Guarding Mr. Fine (Tough Love #3) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

GUARDING MR. FINE (Tough Love #3) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

Guarding Mr. Fine

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 14, 2017

In this steamy novel of seduction and international intrigue, two brave men are stripped of their defenses—and exposed to dangers and desires that simmer below the surface.

As an agent with the CIA’s special activities division, Seth Lang lives for risk—and yet he’s stuck playing bodyguard to the U.S. consul general in Munich. Although Seth’s last assignment nearly killed him, babysitting some desk jockey in a suit sounds way too easy. But when he lays eyes on the new top man, tactical expert Rick Fine, Seth’s thrilled to see just how hard this job is going to get. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Quiet has a body worth guarding—and he requires hands-on attention day and night.

Dispatched to a German consulate to expose the murder of his predecessor, Rick finds himself in an extremely vulnerable position. He needs a man like Seth—in so many ways. This mission will inevitably plunge them both into jeopardy, but each new threat only brings them closer. Rick just hopes that he can keep his deepest, darkest secret hidden—or else risk imperiling a relationship they’re both fighting for their lives to protect.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: GUARDING MR. FINE is the third installment in HelenKay Dimon’s contemporary, adult TOUGH LOVE (formerly End of the Line) erotic, M/M romantic suspense series. This is CIA and special activities division agent Seth Lang, and temporary U.S. consul general to Munich, Germany Rick Fine’s story line. GUARDING MR. FINE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary. The reader was first introduced to Seth in book two-The Talented Mr. Rivers.

NOTE: GUARDING MR. FINE contains scenes of M/M sexual situations and mature subject matter.

Told from dual third person points of view (Seth and Rick) GUARDING MR. FINE focuses on uncovering an arms shipment ring with connections to the US Consulate in Munich, Germany. Former consul general Ed Wright’s death was labeled a suicide but for all intents and purposes not everyone believes Ed’s death was a suicide-at all. CIA Special Agent Seth Lang is one of those who suspects Ed’s death is part of something much larger including an illegal arms ring that leads back to the people with whom he works. Enter Rick Fine, temporary US consul general, and the man with whom Seth will fall in love. What ensues is the search for the people behind the arms deals, and the building relationship between Seth and Rick as our couple must stay one step ahead of the threats against Rick Fine.

GUARDING MR. FINE looks at international espionage, illegal arms deals, secrets, betrayals, lies and power. Someone with access to the consul general is using the position of power in an unlawful manner. Seth has been hired to protect Rick Fine but Rick’s is also working to uncover the truth and the people involved.

The relationship between Rick and Seth begins as an anonymous hook up before our couple have been introduced on a professional basis. Seth’s immediate attraction to Rick finds our hero breaking all of his rules to protect the man with whom he is falling in love. Rick is determined to protect Seth knowing he is willing to risk his life to do his job but Rick has a secret, one that if revealed, may destroy his relationship with Seth Lang. The $ex scenes are intimate, graphic, intense and erotic.

We are introduced to Owen Rankin, a civilian and the head of security at the consulate; Tim Craine-a spoiled consular language employee who uses his family connections for career appointments; Ben Rogers, the consulate’s public affairs officer; Alec Drummond, another civilian security specialist with high ranking government contacts; and the women in charge of the CIA’s Special Activities Division Helena Bond.

GUARDING MR. FINE is a story with a bit of an inst-love trope that finds two men struggling with their attraction to one another, and the over-protective alpha-ness of being in charge. The premise is entertaining and spicy; the characters are sexy and colorful; the romance is intoxicating and intense. GUARDING MR. FINE is an intimate story of passion and intrigue.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Mr & Mr Smith
The Talented Mr. Rivers
Guarding Mr. Fine

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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The Fixer (Games People Play #1) by HelenKay Dimon-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

THE FIXER (Games People Play #1) by HelenKay Dimon-Review, Book Tour & giveaway

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THE FIXER
Games People Play #1
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: December 27, 2016

The Fixer

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 27, 2016

He’s known only as Wren. A wealthy, dangerously secretive man, he specializes in making problems disappear. A professional fixer, Wren hides a dark past, but his privacy is shattered when Emery Finn seeks him out—and what she wants from him is very personal.

Some people disappear against their will. Emery’s job is to find them and bring closure. Wren is the only person who can help solve Emery’s own personal mystery: the long-ago disappearance of her cousin. Just tracking down the sexy, brooding Wren is difficult enough. Resisting her body’s response to him will prove completely impossible.

Anonymity is essential to Wren’s success, yet drawn by Emery’s loyalty and sensuality, he’s pulled out of the shadows. But her digging is getting noticed by the wrong people. And as the clues start to point to someone terrifyingly close, Wren will have to put his haunted past aside to protect the woman he loves.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE FIXER is the first installment in HelenKay Dimon’s contemporary, adult GAMES PEOPLE PLAY romantic, suspense series. This is wealthy businessman and professional fixer ‘Wren’ aka Brian Jacobs, and tracker Emery Finn’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Wren and Emery) THE FIXER focuses on the search for a woman name Tiffany Younger-Emery’s cousin, and one time best friend-and a woman who disappeared without a trace thirteen years earlier. Emery’s latest clue into Tiffany’s disappearance is one name –Wren- and our heroine begins an intensive internet search for the mysterious person who may have some information about her missing cousin. When a mysterious stranger demands that Emery stop the search for the elusive Wren, Emery soon discovers that the search for Tiffany has instigated a series of break ins and threats against our story line heroine. What ensues is the building relationship between Wren and Emery, and the hunt for the person(s) responsible for Tiffany’s disappearance.

The relationship between Wren and Emery begins acrimoniously. Wren is a man who hides his true identity; a man who fixes what needs to be fixed in the private, corporate and political worlds; and a man who finds himself falling for the inquisitive and determined Emery Finn. Emery is a tenacious woman fixed on uncovering the truth in the hopes of finding her missing cousin. The romance is a slow build; the $ex scenes are intimate and intense without the use of over the top graphic sexual language or text.

We are introduced to a number of secondary and supporting characters including Wren’s second in command-Garrett McGrath; as well as Emery’s childhood best friend Tyler Bern ; her boss Caroline Montgomery; Emery’s father Michael Finn; Maryland Detective Rick Cryer; and Senator Sheila Dayton who is one of the few people that knows Wren’s true identity.

The world building reveals the troubling past of our story line hero; the search for a missing woman; and the truth about what happened years earlier. Wren and Emery’s attraction to one another is palpable; there is no denying the heat and sexual need.

THE FIXER is a story of romance, suspense, mystery and resolution. The premise is dramatic; the romance is passionate; the characters are imaginative and fascinating. THE FIXER by HelenKay Dimon is a great start to what will be an addicting series.

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

About The Author

HelenKay DimonGoodreads/Website/Twitter/Facebook

Helenkay Dimon spent the years before becoming a romance author as a . . . divorce attorney. Not the usual transition, she knows. Good news is she now writes full time and is much happier. She has sold over thirty novels, novellas and shorts to numerous publishers. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. But if you ask her, she’ll tell you the best part of the job is never having to wear pantyhose again.

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Under The Wire (Bad Boys Undercover #4) by HelenKay Dimon-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

UNDER THE WIRE (Bad Boys Undercover #4) by HelenKay Dimon-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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UNDER THE WIRE
Bad Boys Undercover #4
by HelenKay Dimon
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense

Under The Wire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / itunes / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 28, 2016

The Bad Boys of the Alliance—a top-secret military security agency—are back for more in HelenKay Dimon’s sexy, action-packed series

Only one thing could pull Reid Armstrong away from a vacation he’s earned with every muscle in his finely honed body—learning that his former fiancée has disappeared on a top-secret science expedition in the middle of nowhere. Second chances don’t come often in Reid’s business, and he needs to prove his worth to Cara Layne or die trying.

Waking up to find her camp destroyed and her colleagues missing, Cara is a walking target. She can’t trust anyone, least of all Reid. Even if his skills get them out alive, he’s a heartache waiting to strike twice. Yet being in close proximity proves their connection burns hotter than ever.

The body count is rising, the enemy is getting closer, and soon Reid will be right back in the position that cost him everything—forced to choose between the woman he loves, and the job that’s his only hope of saving them both

••••••••••••

REVIEW: UNDER THE WIRE is the fourth full length installment in HelenKay Dimon’s contemporary, adult BAD BOYS UNDERCOVER romantic suspense series focusing on a Black Ops Team known as Alliance-the merging of former CIA and MI6 agents whose assignments are dangerous and deadly. This is Alliance member Reid Armstrong, and geologist Cara Layne’s story line. UNDER THE WIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives UNDER THE WIRE focuses on the search for Cara Layne, and her missing research team in the Ural mountain range of Russia. When Cara’s team goes missing, and our heroine does not check in, Cara’s brother Caleb knows just the man who will do anything to find his missing sister. Enter Reid Armstrong, Cara’s former lover and fiancé, who has been ‘drafted’ into searching for the woman that he loves. What ensues is a search and rescues that reveals Cara’s assignment in Russia involves more than a geological expedition.

The relationship between Cara and Reid is one of second chances. Eighteen months earlier Reid and Cara fell in love during another rescue mission but Cara walked away believing everything happened too fast. Reid has never stopped loving Cara and wants to ensure that there is a future with the woman that he loves. The $ex scenes are limited but intimate without the use of over the top graphic imagery and text.

Several members of the Alliance team play supporting and secondary roles including Alliance leader and former MI6 agent Tasha Gregory; Parker Scott- a former CIA agent and Alliance member teams up with Reid in his search for Cara Layne; and Caleb Layne-the Alliance’s IT computer hacker (but don’t call him that) 😉

The world building continues to focus on the dangerous missions no other group is will to undertake, or have the ability to slip undetected in and out of foreign lands.

UNDER THE WIRE is a well paced, well written story of suspense. There are some scenes of violence though not graphic or in your face gore-not everyone will make it home alive. The premise is entertaining and intriguing; the characters are charismatic, colorful and engaging; the romance is a second chance at love for two people caught up in a world of espionage and danger. HelenKay Dimon’s BAD BOYS UNDERCOVER series is intense, romantic and passionate.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Running Hot .5
Playing Dirty
Falling Hard
Facing Fire
Under The Wire

Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

“Don’t make me sorry I brought you.” Reid walked around, mentally cataloging every stone and every leaf as Parker captured the scene in photographs.

“I can outshoot you but I do wish I could outrun you.” Parker broke the usual protocol of securing the scene and glared at Reid. “Just spill it. Is this an actual assignment or not?”

“It’s personal and . . .” His words trailed off as his eyes focused on the figure breaking through the mass of trees and heading right for them.

Parker must have picked up on the unexpected guest because he spun around and joined in the staring. They both watched as she got closer, stumbling and off balance, before stopping about ten feet away.

“One more step and I’ll blow your balls off.” Cara stood there, voice and hands shaking as the barrel of the gun bobbed around.

Relief smacked into Reid so hard that the breath whooshed out of him. He fought the urge to double over and rest his palms against his knees. He opted for putting his gun away instead, surprised when his hand trembled. “Thank God.”

Parker scoffed. “That’s your response to what she just said?”

“She’s bleeding.” The words kept repeating in Reid’s head before he finally said them out loud. Then he really looked at her. Her dark hair hung half in and half out of a ponytail band. She wore hiking boots but her utility pants had a long gash down the thigh. Ripped clothes. A bloody shirt. No jacket. Shaking hard enough to make her body sway.

Parker took a step toward her then stopped when she aimed the gun directly at him. “She looks like shit.”

Reid’s gaze toured her body, looking for obvious injuries. A hefty case of shock seemed to be right on the verge of kicking her ass. Not good. He needed her calm. Had to get her warm.

With careful steps, slow and as nonthreatening as possible, he moved in closer. “Cara, it’s me.”

She nodded and kept nodding. “I know.”

“Wait, you two are friends or something?” Parker asked.

“The threat still stands, Reid. I don’t trust anyone, including you.” She tightened her grip. “Do not move.”

“I like her so far.” Without any obvious footsteps, Parker had moved. Shifted his body until he drew almost even with her side. “Except for the part where she looks ready to pass out. Guns and fainting don’t mix.”

Reid agreed but didn’t let his concern for her show. “She knows how to handle a weapon.”

She glared at Parker. “And I’ve never fainted in my life.”

Anger. Reid took that as a good sign.

“Do you have a mirror?” Parker asked, drawing her attention back to him. “You look like you’ve been ripped apart by mountain lions.”

She frowned, as if sizing him up. “Weapons down and stop shuffling around.”

“That is never going to happen, sunshine.”

Her eyebrow lifted as her body seemed to steady. “Sunshine?”

Parker shrugged. “I thought I’d try flattery.”

Just enough talk. Reid moved in. One lunge and he’d have her gun. He didn’t want to rattle her or push her any closer to the edge. Didn’t want to get shot either. “Cara, look at me. I need you to lower that weapon.”

“I can’t.” She shook her head as her words came out in a new wave of panic heavy breaths.

“We’re here to help.”

