I loved finally getting Ilsa's story. As the wedding and event planner for the resort, Ilsa is a big part of the Ellington Cove family. She gets great joy and satisfaction from giving couples the weddings of their dreams. However, she's given up on her dreams of romance thanks to multiple losses and family drama, even though her friends keep trying to fix her up. With all of that, she wouldn't mind spending some quality time with the lead bodyguard of her latest client.

Max is a former army medic turned bodyguard, a job he's done for many years. He's feeling a bit burned out - tired of the constant travel and the frequent drama. He's ready to move on to the next phase of his life, whatever it may be. As he finishes his current job, he is drawn to the wedding planner, whose sunny nature and romantic optimism soothe the cynic in him.

The sparks between Max and Ilsa are evident from the beginning. Ilsa tries to ignore them, preferring to keep things professional with her client's bodyguard. She also avoids romantic entanglements because her cousin Jacob is known for interfering with anything good for Ilsa. The backstory of Ilsa's life and the trouble Jacob causes her was heartbreaking and made me root for a happy ending for her even more. Max can't help his fascination and witnesses Jacob's attack on her.

Max recognizes a potential threat and decides to stick around Key West and watch out for Ilsa while getting to know her better. Ilsa hates the idea of causing trouble for anyone, but between the earlier confrontation and the escalating attacks on her, she realizes she needs help.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Ilsa and Max. Neither is looking for a relationship, believing love is not for them. Max thought the time for love had passed him by, but the more time he spends with Ilsa, the more he rethinks his position. I loved his protectiveness, kindness, and the romanticism that emerged as he spent time with her. I especially loved that he told her how special, beautiful, sweet, and talented she was. While Ilsa has great self-confidence regarding her work, some underlying self-esteem issues make it hard for her to believe Max could genuinely be interested in her. I loved seeing him get past her walls. I loved the ending and seeing Max overcome Ilsa's fears to give them the future they both want. The hospital scene at the end was terrific.

The story's suspense was outstanding and kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. We meet Ilsa's cousin Jacob early and discover how much trouble he is. Though she hates feeling like she's causing problems, Ilsa quickly realizes that she needs help to deal with him. Max is the first line of defense, and I loved his determination to keep her safe. Ilsa is also an essential part of the Ellington Cove family, and I loved seeing her friends rally around her. I could feel everyone's frustration as Jacob eluded their searches, and the tension built as they waited for him to make another move. The final confrontation and its aftermath was a nail-biter but very satisfying.

The epilogue was fantastic. Ilsa has the love she's always wanted, a new family to be a part of, and a future that looks brighter than she could have ever imagined.

I can't end the review without mentioning Ilsa's dog, Annie. Her sweetness, gentleness, and sheer lovableness remind me of my daughter's three pibbles. I could easily picture her from the descriptions. She is an integral part of Ilsa's life, and I loved how Annie and Max bonded. I enjoyed seeing how Ilsa's friends were also big Annie fans.

#ARC ( )

Ilsa’s Protector by Janie Crouch and Regan Black
Never Too Late for Love Series

Ilsa plans beautiful weddings for others ~ the perfect event for someone else. She has avoided marriage for her own reasons but has never really given up on romance. While working with one of her high profile clients she meets an intriguing bodyguard named Max and what takes place next just might see her planning a wedding of her own.

What I liked:
* Ilsa: orphaned in her teens, loves her job and location, has had issues with a cousin in the past, guards her heart, loves Annie – her canine friend and companion, well liked by everyone, intrigued by Max
* Max: ex-military, medic training, bodyguard, from a large loving family, only single sibling left, believes marriage has passed him by, protective, drawn to Ilsa, on the brink of a life change…or two
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* The older ages of the lead characters
* That it was a quick easy relaxing somewhat predictable read without any major kerfuffles between the main characters
* Getting to see how characters from previous books are doing

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the impact of addiction and how it can change someone so very much

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars ( )