ZERO HOUR (Wired and Dangerous #1) by Megan Erickson-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 30, 2018

Hacker extraordinaire Roarke Brennan lives each hour – each breath – to avenge his brother’s murder. His first move: put together a team of the best coders he knows. They’re all brilliant, specialized, and every one an epic pain in his ass. Only now Wren Lee wants in too, threatening to upset their delicate balance. The girl Roarke never allowed himself to want is all grown up with sexy confidence and a dark past … and she’s the wild card he can’t control.

Roarke might still think she’s a kid, but Wren’s been to hell and back. Nothing and nobody can stop her – especially the tatted-up, cocky-as-all-hell hacker. But when years of longing and chemistry collide, Wren and Roarke discover that revenge may be a dish best served blazing hot.

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REVIEW: ZERO HOUR is the first instalment in Megan Erickson’s contemporary, adult WIRED AND DANGEROUS romantic suspense series focusing on a group of computer hackers and coders. This is hacker Roarke Brennan and Wren Lee’s story line-a story line that introduces the players in a dangerous game of betrayal and revenge.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Roarke and Wren) ZERO HOUR follows Roarke Brennan as he gathers a team of expert computer hackers on his way to avenging his brother’s death. Two years earlier Flynn Brennan, hired by the Saltner Defense computer security software company, discovered a situation that would place the world’s computers at risk, and for it, found his life forfeited by the man in charge. Fast forward to present day wherein Roarke Brennan, along with his best friend Erick, and Erick’s sister Wren, set a plan into action to take down the CEO of Saltner Defense -Arden, and his son Darren Saltner. What ensues is the best friend’s little sister / friends to lovers romance between Roarke and Wren, and the fall out when their need for revenge doesn’t go according to plans.

Roarke Brennan has loved his best friend’s little sister for most of his life. Wren Lee was physically off limits but that didn’t stop Roarke from keeping electronic ties on the woman he vowed to protect the rest of his life. Wren Lee knows a thing or two about revenge, and Roarke’s plans are the perfect set up for our heroine to do a little digging of her own.

The relationship between Roarke and Wren is one of palpable sexual attraction but an attraction that is tempered by the best friend’s little sister scenario-a scenario Roarke is quickly willing to push aside the longer Wren is back in his life. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Roarke’s crew of computer hackers and coders: Dade Kelly; former army sharpshooter Jamison ‘Jock,’ Bosh, Marisol Rosa; and Wren’s brother, Roarke’s childhood best friend Erick Lee; dance club proprietor Darren Saltner and his father, Arden Saltner, the CEO of Saltner Defense.

ZERO HOUR focuses on the need for revenge; on the betrayal brought about by a software firm willing to sell out to the highest bidder. There is a little bit of action and suspense; romance and love; vengeance and retribution. The premise is intriguing and entertaining; the romance involves the push and pull of yes and no, maybe or maybe not; the characters are eclectic and colorful. ZERO HOUR does not end on a cliff-anger but on a HEA for now when bigger players in the game warn the crew about furthering their need for revenge.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy