Man in Black (Black Knights Inc:Reloaded 3) by Julie Ann Walker-review
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 28, 2024
A story as old as time… He comes from nothing, and she was born with a silver spoon. Do opposites really attract?
The Black Knights are back and better than ever!
As the son of a felon, Fisher Wakefield is no stranger to the seedier side of life. So when Eliza Meadows, BKI’s elegant and efficient Girl Friday, finds herself the target of group of low-down, murderous thugs, he doesn’t hesitate to jump into the fray despite Eliza insisting she doesn’t need his help.
The lone survivor and only witness to the killing of U.S. senator and his family, Eliza is forced to rely on the covert operators at Black Knights Inc. to keep her safe. But she’s never been very good at letting other people solve her problems. And to make matters worse, Fisher, the bad boy from the bayou, refuses to leave her side.
As the Black Knights race to uncover who is behind the senator’s murder, they soon find out all is not as it seems. There are mysterious powers at play. And if Fisher and Eliza can’t learn to work together, they might lose everything.
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REVIEW: MAN IN BLACK is the third instalment in Julie Ann Walker’s contemporary, adult BLACK KNIGHTS INC: RELOADED romantic suspense series- a spin off set in the author’s BLACK KNIGHTS INC world. This is Fisher Wakefield, and Eliza Meadows’ story line. MAN IN BLACK can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing plot, as well as Eliza and Fisher’s story begins in book one.
Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Fisher and Eliza MAN IN BLACK follows in the aftermath of the assassination of several members of the US government. As one of only three survivors, Eliza Meadows is under the protection of the crew at BKI (Black Knights Inc) but when the other two survivors are murdered, the FBI makes other arrangements for our story line heroine. Nothing goes according to plan when an attack at the BKI compound threatens the lives of the entire crew, forcing Eliza to face down the man who had stolen her heart. Enter BKI agent Fisher Wakefield, the man who fell in love with Eliza the first day they met. What ensues is the building but contemptuous relationship between Eliza and Fisher, and the potential fall-out as Fisher struggles with the demons from his past, pushing Eliza out of his life.
The world building follows several pathways including the attempts on the lives of the BKI members, all black ops and former black ops soldiers. Several of the original team members offer guidance and familiarity, as the new crew of members find their own happily ever afters but Fisher struggles with what was, and believes he is not capable of happiness or love.
The relationship between Eliza and Fisher struggles in the face of unrequited love. Eliza has been dating a senator’s son as Fisher watches from the sidelines as his heart is destroyed. Eliza knows her heart belongs to someone else but their animosity is pulling our couple apart. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.
Once again, several original members of the BKI family return including Becky and Boss. We are introduced to FBI Agent Julia O’Toole, and the return of Britt Rollins. There is something developing between Britt and Julia. The requisite evil has many faces
MAN IN BLACK is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is captivating and compelling; the romance is seductive but struggles in the face of ridicule and scorn; the characters are desperate, determined and broken.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
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Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word.
Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper.
During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics.
“I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.”
It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion.
Now Julie loves to travel the world looking for views to compete with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, petting every dog that walks by her, and… reading, of course
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