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chiog's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
heabooknerd's review
3.0
Charlie and Vince have been dancing around each other for a while but Vince doesn’t let anyone close and Charlie wants to be taken seriously as an operative and fears sleeping with a coworker will ruin that. They both have secrets from their past that they’re trying to hide and this results in a lot of push and pull in their relationship. Who knows how long these two would have kept apart if it weren’t for their mission forcing them to pretend they were engaged. Though they had a lot of chemistry, they both struggle to express their real feelings. Charlie, especially, makes Vince work for every little bit of their growing relationship and that started to wear on my nerves.
I wanted to like this more but I admit that I was struggling a bit to finish it by the time I got to the last third. This was full of great action and intrigue and it was probably my favorite part of the book. However, it felt like the author depended too much on the reader having read the previous books when it came to side characters. A brief reminder or who is who when they come on page would have been helpful.
Charlie has been a fun character in the previous books so I was happy to get her story. I enjoyed her spunk and tenacity in the face of everything she’s been through. She never lets anything get her down and she’s definitely a fighter. Charlie is just so angry through most of the book and her constant bickering with Vince was a lot to take.
This isn’t the author’s fault, but there were way too many typos in this book since I assume it went across an editor’s desk at some point.
I wanted to like this more but I admit that I was struggling a bit to finish it by the time I got to the last third. This was full of great action and intrigue and it was probably my favorite part of the book. However, it felt like the author depended too much on the reader having read the previous books when it came to side characters. A brief reminder or who is who when they come on page would have been helpful.
Charlie has been a fun character in the previous books so I was happy to get her story. I enjoyed her spunk and tenacity in the face of everything she’s been through. She never lets anything get her down and she’s definitely a fighter. Charlie is just so angry through most of the book and her constant bickering with Vince was a lot to take.
This isn’t the author’s fault, but there were way too many typos in this book since I assume it went across an editor’s desk at some point.
icecoffeebookqueen's review
4.0
The book was great, the connection between the two main characters were good. I just felt like it was missing something.
paddlefoot55's review against another edition
4.0
Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review
I like the premise of this book - Charlie is a woman in a man's man world. It was refreshing to see a strong, badass woman kicking a$$ and taking names.
Add in uber-alpha Vince and things will start to heat up. They have been circling each other for a while now and I just needed them to get their act together. He is also ultra-protective of Charlie, and at times I could understand her frustration, but boy, what I wouldn't give for a man who treats me like he treats her.
Charlie, now her I had some trouble with. She frustrated me no end at times. Don't get me wrong, I love her badassness and fierceness, but then some of the things she said and did just gave me the irrits and I found myself rolling my eyes at her.
But this could just be me.
Now, I am not going to lie, I did nearly give up on this book. I am not sure what it was about it, but I had to keep forcing myself to pick it up and read it, and it took me 4 days to read when I read a book this length every night. However once it got to about 65% I found myself fully involved and read the rest in one sitting and was glad I pushed through.
The drama and suspense had me guessing right until the end.
I have not read the first 2 books in this series, however this did not affect my reading of Hard Justice.
I will read this author again in the future.
I like the premise of this book - Charlie is a woman in a man's man world. It was refreshing to see a strong, badass woman kicking a$$ and taking names.
Add in uber-alpha Vince and things will start to heat up. They have been circling each other for a while now and I just needed them to get their act together. He is also ultra-protective of Charlie, and at times I could understand her frustration, but boy, what I wouldn't give for a man who treats me like he treats her.
Charlie, now her I had some trouble with. She frustrated me no end at times. Don't get me wrong, I love her badassness and fierceness, but then some of the things she said and did just gave me the irrits and I found myself rolling my eyes at her.
But this could just be me.
Now, I am not going to lie, I did nearly give up on this book. I am not sure what it was about it, but I had to keep forcing myself to pick it up and read it, and it took me 4 days to read when I read a book this length every night. However once it got to about 65% I found myself fully involved and read the rest in one sitting and was glad I pushed through.
The drama and suspense had me guessing right until the end.
I have not read the first 2 books in this series, however this did not affect my reading of Hard Justice.
I will read this author again in the future.
belle505's review against another edition
3.0
Book 3 in the series. Good continuation of the series.
nikkisbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
I have read the previous books in this series and was overjoyed to see the one and only Charlie Sparks finally get her story told!
Charlie has made her own life after wild child past which almost ended in tragedy. She is asked to take the lead in an investigation die to her connection to the man under investigation. It finally comes to light that she has links to the Miami underworld, which she will once again subject herself to, all in the name of stopping a human trafficking ring.
Vince may be alpha to the core, but he can see Charlie for the kickass operative that she is, and her computer skills are scarily good. But once he sees her treading the shark infested waters of her family once more, all he wants to do is protect her, knowing full well she can and WILL kick his ass!
But the sparks between these two cant be denied and when they come together there will be fireworks!
Charlie is prickly and a hard character to love for some but I got over the frosty, take no prisoners attitude as her past came to the fore and you realise why she has defences up the wazoo when it comes to her heart. With a truly horrible family life she did well to get out when she did.
I loved figuring out who the "bad guy" was and as usual I got it wrong! But I loved the outfits Charlie and Vince had to wear during their little outings in Miami! I can't wait to read more!
Charlie has made her own life after wild child past which almost ended in tragedy. She is asked to take the lead in an investigation die to her connection to the man under investigation. It finally comes to light that she has links to the Miami underworld, which she will once again subject herself to, all in the name of stopping a human trafficking ring.
