Everything I Left Behind (Men with Badges Book 1)

He changed so much over the course of the story and his strength, determination, devotion, and love for Milena was easy to see. Their story is a wonderful heartwarming journey.

TJ Rockwell is state-side injured and recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team. He is in pain, depressed, suffering survivors guilt and angry at the world. Milena is the highlight of his recovery in the hospital and he is drawn to her goodness and helpful nature. Having nowhere to go upon his release, she offers him a place to stay.

As their relationship deepens and his love for her grows he realizes that he is holding her back and dragging her down. His anger and despair is all-encompassing and he does not want to hurt her so he does the only thing he thinks he can…he leaves in the middle of the night without a word. Regretting his mistake as soon as the door closes, he has no choice but to move forward and get himself straight.

He needs to re-evaluate his circumstances and look deep within and find the man he wants to be. Hitting his lowest low but with help of unexpected friends, he is able to turn his life around and becomes a Texas Highway Patrolman. Never getting over Milena when he learns she is in trouble he drops everything and steps in to help. Memories and buried emotions come rushing back and he realizes this is his second chance. He is determined to prove that he is a changed man she can trust and depend on.

This time around he is playing for keeps. Milena Reinhart fell head over heels for TJ and was beyond heartbroken when he left without a word. He had made a huge impact on her life, in more ways than one. She has no choice but to bury her emotions and forge ahead making a new life for herself but never forgets him. When an unexpected situation brings him back into her life she is wary and unsure of the new man he claims to be and scared to let her guard down again because she barely survived the first time he left and if he does it again it will shatter her world.

However with the possible danger surrounding her and her family she has no choice but to accept his help. She is determined to keep her distance and shield her heart but the more time she spends with him, the more she notices the changes in him and realizes if she can find her way to trust again, this could be their second chance. Her heart is screaming yes, but her head is holding back.

She has a secret that could either shatter their new beginning or make it better than before and with the danger lurking around them all their new beginning could be over before it has a chance to start. This is the perfect hero story that I love reading from Susan Stoker! Unable to cope with the pain and loss once he is living stateside, TJ is a shell of the man he once was. His anger consumes him and he finds he is unable to enjoy the woman who has come to mean the world to him so after a tough decision he up and leaves in the middle of the night, n This is the perfect hero story that I love reading from Susan Stoker!

His anger consumes him and he finds he is unable to enjoy the woman who has come to mean the world to him so after a tough decision he up and leaves in the middle of the night, no word, no trace that he even existed in her life. TJ walks out and leaves behind the one good thing in his life, Milena Reinhardt. TJ broke her heart when he walked out in the dead of night without a word. He regretted walking out every day for the past three years. He plans to make it up to her every day for the rest of his life, but first he has a duty to protect her from a sick pervert that is on the loose.

Justice for Milena has every element that makes a good hero romance. A broken, repentant man who puts his woman first without being an over the top dominant jerk. TJ and Milena are the perfect combination together and I was rooting for them the entire way. Without giving too much away you will definitely want to read Justice for Milena before reading Rescuing Sadie.

Sadie is interwoven into this story quite a bit. You get to hear her take on her uncles, Ian and Sean for Masters and Merc fans that was a complete treat. Jul 17, Pet rated it it was amazing. I've often lamented that second chance romances are the bane of my existence, I can't resist them, and yet I loath most of them, mostly because they are so very seldom done realistically. It's a nice fairy tale but not really based on reality, and I always feel short changed when that happens in a book. Which brings me to Milena and TJ's story I have found an author that is true to her characters, TJ worked long and hard to get Milena back, he fought, he begged, he tore his heart open and gave her complete access to everything that is him, and he did it without once trying to excuse his behavior or belittle the hurt he inflicted on her.

This is the only second chance romance with the "I left her because I was not good enough" theme that I have read that has worked. Because SS stayed true to her characters, Milena's pain was not just brushed off and made less of, her broken trust was not ignored or made unimportant, and best of all he might have had a slight moment when he found out the secret, but she never gave him an inch, not one millimeter of ground on that and I actually cheered out loud.

And he was a different man, this story is told in a way that while it's explained why he did what he did and while "I'm not good enough", is the most idiotic drama plot in any story and I loath it with the heat of a thousand suns, in this one he wasn't good enough, he wasn't ready, BUT it was never used as an excuse, it was made absolutely clear that he should have handled things differently and never used to make her "understand" and forgive. They both worked hard for their HEA, and I have to put Susan Stoker at first place as the only author who did 2nd chance romance that worked for me on all fronts.

