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heabooknerd's review
4.0
LETHAL GAME was a great romantic suspense focused on stopping a madman determined to set off a deadly biological weapon. We met this villain in the previous book, DEADLY STRAIN, but he hasn't been caught yet and now he's focused on a different virus to manipulate. Not only is he working on a weapon but he's also attempting to kidnap Sophia for her expertise. On top of that, an outbreak in a Syrian refugee camp sends Sophia and Conner on a mission shortly after meeting. All of these things combine to make a great action packed romance that had me itching to find out what was going to happen next.
I am a big fan of nerdy characters in books so I enjoyed Sophia quite a bit. She's incredibly smart and finished school at an early age. She also had childhood leukemia and this means she never really got the normal teenage experience. Between her illness and her intelligence, Sophia doesn't have the best people skills and she's pretty blunt which is certainly entertaining. That also means that when she finds herself attracted to Connor she realizes this might be her opportunity to experience something else she's missed out on - losing her virginity.
Connor has never met a woman like Sophia and he's immediately intrigued by her but he took this job with another agenda in mind. As Connor gets to know Sophia and comes to admire her skills and determination he realizes that maybe he does have something to live for. Compared to the last book, I felt like the reader had more time to get to know Sophia and Connor before the really crazy action started so that was nice. I also liked that the intimate part of their relationship developed a little slower and allowed them time to really get to know each other and learn to trust. Connor is the quintessential protector and though Sophia sometimes makes it hard on him, they work together as a team pretty well.
I also really enjoyed seeing Smoke again and I can't wait to get to his book because I can tell he's the epitome of the phrase still waters run deep.
Content Warning: Connor struggles with PTSD and has considered suicide
I am a big fan of nerdy characters in books so I enjoyed Sophia quite a bit. She's incredibly smart and finished school at an early age. She also had childhood leukemia and this means she never really got the normal teenage experience. Between her illness and her intelligence, Sophia doesn't have the best people skills and she's pretty blunt which is certainly entertaining. That also means that when she finds herself attracted to Connor she realizes this might be her opportunity to experience something else she's missed out on - losing her virginity.
Connor has never met a woman like Sophia and he's immediately intrigued by her but he took this job with another agenda in mind. As Connor gets to know Sophia and comes to admire her skills and determination he realizes that maybe he does have something to live for. Compared to the last book, I felt like the reader had more time to get to know Sophia and Connor before the really crazy action started so that was nice. I also liked that the intimate part of their relationship developed a little slower and allowed them time to really get to know each other and learn to trust. Connor is the quintessential protector and though Sophia sometimes makes it hard on him, they work together as a team pretty well.
I also really enjoyed seeing Smoke again and I can't wait to get to his book because I can tell he's the epitome of the phrase still waters run deep.
Content Warning: Connor struggles with PTSD and has considered suicide
sissykat31's review
5.0
Loved the romance between Sophia & Conner and the suspense in the book!!!
I really enjoyed this book!!!
I really enjoyed this book!!!
teresajluvs2read's review
5.0
Lethal Game is better than the first book
Each book gets better than the last one and I can't wait to read Colonel Max's story. However, I would recommend reading them in order so that you understand who Akbar is and why he's decided to take his anger out on the world.
Connor Burton is the only survivor of an IED attack that took out his unit. He's determined to recover and give out his version of justice who are responsible even if it kills him. When he's assigned to Colonel Max and the Biological Response Team he realizes he's met his match with Dr. Sophia Perry. Her snarky comebacks and interaction with Connor and his team, Smoke, River, Henry, Macler, Stalls and Norton are the back bone of the story. But it's their bargain that if they make it through this outbreak in a Syrian Refugee camp he owes her a lot of vertical bed time. Now they have to find the cause and of course Akbar.
Captain Sophia Perry has two goals to find Akbar before he creates a virus that even the Biological Response Team can't handle and live long enough to find a cure for the current virus in Syria. She's a childhood leukemia survivor but her body is starting to rebel making her blood count and the ITP (diopathic thrombocytopenic purpura ) realize that her bone marrow isn't working. But she meets her bodyguard Connor and realizes he's the man that she wants to sleep with him. But there's a price on her head and a lot of people trying to abduct her and Akbar wants her to create a virus that will kill everyone. Can they find out what is killing the refugees in time and also take out Akbar in time?
