I read the first chapter of this book, and I was so hooked. I was so so excited when it popped up on Netgalley.

Piper’s best friend Ben is worried about her. She’s had her house broken into twice in the past couple of months. She’s called the police, but he calls in the big guns; his brother Eric.

Eric runs a security firm. He’s the best. And Piper has been his brother’s best friend since they were in Pre-K together. She’s family at this point. Not only is he going to keep her safe, he’s not letting her out of his sight, because after years of wanting her, but knowing she’s off-limits as his brother’s bff, he’s decided that he’s making his move.

Piper is pissed that Ben called his brother. Eric has always hated her, and he makes her nervous. Added to that, she’s been lusting after him since she was a teen, and she wants him nowhere near her house. Even if he is the best in the business.

What I loved about this book was Eric. He was so cute. He’s this big badass and yet every time he gets around Piper, he’s awkward and says the wrong thing. His brother says at one point that Piper’s part of the family, and Eric says, No, she’s definitely not family. This of course hurts Piper’s feelings, but in Eric’s mind, it’s because he wants her, and doesn’t look upon her like a sister, but that’s not how it comes out. He’s doing things like that through the whole book.

I don’t think I’ve loved a hero this much in a long time. And Piper was so funny!

But Piper’s life is at stake, and when the stalker escalates to killing, Piper and Eric get closer. But for Eric, while he’s known she’s the One since they were teens, how can he convince Piper that he’s never hated her, in fact it’s quite the opposite?

Protecting Piper is one of Cynthia Eden’s best books yet, and I can’t get over how much I loved the characters. Read this book, you won’t be disappointed.

I refused to read the teaser for the next book, because if it’s anything like reading the teaser for Protecting Piper, it’ll just make me want that book, and I’m so impatient! Luckily for me, Cynthia Eden is a fast writer.

***ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley