Discover new selections
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$4.99 with 62 percent savings
Print List Price: $12.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Audiobook Price: $21.83

Save: $14.34 (66%)

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

C.S. Smith
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Near Miss: A Wounded Hero Former Military Romantic Suspense (Dìleas Security Agency Book 1) Kindle Edition

by C.S. Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 640 ratings

He’s hostage to his past.
She has a secret that could destroy him.
The past won’t stay dead.

Betrayal and death haunt former British Special Air Service captain Lachlan Mackay after a disastrous mission in the mountains of Afghanistan ends his military career. His job with an American firm, LAI, gives him the opportunity to topple a powerful warlord, avenge the dead, and free himself from the crushing guilt of trusting the wrong woman. His new colleague, a petite redhead with wide hazel eyes, seems determined to breach his defenses. He knows better than to trust her, but he craves her light to chase away his shadows.

Sophia Russo’s dream job as LAI’s new director of legislative affairs takes a dangerous turn when she learns someone at the company may be trafficking weapons to an Afghan warlord. She agrees to spy on the prime suspect—the enigmatic and dangerously attractive head of global security, Lachlan Mackay. The man she’s secretly nicknamed the “Hot Scot.” Despite the mounting evidence against him, Sophia sees the pain Lachlan tries to conceal, and her heart refuses to believe he’s a criminal. But to save Lachlan, she may have to betray him.

When Sophia comes to Lachlan with shocking information about his division, he reluctantly joins forces with her to unearth the truth. His vow to keep his hands off her goes up in flames when he realizes someone from his past is using her as a pawn in a dangerous game. To save them both, Lachlan is forced to do the one thing he swore he’d never do again—trust a woman with his life and his heart.

B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree and 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalist

Near Miss is book one in C.S. Smith’s steamy romantic suspense series featuring former special operators from the US and UK. Contains cursing, on the page sex, and violence. It can be read as a standalone and has a HEA.

If you like alpha males, strong women, danger, and some spice in your romance, this is the story for you!
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Dìleas Security Agency
  2. Print length
    333 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 10, 2023
  5. File size
    4.5 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 3 books in this series.
This option includes 3 books.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  6. Without a Map
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  25. Beaus and Arrows
    Kindle Edition
    $7.99
Next page
Loading...

From the Publisher

Near Miss
Near Miss
Near Miss

B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

IAN Book of the Year Finalist

IAN Book of the Year Awards Finalist

Forward Indies Finalist

Forward Indies Finalist

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fast-paced, full of twists and turns that kept me reading long into the night." --Amazon reviewer ★★★★★

"Steamy✓, hot international man of mystery✓, strong female lead✓, great plot✓, great pace✓."--Amazon reviewer★★★★★

About the Author

C.S. Smith writes steamy romantic suspense featuring former special operators. She admits to having a thing for alpha males. The bigger and badder, the harder they fall!Her love of spine-tingling romance can be traced to her formative years in DC, surrounded by intrigue and handsome men in uniform-including the one she married.A native New Englander who has spent over half her life in North Carolina, she's an empty nester, leaving only her husband and "faux" Golden Retriever at her mercy.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BP7SBBPL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jug End Media, LLC (January 10, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 10, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.5 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0BN8MRP7S
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 640 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
C.S. Smith

C.S. Smith

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

C.S. Smith writes steamy romantic suspense featuring current and former special operations soldiers. She admits to having a thing for alpha males. The bigger and badder they are, the harder they fall!

While earning a Master's in National Security Studies, she worked in and around the Pentagon surrounded by good-looking men in uniform, including the one she eventually married.

Her career as a writer took off when her youngest child learned to drive and her days of micromanaging a family of five were coming to an end. Now she manages her husband of over thirty years and the family rescue dog - a supposed Golden Retriever that DNA tests revealed is really a lab, chow, boxer mix.

Subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.cssmithauthor.com/subscribe

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
640 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book action-packed and engaging, with one review noting how it grabs readers right from the beginning. The story receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting its intricate narrative structure. Customers appreciate the character development and consider it an excellent read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

11 customers mention "Plot"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as action-packed with intriguing developments, and one customer particularly appreciates the cat-and-mouse suspense elements.

