Review: Rev It Up - Julie Ann Walker

He Never Misses a Target

Jake "the Snake" Sommers earned his SEAL codename by striking quickly and quietly - and with lethal force. That's how he broke Michelle Carter's heart. It was the only way to keep her safe - from himself. Four long years later, Jake is determined to get a second chance. But to steal back into Michelle's loving arms, Jake is going to have to prove he can take things slow. Real slow...

She Aims to Make Him Beg

Michelle Carter has never forgiven Jake for being so cliché as to "love her and leave her." But when her brother, head of the Black Knights elite ops agency, ticks off the wrong mobster, she must do the unimaginable: place her life in Jake's hands. No matter what they call him, this man is far from cold-blooded. And once he's wrapped around her heart, he'll never let her go...

Black Knights, Inc. Series:
Hell on Wheels
In Rides Trouble
Rev it Up
Thrill Ride (2013)
Built for Speed (2013)

Visit Julie Ann Walker's website for more information.

Review:
I have really enjoyed the previous stories in Julie Ann Walker's Black Knights Inc series but I have to say that Rev it Up was my favourite book so far and it has left me eagerly waiting for the next instalment. We met Shell in the previous book when she was introduced as Frank's sister, she is a single mum to her young son Franklin but we didn't really know much more about her background as Frank had worked hard to keep her out of his life at Black Knights Inc. When Shell introduced her to the rest of the group while Frank was in hospital she picked the wrong time to let people know about her connection to him. With a face from the past looking to get revenge on the team they have all had a price put on their heads and are now facing the constant threat of assassins trying to take them out. The Knights aren't too worried - their compound is secure and they all know how to look after themselves - but when they realise that the assassins have their families, and Shell in particular, in their sights things escalate into all out war.

Shell had her heart broken by Jake four years ago when he pushed her into the arms of one of his friends. She married Preacher but was left to raise her son alone when her husband was killed in action. Jake has always loved Shell but he had his reasons to push her away all those years ago and he has stayed away ever since because he blames himself for Preacher's death. He has never stopped loving her though and now that he has finally dealt with his inner demons he has come back to prove how much he cares and to convince her to give him a second chance. Shell is understandably wary of Jake, she never really got over him and refuses to let him break her heart all over again. She also has a very big secret that she is terrified he will uncover.

Jake may have acted like a complete ass when he walked away from Shell all those years ago but at least he has the balls to admit it and try to put things right between them. I have to admit I fell hard for Jake, he was so sweet and open with his feelings towards Shell that I just couldn't resist him. I loved that he was so understanding and patient with her as she kept pushing him away and that he was determined to break through her tough outer shell and show her how good things could be between them. The spark between them practically leapt off of the page and when they finally give into their passion it was well worth waiting for. I also have to mention that I loved little Franklin, he is such a cutie!

Along with the hot romance the story also has great friendship and banter amongst the team, we see more of the characters we already know and love and get to know some new faces too. I absolutely can't wait to read Rock and Vanessa's book - I can already tell they are going to be off the charts hot & I really do have a thing for a man with an accent so Rock already makes me melt! The action was great too, scenes towards the end were particularly dramatic and had me on the edge of my seat. Rev it Up was a fantastic instalment to a great series and I can't wait to read the next book!

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: In Rides Trouble - Julie Ann Walker

Rebel with a Cause

Becky "Rebel" Reichert never actually goes looking for trouble. It just has a tendency to find her. Like the day Frank Knight showed up at her door, wanting to use her motorcycle shop as a cover for his elite special ops team. But Becky prides herself on being able to hang with the big boys-she can weld, drive, and shoot just as well as any of them.

Man with a Mission

Munitions, missiles, and mayhem are Frank's way of life. The last thing the ex-SEAL wants is for one brash blonde to come within fifty feet of anything that goes boom. Yet it's just his rotten luck when she ends up in a hostage situation at sea. Come hell or high water, he will get her back-whether she says she needs him or not.

Black Knights, Inc. Series:
Hell on Wheels
In Rides Trouble
Rev it Up
Thrill Ride (2013)
Built for Speed (2013)

Visit Julie Ann Walker's website for more information.

Review:
I really enjoyed Julie Ann Walker's debut Hell on Wheels so I was eager to continue reading about this group of ex-military, special ops experts who are now keeping things strictly on the down low by posing as motorcycle mechanics. We had already seen the mutual attraction between Frank (Boss) and Becky (Rebel) in the first book so I was looking forward to seeing if they would ever manage to work things out between them, thankfully I didn't have long to wait!

Becky is an expert mechanic and was the brains behind the custom motorbike shop that Frank bought into to use as cover for his covert team. Becky has spent 3 years working and living alongside Frank and his men and although she thinks of them all as family it is Frank who stole her heart. She is appreciated by the guys when it comes to her skills with a motorbike but she is sick of watching from the sidelines while the others put their lives at risk - she wants to be a full member of the team and that means becoming an operator herself. She has the support of most of the guys who have all been working with her in secret for months and helping her train but when Frank discovers what she has been up to he is livid. He knows he is too old for Becky and he doesn't make good boyfriend material but he still cares about her and there is no way he'll let her put herself in danger. Frank has told Becky in no uncertain terms that she will never be a part of his team and that there can never be more than friendship between them. Devastated by his outburst Becky decides she needs to get as far away from the infuriating man as possible so she can mend her broken heart and decide what to do with her future. The last thing she expects when she sets sail around the world with her friend is to be kidnapped by Somalian pirates. Held hostage and terrified for her life Becky knows if she can just hold on long enough Frank and the boys will find her, but can they get to her in time?

