Garrison's Creed (Titan Book 2)

4-1/2 Stars. The first Titan novel I read was Savage Secrets. It was good so when Sweet Girl came out, I quickly devoured it and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I “ran” to the iBookstore and picked up the entire Titan boxed set and decided to read them in order, starting with Winter’s Heat. But the shiny stack of ARCs sitting on my virtual bookshelf kept calling to me and I set it aside until my Hart Attack ARC arrived. Suddenly, I needed to know the rest of Nicola and Cash’s story before I read about Roman.I know the author wrote Garrison’s Creed first, then followed it up with the prequel, but if you haven’t read either of these books yet, start with Sweet Girl. I think it’s much more bittersweet seeing how they meet up again after knowing their story, watching how losing Nic affected Cash. With that disclaimer, Garrison’s Creed is every bit as good as Sweet Girl and Nic and Cash are my favorite Titans.After believing Nicola Hart died a decade before in a fiery car crash, Cash and his best friend, Roman, who is also Nic’s older brother, threw themselves first into the military, then into special ops with Titan. The job always came first and any women on the side were just for fun. No one would own Cash’s heart again, at least until he discovers Nic is alive, working for the CIA.There’s a lot for both of them to deal with. Cash understandably feels both unfathomable relief as well as heart-crushing betrayal. He’s bitterly angry but does try to understand. Nic is dealing with regret and overwhelming guilt. But these two belong together and it’s only a matter of time for them to realize what everyone else already knows.PlotThe main plot is the romance between Cash and Nic. There’s a lot of conflict there to work with, and the sweeter moments are a nice contrast. The secondary plot involves a potential double agent with the CIA who may or may not want Nic and Cash dead. About the only thing that keeps this from being a full five-stars for me is the addition of a third point of view. Being inside the antagonist’s head gives us glimpses into things Cash and Nicola can’t know and removes some of the tension. I’m not sure that extra POV really adds anything to the story.World BuildingCristin Harber excels at creating believable worlds of spies and special ops for hire. The added conflict and suspense that her setting brings to her stories makes that ultimate happily ever after much more satisfying. As a CIA operative, Nicola and Cash’s path to happiness is a minefield at best. And just when we get to the point where things seem to be heading in the right direction, the author raises the stakes again, unfolding believably in the world she’s created.CharactersThe Titan characters are always strong. What I love is the way Cristin Harber really differentiates character voice so that I never feel like it’s the same character over and over again. I also love that even though Cash and Nic are a decade older than in Sweet Girl, they are still very much themselves, just more mature. We get to see a bit more of Roman in this, too as he comes to terms with his sister’s reappearance and the fact that his best friend is sleeping with her. And I’m already rooting for Beth and Roman.Top Five Things I Love About Garrison’s Creed1. Cash’s Cowboy Hat. I’m not normally into cowboys, but Cash makes a strong argument for reconsidering that.2. Nicola’s Love of Fashion. It makes her more human and shows her girly side.3. Their First Kiss. That kiss on the ground in front of the truck — hot!4. The Cash-Roman-Nic Chemistry. It’s nice to see this chemistry first introduced in Sweet Girl is still intact, albeit somewhat strained.5. Jared’s Begrudging Respect for Nic. Jared is gruff, no two ways about it, but seeing the way he respects Nic makes me like him just a little bit more than I already did.Bottom LineGarrison’s Creed continues Cash and Nicola’s story with plenty of the action and suspense we expect from Cristin Harber.

Garrison's Creed is a surprising trip down memory lane, packed with action and adrenalin as Cash and Nicola get a second chance at love.Finally, I'm up to Cash and Nicola's happy ever after story, after reading Sweet Girl. What a trip!I was worried I would not enjoy this story because a number of ladies in my book group said they did not care for Nicola and didn't like the way she behaved. Then some of them said, read Sweet Girl first and you'll understand Nicola a bit better and like her more. They were right. If you're reading this series, while it's not critical to read Sweet Girl first, since Sweet Girl was written after Garrison's Creed, I'd say, read it first anyway. You get a better understanding of Cash and Nicola's connection and a better understanding of Nicola. You'd get why Nicola behaves the way she does in this book.There's a bittersweet ending to Sweet Girl and you know Cash and Nicola will meet again in Garrison's Creed. Ms Harber does not disappoint. She throws you in the thick of things right from the start and it's a fun, rollicking ride to the end.There's a lot of drama when Cash and then Roman discover Nicola's still alive after she's been thought dead for a decade. In general, I thought it was handled really well - the shock, the hate, the guilt, the recriminations, the relief, the joy. Ms Harber delivers a lot of emotion in short, sharp punches as you live through their reunion, not just for Cash and Nicola, but for Roman as well.Nicola is all grown up now and she's a CIA agent. She's strong, resilient and competent, and still in love with Cash. You'll discover how much at one point when she gets introduced to the Titan team. I liked Nicola a lot in this book. I spent most of it grinning from ear to ear as she and Cash circle around each other and finding their footing as adults. Cash has done stuff in her absence and gained a reputation, she has too. At times, that past comes to kick them in the butt and they need to deal with it as adults. Kudos to Cash for being persistent and not giving in. Nicola is still rather cute and at times a bit of a throwback to the college Nicola from Sweet Girl, especially around Cash when she's unsure of her feelings, unsure of his feelings. She also fights hard to be respected and viewed as the professional she is. It's a battle with both Cash and Roman who are built to protect the little Nicola they remember. It's got to be hard trying to prove yourself to tough, protective men like that, so I understand her behavior.Cash is still wonderful. He's not much different from the Cash in Sweet Girl though older, probably wiser and still with a reputation with the ladies. When he encounters Nicola again, his world is thrown into a loop. I loved watching him adjust in typical Cash fashion. Direct, sincere and fighting for what he wants and loves. He is persistent and when Nicola starts getting antsy, he doesn't let her get away by avoiding the subject. I love that about Cash. He deals with stuff. He's adult and communicative. Probably not something you see in many guys in real life, but Cash is great. He's all macho alpha male, but he's willing to talk things through and get to the bottom of issues until they are no longer an issue. Perhaps it's his sniper training. You need to be very patient to be a sniper, lying in wait for your prey. Anyway, I loved Cash in Sweet Girl and I love him now.Ms Harber's Titan series is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Jared's book is next and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

OMG oh why? Oh why did I wait so long to read that story?It was amazing!! Flabbergasting! Gut wrenching! There is actually not enough word in the dictionary to describe this bookIt’s a story Pack with action, turn-around, love and so much moreI am so in love with Cash …. Sigh ….. So much devotionIf I can find a guy that has an ounce of the devotion Cash has for Nic, I would be in heavenThis book definitely fall in my favorite list of ALL time

Sweet and sexy hero's and what more does a good mystery need. Read Sweet Girl and couldn't put this down until I finished Garrisons Creed.

I read the prequel first and was not looking forward to this book. I bit the bullet and read it and I loved it. Can't wait to read rest of series

Good read

Very well written