Worth the Risk (Worth It Book 3) : Gritty MM Romantic Suspense Hurt/Comfort Protector + Survivor

Warren was an undercover officer sent into the school to help nab a bad guy, his grooming ring and see if a teacher, Jude was involved. Jude's past and fear made him a link to something he hated. Their attraction to each other was a conflict for both. I loved Warren with his protective instinct and adoration of Jude. I felt Jude's fear and devotion to his students as he tried to make a new life for himself. This was a brilliant close to the series with a likable community, admirable friends and plenty of intrigue.

This was one was harder to read than the others, and I struggled. Jude’s story hit too close to home in certain aspects, and… I’m going to say I’m just glad he gets his HEA with an amazing guy. I loved how their story developed, and how FINALLY the bad guys get their comeuppance! It just took them almost 1000 pages total, but it was worth sticking around to see it happen. But Jude… he’s so strong and tries so hard to do things right, I just wanted to bundle him up and keep him safe from eve and everyone. And it’s beautiful to see he does not need that. He makes a life for himself, risks his heart in loving again, and gains so much more than he lost. I really like how CF White writes life like characters. It feels like the author observes people closely, reads their minds somehow, and turns their lives into stories we can all find ourselves into someway or other. I love it. And even though I still don’t like Freddie, I am glad to see him and other characters from previous books continuing to be happy, gathering around their family and friends, and beating evil out of their midst.

A truly great read! I absolutely adore CF White’s writing style and all the amazing characters she creates for us. This series has a very unique feel to it and while reading I got instantly transported to the moody town and could ”feel” the atmosphere. The writing is very visceral and impactful in all the best ways. Do yourself a favor and read this series start to finish. You’ll appreciate the time well spent!

'Worth the Risk' is the third, and possibly final book, in the ‘Worth It,’ series. It stars Jude Ellison, a history teacher, and Warren Bailey, the new PE teacher who is really an undercover officer. This is told in third person from Jude and Warren’s pov. First the cover. That’s Jude on the cover and I think the cover model does look like Jude as described in the book. The blurb does a good job of describing the outline of the plot. I’ll add a bit more, but I don’t want to give away details of the plot. This story ties up the loose ends from the previous two books. The drugs and the child trafficking headed up by an upstanding community leader needs to be taken down. That’s why Warren arrives as an undercover officer working as a PE teacher at the same school as Jude. This is Warren’s second chance to return to duties after he blew his cover to help someone in a previous mission. Problem is, Warren is immediately attracted to Jude, and the conflict for Warren is to stay the course and not get personally involved. Jude’s problem is wanting to get closer to Warren, but he’s built up huge thick walls to protect himself from people in his past, and that person ends up finding Jude again. This book is as emotionally intense and complicated as the previous books in the series. I had to take breaks and read fluffy Christmas stories to catch my breath. The author does an excellent job of creating distinct personalities for Jude and Warren. The conflicts they deal with internally…

Intro: This book is an MM romance between Jude, a History teacher building a life after his abusive past and Warren, an undercover agent, pretending to be a PE teacher. Tropes/Highlights: -Dual third person POV -MM -Open Door Spice -History Teacher/Undercover Agent -Slow Burn -Interracial Romance -Forbidden Attraction -Hurt/Comfort -British Small Town -HEA Likes: -Compelling storyline, beginning to end -The internal struggle and pull between duty and morals -Character relationships -This book hurt me and I was okay with it, Jude's trauma broke my heart -How characters from all the books keep making appearances and form community around each other -Lots of tension, high stakes -Warren's protectiveness and willingness to protect Jude over everything else -Jude Quotes: -"He didn't know how to hold that kind of praise. He never had" -"History had an echo. And it had found him" -"Ironic, really. Wearing chains to remember freedom" -"I imagine there are plenty of people who have fond memories. Ones they can sit in without choking on them" -"Because that edge was coming fast, and he wanted the crash as much as the climb" -"Trust had been the slowest, hardest thing to relearn. To believe a man wouldn't use his size as a weapon. Wouldn't turn the weight of his body into a cage" -"Sweetness had never been free. Yet with Warren...it felt unvarnished. Real. And Jude let himself believe it, let himself soak in the warmth after years in the cold" -"Warren was…