Protecting What’s His & Protecting What’s Theirs by Tessa Bailey
Erotic Romance, part of the Line of Duty Series of Standalones.
Protecting What’s His was my first (and absolutely not last) Entangled Brazen book, as well as my first by Tessa Bailey. And it leaves me with the question “WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?” This book had everything I love in a book. A heroine I enjoy; a commanding, dirty-talking, alpha hottie; good sex scenes; lots of smiles throughout, a little angst to keep it interesting and a great epilogue.
Ginger and her little sister Willa are starting a new life in Chicago. Leaving their passed-outĀ mom behind, they head to Chicago with a wad of cash GingerĀ found in her mom’s purse. Hoping to give her little sister a better life, they took off with their life-sized Dolly Parton statue, and their cowboy boots and whatever else they could throw into the rusty pickup.
“Pick up the end! I can’t carry the whole thing, skunk-vag!” (I knew I loved the book from this line alone.)
Derek, the police Lieutenant who lives across the hall wakes up with a major hangover and has to go to a funeral of one of his own and hears the girls arguing as they move in.
“Did he just hear one of them call the other donkey-queef?”
As soon as Derek spotted Ginger though, he knew he was a goner, despite the outwardly unfriendly first meeting.
“He knew in that moment that his peaceful existence had been shattered. With her living across the hall from his formerly quiet respite from work, he’d be forced to walk past her door each day, knowing exactly what lay on the other side.”
Both Ginger and Derek couldn’t stop thinking of each other all week, so Derek wasted no time letting her know what he wanted.
“Let me be clear, Ginger, since you insist on talking in circles. I want you underneath me in my bed. I want to be buried inside you so deep that I have to remind you of your own name. And I want those motherfuckers leering at you from the other side of the bar to smell me on you for a week afterward.”
But Ginger makes him work for it.
“The longer it takes me to get between your thighs, the rougher I’m going to be when I finally get there. Understand?”
Yummmmm. Dominant, commanding Derek was just delicious. I loved how he was commanding in the bedroom but he made it clear that Ginger could bring him to his knees.
“You like that, beautiful girl?” When she whimpered, he leaned over and spoke directly into her ear. “Good. That was for the hard-on I’ll be walking around with tonight. And you’ll goddamn wear the imprint of my hand on your ass for it.”
Likes:
- Sexy, dominating cop? āļø
- Dirty talking alpha. āļø
- Hot sex.āļø
- Heroines I really like. āļø
- Funny times. āļø
- Banter. āļø
- A little action. āļø
- Epilogue (though short)āļø
Dislikes:
- Third person narrative. I’m a first person girl, and though this was very good third person (I forgot sometimes) I would have loved it and connected so much more if it were first person.
- There was a bit too much repetitiveness of Ginger wondering why she couldn’t commit.
- Stupid move by the heroine (who was not stupid at all).
Rating: 4.75 Stars, 4.75 Heat
Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey really has everything I love in a novel. Megan has talked about it so much, and we literally have the exact same taste in books. I am so glad I listened and finally read it. Now I can’t wait to read the rest of the series! I can see what Angie calls these books “like candy” because you can just gobble them up and they are delicious, quick, satisfying but decadent reads. Had this been a 1st person narrative, it would have been a perfect read for me, but either way, I can’t wait to read more from Tessa Bailey. In fact, I had to read the next novella right away.
Ā ā„Ā ā„Ā ā„
āIāll never be cured of my jealousy. Not now. Not in fifty years.ā He gripped Gingerās hips, worried her ear with his teeth. āAnd donāt pretend for a second that you donāt love it.ā
Protecting What’s Theirs is a quick 48 page read that is more of an extended epilogue to Protecting What’s His, checking in with the couple a year later. Derek and GingerĀ are happy, and things have beenĀ going well for them. Alpha, dirty-talking, possessive Derek makes it clear how much he still wants Ginger.
“Derek sampled his woman with teasing licks, purposely avoiding the tender spot dying for his attention. Fuck, she tasted like…Derek abandoned every adjective his lust-fogged brain could manage, discarding them as inadequate. She tasted like HIS. That’s what the fuck she tasted like.”
Ginger receives the shock of her life, and just when she needs Derek to be there for her, he starts pulling back. Working all hours and not opening up to Ginger, he presses all of her insecurity buttons. His reason, that he doesn’t want her to worry about a big raid he has going may have been an understandable reason, but it pissed me off!
As a dominant guy, Derek has demanded honesty from Ginger, and he didn’t trust her, or think she was strong enough to share his burden.
Though it pissed me off, I actually thought this was a good twist.Ā It’s good to see a couple still learning and working out their differences. Because there is no doubt how much these two love each other.