In Rides Trouble is another fantastic instalment to the Black Knights, Inc. series. I really liked the love / hate, will they / won't they pull between Frank and Becky, the banter between them is hilarious as Becky deliberately tries to poke Frank to get a reaction from him. You can tell that they both adore each other but neither of them wants to be the first to admit it and Frank in particular keeps coming up with reasons why they shouldn't be together. We also get to spend a lot more time with the rest of the team and continue getting to know everyone. I absolutely loved new team member Angel, the way he muscled in between Becky and Frank was hilarious to watch and I really hope he gets his own story soon. I also loved the connection between Becky and her brother Wild Bill. Bill comes across as so calm and composed even when his sister is in danger but you can tell that under the surface he is about to boil over and I have a feeling he is going to have an explosive connection with his lady when we get to his book. It was really funny to watch Bill talk to Frank about his feelings for Becky and I was impressed with the way he forced Frank to take a long hard look at himself and consider his actions more carefully.

I love the fact that this series blends romance and action together, the story line with the pirates was the last thing I expected but I really enjoyed it. It was great to see another side to the team and understand more about the work that they do and also to see how they all work so well together and have each others backs. We may have to wait a while for things to heat up between Frank and Becky but it was well worth the wait and they have a fab connection and chemistry. This is a fast paced series full of intrigue, action, alpha males and scorching sex scenes and I can't wait to read the next instalment.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Hell on Wheels - Julie Ann Walker

He’s the bad boy she’s always wanted...

Nate “Ghost” Weller has loved Ali Morgan nearly half his life. But he’s done something so heinous he’s convinced she’ll never forgive him if she discovers the truth, so he keeps his feelings and his secrets to himself. Then she blows into town with a mother lode of bad guys on her tail and Nate can’t deny she’s in serious trouble. Unfortunately, he’s the only one who can help her.

She’s the good girl he’s kept at arm’s length...

Ali knows Nate as the most solemn, aloof man on the planet. Sadly, he’s also the sexiest. For years she’s avoided him, unable to stomach his dark scowls and brooding silences… especially when she secretly yearns for his touch. Now she must rely on him to save her from the malevolent shadows ghosting her every move. When the bullets explode, so does their passion. But can love really conquer all? Or are some things just too terrible to forgive?

Black Knights, Inc. Series:
Hell on Wheels
In Rides Trouble
Rev it Up
Thrill Ride (2013)
Built for Speed (2013)

Visit Julie Ann Walker's website for more information.

Review:
Julie Ann Walker's debut novel Hell on Wheels is a fast paced and exciting start to her Black Knights, Inc series that left me eager to read the next instalment. After several years of reading mainly paranormal stories I've recently rediscovered my love of contemporary romance and romantic suspense in particular. I can't seem to get enough of these alpha military heroes who are hunky, strong, protective and possessive but also surprisingly sweet and caring towards the women in their lives.

Nate is a perfect example of my favourite kind of alpha and of course I fell for him big time while reading his story. An ex-Marine Nate now works for Black Knights, Inc a group of ex-military specialists who do the kind of jobs that the government doesn't want anyone else to know about. His last mission went badly wrong and ended up with both Nate and his best friend Grigg being captured and tortured for days, Grigg didn't survive and Nate has been grieving and struggling with his guilt ever since. When Grigg's sister Ali thinks she is being followed she turns to Nate for help and they soon find themselves caught up in a web of secrets and lies surrounding a conspiracy that could be the death of them both.

It can be very hard to get the balance right in the first book of a new series, the author has to introduce the main characters, create a believable world, build interest for future books and at the same time give us the romance and action that we are looking for in a romantic suspense novel. Although at times there was slightly too much page time given to the next couple in the series overall I felt Julie Ann Walker did a good job of getting the balance right. I loved all of the characters at Black Knights, Inc and can't wait to see more of them as the series continues. I have to confess to having a particular soft spot for a hunky geek though so of course Ozzie was a favourite of mine and I was very excited to learn from the author that he will be getting his own book. I'm excited about all of these heroes though and have a feeling I'm going to love them all. It's always fun when you can get to know a group of characters throughout a series and I enjoyed the teams banter and the way they all look out for each other.

The main characters were almost complete opposites. Nate is very self contained, he is known as the ghost but is also a bit of an ice man who never shows any kind of emotion. He holds everything very close to his chest and this can make him appear cold at times but when you look past the surface he is red hot on the inside. Ali is soft and innocent, she is a kindergarten teacher who never swears and always tends to look on the bright side of things. She has a tendency to babble when she's nervous or scared and Nate makes her very nervous which leads to some very funny conversations between them. I did find her habit of being sick at pretty much anything got a bit tiresome after a while but in a way it was nice to read about a heroine who had a normal, horrified reaction to violence. What they say about opposites attract is certainly the case with these two, they make a perfect couple and I really enjoyed watching them grow closer throughout the story. What I really appreciated was Ali's reaction to Nate's secret but I can't say why without giving spoilers so you'll have to read the book yourself to see if you agree with me.

One of the things I loved most about the story was the humour, I laughed out loud several times while reading the story but I was also so emotionally connected that the author managed to bring tears to my eyes not just once but twice while I was reading. It's been a while since a book last made me cry and I can't think of a romantic suspense story that ever had that effect on me. Hell on Wheels is a very promising debut and I can't wait to read In Rides Trouble and Rev it Up. I think Julie Ann Walker is definitely an author to watch out for - I'm sure we'll be seeing great things from her in the future.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Print / Kindle