Part 5 of 8: an explosive new installment in the thrilling FBI serial from New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy and Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch.
The hunter becomes the hunted
With just seconds to spare, Special Agent Lara Grant and the team manage to rescue a hostage. Victory! Thanks to this eyewitness, they now know the killer’s name, and might even have a lead on his next target. But not even the FBI’s best can protect everyone from the deadliest, and most dedicated, criminal. And when the entire CMU comes under attack, it’ll take a desperate act to keep the team together. Lara puts her own secrets—and her own life—on the line in an attempt to lure the bomber out of hiding and into the open…once and for all.
Finally, the CMU and Special Agent Lara Grant has a break in the case against the bomber named Whisperer. They not only have saved a life with only seconds to spare, but they have a name, they have an address, they have viable clues, they have a direction where to take the case, and they finally feel like they are one step ahead of the culprit. And that's when the team mentality breaks down.
In part five the case moves forward with a fast pace, and the information the team has in their hands stretches them even thinner than before as they are confirming the clues. Nick and Lara's already complicated relationship comes to an edge, as Lara's inability and willingness to work as a member of the team comes apparent. The completely different styles and approaches to work seem to pull them farther apart instead of enforcing them to work closer as partners. The raw underbelly of the team is showing, and liaison with the team dwindle. Lara's stubborn nature and temper are starting to show clearly, and are frustrating. The characters of the CMU team are showing a more vulnerable side of them in part five, with both the positive and the negative side of the human nature. The scenes are changing fast, the case is moving forward until it takes a move into a direction that can be the end of the team, thanks to Lara losing her temper. I have to give it to these four authors, the seamless work they have done with this serial novel is rather amazing. I have read books by all the four authors before and I can hear the distinct voice and style of each author as they each tell their part of the tale, yet the difference is barely there, like I previously said, more like looking at the same view with a step to another direction or with another focus on mind. The way the story is built forms a habit, a nearly an addiction, to get to know more, to find out not only about the case, but about the destinies and faith of the members of the team. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
0 Comments
He lost her once. He won't lose her again.
Despite an illustrious career as a top hostage negotiator, Joe Matarazzo is haunted by the past. It was a year ago that three innocent lives were lost under his watch. But Joe isn't the only one who remembers that day. When Joe's exes begin to fall victim to a violent stalker, Joe seeks the help of Laura Birchwood—a lawyer and the woman he once loved. Despite old wounds, Laura agrees to help Joe find out who's framing him. And while they expect to be met with danger, they're unprepared for passion that still burns strong, and their determination to give what was between them a second chance.
With the lethal culprit chasing Joe's previous girlfriends, rekindling attempts with Laura, the one Joe Matarazzo still carried in his heart, could not have had the worse timing.
With distressing murders occurring, and Joe seeming like the offender, it is just logical he is suspended from the Omega Sector, only setting him off on a quest of his own with no backup to protect him. The story takes off with an enthralling action, filled with grim conflicts both mental and physical. Joe has to face his feelings of not belonging and not being part of the team. His reluctance of trusting and opening up are hindering the investigation, putting him and Laura even direr plight. The billionaire playboy heroes not being my favorite type of characters, Joe Matarazzo had a lot of work ahead of him to win me over, especially when taking into consideration how he treated Laura in the past. The issues of judging others by appearances, and tearing apart in the media when not filling the expectations, and surrendering to these opinions are hurtful and can make damage in anyone's mind. Laura's heart was more forgiving than mine, I felt his reason for the past break up were never rightly justified. But the fire between them was burning like it never was blown away. Joe obviously had done some maturing and was willing to do the work to win not only Laura's heart again, but her trust as well. With the more intimate type of crimes to be solved than national crises the Omega Sector works behind the scenes vigorously trying to clear Joe's name and keep Laura alive, yet there's still much more dangerous and deadly situations to be dealt with, mortal malice to be faced. When the case takes off, and the action starts, the tension builds up, the dread becomes real and the story enticing, then the book was hard put down and the interest to find out will they survive the savage, held until the end. With charming, sharp, and smart characters fighting for the world of justice alluring the reader into the vicious world of senseless crimes, committed by disturbingly obsessed minds, and holding there with the hair-raising and heart-stopping battles for life or death, the author gives one wildly entertaining, terror filled thrill ride when not enamoring with desirous romance ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
BUY LINKS
Man of Action
Omega Sector: Critical Response #4 By: Janie Crouch Releasing June 21, 2016 Print July 1, 2016 Ebook Harlequin Intrigue
He was a man of action—especially when it came to protecting his new undercover partner…
At nineteen, Andrea Gordon's life was forever changed. After proving herself instrumental in a bank hostage crisis, she became one of Omega Sector's top agents. Four years later, her skill at reading people is unrivaled—until she meets fellow profiler Brandon Han. Paired together to track a serial killer who has been targeting at-risk women, the two become entangled beyond the case. Their mutual attraction deepens as they get closer to the truth. But when Andrea's own sordid past surfaces, they will both be forced to question everything about the assignment…and each other.