"...Her character evolment is great as is her story line which develops sequentially with just the right amount of flow to not be rushed nor to drag...." Read more

"...The story is pretty action filled when following Sophia as she starts her new job with a security firm...." Read more

"...It's a deadly game filled with stunning twists that kept me glued to my Kindle. And the romance between Lachlan and Sophia is smoking hot!..." Read more

"...Great character development. Intriguing plot development and storyline. Hopefully this series will continue for many years." Read more

7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an excellent read.

"...This is truly a great read that I can highly recommend!" Read more

"...Honestly, it's that good! Here's a bit of the plot, but you'll get no big spoilers from me...." Read more

"Adventure and romance with a great HEA. The story grabs you right at the beginning and doesn't let you go until the last page." Read more

"This was a great book and the start of a brand new series...." Read more

5 customers mention "Story quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, with one customer noting its intricate narrative structure.

"...There are wonderful snippets that made me laugh out loud in recognition or that awed me with how, with just a few words, she created such a clear..." Read more

"This thrilling story grabbed me on page one and never let go...." Read more

"I am loving this new author!! She writes intricate stories that keep you guessing. The characters are well developed and have great chemistry...." Read more

"Great story..." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...Her character evolment is great as is her story line which develops sequentially with just the right amount of flow to not be rushed nor to drag...." Read more

"...Kudos for likable characters (except the villains), immersive settings, limited profanity, flawless proofreading, and for the author's research..." Read more

"Absolutely wonderful paramilitary organization mystery. Great character development. Intriguing plot development and storyline...." Read more

"...She writes intricate stories that keep you guessing. The characters are well developed and have great chemistry. I love her heroes too!!..." Read more

A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree!
5 out of 5 stars
A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree!
We are proud to announce that NEAR MISS by C.S. Smith has been honored with the B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Cameo D. Miller
    5.0 out of 5 stars This one deserves more than 5 stars.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is not your usual romance novel. At first. I wasn't sure if the author was male or female (only initials and I hadn't looked on line to see). There were "female" traits--attention to how people dressed, what kinds of plants were around, how hot the men were. But there were "male" traits too--knowledge about military issues and an accurate focus on weapons and military discipline and deployment. It all just lent a strength to the story that many romance novels don't have.

    Her character evolment is great as is her story line which develops sequentially with just the right amount of flow to not be rushed nor to drag. There are wonderful snippets that made me laugh out loud in recognition or that awed me with how, with just a few words, she created such a clear picture of the person or action.

    This is truly a great read that I can highly recommend!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Lauren - Kindle Unlimited
    4.0 out of 5 stars 3.5* - Good start to the Series
    Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Although I missed the ARC, I borrowed the book from KU to see if I would want to read further into the series. The story is pretty action filled when following Sophia as she starts her new job with a security firm. There she meets Lachlan, a former SAS captain who heads their Global Security services, while trying to find an arms dealer responsible for his injuries and the deaths of his men. The book will keep you guessing who is the good guys are!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Sue's Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning plot twists and a smoking hot romance! Five glowing stars!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This thrilling story grabbed me on page one and never let go. Of the hundreds of romantic suspense novels I've read, this gem ranks near the very top of the list. Honestly, it's that good! Here's a bit of the plot, but you'll get no big spoilers from me.

    As an officer in the 22nd British Special Air Service (SAS) regiment in Afghanistan, Lachlan Mackay led a rescue mission that ended in death and disaster because he'd trusted Nadia Haider, a beautiful woman who'd betrayed him. After he was forced to kill Nadia in order to save one of his men, Lachlan vowed he'd never trust another woman.

    That vow is sorely tested when he meets lovely Sophia Russo, a new employee at Landry Associates International, where Lachlan now works as a civilian overseeing security teams in Kabul. Attraction flares between them, but Sophia harbors a secret. She's been asked to spy on Lachlan, who's suspected of trafficking weapons to an Afghan warlord. With walls of secrets between them, can they trust their hearts and work together to expose the true source of the weapons trafficking scheme?

    It's a deadly game filled with stunning twists that kept me glued to my Kindle. And the romance between Lachlan and Sophia is smoking hot! I adored Lachlan's best friend (Nathan), a former Navy SEAL who gets involved with Sophia's best friend (Emily) in the second book in this exciting series. I can't wait to read it!

