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Inside (Bulletproof #1)

by Brenda Novak (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 694 ratings · 92 reviews

Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn't commit. He's finally been exonerated, but he can't escape the gang he joined in order to survive. They'll do anything to keep him from telling what he knows. And if they can't get to Virgil they'll go after his sister and her kids.The California Department of Corrections needs someone to infiltrate another gang, o...more

Paperback, 440 pages

Published June 28th 2011 by Mira

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The Contemporary Romance titles that you finish in one sitting because its impossible to put them down

77th out of 147 books — 190 voters

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Best Romantic Suspense 2011

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Mar 28, 2011 Jae rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 5-star, contemporary, favorites, first-read-by-author, hot-ex-con, 2011, suspence, lovvit

I loved this book, an endless of suspense events piling one after another. I was antsy and on edge through the whole book. Brenda Novak is a true master of suspense, will read more of her works.

I loved Virgil, the tortured hero who was a convict since he was 18. Fourteen years in prison made him a hard man, but his only weakness was his sister and her children. He'd do anything to keep them save, even going back to prison as a snitch.

The mollify of Virgil's hardheartedness was the part I loved...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Steffi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, suspense, favourites

So far I have only ever read contemporaries by Brenda Novak. Because I really enjoyed them, I was curious about her romantic-suspense books. I'm incredibly glad I had the chance to read this book because it was truly excellent.

The new Bulletproof series by Brenda Novak starts of with Inside, in which the ex-con Virgil Skinner and Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams have to work together to stop one of the most notorious prison gangs in the country. Virgil fits the job perfectly. During his time in...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Virgil’s just been released from prison after serving years for a crime he didn’t commit. Only now, he’s heading back in to help get inside information on a gang killing in return for protection for his sister and her kids. When Virgil was first in prison, he joined up with a gang for one reason, survival. Now that gang knows something’s going on since Virgil’s been exonerated and he’s worried about the gang retaliating against his family. He agrees to th...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Virgil’s just been released from prison after serving years for a crime he didn’t commit. Only now, he’s heading back in to help get inside information on a gang killing in return for protection for his sister and her kids. When Virgil was first in prison, he joined up with a gang for one reason, survival. Now that gang knows something’s going on since Virgil’s been exonerated and he’s worried about the gang retaliating against his family. He agrees to this mission for their protection and to be fully exonerated of any crimes he may have committed while he was in prison – killing two men in self defense.

Peyton is against this mission from the moment she hears about it. She knows there’s more to it than what she’s first led to believe and after talking with Virgil privately, she learns that there’s so much more to him than first meets the eye. There are leaks everywhere in the system and Peyton struggles to stay one step ahead of everyone to ensure Virgil’s safety inside the prison. One moment of suspicion from anyone in the gang Virgil is attempting to infiltrate means certain death for him and his family.

The pacing of this story was so fast it was hard to stop reading, I just wanted to keep going to find out what happens next. There are so many shady characters, specifically Rick Wallace, who’s heading up this entire plan, Peyton ends up doubting everyone and rightfully so. I didn’t really like her decision to string Rick along when she had zero interest in him. I get her reasons for wanting to keep Rick somewhat happy, all in an effort to protect Virgil, but Rick was making himself at home in her house and she just let him.

It was nice that a large part of the story at the start took place before Virgil was sent back inside the prison for his mission. He’s a man who’s never had anything to look forward to and never let himself get his hopes up. Being sent to prison at the age of 18, he learned fast that good things just weren’t meant for him, but when he meets Peyton, she shatters this immediately. They’re drawn to each other from their first meeting, but for many reasons they both deny any feelings for the other. Virgil even goes so far as to act out in anger, pushing her away before he lets himself hope that he could find a place her life. My heart broke for this guy, losing so much of his life for a crime he didn’t commit, and then having to agree to a plan that put his life on the line again to help protect his family. He did so without any hesitation, but like Peyton tells him often, he needs to start looking out for himself, choosing things that would help him and his future. As a reader, I was so nervous for him going back to prison. I knew he’d be able to take care of himself, but I wanted him to not be in the position to not have to for a change.

Her whole body ached for him –

But then he stepped back. “Why?” he asked, those blue eyes of his as piercing as ever. “Why me?”

He couldn’t trust anything, couldn’t accept even positive attention without examining it for danger. He’d been forced to defend himself for so long he didn’t know how to stop. He reminded Peyton of a wounded animal that both wanted attention and snarled at anyone who tried to provide it.

Cupping his cheek, she ran her thumb over his bottom lip. “Because you’re so much more than you know.”

I was fully into this story from the start, and immediately connected with both Virgil and Peyton. It’s emotional and fast paced with a very satisfying conclusion, that takes us a good distance into the future during the epilogue, which I always enjoy. It’s a good way to come down from a very suspense filled story, seeing how our characters are doing. The second book is set up well, and I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 ♥ Vonda M. Reid ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Overall Rating: 4.95 // Action: 3 / Emotion: 5 / Romance: 4 / Sensuous: 2 / Suspense: 5 // Laughter: 0 / Teary: 1

Some books just reach deep into your heart and grab hold of your senses and will not let go. Inside, the first book in The Bulletproof Series, by Brenda Novak is one of those books. ♥ Loved ♥ this book! So many things were right about this book. The unique story line. The strong emotional pull. The insight into the psyche of the characters. The amazingly incredible build up of so much...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense, convicts-pows, from-the-library, older-woman

I really enjoyed this romantic suspense. I have a particular fondness for ex-con books. I enjoyed how he was multifaceted. He was basically a good man who had made some bad choices but who was trying to go straight. I liked his vulnerability. The story was full of tense situations and the plot made sense. I dropped this from 5 stars because for me the ending was a bit weak. It ended while the hero and heroine were apart with someone else saving the heroine. I always feel like the two main charac...more

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May 14, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

inside by Brenda Novak
Virgil Skinner is ready to go back to prison to find the information the departments need and try to calm the gangs down. He had just gotten out and hoped the dept. was going to live up to their end of the bargain-keeping his sister and family safe.
The prison warden, Payton Adams was in charge, not by her choice but Fischer didn't want to take the fall for when it failed. She had worked 16 years there and was not ready to retire. She went to investigate Virgil where he stay...more

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Apr 20, 2012 RomReader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Chief warden (heroine) of a high-security California prison has no choice but to ascertain the safety of recent ex-con Hero who’s about to infiltrate a high-level prison gang in her prison by pretending to be a prisoner there. Hero and his sister and her kids get new identities in exchange for participating in the prison operation. Hero & heroine’s attraction is instant but they have a secret affair due to their part in the prison operation. Hero’s identity gets leaked into the current priso...more Chief warden (heroine) of a high-security California prison has no choice but to ascertain the safety of recent ex-con Hero who’s about to infiltrate a high-level prison gang in her prison by pretending to be a prisoner there. Hero and his sister and her kids get new identities in exchange for participating in the prison operation. Hero & heroine’s attraction is instant but they have a secret affair due to their part in the prison operation. Hero’s identity gets leaked into the current prison while his previous gang affiliates are out looking for him and threatening her sister’s life. Heroine’s boss becomes jealous of her r/s with Hero and may endanger the freedom and new life promised to Hero.

Now this is what I call an exciting book! From the first page, my attention & emotions were captivated. Novak’s writing and her romantic-suspense storyline kept me on the edge of my seat. How could a recent ex-con & a prison warden have a life together? Was Hero ever going to escape death or being trapped in prison? There were so many people & situations going against Hero’s freedom & their romance. Tension increasingly escalated at about 2/3 of the book. I couldn’t put it down! It took me no time to finish this book.

The emotional & sexual buildup in Hero & heroine’s romance was gripping. It was sexy & endearing. Hero was an honorable ex-con who had some insecurities about his worthiness with heroine. I liked how frank he was about his attraction & feelings towards her. Heroine was also honest & assessed things carefully before she made her decision about Hero. I could feel their love as well as their concerns for each other just by their nonverbal behaviors…that look, that light touch, heroine’s wearing Hero’s medallion. I love it when authors can convey the main characters’ emotions nonverbally.

The ending wasn’t what I expected as far as the action-suspense part. It seemed just a tad unbelievable that the culprit who was working in the prison system would let Hero free that easily instead of letting him take the fall for the operation screw-up. The epilogue also focused more on Hero’s best friend & heroine’s sister when I would’ve liked a more thorough focus on how Hero & heroine managed to start a life together against all the odds.

Recommended.
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Oct 03, 2011 Manda Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Mariah Stewart, Cynthia Eden, Karen Rose

Shelves: thriller-w-romantic-elements

4.5 stars: I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I expected it to be a book-long view of prison from the inside. Instead what I got was the story of two unlikely lovers who would never even have met if the hero hadn't been wrongfully convicted of his step-father's murder. Virgil Skinner (which, hello, is NOT a sexy hero name, but grew on me over the course of the book) has emerged from fourteen years of prison with his sense of decency intact. And he is willing to go back inside...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, arc, netgalley

I Fell Hard for Virgil
Virgil Skinner served a fourteen year prison sentence for a murder he didn't commit. He was eighteen when he went in - little more than a child. He quickly learned to do what he needed to do to survive.

Full exoneration is all well and good, if fourteen years overdue, and walking away from the pen is all Virgil ever wanted, but he knows - knows - what will happen to him on the outside, what will happen to his sister and her two children if he doesn't do something, because h...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Vrigil Skinner spent 14 yrs in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, now thanks to the efforts of his sister he’s out but far from free because to survive “INSIDE” you need more than determination, you need friends but they come with a high price in prison, they come with a gang tag and Virgil entwined himself with one of the most notorious The Crew. Now that he’s out his ex-brothers think he’s going to turn on them so they want to get him and all those he loves before he gets them. The Feds want...more Vrigil Skinner spent 14 yrs in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, now thanks to the efforts of his sister he’s out but far from free because to survive “INSIDE” you need more than determination, you need friends but they come with a high price in prison, they come with a gang tag and Virgil entwined himself with one of the most notorious The Crew. Now that he’s out his ex-brothers think he’s going to turn on them so they want to get him and all those he loves before he gets them. The Feds want to get the lowdown on another gang so they send Virgil undercover to flush out the truth by infiltrating the gang, his reward he and his family will go into WITSEC, the witness protection program.
Deputy Warden Peyton Adams has a very personal reason for choosing her career path and she gives it her whole heart, so when she learns that the Feds want to put a plant inside she fears for his safety but ultimately agrees to using him. They only have a few days to prepare, but what they weren’t prepared for was the way they feel about each other and it’s more than just lust. Now Virgil has more incentive to stay alive and Peyton to keep him that way, but the odds are stacked against them in love and in living.
Brenda Novak is an awesome mom, a champion of causes and an award winning author and in this first of her Bulletproof trilogy with In Seconds coming in September and In Close coming in October you’ll see why. Inside is a runaway train that won’t let you breath until it finally comes in for a smooth landing at the end of a treacherous trail. You get amazing good guys masquerading as bad guys, you get bad guys wearing white hats and pretty soon you don’t know who to trust, well trust your heart. Her dialogue keeps the frenzy going and your heart beating double time while the narrative shows you despicable crimes and heartwarming romance. The characters are incredibly true to life, depicted so accurately that you can see the gang tattoos, feel the sea breeze in your face and feel the heat in the presence of our hero and heroine. The romance is doomed from the start, but that doesn’t stop these two from wanting what they know they shouldn’t, do they get it, for that you’ll have to read yourself. The love scenes are as explosive as it gets and yet you can feel the innocence in the Virgil character and the tenderness in Peyton towards him. It’s just a have to have it now read.
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Jul 22, 2011 Bayareabookaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-streak

