Review: Born Wild by Julie Ann Walker

She's got three rules:

1. Trust no one… Eve Edens has been abandoned, used, or manipulated by almost everyone she's ever met. Born into ridiculous wealth, she's dealt with the petty jealousies and sordid little resentments for nearly thirty years. But after three botched attempts on her life, she can no longer ignore the truth. Someone wants her dead.

2. Avoid the bad boys at all costs… William "Wild Bill" Reichert, the wonderfully sexy boy who abandoned her years ago, is back in town. Only he's no boy. Now he's a covert operative - and he's all man. When Eve hires Bill to help her discover who is behind the attacks, Bill soon comes to suspect it's someone much closer to Eve than she dares to believe.

3. And never fall for the same ruse twice… The search for the killer takes Bill and Eve deep into the dark secrets and strange world of the rich and famous, and into the heart of red-hot passion re-ignited by the peril that threatens to consume them both. But does Eve dare risk her heart on Bill a second time?

Finally!  The book I've been waiting for almost the entire series -- Bill and Eve's story.  There were enough sparks between Bill and Eve when they were in the same room to keep me reading each and every book, hoping for more from these two.  As drawn out as their romance was, I felt ultimately disappointed when I reached the end of Born Wild.  I didn't believe the reasons keeping Bill and Eve apart, and I kept getting tripped up over who the real villain would turn out to be. 

(A very special thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Born Wild.)

Review: Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker

HE'S GONE ROGUE

Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux is as Cajun as they come—spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But would he actually betray his country? Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren't sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team—especially his partner, Vanessa—is to run...

SHE WON'T BACK DOWN

Rock might think he can outmaneuver them all, but he hasn't counted on how stubborn Vanessa Cordero can be. And she refuses to cut him loose. Sure, her partner has his secrets, but there's no one in the world she'd rather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good because she and Rock are about to get very tight...

Thrill Ride certainly lives up to its name.  It's a little over-the-top, a little crazy, and a little unbelievable, but a great addition to Ms. Walker's Black Knights series. 

Rock and Vanessa have amazing chemistry in Rev it Up, so I was surprised that the series didn't immediately pick up where book 3 had left off. The story is fast-paced, if a bit unbelievable, but I could suspend my belief because I wanted the Black Knights to find Rock and to help save his life.  

Secondary characters Bill and Eve continue to deny their attraction to each other while using Eve's vacation home as a base, and I'm looking forward to hearing more of their story in book 5, Born Wild (November 2013).    

 

(A very special thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Thrill Ride.)

Review: Rev it Up by Julie Ann Walker

He Never Misses a Target

Jake "the Snake" Sommers earned his SEAL codename by striking quickly and quietly - and with lethal force. That's how he broke Michelle Carter's heart. It was the only way to keep her safe - from himself. Four long years later, Jake is determined to get a second chance. But to steal back into Michelle's loving arms, Jake is going to have to prove he can take things slow. Real slow...

She Aims to Make Him Beg

Michelle Carter has never forgiven Jake for being so cliché as to "love her and leave her." But when her brother, head of the Black Knights elite ops agency, ticks off the wrong mobster, she must do the unimaginable: place her life in Jake's hands. No matter what they call him, this man is far from cold-blooded. And once he's wrapped around her heart, he'll never let her go...

Rev It Up likens back to book one of this series, Hell on Wheels, and I was pleased to spend a couple of days with Michelle and Jake.  Every aspect of the plot and characters congealed in Rev It Up.  I admit I was disappointed the third book of this trilogy didn't feature Billy Reichert and Eve Edens, whose interactions in In Rides Trouble help me to overlook a heroine/main character I didn't care for, but Michelle and Jake more than make up for it.  Rev It Up also gives readers a taste of Rock and Vanessa, the hero and heroine of Thrill Ride (April 2013).    


 (A very special thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Rev it Up.)

Review: In Rides Trouble by Julie Ann Walker

Rebel with a Cause

Becky "Rebel" Reichert never actually goes looking for trouble. It just has a tendency to find her. Like the day Frank Knight showed up at her door, wanting to use her motorcycle shop as a cover for his elite special ops team. But Becky prides herself on being able to hang with the big boys-she can weld, drive, and shoot just as well as any of them.

Man with a Mission

Munitions, missiles, and mayhem are Frank's way of life. The last thing the ex-SEAL wants is for one brash blonde to come within fifty feet of anything that goes boom. Yet it's just his rotten luck when she ends up in a hostage situation at sea. Come hell or high water, he will get her back-whether she says she needs him or not.

I enjoyed Ms. Walker's first book, Hell on Wheels, and hoped to continue that streak with In Rides Trouble.  While the suspense/action is on par, I found myself disliking Becky Reichert more and more as I read.  Becky, in theory (or at least my theory), is a kick-ass and highly capable woman.  She's built a business from the ground up and is extremely knowledgeable about all things mechanical.   The Becky we meet throughout the course of In Rides Trouble is still capable and knowledgeable, but she -- particularly her vernacular -- is downright annoying.  I was tempted to create a drinking game each time she said "Yeppers".  

Because she is so capable, I found it frustrating that her plan was to simply wait for the Black Knights to show up to rescue her and Eve from their kidnappers.  She redeems herself a bit by stabbing the lead kidnapper, but it came too late for me.  

I think the Black Knights as a group works well together, and their respective personalities enhance each story.  I'm anxiously awaiting Bill and Eve's book, Built for Speed (September 2013). 

(A very special thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of In Rides Trouble.)

Review: Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker

He’s the bad boy she’s always wanted...

Nate “Ghost” Weller has loved Ali Morgan nearly half his life. But he’s done something so heinous he’s convinced she’ll never forgive him if she discovers the truth, so he keeps his feelings and his secrets to himself. Then she blows into town with a mother lode of bad guys on her tail and Nate can’t deny she’s in serious trouble. Unfortunately, he’s the only one who can help her.

She’s the good girl he’s kept at arm’s length...

Ali knows Nate as the most solemn, aloof man on the planet. Sadly, he’s also the sexiest. For years she’s avoided him, unable to stomach his dark scowls and brooding silences… especially when she secretly yearns for his touch. Now she must rely on him to save her from the malevolent shadows ghosting her every move. When the bullets explode, so does their passion. But can love really conquer all? Or are some things just too terrible to forgive?

Hell on Wheels is the first book in a series by debut author Julie Ann Walker, so I was surprised by how quickly we jump into the action by placing the heroine, Ali, in danger.  Nate's stand-offish attitude toward her was a bit amusing, especially considering his one-word (or few word) sentences when Ali is around.  They have great sexual chemistry, and I was glad once Nate allowed Ali fully into his heart.  I was also surprised by the number of secondary characters given a say (if you will) throughout Hell on Wheels.  It's setting up for books two and three, I'm sure, but at times it drew away from the main story of Ali and Nate and the threat against her.    

I'm looking forward to the remaining books featuring the Black Knights. 
  
{A very special thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Hell on Wheels.}

Review: Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy

Dangerous. Ruthless. Savage. And she's the good guy.

Abby Sinclair had a desperate childhood until she was rescued and adopted by a retired army ranger who molded her into a master of self-defense. Now, she's a cunning and fearless assassin thrust into assignment after dangerous assignment, using everything she has-nerve, resilience, strength, sex-to come out on top. Her only rule: trust no one.

Abby's latest assignment is in Colombia: go undercover and snuff out a dangerous arms dealer active in the underground sex trade. But when Abby purposely blows her cover in a last-ditch attempt to free the helpless victims, deadly mercenary Kane Woodland is recruited as back-up. His mission: get Abby out of that hell hole.

The last thing Kane expects is to feel a primal attraction for Abby. But when she convinces him to join her on her perilous mission, their newfound passion could put the lives of their whole team at risk.

