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Black Knights Inc. #1
Hell on Wheels
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?
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?
349 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
About the author
Julie Ann Walker
32 books2,595 followersJulie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award. Julie loves to travel the world looking for views to compete with her deadlines. And if those views happen to come with a blue sky and sunshine? All the better! When she's not writing, Julie enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, fishing, cooking, petting every dog that walks by her, and... reading, of course!
Be sure to sign up for Julie's occasional newsletter at: http://julieannwalker.com
Or follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/julieannwalkerauthor and/or Instagram: @julieannwalker_author.
In Moonlight and Memories:
#1 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME ONE
#2 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME TWO
#3 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME THREE
Black Knights Inc.:
#1 HELL ON WHEELS (Ghost and Ali)
#2 IN RIDES TROUBLE (Boss and Becky)
#3 REV IT UP (Jake and Michelle)
#4 THRILL RIDE (Rock and Vanessa)
#5 BORN WILD (Wild Bill and Eve)
#6 HELL FOR LEATHER (Mac and Delilah)
#7 FULL THROTTLE (Steady and Abby)
#8 TOO HARD TO HANDLE (Dan and Penni)
#9 WILD RIDE (Ozzie and Samantha)
#10 FUEL FOR FIRE (Dagan and Chelsea)
#11 HOT PURSUIT (Christian and Emily)
#12 BUILT TO LAST (Angel and Sonya)
Deep Six:
#0.5 HOT AS HELL (Mad Dog and Harper)
#1 HELL OR HIGH WATER (Leo and Olivia)
#2 DEVIL AND THE DEEP (Bran and Maddy)
Be sure to sign up for Julie's occasional newsletter at: http://julieannwalker.com
Or follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/julieannwalkerauthor and/or Instagram: @julieannwalker_author.
In Moonlight and Memories:
#1 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME ONE
#2 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME TWO
#3 IN MOONLIGHT AND MEMORIES: VOLUME THREE
Black Knights Inc.:
#1 HELL ON WHEELS (Ghost and Ali)
#2 IN RIDES TROUBLE (Boss and Becky)
#3 REV IT UP (Jake and Michelle)
#4 THRILL RIDE (Rock and Vanessa)
#5 BORN WILD (Wild Bill and Eve)
#6 HELL FOR LEATHER (Mac and Delilah)
#7 FULL THROTTLE (Steady and Abby)
#8 TOO HARD TO HANDLE (Dan and Penni)
#9 WILD RIDE (Ozzie and Samantha)
#10 FUEL FOR FIRE (Dagan and Chelsea)
#11 HOT PURSUIT (Christian and Emily)
#12 BUILT TO LAST (Angel and Sonya)
Deep Six:
#0.5 HOT AS HELL (Mad Dog and Harper)
#1 HELL OR HIGH WATER (Leo and Olivia)
#2 DEVIL AND THE DEEP (Bran and Maddy)
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October 24, 2017
Spoilery Rant Fest Ahead...
....As Told by My Ever-Helpful Animal Friends.
***Enter at Your Own Risk***
In light of all the great reviews, this was disappointing and underwhelming on many levels.
I kid, I kid. But for realz though.
First of all, I know this is a romance novel and, in light of that, the tactical/military-istic aspects of any story like this are supposed to take a backseat to that romance.
BUT.
The Knights were super lame, dude.
I get that the whole "motorcycle operation" is supposed to be a sexy backdrop for their super-secret cover...but come on, people.
Doing missions on motorcycles? Really? This is just stupid to me. There is absolutely NO advantage to carrying out the type of missions they are supposed to be carrying out while riding a motorcycle.
You are wide open to getting shot at and - HELLO - they are supposedly riding Harley-style bikes, which are:
1) Really. Friggin.' Loud. - (perfect for stealth situations [insert sarcasm])
2) Really heavy and not easily maneuverable. You know, for those high speed getaway situations *eye roll*
3) They are just plain attention grabbers. Especially when they are custom made and tricked out like Phantom (seriously?) apparently is...not really ideal when you are trying to blend in, methinks.
Also, despite being a supposedly "covert" special ops group (whomp whomp), everyone and their fucking mother seemed to know what these guys do.
And they ridiculously hang out at a biker bar.
How cliche.
It's almost as if the bar scene was added for - what purpose again? - oh yeah, so Ali could see Delilah (a one-scene-wonder) wrap her arms around Nate and make him laugh about something she says.
Cause apparently in 12 years of knowing him, Ali's - wait for it - never seen Nate laugh like that.
And she just can't wrap her pretty little retarded head around the fact that this bar slut made him laugh and she hasn't.
So what does she do?
She spends the rest of the book nagging him about what Delilah said to him that made him laugh.
Like this is a main story line here, people.
Cause we are in middle school, apparently.
Never mind that they are in a life or death situation - she doesn't want to know what their next move is or anything like that, she wants to know what some random chick at a bar said to make him laugh.
What.
An.
Idiot.
But alas, ludicrous moments like this absolutely saturate the book.
When they are in the tree house to get the all important zip drive - the item carrying the spindly premise of the entire plot on its back - do they make haste and get in and get out because they know people are tailing them?
No, of course not! That wouldmake some sense be riiiiidicurous!
They decide instead to get nostalgic and talk about Ali's childhood, her lack of proper parental affection, her first kiss, how much they miss Grigg, yadda, yadda, yadda Dr. Phil.
When Nate subsequently gets SHOT after an assassin comes after them as they depart said tree house- in Ali's parent's back yard no less - does he do any wazoo cool sniper shit to get them to safety?
No, of course not!
He takes them to your run of the mill motel, has Ali buy the room and then offhandedly tells her:
Oh yeah, don't forget to use an alias.
W. T. F.
That's it?!
This guy and his crew of misfits are supposed to be bad-ass military men?
Alpha men they are not and, I'm sorry, I just didn't buy it.
Typically, I can set aside issues that bother me like this when there is a damn good romance playing out in spite of such common sense driven shortcomings, but even THAT is missing.
Ali and Nate have no chemistry, no spark, and virtually no dialogue. Despite having known each other for so long - they even admit in the book that they don't really even...know each other all - Nate is so hot and cold in both his demeanor and his characterization.
And Ali, who starts off pretty strong, seems to get dumber and more annoying as the story wears on. I mean who actually uses, "crapola" "sheesh" "erp" "gosh darn" and "h-e-double hockey sticks" in not one, but multiple sentences?
I get that she's a kindergarten teacher, but come on.
And it's always a red flag when a side-kick romance sizzles more than the main attraction.
Frank and Becky had more sexual tension and spark between them in one scene than Nate/Ali had throughout the entire book.
And in fact, the book was so disjointed that I think Frank/Becky HAD just as many scenes as Ali/Nate - which I get, you are trying to create interest for the next book; but when it's done at the expense of THIS book's focal point - which it was - it makes me not WANT to read the next one - which I won't.
....As Told by My Ever-Helpful Animal Friends.
***Enter at Your Own Risk***
In light of all the great reviews, this was disappointing and underwhelming on many levels.
I kid, I kid. But for realz though.
First of all, I know this is a romance novel and, in light of that, the tactical/military-istic aspects of any story like this are supposed to take a backseat to that romance.
BUT.
The Knights were super lame, dude.
I get that the whole "motorcycle operation" is supposed to be a sexy backdrop for their super-secret cover...but come on, people.
Doing missions on motorcycles? Really? This is just stupid to me. There is absolutely NO advantage to carrying out the type of missions they are supposed to be carrying out while riding a motorcycle.
You are wide open to getting shot at and - HELLO - they are supposedly riding Harley-style bikes, which are:
1) Really. Friggin.' Loud. - (perfect for stealth situations [insert sarcasm])
2) Really heavy and not easily maneuverable. You know, for those high speed getaway situations *eye roll*
3) They are just plain attention grabbers. Especially when they are custom made and tricked out like Phantom (seriously?) apparently is...not really ideal when you are trying to blend in, methinks.
Also, despite being a supposedly "covert" special ops group (whomp whomp), everyone and their fucking mother seemed to know what these guys do.
And they ridiculously hang out at a biker bar.
How cliche.
It's almost as if the bar scene was added for - what purpose again? - oh yeah, so Ali could see Delilah (a one-scene-wonder) wrap her arms around Nate and make him laugh about something she says.
Cause apparently in 12 years of knowing him, Ali's - wait for it - never seen Nate laugh like that.
And she just can't wrap her pretty little retarded head around the fact that this bar slut made him laugh and she hasn't.
So what does she do?
She spends the rest of the book nagging him about what Delilah said to him that made him laugh.
Like this is a main story line here, people.
Cause we are in middle school, apparently.
Never mind that they are in a life or death situation - she doesn't want to know what their next move is or anything like that, she wants to know what some random chick at a bar said to make him laugh.
What.
An.
Idiot.
But alas, ludicrous moments like this absolutely saturate the book.
When they are in the tree house to get the all important zip drive - the item carrying the spindly premise of the entire plot on its back - do they make haste and get in and get out because they know people are tailing them?
No, of course not! That would
They decide instead to get nostalgic and talk about Ali's childhood, her lack of proper parental affection, her first kiss, how much they miss Grigg, yadda, yadda, yadda Dr. Phil.
When Nate subsequently gets SHOT after an assassin comes after them as they depart said tree house- in Ali's parent's back yard no less - does he do any wazoo cool sniper shit to get them to safety?
No, of course not!
He takes them to your run of the mill motel, has Ali buy the room and then offhandedly tells her:
Oh yeah, don't forget to use an alias.
W. T. F.
That's it?!
This guy and his crew of misfits are supposed to be bad-ass military men?
Alpha men they are not and, I'm sorry, I just didn't buy it.
Typically, I can set aside issues that bother me like this when there is a damn good romance playing out in spite of such common sense driven shortcomings, but even THAT is missing.
Ali and Nate have no chemistry, no spark, and virtually no dialogue. Despite having known each other for so long - they even admit in the book that they don't really even...know each other all - Nate is so hot and cold in both his demeanor and his characterization.
And Ali, who starts off pretty strong, seems to get dumber and more annoying as the story wears on. I mean who actually uses, "crapola" "sheesh" "erp" "gosh darn" and "h-e-double hockey sticks" in not one, but multiple sentences?
I get that she's a kindergarten teacher, but come on.
And it's always a red flag when a side-kick romance sizzles more than the main attraction.
Frank and Becky had more sexual tension and spark between them in one scene than Nate/Ali had throughout the entire book.
And in fact, the book was so disjointed that I think Frank/Becky HAD just as many scenes as Ali/Nate - which I get, you are trying to create interest for the next book; but when it's done at the expense of THIS book's focal point - which it was - it makes me not WANT to read the next one - which I won't.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
June 9, 2015DNF after 15 pages
The style of writing is the thing that bothered me. Every single thing in every sentence was described. I just don't feel like reading that sort of thing.
June 20, 2012
2 1/2 to 3 stars
Debut book
Overall Hell on Wheels was a fast paced, action packed, and somewhat entertaining read. Unfortunately, however, there was just too much going on in this cliché-ridden book–one too many distractions.
For instance, there were too many secondary characters given a point of view. It seemed like every time I finally felt a connection to the hero or heroine, the author would change the scene and I would be give the point of view of a secondary characters involved in the overall plot of the story. It became exasperating considering some of these secondary characters bordered on one-dimensional. A budding romance thrown into the mix between two of these minor characters, although entertaining, detracted from the romance between the hero and heroine. Trust me, these two needed all the page time they could get considering all the obstacles put in their way.
