Defensive Instructor

The Three C’s Ranch is nestled in a remote location in the mountains of Montana. Women who have survived acts of violence or domestic abuse seek refuge at the ranch while they take defensive training courses. Chyna Taylor is one of those women. Fleeing her controlling and abusive husband, Chyna knows it is only a matter of time before he catches up with her. Enter Barrett Williams, a former Green Beret and Brotherhood Protector. Barrett agrees to help train the ladies, but Chyna’s vulnerability brings out his protective instincts. Could his feelings for Chyna be the start of something more serious? 

This is a novella length installment in the Brotherhood Protectors series. While novellas can often be a tricky business to begin with, this one fell into every trap a short story can fall into.  The setup is intriguing, however, there are too many characters, sparse, flat dialogue, and zero chemistry between Barrett and Chyna. The story also felt a little dated, with a very, very naive female lead, whose ex thinks like a Neanderthal from decades past. The bare bones are here, upon which a good story could be built, but the story needs a lot of time and space for development. The author does, however, show a lot of promise, and her fans may still want to check this one out to stay in touch with the series.

Julie Whiteley