The One Who Got Away by Cynthia EdenThe One Who Got Away by cynthia eden
Series: Wilde Ways #12
Published by Hocus Pocus Publishing on February 23, 2021
Pages: 233
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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five-stars

He has to get her back.

Antony Kyle can’t believe what’s happening to him. First, Ella Webb—the head of security at his gaming company—quits on him. Then…she kisses him as if she’s never wanted anyone more. They spend one incredible night together—a night that brands him to his core—and he wakes to find her gone. Gone.

No, not happening. Antony is not about to lose her now. Not when he’s been obsessed with her for years. He can’t have a taste and then lose…everything.

She’s done with his lies.

Ella has been in love with her gorgeous, genius boss for far too long. And she’s put up with his lies and secrets…for far too long! She’d fallen for his helpless act, thought that the man needed her, but now she has learned the truth. Antony Kyle is a secret spy, more than capable of looking after himself and taking out a whole army of bad guys. So, she gives in to the need that she’s always felt for him, she allows herself one, unforgettable night with him, then she walks away.

But he follows her.

Antony can’t lose Ella—not when he’s finally had the woman he’s wanted so desperately. But she’s got a new job at Wilde—an elite protection and security firm—and he has to figure out a way to woo her back. So, he hires Wilde. Says that he needs protection. He pulls some strings (because the owner of Wilde happens to owe him about a dozen favors), and Antony gets Ella assigned as his bodyguard. He thinks his plan is brilliant. He’ll have Ella in close proximity again, and Antony is sure that he’ll able to convince her that they belong together. Though some groveling—and a whole lot of seduction—may just be involved in his master plan.

Except…the danger turns out to be real.

Someone is gunning for Antony, and he doesn’t know if his enemy is from the spy world or the business world. He just knows that a big target is on his back. Now he and Ella have to unmask the threat that they never saw coming, before it’s too late. As they fight to track the bad guy, Antony has to prove to Ella that he can be honest with her, and, if she gives him a shot…he just might be a man she can love. Because if he loses her again, Antony knows there will be no second chances.

Author’s Note: Their sexual tension can’t be held in check. When Ella and Antony are close, they ignite. But with so many secrets and lies, can they find a happy ending? It will take a master spy—and one very savvy new Wilde agent—to bring down the bad guy in this case. Wilde times are ahead again. Let’s see where these two lovers lead as they fight for each other.

Two things: 1) Spoilers for Never Gonna Happen and Roman Will Fall

2) Some backstory necessary for my review, however NOT necessary for the book.

In standalone book Never Gonna Happen (read my review here), a book lightly related to the Wilde Ways series, we met Antony and Ella. Antony is the big brother to the heroine, and Ella is his head of security at a very successful gaming company. They pop up over a few books here and there, but in the last book, Roman Will Fall (read my review here), Ella found something big out and quit.

*Spoiler for the previous books starts here*

Antony is a spy. Ella has spent the past two years believing she was protecting Clark Kent, but here he is freaking Superman. She feels lied to and betrayed. Antony never needed her, I mean, does Superman really need a head of security? She feels like a fool. She quits and accepts a job at Wilde Security, but she wants one kiss before she leaves. She wants to know what it could have been like, because she’s wanted Antony since she met him. The thing that she doesn’t know, is that Antony has wanted her since day one, and one kiss will never be enough.

He follows her to Wilde Security and claims he’s had a break in and needs a bodyguard. But both Erik Wilde and Ella can see right through that…until he’s nearly kidnapped in front of her. She takes his case and from that point on, she tells him she wants in. She wants to know everything. He finds that he wants to tell her, and wanting her was one thing, but letting her in? He’s floored.

But the botched kidnapping has repercussions they never saw coming. They need to figure out if it’s related to Shark Gaming, or if it’s related to his side gig (you know, the whole being a spy thing). They call in backup, but not before Ella is nearly killed and something changes for Antony. Even though she was a cop, even though she was training in the FBI before she went into security, even though Antony knows she’s capable of holding her own, he can’t see her in danger. Everything changes in that moment.

I figured out something I love about Cynthia Eden books. I love how her heroes in books that aren’t their own are funny, light, and kind of easy-going. But when they meet their heroine, their ONE, that changes. They are growly, possessive, and protective. It’s not a personality change, it’s more of they meet their ONE and they can’t act normally anymore. They are in uber protective mode. It’s something I’ve noticed before but wasn’t really able to put into words. But this quote is what really clarified it for me,

“You have my heart. Right here, baby. I know you’re tough. You’re smart, you’re beautiful, you’re brilliant. You handle security like a freaking boss, but I’m not quite sane where you’re concerned.”

Her heroes work for me. They’re so intense and laser-focused on protecting their heroine, and that really works for me. This book definitely ticks all the boxes for me. If you read it, you don’t need to have read the whole series, but I’d recommend the two books Never Gonna Happen and Roman Will Fall (links are to Amazon) just to see the progression of their romance, and because the books are really good 😉 And book 1 is free right now Protecting Piper.

***I bought this book

five-stars