by Angel Payne
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For a full list of Angel’s other titles,
visit her at
AngelPayne.com
Acknowledgments
Dear readers,
Four years ago, I began this crazy, wilder-than-wild journey, inspired by my love of military heroes and a kernel of an idea based on a real-life couple I’d met at a Los Angeles book signing. That Dom and his wife became Garrett and Sage, the first lovers of the Honor Bound series.
Now the series is at ten books and counting, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that so many people have not only found my “Wild Boys,” but loved them enough to want more.
Number ten definitely felt like the right book to bring you all the story of Keoni John Franzen and Tracy Rhodes, his epic tigress of a leading lady—though I’m going to be honest, the idea of telling John’s story was originally so daunting, I originally thought I’d dash off a fast and dirty novella just to get him to shut up. You can all stop laughing about that one now.
I first thought that John and Tracy’s story was going to be my goodbye to the Honor Bound boys—but am so excited to say that I’ve signed a contract to write two more for you. While book eleven will likely be Max Brickham’s story, I’m open to ideas about whom you’d all like to see for book twelve! Drop me a line at any of my socials and share your views!
I look forward to hearing from you, just as I am excited about the idea of telling you how grateful I am that you love and believe in the guys. Never in a billion years did I think that I could write in the world of military romance for this long, but I’m so grateful that the passionate, pulsing thrill ride hasn’t stopped yet!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the original core readers (you know who you are!) for believing in these books and in the stories my spirit needed to tell with them. When I think of how far we’ve all come, from the original WILD Boys to now, with the Honor Bound guys, I’m simply blown away. How thankful I am for every single one of you for believing in these amazing, beautiful heroes of my heart.
I hope John and Tracy’s story has been a fantastic reading adventure for you. As always, I have no words after this point—for my gratitude to all of you is beyond bounds, as well.
~Angel
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With special, incredible thanks to the editing team, from the beginning and through this edition who have given so much of themselves and cut their damn veins open to make the Honor Bound boys shine:
Meredith Bowery, Riane Holt, Jacy Mackin, Ellie McLove, Rory Olsen, Melisande Scott, Jenny Rarden, Jeanne De Vita, and my editing hero: Scott Saunders!
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With more gratitude in my heart than I can ever express…
The one who’s held my hand through it all…
The Tracy with heart, beauty, brains, and spirit putting even this fictional one to shame…
Tracy Roelle, you are such a gift to me from above.
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And as long as I’m bawling my eyes out…
Victoria Blue, you are the touch point in my days…
the keel who keeps me even…
the friend I don’t deserve…
but the goddess for whom I am so damn grateful, each and every day.
Thank you for seeing my wildness and loving me anyway!
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The Honor Bound boys have only been as good as their betas—and goddesses, I have no words (None!) to express how you have helped these stories—and the writing overall—become the absolute best they can be! Thank you from the bottom of my heart:
Angela Barrett, Ceej Chargualaf, Kimberly Hellmers, Amy Rudolph, Carey Sabala, Victoria Blue, and Lisa Simo-Kinzer.
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To every single blogger and review team who took time out of your days and nights to not just read the books but give them honest words of appraisal from your hearts…I am so indebted and grateful to you all. What you do is amazing—and so much harder than it looks! If I tried naming everyone, it’d be a disaster and I’d feel awful about leaving some folks off. I just want you to know that I know how hard you work, and the time you’ve carved out for Honor Bound has never, ever gone unappreciated.
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So many hugs, and a few thousand cups of coffee I’ll never be able to repay, to the beautiful (inside and out!) Shannon Hunt, and the entire Once Upon an Alpha team. No way would I have kept my sanity without you—in so many more ways than one. I am so deeply indebted to you…for everything.
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An incredible, engulfing hug of thanks to the whole Waterhouse Press team, especially Meredith, Jon, and David, for believing enough in these books to revitalize them—and to ask for two more!
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The most special thanks of all…
To the men and women heroically serving in all branches of our nation’s armed forces.
Your sacrifices are never forgotten.
About Angel Payne
USA Today bestselling romance author Angel Payne loves to focus on high-heat romance starring memorable alpha men and the women who love them. She has numerous book series to her credit, including the action-packed Bolt Saga and Honor Bound series, Secrets of Stone series (with Victoria Blue), the intertwined Cimarron and Temptation Court series, the Suited for Sin series, and the Lords of Sin historicals, as well as several standalone titles.
Angel is a native Southern Californian, leading to her love of being in the outdoors, where she often reads and writes. She still lives in Southern California with her soul-mate husband and beautiful daughter, to whom she is a proud cosplay/culture con mom. Her passions also include whisky tasting, shoe shopping, and travel.
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For more information, please follow Angel Payne at:
AngelPayne.com