Mar 14, Marie rated it it was amazing. We finally see the real TJ! Living with the pain and regret of walking away from his soul mate, the only woman he has ever loved has been eating him for the last 3 years - she wasn't just the one who got away, she was the one he left Now he has finally found her will he be able to keep her safe long enough to prove to her his regret, his despair over the last three years and his love for her, that despite his absence has never wavered? And even when you se Aaah! And even when you see his actions and him leaving Milena, you cannot help but forgive him and melt at his feet as he does everything in his power to show Milena his words are true and he will never leave her side again because she is his life!

Milena is amazing, the fact that she holds her head up high, no matter how much life throws at her, digs her heels in and tackles the day regardless of what happened yesterday or how long last night was means she very quickly earns your respect. But she is wary, very wary of letting TJ close, he left her broken last time but this time if she let him close and he walked again, she would not be broken, she would be shattered. Can TJ convince her he is not just there because she is in danger? That he will still be there once the danger has passed?

That her heart is safe with him, because actually I was devastated after the first chapter and utterly disgusted with TJ, this is not the TJ we know from the previous books, and I was a little worried that this may be the first Badge of Honor book that I would be disappointed with The more we get to know the quiet, brooding TJ the more of your heart he melts.

Don't get me wrong, there were tears - lots of tears - of heart break, of frustration, happy, sad and of course tears of understanding, but the depth of emotion Ms Stoker wrings from you is just one of the reasons I love this series. Mar 14, Lynn Reynolds rated it really liked it Shelves: His nickname is perfect and I think as you read this story you may feel the same.

This is what adds the suspense to the story. This book seems to have it all. Melina had a great creative idea so that children will remember loved ones. This author has a way with words. I never have any trouble playing her scenes in my mind. She also has a way of creating suspense where I almost want to hold my breath. So even though this is book ten of the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes you could start here and then work yourself backward. Just a hint though - the Epilogue tie in leads to another series. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.

The opinions I have expressed are my own. Mar 16, Bobo's Book Bank rated it it was amazing Shelves: Texas Heroes series and is a romantic suspense.

• ;
• Blame It on the Bossa Nova.
• Film, Variation und Übersetzung - Perspektiven für den DaF-Unterricht? (German Edition)!
• ;

It's a standalone so no worries if you haven't read a previous book. In fact, this was my first book by author Susan Stoker and I had no problems jumping right in! Before I say anything else, I just want to give kudos to Ms. This book takes place in my hometown and I loved how accurate she was! TJ is an ex-sniper and a Texas Highway Patrolman. His biggest regret was leaving Milena three years prior. Milena is a nurse working in a group home for young, pregnant girls. But there's things going on in that place that bring TJ back to Milena and now he must keep her safe from a madman and his crazy son.

Even though this story deals with some pretty disgusting issues, Ms. Stoker did an excellent job describing things in a way that made it clear what was happening without going into too many gross details! Actually, most of the story was spent on the relationship redeveloping between TJ and Milena. But there IS an element of suspense threading through the background, just enough to keep me turning the pages.

Despite all the ugliness being revealed and the hardships of the past three years, Milena struck me as being an incredibly strong, resilient, happy woman. TJ had a lot of obstacles to overcome but his ability to pull himself out of his past was swoon worthy! And so were his alpha tendencies! He was one of those rarities Overall, this was a sweet and sexy second chance thriller with great characters. Now I'll have to go back and start at the beginning because I'm intrigued by the secondary characters that were the main characters in the first nine books!!

I received, read and voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. Mar 13, Darlene rated it it was amazing. When trust is broken… trust is also the very thing needed to save the ones you love Not only do we deal with a past love that has returned and the consequences of dealing with volatile emotions, pain and healing… there is an underlying evil that is threatening to tear them apart.

A beautiful, angst filled, emotional journey for two people finding not only themselves but rediscovering the courage to claim their second chance. Thank heavens, there are special people in our lives, that are always When trust is broken… trust is also the very thing needed to save the ones you love Thank heavens, there are special people in our lives, that are always by our side, always supporting us when the journey becomes too much, encouraging us, supporting us. Those people never give up on us. They are family, they are our friends, our teams mates and colleagues.

Blend this with a seriously awful plot, deeply disturbed and depraved bad characters and when kids are involved in that story, in particular a story dealing with abuse and depraved levels of criminality - you need to handle with care. Susan has delivered on that score - you definitely have the makings an amazing and totally engaging book. Incredibly strong, caring characters characters, with such depths of inner fortitude and that never give up attitude. They are there for each other no matter what - they are family and will do whatever it takes to protect those they love.

