Shy librarian Beth Landon is a small-town girl who never quite fit in. After the death of the mother she cared for, she decides to take a chance and move across the country to San Diego to be closer to the last family she has left. Easygoing Zack Ross makes no bones about loving his life as a SEAL. As far as he’s concerned, women are fun in small doses, but too much of a distraction from the serious business of serving his country to consider for anything long-term. Until he meets a woman who has no idea just how tempting she is. Beth knows Zack will break her heart, and likely sooner rather than later. There’s no way a sexy serviceman like him could be seriously interested in someone who has never turned any heads. Still, she might as well make some sweet memories and enjoy his attention—while it lasts. For the first time in his life, Zack wants more. Can he convince a woman who is wary of taking chances that their love is worth any risk?

Dr. Sonja Bradley is a determined woman who has spent her career caring for others, even if it means joining a compassionate mission to provide medical care to villagers in a war-torn area of the Middle East. While she accepted the risk, she never believed she and her companions would be captured by insurgents. Navy SEAL Nate Wheatley and his team are on a covert operation when they get orders to rescue a trio of American health workers. Though he is annoyed the women would so blithely put their safety at risk, he can’t help but admire the delectable doctor’s courage. Growing up, Sonja saw firsthand the toll her SEAL father’s job took on her mother and swore she would one day marry someone safe and sedate. There’s no room in her life for a domineering, arrogant warrior, even if there is a touching protective streak in him that’s a mile wide. Even if she can’t resist the vulnerability she senses in the gorgeous man. Nate once vowed to never give his heart to a woman while his country needed him. His job is too dangerous for divided loyalties—or so he’s always told himself. What’s a strong man to do when loving a strong woman is the only option left?

Social worker Rebecca Larson has devoted herself to helping young women in trouble. Becky will do just about anything to champion the downtrodden, and that has landed her in some serious trouble on the streets. Tyler Howis loves his life as a bachelor almost as much as he loves being a Navy SEAL. While everyone around him seems to be getting married and settling down, casual relationships are his standard operating procedure—until now. He can’t seem to keep his heart safe around a certain woman with fire in her eyes and danger at her back. Experience has taught Becky that putting her faith in a man is a fool’s game, and she’s no fool. It should be easy to resist Ty’s strong arms and commanding presence. It isn’t. Especially when a deadly threat follows her home.