Amazing, psychological thriller, that not only shows the darker side of human beings, but what light and joy, balance, can be found in a loving, accepting relationship.
With this story, Janie Crouch shows again her diversity as an author. The suspense is as intense as always, but the source of the tension comes from the psychological aspects, the fear and threat of the serial killer, the escaped, dangerous prisoner, the burden of old memories, past that keeps showing up, the fear of acceptance when secrets are revealed, the strain is palpable, the pressure is constant. The images painted by the author are sharp and telling, memorable, and alerting. The attitude of the community towards the killings, so saddening, brutal, but lifelike, that the girls didn't matter, because who they were, gave me one of the most somber moments in the tale. I love the characters in the story, all of them, even the secondary cast, are complex, deep, and have layers to them. Layers, that are revealed like peeling an onion, keeping the intensity high, the secrets revealed shocking. Andrea's past, everything she had to overcome, what she had made out of her life, you can't help but admire and adore her spunk, determination, desire to survive, and excel. Brandon can come off as a heel, his attitude isn't always the best, his preconceived assumptions frustrating, but he does admit his own shortcomings, takes ownership in his attitude, and grows in understanding of Andrea, and others with similar situations. There are so many moments between Andrea and Brandon, that took my breath away. Them, face to face communicating, is vivid, energetic, even fierce, making me wait in aspiration of the outcome. The budding relationship is fragile, the feelings are raw, the pain of rejection is real, but the joy, tenderness, and support, protectiveness, all come to the stage, giving redemption. The fact that they are both professionals in human behavior, and how they could use the skills, not only in the case at hand, but with dealing with people around them, with each other, gave another dimension to the tale. "This is some seriously dark stuff, pretty amazing story" - were my initial thoughts as I finish the book, on one reading. The Omega Series has blown my mind, book after book. They are easily read as stand alone stories, this especially, but I wouldn't miss any of them, if you are a romantic suspense fan, or enjoy a story with developed characters, intense situations, and life threatening danger. ~ Five Spoons
This whole thing was a terrible idea. Going back to Buckeye? Terrible. Going back with the likes of Brandon Han? Even worse. The plane hit some turbulence at thirty-five thousand feet, as if nodding in agreement with Andrea’s conclusion.
Brandon didn’t want to work with her on the case. He’d made that abundantly clear in Steve’s office. She wanted to assume it was her fault, that he knew about her shortcomings and lack of education as an Omega consultant, but forced herself to stop. He’d mentioned liking to work alone. She could understand that, too. Andrea liked working alone, but for different reasons. Brandon’s irritation had been pretty tangible when she’d sat down next to him at the airport. It had just grown as they waited for their flight, first when she’d mentioned him being complicated, then when they were both looking through the case files. By the time they got on the plane, about an hour after their scheduled departure time, Brandon was hardly even talking to her. He was mad—she had no idea why—and she was awkward—as usual around someone she was so attracted to. Good times. Andrea tried to pretend she was reading the files when he handed them to her, but she wasn’t. She knew better than to even try. Her dyslexia made reading simple books difficult, although she had learned some exercises to help with that. But reading handwritten notes and case files often written in different fonts and sizes—that pretty much just led to a headache and frustration. She’d had an extra hour at her apartment so she’d used the special software on her computer to scan a few pages so they could be converted into audio clips. She’d found that listening worked much better for her than trying to read. Unfortunately she hadn’t had enough time to scan all the files as she normally would. Listening to the files on audio clips had just made Brandon more irritated. Andrea had no idea what to do about that, so she ignored it. She would listen to the clips she had, then spend this evening—all night if she had to—reading through the files in her room, when she was alone and it was quiet. She refused to go into that meeting with the local police tomorrow unprepared. She didn’t want to go back there at all. If it wasn’t for Steve asking her to go, Andrea wouldn’t have done it, serial killer or not. Maybe they wouldn’t run into anyone she knew. Or maybe the people in Buckeye wouldn’t recognize her. She’d gone to great lengths to look nothing like the girl who had worked at Jaguar’s. Her blond hair was shorter, cut in a flattering bob; her makeup was tasteful. She’d learned how to dress and present herself in a professional manner. She doubted her own aunt and uncle would recognize her. Not that she planned to drop in on them. She hadn’t seen them since the last time her uncle, in a drunken stupor again, had awakened her with a backhand that had sent her sprawling from her bed to the floor when she was seventeen. Another punch had sent her hurling into a glass table. She’d gotten away from him and hidden that night, wrapping her cut arm in a T-shirt. The next morning she’d told her aunt, who’d looked the other way again during all the commotion, that she was going to school. Andrea hadn’t gone to school. And she hadn’t gone back home. Ever again. She hadn’t gone far, just to the other side of the town she’d only ever known as home, but they hadn’t come looking for her. Had probably been relieved that she’d left. So yeah, no joyous homecoming in Buckeye.
Nominated for the 2014 & 2015 Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, and a finalist in multiple other Romance literary awards, Janie Crouch loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She cut her teeth on Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult.
Janie recently relocated with her husband and four children to Germany (due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. She teaches online communication classes for an American college part time, and writes full time. Most of all, she loves to laugh and smile and count her blessings. And her blessings are many. Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
One secret can change everything
It's been eight years since Liam Goetz has seen his ex-fiancé. Vanessa Epperson had everything: beauty, brains…and a family fortune. He chose her, while she chose a life of luxury and never imagined their paths would cross again. An unexpected phone call from Vanessa—desperate for his help in a human trafficking case—ressurects old longings. As they work together to save hostages and catch a predator, Liam begins to learn some shocking truths—about himself and the woman he thought he once knew so well…
From the start of the story, my heart and mind was brought about, and involved in the story. This tale goes deeper into the dark emotions of sorrow and loss, it squeezed my heart with inhumane treatment of the children, the victims of the human trafficking, and soared with joy for the second chance romance, and the new beginnings.
The story is well crafted, so the suspense, action, and development of the romance, all are intertwined into each other, giving the story a fast paced, enjoyable rhythm, that is hard to put down. Liam, the cheerful flirt from the Omega Sector, who for years had flirted and played the field, 'fake it till you make it' style. He had pretended the part for so long 'he nearly believed the press release of his own actions himself' was for me, one of the key moments, giving more insights to him, and his player persona. There obviously was more to him than meets the assumed behavior. And as soon as he met Vanessa, he proves himself. He is caring, protective, tender, and understanding. He is willing to do anything to her and the girls safe, and survive the impending threat. The events from the past has shaped Vanessa's life more than expected. The loss, the heartache from eight years ago, are still present, still burning. With help of Liam, she is able to build a bridge to the past, rectify her relationship with her parents, and move on. To see and understand all the nuances of the developing characters, events and relationships, I hung on to every word. The danger, the constant fear, the uncertainty of the immediate future, kept my mind on the edge. The jubilee of the new chances in life, love, passion, and future, brought joy and delight to my heart. The team work of the Omega Sector is commendable, and the loyalty to each other admirable. The story brings forward the constant threat of human trafficking in our world suffers from, too often forgotten and overlooked. And brings forward the message of redemption, the possibility of forgiveness, and the chance for new beginnings and brighter future, while underling the importance of communication, honesty, and willingness to fight for what you want in life ~ Five Spoons
The Texas heat did nothing to stop an elusive criminal
Omega Sector: Critical Response agent Jon Hatton is running out of options. If he doesn't get a decent lead soon, a serial rapist will strike again. His best chances lie with the intuitive skills of forensic artist Sherry Mitchell, a beautiful woman struggling with PTSD. In exchange for her help, Jon teaches Sherry to manage her symptoms, and soon they are unable to resist their Texas-hot attraction. With Jon as her lifeline, Sherry uncovers clues that prompt a frightening message from the attacker. Jon knows Sherry's determined to help catch this criminal, but keeping her safe is his top priority. Followed by making her his bride.
I read the whole book at once, and didn't even figure out that time flew by. I inhaled it in. So much so, that I took a second look at it after a while.
I am in awe a bit here, mainly because it is so different from the author's previous books, and really showing how versatile she is with her writing. There's humor mixed with intense situations, and suspense, but it is a different kind of atmosphere we have here completely. The humor is subtle, the situation the law enforcement is facing is one of the worst you can think of, women are being raped by such a clever monster, that there's no evidence left behind. Creepy. Sherry, is burned out, because of all the pain, evil, and horror, she had had to endure in her line of work. It gave the story a certain dark feeling from the get go, and the story itself just built upon it. The frustration and devastation Jon is feeling with each new victim is palpable. The co-operation with the police is not going smoothly, hindering his work somewhat, and taking too much unnecessary energy from him. It was so easy to set myself into the story, to see the scenes unfolding in front of me. Even though the evidence is minimal, next to nothing, the constant presence of the evil, lurking just around the corner is evident, giving the story an eerie feeling, knowing the menace is close by, and escalating in his behavior. The first kiss between Sherry and Jon, was just another level of hotness. I loved those two together, how they are with each other. So brutally honest, and real, while at the same time fun, and yet so incredibly sweet, affectionate, and tender. They are supportive, caring towards each other, and how Jon offers to be her lifeline while she is working, just melted me inside. So many swoon worthy moments between those two, Jon just turned out to be the perfect man, for Sherry. And also the perfect man to keep the Texas town calm, while facing the string of brutal crimes. There were so many times I wanted to stand up and cheer for Jon's patience, and calm while dealing with difficult situations, like the perpetual childishness at the police department. There's more suspense in the story, than actual action. I for one, am thankful for that, considering it is a rape case we are dealing here with. I didn't miss the action, the investigation was intriguing, the lack of clues frustrating, and the reality of solving the case with so little to go on, fascinating. And the curve ball at the end, just took me by surprise. Yes, I loved it. Simple as that. ~ Five Spoons Books & Spoons Review & Excerpt with Tasty Book Tours SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR by Janie Crouch5/1/2016
Special Forces Savior
Omega Sector: Critical Response #1 By: Janie Crouch Releasing January 1, 2016 Harlequin Intrigue
He has to shut down the terrorists or lose everything. Including the woman who's become a target.
Omega Sector: Critical Response agent Derek Waterman is hunting the architects of a lethal terrorist bombing. After weeks of chasing cold leads, he has finally found the evidence that could expose the perpetrators. But in order to take them down, he needs help from Dr. Molly Humphries, Omega's lead forensic scientist. Shy Molly works to retrieve the data--and overcome her debilitating crush on the sexy agent. Derek carefully suppresses his mutual smoldering attraction, sure that his dark past will drive Molly away if she knows. But when Molly is kidnapped, he will stop at nothing to save her. Even if a lethal enemy will do everything to keep him from doing so.
Pinned down behind his car with someone shooting at him from across the street was not how Omega Sector agent Derek Waterman had planned to spend his afternoon. He wasn’t exactly sure how he had planned to spend his afternoon, but this was definitely not it.
Derek slid closer to the ground as a bullet whizzed past his head and shattered the concrete behind him. Whoa. Too close. The saving grace in this situation was at least the entire block was empty of any innocent bystanders. No upstanding citizen had much reason to be in this section of West Philly. The less upstanding citizens had exited when Derek and his team had shown up, obviously law enforcement, and the shooting had started. “Uh, what exactly was the intel you got on this place again, Derek?” Jon Hatton asked from where he was also pinned down a few feet away. Although highly trained in weapons and combat as all Omega Sector's Critical Response agents were, Jon was primarily a behavior analyst in the Crisis Management Unit. “What’s the matter? You having problems remembering how to use your weapon, Jon? Too much analyzing, not enough action in your life?” Liam Goetz, the other team member, smacked his gum and grinned. As a member of Omega’s Hostage Rescue team, no one ever asked Liam if he remembered how to use a weapon. Liam had pretty much been born with one in his hand. “I’m just asking to see if there is any sort of plan here besides hide behind the car until the bad guys run out of ammo,” Jon responded. “Which, at the rate they’re shooting, should be sometime next week.” True, the number of shots being fired at them seemed to be dwindling. The people in the building obviously weren’t trying to kill Derek and his team, just keep them pinned. But damned if this entire situation wasn’t starting to piss Derek off. The empty apartment building across the street gave the enemy the tactical advantage. That advantage wasn’t something Derek, as the lead tactical team specialist of Omega's SWAT generally gave up. But the intel they’d received on this location had required an immediate response. Time for tactical analysis hadn’t been available. Thus, the taking cover behind their SUV as the bullets flew by their heads. Derek had moved in on this location so quickly because it had been the first substantial lead pertaining to a terrorist attack on Chicago two weeks earlier. A bombing that had killed or injured over five hundred people. None of the leads Omega had followed up on until now—and there had been hundreds of them—had provided any useful intel. Each location had been totally cold. Another bullet flew by. This location definitely wasn’t cold. “All right, to hell with this.” Derek looked over at Liam, “Jon and I will lay down cover-fire. You head around to the back of the building.” Liam was grinning like an idiot. He loved this sort of thing, danger be damned. “Now you’re talking.” Derek nodded. “Remember, we need them alive, if at all possible.” “Hey, it’s me!” Liam actually winked at them. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Derek rolled his eyes and heard Jon groan under his breath as Liam made his way down the line of abandoned cars parked on the street. Still using their SUV for as much cover as possible, Derek and Jon began firing their weapons toward the abandoned building, hoping to draw any return-fire back at them and away from Liam. But there were no shots at all coming at them from the house. Derek looked over at Jon. “Again.” Using the hood to brace his arm, Derek fired three shots at the house while Jon did the same from the rear of the vehicle. Still no return fire. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Liam make it across the street at the side of the building. No shots were fired at him either. The bad guys weren’t in the building anymore; they must be on the run. Whoever had been shooting at them just a few moments ago was Omega’s best lead in Chicago’s terrorist attack. They were the only lead. And now they were about to get away. “Move in, but be careful,” Derek said to Jon as they made their way forward, weapons still raised. Derek was reaching for the knob of the door, Jon covering him from a cross angle when they heard a rapid burst of gunfire from the back of the building where Liam had been heading. Both men backed out of the doorway and sprinted around the building without a word. Each of them knew that getting inside was secondary to helping Liam if he was under fire. As they rounded the building, Derek was relieved to see Liam unharmed, chasing a suspect farther down the road behind the apartment building. Derek and Jon continued running to catch up with them. Helping capture a known suspect was better than sticking around for what may or may not be in the house. “Stay with them,” Derek told Jon, then made a sharp turn. He would run down a parallel side street and try to cut off the runner. He forced more speed out of his legs. As he made a sharp turn around the next group of buildings, Derek saw the perp slowing down with Liam only a few yards behind him, Jon just beyond that. It was obvious Liam was going to catch the guy at any moment, and the perp knew it, too. He fired his weapon at the Omega agents behind his back in some haphazard fashion without even stopping his run, but the bullets didn’t come anywhere near either of them. Derek turned again and began running toward them. “Stop!” he called out to the man, and saw distress wash over his face. The man stopped running altogether, sliding to an awkward stop. “You’re under arrest,” Derek continued between breaths. “Place the gun on the ground and put your hands on your head.” The man turned around, frantically looking for another way out, but didn’t put his gun down. All the Omega agents gripped their weapons tighter. Nobody wanted to shoot this suspect, he was too important. But they would if necessary. Especially if he turned his weapon on them rather than where it currently lay in his hand pointing at the ground. “Put your weapon down,” Derek repeated. He nodded toward the ground with his forehead, as the man turned back in his direction. “Do you understand? All we want to do is ask you some questions.” That wasn’t entirely true, but Derek just wanted to get the man’s gun out of his hand. The man nodded and Derek eased his finger off the trigger just the slightest bit. But then, almost as if it was in slow motion, and before any of them could react, the guy brought his gun up to his own temple and fired. He crumpled to the ground, dead instantly. Derek’s curse was vile. Jon rushed up to the man and crouched down to take his pulse at the wrist, but Derek knew it was too late. Their best lead—their only lead—had just blown his brains out rather than be taken into custody. Review:
The story is addictive, and hard to put down once started. I got totally lost in it, I was there, with them, facing the danger, and fighting for their lives.
I love the characters, they are attractive and charming, yet realistic, original, likable, and relatable. They personalities comes across clearly, the teamwork, unity, camaraderie, is so appealing. I mean, who hasn't floundered like Molly does around Derek, a time or two? And the theatrics Jon and Liam does just make me laugh out loud. The action, danger and threat are constant. And it sneaks up on you, just when you think the characters are safe, something happens, and like a tsunami wave, it takes over, and your heartbeat fasten. And it keeps happening, again and again, amazing how the tension, intensity is kept up through the story, never a dull moment. Derek is so hot! He comes across as a man with a heart of gold, but with dark shadows in his soul because of the work he has done in the past. The guilt that rides him, does not allow his darkness mixed with the light he sees in Molly. But as he finally lets the shadow's of the past go, and surrenders himself to Molly, and her love, he turns into a caring, loving, tender man, with a strong sense of right and wrong, protective streak of an army of alpha males, and fantasies of his desires towards Molly, that a book-girl can only dream of. Molly's attraction to Derek, and the awkward moments they have in the lab because of it, are a legend in the Omega. But as Molly is put through the wringer, and her life has been in danger, she finds a new kind of inner strength, her spunk and sass is a delight, and her stubbornness a joy. They have so many moments together that made me sigh, and when Derek calls her his light, his everything.... *swoon* Their past is brought into the story as remembering, while captured, as Molly's happy and safe place to go while in danger, I really liked how it was done, and gave more depth to the relationship developing between them. I adore this story, and hanged on every word. The flow, the tension, intensity, the romance, the jesting between the team members, are all trademarks of the writing of Janie Crouch, and she does it well, book after book, with a fresh and original voice. I love how the scene is set up for the series to come, and the characters, team members introduced, I'm looking forward to the series to come, this will be a thrilling series. Another home run for the author ~ Five Spoons
Janie Crouch loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She cut her teeth on Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell.
Janie recently relocated with her husband and four children to Germany (due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014. Most of all, she loves to laugh and smile and count her blessings. And her blessings are many. Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Agent Seth Harrington has been sent undercover to discover who is behind the sale of research secrets to enemies of the United States. The problem?
He's undercover as a college campus janitor, not exactly a glamorous role. But it's perfect. He's able to monitor the situation easily since everyone ignores him. Everyone except Rachel Branson. She's not a suspect, particularly since she's the cousin of Omega's most renown siblings. But Seth can't get the shy romantic literature professor out of his head. When the criminals decide to put Rachel in the center of the danger, Seth knows he'll do anything to solve the case. And risk everything to ensure the safety of the woman who has found her way into his heart.
Undercover assignment, dangerous situations, close combat, and one tempting book-girl caught in between the chaos.
Seth, whom the readers were introduced in Primal Instinct, has moved to DC, and is working for Omega Sector on an undercover assignment with the Branson siblings. Everything has been going well, if not a bit boring, for the past two months, but now the action is picking up, things are starting to happen, the only bad thing about it - Rachel Branson, the girl Seth can't take his eyes off, is in the middle of it all. I love the connection between Seth and Rachel, it is so electrified every time they come to close to each other, you can practically see the sparks. Rachel is a book-girl, planning a script how to ask Seth out, and that is just too adorable. When they finally do get together, there are some seriously swoon worthy moments between them, like a scorching scene in front of a fridge... The danger is lurking around every corner in the story. At first coming in small doses, but constantly increasing, until soon it is a matter of a life and death. There's a lot of story packed into the novella, and the plot is complete and satisfying. The way all the previous books by the author are braided together in this story is brilliant (even though the story is a stand alone novella). The characters are developed, and have deeper, even surprising, layers into them, and they are likable and easy to relate to. I enjoyed every moment of the story, and was so happy to see Seth finally getting his HEA! You really don't want to miss this book! ~ Five Spoons!
Janie Crouch is an author for Harlequin Intrigue. Her debut novel PRIMAL INSTINCT was nominated for a 2014 Reviewer's Choice Award by RT (Romantic Times) Magazine. Her Omega Sector series is available now!
Janie loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She learned to love Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell. Janie recently relocated with her hubby and four kids to Germany (due to her husband's job for support of the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014. Most of all she loves to laugh and joke and count her blessings. And they are many. Author links: Goodreads I Amazon I Facebook I Twitter I Webpage I Store I
He'd been hired to transport precious cargo--and it put a beautiful twist in his solitary life
Former operative turned pilot Dylan Branson has one mission: deliver vital codes to Omega Sector before millions of lives are lost. Surprisingly, the codes reside in the photographic memory of Shelby Keelan, a beautiful computer expert who's so far survived two murder attempts. Used to doing things solo, Dylan will get Shelby to Washington, DC, then walk away. So he's stunned to discover she's as much a loner as he is--and how much that appeals to him. Now, with both their lives in danger after his plane is sabotaged midair, Dylan no longer thinks of Shelby as just a job. Or that he'll be able to let her go once it's over.
I love this series! And I have to admit, Dylan and Shelby just got to me, they are characters that are easy, for me, to relate to. Shelby has some quirks that made me smile with understanding, the need to be alone, needing your space, being too direct and not a fan of chit-chat, and loving numbers, having sass... She is amazing!
Dylan is a bit of a grouch, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, protecting himself from getting close to people, since his wife and unborn baby died. But he does redeem himself in the story, and there are several swoon worthy moments, that just made me sigh. Dylan's better qualities comes through loud and clear as well, his loyalty, protectiveness, caring, and wanting to fix things for other. The other Branson siblings from the previous stories also play a part in this book, and Sawyer & Megan have a moment that just melted my heart. This book is easy to be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend also the previous books in the series. The story has a flow that caught me from the start, and certainly kept it till the end. The build up in the tale is smooth, from the moment Dylan and Shelby meet, the connection is there, the chemistry is in place, and they just click, feel comfortable, at home, within each other's company. Then the suspenseful tension takes a hold of the story and keeps building up, as Dylan and Shelby found themselves again and again in life and death situations on their way to DC, and end up at the mercy of the wilderness. All the events, and murder attempts, prove, that Omega Sector does have a mole, and he is most likely high up in the hierarchy. It takes all the Branson siblings, with the help of Megan and Shelby, to risk their lives while fighting against the horrid terror attack about to happen. I was swept away by this story, both times I read it. It has fast action, slowly building terror, fascinating and charming characters, and some of the best romantic scenes, that even with the second reading left me in tears! ~ Five Spoons!
Janie Crouch is an author for Harlequin Intrigue. Her debut novel PRIMAL INSTINCT was nominated for a 2014 Reviewer's Choice Award by RT (Romantic Times) Magazine. Her Omega Sector series is available now!
