Saved by the Everyday Hero by Amelia Hayden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars

Saved By the Everyday Hero is a superb collection of short stories from thirteen talented authors. The stories are all unique to the individual author, but all revolve around the same theme- ‘Everyday Heroes’ who swoop in and save the day. From police officers, to firemen, security personnel, the hunky next-door-neighbor, or a member of the armed forces- there are plenty of wonderful characters who turn out to be heroes of their stories. They were all quite diverse and wonderfully developed individuals who you will find so easy to connect with and can easily invest in each of their stories. The stories are categorized into ‘heat levels’- from sweet to spicy hot- there’s something here to suit every taste.
So, get comfortable and settle in for some wonderful reading set to captivate you through every page. I really enjoyed the few hours exploring this wonderful anthology, and I am sure that you will love this collection just as much as I have!

The Collection Contains:

Unexpected Heroes By: Naomi Valkyrie
This is one of my favourites of the collection. A wonderful MM romance woven around two damaged souls who are drawn together by fate. Elijah (a single dad new to town) and Jude (a security operative with a broken heart) both stole my heart, right along with baby Griffin. This was such a sweet story but packed with emotion, danger, and intrigue. The slightly paranormal twist elevated this story to a whole other level for me, and was quite cleverly done. Ms. Valkyrie imbued her story with so much emotion, it may only be a short story, but packs the punch of a much longer novel. She made me cry, more than once- the story really touched me- I was so invested in the outcome, on the edge of my seat in parts as I followed along to ensure everything worked out in end.

Quin to the Rescue By: L.A. Remenicky
This is a sweet story. Mirra and Quinton (a local police officer) are neighbours with furry companions that keep them on their toes. Add in a few secrets, a past connection, a senior prom ‘incident’, a meth lab, investigation, danger, and an unforgettable kiss- and this story really takes off.

Just Another Hallmark Fool By: Eliza Matthews
A cute read. What happens when your hunky one-night-stand who you thought you’d never see again turns out to be your aunt’s next-door neighbour? Well, things get interesting- that’s for sure. Let the fun ensue.

Saved By the Guard By: Mandy Melanson
This is a great second chances romance with secrets, chemistry, high school sweethearts, love, loss, heartache, drama, angst, and more. Liam runs into Kelsy at a wedding after many years apart- but there is a rather large secret she has been holding. What happens when all is revealed? Will they get a second chance at love? Well worth the read to find out.

Crossing the Lines By: Anne M. Scott
What happens when you throw a security expert together with a FBI agent and mix in the Russian Mob, danger, chemistry, intrigue, a little mystery, and action? We get a very engrossing read. I would love to read a longer version of this story, as it was a great short story, but would make a superb ‘full-length’ romantic suspense.

Heroes & Hurricanes By: T.K. Eldridge
I was hooked by this story right from beginning. It had all the ingredients to keep me glued to the pages the whole way through. An editor who owns a book publishing company is targeted by a dangerous stalker. When strange and scary things start to happen the local police officer becomes involved. A romantic suspense story full of danger, investigation, dramatic developments, intensity, and is also a story about finding love unexpectedly. What happens made for a gripping, tension-filled read. Another favourite of the collection.

Into the Flames By: Dawn Leudecke
“I didn’t know you were the photojournalist working with us this year. I knew we were getting one on the crew this week, but I didn’t even know you’d come back this summer.” “Oh, I’m here for more than the summer. My boss transferred me to Cold Springs.” She snorted. “You guys seem to have more forest fires than anywhere else in the state.”
Sadie is a photojournalist who has returned to town after being placed on assignment with the local fire crew. Dalton is a local firefighter, her next-door neighbour, and her one-night-stand from her visit to town the previous year. Their chemistry still simmers even after a year, but thrown in a little drama and tension and things are about to get interesting. This second chances romance was such a great read- plenty of chemistry, banter, fun, emotion, and more.

Broken Pieces By: Amelia Hayden
This is a wonderful MM romance. Caleb is a wounded warrior, injured in an explosion, who now suffers from PTSD and amnesia. He spent a long time in hospital recovering- then sent home. He is plagued by terrifying dreams that wear on his mind. When a tall, dark stranger turns up on his doorstep his world is turned upside down. The man claims to know him, but why can’t Caleb remember him. Will spending time together bring Caleb’s memories back? What happens when secrets are revealed? Throw in meddling family, racism, drama, and emotion and this makes for a great read. A story about the healing power of love.