Vince may be alpha to the core, but he can see Charlie for the kickass operative that she is, and her computer skills are scarily good. But once he sees her treading the shark infested waters of her family once more, all he wants to do is protect her, knowing full well she can and WILL kick his ass!
But the sparks between these two cant be denied and when they come together there will be fireworks!
Charlie is prickly and a hard character to love for some but I got over the frosty, take no prisoners attitude as her past came to the fore and you realise why she has defences up the wazoo when it comes to her heart. With a truly horrible family life she did well to get out when she did.
I loved figuring out who the "bad guy" was and as usual I got it wrong! But I loved the outfits Charlie and Vince had to wear during their little outings in Miami! I can't wait to read more!
ryanmackay's review against another edition
3.0
I think.. of the first 3 books in the series... this is the best one so far. I do wish there was some kind of resolution when it came to the misogyny in the story. Charlie points it out multiple times, eg the fact that she has been present from the beginning of alpha security, that she is fully capable etc, and we see it sort of deal with in her relationship with Vince. But we never see Stone/Alpha as a whole own up to the behavior. To be honest, it’s pretty disappointing because in all 3 books there is stuff that they should in fact apologize for. It’s very much of the “men not thinking” variety, not sexual harassment or other super serious versions of misogyny but it’s still present. I’m not excusing their behavior by saying it’s not super serious, it’s still definitely not okay. I know it’s a romance and la di da but it would (IMO) add a little more aww factor/make me like these men more.
Charlie and Vince are cute though, and they do learn how to communicate a little bit better than the first two couples in the series so they get points for that.
Charlie and Vince are cute though, and they do learn how to communicate a little bit better than the first two couples in the series so they get points for that.
elylibrarysec's review
The author’s Acknowledgements felt more like a thank you letter – please make sure to read it.
Charlotte “Charlie” Sparks likes playin’ with the big boys. And she certainly knows how to take them down – don’t laugh too loud in public now. I would want her in my corner if I ever needed someone with her talents. Vincent “Vince” Franklin loves to yank the chain of a certain little lady. He had me laughing too. But you don’t have to be an alpha in order to take someone down.
I got so lost in this story that I lost track of time. Which isn’t a good thing when you have to get back to work. If you love those types of book where you get so lost in what the author has written that you forget everything else than you have that here – in spades. Yes, you will have plenty of action and suspense to carry you through. But for me it was the interaction between Vince and Charlie. I wanted to see what else this author could come up with when it came to these two characters.
If you’ve never experienced this author before this is a great place to start. Even though this is the third in her Alpha Security series you don’t need to have read the first to books in order to enjoy this one. It is, however, a good incentive to go back and read the first two. And when you make it all the way to the end, which I loved by the way, she gives the reader a little incentive to at least read Heated Pursuit.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Charlotte “Charlie” Sparks likes playin’ with the big boys. And she certainly knows how to take them down – don’t laugh too loud in public now. I would want her in my corner if I ever needed someone with her talents. Vincent “Vince” Franklin loves to yank the chain of a certain little lady. He had me laughing too. But you don’t have to be an alpha in order to take someone down.
I got so lost in this story that I lost track of time. Which isn’t a good thing when you have to get back to work. If you love those types of book where you get so lost in what the author has written that you forget everything else than you have that here – in spades. Yes, you will have plenty of action and suspense to carry you through. But for me it was the interaction between Vince and Charlie. I wanted to see what else this author could come up with when it came to these two characters.
If you’ve never experienced this author before this is a great place to start. Even though this is the third in her Alpha Security series you don’t need to have read the first to books in order to enjoy this one. It is, however, a good incentive to go back and read the first two. And when you make it all the way to the end, which I loved by the way, she gives the reader a little incentive to at least read Heated Pursuit.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
lauraanne9's review
3.0
***ARC Provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley***
3.5 Stars
Charlie and Vince were an interesting couple. I liked that Charlie could hold her own, not only with Vince but also with the others in the Alpha Security Team.
And, this is where my review gets a little tough. As, the woman in me loves that she is strong, and capable and that she is as strong as the guys, and that she gives as good as she gets. I loved that...but, this sort of overshadows the romance.
Let me explain. I don;t need the woman to be simpering, I don;t need her to "need" rescuing, or to be nothing without the man...but I do need to believe that she does need him. Because, for me, you can be whole without the relationship...but there has to be something about that relationship that compels you to be willing to share your life with the other person. For me, this was lost a little in the story-line that was about how capable they each were.
Now, that isn't to say that the book was ruined. It wasn't. I did enjoy it overall, and I liked both Vince and Charlie as characters, and I believed them as a couple, even if I wasn't as engaged with them as I would have liked.
Overall, I do recommend this title.
3.5 Stars
Charlie and Vince were an interesting couple. I liked that Charlie could hold her own, not only with Vince but also with the others in the Alpha Security Team.
And, this is where my review gets a little tough. As, the woman in me loves that she is strong, and capable and that she is as strong as the guys, and that she gives as good as she gets. I loved that...but, this sort of overshadows the romance.
Let me explain. I don;t need the woman to be simpering, I don;t need her to "need" rescuing, or to be nothing without the man...but I do need to believe that she does need him. Because, for me, you can be whole without the relationship...but there has to be something about that relationship that compels you to be willing to share your life with the other person. For me, this was lost a little in the story-line that was about how capable they each were.
Now, that isn't to say that the book was ruined. It wasn't. I did enjoy it overall, and I liked both Vince and Charlie as characters, and I believed them as a couple, even if I wasn't as engaged with them as I would have liked.
Overall, I do recommend this title.
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