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a_reader_obsessed's review
4.0
4.5 Stars
Wow. This went down super nice and easy, and I had quite the fantastic time!
It felt like Ms. Z looked into my psyche and produced a story just how I like it.
First off, any sort of military/black ops situation always floats my boat. When you cross it with a nerdy component whether it be a librarian or a professor or in this case, an expert in ancient artifacts, this was definitely a no brainer for me, and I dug in wholeheartedly.
What makes this a standout is that it read like a movie script. I could see the scenes, the actiony bits, the character development - all like I was watching it unfold on the big screen and it kept me rapt.
So yes, ex Green Beret Alex, has been hired to track down a priceless artifact with unknown but out of this world value. He’s paired up with disgraced museum curator Malcolm, who’s the only one that can reasonably identify if said artifact is truly the real McCoy. Reputations and notoriety are on the line and soon they both figure out, their very lives.
Easily Malcolm, who’s never seen a gun up close nor been in any sort of dangerous situation, could have oh so devolved into a simpering annoyance but didn’t ever act crazily over the top. He knew he was out of his element, and he was smart about it. In turn, Alex, though gruff and tough, wasn’t a total asshat that alpha types like him can be. He adapted quickly and wasn’t invincible. Though their attraction is immediate, being exact opposites never spurred Malcolm and Alex to hate each other on principle, and their progression took its time despite me always wanting to rush things to get to the good parts, but sometimes patience is a virtue, right?
Throw in some banter, some tense moments, a kick ass female adversary, an atrocious ex, and some very nice UST that the author always teases with plenty of yummy but never gives me quite enough. That’s not really a complaint because everything else more than made up for my desire for the dirty deets, and this never let my attention wane!
Though I haven’t read much from Ms. Z (which I hope to rectify soon) I’ve not come away disappointed yet. One thing I know for certain is that she’s left me wanting sequels galore again, and I can only hope for the best!
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review
Wow. This went down super nice and easy, and I had quite the fantastic time!
It felt like Ms. Z looked into my psyche and produced a story just how I like it.
First off, any sort of military/black ops situation always floats my boat. When you cross it with a nerdy component whether it be a librarian or a professor or in this case, an expert in ancient artifacts, this was definitely a no brainer for me, and I dug in wholeheartedly.
What makes this a standout is that it read like a movie script. I could see the scenes, the actiony bits, the character development - all like I was watching it unfold on the big screen and it kept me rapt.
So yes, ex Green Beret Alex, has been hired to track down a priceless artifact with unknown but out of this world value. He’s paired up with disgraced museum curator Malcolm, who’s the only one that can reasonably identify if said artifact is truly the real McCoy. Reputations and notoriety are on the line and soon they both figure out, their very lives.
Easily Malcolm, who’s never seen a gun up close nor been in any sort of dangerous situation, could have oh so devolved into a simpering annoyance but didn’t ever act crazily over the top. He knew he was out of his element, and he was smart about it. In turn, Alex, though gruff and tough, wasn’t a total asshat that alpha types like him can be. He adapted quickly and wasn’t invincible. Though their attraction is immediate, being exact opposites never spurred Malcolm and Alex to hate each other on principle, and their progression took its time despite me always wanting to rush things to get to the good parts, but sometimes patience is a virtue, right?
Throw in some banter, some tense moments, a kick ass female adversary, an atrocious ex, and some very nice UST that the author always teases with plenty of yummy but never gives me quite enough. That’s not really a complaint because everything else more than made up for my desire for the dirty deets, and this never let my attention wane!
Though I haven’t read much from Ms. Z (which I hope to rectify soon) I’ve not come away disappointed yet. One thing I know for certain is that she’s left me wanting sequels galore again, and I can only hope for the best!
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review
linda_1410's review
2.75
2.75 stars, rounded up.
This is a pretty standard "action flick" in book form. Think something akin to National Treasure. Don't expect much and you'll enjoy it.
The romance is slim though. There's no chemistry between the MCs, not even a slow burn.
This is a pretty standard "action flick" in book form. Think something akin to National Treasure. Don't expect much and you'll enjoy it.
The romance is slim though. There's no chemistry between the MCs, not even a slow burn.
suze_1624's review
4.0
A jolly good action adventure romp that I enjoyed.
Fast paced and read quickly, and I enjoyed it enough to ignore the few niggles about operation personnel, backup etc - if it all went well, then there would be no story.
The fishy villains were obvious at the start but worked to move the story on.
The romance as such, was more close proximity in the end but then anEnglish sojourn to cement it.
I was hoping it was a series as I was working out whose story was next!
Fast paced and read quickly, and I enjoyed it enough to ignore the few niggles about operation personnel, backup etc - if it all went well, then there would be no story.
The fishy villains were obvious at the start but worked to move the story on.
The romance as such, was more close proximity in the end but then anEnglish sojourn to cement it.
I was hoping it was a series as I was working out whose story was next!
shelbanuadh's review
2.0
I don't know that I would classify this as a romance story. It's like most action thrillers in the sense that while the hero has some mission they are on, they take a time out to bang the hot blonde... in this case hot blond... and then resume the mission. It isn't until 73% in that anything happens between Alex and Malcolm, and at that point it's just a make-out and frottage session. And then we get a paragraph long blowjob at the end. At least give us a good dose of UST before leading up the "the big bang" at the end.
And for a top tier company and a top tier operative, the whole mission read a little like amateur hour. Why not bring in more people while in England, instead of fumbling around tailing them to Africa and calling in favours left right and centre? And also, if you don't want an operative shooting people on missions, why would you choose someone who specializes in firearms? And for someone who specializes in firearms, you think he'd be able to make shots that are lethal.
And I'm never quite sure what to do when authors have dialogue in a foreign language. Are we expected to also know this language? Are we expected to translate it and hope that the translation is accurate? Are we supposed to gloss over it and dismiss it as irrelevant to the plot? But also, one line of dialogue certainly wasn't French, in the middle of a French exchange, and what Google translated it to certainly didn't make any sense.
I really liked the idea of this, it just wasn't executed in a way that looked for me.
And for a top tier company and a top tier operative, the whole mission read a little like amateur hour. Why not bring in more people while in England, instead of fumbling around tailing them to Africa and calling in favours left right and centre? And also, if you don't want an operative shooting people on missions, why would you choose someone who specializes in firearms? And for someone who specializes in firearms, you think he'd be able to make shots that are lethal.
And I'm never quite sure what to do when authors have dialogue in a foreign language. Are we expected to also know this language? Are we expected to translate it and hope that the translation is accurate? Are we supposed to gloss over it and dismiss it as irrelevant to the plot? But also, one line of dialogue certainly wasn't French, in the middle of a French exchange, and what Google translated it to certainly didn't make any sense.
I really liked the idea of this, it just wasn't executed in a way that looked for me.
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