“Sometimes I look at you… and I can’t breathe around these feelings.”
Likes:
- More Derek and Ginger.
- Mmmmm….hot dirty talk.
- Seeing how our couple is doing a year later.
- It’s clear how much they still love each other.
- Seeing Derek and Ginger get through a pretty major conflict, but getting through it and coming out the other side, stronger for it.
Dislikes:
- Grrr, I got mad at Derek (though I wouldn’t change it).
- I was wondering where Ginger’s sister was the whole time.
Rating: 4.75 stars, 4.75 Heat
At 48 pages, this is a little too hard to even rate as a novella, so I am giving it the same rating as the first book, because I read them as one long book anyway. I’ll be reading the rest of this series from Tessa Bailey through the summer. I can’t wait for more alpha-male deliciousness.
Purchase Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | BN.com
ā„Ā ā„Ā ā„
Purchase Protecting What’s TheirsĀ by Tessa Bailey
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | BN.com
Click covers for Amazon

Timitra says
Love Derek and Ginger!
Kristy Petree says
Thanks for this great blog and all you do!
Nancy M says
Love your reviews! Thanks for the chance to win.
Krista says
I love Tessa Bailey! I have read and LOVED Unfixable and I would love to have this book so I can learn about Willa and Ginger’s history leading up to Unfixable! Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
Denice says
Awesome giveaway! Thank you
Ana Jaen says
Love Tessa Bailey!
Linda Brennan says
Great giveaway! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
Kim Perry says
Great review!! These are on my TBR list!!
Maria Theresa Santos says
Thank you for the giveaway
Joyce says
Ana has the best give aways, reviews, and book suggestions. I will admitt I’m not a follower, I am a stalker lol almost all of my book choices has been recommended by ana! Thank you Ana!
Ana's Attic says
I love you.
Kristin Morris says
Ok now, I always enter and never win, I NEED Protecting What’s His signed. NEED it! š Awesome book! Thanks for the giveaway
Daniel Castagno says
participo!
Bella says
thnak you so much for this ^_^
Robin the Book Nerd says
Tessa’s books rock!
Jodie Larson says
Thanks for the chance! Love your reviews!
Debbie Watson says
Terrific giveaway!
Cassie says
Love Tessa & your blog is AWESOME š
Lori Moore says
Awesome
Staci Pope says
I love all of the Entangled Brazen books and Tessa Bailey is awesome.
Laina G says
I LOVE these books!!! Thanks for the giveaway!
Charlene E says
Thanks for the chance š
Rachael B. says
Thank you for the chance to enter this awesome giveaway!
Gina H says
Thanks for the great giveaway!
kp says
Love these books!!!!
Marcy Meyer says
Can’t wait to read!! Thanks for the giveaway chance!
Maria Malaveci says
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Juli Huber Hall says
Can’t wait to read these, thanks for the giveaway
KellyMae says
I haven’t started this series yet, but definitely going to read! Nice giveaway š
Lisa W says
AWESOME!
Marcela Garcia says
gracias por el sorteo!
Kim says
This book was my first intro to Tessa Bailey as well and have loved her books since then. She has become a must-read for me. Thanks for the giveaway!
Susan T. says
Can’t wait. Added to my TBR. Thanks.
Kathy O says
Wow! Sounds like a hot steamy read. Thank you for the blurb and giveaway.
Thelma says
Awesome giveaway!
Dana Fiore Stusse says
Thank you~
Kim M. says
Thanks for a great blog!!
cyndi f says
thank you for the giveaway and all the great posts and giveaways book looks great
Stacy says
LOve this series!! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Erika says
Thank you for the chance to win and another great post!
Lea-Ellen says
Sounds like a great hot book. I’ve added it to my ‘to buy’ list for the print version. Can’t wait until the whole series is available in print. Thanks for the contest/giveaway.
Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}
borg_66@hotmail.com
Stephanie Lashbrook says
Loved your review. Thanks for the giveaway. The series looks great!
Seth says
Love it! thanks :))
Jennifer Jones says
Thank you for the awesome giveaway!!
Boz says
Love your blog and this series
Yvonne C says
LOVE Tessa Bailey!
Yvette says
LOVE this series!
Debra D says
Love this series would love for a signed copy!!!
Diana Doan says
I love Tessa Bailey’s books!! Thanks for the chance!
Sue says
Love your reviews. Thanks for the giveaway
jessica says
I’ve heard so much about these and would love to win them!! š
Erica says
Love love love her books!
Karen says
Thanks for the giveaway!
Stephanie F. says
Love Tessa’s books, she always writes such sexy heroes and stories. Can’t wait to read this one.
Pam says
Can’t wait to read this!
Heather says
Love Tessa! Thanks for the chance!
Tina M says
Love this blog!