The book opens with Peyton and Virgil not quite at odds. Virgil is tasked by an intensely selfish and cynical prison official to perilously infiltrate a prison gang and give up info about a recent murder in exchange for witness protection for Virgil's family. (The fact that this should be offered immediately with Virgil having to do nothing for this prison (slime) official is glaringly obvious!
Virgil served 14 years in Federal prison on a false murder charge. He made gang affiliations to survive...more

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May 31, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, contemporary, non-erotic, suspense-mystery

The stakes are high. To protect his family, Virgil makes a deal with the cops to help bring down a dangerous gang. He has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. He knows very well the dangers of this operation, and that he could very well not come out of this alive. He's got one shot to get this right.

Enter Peyton Adams, a stubborn, strong willed woman -- and the chief deputy Warden. Her first reaction to Virgil wasn't a good one, though she can't figure out her attraction to the ex-con, eith...more The stakes are high. To protect his family, Virgil makes a deal with the cops to help bring down a dangerous gang. He has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. He knows very well the dangers of this operation, and that he could very well not come out of this alive. He's got one shot to get this right.

Enter Peyton Adams, a stubborn, strong willed woman -- and the chief deputy Warden. Her first reaction to Virgil wasn't a good one, though she can't figure out her attraction to the ex-con, either. Though innocent, the man spent the adult part of his life behind bars and in a gang. It wasn't right to want to be with him. And he knew exactly how to push her buttons, but at the same time, she managed to push his buttons as well. Now Peyton has to keep this man safe and come out of this alive. He has a sister and two kids who need him, and in time, Peyton realizes she needs Virgil, too. The sexual tension sizzles between the two and I couldn't wait to see how Peyton and Virgil were going to react to the feelings they had for one another. How would they make this work, if they choose to accept what their heart felt?

Virgil doesn't want to have feelings for Peyton. He's got a job to do. He has Laurel and the kids to think about. Trying to get out of a gang isn't going to be easy, especially when he has information that the dangerous men don't want the police knowing. Turning his back on people that he's been around for years, despite the fact that they aren't all good people, will put many lives in jeopardy. Who can he trust? Who's on the inside?

Full of intense emotion, suspense and action, Brenda Novak delivers another suspense novel that shines. The characters in her stories are always full of surprises and you can't help but love the good guys and hate the bad guys. With plenty of twists in the plot, I was fully engaged in this book. There are even a few surprises that I never expected.

If you like a romance with plenty of suspense, heroes that would do anything to protect those they love, a strong-minded heroine that can fend for herself, and a happily ever after despite the odds stacked agaist them, then get on the inside with this story.

originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...(less)

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May 07, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Virgil Skinner looks every bit the ex-con. From his tall, well-built frame and his military haircut to the aura of danger around him. He's just spent 14 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit. He's been exonerated and now the Department of Corrections wants him back inside as their undercover man in Pelican Bay. The DoC needs information on Hell's Fury the dangerous top gang inside the prison. And in exchange for protection of his family, Virgil is ready to do the DoC's bidding.

Agreeing to...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Erika Badass rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: june-2011, kindle, netgalley, arc-s, romantic-suspense

This book captivated me from the very start. My first Brenda Novak novel, and if all her other books are as good as this one, I will be starting her back list right away!

I haven't read a prison novel quite like this one before. Our hero, Virgil spent 14 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. After his exoneration, he is "recruited" for an inside job as an informant on gang issues at Pelican Bay given his extensive background in prison and a member of "The Crew".