I liked both the hero and heroine; they were richly developed characters, but the heroine's perpetual habit of puking at the drop of a hat became somewhat annoying, and the hero's use of oddly stated colloquial expressions was distracting. That said, there was good chemistry between them–when they allowed themselves to stop fighting their attraction. Their conversations were engaging, their inner dialogue amusing and at time endearing. The love scene felt palatable and steamy. You could feel the desperation these two had for each other.
The ending felt a bit rushed and a little clichéd. Still, I was happy these two found their much deserved HEA.
Though I didn't love Hell on Wheels it was still an enjoyable afternoon read.
ARC courtesy of Sourcebooks via NetGalley
Debut book
Overall Hell on Wheels was a fast paced, action packed, and somewhat entertaining read. Unfortunately, however, there was just too much going on in this cliché-ridden book–one too many distractions.
For instance, there were too many secondary characters given a point of view. It seemed like every time I finally felt a connection to the hero or heroine, the author would change the scene and I would be give the point of view of a secondary characters involved in the overall plot of the story. It became exasperating considering some of these secondary characters bordered on one-dimensional. A budding romance thrown into the mix between two of these minor characters, although entertaining, detracted from the romance between the hero and heroine. Trust me, these two needed all the page time they could get considering all the obstacles put in their way.
I liked both the hero and heroine; they were richly developed characters, but the heroine's perpetual habit of puking at the drop of a hat became somewhat annoying, and the hero's use of oddly stated colloquial expressions was distracting. That said, there was good chemistry between them–when they allowed themselves to stop fighting their attraction. Their conversations were engaging, their inner dialogue amusing and at time endearing. The love scene felt palatable and steamy. You could feel the desperation these two had for each other.
The ending felt a bit rushed and a little clichéd. Still, I was happy these two found their much deserved HEA.
Though I didn't love Hell on Wheels it was still an enjoyable afternoon read.
ARC courtesy of Sourcebooks via NetGalley
July 21, 2013
Hell on Wheels is the first book in the Black Knights, Inc. series and author Julie Ann Walker’s debut novel. It’s fun, sexy, and fast paced, and kept me guessing as to the 'who, what, why and how' right to the very end.
He’s the bad boy she’s always wanted...Overall I enjoyed this story but, as with most first books in a series, there was a quite a bit of time given over to world building and character introductions which caused things to move at a slower pace early on. However once things got moving, things really got moving and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Corrupt or misguided politicians are not new to the romantic suspense genre, but the way this theme was woven into the story worked well for me.
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?
I loved the entire cast of characters, even those secondary to the story, though sometimes I felt like they were being given too much page time, time I would have rather spent with Ali and Nate, who I adored. Ms. Walker did a fantastic job of showing us Nate’s pain over losing his best friend and feeling totally responsible for his death, almost to the point of being crippled by his guilt. In fact, there was one scene that was so heart-breaking, I had to stop reading because I couldn’t stop crying.
The bottom line: The writing isn’t perfect and as I mentioned earlier there are areas where things seemed to drag, but when it’s all said and done, I truly enjoyed this story and found it to be a pretty impressive debut novel. And, most importantly, I was left wanting… no, needing to read the next book in the series, In Rides Trouble, Frank “Boss” Knight and Becky "Rebel" Reichert’s story!
3.5/5 stars
My thanks to netgalley.com and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2012
3 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense
Thoughts Before Reading:
Bad boy biker and black ops soldier lusting after his best friend's good girl sister and a studtastic, yummy as sin hunk in a tight black t-shirt on the cover?!!! SOLD!!!!
Thoughts After Reading:
This is a pretty good romantic suspense debut and a promising start to a potentially exciting new series, but I didn’t really care for the lead H/h. I was also hoping for a bit more heat and steam to the love scenes, especially considering the yummy cover hotness. However, I was very intrigued by supporting characters “Boss” Frank Knight and Rebecca “Becky/Rebel” Reichert, the lead couple in In Rides Trouble, so I’m looking forward to reading their story next.
