When Navy SEAL Cade Duncan partners up with Mel Vincent for an endurance race, he doesn’t expect to tumble into a romantic fling in paradise—or to be so pissed with the beautiful woman when he finds out she’s been keeping secrets.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York is a busy working mom of two young boys, wife to a very understanding soldier, and creator of modern, sexy, small town contemporary romances.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
The first AND most important thing you should know about this story is that it is overwhelmingly emotional. Not in your typical, that's a sad moment emotional, but the story itself is emotionally charged. When I was reading this story, I felt this overwhelming longing ... I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what was causing it until I realized it wasn't any one thing or event. The story is electric, charged with emotion! The second thing you should know is that in my opinion, this is by far, Zoe York's best work yet. She exceeded my expectations with this novella length story. Exceeded because it doesn't read like a short story. It has depth and meaning and purpose beyond anything a short story can normally carry.
This is the story of Melissa Vincent and Cade Duncan. More aptly stated, this is the story of Melissa Vincent and the man who walked side by side with her on her journey of growth and discovery and ultimately love.
To say Melissa Vincent is emotionally 'closed-off' is an understatement. She's an only child with a very skewed perception of what relationships and love should be all about. No, that's not right ... she knows what it should be about, she just doesn't have a point of reference. Her parent's relationship was dysfunctional at best. Her father was nothing more than a sperm donor and she's never let anyone in close enough because of it. Until Cade .... Cade Duncan knew the minute he set eyes on Melissa, the prettiest girl he'd seen in a long time, that he needed a date with her. It wasn't smooth sailing getting to that date, but he got it ... and then some.
The story goes like this ... Melissa and Jared Sutter (her best friend's husband) were scheduled to fly to Hawaii to take part in an endurance race/challenge. But Jared becomes unavailable so Cade grabs on to this opportunity like his life depended on it. Because he knows there's a special girl under all that prickliness and this is his ticket to get to know this special girl. As I mentioned before, this book is more about Melissa than anyone or anything else. This endurance race is not just any race. It's both an opportunity to connect and a journey to discover for Melissa. You'll have to read for yourself the how and the why. But trust when I say this is not your ordinary short story.... it's short and sweet and packs a punch like no other.
This is a story embroidered with feeling, hope. vulnerability, acceptance, trust, growth and love ... Easy ~ Beautiful Love :)
This was another sweet read in this series. Zoe York knows how to write the sweetest alpha nice guys and strong but vulnerable heroines. So these alphas can save these women but they are never damsels in distress, they are just women in need of support. If you want a break from the cheating assholes in books lately come chill in the Seals Undone world. There are 11 of these novellas and most of them are great escapes, really steamy, no angst, just perfect comforting heroes. Total stand alone so pick up whichever one interests you, no matter the order. Also I have to applaud the author’s responsible writing of birth control, like for real, if you want a strong guy who will take care of his woman, isn’t protecting her body from unwanted disease and pregnancy the most obvious thing he can do? It’s always mentioned, always discussed before hand and condoms are always used until ‘she trusts me enough to be comfortable with that step�. Why does that make me swoon? Who knows. I’ve ALWAYS been a sucker for a nice guy. Anyway specifics of this book - BWWM done in a matter of fact way, just with character descriptions and no mention of social issues and no white saviour bs. A little bit too instalove for my liking, but a heartwarming story with a great HEA. All of these have great HEAs and never leave you hanging. Check these out. Three hours or under listens in audio format, included with a scribd membership. This review reads a bit sales-y, but I was writing ad copy all day at work and can’t seem to switch it off. I’m in earnest though, check these out.
4.25 RATING- There's not a lot to this book because of the shorter length but it worked perfectly as written. Zoe York is one of the few authors that really nails writing a novella. The chemistry between these two characters is great and I especially loved the hero, who falls fast and is a bit of a dirty talker- two of my favorite things! Did I mention he's a SEAL? Oh yeah! I think this may be one of the steamier books in the series. Nothing over the top, just very well done.
Overall, a cute, short read. Great addition to the series. Looking forward to reading the next one!
NOTE:I read this as part of the Romancing the Alpha boxed set.
It was apparently Theodore Roosevelt who said “Comparison is the thief of joy.�
What does that have to do with Fall Back (SEALs Undone #6)? Well, I think for me this novella’s main “problem� is that I read it immediately after finishing Fall Deep and a reread of Fall Fast (SEALs Undone #4 and #5) - two stories I absolutely adored. Nonetheless, Fall Back is still another good story from one of my favorite authors.
Melissa Vincent and Navy SEAL Cade Duncan meet through mutual friends. Cade is immediately smitten but Mel is prickly towards his obvious flirty behavior. When Cade offers to travel to Hawaii with Mel to participate in a two-day, endurance team race in the mountains, Mel reluctantly accepts. Of course once they’re there, Cade charms his way over the walls Mel has erected around her heart.
Whereas most of the stories in this series have pulled me in from the beginning, this one had a slow start. The heroine was hard to get a pulse on, but she was that way for the hero, too. And the hero didn’t immediately charm me, either. But once the couple arrived in Hawaii, the pace of the story picked up and things got really steamy, really quick!
So, was this one as heartfelt and compelling as some of the others in this series? No. Did I still enjoy it? Absolutely! And I’ll put the rest of this series on the back burner for now so I can pull them out when I need rescuing from a reading slump.
Fall Back was a great read following a romance between a woman who wants to honor her mother and the Navy SEAL who helps her.
Melissa Vincent has been training for a two-day endurance race in Hawaii for years. Mel's mother completed the race twenty-five years ago and this is the final year the race follows the same path. When her partner drops out at the last minute, Navy SEAL Cade Duncan offers to step in and help her complete the race. As the two spend time together in paradise, the attraction building between them threatens to consume them both.
Mel and Cade meet through mutual friends and the pair are both immediately attracted to one another. But Mel has trust issues so she fights the attraction between them while Cade is all in pretty much immediately. I enjoyed watching Mel slowly fall for Cade while they're in Hawaii getting ready for the race. When the pair do give into their attraction, it's quite steamy and the scenes were well done. The endurance race parts of the book were fun and I liked watching the two work together to get through the race. My only complaint about the pair's relationship was that Mel's trust issues were frustrating at times. She's slow to trust and open up which drags things out a bit longer than necessary.
Overall Fall Back was a fun read and I will definitely be checking out more of the series in the future.
Listen, I love good sex scenes, so there was no problem there. But there was essentially zero plot. None. I was bored start to finish but it was short enough that I kept reading hoping it would get more interesting. It didn’t.
The best thing about prickly people is you get to discover why they’re prickly, and that usually leads to them having discoveries about themselves as well! This story had no SEAL action, though our hero is a SEAL. We get to enjoy a vacation in Hawaii and an adventure race. Cade is wonderfully patient and Mel cannot resist him. Their forced proximity have them getting to know each other at an accelerated pace, but that works perfectly for them 😊
Cade is a Navy SEAL Who partners up with Mel to complete an endurance race in Hawaii. They met with Mel’s very pregnant friend is in the hospital and her husband‘s friend ends up being Cade. Of course, they have a connection and he finds out that she’s planning to compete in Hawaii and is going to be randomly partnered up with somebody. He doesn’t want her to have some random be her partner and decides to join her so that she can be with someone she semi-knows.
There’s chemistry, there’s a connection, and it soon flourishes when they travel together. There’s a backstory as to why she needs to do this competition, and in the meantime, sexy times start happening. For such a short book, it sure packed a punch in terms of heat 🔥🥵. I mean, there’s a reason why he has a pierced nipple 😅🤤😉- plus, he’s all about her pleasure 👏🏻🔥.
Great short novel. Of course, it could’ve been longer, but this was a nice appetizer ☺️.
⚠️safety squad⚠️ -no cheating -no OWD/OMD -no triggers really? Maybe the mention of her mom’s death (cancer)
Navy Seal Cade Duncan and Melissa Vincent. When these two meet it's not under the best of circumstances. They don't know each other, but interesting to find out when both are there for the same reason.
Mel rushes off when she finds out her best friend Cassie is in the hospital..and finds a big hunky mountain guy in the elevator with her. Then see's him again..
Cade is going to see is friend Jared who needs his help, and he sees Mel...he has no idea why but he wants to get to know her. The fun has just begun...
Interesting to see what transpires between these two. She has signed up to a endurance/obstacle course in Hawaii, and some how he worms himself in going. So much is going on..secrets, walls she has..well maybe she can let those down? She sets the rules down.
I got a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Every time I read a new book by Zoe York, I say "This is my favorite in the series". Fall Back was no different.I fell in love with Cade Duncan from the very first moment. He doesn't play fast and loose. He is a guy who actually likes to invest some time in a relationship outside of sex. Mel Vincent is a no-nonsense, strong, independent woman who has had too many downfalls in her life. She has built a wall around herself, but for Cade she knocks them out one by one.
I loved the chemistry between Cade and Mel. The anticipation game they were playing really worked for me. I'm always in awe of Zoe's ability to fill a novella with so many emotions. She makes you laugh and cry and smile , all in a mere 150 or so pages.
Loved this fun sexy light read! I thought Cade and Mel worked perfectly together and the way he falls hard and fast is swoon worthy. Mel has had some hard times but Cade isn't willing to give up on tearing down the walls she has erected. This is a great addition to Ms. York's SEAL's Undone series and I can't wait for the next one!
I am a sucker for a book with a Navy SEAL. This is the first Zoe York book I've read and I really liked it. This is book 6 in a series but I had no issues reading it as a stand alone although since I liked it so much, I will eventually go back and read the others. Melissa (Mel) has signed up to run an endurance challenge race that has personal significance to her. She is supposed to partner with her friend Cassie's husband, Jared, but due to a complication with her friend's pregnancy, Jared has to drop out. While visiting Cassie, Mel meets Jared's friend, Cade. Cade is attracted to Mel and convinces Jared to invite them both over for dinner so he can get to know Mel. Long story short, Cade offers to run the race with Mel and they are forced to share a hotel room due to issues at the hotel. Romance ensues. This was not your traditional Navy SEAL romance as Cade is strong and tough but he's not doing any SEAL things. He is extremely supportive of Mel and it was refreshing for them to meet and start a relationship without any danger involved. The only complaints I have are I wish the book was a little bit longer and I wish we had gotten more of Cade's backstory. Otherwise, this book was really good.