Fantastic book and I can't wait to read Colonel Max's book next.
Each book gets better than the last one and I can't wait to read Colonel Max's story. However, I would recommend reading them in order so that you understand who Akbar is and why he's decided to take his anger out on the world.
Connor Burton is the only survivor of an IED attack that took out his unit. He's determined to recover and give out his version of justice who are responsible even if it kills him. When he's assigned to Colonel Max and the Biological Response Team he realizes he's met his match with Dr. Sophia Perry. Her snarky comebacks and interaction with Connor and his team, Smoke, River, Henry, Macler, Stalls and Norton are the back bone of the story. But it's their bargain that if they make it through this outbreak in a Syrian Refugee camp he owes her a lot of vertical bed time. Now they have to find the cause and of course Akbar.
Captain Sophia Perry has two goals to find Akbar before he creates a virus that even the Biological Response Team can't handle and live long enough to find a cure for the current virus in Syria. She's a childhood leukemia survivor but her body is starting to rebel making her blood count and the ITP (diopathic thrombocytopenic purpura ) realize that her bone marrow isn't working. But she meets her bodyguard Connor and realizes he's the man that she wants to sleep with him. But there's a price on her head and a lot of people trying to abduct her and Akbar wants her to create a virus that will kill everyone. Can they find out what is killing the refugees in time and also take out Akbar in time?
Fantastic book and I can't wait to read Colonel Max's book next.
scottishpixie26's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this one as much as the first. Great characters. Only problem was there was just one instance of events not adding up. Granted it is one event, but I really don't like it when authors can't keep their stories straight.
journey_sloane's review against another edition
3.0
This series isn't as good as her Outbreak task force one. Feels less polished.
charlietinpants's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted very much to enjoy this, and as a medical practitioner, I am perfectly capable at suspending disbelief while enjoying medical-related content. However, I found the medical inaccuracies in this book too glaring to ignore.
Some discussion with a doctor or appropriate medical sources (other than google) might have benefited this book, because the assessment and management of ITP is very poorly done here (especially by a doctor who is apparently supposed to be a haematologist).
Some discussion with a doctor or appropriate medical sources (other than google) might have benefited this book, because the assessment and management of ITP is very poorly done here (especially by a doctor who is apparently supposed to be a haematologist).
deannasworld's review against another edition
4.0
I need to confess. I'm seriously addicted to Julie Rowe's Biological Response Team series. I love all her characters and her stories. This one is no exception. Julie Rowe writes a story that is current, believable and perhaps a little too real. It's quite possible the men and women who enlist to serve face some of these situations we read here but never know about. Things the military don't publicise likely to maintain public safety. There's probably a lot of art imitating life here, or perhaps it's life imitating art? Who knows with this top secret stuff!
I adore Connor. He's a hero with a death wish. I've never read a hero with a death wish before and it was very interesting. Aside from the death wish though, Connor is intelligent. You'd have to be to speak the number of languages he have all the skills he does, but that's not all. He's also emotionally intelligent. When he encounters a prickly Sophia who is determined to get rid of him, he sets about learning about her and her work, and in doing so wins her over with his smarts. Connor is a great hero. He doesn't look at Sophia like she's a handicap or a pretty face but as the smart, dedicated doctor she is. He looks at how he can help her with her weaknesses and also learning enough about what she does to help rather than get in the way. He is the perfect partner. He also has a noble streak a mile wide. You can tell from the way he cares for Sophia and protects her, from harm and from himself when he thinks he was nothing to give.
Sophia was a wonderful heroine. I started off not liking her much because she was stand-offish and had loads of attitude but once you got past it, she's smart, she's funny and she's so incredibly direct and honest, it's intensely refreshing. I loved her brain, and so did Connor, by the way. :-) I love a man who loves a woman for her brain.
