Sweet Revenge by Zoe Archer-a review

DESCRIPTION-Release Date June 4, 2013

When Jack Dalton escapes from Dunmoor Prison, he has only one thing in mind—finding the nobleman who murdered his sister and making him pay. But when he reaches the inn where the Lord Rockley is rumored to be staying, three well-dressed strangers are there to meet him instead. And the pretty blonde is aiming a pistol right at his head …

Joining Nemesis, Unlimited has made Eva Warrick much more than the well-mannered lady she appears to be—one who can shoot, fight, and outsmart any man in the quest to right the injustices so often suffered by the innocent. She’s not afraid of the burly escaped convict, but she is startled by their shared attraction. She and her partners need Jack’s help to get to Rockley, but Eva finds she wants Jack for scandalous reasons all her own…

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

Sweet Revenge by Zoe Archer is the first book in a brand spanking new series call Nemesis Unlimited. This book is classified as a historical romance, but most certainly, it can be debated to be an action/adventure, mystery/suspense with a dash or erotica (got to say, the juicy bits were juicy ;)). This book had EVERYTHING one could possibly want in a novel. I loved this book so much, that I am currently rubbing gritty eyes writing this review because I inhaled and gobbled it done in one night (leaving me to function on 1 1/2 hours sleep). NOW THAT IS A GREAT BOOK! 🙂

We are taken back into England 1886 when the book opens with our hero “Diamond” Jack Dalton (seriously mansome, gigantic in size, intimidating, animal like brute, out for blood .. *shudders*) creatively finding a way to escape the prison he has been a confined to for the past 5 years. You see, Jack is doing time for an impulsive, anger driven attempted murder of a fancy, real SOB Lord (oh just wait till I cut into this jerk face) and his former boss. Just relayed to him by a guard, jerk face just so happens to be at a local inn which means he is accessible to Jack. Out busts Jack ready to finish the murder he never quite had the chance to complete but has dreamed of for the past 5 years. Crawling up the window isn’t he surprised to find himself at gun point by three strangers, more specifically, the most enticing female he has ever laid eyes on (our beloved heroine Eva Warrick), at the other end of that pistol. Within minutes, and quite against his will I may add, Jack has escaped one prison only to be scooped up into another form of prison. These three strangers have set Jack up to break out of prison and recruit him to be a key player in their latest mission at Nemesis Unlimited. Pretty much it’s “play with us or we turn your sorry rear end in to the coppers!” Poor Guy!

Nemesis Unlimited consists of a group of people who feel that sometimes vengeance needs a little help with ensuring that the bad guys really do get their day in hell. Our specific bad guy is Lord Rockley. Lord Rockley is a real scumbag who enjoys using his privileged standing in society and wealth to get all he wants without a care for anyone else. He is a sadist that likes to prey on young innocent girls or prostitutes alike and it just so happens that he preyed on Jack’s sister Edith and caused her tortuous death. He is also a treacherous wretch who is scamming the government by producing sub par ammo for the soldiers while pocketing half the coin that should of been used for proper materials. Wherever he goes, he causes death and mayhem. My goodness he was so easy to hate!

So …. the Nemesis Unlimited crew lay out all the cards on the table and tell Jack that he holds vital information about the Lord, as he use to be his personal bodyguard and knows his inner circle and schedule. Jack doesn’t care and doesn’t want to hear it … he wants blood NOW. Through gentle encouragement and bold directness presented by Eva, and a deep serious intense attraction they have each other, Jack agrees to dig deep and help this team out.

Off we go on a full on adventure through the sewer streets of England, the snobbery of the ton, and the middle class common folk and experience the twists and turns that are developed and delivered through this story.

Eva! Now Eva is a kick ass heroine. Like all members of the crew, Eva has to live a double life in order to keep their team funded. She is quick witted, tough, beautiful, not the least bit scandalized at anything (even sexy naked guys in carriages …WINK), cool as a cucumber and one fine operative. She can tutor a child with the greatest patience and ease one minute with her immense intelligence, and then turn around and drop kick a man to his knees the next. Jack can’t resist her, nor can she resist him. The sexual tension between these two is incredible and believe me, Zoe Archer DELIVERS when that tension finally snaps.

So hard not to give away anything so I will leave it at that! This was a fast paced, intense, action packed and gushworthy read. It has a real gritty feel to it with the use of time appropriate language and also because Zoe Archer is very good at writing out the small descriptive details that make the scenes so vivid in my mind I could see them so clearly. I shuddered at times when she would lay out the way the poor had to live, or cringe at the right moment when a punch would meet it’s mark. I love an author who can do that so perfectly.

I’ll leave this review with a quote that really sums up the relationship between Jack and Eva.

“Goddamn, I love you. From the first time I saw you, pointing a gun at me, I knew you’d be either my death or my salvation.”

Which is it?? Death or Salvation? LOL

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel T