MIDNIGHT REVENGE by Elle Kennedy

Killer Instinct Series #7
Signet Books, February 2016
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  0451474430
ISBN13: 9780451474438
Romantic Suspense
*** ½




MIDNIGHT REVENGE is the seventh book in Elle Kennedy’s Killer Instinct series filled with an explosive mix of suspense, mystery, intrigue and action.

Derek “D” Pratt is by far the most intimidating of Jim Morgan’s mercenaries.  Even the men on his black ops team know not to ask about his past.  He has been off the grid for years when his teammate is mistaken for him and captured in his place.  Now Derek is forced out of hiding to rescue him.  But he isn’t prepared for Dr. Sofia Amaro, the woman he had a one night affair with months ago, but can’t seem to forget, that has somehow tracked him down to Mexico to let him know he is about to become a father.  Now he has not one, but two people to get out safely from one of the most dangerous places D has ever been.

Elle Kennedy’s MIDNIGHT REVENGE is a super-charged romantic military suspense that ventures a bit on the edgy side.  But it is that edge that makes the story so compelling.  Derek has had a very difficult and disturbing past and not come out of it unharmed.  He comes across quite cold and somewhat indifferent, but Sofia somehow manages to see through that to the man beneath.  She seemed to accept him warts and all and tried to make the best of every situation that arose.  This reader did find it a little odd that after the good doctor initially went in search of him and ran into one of his superiors, that superior happily sent a pregnant civilian into the middle of a dangerous mission the way she did even if she did know that D was fully capable of quick thinking. 

Still, the way Kennedy managed to balance the action and suspense with reluctant hero and the romance was wonderful and the pages simply fell away before you knew it.  Kudos to Ms. Kennedy for some really great story telling.  Readers looking for a bit of an edgy, brooding hero in need of saving by a patient and intelligent woman in the midst of tons of action and suspense are sure to enjoy Elle Kennedy’s MIDNIGHT REVENGE.  If you haven’t yet tried this series, this is the time.


Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."

 

CLAIMED by Elle Kennedy

Outlaws #1
Signet Books, October 2015
paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  0451474449
ISBN13: 9780451474445
Dystopian Erotica
****


The world as we know it has been destroyed.  Unless you are of the ruling elite or an Enforcer, life is difficult and medical care unheard of.  Hudson’s father was one of the founding members of the ruling council that set up the new society that everyone now lived in.  Hudson and her twin brother were raised as Enforcers, although Hudson was really more of a nurse by trade.  After her father’s death, her brother started to change and become cruel and when she found out she was to marry a man she could not abide, she ran, branding herself an outlaw to be hunted by the Enforcers.  Hudson soon realizes her best chance of survival is Connor Mackenzie and his small band of outlaw fighters and asks for his protection.  Despite his obvious reluctance, he takes Hudson in and introduces her to a new way of life.  But when he finds out Hudson’s connection to his enemy, their intense attraction may not be enough to save their love.

Elle Kennedy is an excellent erotica writer.  She has built a well-constructed post-apocalyptic world where population control is taken care of by eliminating healthcare for all but the ruling class and those that enforce the rules.  Favors have become currency and knowledge is more valuable than gold.  The characters in this book are multifaceted and interesting, each with their own story to tell.  Connor’s past dictates the way he leads his life today and colors the decisions he makes for his group of outlaws.  Hudson has grown up in a very different world, but desperately wants to figure out Connor and his friends.  She sees something in him that makes her care for him.

Admittedly, this reader did expect more out of the confrontation between Hudson’s intended and Connor or even Hudson and her intended.  Still, the sex scenes are off the charts.  The future book set ups are perfect and the author leaves the crowd wanting more.  CLAIMED appears to be the perfect introduction to another great dystopian erotica series by the talented Elle Kennedy that fans of this genre will not want to miss.

Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."

MIDNIGHT PURSUITS by Elle Kennedy

Killer Instinct Series #4
Signet Eclipse Books, April 2014
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN: 0451465695 (ISBN13: 9780451465696)
Romantic Suspense
***



MIDNIGHT PURSUITS, the fourth book in Elle Kennedy’s Killer Instinct series is a mix of mystery, intrigue danger and romance.

Juliet Mason is an assassin and master thief who works as part of a tight-knit group of spies and assassins, taking out the bad guys without anyone knowing how they do it.  When her step-brother is killed and Juliet ends up shot attempting to get vengeance, she sends out a desperate SOS to one of her teammates, only to find that her teammate is away on her honeymoon.  Rookie mercenary Ethan Hayes takes the call from Juliet and rushes to her aid.

In each of Elle Kennedy’s Killer Instinct books, a male mercenary and a woman assassin have been paired up to take care of business.  In MIDNIGHT PURSUITS, Juliet and Ethan are paired.  Readers that have been following the series will remember them from prior books and recall the sparks that the two have generated.  Yet at the center of each story in this series is some unfinished business between the leader of the mercenaries (Jim) and the leader of the assassins (Noelle) that overshadows each story and hints at a far bigger mystery/romance.

Like the other Killer Instinct books, MIDNIGHT PURSUITS has all the makings of a really interesting storyline.  In addition to mercenaries and assassins, there are strong yet flawed characters, mystery, intrigue and plenty of action.  A good portion of the story is about Juliet realizing that she is worthy of the young yet seasoned warrior’s love.  Still, the story that this reader really wants is the bigger Jim/Noelle story that we keep getting small glimpses of in each of these other books.  With each piece of their story that is revealed, it becomes clear that the other books in the series are simply lead-ins to their story.

Elle Kennedy’s MIDNIGHT PURSUITS is a sizzling mix of intrigue, danger and romance.  But in the end, it isn’t their story that fans of the series are really looking forward to.

Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."

MIDNIGHT GAMES by Elle Kennedy

Killer Instinct Series #3
Signet Eclipse Books, August 2013
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  978-0-451-24002-6
ISBN-10:  0-451-24002-2
Romantic Suspense
** ½


MIDNIGHT GAMES, the third book in Elle Kennedy’s Killer Instinct series is a mix of suspense, mystery, intrigue and action.

Isabel Roma is an assassin and a master of disguise.  Trevor Callaghan is a mercenary that has crossed path with Isabel resulting in a hot and heavy night where she got just a little too close to Trevor.  Scared, she up and disappeared the next day leaving Trevor more than a little confused.  Trevor has finally put his tragic past behind him and is ready for a new relationship.  But first, he has to find Isabel and convince her to take a chance on him.

MIDNIGHT GAMES had all the makings of a really interesting storyline.  There were assassins and mercenaries, strong but flawed characters, mystery, action and intrigue.  Unfortunately, for this reader, the romance between the two main characters, Isabel and Trevor, just somehow lacked the excitement, buildup and sexual tension to really pull readers into the story.  When the secondary characters are more interesting and memorable than the main characters, as an author, you have a problem.  And that is exactly what happened here.  Isabel and Trevor are both strong, flawed characters whose relationship apparently built in a prior book, but failed to ignite the pages in their own story.

The secondary characters, especially Noelle, Jim, D and Juliet really stole the book from Isabel and Trevor.  The chemistry and history behind these characters was where the spotlight shined move heavily, leaving Trevor and Isabel’s story to flounder along.  All the raw material is there for a really intense and intriguing storyline in future books, but the chemistry in MIDNIGHT GAMES, sadly, just failed to ignite.


Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."