With Connor and Sophia, where both of them feel they have a definite use-by date and have no reason to live, it was wonderful to see them learn about each other, lean on each other and finally give each other a reason to live, to become the reason for one another. It was beautiful.
This story was once again, one heck of an adrenalin ride. A little less intense and action oriented than Deadly Strain but still very much a go-go-go story. Julie Rowe's stories remind me of another action-thriller writer, Matthew Reilly, whose writing style reminds me of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie - all adrenalin and action. I've never read another romantic suspense author who provides such non-stop action before. Invigorating stuff.
I can't wait for the next book. I sincerely hope this is an ongoing series which isn't going to end anytime soon.
I adore Connor. He's a hero with a death wish. I've never read a hero with a death wish before and it was very interesting. Aside from the death wish though, Connor is intelligent. You'd have to be to speak the number of languages he have all the skills he does, but that's not all. He's also emotionally intelligent. When he encounters a prickly Sophia who is determined to get rid of him, he sets about learning about her and her work, and in doing so wins her over with his smarts. Connor is a great hero. He doesn't look at Sophia like she's a handicap or a pretty face but as the smart, dedicated doctor she is. He looks at how he can help her with her weaknesses and also learning enough about what she does to help rather than get in the way. He is the perfect partner. He also has a noble streak a mile wide. You can tell from the way he cares for Sophia and protects her, from harm and from himself when he thinks he was nothing to give.
Sophia was a wonderful heroine. I started off not liking her much because she was stand-offish and had loads of attitude but once you got past it, she's smart, she's funny and she's so incredibly direct and honest, it's intensely refreshing. I loved her brain, and so did Connor, by the way. :-) I love a man who loves a woman for her brain.
With Connor and Sophia, where both of them feel they have a definite use-by date and have no reason to live, it was wonderful to see them learn about each other, lean on each other and finally give each other a reason to live, to become the reason for one another. It was beautiful.
This story was once again, one heck of an adrenalin ride. A little less intense and action oriented than Deadly Strain but still very much a go-go-go story. Julie Rowe's stories remind me of another action-thriller writer, Matthew Reilly, whose writing style reminds me of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie - all adrenalin and action. I've never read another romantic suspense author who provides such non-stop action before. Invigorating stuff.
I can't wait for the next book. I sincerely hope this is an ongoing series which isn't going to end anytime soon.
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
4.0
Characters: disease specialist, special forces soldier
World Building: tracking down pathogens, field testing, field hospital
Plot: figure out what's causing many to die, larger bad guy story arc, lots of action
Sex: not much, for reasons
Read another: Yes
Lots of detail about identifying disease - equipment, symptoms, procedures, collection
World Building: tracking down pathogens, field testing, field hospital
Plot: figure out what's causing many to die, larger bad guy story arc, lots of action
Sex: not much, for reasons
Read another: Yes
Lots of detail about identifying disease - equipment, symptoms, procedures, collection
lilyn_g's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
3.5
I really loved the author's Outbreak Task Force series, but this one, maybe because it was written before the others (I think), just didn't feel as good to me. The bones were there, but the writing was rougher and I was a little irritated because I feel like either I read the back cover wrong or the back cover was wrong because I thought the character actually has cancer during the book, but she doesn't. It's still a bad situation, but not what I thought I was going to be reading, so it was a bit weird.
clak5686's review against another edition
4.0
Dr. Sophia Perry is a virologist and hematologist. She survived Leukemia as a child and has a blood disorder that she expects will kill her soon. She wants to make a difference before she dies. Connor Button is the only survivor of an attack that killed his Green Beret team. He agrees to be Sophia's bodyguard because he wants to get revenge for his team's death and he doesn't care if he dies getting it. Each is keeping a secret from the other. But, they develop a close relationship. Connor moves past wanting to die and protecting Sophia becomes more important than revenge. Sophia wants to protect Connor and make a difference. The bad guy in this series is seriously awful. He is without a moral compass and the number of dead is adding up. A very enjoyable entry in the series. I really enjoyed both characters. I am anxious to read Max's story next.