The Fire In His Heart By: W.A. Marlow
Nate is a firefighter who is forced to take a week off work due to stress. He meets Sarah at a bar and have a one-night-stand that he can’t forget. If only he could find Sarah again. When they finally do reconnect there are a few unexpected developments that come into play. When Sarah has an accident, Nate is soon on hand to rescue her, and fate takes over.
I enjoyed this story but felt that it really needed more ‘time/space’ to fully develop properly. All the ingredients are there, but it seemed quite rushed which made the flow feel choppy. The transitions and dialogue also felt quite abrupt, as I think the author was trying to condense a ‘bigger’ story into a smaller space.

Power Trip By: April Lynn Baker
“I was cheated on by my high school girlfriend and since then I haven’t trusted any woman, especially with my heart,” I say, as she stands up from the couch, striding towards me. “I haven’t had a real relationship because guys don’t want to tango with my father. I’m scared of my feelings for you,” she says. I grab her hand in mine.
Will a police officer and the daughter of the local mob boss ever have the chance of finding happiness together, or will outside forces tear them apart before they get the chance to find out? With tension, drama, danger, violence, abduction, and time running out- things take a tense turn. The story felt quite rushed at times and ends on a major cliffhanger, with the story set to continue in the next instalment due to release in 2024. Comes with trigger warnings.

Unbreak My Heart By: Jade Marshall
“I know, right? I’m not supposed to be nice to you. I mean with Sasha being my sister and all. But you didn’t do anything wrong, even if she wants everyone to think that. And I’ve known you for years.” I’m rambling again. Why won’t the earth just crack open and swallow me, for crying out loud? He tilts his head to the side, studying me…. “Thanks for that, Echo. It’s good to know not everyone thinks I’m the bad guy.”
Colton is back in town after 5 years away. He’s the new fire chief. Echo is a talented baker who has just opened a new flourishing bakery- she also happens to be Colton’s ex-wife’s sister….. awkward. The sparks fly, in more than one way. And when the bakery is set alight, it’s Colton who rushes in and saves Echo from the burning building. What happens next makes for an engrossing romantic suspense. With chemistry, sizzle, insta-love, jealousy, drama, angst, and some tension- made this story quite memorable.

Eve’s Christmas Kiss By: Sharon Wray
He didn’t care about the snowstorm. He didn’t care that he’d have to sleep in a separate bedroom in her parents’ house on Christmas Eve. He didn’t care if she was uncomfortable with his questions. His time away from Kingsmill had taught him three things. First, he was an ass. Second, he’d totally mishandled the situation two years ago… Third, he was even more in love with his wife than he’d been on the day he married her. The other thing he knew for certain was if he couldn’t convince his wife that she loved him back—within the next twenty-four hours—there was a strong possibility he could lose her forever.
A sweet and spicy second chances romance with the magic of Christmas ensuring these two characters get their HEA Christmas miracle. But not if the ‘bad guy’ gets his way. What happens when Eve and Kane are stuck in a remote cabin in the middle of a snowstorm, with thugs on their trail? You really should read all the intriguing details for yourself. It’s definitely one of my favourites of the collection.

Fallen Honor By: Pandora Snow
Dagger’s my type: protective, courageous, and military. I can’t even look our new employee in the eye…

“Let go, baby. Fall into me and trust I’ll catch you.”

Dagger might be the ‘new hire’ but he’s already falling for the boss’s daughter. Cassidy helps run her father’s construction company and has an instant connection with the big, hunky, ex-marine. When her father has a medical emergency, Dagger is there to save the day. He steps up and helps her run her father’s company while her father is recovering from heart surgery. But there are some financial discrepancies with the company that leads Dagger and Cassidy on an investigation to try and uncover the possible ‘thief’. Add in a possessive ex, drama, corruption, secrets, lies, betrayal, danger, angst and more- and we get quite an engrossing read. I would definitely love to read a longer, more ‘fleshed-out’ version of this story, as I wanted to know so much more- because it had me hooked.

As you can see, there is quite a lot here to keep you entertained for hours- with intriguing storylines, interesting characters, very suspenseful moment, surprising developments; some funny light-hearted and touching moments; as well as some hot, steamy, and spicy times. So grab yourself a copy and dive in asap, you’ll be glad you did.
Happy Reading…

Thank you to all the contributing authors!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

View all my reviews