Peyton, our heroine is a C...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Jennifer added it

Shelves: bookclub, romance, didntfinish

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 03, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sent to prison for the murder of his stepfather Virgil Skinner joins a gang called The Crew for his own protection. Fourteen years later and recently exonerated of his crime, Skinner is a free man. But to protect his family from his own gang affiliation, Virgil agrees to go undercover in a supermax prison to help infiltrate a rapidly growing gang. Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams pleads with her superiors to reconsider bringing Vergil into Pelican Bay. Realizing the decision has already been mad...more Sent to prison for the murder of his stepfather Virgil Skinner joins a gang called The Crew for his own protection. Fourteen years later and recently exonerated of his crime, Skinner is a free man. But to protect his family from his own gang affiliation, Virgil agrees to go undercover in a supermax prison to help infiltrate a rapidly growing gang. Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams pleads with her superiors to reconsider bringing Vergil into Pelican Bay. Realizing the decision has already been made and Vergil is in, all Peyton can do now is to try and keep the man she’s attracted to safe from the dangers that lurk behind the prison walls.

I’d have to say one of my favorite things about reading, is how a book can surprise you. People pick books because something about it interests them but what is it that pushes that book beyond the boundary of mere interest and into the realm of captivation? Is it the author’s writing style, pace, character development or is it the luck of the draw? Well I’d hedge my bets on the former, but whatever it is Brenda Novak’s book ‘Inside’ compelled me from the very beginning.

I instantly knew I was reading a great—not good—great book, when the day came to an end and I‘d consumed over half of it—YIKES! While I love to get lost in a story, I usually consider it to be a glass half full, glass half empty situation. Why? Well, half full because the book has drawn me in to the point pages are whizzing by and half empty because it’ll soon come to an end and there won’t be any more pages to turn—which in this case was extremely disappointing because I was enjoying ‘Inside’ so much.

One of the most enjoyable components of Brenda Novak’s new book was the anticipation it seemed to entice from its reader—I couldn’t wait to read about Virgil’s entry into Pelican Bay. Having never read a story that takes the reader inside a prison I couldn’t wait to see what Novak had in store for Virgil’s character. Another component that I thoroughly enjoyed was how Novak gave each character their own personal struggle to overcome. This added more believability to the book, and added more depth to the main storyline, propelling it into the captivation category for me, as I couldn’t wait to read about everyone.

Being the first book of Brenda Novak’s I’ve read, ‘Inside’ did not disappoint. If all her books are written to this caliber, I can’t wait to get my hands on more.
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Oct 08, 2011 Tiffiane rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Novak book. What a great read!!

I requested books 2 & 3 of this series from netGalley, and knew I had to read this one first. I am so glad that I chose to request the other 2 books in the series! This is an awesome start to what promises to be a fantastic series.

I have read a lot of other prison centered books and watched countless movies that are centered around the same. These types of suspense/thriller's have always fascinated me so I knew right away that I would enjoy it...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction-reviews

This book was intense. I was researching books by local authors when I discovered that Brenda Novak was LDS, so I had to read one of her books. People are always looking for books by LDS authors.

I really enjoyed this book, and compared to some mainstream media it was relatively light on the sex, but it would still be shocking to many LDS readers. However, I thought the suspense and tension was very well done. I think this is one romantic fiction that would have appeal beyond women. The characte...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Lacy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of steamy, intense, romantic suspense w/ dark elements

Recommended to Lacy by: lacyndah@yahoo.com

Shelves: romantic-suspense, undercover, falsely-accused-wrongly-convicted, adc-reviews, prison-jail, off-limits-forbidden-love, tortured-scarred-hero-heroine, inexperienced-hero-heroine, angsty-read, gangs, steamy-read, hero-to-love, opposites-attract

4.75 stars. Steamy, intense, deep romance, along with complex and intriguing characters make this a read that is so hard to put down it keeps you up late into the morning reading. It's angsty, dark and compelling in parts with it's focus on prison & gang life, but is balanced by a wonderful against the odds romance. I can't wait for the next book.

Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur magazine, July 2011 Issue. http://affairedecoeur.com

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Jul 18, 2011 Rachell Coe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense-thrillers

I have never put much thought into what life is like for prisoners except to think that maybe they deserve what they get (a view I'm sure is shared by many people) and certainly didn't think this view would be changed by a romance novel -- boy was I wrong!!!