Also, there’s a gut-wrenching scene where ex-sniper hero Nate has nightmares about the torture he and his best friend endured while being held captive by terrorists, and it was all the more poignant because I read it on the 11th anniversary of September 11, 9/11.
Thoughts Before Reading:
Bad boy biker and black ops soldier lusting after his best friend's good girl sister and a studtastic, yummy as sin hunk in a tight black t-shirt on the cover?!!! SOLD!!!!
Thoughts After Reading:
This is a pretty good romantic suspense debut and a promising start to a potentially exciting new series, but I didn’t really care for the lead H/h. I was also hoping for a bit more heat and steam to the love scenes, especially considering the yummy cover hotness. However, I was very intrigued by supporting characters “Boss” Frank Knight and Rebecca “Becky/Rebel” Reichert, the lead couple in In Rides Trouble, so I’m looking forward to reading their story next.
Also, there’s a gut-wrenching scene where ex-sniper hero Nate has nightmares about the torture he and his best friend endured while being held captive by terrorists, and it was all the more poignant because I read it on the 11th anniversary of September 11, 9/11.
March 3, 2016
Ali's brother and best friend Grigg has been murdered. Ali knows it isn't just the simple accident she's been lead to believe it is - she knows her brother was involved in some clandestine government operation. She goes to Nate, Grigg's best friend and brother-in-arms. Nate has always had a huge crush on Ali - since he first met her at age 17 - but never ever acted on any of it out of loyalty to Grigg. Ali's always had a huge crush on Nate as well. You'd think now would be the perfect time for them to comfort each other, but Nate's stubborn as a mule. But when someone starts targeting Ali, Nate's the only one who can protect her...
...
This book was so enjoyable.
What's this all about, Carmen? You seem to be enjoying a lot of books lately.
I know, I've had a run of good luck. I hope it continues! *knocks wood*
I had no idea what to expect when I bit into this. Getting books for super-cheap on BookBub is always a risk. Actually, this has been languishing on my Kindle shelves for quite some time now. However, when I read a write up of Walker's Rev It Up which was featured in the Romantic Times Book Reviews, I knew it was probably safe to crack these little chestnuts open.
So, cute sweet romance. Also, goofy. Boy, was this goofy. At first I was like o.O but after about 40 pages or so I relaxed and really got into it. Walker has a really light, irreverent voice, and it's very funny and full of cuteness if you just accept it.
"Ali," he crushed her to his chest, seeking and finding her sweetly wonderful mouth with his own as his heart totally Grinched it and grew two sizes in an instant.
You can see why this type of writing had me dubious for the first two chapters or so of the novel. But it grew on me.
The only thing I say that wasbad jarring about this book was that occassionally Walker decides to add some heavy elements (torture, good people dying). And it's very jolting - not in a good way - because it's so incongruous with her whole writing style. That's it, that's the only negative I have to say about this book.
Otherwise, it's very positive.
Nate is great. (LOL That rhymes.) He protects Ali, but he's not an overprotective, "Are you looking at my woman?", combative caveman type. What a relief. I hate these super-jealous, overprotective macho asshole love interests and even though Walker could've EASILY made Nate that type of guy, she didn't. Saints be praised.
Another thing I adored about this book was how nicely and easily Walker was setting us up for future novels. We meet other members of the Black Knights, and of course Walker is going to make them the heroes of her upcoming novels. This is done sweetly, easily, and thoroughly. I really enjoyed getting to know the other operatives so that I can already start getting excited for later books. I would say Walker is even better at this than Sherrilyn Kenyon, who was previously held up as my ideal in this kind of I'm-setting-up-a-series-of-romance-novels situation.
How's the sex, Carmen?
