After the Vows

A Decker Family Novel (Covert Affairs, Book 1)

De: Claudia Burgoa

Narrado por: Tyler Tetsuda, Emma Wilder

From USA Today best-selling author Claudia Burgoa comes an emotional, suspenseful new best-friend’s-little-sister romance.

His mission is to save the world. But can he keep his promise?

I’m still unsure how I got here. There was Vegas. Alcohol involved. And rumor has it, Elvis was our witness. All that happened 10 years ago.

Ten.

Tall, dark, and delicious, Seth Bradley is some sort of Double-O-Seven—and my childhood crush. One moment I’m Rachel Green discovering that she’s married to Ross Geller. Next, I have to run for my life. This isn’t how I imagined my happily ever after.

Right now, I’m just hoping to get out of this one alive.

After the Vows is the first book of the Covert Affairs duet. A propulsive book that will leave you gasping with a delicious cliff-hanger.

©2022 Claudia Burgoa (P)2022 Claudia Burgoa

Seth and Teddy (Theodora) together at last?

This is a whirlwind of a book! Seth and Teddy (Theodora) have had a long term relationship. But in this book, the simmering love-hate relationship starts to boil over. Seth and "The Organization" still have unfinished business and Teddy gets pulled in. They just can't seem to figure out how to make their relationship work.

There is a cliff hanger at the end of the book, but luckily the second book in the duet series is already available.

This is the first of the books of the Decker clan and although there was clearly a lot that happened in the past, I had no problem following the story in this book. It might have been better to have read previous books to understand the characters and what preceded this story.

There is sex, violence, and language so I recommend this book for mature readers.

I listened to the audio version of this book. Both narrators are wonderful.

Seth and Teddy, Part 1

This is the first book in the Covert Affairs duet, you must read/listen to both for the complete story.

Claudia Burgoa has become one of my favorite authors this year. Anytime I see her name, I snap it up and read/listen to it! I was fortunate enough to listen to this duet. The story was very good and this duet connects to all of the other Decker Family duets, but can be read/listened to as a pair. There were parts that were predictable, but it was so worth it!

Book receives 5 stars, hands down. The female narrator, Emma Wilder, is a 4 and male narrator, Tyler Tetsuda, is a 3.5.

Tropes:
Romantic Suspense
Grumpy/Sunshine
Secret Agent Romances
Best Friends Little Sister
Forced Proximity

**Be aware of the trigger warnings before starting this duet, it addresses sensitive topics**

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion.

So intense

This book will take you through the entire range of human emotions in such a short period of time.I also listened to the Unexpected Everlasting duet immediately preceding this one, which was both a good and bad thing. Good because it gave me context for this book since the MMC is the son of Mason and Ainsley, but since that’s duet is also emotionally charged, I was drained by the time I finished this series. Claudia does an amazing job with the depth of these charaters and Emma Wilder and Tyler Tetsuda do an amazing job bringing Teddy and Seth to life in this heart wrenching story.

Narration: Dual narration, first-person present tense, POV

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, strong FMC, bodyguard, second chance, kidn@pping, secret life, trauma and therapy,

Overall: 4.5

Spice: 2

Humor: 1

Drama: 4

Darkness: 2.5

Seth is coming to a crossroads in his life where he will need to decide if he wants to be a part of The Organization, even though he already has his own company, or disengage from something he though was expected of him his whole life. A problem he thought he had dealt with years ago, appears to have returned, and has put Seth’s family and inner circle at risk, with Teddy (Seth’s dead best friend’s little sister) at the center of the danger.

While trying to determine the best way to take out the assailants, a secret is uncovered that shakes these two to their core. With the threat looming, will Seth be able to keep his promise and get closer to the woman who stole his heart and never gave it back?

Action, Romance, Angst - it really has it all

I couldn't stop listening to After the Vows, addicted to find out how Teddy & Seth's story plays out. I loved the characters connection and chemistry and throw in the action and it's a perfect mix.

What a great first book!💖

Covert Affairs duet
Book One

🔘Romantic suspense
🔘Married in Vegas
🔘Brother’s best friend

Oh my goodness, this novel was just what the doctor ordered! The tension had me on the edge of my seat, and the way the romance blossomed slowly was absolutely fascinating.

Seth, our tormented protagonist, carried the weight of his troubled past, which intertwined with Teddy's. They had undeniable chemistry, but they desperately needed to work on their communication.

The grand finale left me hanging off a cliff. There are many unanswered questions, and I have a feeling certain characters will come back to give much-needed clarification.

🎧This dual narration by the incredible Emma Wilder and Tyler Tetsuda was a delightful treat. Emma's performance was on point. Both narrators truly brought the story to life. Overall, if you enjoy romantic suspense, this is an ideal listen for you.
Thank you Forever and Always PR for this ALC.

HEARTBREAKING LOVE STORY

If you are looking for a highy emotional and angsty romance, look no further than Claudia Burgoa’s book. I have been following the story of the Decker family, and each of them has their own heartbreaking yet beautiful love story. In this Duet, we follow Seth and Theodora, their family has been close since they were young. Seth is best friends with Teddy’s brother, Archer, and at one point he was dating Teddy and even got into a drunken wedding in Vegas. But he lost Archer on one of their mission and has been blaming himself. Guilt drove him away from Teddy and they had since formed a love/hate relationship. In this first part of the duet, we follow their journey while on the run from the danger of the unknown, and ends in a shocking cliffhanger.

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧
Tyler Tetsuda is new to me, and I quite enjoy his voice, he’s done really well portraying Seth as the tortured man, yet still has some playfulness from his old personality. I love Emma Wilder, she has a very sweet voice and she brings life to Teddy’s personality. Overall, it was such an enjoyable audio to listen to.

✿ 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 ALC 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 Forever & Always PR 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✿

Riveting & Heart-Pounding! Great Story & Listen🎧

Claudia Burgoa continues to blow me away with another amazing novel, the first of “Covert Affairs” duet and, wow, she really brings out all the emotions with this one and I won’t even mention that ending, other than to say have the second book lined up and ready to go, you will definitely want it pronto. This book is Seth Bradley and Theodora (Teddy St. James’ story, their families are intertwined and the two have had an on and off relationship for years and Seth is the reason for the off, he is an operative for the secret organization and was working a mission with Teddy’s brother Archer, a mission that went horribly wrong and Seth blames himself for Archer’s demise. He also thinks he is bad for Teddy, that he will only bring trouble to her door. Seth takes Coco LaBlanc on several dates as a favor, but Coco is all about becoming more famous and what people could do for her to make that happen. Seth saw right thru her and while at a family event which she crashed, she made the mistake of insulting Teddy, he threw her to the curb. Unfortunately, that was not the only trouble she brought to them, she brought attention to them on social media, attention they did not need, because Seth’s past came back to haunt him, putting not only him in danger but Teddy too. Teddy was ready to put Seth behind her, but Seth learns what really happened in Las Vegas ten years ago, and thanks to her brother Archer, for pushing it through. And then it all hits the fan, and Seth goes into protective and operative mode, and he is not the only one with a target on his back, Teddy has one too. There is never a dull moment in this book, it is a fast-moving and cleverly plotted story with plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions, action, mystery, thrilling suspense, and a romance that has been years in the making. Claudia Burgoa, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.  

🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Tyler Tetsuda and Emma Wilder were the perfect cast to bring these characters to life and did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying, giving each a voice that fit that character’s persona to a tee and were believable in every role they played. Tetsuda nailed it as Seth and Wilder did the same for Teddy, both grasped all sides of their personality. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and projected them into their performance, having you feel every single one. These versatile voice artists are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this amazing listen.

From 0 to 50 in 5 seconds

Oh boy, it was a Rollercoaster ride. Seth and Teddy never stood a chance to just stay still and breathe..right!!
From "accidental" visit to chapel in Vegas to now running for their lives....teddy is flummoxed and so are readers.
Waiting for book 2 to figure out where the story shall end up.
But one thing is certain, it keeps you on your toes. Sizzling chemistry is undeniable, latent feelings are simmering and all it needs is a spark!!
Tyler tetsuda narrated his heart out. Emma wilder's breathy tone was annoying

I devoured this exciting and sizzling story!

Oh My Heart! This first book in the Covert Affairs duet was so exciting, intense, and steamy, it took my breath away, as I completely devoured it! Seth and Theodora (Teddy) were everything with their undeniable, fierce, and passionate connection. They have secretly loved each other for years. Teddy is Seth's best friends sister. Even when she is forbidden, she is the only one who brings light into his life, and makes him feel alive. They can't seem to stay away from each other, and when they do come together, Seth push her away, afraid he will never be good for her. With his secret, dangerous occupation, he has had tragic outcomes that he blames on himself. The weight of the guilt he carries, causes him to lose trust in himself. He can't see that Teddy could ever return his love. But Teddy did love Seth, and was weak to deny him anything. They were two broken people who kept playing with each other's hearts and head. When someone starts digging into their past, they find out they have been married for years, after an alcohol fueled getaway to Vegas. Teddy wants to be free from the heartache Seth brings to her. But when someone tries to take her, and the whole Decker/Bradly family is in danger, Seth and Teddy team up to support each other, while trying to find and take down the gunmen. But will Seth, and his team members in the Organization, be able to keep her safe, when there seems to be more players involved and steps ahead of them at every turn? This emotional story is fast-paced, suspenseful, and action packed. The storyline is intriguing and captivating, filled with some mystery and secrets. The push/pull between Seth and Teddy is filled with sizzling sexual tension and passion. I loved the involvement of so many family members who where loving, supportive and meddlesome too, making this story even more fun and exciting.
I really enjoyed Tyler Tetsuda, and Emma Wilder's narration as they delivered all the emotion, wit, suspense, and sizzling passion. I was totally lost in their performance as they brought these characters and heart-pounding story to life. The jaw dropping ending took my breath away and I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Absolutely heart breaking in the best way

As with any book that is the first in a duet by Claudia, I expect for my heart to be broken. But I am not sure a book has broken my heart more than this one. Maybe because I have read so many of the other Decker duets that I was invested in almost every character in this because I’ve read their stories too… but whatever the reason, I had to immediately start the next book because I was not okay after THAT ending! Teddy and Seth are a mix of second (or more) chance love while also being super angsty and full of tension with a touch of a surprise marriage a decade after the fact. I loved that dynamic and cannot wait to see how it all plays out in the second half of this duet. I do think that this needs to be read after some of the other Decker sibling books because there are a lot of people to keep track of in this one and I think having that stake in the secondary characters only makes you fall more for Teddy and Seth.

I loved the narrator performances, they both bring such emotion to this that you cannot help but feel Seth’s pain while he tries to protect Teddy from everything bad in the world, including himself. And you fall in love with Teddy who is just a woman trying to convince herself that the love of her life isn’t a part of her soul.

If you are a fan of angst, spice with a side of ‘okay, but this is really the last time we do this,’ suspense and action, you’re sure to love Teddy and Seth!