Her eyes turned a little glassy, as if she had trouble focusing. “Someone called in the Alliance?”

“She knows about the Alliance?” Parker asked, sounding stunned at the idea. “Clearly I’m the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on right now.”

Reid ignored his friend. Blocked out the cool air and the danger involved in standing out there, exposed. Kept all of his attention on Cara.

“I came for you.” And that was not a lie. He would cross oceans without blinking if it meant keeping her safe. Their rough past didn’t change that.

She frowned. “How did you know where to find me . . . or to come now?”

“You’re in danger.” Reid thought the gnarled tent should make that obvious, but she clearly was not in a stable mental place to be able to reason things out for herself. “Cara, you have five seconds or . . .”

“Or what?”

“She asks a good question, man. What kind of threat do you intend to make next?” Parker whistled as he made one last move. He stood next to her with a hand close to her arm.

Reid waited for Parker’s slight nod. When it came, Reid knew they were ready. Both in position. They could disarm her without incident then get her help . . . and seek a few much-needed answers. But he needed to draw her attention first. “What the hell happened here?”

“They’re dead.” The desperate words sounded as if they’d been ripped out of her.

He forced his instincts back. Did not rush in or give in to the tension pumping through him. “Who, Cara?”

“My whole team.”

That didn’t really clear anything up for him or stop the tension shooting through him. “How did—”

“Reid.” The hand with the gun dropped to her side and she rushed forward, closing the short distance between them. Her free hand came up and fingernails dug into the sleeve of his thin jacket as her gaze searched his. “We need to hide.”

“I think she’s tipped over.” Parker slipped the gun out of her hand and checked it before tucking it away behind his back.

A wave of relief crashed over Reid, followed by an even bigger one of dread. “Let’s calm down for a second.”

She held on to him. Both hands now. Her fingers tightening around his biceps as her eyes and voice begged for help. “We have to go.”

Reid agreed she needed to get out of there and relax. “Why?”

“They’ll be back.”

He glanced at Parker, who just shook his head and asked, “Who is ‘they’?”

“They’re coming—” Her words cut off as she dragged in deep breaths. “This time they’ll kill me, too.”

About The Author

HelenKay DimonGoodreads/Website/Twitter/Facebook

Helenkay Dimon spent the years before becoming a romance author as a . . . divorce attorney. Not the usual transition, she knows. Good news is she now writes full time and is much happier. She has sold over thirty novels, novellas and shorts to numerous publishers. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. But if you ask her, she’ll tell you the best part of the job is never having to wear pantyhose again.

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Mr. and Mr. Smith by HelenKay Dimon-a review

MR. AND MR. SMITH by HelenKay Dimon-a review

Mr and Mr Smith

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 24, 2016

Secrets and seduction make for an explosive combination in HelenKay Dimon’s edgy, thrilling new series, which kicks off with a novel about two men who can handle any threat—except the one posed by desire.

Fisher Braun knows how to keep a secret. As a covert paramilitary operative, his job—and his life—depends on it. He’s at the top of his game, ready for action and always in control. No enemy has ever brought him to his knees, but one lover has: Zachary Allen, the man currently sharing his bed. The perfect package of brains and brawn, Zach is someone worth coming home to, and Fisher hates keeping him in the dark about what he does. But the lies keep Zach safe. Until the day Fisher loses everything. . . .

Zachary Allen is no innocent civilian. Although he plays the tech geek, in reality he’s deep undercover for the CIA. In a horrible twist of fate, the criminal enterprise he’s infiltrated has set its sights on the man whose touch drives him wild. Zach would do anything for Fisher—except blow his own cover. Now, in order to save him, Zach must betray him first. And he needs Fisher to trust him with all his heart if they want to make it out alive.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: MR. AND MR. SMITH is the first installment in HelenKay Dimon’s new, contemporary, adult, romantic suspense series. This is CIA operatives Fisher Braun, and Zachary Allen’s story line- an M/M romantic suspense story with scenes of M/M sexual imagery.

Told from third person point of view MR. AND MR. SMITH focuses on the lies and betrayal between Fisher Braun and Zachary Allen, and the take down of an international criminal ring known as Pentasus. Fisher is an agent with the Special Activities Division (SAD) of the CIA currently on assignment in Britain, where he lives with his boyfriend Zachary Allen. Returning home, Fisher discovers their house has been ransacked and Zach has been taken hostage by the very group Fisher had been investigating. What ensues is the search and rescue of Zachary Allen, and the revelation that Zach is not the man he presented himself to be.

The storyline line focuses on the deceit, lies, and betrayal between two men who have kept hidden, from one another, their CIA assignment and current connections with SAD. While Fisher is destroyed by Zach’s deceit, he is unwilling to accept responsibility for his own lies and betrayal of the man with whom he has fallen in love.

The relationship between Zach and Fisher has already been established at the beginning of the story (and told through flashbacks and memories) but the reader is witness to the fall out from the dishonesty, and Zach’s undercover assignment where Fisher is the intended victim. While Fisher is unable to forgive and forget, he is a man determined to get in one or two last rounds of unforgiving $ex before Zach is sent back in undercover. The $ex scenes are intense, impulsive and energetic as Fisher is angered by Zach’s perceived betrayal. The sexual chemistry and attraction is palpable.

We are introduced to several CIA agents and members of the British Special Activities Division including Fisher’s professional partner Nathan. Nathan’s presence is a balm to Fisher’s anger and resentment. Nathan adds a bit of comic relief.

MR. AND MR. SMITH is a suspense filled story. There are moments of abrasive and emotional tantrums (courtesy of Fisher Braun), and inspiring scenes of one man’s love for another. The premise is entertaining; the characters are an eclectic mix of intense, impassioned and real; the romance is a fight to the finish.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Facing Fire (Bad Boys Undercover #3) by HelenKay Dimon-Review and Book Tour

FACING FIRE (Bad Boys Undercover #3) by HelenKay Dimon-review and book tour

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Facing Fire
Bad Boys Undercover #3
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date: September 29, 2015

Facing Fire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 29, 2015

When his uncle is brutally murdered, Josiah King knows that business just got personal. His uncle’s ties to the Alliance can mean only one thing: Josiah and his black ops team are targets, along with everyone they love. Primed for vengeance, Josiah is determined to unravel the plot–until long-legged redhead Sutton Dahl becomes a dangerous distraction.

Sutton is very good at uncovering other people’s secrets—and protecting her own. When Josiah bursts into her life she’s torn between pushing him away and asking for his help. Mysterious, strong, and much too sexy, he’s a puzzle she longs to solve, and a temptation she can’t ignore.

