Many moons ago... well, I suppose there were a few moons, but really, many months ago, I was grocery shopping and was skim reading the books in the Woodman's collection. I was looking at a Julie Ann Walker's HELL FOR LEATHER and I essentially skim read that badboy, front to back. Well, I never skim read front to back, which you may have learned in my review of J.B. Salsbury's FIGHTING THE FALL (not that I skimmed that book. I just read that book in all sorts'a orders, because I was on a severe need to know for that one) -- I read the last four paragraphs, then the entire epilogue, sometimes I then read the last few paragraphs of the last chapter and the epilogue again, read the first chapter, thumb to the middle and read a little bit there...
...don't ask me why, it's something I've always done. I will always read a book (I'm interested in) completely, but I like to take tastes from here and there.
However, while I read HELL FOR LEATHER front, back, middle, and all over, I ended up buying Maya's AFTER THE STORM. Now, my problem with those Kelly boys is I have to own a paperback copy of the books. It doesn't matter that I'd owned AFTER THE STORM on my Nook since midnight-oh-one the day it came out. Didn't matter that I'd read the book numerous times. It simply mattered that I had enough money in my grocery budget for one book, and I'd put off the paperback purchase of AFTER THE STORM for three or so grocery trips. It was simply Donovan's turn to be bought...
...but I never did go back to pick up Delilah and Mac's book.
... ...and now that I've read FULL THROTTLE, I'm a bit sad I haven't made Ms. Walker one of my go-to-authors, because FULL THROTTLE is right up my alley. It fits right into the genre I absolutely, 100%-ly love to read.
... ... ...however, on the flipside, I have a bad feeling that had I picked up a paperback copy of HELL FOR LEATHER, BKI would be yet another series that I'd have to own in paperback in it's entirety. I can only afford so many books in more than one format...
Besides, there's no time like the present, so Julie Ann Walker... my sincerest apologies for not giving you a chance sooner. I'm kicking myself, as this is most certainly a series that I'll be salivating over while the next books are released.
Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker
Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca (12/2/2014)
Series: Black Knights Inc, book 7
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
She Needs a Hero...
Abby Thompson didn't sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she's content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father's policy of "not negotiating with terrorists" means she'll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there's one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he's the only man who can save her...
Black Knights, Inc. to the Rescue...
Carlos "Steady" Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he's tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved-who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he's got. Plus there's the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him... for the second time?
Carlos "Steady" Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he's tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved-who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he's got. Plus there's the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him... for the second time?
- - -
excerpt
So far, so good…
The hum of the Ducati was reassuring, as was Abby’s tightened grip around Steady’s waist. They were riding down the devil’s own washed--out, rutted, rock--filled hell of a rubber tree logging road, and for the first ten minutes of the harrowing journey, while she’d still been suffering the lingering effects of the sedative, it was just as difficult to keep her on the bike as it was to navigate the frackin’ jungle track.
But now they were clipping along at a steady, if decidedly slow, pace. No JI goons could be seen in his rearview mirrors—-though it was hard to tell exactly, given the fact that the forest encroached from both sides and above. And if his calculations were correct, a half hour or so more should see them entering the lovely kingdom of Thailand.
See, he wished he could call and tell Dan, sometimes it’s better to Lone Wolf McQuade things…
Abby squirmed against his back, interrupting his thoughts and alerting him to the feel of her supple thighs pressed against the outsides of his hips and legs. Which, in turn, immediately focused his attention on her soft breasts—-and distended nipples?—-grazing his back.
Okay, so who was he kidding? Like he hadn’t been keenly aware of each of those things since the first moment. Even while worming his way through the dense undergrowth of ferns and vines after escaping the encampment and hiking back to the Ducati, he’d been hard--pressed to concentrate on anything other than the feel of Abby squeezed all nice and tight against him. Abby’s soft skin touching his. Abby’s sweet smell—-even sweaty and bedraggled, she still emanated a soft cloud of dryer sheets and cocoa butter lotion—-filling his nose and making his head spin.
- - -
- - -
About the Author
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as "alpha, edgy, and downright hot." Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.
- - -
{ review } .
I always enjoy a story where the characters have history, and Abby and Steady? They have history.
Abby has been a little bit in love with Carlos since she was assigned to his sister at school, being her 'little sister' on campus. Carlos, too, has been a little bit in love with Abby, but she's too young for him, so he manages to keep it in his pants.
Abby has been a little bit in love with Carlos since she was assigned to his sister at school, being her 'little sister' on campus. Carlos, too, has been a little bit in love with Abby, but she's too young for him, so he manages to keep it in his pants.
She’s too young for you, he remembered the scolding tone in Rosa’s voice. And even if she isn’t, she’s too far out of your league. You think her father wants her dating a maldito bori when he’s got a national election to win?