Actually the sex is good! I wish there was more of it - they only get one night together on-page in this novel - but it's great! Very sweet and sexy. No BDSM, no dub-con, nothing but enthusiastic consent and Nate being very generous in bed. Super-sweet. Not scorching hot, but good. :) I liked it.
...
Tl;dr - gunfights, motorcycles, CIA operatives shadowing you, evil U.S. Senators, sweet kissing, cute banter, and a very goofy sense of humor. That's what you'll find in this novel. The characters are lovable, the plot is simple, the sex is sweet and the laughs are frequent. I would recommend this if you like fluffy romance novels with some darkness woven in.
THREE REAL STARS, FOUR ROMANCE STARS
...
P.S. Ali tends to vomit a lot. I mean, A LOT. She's got a really sensitive stomach (very odd for a kindergarten teacher. Kindergarten teachers have to deal with a lot of gross shit) and this might really turn some people off. She vomits at least 5 times in the book, usually due to stress and shock. You're warned. Not very sexy, is what I'm saying.
Frank watched Ali's slim throat work and he feared she might just puke again - the damn woman had the gastric fortitude of a broken fire hydrant - but then she courageously turned her attention to Aldus.
P.P.S. Why would you translate this into French and German but NOT Spanish? That's just rude. That's just plain rude.
...
This book was so enjoyable.
What's this all about, Carmen? You seem to be enjoying a lot of books lately.
I know, I've had a run of good luck. I hope it continues! *knocks wood*
I had no idea what to expect when I bit into this. Getting books for super-cheap on BookBub is always a risk. Actually, this has been languishing on my Kindle shelves for quite some time now. However, when I read a write up of Walker's Rev It Up which was featured in the Romantic Times Book Reviews, I knew it was probably safe to crack these little chestnuts open.
So, cute sweet romance. Also, goofy. Boy, was this goofy. At first I was like o.O but after about 40 pages or so I relaxed and really got into it. Walker has a really light, irreverent voice, and it's very funny and full of cuteness if you just accept it.
"Ali," he crushed her to his chest, seeking and finding her sweetly wonderful mouth with his own as his heart totally Grinched it and grew two sizes in an instant.
You can see why this type of writing had me dubious for the first two chapters or so of the novel. But it grew on me.
The only thing I say that was
Otherwise, it's very positive.
Nate is great. (LOL That rhymes.) He protects Ali, but he's not an overprotective, "Are you looking at my woman?", combative caveman type. What a relief. I hate these super-jealous, overprotective macho asshole love interests and even though Walker could've EASILY made Nate that type of guy, she didn't. Saints be praised.
Another thing I adored about this book was how nicely and easily Walker was setting us up for future novels. We meet other members of the Black Knights, and of course Walker is going to make them the heroes of her upcoming novels. This is done sweetly, easily, and thoroughly. I really enjoyed getting to know the other operatives so that I can already start getting excited for later books. I would say Walker is even better at this than Sherrilyn Kenyon, who was previously held up as my ideal in this kind of I'm-setting-up-a-series-of-romance-novels situation.
How's the sex, Carmen?
Actually the sex is good! I wish there was more of it - they only get one night together on-page in this novel - but it's great! Very sweet and sexy. No BDSM, no dub-con, nothing but enthusiastic consent and Nate being very generous in bed. Super-sweet. Not scorching hot, but good. :) I liked it.
...
Tl;dr - gunfights, motorcycles, CIA operatives shadowing you, evil U.S. Senators, sweet kissing, cute banter, and a very goofy sense of humor. That's what you'll find in this novel. The characters are lovable, the plot is simple, the sex is sweet and the laughs are frequent. I would recommend this if you like fluffy romance novels with some darkness woven in.
THREE REAL STARS, FOUR ROMANCE STARS
...
P.S. Ali tends to vomit a lot. I mean, A LOT. She's got a really sensitive stomach (very odd for a kindergarten teacher. Kindergarten teachers have to deal with a lot of gross shit) and this might really turn some people off. She vomits at least 5 times in the book, usually due to stress and shock. You're warned. Not very sexy, is what I'm saying.