Thrown together in the face of Alliance’s most lethal threat, Josiah and Sutton become unlikely partners, fighting for their lives even as the attraction between them flares into real passion. Torn between his team and the woman who means everything to him, Josiah will risk it all to save Sutton, even if that decision is his last.

•••••••••

REVIEW: FACING FIRE is the third full-length installment in HelenKay Dimon’s contemporary, adult Bad Boys Undercover romantic suspense series focusing on an undercover Black Ops organization known as the Alliance. This is Alliance operative Josiah King, and PI Sutton Dahl’s storyline. FACING FIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I would recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and backstory. Any important information from previous storylines is imparted where necessary.

NOTE: There may be some spoilers in my review if you are a follower of HelenKay Dimon’s BAD BOYS UNDERCOVER series. At the end of FALLING HARD (BBU #2) the Alliance Team’s target is presumed dead and gone.

Told from several third person perspectives FACING FIRE follows the Alliance Team as they are once again threatened by an enemy known only as Benton. Benton is seeking revenge against the Alliance Team for the physical and emotional damage caused when Benton survived a fiery explosion that left him scarred. Benton is evil; seeks world domination through chemical warfare and is offering a secret weapon to the highest bidder. When Benton targets Josiah King, Josiah loses someone close in the ensuing carnage and death. Enter Sutton Dahl-a woman hoping to get close enough to a man named Bane, to seek revenge of a different kind-but first Sutton must convince the Alliance Team that she is not partnered with Benton in his crimes against Josiah and the team.

The attraction between Josiah and Sutton is immediate but Josiah does not trust Sutton as she keeps secret her need to make contact with Bane. Sutton’s connection to the Alliance Team proves dangerous when she is tagged by Benton in his plans for revenge and retribution. The $ex scenes are provocative and erotic but Josiah is slow to accept that Sutton does not mean any harm against the people with whom he works and loves.

FACING FIRE is an ensemble storyline that includes several member of the Alliance Team whose relationship is that of family and friends. There is good natured camaraderie between friends; and heartbreak when one of their own sacrifices himself to save the others.

The world building continues to focus on the assignments, and Benton’s need for global control. Benton is a man on a mission: the Alliance Team and everyone they love has been targeted in the name of revenge.

FACING FIRE is a story of suspense, romance and intrigue: the premise is entertaining; the characters are animated and energetic; the romance is seductive. I was drawn into the storyline-became one with the characters-I felt their heartbreak and need.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

 

Josiah King reached for his gun and grabbed only air. Not that a weapon would do him any good. Shooting a wall-sized monitor wouldn’t stop the bloodthirsty execution unfolding in front of him.
“What are you watching . . . Wait, where is this feed coming in from?” Mike Shelby asked as he walked up to stand next to his team leader. “Man, I hope this is some sort of training exercise because that guy looks like shit.”“It’s real. A video. One-way, and I have no idea how were getting it.” But this was personal and meant for him. Josiah knew that much. “I’m pretty sure it’s live.” It had to be because Josiah would know if this horror had already happened. They all would. No, this hell played out in real time.“So we can see this poor bastard but he can’t hear or see us?” Mike got up close and squinted as his gaze scanned every inch of the screen. Even waved his hand in front of the monitor. “I don’t get it. What exactly is this?”

Josiah feared he knew the answer. “A message.”

“For?”

“Me.” That’s really all he could say. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea of his personal life being beamed into a secure facility as spectator sport.

Mike glanced over, already frowning. “What?” Josiah kept staring up at the center screen hanging right in front of him in the Warehouse, the de facto headquarters of the undercover task force called the Alliance. He blinked a few times, sure he’d fallen into a bleak nightmare he needed to fight and punch his way out of if he ever wanted to breathe again.

Somehow he spat out the right answer. “Uncle.” Mike shifted the whole way around and faced Josiah head on. “Uncle . . . as in your uncle?”

The man highlighted on the screen in front of them looked like a version of the very formidable 3rd Earl of Stonechase, Thomas Benedict Asher, a hereditary peer in the House of Lords. For Josiah, simply the uncle who taught him how to fish. Now a man tied to a chair, his white hair sticking out in every direction. His usually pristine white shirt ripped open to reveal the folds of pale skin around his stomach and spray of gray hair on his chest.

Blood ran in a line from his temple. More pooled in a circle near his heart. Yet more on his wrist. He’d been beaten and strapped down in a room painted gray with high ceilings and dramatic print curtains. Josiah couldn’t see the bookcases he knew lined the wall, but he recognized the desk. Intricately carved, with a secret compartment used by his ancestors as they passed the secrets of the four-story stone manse down from generation to generation along with the title and the land.

It all looked familiar except for the bomb strapped to his uncle’s chest and the obvious shake moving through him. Those were the parts that finally registered in Josiah’s brain and kick-started him into action. This was no nightmare. He couldn’t wake up, couldn’t unsee the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Phone.” He snapped his fingers and pointed to his cell on the conference table behind Mike. “Get me a phone.”

“It’s . . . it’s too late for me. I will . . . die.” His uncle’s voice, usually perfectly smooth, held a rough edge as he stumbled over the words and his voice trembled. He stared straight ahead, probably into a camera, in a way that looked like he was talking directly to Josiah through the monitor. “No matter what action you take that will happen.”

Mike froze as he handed over the cell. “Sweet Jesus.” Through the haze falling over Josiah he realized the clipped words coming through the monitor speakers weren’t delivered in his uncle’s normal style. That likely meant he read from a script or something similar. No question someone wanted to deliver a haunting message and decided to use an old man to do it.

“He says you caused this.” His uncle’s gaze darted up and to the right as he spoke, as if he were taking direction from someone in the room.

Josiah hit a few buttons and dialed to get through to his uncle’s house. A beeping sound greeted him, so he tried again, desperate to hear the familiar voice.

“Anything?” Mike’s gaze did not waver from the screen as he slipped his phone out of his back pocket.

“No.” He was going to fucking fail again. Josiah could feel it. Be so close but not on time.

His heartbeat thundered in his chest. He’d spent a lifetime in the intelligence service. Seen people cut down by bullets and shredded by explosions. He’d stayed focused. Now, his mind took off on a wild rush and he fought to wrestle it back under control. Strategies bombarded his brain, none of them workable from his position on the grounds of Liberty Crossing, the modern complex outside Washington, DC, that housed the National Counterterrorism Center. Virginia had never seemed farther away from his uncle’s London townhouse than right now.

“You and your team ruined everything.” His uncle visibly swallowed as the trail of blood seeped down his cheek and his gaze stayed locked on the camera, which must have sat just out of sight. “Now you’ll pay.”

“He’s being told what to say but seems to know he’s talking to you.” Mike didn’t wait for agreement. He shook his head. “I’m calling everyone in.”

No one else stood in the room with them. Bravo leader Ford Decker had his team practicing building raid maneuvers. Josiah had his Delta team muster for weight training earlier but they’d all moved out after showers, taking the rest of the day for some much-needed time off.

Somewhere the people who ran the Alliance sat in their offices across the Liberty Crossing grounds. Being people with access to everything they’d have access to this feed, as would other intelligence services, which were likely monitoring and mobilizing. Josiah knew in the next five minutes people would pour through the doors with theories and strategies. Later there would be questions about how this video beamed into the Warehouse with such apparent ease, about protocols and firewalls, but none of that mattered now.

He hit the emergency button and the metal doors clanked and locked with heavy precision as the Warehouse switched into lockdown mode, trapping them inside. The move would send a warning to the entire Alliance team. Bravo, Delta, and admin would get the call to come rushing back to assist. As he waited for that to happen he tried his uncle again, this time using private backdoor numbers.

The ringing in his ear echoed on the monitor in front of him. His uncle jerked at the sound but couldn’t go far in his chair thanks to the cords binding him. Something in the room, something Josiah could not see, had his uncle’s gaze shooting to that same corner spot again.

Then he looked directly into the camera. “You can’t stop this, Josiah. Please don’t try . . .”

The brief break in his tone. Josiah read it as a personal plea. One he had to ignore even as he knew to his soul no one could get to his uncle in time.

Phones started ringing in the Warehouse. Josiah could hear Mike relaying information, likely to team members. The other monitors lining the walls flickered to life in front of them and a steady hum filled the room as computers turned on and paper started spilling out of the printer. Lines of information filled one screen. Josiah knew his team had started working its magic but the gnawing in his stomach, the rolling bile, told him whatever they did would be too late.

Mike put a hand over the phone. “Where is he? Which residence are we looking at?”

The behind-the-scenes recon had flipped into action. The people Josiah trusted most in the world likely searched files and made calls to try to find a peaceful end to this. “Belgrave Square. London.”

“Shit, nowhere near here.” Mike repeated the information and listened for a second before disconnecting the line and going back to staring at the screen. “They’re mobilizing MI5 or MI6 or whoever stops bullshit like this in your country other than us.”

But Josiah knew it wasn’t that simple. His uncle possessed resources. Serious resources. “He has security.” Mike shrugged. “We both know that can be broken.”

He didn’t get it. “He has guards, Mike. A damn militia within shouting distance at all times.” Josiah rubbed a hand over his face as he started to pace.

“Who the hell is your uncle?”

He didn’t wallow and never felt helpless. Right now both sensations raced through Josiah. “Someone hard to get to, which I’m assuming is the message here. No one is safe, no matter how well-connected or high up in government.”

He was about to say more, to explain why this could only be described as surreal and impossible and how it shouldn’t be happening, but the words fell away as he clenched the phone even tighter in his palm. He called the line that went directly into his uncle’s home office again, hoping to get through to someone in power and reason with him.

The second after the private line rang his uncle started talking again. “He knows you’re the one calling.”

“Who is the ‘he’ leading all of this?” Mike asked to the monitor as a second screen filled with images of men in uniform, approaching vehicles on the way to the Belgravia residence.

One name popped into Josiah’s head and refused to leave. The name of the same “he” the Alliance had been hunting across every continent, sifting through every lead and turning over every rock, waiting for him to slither out.

“There’s only one person who knows enough background on us to come straight at us like this.” Their nemesis, the enemy of every law enforcement and intelligence operation in the world. The man who hid under the radar until the Alliance had dragged him into the open seven months ago. They’d stopped a major international sale he brokered among some of the worst motherfuckers around, and then destroyed the delivery system he hid in Pakistan to spread a new viral weapon of destruction.
Mike’s mouth dropped open. “It can’t be. No fucking way.”

“He wants you to know how this works . . . for . . .for next time.” His uncle closed his eyes and his head dropped. The rest of the words muffled against his chest. “Because he will not stop. I am only the first.”

Josiah needed to walk, to hit. Much more of watching this and he’d crawl right out of his skin. Claw his own eyes out. “I can’t believe this.”

Mike grabbed the remote and zoomed in on the picture. “If it is him, he’s smart enough to stay far off- screen.”

“Goddamn coward,” Josiah screamed at the screen even though he knew only Mike could hear him.

The minute he had this guy, whoever he was and whatever he called himself, Josiah would use more than words to eliminate the threat. Some people looked at him and saw a proper British businessman. Little did they know what lurked under the surface. The rage. The ability to turn off his humanity and get the job done.

“The bomb is attached to me . . . to my . . .” His uncle squinted as he looked away from the camera. “What did you say?”

A second later horror flashed across his uncle’s face. What was left of the color drained away, replaced by an icy paleness that had Josiah dreading the answer.

“Heartbeat.” His uncle coughed out the word as he faced them again. “As it accelerates, it triggers the bomb.”

Mike turned to Josiah. “Is that even possible?”

He wanted to deny the possibility. They worked for an undercover group that answered to few and were bound by almost no laws or internal government rules. They saw fucking awful things on a daily basis. Women used as pawns and literally ripped in half. Men thrown off buildings and burned alive. And those were the lucky ones. But standing there as a mix of adrenaline and frustration pumped through him, Josiah knew the sick truth.

“Look at the incision.” His gaze wandered over his uncle’s chest, then down to his arm. “The blood. Even if making a human bomb isn’t possible, someone wants us to believe it is.”

“If my heartbeat stays even, he has a . . .”

“A what?” Mike leaned in, as if he were having an actual conversation through the screen.

Josiah watched as his uncle stared right into the camera, unblinking and almost still, and opened his mouth. “Kill switch.”

“Fuck me.” Mike answered the phone and hung up again without talking. “MI5 and SCO19 are moving in now.”

“Firearms Command, like British SWAT.” The words rolled off Josiah’s tongue without even thinking them through first. He’d gone into operations mode. Heard everything around him, saw the battle unfolding on the screens in front of him. Only this time he would not be able to react in time. There wouldn’t be a single defensive maneuver or offensive strike he could launch before death took his uncle.

Mike blew out a long breath. “These armed squads can get in there and—”

“I will be the first but not the last,” his uncle said in a monotone voice, clearly parroting the message he’d been ordered to communicate.

The camera moved back and panned around the room. Men in dark suits, sprawled in lifeless heaps on the floor as blood ran from their bodies and pooled on the carpet that had always been his uncle’s favorite. Worse, he was giving up. Surrendering to the end and letting the terror go. Josiah heard it in his uncle’s voice, saw it in the now-determined lines of his body.

The calmer his uncle became, the more unraveled Josiah felt. He ached to do something—anything— even if it meant tearing the giant screen from the wall and smashing it into pieces on the concrete Warehouse floor.

“You will all pay. You will all watch as . . .” Fear morphed into sadness in his uncle’s eyes as he continued passing on the information he’d clearly been kidnapped to tell. “You will all lose someone you care about.”

Mike grabbed his phone and started punching in numbers. The yelling came next. “Where are these supposedly impressive reinforcements?”

“You need to . . .” His uncle leaned in.

Sensing his uncle was breaking from the prepared script again, Josiah stepped closer to the screen, desperate to hear any piece of intel that might help. Eager to keep his uncle talking until the gunmen had a chance to storm in.

His uncle’s gaze darted around the room as he inhaled. Then his words came out in a rush. “About forty and scarred with burns. He said his name is—”

A sharp bang rang out, making Josiah jump back. He started to rush forward again but his knees buckled and he had to grab the corner of the table to keep from falling as the room on the screen in front of him blew apart.

“No!” But Josiah knew he was too late.

A static buzz sounded in his ears. The talking, the pleading cut off, and the heirloom desk vanished in an explosion of smoke. The room shifted on him as his gaze traveled over the devastation. Everything inside him stopped—his heartbeat, his breathing—as he looked at the splatter of blood and flesh on the screen.

Being thousands of miles away didn’t save him from the pure brutality of the moment. Someone he loved, broken down to nothing more than bone and skin. Not recognizable. Not even human anymore.

“Holy shit.” Mike grabbed Josiah, locked his arms around him, and wrestled him back. “Do not look.”

But he had to. It was all so unreal and impossible. His uncle had people and prestige. This could not happen. “Let me go.”

Mike held on as he stepped in front of Josiah, blocking the direct line of sight. “You don’t need to see any more of this.”

Just as Josiah broke free, the screen went blank. Completely black. He could hear a crunching sound and decided his mind had shut down as some sort of defense mechanism.

He stood there and rocked back on his heels. Buried his face in his hands and silently cursed a world where shit like this happened. As if blowing up another person were normal. “Fuck. I can’t believe . . . fuck.”

“Now what the hell is this?”

Josiah heard the shock in Mike’s voice and looked up. The black screen had turned a smoky gray as the video snapped to life again. The crunching sound grew louder and Josiah could make out legs through the haze. Hear the crackle and thud as each footstep landed on unidentifiable piles of debris on the floor.

The figure turned toward the camera but the lens never strayed higher than knee-level from the floor. Bodies were scattered and shards of what looked like wood stuck up here and there. Papers littered the area and a ball of something—something Josiah feared was once his uncle—lay right between two black wing-tipped dress shoes.

A voice broke into the horrible silence. “The name is Benton, but then I think you know that.”

That word. One name. It’s all they had to go on. All any law enforcement agency in the world had of the faceless, seemingly invisible international terrorist who didn’t pick sides and delivered death and destruction in the form of weapons sold to the highest bidder. A pure psychopath. One sick fuck.

“He survived.” Mike shook his head. “We lit him on fire with a rocket launcher months ago and he lived.”

But that was just it. They did hit him. Josiah knew that now. Gone was the smooth, cultured tone he remembered from their one meeting. Now Benton sounded winded, his voice scratchy. Josiah hoped that meant they’d done some real damage to the guy while in Pakistan. Nothing compared to what Josiah intended to do to him, but something he hoped hurt like hell, burned with pain, every day since.

“Your uncle was a hard man to reach, Josiah.” A harsh laugh followed the line. “But I did. I couldn’t get him to admit he knew you. So proper. So dedicated to protocol and keeping your identity secure. It’s a shame your actions killed him.”

Mike swore under his breath. “This guy sure does like to hear himself talk.”

“I started with Josiah but you’ll all get a turn.” The figure they assumed was Benton shifted as he used the toe of his shoe to push the body at his feet to the side like nothing more than garbage. “Some of you will not be able to hold on to your secrets.” He made an annoying tsk-tsking sound. “And you should know once I kill those you care about most I’ll start again and keep going until the head of everyone you know is splattered in pieces against a wall.”

“Next time I’m putting the rocket launcher right up his ass before I fire,” Mike said to the empty room.

“See you soon.” Benton delivered the line, then the screen blinked out.

For a few seconds they didn’t move. Didn’t talk. Alarms blared inside the Warehouse and monitors not already on sparked to life all around the room. Josiah heard a thunk as the lock on the main doors disengaged. The sound of voices as team members flooded in.

“They won’t catch him.” The police could surround the house and lock it down, and Benton would get out. Josiah didn’t doubt that for a second.

“No, but we will,” Mike said, making every word sound like a guarantee.

“Right.” Josiah stared at the dark screen. “We’re coming for you, asshole.”


 

About The Author Black and Red

HelenKay DimonGoodreads/Website/Twitter/Facebook

Helenkay Dimon spent the years before becoming a romance author as a . . . divorce attorney. Not the usual transition, she knows. Good news is she now writes full time and is much happier. She has sold over thirty novels, novellas and shorts to numerous publishers. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. But if you ask her, she’ll tell you the best part of the job is never having to wear pantyhose again.

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Mine (Holton Woods #3) by HelenKay Dimon-Review and Giveaway

MINE (Holton Woods #3) by HelenKay Dimon-Review and Giveaway

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MINE
Holton Woods #3
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic suspense
Release Date: October 6, 2015

Mine

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 6, 2015

She doesn’t depend on anyone for anything. He intends to make her his completely.

Natalie Udall thought her position at the CIA was secure—until protecting her team earned her an armed escort into certain danger. Natalie can’t stand the idea of being secreted away in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, especially since it means sharing close quarters with the controlling bodyguard enlisted to keep her alive.

Gabe MacIntosh joined the military to support his son, trained as a sniper and dealt with death on a regular basis. Now retired and operating a security firm, his first assignment is to protect a CIA agent on the run. She’s strong willed and difficult—and all Gabe can think about is exerting his domination and stripping her of every expectation she has.

Natalie has no intention of giving in to Gabe’s straightforward demands of dominant sex with no attachments—even though the very idea of giving up control thrills her like nothing ever has…

••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: MINE is the third full-length installment in HelenKay Dimon’s contemporary adult Holton Woods erotic, romantic suspense series. This is CIA operative Natalie Udall, and former army sniper/private security agent Gabe MacIntosh’s storyline. MINE can be read as a stand alone but for cohesion and backstory I suggest reading the series in order.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Natalie and Gabe) MINE follows two paths: the first focuses on Gabe and Natalie’s building relationship while Gabe keeps Natalie in protective custody. Natalie’s ‘keepers’ at the CIA have targeted our heroine for her role in protecting her team when everything went to h*ll. With three members of her team dead, Natalie is the CIA’s next potential target. What ensues is a sexual relationship between Natalie and Gabe, one with a possible end date when Gabe’s assignment is over.

The second path looks at Gabe’s troubled relationship with his eldest brother Rick- a relationship destroyed eighteen years earlier by betrayal and heartbreak. Present day finds Rick and Gabe in an ongoing battle that will break one brother’s heart and reassure the other about the sins of the past.

The relationship between Gabe and Natalie begins acrimoniously as Natalie is determined to prove she doesn’t need protection or a babysitter. She has survived an abusive childhood, dangerous CIA assignments, and isn’t willing to let someone else be responsible for her survival. Gabe’s assignment is to protect Natalie from the people who once protected her back, and in this Gabe finds himself falling in love with his latest ‘assignment’. The graphic $ex scenes are numerous, erotic, seductive and hot.

Several of the secondary and supporting characters crossover from previous storylines including Gabe’s youngest brother Andy who still holds out hope that Elijah Sterling (Taken 2.5) will come to his senses and realize that Andy is the man for him. But Eli is in love with Wade, and Andy must come to terms with his broken heart. Gabe and Andy’s brother Rick is the black sheep of the family, having betrayed his brother years before. Sebastian Jameson (Only #2) plays a small role as the lawyer who works behind the scenes trying to negotiate with the CIA for Natalie’s freedom.

MINE is an entertaining storyline but fell short in the area of the possible threats against Natalie’s life. The threats were negligible; the intrigue and suspense continued to build but nothing came to fruition; the action and danger were virtually non-existent. In the end, the main focus of the story was redirected at Gabe and Rick’s relationship, and the secret both men kept to protect someone they love.

HelenKay Dimon’s wonderful HOLTON WOODS series continues to focus on several former CIA agents and the operation that now targets all of the former team members connected to Natalie Udall. The premise of MINE is interesting and suspense filled but fell short in the action and drama; the characters are colorful, animated and well developed; the romance is provocative and sexually graphic.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight Black and White

MERCY
Holton Woods #1
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: May 6, 2014

MercyAmazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of MERCY

RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2014

After she infiltrated his business and betrayed his trust, a disavowed CIA agent must seek sanctuary in the bedroom of a man who will either help her, kill her, or bring her to her knees

Becca Ford is on her own. Eight months after she headed up a sting operation to take down millionaire club owner Jarrett Holt, the other agents in her special ops team have been eliminated under odd circumstances, and she needs a place to hide.

Jarrett is a man who prefers darkness to light. He deals in the only truly valuable currency—information—and his supper club caters to an exclusive clientele. It was an uncharacteristic moment of weakness when he let a woman into his life. But it’s not luck that the criminal charges disappeared . . . as did the evidence.

When Becca returns to the club seeking his help, Jarrett doesn’t want to hear her story. But he does want her body, and demands that she give it to him. He’ll keep her safe—for now—but it’ll be in his bed and on his terms, until he says they’re done.

__________

ONLY
Holton Woods #2
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: October 7, 2015

 

OnlyAmazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 7, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ONLY

He’s a man who fixes difficult situations. She’s the one thing he can’t handle—and the one thing he can’t resist…

ONLY

Sebastian Jameson negotiates for high-end clients who need problems taken care of quickly and discreetly. Accustomed to being in control, he’s still reeling from his ex-wife’s decision to write a tell-all about their private life, one that highlighted their bedroom activities. The fallout left Bast’s love life in chaos, making him a magnet for women who thrive on risky fantasies, and a pariah to all others.

Kyra Royer knows all about Bast’s reputation—and is intrigued enough to try to change him into a one-woman guy. But getting him into her bed will be a challenge. He’s known her brother for years, and her brother, with his rough past and sniper abilities, is not a man you cross. Kyra knows Bast thinks she’s off-limits, so she’ll have to get creative to make him hers.

As Kyra turns up the heat, Bast struggles to resist the sexy young woman’s considerable charms. But when Bast’s job turns from tricky to deadly, keeping Kyra nearby might be the only way to keep her alive—even if it means getting closer than he ever intended…

__________

TAKEN
Holton Woods 2.5
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, M/M, erotic romance
Release Date: April 21, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

TakenABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 21, 2015

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of TAKEN

Wade Royer and Elijah Sterling are on shaky ground. While initially reluctant Eli is finally ready to take things to the next level, Wade is hesitant. He senses trouble coming and he’s right. Still, they know their fiercely undeniable connection—both in and out of the bedroom—is worth saving.

Then a man from Eli’s past reappears and the CIA comes calling—and they both want Eli back. With their relationship in jeopardy of falling apart and Eli in danger of a different kind, both men will have to decide what they really want—and then take it…

Giveaway -black and white

The Reading Cafe and HelenKay Dimon’s publisher are offering a paper copy of MINE to ONE(1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow HelenKay Dimon on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on TSU for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from October 5 to 9, 2015

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Falling Hard (Bad Boys Undercover #2) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

FALLING HARD (Bad Boys Undercover # 2) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

Falling Hard

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 26, 2015

After a grueling assignment with the black ops force known as the Alliance, Weston Brown is craving downtime. Instead, he’s pulled into his deadliest operation, in the one place he never wanted to see again. No-nonsense and so damn hot, Lexi Turner lied to get him to her mountain clinic in Pakistan. But the threat is terrifyingly real.

Lexi has been asking too many questions, drawing the wrong kind of attention. As soon as she lays eyes on West, she can tell he’s quiet—yet tough—and has a rescue complex which will come in handy for going up against the world’s most ruthless gunrunners.

Cut off from the rest of the Alliance, Lexi and West navigate the brutal terrain and a primal sexual attraction. Sticking around has never been West’s way, but now he’ll use every resource to keep Lexi by his side, safe from a killer who leaves no loose ends behind.

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: FALLING HARD is the third installment (second full length) in HelenKay Dimon’s adult, contemporary Bad Boys Undercover military, romance series focusing on the men and women who work for the black ops force known as Alliance. This is former Marine Weston (West) Brown and physician’s assistant Lexi Turner’s storyline. FALLING HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous storylines is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives FALLING HARD follows the rescue and return of Lexi Turner. When West’s Alliance Delta Team receives an encrypted message from Skardu, Pakistan, West’s worst fears comes to fruition when he learns he must return to the country that all but destroyed his life and his soul. Lexi and her father are the medical team working at the base camp for the K2 mountain climbers and Lexi has placed a call for extraction. What ensues is a cross country trek where our leading couple find themselves in danger of discovery by the Pakistan army, and a target for destruction by a former member of their team.

