Reviewed by Tammy
TITLE: Protecting Braden 
SERIES: Custos Securities, #2
AUTHOR: Luna David
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 360 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2016
BLURB:
Zavier “Cade” McCade, former Army Special Forces and creator of Custos Securities, finds himself in a situation he never thought he’d be in—he’s fallen in love with Braden Cross, the gorgeous pastry chef he’s guarding. Cade has lived his life as a protector: of his country, his family and friends, his clients, and now, the man he’s in love with. He thrives in dangerous and stressful situations. But nothing could prepare him for Braden’s decision to put himself in danger.
After a vicious attack from his stalker leaves Braden fighting for his life, Cade will stop at nothing to see the man responsible punished. Time passes, but Braden’s attacker hasn’t given up and Cade’s afraid he never will. As Cade and the most trusted members of Custos Securities track Braden’s assailant, Braden struggles to rebuild his life and re-establish the fragile trust he and Cade had worked so hard to build. Braden knows if he’s going to survive the chaos surrounding him, he’s going to have to give Cade everything he has—mind, body, and soul.
More determined than ever to hunt down the man that nearly killed the love of his life, Cade will do everything in his power to ensure that he and Braden will be able to live the life of their dreams with nothing and no one standing in their way. Meanwhile, hidden just out of their reach, an increasingly deranged stalker watches…and waits.
REVIEW:
Make sure you have your tissues ready!!
Protecting Braden takes up from where Trusting Cade left off.
After Braden’s nana, his best friend Maya and the love of is life Cade are threatened, Braden was kidnapped by his ex-boyfriend Eric who has been stalking him since they split up. Not only has Eric been stalking Braden he has also raped and beaten him.
As a consequence of the kidnapping and not having his insulin for so long Braden has been taken to hospital in a diabetic coma as he’s a type 1 diabetic. Braden is in the coma for several days before he wakes up and then he has to explain to Cade how Eric managed to kidnap him.
Cade turns over the investigation to Cooper, his partner in Custos Securities, so he can concentrate on getting Braden out of hospital. Braden has been diagnosed with PTSD, along with a concussion, broken wrist and multiple other injuries. Cade goes out of his way to make sure Braden has everything he needs to get better. Over the next several months as Braden is recovering him and Cade also use the time to get to know each other and incredibly, they manage fall in love deeper than what they already were. Things are getting back to normal, Braden is thinking Eric has freaked out and disappeared but Cade knows that he’s only hiding and waiting for his chance to get Braden.
Unfortunately this isn’t the last of Braden and Cades dealings with Eric. Things take a decidedly deadly turn for Braden which not only makes everyone in their family’s, work and personal band together to help Cade protect and care for Braden, it makes Cade more obsessed with making sure nothing would ever happen to Braden if he could help it. The love these two men have for each other literally leaps off the pages at you.
I must say for being Luna David’s second book Protecting Braden is just as good if not better than Trusting Cade. I can’t wait for the third instalment of the Custos Securities Series, Saving Sebastian. If you haven’t read Trusting Cade I strongly urge you to, it’s an absolutely brilliant book! I have no hesitation in recommending Protecting Braden to one and all.
RATING: 
Reviewed by Kat
I have been checking to see when this would be out. I hate cliff-hangers, unless I have the next book already in my hands, but that is where I was left with the first book “Trusting Cade”. Hanging and left worrying about Braden and also Cade. Thankfully I haven’t had to wait too awfully long and this book was definitely worth the wait.
“Protecting Braden” picks up right where we were left dangling. Cade has found Braden and he was rushed to the hospital in a diabetic coma. Cade calls in the help of his brother, Dr. Finnegan “Finn” McCade. If you remember the ending of the last book we realized that Braden was starting to wake up. Life has not been easy for Braden. He lived in a horrible, abusive relationship with his control freak of a boyfriend, Eric Pollard. Eric had been stalking him and then kidnapped Braden after threatening to hurt or kill Nana, his grandmother that had raised him, Maya, his best friend and business partner, and Cade, his lover and partner. Brayden is badly hurt in addition to his diabetes completely out of control from lack of insulin. Cade knows his Braden and is über protective of his mate and his needs. “Protecting Braden” is the conclusion to their story and the trials they endure to reach for their HEA.
Both of these men spoke to me. Braden has had to endure so much and is leaning heavily on Cade for support and strength. But that “need” makes him feel weak and not worthy of the big, strong Cade. Cade needs to be needed and the protector. It is the epitome of who and what he is. The fact that both men fell head-over-heals in love was beautiful and inspires the romantic is us readers to believe. Believe in love, believe in opposites that attract to each other, believe that love conquers all. Cade would do anything to love and protect what is “Mine” and I mean anything!
Although the entire book grabbed hold of my attention and literally dragged me along to keep up, and the sex scenes were some of the hottest and provocative scenes I have read, it was the last two chapters that literally had me in tears. The author wrapped a lot of details expertly and left no string untied. That being said, I could tell that this might be the end of Braden and Cade’s story but not the end of the series. There were so many “hints” scattered within the story that I can’t wait to read about the rest of the gang and their stories. I hope that both Braden and Cade will be featured in the future novels since I can’t imagine them not there and involved. They are the backbone of this amazing series.
I have to say…I am so impressed with the writing skills and style of Author Luna David. It blows me away that she is a brand new author and has written such strong and compelling stories. She has jumped up very high on my list of most favourite new authors and she deserves that accomplishment. This is not just some fast, quick romantic romp. This series is filled with heartfelt love and a continuous roller coaster of events filled with fierce determination, danger and intrigue. I look forward eagerly to the next book in the series! Fantastic new series by a really talented and gifted writer. Luna David not only knocked this out of the ballpark but out of the stratosphere!!!
RATING:
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