Submission Impossible (Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded #1)by Lexi Blake-Review & Excerpt Tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 16, 2021
He loves the sweet life
Greg Hutchins is reluctantly adulting these days. He’s settled in his job, recently bought his first house, and has a network of friends he can call family. But there’s something missing in his life, and he can’t quite put his finger on it. When he’s assigned to a case that involves investigating a biochemical company, he meets a woman who’s sweeter than any candy. Maybe she’s just the thing to make him feel complete.
She’s ready for the future
Noelle LaVigne has faced plenty of tragedy in her life, but she’s on the right path now. Between her new job and settling into a new city, she’s got no time for dating or relationships. She’s worked hard to get where she is, and no man is going to push her off track. Except the minute Hutch crosses her path she can’t seem to think about anything but the handsome security expert. He’s there to find a corporate spy, but late-night work sessions make her think they’ve both found something much more meaningful.
A twist they never saw coming
When the case becomes dangerous, both of their futures are on the line. And when the bullets start flying, they will have to learn to trust in each other if they hope to survive.
•••••••
REVIEW:SUBMISSION IMPOSSIBLE is the first instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: RELOADED erotic, BDSM, romantic suspense series-a spin off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten, which in turn is a spin off from the original Masters and Mercenaries. This is Greg ‘Hutch’ Hutchins, and scientist Noelle LaVigne’s story line. SUBMISSION IMPOSSIBLE can be read as a stand alone, you do not have to have read the previous series to follow or understand. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s LAWLESS series.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there are some scenes of bondage and discipline, domination and submission including spanking and rope play.
Told from third person perspective SUBMISSION IMPOSSIBLE follows Greg ‘Hutch’ Hutchins, as a member of the McKay-Taggart security force, tasked with the protection of scientist Noelle LaVigne in the wake of a suspicious death of a fellow researcher at Genedyne Labs. Along with fellow security specialist Kyle Hawthorne, Hutch goes undercover as Noelle’s boyfriend, in an effort to stay closer to the woman with whom he will fall in love but all is not well at the Genedyne Labs, when our heroine is targeted for her work, and the people hired to protect her come under scrutiny from the man in charge. What ensues is the building but contemptuous relationship between Noelle and Hutch as our couple navigate a minefield of corporate espionage, secrets, lies and attacks against Noelle, Hutch and Kyle Hawthorne.
Greg Hutchins struggles with what was and what will never be but our hero knows that Noelle is the woman that calls to his heart, and the submissive to his Dominant side but protecting Noelle becomes increasingly difficult as she refuses to believe she is a potential target at Genedyne Labs. There is more than one team investigating the who, what and why at Genedyne Labs, and our heroine will be caught in the middle of a fight for control.
The relationship between Hutch and Noelle begins acrimoniously as Hutch refuses to ‘babysit’ a spoiled scientist, and our heroine refuses to accept protection from the man with whom she will fall in love. Pretending to be in a committed relationship Hutch agrees to become Noelle’s Dominant when her introduction at Sanctum spirals out of control. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
Several of the characters including Big Tag and Charlotte (Masters and Mercenaries), Grace and Sean play secondary and supporting roles. We are introduced to IT specialist Mae Beatrice Vaughn aka MaeBe, security specialists Michael Malone and Kyle Hawthorne, Genedyne CEO Jessica Layne , Noelle’s father Armie LaVigne and his wife Lila, engineer Peter Moore, Dallas PD Chris Taylor, and Cara Dover.
SUBMISSION IMPOSSIBLE is a story of betrayal, power and control; corporate espionage; money, murder, relationships and love. The premise is engaging, intriguing and entertaining; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are animated, energetic and dynamic.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
It was the conclusion he’d come to. He would feel safer if she didn’t go back into that building again.
She shook her head. “I can’t. If I leave, I leave my research behind, and I’m close. If I prove my processes can work I’ll be able to hire on anywhere, and that would be remarkable at my age.”
Well, it was the answer he’d expected. “I want you to keep your eyes open and call me the minute you feel like anything’s weird. Trust your instincts.” He let out a breath and admitted the answer he’d come to. “I’m going to let Kyle go in with you tomorrow.”
“Good, because I have it on the highest authority he was going to take that job anyway.”
It was good to know he was in charge. He closed the screen of his laptop. He should go to bed and let her have some peace. She had to be at work early in the morning. He would lay on her couch and stare at the ceiling.
He was about to stand when Noelle beat him to it. “Hey, you didn’t get your prize.”
“Prize?”
“That’s kind of what you wanted, right? I’m supposed to give you something for opening up to me.”
“I wasn’t thinking about it as a prize, though I can see where you would.” He wanted to explore this thing between them, and having her talk to him or tell him something important about herself would do that. But he wasn’t going to push her. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
He was going to go slow. He was going to get to know her and ease into a friendship that could become something more. He had to be patient.
“I want to.” She crossed the space between them. “I want to give you this.”
She had another Red Vine in her hand. He’d wanted something personal from her. Something that would let him know this woman better. He got his own candy back. Story of his life. Still, he gave her what he hoped was a game smile and reached out. “Thanks.”
She pulled her hand back before he could take the candy. It wasn’t even a full one. It was the last little piece of what he’d given her.
“I want you to take it from me.” She licked her lips and put it in her mouth.
He was fully awake now, and about three thousand reasons this was a bad, bad idea went through his head.
It was too soon. She was sheltered and inexperienced. He was not. He had needs that would shock her. She’d literally said she didn’t do weird sex stuff. He did. A lot of weird sex stuff.
He should wait because she wasn’t doing this because she was in love with him. She was doing it because they had wild chemistry and she couldn’t help herself. He should be the senior partner and end this experiment of hers.
She settled on his lap. Suddenly every muscle in his body was tense and waiting to see if she was doing what he thought she was doing.
“Noelle?”
She lifted her face to his, offering that last bit of sugar, and he gave up the idea of waiting.
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.