Janie loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She learned to love Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell. Janie recently relocated with her hubby and four kids to Germany (due to her husband's job for support of the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014. Most of all she loves to laugh and joke and count her blessings. And they are many. Author links: Goodreads I Amazon I Facebook I Twitter I Webpage I Store I
Posing as a married couple to save the world was easy compared to the very real feelings between them...
As Bob and Lisa Sinclair, Omega Sector agents Evan Karcz and Juliet Branson were a formidable couple--until a brutal attack left Juliet traumatized. But with a powerful crime boss selling military secrets, the safety of millions depends on the undercover operatives. It's up to Evan to rehabilitate Juliet...and not fail her as he did on the mission that still haunts him. Evan's strategy is to be near Juliet night and day to practice posing as a loving couple. But soon he realizes there's a sizzling passion between them. And it's being threatened by forces stronger than they ever realized. With a killer stalking Lisa Sinclair, her "husband" knows he'd risk his cover--and his life--to protect her. Review:
Vivid and intense action mixed with red-hot romance, that left me breathless and there might have been some tears.
I could sense the darkness and despair of Juliet, the emotions shadowing and tormenting her, after the past opp ending terribly. The self-doubt, angst, and fear constantly present with her. Evan's guilt and regret are palpable, with the feelings of failure, and responsibility of the attack towards Juliet. It doesn't take long, when the new operation starts, that the intensity and danger of the work Omega Sector does, step in. The action is thrilling, the threats to their lives real, and the risk of exposure constant. Not only do they have to deal with the dangerous opp at hand, but the monsters of Juliet's past were taunting her with threatening emails, bringing even more jeopardy to the already tense situation. The unity, support, teamwork and protectiveness of the family is a delight. I loved visiting with the siblings from the previous books in the series. The connection between Evan and Juliet is beautiful, tender, and fragile. The trust, devotion, kindness and care are adorable, the zeal and fervor of their passion unmistakable. I loved to see the development in Juliet, as she leaves the nightmares of her past, and finds her inner agent again, one step at the time. The story has a beautifully crafted plot, where all the pieces of the puzzle fit into the place at the end, with elements that keeps the reader guessing. The tension in the story is built up brilliantly, and the attraction and passion between Evan and Juliet is constant smoldering fire, that burst into flames at the right moments. The images of the event are vividly painted, lively in the mind of a reader. The final climax of the story took my breath away, and yes, there were tears in my eyes. Can't wait for the next installment of the series, Dylan's story, thankfully out already next month. All the stories in the Omega Sector are easily read as stand alone novels, but I think you will get more out of the story, if you have read the previous ones. Untraceable is another home run from Janie Crouch, truly recommend for all romantic suspense fans ~ Five Spoons!! Meet the author:
Janie Crouch is an author for Harlequin Intrigue. Her debut novel PRIMAL INSTINCT was nominated for a 2014 Reviewer's Choice Award by RT (Romantic Times) Magazine. Her Omega Sector series is available now!
Janie loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She learned to love Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell. Janie recently relocated with her hubby and four kids to Germany (due to her husband's job for support of the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014. Most of all she loves to laugh and joke and count her blessings. And they are many. Author links: Goodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter Webpage Intensity of the power of ten, mixed with steamy, yet tender and sweet romance. The humorous, fun, charming Sawyer is easy to like. Megan is a bit shy and a mess in the social settings, as well as so smart, she is able to create something that could destroy the world as we know it. The way their attraction is described, slowly growing and intensifying, is alluring. Yes, there is hot passion, but mostly it is the tender caring that melts your heart, so sweet you can't help but smile. They are super adorable together. They make every moment together a swoon worthy, and when Megan says, after yet another attack on them 'I think I might be broken' my heart totally went for her, and the devastation and defeat she must be feeling. The suspense is intense, in a typical Crouch way. The evil plan of DS 13 and the possible help from someone in Omega, is coming to the light. Life threatening situation after another, the tension builds, it's tangible. I absolutely enjoy reading a story, where I feel I am right there in the scene, feeling what the characters are feeling, seeing what is happening, as the case is here. All the suspicion, deception, desperation, defeat, fear, and anxiety in the air kept the hold on me. Fantastic continues in the Omega Sector series where the war on terror continues, and the Branson siblings keep falling in love. Even though this story continues from where Infiltration, Omega #1 left, it is a stand alone novel. But the reader will get more out of the story, having that in the background. ~ Five spoons! The clock was ticking, the enemy was watching… At first it looked like a glorified babysitting job: safeguard a scientist while she created a countermeasure to neutralize a dangerous weapon that had fallen into the wrong hands. But when Dr. Megan Fuller's life was threatened, undercover agent Sawyer Branson knew the enemy was closing in. Sticking by Megan 24/7 wasn't something he took lightly, even if Megan didn't seem to appreciate his constant presence. For a man used to getting any woman he wanted, Megan was a challenge he was coming to enjoy. Because beneath her boxy lab coat and pinned-back hair lay a brilliant and beautiful warrior. And before long, Sawyer's determination to save the world was matched only by the sudden need to make Megan his.
