The Refuge Box Set 1, Books 1-4

By: Susan Stoker

Narrated by: Savannah Peachwood, Aiden Snow, Ramona Master, Teddy Hamilton, CJ Bloom, Ryan West, full cast

Get the first four full-length books in The Refuge series in one box set!

Deserving Alaska, Deserving Henley, Deserving Reese, and Deserving Cora will give you hours of excitement and action and you’ll find yourself listening late into the night to find out what happens next. These former military heroes and the strong women they fall for will have you wanting to book a stay at The Refuge, in Northern New Mexico, to experience all the characters for yourself. In these books you’ll get a close knit girl-tribe, meet-cutes, high-school crushes and second chances, PTSD, sexy former military heroes, a single-mother, human trafficking, action and adventure, secrets, adorable farm animals, a jungle rescue, strong heroines, a bachelor auction, brother’s best friend, secrets, heroines in peril, rescues, kidnappings, protective heroes, happily ever afters, and spice galore.

©2026 Susan Stoker (P)2026 Susan Stoker

Susan Stoker at her best!

The Refuge

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💚💛
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋😉😎🤯
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

Deserving Alaska

Deserving Alaska is a strong start to The Refuge series. It combines Susan Stoker’s signature blend of romantic suspense, protective heroes, and found family with a genuinely touching friends to lovers storyline. The romance succeeds because it is built on years of loyalty, sacrifice, and unwavering support rather than instant attraction.

Alaska ended up being my favorite part of the story. Her strength is not flashy, but it is constant. Drake may be the rescuer by profession, but Alaska repeatedly proves that saving someone emotionally can be just as heroic.

If you enjoy military romantic suspense, childhood friends finding their way to love, and stories that acknowledge the lasting effects of trauma while still delivering hope and heart, this audiobook is well worth the listen. It left me eager to return to The Refuge and spend more time with the men and women who are learning that healing is possible when you do not have to face your battles alone.

Deserving Henley

Deserving Henley delivered exactly what I have come to expect from Susan Stoker: a blend of romance, suspense, and characters who genuinely deserve their happy ending. Finn’s transformation from isolated caretaker to devoted partner and protector was deeply satisfying, and Jasna absolutely stole scenes without overshadowing the romance. Her relationship with Finn was just as meaningful as the love story developing between Finn and Henley.

This audiobook balanced tenderness with tension, explored the long shadow trauma can cast over a person’s life, and reminded listeners that healing often happens through connection rather than grand gestures. It was emotional, suspenseful, and incredibly easy to root for. If you enjoy romantic suspense featuring damaged heroes, capable heroines, found family, and a child character who adds heart instead of frustration, this is a wonderful addition to The Refuge series.

Deserving Reese

Deserving Reese was probably the most action heavy book in The Refuge series so far, and I really enjoyed that change of pace. The combination of a dangerous international rescue mission, cartel threats, and a friends-to-lovers romance kept me hooked from beginning to end. I also liked that Reese never became a passive heroine. Even when Spike wanted to protect her, she continued proving she belonged right beside him.

For me, the rescue mission was the biggest highlight because every success felt earned, and the emotional payoff surrounding Woody made the journey worthwhile. If you enjoy romantic suspense with capable characters, military teamwork, and enough danger to keep your heart racing, this audiobook is an easy recommendation.

Deserving Cora

Deserving Cora ended up being one of my favorite books in The Refuge series so far because it balanced romance and suspense so well. I came for the love story, but I stayed because I genuinely wanted to know what had happened to Lara and how Pipe and his team would solve the mystery. The opening bachelor auction was a memorable way to bring the characters together, and I smiled every time Pipe quietly showed Cora she could depend on him. If you enjoy protective heroes, capable heroines, and romantic suspense with plenty of action alongside heartfelt character moments, I think this audiobook is well worth the listen.