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The Rider Files #1

Meridian File

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A celebrity stalker is on the hunt . . .

Aurora Meridian, a women's professional tennis player, struggles to win back the tennis fame she had before a devastating injury. As her fame returns, she faces terrifying death threats from a sinister stalker. She hires Rider Security and Investigation (Rider SI) to provide protection through the tennis season. Amidst the fear and isolation closing in on her, she fights rising attraction for the newest addition to her protection team.

Mason Stone, a former SEAL, worries his reputation and job at Rider SI are threatened by false accusations from a prior client. He transfers to Aurora's team to escape the scandal only to find himself drawn to the formidable tennis player. He struggles with the balance of keeping her safe and keeping his distance.

Maxine Rider, former Marine and owner and CEO of Rider Security and Investigation (Rider SI), prides herself on a skilled team of dedicated former military personnel who provide protective services. She tries to keep her new company afloat while maintaining a reputation for quality and integrity.

As Aurora's stalker closes in, Mason, Maxine, and Aurora are drawn into the sinister underworld of the Russian mafia. Aurora and Mason fight for their lives and each other while Maxine discovers the lines she must cross and the sacrifices to be made to keep her client and her team safe.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2018

222 people are currently reading
533 people want to read

About the author

C.B. Samet

71 books401 followers
I enjoy writing and reading action/adventure, thrillers, romantic suspense, and fantasy.

I grew up reading Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, and the Bourne books. I write seeking to create that level of action and intrigue but with female heroines. The love the quote, ‘She needed a hero. So she became one.’ My novels have empowered women overcoming powerful obstacles and the strong men who support them.

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5 stars
133 (35%)
4 stars
136 (36%)
3 stars
81 (21%)
2 stars
20 (5%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Rellim.
1,676 reviews46 followers
January 7, 2020
Audible.

This is my second book by C. B. Samet and first narration by Matthew Keys. I enjoyed the mystery/suspense bodyguard story a lot. I liked that the characters were older (30s) and incredible maturity was shown in the professional and personal lives. There were several action scenes to keep me engaged. While I feel I got to know Aurora Meridian well, Mason was a bit more elusive and I wish Samet had developed him more. This is a great book for those who don't want the romance to overwhelm the story and who prefer any sex scenes to be closed door.

I'm definitely intrigued by the world that Samet has built in regards to Rider Security and am looking forward to hearing more of their stories.

Keys did a wonderful job with narration. Aurora was a bit whispery/breathy, but it worked after I got absorbed into the story. Each character had their own voice & personality, and where appropriate, a consistent accent. It wasn't a negative for me ~ but the main narrative as well as the MC's dialogue carried a Canadian/Wisconsin-esque affect rather than the typical non-accent of most narrations. Overall, I'd be fine if he remains the narrator for the entire series.

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews113 followers
Want to read
July 5, 2023
🎁 FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (3/13/2020)! 🎁
Profile Image for Ashley .
1,138 reviews4 followers
May 2, 2018
I enjoyed this interesting take on a mystery/romance. Liked the bodyguard and how he interacted with our damsel in distress. I thought they both were fun characters and matched well together. I also enjoyed the suspense with the overall plot of the story!

I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily reviewing.
3 reviews2 followers
October 20, 2017
I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an easy to read mystery/thriller with a bit of romance. I loved the main character’s story of making a comeback from adversity and her determination, as well as the development of relationships between her and her security detail. It will be fun to follow the Rider SI characters and their adventures in upcoming books.
Profile Image for Patty.
4,975 reviews49 followers
February 19, 2020
Meridian File
The Rider Files, Book 1
By: CB Samet
Narrated by: Matthew Keyes

I love to find new authors and when I was recommended this romantic suspense IK jumped on it and I am so glad I did. Mason has been hired as a bodyguard to protect Aurora, a famous tennis player. She is trying to come back after an almost career ending injury and now she is being stalked. But what the two do not count on, is the attraction they have for each other. Mason needs to keep his distance, and Aurora just wants to be closer. Will his feelings interfere with her protection? Will she continue to play? Mason's character is so interesting. His military background definitely plays a lot into his personality, but I do love the banter has has with Aurora. I adored Aurora. Her tenacity and ferocity is admirable. Samet writes with just enough suspense to give us a thrill, adds a little bit of romance and gets us ready for more of the Rider files.