What I really liked about this story was the opening:  rather than the hero being tortured, we see the heroine taking a beating and hypothesizing about what might happen to her.  An interesting spin on the romantic suspense subgenre from my point of view, as I've never read where the heroine takes the lead/initiative.  Abby is out of the mold, so to speak, but I did find myself wondering if she'd had too much military/special ops training and not enough therapy.  

I want to find out more about the secondary characters we met in Midnight Rescue, specifically Trevor and Isabel, so I plan to continue this series. 

Review: Hidden Away by Maya Banks

A man who shoots first and asks questions later...
 
Most people would take an all-expenses-paid trip to the beach in a heartbeat. Garrett Kelly only accepts to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who's in hiding after witnessing a murder by Marcus Lattimer, her half-brother--and a personal enemy of KGI. This gig may be beneath a disciplined soldier like Garrett, but if he gets a shot at Lattimer, it will all be worth it...

...and the ultimate moving target.
 
But Garrett hadn't counted on falling for Sarah. He'd considered seduction as a tactical maneuver, but when he glimpses Sarah's dark past, he feels an urgent desire to keep her safe--even after she disappears on him. Garrett doesn't know exactly who, or what, Sarah's running from, but whatever it is, she's running for her life...

Hidden Away felt a little different from the two previous installments, possibly because Sarah was such an emotionally fragile heroine -- given she's recovering (or attempting to recover) from a traumatic rape, such fragility is exceptionally portrayed by Ms. Banks -- and Garrett, while using Sarah for a shot at revenge against Marcus Lattimer, is still in effect using her and lying to her.  That he jumps at the chance to do so seems at odds with the Garrett we've seen in The Darkest Hour and No Place to Run.

One of the aspects I loved about Hidden Away was Rusty's subplot.   This book really helped solidify the Kelly family, whether born, married into, or claimed, and I was so pleased to see all the brothers stand up for her and essentially welcome her into the fold. 

Had I not known about two additional books forthcoming in this series, I might have been disappointed with the ending.  It felt a bit rushed and not as satisfying as those of The Darkest Hour and No Place to Run.  Still, I'm very excited to have the continuation and to get to know more about Donovan and those secondary characters who make KGI tick. (More PJ please?)    

Review: No Place to Run by Maya Banks

Sam Kelly was her first love.

The last person Sam Kelly expected to pull wounded from the lake was Sophie Lundgren. Once they shared a brief, intense affair while Sam was undercover and then she vanished. She's spent the last months on the run, knowing that any mistake would cost her life and that of her unborn child—Sam's child. Now she's resurfaced with a warning for Sam: this time, he's the one in danger.

Now he's her last chance.

Sam has too many questions to let her slip away again—like why she disappeared in the first place. This time he vows not to be seduced. But one look in her eyes, and the passion burns again, and Sam knows he’ll do anything to keep her and his child safe. However, Sophie’s dark past is more dangerous than he imagines, and the only way for either to survive it is to outrun it.

Sam became more attached to Sophie than he'd planned on a previous undercover mission.  When he finds her wounded and pregnant in the lake behind his house, he's not going to let her out of his sight again.  Sophie, however, is keeping secrets that put her, her unborn child, and Sam and his family in danger.  She's going to do what's right, whether that be to stay with Sam or run again.

In addition to the suspense between Sophie and Sam, the extended Kelly family makes appearances.  These moments make this series so much more relateable.  The entire Kelly clan is overwhelming, a bit loud and crazy, to an outsider like Sophie, who's had no one, their bond makes her jealous.  Luckily, she's treated like one of their own from the first introductions. And if you're a Kelly be it from birth, marriage, or picked up along the way, the Kellys are going to stand by you.

Another winner from Ms. Banks' romantic suspense series featuring the Kelly family.  Both The Darkest Hour and No Place to Run are plot-driven stories, but, man, the plot really moves.  Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down.

