Protecting Kiera by Susan Stoker 
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: ARC
Also by this author: Protecting Cheyenne (SEAL of Protection #5), Justice for Mackenzie (Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes #1), Protecting the Future, Rescuing Rayne, Justice for Corrie, Shelter for Elizabeth, Rescuing Emily, Justice for Boone, Rescuing Harley, Shelter for Adeline, Marrying Emily, Claiming Grace, Rescuing Kassie, Claiming Alexis, Shelter for Sophie, Rescuing Bryn, Justice for Erin, Claiming Bailey, Rescuing Casey, Claiming Felicity, Justice for Milena, Rescuing Sadie , Rescuing Wendy, Shelter for Blythe, Defending Allye, Defending Chloe, Securing Caite, Defending Morgan, Rescuing Macie, Defending Harlow, Claiming Sarah, Shelter for Koren, Securing Piper, Defending Everly, Securing Zoey, Shielding Gillian, Securing Avery, Shielding Kinley, Trusting Skylar, Trusting Molly
Goodreads
This book is published through Kindle Worlds and includes characters from Elle James' world.
Kiera Hamilton is friends with the SEAL Commander's wife and a teacher at the Riverton School for the Deaf. Cooper "Coop" Nelson is a medically retired SEAL who has lost most of his hearing. He is urged to volunteer at Kiera's school by Commander Hurt. He connects with a little deaf boy in her class named Frankie.
When danger comes for a student, Coop proves that one a SEAL, always a SEAL...hearing loss be damned.
Protecting Kiera is loosely tied to the SEAL of protection series and a few of the SEALs and their wives make a cameo that I always appreciate. The story centers around Cooper, a SEAL injured in a mission and is now trying to acclimate to civilian life being completely deaf in 1 ear and 70% deaf in the other. Kiera is a teacher at a school for the deaf and is friends with a wife of a SEAL commander. She meets Cooper when he volunteers at the school.
Cooper is struggling with life. Not only has he lost his planned career in the Navy, he is now hearing impaired and must learn to communicate in an entirely different way. As someone who encountered hearing loss in my early 30’s, the feelings that Cooper describes were so spot on. I have had experiences that mirrored Coopers in so many ways that it immediately made me feel connected to him. Kiera isn’t hearing impaired but her mom is, so she learned ASL young. She is passionate about her job teaching young children typical curriculum of reading and math, but also teaching them ASL and communication skills! So, she and Cooper are a natural fit. I really liked both them, and together they are GREAT!.
The drama comes from an incident at the school which, sadly, isn’t that uncommon. As a teacher, this is something we are ALWAYS on the lookout for. We have to be so aware of our students and their lives beyond the school walls. Its scary. Add to that the issue of the students being deaf, and you realize an already scary and tough situation is magnified. Overall, Protecting Kiera is a story I dove into and stayed with until the end, and closed my kindle with a smile!
- POV: 3rd
- Tears: no
- Trope: disability, military
- Triggers: View Spoiler »
- Series/Standalone: stand alone (you really don’t need to know any of the previous stories!)
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
Books by Katie Reus, Cynthia Eden, Elle James…then you will probably like Protecting Kiera!
Protecting Kiera
This sounds wonderful. I still haven’t tried Ms. Stoker, but I’m going too, soon. It’s on my must read list. ^_^ Thank’s for the review.
She is a favorite of mine and has been for years!!!
oh I do love seeing disabilities in romances…they just aren’t as common as I would like. And I like that I can just pick this one up without having to read the whole series first. Great review darling.
Why thank you!!
Sounds like a good read! #getsocial17