Matthew Keyes enhances this story with his fantastic narration. I really enjoyed his voices and ability to transition between characters. It's a busy book and he keeps it all together, with just the right amount of emotion and action in his voice to give us the perfect settings. It's a great performance.
6 reviews
September 28, 2019
A decently written romance/suspense novel. The main characters were well written and moderately interesting and the plot caught and kept my interest for the whole book. I felt Mason (the bodyguard love interest) was a little under developed and there wasn't a lot of meaningful interaction between the two main characters before they got together but still found the book very enjoyable. Aurora was a lot better developed and I found her characterisatoon very interesting. I was also very impressed with the maturity of the story and romantic arc. There was little miscommunication between the characters and it seemed like it was them against the world instead of against each other for all of the book, which I really appreciate as it stresses me out a bit when love interests act problematically or unnecessarily aggressive towards each other. I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only, but may end up purchasing other books in the series on my own dime. I really like the premise of a tough ex-marine lady leading a team of body guards and look forward to her development in later novels. All in all a light, enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Jill Miclean.
837 reviews
March 31, 2022
I'm not a fan of tennis so a story with a tennis player as the main character didn't really appeal to me but CB Samet's story telling helped me get over that along with her strong characters. I really like the effort this author puts into her story lines. These just aren't your standard silly romances. However, they are just too clean for me. If only she would add some kissing, hand holding, steamy tension, something. The fact that there is little to no intimacy leaves the characters cold and uninteresting. A whole book with the characters attracted to each other but doing next to nothing about it just gets boring after awhile.
Profile Image for Mary Higginson.
146 reviews6 followers
October 9, 2019
The Rider Files. Meridian.

Romantic suspense. Game, set and match.

Aurora Meridian is making her comeback on the tennis circuit after an ankle injury forced her out. However, someone does not want her to succeed. After receiving death threats she enlists the help of Rider S I and has a dedicated security team.

A spark of attraction flares as soon as she and Mason Stone ( one of her team) set eyes on each other but he has his own demons to fight so for their own reasons they hold their attractions at bay. An increasingly difficult task.

The book is full of twists and turns as the team work to keep Aurora safe and Mason digs to uncover the perpetrator of the threats. When the threats become physical the slow burn of their attraction intensifies as events race toothier conclusion.

The characters are engaging and to complement the romance and suspense there is wit, humour and a good back story.

