**Carter's Battle** is a pulse-pounding romantic suspense novel by Lori Matthews, where love and danger collide in paradise. Navy SEAL Carter Nolan is on the Big Island of Hawai’i to test equipment, but his real mission is far more dangerous. Although instructed to keep a low profile, Carter needs something to do to keep his mind off the fact that members of his own team are a set of murdering traitors. He finds unexpected distraction in Mia Ryan—a woman trying to evade a ruthless local gangster named Bobby. Mia is forced to return to her shadowy past as a high-stakes professional gambler or face dire consequences. As a last resort, Mia turns to Carter for protection. The connection between Carter and Mia deepens into more than either had anticipated. While their attraction grows, danger escalates with the discovery that the real puppet master of the island's gambling empire is a man from Mia’s past, with deadly intentions and a score to settle. Caught between his duty and his heart, Carter must navigate treacherous waters to keep Mia safe. In a battle where every move could be their last, can Carter and Mia survive the odds stacked against them