Protecting Remi by Susan Stoker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When introverted cartoonist Remi Stephenson dumps her cheating ex and goes on their Hawaiian vacation solo, even her creative mind can’t imagine being purposely stranded in the ocean…with a handsome, muscular, brave Navy SEAL. Even more unbelievable is the spark between them. Surely this is just rebound hormones. Right? Because who finds their soul mate in the middle of a life-or-death situation? And what would a SEAL want with a curvy, nerdy artist, anyway? Of course, none of those doubts stop Remi and Vincent from making plans to get together back in California, even before they’re rescued. 

When Vincent “Kevlar” Hill gets dumped by his ex because she can’t handle the demands of his job, he cuts his losses and heads out on the Hawaiian holiday she planned with his money. He has zero interest in a vacation fling…but tell that to his brain and body when he finds himself bobbing in the middle of the Pacific, sans boat, miles from shore, with the most intriguing woman he’s ever met. They’ve both been burned, and Kevlar has no proof Remi can handle his career any better than his ex, but after her calm courage in the face of being stranded, he’s willing to take the risk. 

Remi and Kevlar’s attraction runs hot, even as they try to take things slow, but they can’t forget that someone arranged for them to be left in that ocean. Maybe it was one of their exes, looking for a little payback. Or maybe it was an unknown enemy, looking for something a little more permanent…and determined to finish the job.

Protecting Remi

Survival, Suspense, and a Protective SEAL

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋😀🤯😎
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

Main Characters and Plot Overview

Protecting Remi by Susan Stoker is the first book in the SEAL of Protection: Alliance series, and it starts with a pretty unforgettable meet cute. Remi Stephenson is an introverted cartoonist who has just ended her relationship after discovering her boyfriend cheated on her. Instead of letting the breakup ruin her Hawaiian vacation, she decides to go alone and make the most of it. Vincent “Kevlar” Hill is a Navy SEAL who also finds himself unexpectedly single after his girlfriend decides she cannot handle the demands of his career. Neither of them is looking for a relationship, but that changes quickly when they are stranded together in the middle of the ocean after someone sabotages their boat.

I really enjoyed seeing Remi and Kevlar get to know each other during that survival situation. Remi could have easily been written as a helpless heroine waiting for rescue, but instead she proves she is calm, resourceful, and stronger than she gives herself credit for. The moments where she and Kevlar work together to survive, while slowly opening up about their past hurts, were some of my favorite parts because their connection felt like it was built on more than just attraction. Kevlar’s protective instincts are exactly what you expect from a SEAL, but I appreciated that he also recognized Remi’s strength instead of trying to take over everything.

Once they make it back to safety, the story shifts into uncovering who wanted them stranded and why. The danger continues as Remi and Kevlar try to figure out whether they can build something real while dealing with threats from someone who is determined to finish what they started.

Highlights and Limitations

The biggest highlight for me was Remi herself. I loved that she was a curvy, nerdy artist who did not suddenly become someone else just because she caught the attention of a Navy SEAL. Her insecurities about why someone like Kevlar would want her felt relatable, and watching him appreciate her personality, creativity, and courage was satisfying. The scene where they are trapped together and Remi refuses to panic stood out because it showed exactly why Kevlar was drawn to her.

Kevlar was also a strong hero for this type of romance. His loyalty and protective nature were obvious, but I liked seeing the softer side of him as he dealt with his own doubts about relationships after being rejected because of his career. His willingness to take a chance on Remi despite his fears gave their romance more emotional weight.

The suspense kept the pacing moving, especially because the danger from the ocean incident does not disappear once they are rescued. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind everything along with the characters.

My biggest hesitation was the speed of the romance; especially how fast Kevlar falls for Remi and knows that he wants to pursue something with her. While I liked Remi and Kevlar together, their relationship develops extremely quickly because of the circumstances they are thrown into. The intensity of their connection eventually makes sense given what they survive, but I occasionally wished there had been more ordinary moments between them where they could build their relationship outside of crisis mode.

Narration

Emma Wilder and Ryan West did a great job bringing Remi and Kevlar to life in the audiobook. Emma captured Remi’s quieter personality and insecurity while still showing her inner strength. I especially liked the contrast between Remi’s softer moments and the determination she shows when things become dangerous.

Ryan West was a great fit for Kevlar. His narration gave Kevlar the confidence and authority expected from a Navy SEAL while also allowing the more vulnerable side of the character to come through. The chemistry between the two narrators helped sell the relationship and made the emotional scenes feel more engaging.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Protecting Remi was an entertaining military romantic suspense audiobook with a heroine I genuinely rooted for and a hero who balanced strength with vulnerability. I enjoyed the unusual beginning to Remi and Kevlar’s relationship and appreciated that Remi was never reduced to simply being someone who needed protection. She proved she could stand beside Kevlar, not just behind him.

While the fast romance was not always my favorite aspect, the combination of danger, emotional connection, and the protective SEAL dynamic made this a fun listen. Fans of Susan Stoker’s military romances or readers who enjoy protective heroes, capable heroines, and suspense mixed with romance will likely find plenty to enjoy here.

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