Bulletproof (Standard Edition)

Bulletproof presents a suspicious inheritance, secret military operation, and nosy Montana small town. There is plenty of action and a heroine with attitude which makes this story entertaining. Briar Thornton is sharp, fearless, and more than capable of defending herself against Roman Syxx. Briar arrives in Bane Falls after inheriting her late uncle’s estate. She hopes the isolated mountain town will provide safety from the abusive relationship she escaped. Her fresh start quickly becomes another fight for survival. Strange behavior from strangers, a missing thumb drive, and a vague mystery suggest that her uncle left behind more than property. Roman operates from a local automotive shop that serves as cover for his undercover unit. The Icarus Squad has been sent to Bane Falls by the mysterious Dark Forces command. They are to investigate and eliminate a dangerous target. Roman attempts to frighten Briar out of town before her questions interfere with his mission. Briar responds by refusing to be intimidated. This is exactly why I loved her. Bane Falls gave the investigation a small town atmosphere. The local women are sweet, nosy, and eager to involve themselves in Briar’s life. Their warmth provided a welcome contrast to the violence surrounding the action. Briar’s search through her uncle’s belongings creates a mysterious trail of evidence to investigate. Her uncle's guilt was obvious early in the book. Briar’s failure to suspect him tested my patience. The military plot was much harder for me to fully embrace. Roman leads a group of highly trained operatives who live above an automotive shop. They present themselves as a motorcycle gang. The setup should feel dangerous and intriguing. Instead, it often felt theatrical. Roman recording his injuries as back alley tattoos while isolated in the wilderness was meant to emphasize his toughness. It gave me fedora-wearing levels of secondhand embarrassment. Roman’s personality created another obstacle. His cold behavior and rehearsed menace frequently crossed from intimidating into cringeworthy. The announcement that he might become the next Dark Forces leader was easy for me to predict. His reputation as a lethal weapon never became convincing thanks to his cringey personality. I felt that the romance between Briar and Roman needed more yearning. Briar and Roman move from hostility to intimacy without enough time spent connecting those stages. Their attraction exists, but the anticipation and payoff were disappointing. The sex scenes simply happen before the relationship has built enough trust, desire, or vulnerability to make them exciting. Roman’s confidence in the bedroom also exceeds his described personality. The final identity twists made sense within the larger mystery. Though, I felt that the explanation arrived too suddenly. Several complicated questions involving Briar’s memories, past, and connection to Roman’s assignment are tied together with remarkable speed. The ending read as though the author discovered the final chapters were approaching and sprinted toward the finish line. I read this by listening to the audiobook. Isabelle Turner and Walker Williams give the audiobook polish. Their vocal performances create distinct characters and keep the action engaging. The narration was expressive, well paced, and easy to follow. Turner captures Briar’s attitude particularly well. Williams commits to Roman’s intensity without making the performance feel flat. Bulletproof offers a fierce heroine, entertaining small-town residents, and an evidence hunt that kept me curious. The rushed revelations, underdeveloped romance, Roman's cringey personality, and exaggerated military elements prevented it from becoming a favorite. Pick this up if you enjoy dark military romance, secret identities, and heavily scarred heroes. I would consider reading K.M. Moronova again, but I am not racing toward the next book.