Review: The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks

It’s been one year since ex-Navy SEAL Ethan Kelly last saw his wife Rachel alive. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt over his failures as a husband, Ethan shuts himself off from everything and everyone.

His brothers have tried to bring Ethan into the KGI fold, tried to break through the barriers he's built around himself, but Ethan refuses to respond… until he receives anonymous information claiming Rachel is alive.

To save her, Ethan will have to dodge bullets, cross a jungle, and risk falling captive to a deadly drug cartel that threatens his own demise. And even if he succeeds, he’ll have to force Rachel to recover memories she can’t and doesn’t want to relive—the minute by minute terror of her darkest hour—for their love, and their lives, may depend on it.

What a mile-a-minute thrill ride!  I've read several of Ms. Banks' erotic romances, and none of them have stuck with me like this story. 

Ethan Kelly, mourning the loss of his wife, Rachel, receives a mysterious package in the mail with documentation claiming Rachel is in fact alive. This is exactly the information Ethan needs to get his sorry butt off the couch in the hopes of finding his wife.  His guilt -- both because of the last few months of their marriage and his immediate acceptance of Rachel's death -- is palpable, but he turns to the only people he's confident could help prove if Rachel is alive: his family.

This book was so good, a great start to a new series.  Whether it was the family connection (and the promise of more books) or the romantic suspense genre, The Darkest Hour was exactly what I needed.  I'm looking forward to learning more about the Kellys.

Review: Tall, Dark and Deadly by Lorie O'Clare

First in a brand-new series from award-winning author Lorie O’Clare—a sexy, thrilling novel about a female cop, an FBI agent, and a whole world of trouble in-between… 

WHEN YOU CAN’T FIGHT A KILLER DESIRE
Grace Jordan is leaving her dark past behind. Having traded in her big-city badge for life in the slow lane in Rockville, South Dakota, Grace and her daughter were hoping to make a fresh, clean start. But crime is at-large in small towns, too…and young women keep turning up brutally murdered. Before she knows it, Grace has got a serial murder case on her hands—and the infuriatingly seductive FBI agent Justin Reece by her side.

SURRENDER IS THE ONLY OPTION…
Grace did not come to Rockville looking for romance. But she can’t deny the chemistry between her and Justin—no matter how much she might want to. Meanwhile, things keep heating up as more women turn up dead, and a disturbing new pattern points to a killer who seems to be sending a message for Grace alone. But how could he know such secret, scandalous details about her life? Unless he happens to be someone from the past she would kill to forget…

I'd seem the cover for the final book in this series in an advertisement -- you should know by now that covers pull me in.  And since I have to begin a series with ... the first book ... I decided I'd give Ms. O'Clare a try.

Romantic suspense is a genre (subgenre?) I don't read much of.  I'm not sure why exactly; it's just not an area I gravitate toward.  So I'm not "qualified" to say whether a romantic suspense is good or not.  I thought this one had potential, until Grace's thoughts about Justin, whom she's practically just been introduced to, go way past professional.

The sex between Grace and Justin was hot -- Ms. O'Clare also writes for Ellora's Cave and Kensington, so I assumed it would be.  What bothered me was Grace's use of her tortured past to keep an emotional distance from Justin (not even allowing herself to consider she might really, really, really like this guy), but it is okay for her bang his brains out without taking said past into consideration, given their highly intense first sexual encounter.  Of course, Justin doesn't know about Grace's past at this point, so he can't be blamed for the things he does to her.

There were some other issues, mostly dealing with Grace's past and the fact that the murders she's investigating are clearly rattling her, which she keeps to herself.  I understand the need for privacy, especially where her past is concerned but, damn it, woman, tell someone what's going on!  You're supposed to be a very good cop!  There was also a question of a missing girl who seemingly remained missing.  Ms. O'Clare posted the missing paragraphs on her blog to explain what happened.

All in all, Tall, Dark and Deadly was a good book.  I'm sure to pick up the second to give Ms. O'Clare another chance.