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heabooknerd's review
4.0
I really enjoyed DEADLY OBSESSION and this was a great start to a brand new series. There's a lot set up for later books as we meet the loud and rambunctious Steele brothers as well as Zoey's cop brother. The serial killer storyline wanted a bit in the middle but picked back up toward the end. I just wish that we would have gotten more of Zoey working the case as a forensic investigator because it was a key part of her finding her independence and it pretty much gets dropped in the second half.
Zoey was a really fun character and I loved her fire! A lifetime of heart disease has kept Zoey from really living a normal life and her health complications have turned her brother into an overprotective bear along with the Steele brothers who are like family to Zoey. She's finally pushing for her independence but it's an uphill battle with these guys and I liked that Zoey is never afraid to speak her mind and push back. Thankfully, Knox enjoys her spirit and while he wants to protect her, he doesn't want to control her life.
A prime protector, Knox has always looked out for Zoey but his feelings are anything but brotherly. But Knox has no plans to stay in DC and he doesn't want to break Zoey's heart, let alone his own. To make matters more complicated, Knox's absence has created tension between him and his brothers and they are not giving him any slack. I'll be honest and say I didn't quite get why Knox was staying away for so long and I would have liked a little more to that part of Knox's past. Otherwise, Knox was a great hero and rode the line of alpha and sweet perfectly.
Knox and Zoey have such a rich history filled with good memories and as adults they have great chemistry. Overall, this was a really great read and I'm excited for more, especially Liam's story.
ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review
Content Warning: Zoey has a heart condition and has undergone several surgeries
Zoey was a really fun character and I loved her fire! A lifetime of heart disease has kept Zoey from really living a normal life and her health complications have turned her brother into an overprotective bear along with the Steele brothers who are like family to Zoey. She's finally pushing for her independence but it's an uphill battle with these guys and I liked that Zoey is never afraid to speak her mind and push back. Thankfully, Knox enjoys her spirit and while he wants to protect her, he doesn't want to control her life.
A prime protector, Knox has always looked out for Zoey but his feelings are anything but brotherly. But Knox has no plans to stay in DC and he doesn't want to break Zoey's heart, let alone his own. To make matters more complicated, Knox's absence has created tension between him and his brothers and they are not giving him any slack. I'll be honest and say I didn't quite get why Knox was staying away for so long and I would have liked a little more to that part of Knox's past. Otherwise, Knox was a great hero and rode the line of alpha and sweet perfectly.
Knox and Zoey have such a rich history filled with good memories and as adults they have great chemistry. Overall, this was a really great read and I'm excited for more, especially Liam's story.
ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review
Content Warning: Zoey has a heart condition and has undergone several surgeries
booklover1974's review against another edition
4.0
Zoey Wright is a CSI agent that works on a case trying to catch a serial killer. Knox Steele is her big brother's best friend and back in town after two years away. Well you can all guess what they think of each other, ha ha! Love is in the air or is it just lust? Read and find out!
Romantic Suspense is a pretty new genre for me but I like it. The tempo is high so I don't get bored and there's some romance to entertain me! This book is well written and the main character, Zoey, has a heart problem so it's a lot of emotions too. If you haven't read any books in this genre, try it! You might like it.
Romantic Suspense is a pretty new genre for me but I like it. The tempo is high so I don't get bored and there's some romance to entertain me! This book is well written and the main character, Zoey, has a heart problem so it's a lot of emotions too. If you haven't read any books in this genre, try it! You might like it.
katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Why haven’t I been reading romantic suspense before?? When asked my favorite genre - I always say a tie between mystery/thriller and romance. This is the genre that combines the two!!
Deadly Obsession was a great place for me to start with the genre. Zoey is a new CSI tech who is on the task force to find DC’s serial killer. At the same time, Zoey’s brother’s best friend is back in town after being gone for years. His name is Knox Steele - is that the best romance hero name or what?!?
There were a few things that required a healthy suspension of disbelief - but I was along for the ride. It seemed like a great mix of romance and suspense. A couple parts got creepy enough that I couldn’t read it right before bed. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now!
Deadly Obsession was a great place for me to start with the genre. Zoey is a new CSI tech who is on the task force to find DC’s serial killer. At the same time, Zoey’s brother’s best friend is back in town after being gone for years. His name is Knox Steele - is that the best romance hero name or what?!?
There were a few things that required a healthy suspension of disbelief - but I was along for the ride. It seemed like a great mix of romance and suspense. A couple parts got creepy enough that I couldn’t read it right before bed. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now!
mags_louise's review against another edition
4.0
Deadly Obsession was an enjoyable story and I certainly found the prologue very intriguing and it left me excited to dive into the rest of the book.
However, it did take me a while to get into mainly because it took a few chapters to really get going and establish all the characters and their relationships. But there was suspense and the identity of the killer kept me guessing. Not to mention the various characters were all extremely likable and the romance between Zoey and Knox, especially with the family and health related conflicts was enjoyable. Although it did overshadow the hunt for the serial killer. Which I found a bit of a shame.
Yet, as starts to series go this was a good one and I'm certainly intrigued enough by these characters, particularly Cade and Grace to want to read more about them. So I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series and I would happily recommend Deadly Obsession to others.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC by Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
However, it did take me a while to get into mainly because it took a few chapters to really get going and establish all the characters and their relationships. But there was suspense and the identity of the killer kept me guessing. Not to mention the various characters were all extremely likable and the romance between Zoey and Knox, especially with the family and health related conflicts was enjoyable. Although it did overshadow the hunt for the serial killer. Which I found a bit of a shame.
Yet, as starts to series go this was a good one and I'm certainly intrigued enough by these characters, particularly Cade and Grace to want to read more about them. So I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series and I would happily recommend Deadly Obsession to others.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC by Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
aboutthatstory's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
This was a fast-paced, exciting read. I liked Knox and Zoey, learning about them and their history and liked the conflict presented. I really liked the suspense element added giving it a bit of a CSI who-done-it feel. It was an intriguing read with a good amount of drama and a nice bit of sexy mixed in. I was guessing who the bad guy was and couldn't wait to find out.
I liked the build as Zoey and Knox came together. I liked all the characters involved, Knox's brothers and cousin and Zoey's brother. I am curious about the storyline between Grace and Cade and thought it set the next story in the series up well. I thought this was a great series starter, laying out characters and hinting at relationships.
There was a good start laying it all out and by 20% I was into it. This was one of those times I had a hard time putting it down because I was excited about what would happen next but at the same time, I'd get frustrated because some things felt glossed over and not flushed out. There were two characters involved that felt odd to me as well and I was left with lingering questions and a lot of why's? I’m hoping it gets addressed in the next book. Also, there was this great build is to the ending but I felt it was rushed once it got there.
Basically, I liked it a lot but had some issues. I thought the storyline was great but sometimes the execution left me wanting more. Overall I felt it was really good and plan on continuing with the series.
This was a fast-paced, exciting read. I liked Knox and Zoey, learning about them and their history and liked the conflict presented. I really liked the suspense element added giving it a bit of a CSI who-done-it feel. It was an intriguing read with a good amount of drama and a nice bit of sexy mixed in. I was guessing who the bad guy was and couldn't wait to find out.
I liked the build as Zoey and Knox came together. I liked all the characters involved, Knox's brothers and cousin and Zoey's brother. I am curious about the storyline between Grace and Cade and thought it set the next story in the series up well. I thought this was a great series starter, laying out characters and hinting at relationships.
There was a good start laying it all out and by 20% I was into it. This was one of those times I had a hard time putting it down because I was excited about what would happen next but at the same time, I'd get frustrated because some things felt glossed over and not flushed out. There were two characters involved that felt odd to me as well and I was left with lingering questions and a lot of why's? I’m hoping it gets addressed in the next book. Also, there was this great build is to the ending but I felt it was rushed once it got there.
Basically, I liked it a lot but had some issues. I thought the storyline was great but sometimes the execution left me wanting more. Overall I felt it was really good and plan on continuing with the series.
sblyon's review against another edition
4.0
After years worth of worry and multiple heart surgeries, Zoey wants to do life on her terms. As a crime lab tech, she is making the leap to being out in the field, much to the dismay of her overprotective brother, the DC police officer. Crime, serial killer, and romance ... Zoey’s heart is about to see how much it can really take!
ametcalf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
whiskeyinthejar's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Starting off a new series, Deadly Obsession, introduces us to the Steele family. A group of four brothers, their cousin Grace, and their lifelong friends, siblings Cade and Zoey. After her fifth heart surgery, Zoey decides that she is going to take life by storm. This includes getting out of the Dungeon and taking her crime scene investigating skills top level, investigating crime scenes as soon as they are found. It also includes going for it with the eldest Steele brother, Knox.
Knox has stayed away from D.C. for two years, but his brothers are starting to pressure him to make a decision on joining their new security start up Steele Ops and his best friend's little sister had a set back with her heart, the little sister he has found himself caring more for than big brother Cade would like.
When the Beltway Cupid Killer brings everyone together to work on catching them, Knox finds himself unable to keep resisting Zoey and thinking maybe home really is where the heart is.
If you're fan of romantic suspense, you're going to like this. Deadly Obsession is trope heavy, group of former military men, best friend's little sister, no-strings sex agreement that goes sideways, a teased second chance romance, and a serial killer haunting the edges. Hunt's themes and characters are well traveled but her ease of writing and dash of charm will still have people well read in the sub-genre enjoying the ride and newbies captured.
This was clearly a start to a series book, the focus was heavier on showing and developing relationships around characters rather than more on the outside story. The serial killer gets povs that I thought created a great creepy factor and helped add to the story but in the second half they kind of disappear and we lose this story thread for awhile. I thought the author did a great job with giving clues to who the killer was, it becomes kind of clear about halfway through, then the reader gets to enjoy being in the know and feeling anxiety whenever they appear on the page.
The storyline of Knox staying away for two years was probably the weakest, I'm not sure I fully understood the reasoning. His mess up that endangered other Rangers and then abandoning his brother Roman when he was in a hospital in Germany, was mish mashed together and we never got a clear concise story of how Knox messed up. The tension between the brothers and Knox as they work to set-up their Steele Ops security firm, under the cover of a brewery named Iron Bars, was a little mish mashy too, it is just something you have to go with as the security firm is obviously what will be the hub for the series.
This could never get old. That heat. That excitement every time he touched her. Instead of claiming a new piece of her every time they were together, Zoey Wright, without a doubt, claimed a small piece of him.
I really enjoyed Zoey's character, she has unrequited childhood love for Knox and lusts after him but she never lets him get away with anything, she calls him on his b.s.. It was a sweet additive to have Knox making a secret hospital visit to Zoey too, helps add foundation to him liking her as there is a lot happening in this book and Knox and Zoey's relationship doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves. Their no-strings sex pact felt thrown in, because it doesn't seem to completely fit in with Zoey's feelings, yes she is taking more chances but she seems to completely forget about all those deep feelings for Knox that were fed to the reader earlier. They have some cute back and forth and I believed in their connectivity as a couple. I do wish we could have gotten a bit more of a focus on their developing relationship, they go from pseudo lying to themselves about having sex to just sliding into being together; not a lot of struggle or heartfelt moments.