During the course of the story, Brenda Novak did a fantastic job of showing the ins & outs of prison life as seen through the eyes of our con, Virgil and the Chief Deputy Warden, Peyton. By the end of the book, we see the prisoners not a...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Romantic Suspense fans

Recommended to Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) by: The Book Vixen

Shelves: genre-romantic-suspense, netgalley, arc

This is the first book of Novak’s that I have read and I was really impressed by it. Since it is Romantic Suspense, I won’t be spilling any secrets of what goes on in this book. You’ll have to see for yourself. Rich details are what makes this book stand out. There’s no doubt that a lot of research went into this book and I’m sure many readers will come to appreciate this book as I have. For me, it was the characters that stood out so I’ll talk a little about each of my favourites:

Virgil Skinner...more This is the first book of Novak’s that I have read and I was really impressed by it. Since it is Romantic Suspense, I won’t be spilling any secrets of what goes on in this book. You’ll have to see for yourself. Rich details are what makes this book stand out. There’s no doubt that a lot of research went into this book and I’m sure many readers will come to appreciate this book as I have. For me, it was the characters that stood out so I’ll talk a little about each of my favourites:

Virgil Skinner was the shining star of this book! I absolutely loved Virgil. He was rough and brooding, cunning and dangerous. There were so many aspects of his character that I came to love. He was wrongly accused of a crime and yet still dealt with the consequences. He entered prison when he was eighteen years old and fourteen years later, he has been released, only to be put back in again. I felt terrible for him. He lives in constant danger, looking over his shoulder for signs of The Crew, a gang that is out to get him. And yet, there’s this vulnerability behind his tough exterior. The fact that he truly seems to care about Peyton is an added bonus.

Peyton...I love a strong heroine. Peyton matched Virgil perfectly, and although their relationship is strained from the very beginning, there are some great moments of sexual tension and lust between them. It was a thrill to read about.

Rick Wallace got on my nerves a little bit. He is an all- or-nothing kind of guy. And although I can respect that in the professional sense, the fact that he keeps interfering in Peyton’s personal business annoyed me. This may not be due to Rick himself, perhaps I was just too invested in Peyton and Virgil’s relationship to think of any other possible couplings with Peyton.

Laurel is such a sweetheart. I loved her character her strength. I am super excited to read her book and can’t wait to read about her happy ever after. Surely, there’s no one else who deserves it more than she does. In Seconds will be released in August 2011.(less)

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May 24, 2011 Kelly Moran rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-reviews

It was a horrible experience that jump-started New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Novak's career-- she caught her daycare teacher drugging her children to get them to sleep. Deciding she needed to work from home, she penned her first novel, and has been a household sensation ever since. Other titles include: Trust Me, Watch Me, Stop Me, Dead Silence, Dead Giveaway, Dead Right, The Perfect Couple, The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Liar, and Mother, Please. She also heads an annu...more It was a horrible experience that jump-started New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Novak's career-- she caught her daycare teacher drugging her children to get them to sleep. Deciding she needed to work from home, she penned her first novel, and has been a household sensation ever since. Other titles include: Trust Me, Watch Me, Stop Me, Dead Silence, Dead Giveaway, Dead Right, The Perfect Couple, The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Liar, and Mother, Please. She also heads an annual fundraiser for diabetes research every May. Brenda resides in Sacramento, California with her husband and five children.

This is book one in the Bulletproof trilogy, with In Seconds and In Close coming later this year. Though part of a trilogy, these are stand alone reads.

Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn't commit, but now, he's going back in. The California Department of Corrections needs someone to infiltrate a gang that's taking control of its most notorious supermax. He has no choice but to help. The gang he joined in order to survive prison the first time is threatening his only family-- his sister and her two kids. Authorities offer to protect them, so if he doesn't do it, they'll be dead. Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams is not happy about her superiors plans to bring Virgil in her prison. Though something has to be done about the gang, this reeks of failure. Failure that could kill the man she's suddenly having feelings for. A man who has already suffered enough.