Tensions are high, suspense leaves you holding your breath, waiting. No matter what - you have to trust your training, trust your innate instincts, focus, prepare, and attention to detail, to save those your love! If you love page-turning, heart pounding, breath taking words - Susan Stoker, constantly delivers this and so much more for her readers. What are you waiting for? Jun 24, Teresa rated it it was amazing.

I loved this book and I think the whole Badge of Honor series that Ms. Stoker writes gave this book life. How she presented a very touchy subject was superbly written and researched. Yes, it deals with child sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, the two men Jonathon and Jeremiah who have mental illness with what they considered their girls school should be. Because those two were more than a few bricks short of a full load. Milena and TJ has a history prior to his becoming a Delta Force sniper but when they meet again at the VA hospital after his last Delta Force op went sideways killing his team mates.

But his anger toward the world also makes him realize he's in a very bad place and choses to leave Milena not knowing that she's pregnant. But both men manage to escape so TJ volunteers to be Milena's body guard. I love how she shows JT who is dad is and doesn't hide him and how protective her parents are when TJ shows up.

Can they rekindle their love for each other when both are ready to move beyond the hurt from years ago? He's now a Texas Highway Patrolman called in to take down a girl school that uses young girls as sex slaves. He doesn't realize Milena is there helping deliver a baby or that he's a father of a two year old son. Between all of the agencies after the two men TJ offers to watch Milena and her son until they can be caught. But when they are kidnapped he'll have to use his sniper skills to save the two most important people in his life.

There are two other stories interwoven into Justice for Milena that will give you hints to Blythe and Sadie's books Hooray for Chase getting a story line! Apr 01, Dimple rated it it was amazing Shelves: Oh my gracious, this book was so good!! Justice for Milena brings us TJ's story, whom we've met in several of Stoker's stories.

She loved him when he was broken and desperately trying to find himself.

She loved the man he was and his potential. But he broke her heart when he left without a word. She's struggled to move on and live without him when everything reminds her off him but like the survivor she is, she's c Oh my gracious, this book was so good!! She's struggled to move on and live without him when everything reminds her off him but like the survivor she is, she's created a new life.

So when he shows up out of the blue, she's angry, mistrustful and out of sorts but somehow, still her graceful self. She wants to hate him but she knows he's the only man she'll ever love. TJ Rockwell walked away from the love of his life years ago because he thought he was saving her from himself. Too angry and broken from the mission that stole his friends and career, he didn't know how to move on and he knew it'd eventually broke Milena. He didn't realize how strong she was and how deep their love ran. Not a single day has passed without his heart reminding him of his stupidity from walking away.

Three years later, after a long road with some battle buddies, he's cleaned up his life, made something of himself and he wants her back. When TJ learns that Milena is in danger from a twisted, perverted man and his equally evil son, no one could keep him from being the one to protect her! He's going to keep her safe no matter what and he'll take her heart as his prize. There's no walking away this time.

Get A Copy

OMG, I can't tell you why but I adore this man. How he handled himself as he wooed Milena into trusting and loving him again was the best, sexist thing ever. Talk about making your ovaries explode! Amazing book and fantastic tie-in with Sadie from Masters and Mercenaries and glimpse of Blythe's future story Mar 19, Mary rated it it was amazing.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an ARC copy of this book. TJ and Milena was a couple who met while he was at a VA rehab hospital. Still suffering from the loss of his teammates, he left Milena in the dead of night because he felt she deserved better. Did I mention that she had just told him that she loved h I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an ARC copy of this book. Did I mention that she had just told him that she loved him, and then he left moments later while she was sleeping! Fast forward a couple of years and TJ has never stopped thinking about or wanting Milena.

• .
• The Poet!
• ?
• ;
• .
• .

He has worked through his issues and is a better man now, but was unable to find Milena until an opportunity arises for TJ to assist in staking out this school for girls…why you ask would TJ offer his assistance when TJ is a respected Highway Patrolman in Texas? So I am not going to say anymore because you really need to experience this book for yourself without having any spoilers. This is a wonderful second chance romance mixed with suspense, action, crazy people, and some very HOT sex. I was totally sucked in from page one to the very last page. Texas Heroes, but this one has to be my new favorite…sorry Alabama.

Wow, so much happening here, but told so well that you were not left confused, but you sure were left feeling so excited for the next book. You really must read Justice for Milena. You will not be sorry. You will find yourself rooting for TJ and Milena. Cannot wait to see what happens with Sadie and Blythe. Mar 13, Nikki rated it it was amazing. Texas heroes book 10 by Susan Stoker is another amazing 5 star read. Whilst recovering TJ met the love of his life but being the stubborn man he is he walked away and left her behind.