There were some missing pieces and some underdeveloped characters, Knox's reason for staying away for two years, Zoey's boss Mason seems to disappear, and a character connected to Zoey and Cade kind of just gets thrown in, but overall, romantic suspense readers will feel welcomed and comfortable in this series Hunt is setting up. Zoey lusts after Knox but she doesn't let him get away with anything and Knox is the protective trying not to fall for the best friend's little sister, all surrounded with a hint of danger. Zoey's brother Cade and Knox's cousin Grace look to be the next couple and the tension felt between them here, has me excited to dive into their story.
Starting off a new series, Deadly Obsession, introduces us to the Steele family. A group of four brothers, their cousin Grace, and their lifelong friends, siblings Cade and Zoey. After her fifth heart surgery, Zoey decides that she is going to take life by storm. This includes getting out of the Dungeon and taking her crime scene investigating skills top level, investigating crime scenes as soon as they are found. It also includes going for it with the eldest Steele brother, Knox.
Knox has stayed away from D.C. for two years, but his brothers are starting to pressure him to make a decision on joining their new security start up Steele Ops and his best friend's little sister had a set back with her heart, the little sister he has found himself caring more for than big brother Cade would like.
When the Beltway Cupid Killer brings everyone together to work on catching them, Knox finds himself unable to keep resisting Zoey and thinking maybe home really is where the heart is.
If you're fan of romantic suspense, you're going to like this. Deadly Obsession is trope heavy, group of former military men, best friend's little sister, no-strings sex agreement that goes sideways, a teased second chance romance, and a serial killer haunting the edges. Hunt's themes and characters are well traveled but her ease of writing and dash of charm will still have people well read in the sub-genre enjoying the ride and newbies captured.
This was clearly a start to a series book, the focus was heavier on showing and developing relationships around characters rather than more on the outside story. The serial killer gets povs that I thought created a great creepy factor and helped add to the story but in the second half they kind of disappear and we lose this story thread for awhile. I thought the author did a great job with giving clues to who the killer was, it becomes kind of clear about halfway through, then the reader gets to enjoy being in the know and feeling anxiety whenever they appear on the page.
The storyline of Knox staying away for two years was probably the weakest, I'm not sure I fully understood the reasoning. His mess up that endangered other Rangers and then abandoning his brother Roman when he was in a hospital in Germany, was mish mashed together and we never got a clear concise story of how Knox messed up. The tension between the brothers and Knox as they work to set-up their Steele Ops security firm, under the cover of a brewery named Iron Bars, was a little mish mashy too, it is just something you have to go with as the security firm is obviously what will be the hub for the series.
This could never get old. That heat. That excitement every time he touched her. Instead of claiming a new piece of her every time they were together, Zoey Wright, without a doubt, claimed a small piece of him.
I really enjoyed Zoey's character, she has unrequited childhood love for Knox and lusts after him but she never lets him get away with anything, she calls him on his b.s.. It was a sweet additive to have Knox making a secret hospital visit to Zoey too, helps add foundation to him liking her as there is a lot happening in this book and Knox and Zoey's relationship doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves. Their no-strings sex pact felt thrown in, because it doesn't seem to completely fit in with Zoey's feelings, yes she is taking more chances but she seems to completely forget about all those deep feelings for Knox that were fed to the reader earlier. They have some cute back and forth and I believed in their connectivity as a couple. I do wish we could have gotten a bit more of a focus on their developing relationship, they go from pseudo lying to themselves about having sex to just sliding into being together; not a lot of struggle or heartfelt moments.
There were some missing pieces and some underdeveloped characters, Knox's reason for staying away for two years, Zoey's boss Mason seems to disappear, and a character connected to Zoey and Cade kind of just gets thrown in, but overall, romantic suspense readers will feel welcomed and comfortable in this series Hunt is setting up. Zoey lusts after Knox but she doesn't let him get away with anything and Knox is the protective trying not to fall for the best friend's little sister, all surrounded with a hint of danger. Zoey's brother Cade and Knox's cousin Grace look to be the next couple and the tension felt between them here, has me excited to dive into their story.
areadz's review against another edition
2.75
Not great. Lots of professional investigators missing really big clues.