He’d winced at the slur while at the same time knowing his sister was right.
Carlos and Abby have an easy relationship. They both are extremely good at hiding their attraction, of course, but their friendship is easy and comfortable. They bickered as kids and shoved at one another. One would nudge the other, the other would shove; then the back and forth 'stop/no you stop' would happen. It wasn't annoying... it just was and it was Carlos and Abby.
One of my favorite, ironic as it was, conversations between Carlos and Rosa in college was when Carlos told Rosa he'd never make a good mentor -- he had no patience for long-winded explanations. What's ironic about this?
Well, Abby talks a mile a minute. Carlos, though, has patience for her. He chuckles and interrupts some of her rants, knowing that they could go on and on for days, but he has patience for it because it's Abby.
The easiness, though... it was at least easy when they were younger: before the accident that took his sister and for all intents and purposes, took Abby from him too.
One of my favorite, ironic as it was, conversations between Carlos and Rosa in college was when Carlos told Rosa he'd never make a good mentor -- he had no patience for long-winded explanations. What's ironic about this?
Well, Abby talks a mile a minute. Carlos, though, has patience for her. He chuckles and interrupts some of her rants, knowing that they could go on and on for days, but he has patience for it because it's Abby.
The easiness, though... it was at least easy when they were younger: before the accident that took his sister and for all intents and purposes, took Abby from him too.
And any illusions he’d had that Abby didn’t care about such things {age gap} was stripped from him the day of Rosa’s funeral.
He’d gone to her thinking maybe she would be his hand to hold, his shoulder to cry on. He’d gone to her thinking they were friends… maybe more than friends, though she had still been far too young for him. He’d needed her so badly that day he’d been willing to ignore the gap in their ages, the impropriety of his making a move, because his remorse, his grief, his need to comfort and be comforted had outweighed anything else. But he’d been wrong to think she might consider him worthy of her affection. She’d made it obvious that Rosa, and Rosa’s position as her academic mentor, had been the only glue holding the three of them together.
Their lives are thrown apart.
But when Abby's father, the President of the United States, starts to receive threats, Abby gets a security detail. Granted, everyone, and I do mean everyone, thinks that the threat is to her sister.
And that security detail? Well it includes none other than her long-time crush, Carlos Soto. Even though Carlos is oblivious to it, Abby has had her father keeping eyes on him -- she can't be with him, but she feels immense guilt for Rosa's death and as such, is terrified of the decisions he's chosen and wants to be sure he, too, doesn't die. So while her father holds on to her secret, he still manages to put Carlos on her six.
Carlos can't help but feel the attraction to Abby. The years were certainly kind to her. And even though there were all those years in there, they pick up on their easy banter, the nudging, the stop/no you stops. And it's cute.
When they find out that the threat is against Abby... well, they learn that bit just a tad too late, and to read Carlos's frustration and fear... It's as if all the years that were lost just disappeared. All of their feelings were solid between them, and he was losing a vital piece of himself -- again.
Julie does a fantastic job of writing with just enough description. She doesn't cut anything too short, but she also doesn't describe things so much that it becomes a bore to the reader. One of my favorite examples of such descriptive writing is when Carlos digs in, literally, and stops the flow of a severed artery in Ozzie's leg.
But when Abby's father, the President of the United States, starts to receive threats, Abby gets a security detail. Granted, everyone, and I do mean everyone, thinks that the threat is to her sister.
And that security detail? Well it includes none other than her long-time crush, Carlos Soto. Even though Carlos is oblivious to it, Abby has had her father keeping eyes on him -- she can't be with him, but she feels immense guilt for Rosa's death and as such, is terrified of the decisions he's chosen and wants to be sure he, too, doesn't die. So while her father holds on to her secret, he still manages to put Carlos on her six.
Carlos can't help but feel the attraction to Abby. The years were certainly kind to her. And even though there were all those years in there, they pick up on their easy banter, the nudging, the stop/no you stops. And it's cute.
When they find out that the threat is against Abby... well, they learn that bit just a tad too late, and to read Carlos's frustration and fear... It's as if all the years that were lost just disappeared. All of their feelings were solid between them, and he was losing a vital piece of himself -- again.
Julie does a fantastic job of writing with just enough description. She doesn't cut anything too short, but she also doesn't describe things so much that it becomes a bore to the reader. One of my favorite examples of such descriptive writing is when Carlos digs in, literally, and stops the flow of a severed artery in Ozzie's leg.
...and while I'm not a side-story kind of person...
I also really enjoyed Penni and Dan's little bit in the book.
I also really enjoyed Penni and Dan's little bit in the book.
WIN!
No comments:
Post a Comment