    Kudos for likable characters (except the villains), immersive settings, limited profanity, flawless proofreading, and for the author's research about the Afghan War, Afghan politics and warlords. I identified the main villain fairly early on, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of this story, which easily earns five stars and my enthusiastic recommendation!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • NanKath
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous First in Series Paramilitary Storyline
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely wonderful paramilitary organization mystery. Great character development. Intriguing plot development and storyline. Hopefully this series will continue for many years.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Nancy Sartor
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I'm a picky reader. I demand well-drawn characters, and a plot so good I can't stop trying to figure it out. I demand a depth of character and enough of his/her emotions to make it feel real. I ask that you fool me or nearly fool me. Near Miss hit all my requirements. Sophia is a powerful woman in her own right, not needing a lover to confirm her. Lachlan is a tortured individual with trust issues, but he is also every inch a man--big, tall, powerful, a man to draw your heartstrings and send the draw lower as the book progressed. In a brilliant move, the author cast Sophia in the role of rescuer--tiny Sophia, not huge Lachlan, and the choice played very well. The evil that surrounds this couple is breathtakingly horrible--the kind of evil that can destroy cities and kill the innocent. I highly recommend this book and am waiting impatiently for her next one.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • M Richardson
    3.0 out of 5 stars It was good
    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2023
    I am voluntarily leaving a review after receiving an ARC from Hidden Gems.

    It was good. Fast-paced and a little predictable. Sophia is starting a new job at LAI. She is asked to spy on a co-worker, Lachlan. Lachlan is a former British Special Forces who is now in charge of the Global Securities Divisiok of LAI. Lachlan has flashbacks from his last mission in Afghanistan where his female interpreter betrayed his team. This led Lachlan to be mistrustful of females. His past has also come back to hunt him. As Sophia and Lachlan race to solve the mystery of missing weapons, the have to solve issues from his past.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • TXProofer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
    This book was good. The flow of the story was chaotic at times, but otherwise, it was a good read .
    Helpful
     Report
  • Robin Stillwell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! Did not want to put it down!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Adventure and romance with a great HEA. The story grabs you right at the beginning and doesn't let you go until the last page.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Agnes Jay
    5.0 out of 5 stars military bonanz
    Reviewed in Canada on March 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book was one if the best I’ve read lately. Fast paced. Interesting story line. And likeable couple who fall in love and kept me reading we.. into the night b
    Report
  • Deb from Oz
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great start to a new series
    Reviewed in Australia on February 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I read an awful lot off military romance suspense and really didn't want to add another author to my always growing reading list but this book had been recommended on quite a few of my authors sites and seeing it was on unlimited I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did You know it is a great read when you read until your eyes can't stay open any longer and then you are back up at 6am hoping no one else wakes up until you finish the book and that is how I was with this read. It is a tightly woven story with quite a few twists and turns that kept me engaged Lachlan was a totally damaged hero who just need that strong woman to give him a reason to start living again even though he wasn't as responsible as he thought he was for everything that happened. Sophie was sweet and innocent but had a core of steel which she needed not only to handle Lachlan but also the situation she found herself in I can't wait for the next book in this series and this time I won't hesitate to grab it and devour it
    Report
  • RuthG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A start to a new ex-military series that gets you hooked. I liked the mix of interesting and diverse characters, enjoyed the twisted plot. A stand-alone story which is that, but linked to book 2 that I read first, which probably would have enjoyed more reading them in order. Looking forward to umber 3.
    Report
  • jd66
    4.0 out of 5 stars good book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A new author for me. Great setting and unique storyline. A great cast of characters too. The narration was excellent too
    Report
  • Helen
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, Well Worth Reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This isn’t my usual genre, but that’s the great thing about being able to get free books, it gives you the chance to explore different ones at no loss.

    I really wasn’t sure to begin with as the setting was something I had no knowledge of, however, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment & I soon got into it.

    I must admit it wasn’t long before I worked out exactly how the plot would go, but it was well written & the characters believable so that really didn’t matter & there were enough surprises to keep me on my toes.

    I would definitely recommend it & now that my interest has been piqued, will probably read more by this author.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report