Janie Crouch loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She cut her teeth on Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014. Most of all, she loves to laugh and smile. And she's tremendously thankful she has so much to laugh and smile about. website http://www.janiecrouch.com
twitter username janiecrouch https://www.facebook.com/janiecrouch She never expected to see her old flame again. Or be kidnapped by him. The wrong place at the wrong time; that's the only way Sophia Reardon could explain her predicament. She wasn't even an FBI field agent and now she was being taken hostage. By her ex-boyfriend Cameron Branson. The moment Sophia walked into his undercover operation, Cameron warned her that his employers would want to break her. So keeping her by his side, pretending not to have feelings for her, was the best way to maintain his role in the dangerous organization, and the only way to keep them both safe. Because if they got their hands on her, she could expose him and his secrets. And then they'd no longer have any reason to keep her around. Janie loves to read – almost exclusively romance – and has been doing so since middle school. She learned to love Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Her favorite authors include: Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Elizabeth Lowell. Janie lives with her husband and four children in Virginia. Her “day job” is teaching public speaking and communication at a community college. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. website http://www.janiecrouch.com twitter username janiecrouch https://www.facebook.com/janiecrouch From the page one Infiltrator pulled me into the dark, edgy, and dangerous undercover world. The author's storytelling gifts comes out in the captivating, additively smooth flow of the tale, with humorous and witty dialog bits, that makes you laugh out loud, when you least expect it.
The fierce, energetic action kept its hold on me. The encounters with the criminal group, DS-13, are sharp and intense.The kind of confrontations that has gut-wrenching effect, and makes you bite your nails off. The romance between Sofia and Cameron is at times so sweet and tender, while their attraction and passion for each other is distinct and scorching. So many swoon worthy moments in the story, that made me smile, and are just adorable! The Bronson siblings are entertaining and boisterous. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out, and read their stories. Smart, charming, and delightful characters, with the edge-of-your-seat action ~ Five spoons all the way! Our words are so powerful, they have the opportunity to build or destroy. Couple years ago, my college friend, Janie Crouch, mentioned on facebook, that she had written a book, but didn't dare to let anyone read it. You know, you have to face them after, and all that. I contacted Janie and said, sent it to me, I live a world away, and the chance you run into to me on a street is pretty much zero. As soon as I read Janie's book, I knew my friend had the talent. I wrote to her, and told her what I thought of the story. That very first book didn't sell to Harlequin, as she had hoped for. I kept telling her to keep going, try self publishing, if nothing else works. Janie didn't give up (that's just not her style!) and wrote another one. She let me read that one, too. And I fell in love, with the story, characters, the wit, the flow, the suspense -- the tale. I knew it was a pearl, and, well, started a bit pestering and lot of praying... This story just had to sell and be shared. And it did, and it is shared. Primal Instinct by Janie Crouch was published by Harlequin Intrigue on April 2014. More about it at below. When Janie sent me the hard copy of the book, and I saw the dedication, I admit I did ugly-cry for awhile. She had dedicated the book to her mother, and to me. What an honor, recognition, and celebration of our friendship and her success! Now Janie has sold a series of four books to Harlequin Intrigue, that will publish starting at the end of this year. You will hear more about them as time comes near publishing, but I can tell you now -- Janie has the talent, and the stories are tremendous. A killer stalks the city streets, and one FBI agent is determined to bring him down in Janie Crouch's Primal Instinct. On the crowded streets of San Francisco, a serial killer watches and waits. Known only as "Simon Says," he lures his next victim while the FBI grasps for answers. Desperate, they turn to Adrienne Jeffries. Adrienne has an uncanny talent for getting inside the city's most dangerous minds. But first she'll have to get past FBI agent Conner Perigo. Skeptical of Adrienne's abilities, Conner begrudgingly enlists her help…unprepared for the powerful attraction that could jeopardize their focus. With little time, and everything to lose, they must work to find Simon's next victim—before he does. The heart raising and nail biting suspense of the story keeps you guessing, with unexpected twists and turns. The spooky paranormal abilities of the heroine to sense and hear evil thoughts, while questioned and distrusted by the hero, shows spine-chilling accuracy in the cafe scene. The romance and attraction in the story is convincing and sweet. The characters are engaging and enjoyable, their chemistry obvious and charming. The author has a pleasant flow in the story, spiced up with witty, humorous, and entertaining dialog. Absolute pearl! Still available on Amazon. |