Book Review: Claiming Grace (Ace Security) by Susan Stoker

Claiming Grace is the first book in the Ace Security series by Susan Stoker. For Logan Anderson, moving on from a traumatic past means moving back to his hometown of Castle Rock, Colorado, to start a personal-security business with his brothers. But it’s not long before Logan runs into Grace Mason, his best friend from high school and the woman who never answered his letters during his Army years. Grace was pleasantly surprised to see Logan return to Castle Rock, despite their falling-out ten years ago. Everyone always assumed they would end up together, including Grace, who had eyes only for him. But as Logan eventually escaped their town, Grace got pulled further into her family’s controlling grasp—and farther away from the man she loved. Now, united by scars both visible and not, the two must fight to free Grace from the suffocating hold of her family. But the Masons won’t let go easily—and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the couple apart.

Claiming Grace is a romance that takes some serious topics (like physical and emotional abuse) and frames them in a way that helps readers understand the toll it can take on people, and connect with the characters. I think Grace and Logan are well described and multilayered. At no point was anyone just a victim, or hero. The only people that were one dimensional were Grace's parents, who were pretty much pure evil. I like that Logan and Grace both went through a full range of emotion, and while some of their connection seemed easy, part of that was clearly because of their history. I found that while some of the danger and action seemed over the top, the way I have seen people treat others in the world lately has me fully believing that there are people capable of this kind of scheming and abuse. I liked that the secondary characters were also more than placeholders, and I would love to see more about Felicity, Cole, and Brad as the series continues on, even though I know they are not the stars of any upcoming books. 

Claiming Grace is a god start to a new series, which I fully expect to continue tackling abuse and emotionally scarred characters. I just might continue this series, in fact I just downloaded the second book Claiming Alexis which I am likely to read soon.