Just when I thought Brenda Novak couldn't get any better, she does. This book breaks ground on a premise that is beyond unique. I wondered how she was going to pull this off in a romantic suspense, but she did, and made it plausible. The amount of detail and research it took to write a book about being "inside" must have been staggering. I'm left haunted and pained by prison life after reading this. The conflict was impenetrable, the romance hot, and the characters' stories heart-breaking. This isn't highly recommended, it's a must read!

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road.
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Sep 04, 2011 Sheri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

My grade: A-. I loved this book, and I'm so happy to learn it is book #1 of a series! I can't wait for the next one. There were so many characters with multiple issues that all affected the plot and made it more realistic. All too often books have only one conflict. In this book, everyone has a conflict. At one point I couldn't imagine how we were going to end up with a HEA. Virgil is a memorable hero and Peyton an admirable heroine. The only slight issue I had was with Rick. His fixation on Pey...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cops-law-enforcement-security, read-in-2012, celibate-hero, older-woman, romantic-suspense, single-titles

I was apprehensive about starting this book for two reasons, one because the past Brenda Novak I had read hadn't worked for me and two I wasn't sure about a prison romance but well to my surprise I enjoyed the book. The heroine is a corrections officer and four years older than the hero, the hero has been released from prison after fourteen years. He was setup and now has been exonerated but as an angry eighteen year old he joined a gang and those actions had consequences and now to protect his...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Vivian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inside is the first in the Bulletproof trilogy by Brenda Novak. Virgil Skinner has just spent fourteen years inside the prison system for a crime he didn't commit. Virgil may not have committed the crime he was charged with, murder, but he hasn't come out of the system an innocent man. Virgil joined a gang for protection while inside and cannot freely leave. Once you're in a gang you're in for life . . . or until death. It's bad enough he has the gang issue hanging over his head, but while insid...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Sherry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Inside
Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak has woven together a scary cast of characters, a hair-raising plot and a wonderful love story. This is a definite keeper. Virgil Skinner spent fourteen years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He is exonerated for the crime but the Crew, his old gang, won't let him go. The feds want him to help them by going undercover at Pelican Bay prison. They promise to keep his sister and her kids safe but everything goes wrong. The only good thing he has is Pelican Bay's...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned

It took a while to get into this story but once I did, the book was hard to put down. Virgil Skinner has just been released from prison for a crime he did not commit but he did kill a fellow prisoner in self defense. This is being held over his head and he agrees to go undercover in a maximum security prison to infiltrate a gang. The authorities agree to put his sister and her children under the witness protection program. But Virgil's former gang members are after him and they will not be stopp...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think this is going to be a really good series if book #1 is any indication. I enjoyed all of the twists and turns the plot took, all of the backstabbing and double crossing kept me on my toes. Virgil's struggles with his character and how he changed in prison and what he deserves or doesn't deserve out of life was nicely written. His internal struggles with the decisions he made to keep himself and his family safe are poignant. The characters were believable and well-written and I came to car...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

No, Virgil Skinner is not a sexy hero name, but this is still a good read :). This book was very fast paced, once I started I could not bring myself to stop and I loved every minute of it. The plot was interesting and I liked the characters, the only things making this a 4 star book instead of a 5 star for me were the fact that the heroine was unrealistically idealistic in my opinion and the relationship between her and the hero kind of went from 0-60 without much development. That being said, I...more

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Jan 26, 2012 ilona rated it 3 of 5 stars

Young excon, exonerated for being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit ( after 14 years) is forced to make a deal to go back to prison in order to protect his sister, niece and nephew. His old gang is looking to recruit him on the outside or kill him and those he loves, but he wants a new life, so he agree to go into a new prison and get information on another gang and corruption in this new facility.
Too many things can go wrong with the plan and the warden is totally against the plan.
I woul...more

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About Brenda Novak

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a...more

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Inside (Bulletproof #1)

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