This was another amazing story by Susan Stoker, every character that she writes gets under your skin and leaves you craving her next book especially with the little teasers she happily drops in to keep us coming back for more. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Mar 13, Kathryn Linke rated it it was amazing. With a past and future that are interwoven, this pair must face their past, guilt and secrets together. Justice for Milena is a sweet and sexy second chance romance.

It was wonderful to see so many of the past Texas heroes make cameo appearances throughout the story line. Mar 14, Angela Cramer rated it really liked it. What follows is indeed my honest review of Justice for Milena. I think this is one of the best romantic suspense series I have read in awhile. Stoker builds the anticipation up and adds twists and turns just for fun. The setting up of the crossover story line between Lexi Blake and Susan Stoker was outstanding. But back to this book. Without giving away all of the good details, know you're in for a surprise or two.

I honestly thought from the title that I would need tissues by the end of the book. Yep, I even went so far as to set a fresh box beside my chair - just in case - I was that positive something horrible would happen to Milena. Not sure if that counts as a spoiler or not, but she does.

The jerk in this novel is truly a horrible, despicable person. I would use other language, but Amazon frowns upon its usage. Thankfully this is not meant to be a dark novel and we do not have to dwell on the horribleness of life. We get to spend time with TJ and Milena as they fall in love again, or should I say discover they never stopped loving one another. The surprises Milena has in store for TJ are huge and no I will not tell you what they are, you have to get yourself a copy and read the book! Hot and spicy, Justice for Milena is the perfect addition to the Badge of Honor lineup!

TJ might of messed up by leaving Milena because of all the crap he was going through, but the moment he comes barreling back into Milena's life, he is bound and d Marie's Tempting Reads ARC Review: TJ might of messed up by leaving Milena because of all the crap he was going through, but the moment he comes barreling back into Milena's life, he is bound and determined to prove to her that he is a changed man and that he regrets leaving the way he did. And the way this books starts, really gets the adrenaline pumping and it was a heck of a way to start a book.

It was high energy excitement and action, with a seriously addicting and drool worthy hero and a beautiful heroine who knows how to forgive. I was brought to tears with this book but I was also brought to my knees. It was heartfelt, action packed, sexy, and was one hell of a fantastic second chance romance that I will NEVER forget!

See a Problem?

I can't wait to read this one again and again! The way TJ goes up and beyond to protect and care for Milena like he should of done from the start was beautiful and brought true happiness to me. I just loved the romance and the suspense Mar 07, Jessica rated it it was amazing. I receieved Justice for Milena by Susan Stoker yesterday and already finished it today.

It was such a great unique story I hard time putting it down. It has been years since Milena had last seen TJ he broke her heart and still years later there were many reasons why she hasn't been able to recover. TJ had to stop being a sniper and start a new life and eventually a Texas highway patrolment. He He thought Milena would be better off without him. He has never been able to forget Milena or stop thinking about her.

She never thought shed see him again but then a pedophile is taken down and he sets his sight on Milena. They will have to work throuth there trust issues and fears in order to protect the one thing that matters to them both. This was a great book it was different not the same old story and I loved it Susan knows how to draw you in and keep you hooked. The characters feel real and you really get invested in seeing what happens to them. I would reccomend this book itsna great quick read. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. She's married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country. She debuted her first series in and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.

Connect with her at www. As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. As they say, some things never change. JC is known for her bad-ass anti-heroes who lure unsuspecting readers into their dark stories and refuse to leave them alone-- even once their story is finished. She just recently ditched her flip flops for winter boots and now resides in Southwestern Illinois.

When she's not torturing her characters for fun, JC drops the pen name and goes by Christina. JC is the author of the Bayonet Scars series-- about an outlaw motorcycle club that starts a war with the Italian mafia. Find JC on the web Are you an author? Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.

Learn more at Author Central. Popularity Popularity Featured Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Avg. Christmas at the Clubhouse Anthology Nov 23, Available for download now. Rev Bayonet Scars Book 3 May 18, Available to ship in days. Thrash Bayonet Scars Book 2 Jan 06, Cease Bayonet Scars Book 7 Oct 25, Burn Bayonet Scars Book 5 Jul 21, Haunt Bayonet Scars Book 6 May 20, Crush Bayonet Scars Book 4 Dec 14, Ride Bayonet Scars Book 1 Oct 19, Only 1 left in stock more on the way.