The relationship between Lexi and West is one of immediate attraction but West doesn’t do relationships or love. He is a man hardened by the demons of his past, and his experiences as a Marine. Something about the beautiful but talkative Lexi draws West out of his shell but in doing so, places everyone in danger when West is unable to concentrate on the mission at hand. Lexi is a woman with a past mired in secrets and it is these secrets that have forced Lexi onto a different path and direction in life. The $ex scenes are romantic, provocative and steamy, without the unnecessary erotic elements.

The secondary and supporting characters include several of West’s Alliance team members including former CIA operative Ward Bennett and former MI6 agent Tasha Gregory (Running Hot .5). We are also introduced Josiah King, West’s backup in Pakistan-Josiah’s story will be told next in FACING FIRE (September 2015). All of the Alliance Team members are former members of the military, CIA or MI6 whose purpose is to extricate, negotiate and take down any and all threats to safety and peace.

The world building continues to focus on the secret ops and deep undercover of a team of highly skilled, modern day warriors. All have seen their share of death and destruction; some members are hired for their ability to destroy; and everyone has vowed to protect at all costs. The threat of chemical warfare is an ongoing premise throughout the series. HelenKay Dimon’s style of writing is engaging; the tension continues to build as the storyline progresses.

FALLING HARD is an action packed, suspense filled, romantic storyline where the high cost of terrorism does not go unpunished. HelenKay Dimon’s heroes and heroines are fallible, real, and not without their own morals and ethics. If you are a fan of the military/romance storylines then the BAD BOYS UNDERCOVER series by HelenKay Dimon is a welcome addition to your reading library.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Running Hot
Playing Dirty
Falling Hard

Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

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Taken (Holton Woods 2.5) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

TAKEN (Holton Woods 2.5) by HelenKay Dimon-a review

Taken

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 21, 2015

Wade Royer and Elijah Sterling are on shaky ground. While initially reluctant Eli is finally ready to take things to the next level, Wade is hesitant. He senses trouble coming and he’s right. Still, they know their fiercely undeniable connection—both in and out of the bedroom—is worth saving.

Then a man from Eli’s past reappears and the CIA comes calling—and they both want Eli back. With their relationship in jeopardy of falling apart and Eli in danger of a different kind, both men will have to decide what they really want—and then take it…

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW:  TAKEN is the third installment in HelenKay Dimon’s adult, contemporary Holton Woods erotic, romance series. This is former CIA agent Eli Sterling and, Holton Woods security specialist Wade Royer’s storyline. TAKEN can be read as a stand alone but for  background information and character history, I would suggest reading in order as Eli and Wade’s storyline began in book one MERCY.

NOTE: TAKEN is an erotic, romance novella with M/M sexual situations.

TAKEN follows the ongoing relationship struggle between Wade and Eli. As a former CIA agent who left under extenuating circumstances, Eli was targeted for immediate disposal. With the threat now ‘buried’, someone from Eli’s past attempts to pull Eli back into the lifestyle he just escaped, and Wade fears Eli’s new direction in life is boring and sedentary. As Wade continues with his own issues of trust, another threat to his relationship with Eli comes in the form of an ex lover and friend.

Throughout the series, the relationship between Eli and Wade has been one of push and pull, yin and yang, and an emotional roller coaster of misunderstanding, perceived betrayal, and mistrust. Wade is quick to push Eli away, and in this Eli has a difficult time with the relationship dynamics. The $ex scenes are intimate, suggestive and provocative. Eli and Wade are deeply in love but there is quite a bit of emotional baggage and mistrust.

The supporting and secondary characters include Becca and Jarrett (Mercy #1) with only a mention of Kyra and Sebastian (Only #2). There is a start up of a relationship between former CIA agent Natalie Udall (whose life has also been targeted for termination) and Gabe- a man who runs a secret organization that specializes in deep, undercover protection. We are also introduced to Eli’s past-a man who wishes Eli was his present.

TAKEN is an intense, compelling and quick read that focuses on the troubled relationship between Wade and Eli, but also begins to build on the upcoming installment for Natalie and Gabe. There are moments of romance, love, heartbreak and pain in a storyline that ends with a happily ever after but getting there is a struggle.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight
MERCY
Holton Woods #1
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: May 6, 2014

MercyAmazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of MERCY

RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2014

After she infiltrated his business and betrayed his trust, a disavowed CIA agent must seek sanctuary in the bedroom of a man who will either help her, kill her, or bring her to her knees

Becca Ford is on her own. Eight months after she headed up a sting operation to take down millionaire club owner Jarrett Holt, the other agents in her special ops team have been eliminated under odd circumstances, and she needs a place to hide.

Jarrett is a man who prefers darkness to light. He deals in the only truly valuable currency—information—and his supper club caters to an exclusive clientele. It was an uncharacteristic moment of weakness when he let a woman into his life. But it’s not luck that the criminal charges disappeared . . . as did the evidence.

When Becca returns to the club seeking his help, Jarrett doesn’t want to hear her story. But he does want her body, and demands that she give it to him. He’ll keep her safe—for now—but it’ll be in his bed and on his terms, until he says they’re done.

__________

ONLY
Holton Woods #2
by HelenKay Dimon
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: October 7, 2015

 

OnlyAmazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 7, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ONLY

He’s a man who fixes difficult situations. She’s the one thing he can’t handle—and the one thing he can’t resist…

ONLY

Sebastian Jameson negotiates for high-end clients who need problems taken care of quickly and discreetly. Accustomed to being in control, he’s still reeling from his ex-wife’s decision to write a tell-all about their private life, one that highlighted their bedroom activities. The fallout left Bast’s love life in chaos, making him a magnet for women who thrive on risky fantasies, and a pariah to all others.

Kyra Royer knows all about Bast’s reputation—and is intrigued enough to try to change him into a one-woman guy. But getting him into her bed will be a challenge. He’s known her brother for years, and her brother, with his rough past and sniper abilities, is not a man you cross. Kyra knows Bast thinks she’s off-limits, so she’ll have to get creative to make him hers.

As Kyra turns up the heat, Bast struggles to resist the sexy young woman’s considerable charms. But when Bast’s job turns from tricky to deadly, keeping Kyra nearby might be the only way to keep her alive—even if it means getting closer than he ever intended…

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