If you like tennis you’ll love this book. If you enjoy a complex read full of twists, turns and romance this is for you.
774 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2017
I received this ARC of Meridian File in exchange for an honest review.
This was the first book I read by this author and I really enjoyed the story, both the suspense portion and the build of the romance. The characters were well developed, and I enjoyed the growth of their relationship over time. Also, I enjoyed the backdrop of the professional tennis circuit. The secondary characters were included in quite a bit of detail, that almost seemed to take away from the main story. That may also be why it felt a little longer than necessary.
All of that said, I really enjoyed the book and relationship between Aurora and Mason. Although at times it felt typical former military turned bodyguard romance, there were enough interesting locations and details that made it stand out. I am glad I got this as an ARC because I am not sure I would have found the book in my normal course of looking for my next read.
4 reviews
July 20, 2022
Just finished the first book by a new to me author, and it was awesome! While I enjoy figuring out who the villains are quickly, I absolutely love having to wait until time for he or she or even they are revealed. This book, by C.B. Samet, Meridian File has everything! The characters jump off the page, the the plot thickens, romance blooms and I am hoping to see more of these friends I made (the book's characters) in future stories.
I want to also thank C. B. Samet for making sure she took the time to thoroughly proof read her pages. Typos, wrong contexts, all the things that interrupt the flow of her telling me the story were corrected. I've been reading for 65 plus years and only in the last few years, been doing E books. Meridian File was a true treasure. Can't wait to begin my next C. B. Samet book!
Profile Image for BP34.
6,187 reviews44 followers
October 30, 2017
This is a fast paced and action packed thriller with a tennis theme. Female tennis player, Aurora Meridian is trying to make a comeback following a devastating injury. Faced with death threats from a stalker, she hires Mason, a bodyguard from Rider Security. Mason finds himself attracted to Aurora but does not want to cross the line. A former navy seal, he faced false charges at his former employer that put a damper on his reputation. Lots of danger, suspense and drama as they battle the Russian mob. The book is well written and the characters are well developed and likeable. A great story line with a little romance on the side. This was a great read. I received an advance copy and voluntarily chose to review it.
313 reviews1 follower
October 30, 2017
4.5 stars
Aurora is a tennis play coming back from an injury. She had made it big when she was younger but now being one of the older women out there and trying to get back to where she once was. That shoukd be bad enough until she starts getting death threats. Her parents hire her a security team from Rider SI.
Mason and Rider SI are trying to move past an accusation that questions his character and the company's. Even though be didn't do it and the team knows it, it still effects him and how he is now trying to treat Aurora. They have a connection but each are fighting it for separate reasons.
But the threats are getting worse and their attraction grows.
Great book that will have you wonder what will happen next.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Profile Image for Melissa Basnight.
628 reviews20 followers
November 22, 2017
This book has some action, intrigue, drama and romance with a tennis theme. Aurora Meridian is a tennis player that has a security detail assigned to her due to the death threats she has been receiving. Mason Stone has been assigned to the security team and he is trying to keep his distance from her since he was falsely accused of having a sexual relationship with a woman during his last assignment. Aurora Meridian is trying to make a comeback after an ankle injury that took her out of the circuit for awhile. They are both trying to fight the increasing attraction they have for each other. The book is well written and the characters are well developed. This was a great read. I received an advance copy and voluntarily chose to review it.
1,062 reviews14 followers
November 2, 2017
This was quite an unexpected, but very pleasant, surprise sports story book by CB Samet. It was much more than just a story about a character's struggle to reclaim the form and athletic abilities that had let them win in the past. It was also a suspense story about betrayal and anger leading to emotional and physical attacks, and the attempt to find the person responsible before any physical harm was done. And, of course, it was also a story about the characters' struggles to avoid irresistible and unattainable love together. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
6,484 reviews27 followers
May 4, 2018
Aurora is finally back from injury and about to enter the tennis circuit again but she has a stalker so her parents hire the Rider Security and Investigative team and Mason is put on the case. Mason has demons of his own he has been blamed for a case gone wrong and even though he and the team know he didn't do anything wrong he blames himself. As the stalker gets closer and more dangerous will he be able to protect Aurora Meridian with emotions heating between them things will finally come to a head. There is plenty of romance intrigue and drama in this book to keeo the paged turning

I was given an ARc of this book but this is a true and honest review
4,347 reviews20 followers
October 2, 2019
I loved this book. It starts out simple and well written as a typical romance thriller. But as I read it turned into an amazing book that made me laugh and groan. The characters were well written and easy to like. It just sucked me in and kept me reading until the end. I loved the Rider people and loved how they end up solving the mystery and surviving to the end. And Aurora and Mason were hysterical to read as they meet and fall in love through some trials. Just a book well worth reading that sets up an amazing series. I got a copy from the author and chose to leave a review because I loved it. Totally worth reading this series.
Profile Image for J.
3,895 reviews17 followers
January 16, 2020
Tennis come back kid Aurora meets Bad boy security guard Mason and the sparks fly. A well written and narrated sports themed romance read / listen. Loved the story line - a bit much detail about tennis but I'm not a tennis fan so I got lost in some of these details. Loved the story line and the chemistry between these two main characters. I also very much enjoyed the secondary characters - especially Max. Good flow tot he story line which keeps you engaged and interested throughout. Well Done!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read
2 reviews
October 31, 2017
CB Samet does a fantastic job with this suspenseful mystery-turns-romance. The author's writing style paints a well-researched picture for the reader. The book follows the difficulties of a middle age tennis player as she deals with the emotional turmoil of death threats while coming to grips with the impending end of her career. The ending was witty and not anticipated. I recommend this light-hearted, well-written story to anyone that appreciates a good read! (I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
27 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2019
I read Meridian File by CB SAMET through Voracious Readers Only and I have to tell you that this book is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! This author has the ability to take you into the story, and feel everything that the characters feel. This story has romance, suspense, moments that make you laugh and moments that make you gasp!
I felt pulled into the story right along with the characters in the story. This book is ABSOLUTELY A MUST READ!!!!! I will most DEFINITELY be getting the rest of the books in this series!!
This is my new favorite author!!!
Profile Image for Denise.
4,118 reviews12 followers
January 23, 2020
This is the first time in coming across this author. The story is what tempted me to be drawn in. The characters will do more than their job in unraveling the story with the mystery and suspense that feeds my need. The personalities come shining through with you can almost picture them. Oh Rider team to the rescue which Aurora should thank her lucky stars haha. Romance is woven in with us lapping that up also. I liked how fun it was though to go through this one. One thing is established if I come across the next one will dive into it.
88 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2020
Meridian File

I enjoyed this contemporary romance and suspense story highlighting an American tennis player on the international circuit receiving death threats in the mail. Her parents employ a team of expert bodyguards who keep her safe through increasing danger. The characters are realistic and flawed, but have a lot of drive, perseverance, and integrity. While the danger gets intense, and the attraction is clearly established, there are no graphically described scenes to make the reader uncomfortable.
1,514 reviews7 followers
November 27, 2021
An ok read

Nothing overtly dramatic, suspenseful or gruesome subjects, a little bland because there was no tension despite the Russian mob being involved. It just skimmed along the top, in those areas making the book romance much more of an interest. You just had to put up with the main male and female characters interacting from the get go, until they finally got together.
I’d say both sides of this story, the romance and the threats could have been written crisper, clearer adding suspense where needed. Even the near death experience didn’t move me.
1 review
October 24, 2017
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed this book and lost more than a few hours of sleep because of it. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters to draw you in and make you care about them. The book was a great balance of drama with an underlying romance with a drool worthy Mason, which is always a plus for me! Looking forward to reading more from this author and Rider SI!
Profile Image for _booknerd.4ever_.
1,530 reviews9 followers
November 10, 2017
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book...

I loved it! The plot was totally different and interesting. The story-line flowed smoothly throughout. The only downfall is I knew right off the bat who was sending the threatening letters to Aurora - though that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the plot. The characters were well-developed and easily relatable. The chemistry between Mason and Aurora was hot. The story was fast-paced with lots of action.
5,960 reviews41 followers
May 2, 2018
this top notch, elite security team has some kick butt players.

can they survive some bad publicity to help this ace tennis player survive with life and limbs intact?
can they help her thrive so she can salvage some career closure?
what about love - the off the courts kind?

a chess match of some interesting players .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
8 reviews1 follower
August 5, 2019
I received a free copy from Voracious Readers. This book had lots of really good parts including the intrigue of threatening letters, a forbidden romance,fun friends and writing from multiple points of view.
All the different tennis competitions was a bit disjointed and confusing to me, and parts of the book were slow, as the plot developed.
I continued reading because I was curious who was sending the threats, and wether the romance would take off.
Profile Image for Lorraine Loveit.
Author 19 books51 followers
August 14, 2019
I liked the pace and the development of the two main characters, with both their background information and inner thoughts, fears and desires weaved strategically into the story.

I can see how a series has emerged following this first book. There are several other operatives who deserved to have their own stories told, including Max.

I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and have expressed my honest opinion.
442 reviews
September 22, 2019
1st book in series. Aurora is a tennis player making a comeback after an ankle injury a 6 years ago. She has been getting death threats and her parents hire the Rider SI to protect her while on her tennis tour. Mason is reassigned to her case after a false accusation of sexual assault. He needs a low profile case till the other issue is proven false. Aurora and Mason are attracted to each other right away. but fight it. As the case progress's they cant fight it any longer.
8 reviews
September 27, 2019
Very easy, entertaining book. It was a pleasure to follow the challenges facing a high ranking tennis player as she comes back to try and win major tennis tournaments. The action in the book is engaging and kept me turning the pages. It is well written and has interesting twists and turns in the actions and threats facing this tennis star. I wanted to keep reading and not retirn to work after my breaks. Great book.
Profile Image for Tina Kimble.
410 reviews6 followers
November 21, 2020
Very interesting listen absolutely loved the characters in this book. I don't usually read or listen to this style of writing but I'm thrilled I took time for this book. I just couldn't stop listening or take a break from it until I got to the end. The narrator was also great I typically search out books with both male and female narrators for the voice differences but this was overall a great experience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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