This is a sweet sexy novella. Cade is a Seal who first sees Mel when they both arrive at the hospital to visit their pregnant friend. Cade finagles an invite from his friends to a dinner when Mel is there. He’s all in but Mel is not interested. When Cade discovers she needs a last minute replace partner for a race in Hawaii, he volunteers and she reluctantly agrees. Cade has not made a secret of his attraction but he let’s Mel set the pace on their journey to their HEA. This was not a military romance where the h is in danger and the H has to rescue her. Instead, Cade’s job is just one aspect of his character. Despite its short length, this novella was well written and included three dimensional characters, witty dialogue, and an engaging storyline. I’ll definitely keep reading the series.
Cade likes prickly women and he sure found that in Melissa. Will he be able to get through all that prickliness?
Cade is pure alpha male. Mel has been hurt feel and put up so many walls that she doesn't expect anyone to get through them. When her partner for the race has to cancel because his wife, who is Mel's best friend, is having trouble late in her pregnancy, one of his friends steps up to take his place instead of her being placed with a complete stranger. Cade wants to get to know her better but she puts him deep in the friend zone before they even leave. Can he break down some of her walls while they are at this race in Hawaii? Will she be able to trust him with the truth about why this race is so important to her?
I very much enjoyed Fall Back and I'm off to find my next York book. Props for character diversity not impacting the course of true love (and I love the picture at the end.) The bedroom scenes come after a slow build and they are hot. Cade is a rare mix of alpha military man with a sensitive, patient side. Mel is a woman on a mission to honor her mom and she's smart enough to realize that she has something special with Cade it she's open to it/him. My only complaint is that the book ended too soon. The epilogue ties a nice little bow on the story but I crave more on this lovely couple.
This is a fun, sexy romance between a SEAL and a friend of his friend's wife. Sparks fly from the instant he sees her. In order to get closer to her, he volunteers to take his buddy's place in an upcoming race. The race is important to her, though he doesn't know why. While Mel is attracted to Cade, she is determined to fight it--her protective walls are tall and strong (though we never really find out what was done in her past to make them that way). I enjoyed the banter between Mel and Cade as he slowly (and patiently) works his way past her fears.
Easy read for a quiet evening at home. I wanted to read this as so many gave this one a lower rating because of the behavior of the heroine, who was a Black female. After reading, I think Ms. York would benefit from spending some quality time with some of the Black female romance writers. Maybe then, she would do better with any Black female characters she may want to include in any future story. Anyway, I also could not relate with the heroine as written in this story. But, I do give her much credit for making the effort!
This is another well written & steamy book that Zoe has done again! To begin with, I felt it was terrible how Melissa grew up. I can't imagine how she felt having no siblings & no idea of how a truly great relationship can be. I felt Cade was a true sweetheart. He's a Seal & he's so awesome in how he understands most of what she's going through for her to commit to having a first date let alone a relationship together. He knew he was going to have to go to great lengths. In his mind and his heart there was no other option to make this work for them. He was taken with her from the beginning. Most of Cade's greatest strengths was when he tried to become what Melissa felt he should be. He even entered an endurance race in Hawaii to be her partner for it. This was truly great story to read. I can't wait to read your next book, Zoe.
The sexiest, steamiest book of the series so far! I absolutely loved the audiobook for this one. The female narrator was great, and the sex scenes were smokin' hot. Even the whispers! Mel is a closed off, hurt woman that Cade is very attracted to from the first meet. But he can see she will be a tough nut to crack. When Mel needs a partner for a race in Maui Cade gets his chance by going with her. Love the series love the characters!
They met while visiting friends in a hospital. After Cade returned they invited Cade and Mel over. Cade found out about Mel's trip and volunteered to go with. Giving them a chance to know each other better. Ms York writes a book that I can get lost in. Always a good read.
The relationship between Cade, the Navy Seal and Mel was touching and funny at times. Cade's sneaky way of getting to know Mel by volunteering to partner up with her for an endurance race was priceless. They are made for each other secrets and all. An all around good read especially during these uncertain times. Love books about our military men and women.
Melissa is Cassie's great friend, and even she doesn't know all her secrets. Cade is a Seal colleague of Jared, whose wife Cassie is having problems with her pregnancy. Jared was supposed to go with Melissa for a two day endurance run. So Cade steps up, he has intense feelings for her but slows down as she seems to take fright at everything.
Quirky romance as it is two people who have mutual friends going on a race together and find love. Both are interesting characters with a unique view on relationships and openness to each other as their story evolves. The race sounds fun and Cade is a delight in how supportive he is.
This is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone.
The pacing is good I finished in five hours. I really like Cade, not so much Melissa. It was a lot of sex, not particularly good sex but lots of sex. I like the piercing and they are a ton of fun to play with. My question is why biting is bad, believe me biting can be the very best thing you do with your mouth. And that my friend is dirty talk done right.