Folly Molly” theme works well. Her lifelong belief that she’s cursed with bad luck becomes a meaningful arc. Smoke’s steady presence, and his reminder that everyone carries scars, helps her reframe her story.
• Preston is an effectively unsettling villain. His blend of entitlement, alcoholism, and delusion makes him a chilling antagonist, especially as his obsession escalates.

💔 Limitations

• The insta‑love pattern continues. As with the earlier books, the men recognize “their woman” almost immediately. It’s a hallmark of the series, but it can feel repetitive and a bit too convenient, especially given the heavy subject matter.

🎙 Narration

The story is told through multiple POVs but performed by a single narrator, Lucy Rivers. Her voice is pleasant and she differentiates characters well, including the male voices, which is often a sticking point for single‑narrator romances. Still, her delivery leans more toward straightforward reading than immersive performance. For listeners who prefer emotional shading or dual narration, this may feel a bit flat, though it’s perfectly serviceable when paired with reading.

💭 Final Assessment

This installment delivers the blend of action, danger, and heartfelt romance that defines the Silverstone series. Molly’s resilience and Smoke’s quiet steadiness make them an easy couple to root for, and the Nigerian rescue mission adds real tension. While the rapid “fated connection” trope remains the series’ most predictable element, the emotional beats still land, and the villain’s storyline keeps the suspense sharp. A solid, engaging addition for fans of military romantic suspense, especially those who appreciate strong heroines and protective, mission‑hardened heroes.

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