Frank watched Ali's slim throat work and he feared she might just puke again - the damn woman had the gastric fortitude of a broken fire hydrant - but then she courageously turned her attention to Aldus.
P.P.S. Why would you translate this into French and German but NOT Spanish? That's just rude. That's just plain rude.
Want to read
August 14, 2015
FREE on Amazon US today (8/14/2015)
Stand-alone book 1.
BLURB:
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?
http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Wheels-Bla...
FREEBIES are often good for MORE than one day, I have gathered all my FREEBIES on a special shelf: Kindle-freebies (currently over 460 books)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
January 15, 2018
I said it was readable.
It almost went and made a liar out of me.
Okay to be honest, it was readable. But it also tried really hard not to be. from calling dollar bills “George Washingtons” (no.never) to referencing Ashton Kutcher on punked, it really read like someone trying too hard to stay current and failing like your 69 year old grandfather that wasn’t even current in his day.
I didn’t love reading paragraphs about their firepower.
I also didn’t enjoy when the hero, Nate, said to the heroine, Ali, about how he wanted her (when she decided to ask if he ever laughs in the middle of the night—don’t get me started): “he wanted to plunge into her balls deep till she’s wriggling like a fish on a line.” Here’s the smelling salts cause I can tell you all just up and fainted from the swoons.
And I do appreciate dialects in books, but I didn’t get Nate’s. It was all contractions and lack of vowels. He said C’min instead of come in. I don’t get it. Or "what'r'doin" ??
The narrative style was tough to take, third person, lots of PoVs but with lots of "ugh" and weird expressions peppered in. And "Uh yeah," Not weird for us on goodreads, or even in a book in general, but from this point of view it felt off.
the couple's trajectory is non-existent and this book showcases exactly why romantic suspense hasn't been my bag. Neither the romance nor the suspense are satisfactory. Another best friend of big brother rescues and always loved little sister, luckily the feeling's mutual because they have sex then decide to get married after lusting after each other in the first 50%. Ultimately, I didn't care about them. None of them. 1.5
It almost went and made a liar out of me.
Okay to be honest, it was readable. But it also tried really hard not to be. from calling dollar bills “George Washingtons” (no.never) to referencing Ashton Kutcher on punked, it really read like someone trying too hard to stay current and failing like your 69 year old grandfather that wasn’t even current in his day.
I didn’t love reading paragraphs about their firepower.
I also didn’t enjoy when the hero, Nate, said to the heroine, Ali, about how he wanted her (when she decided to ask if he ever laughs in the middle of the night—don’t get me started): “he wanted to plunge into her balls deep till she’s wriggling like a fish on a line.” Here’s the smelling salts cause I can tell you all just up and fainted from the swoons.
And I do appreciate dialects in books, but I didn’t get Nate’s. It was all contractions and lack of vowels. He said C’min instead of come in. I don’t get it. Or "what'r'doin" ??
The narrative style was tough to take, third person, lots of PoVs but with lots of "ugh" and weird expressions peppered in. And "Uh yeah," Not weird for us on goodreads, or even in a book in general, but from this point of view it felt off.
the couple's trajectory is non-existent and this book showcases exactly why romantic suspense hasn't been my bag. Neither the romance nor the suspense are satisfactory. Another best friend of big brother rescues and always loved little sister, luckily the feeling's mutual because they have sex then decide to get married after lusting after each other in the first 50%. Ultimately, I didn't care about them. None of them. 1.5
May 30, 2012
LOVE this book! Julie Ann Walker introduces some of the sexiest, smartest characters I've read in years. Once you meet the men and women of Black Knights Inc., you'll be stomping your feet waiting for the other books in the series to release. Walker blends action, suspense, and some oh-so-delicious chemistry to craft stories that will hook you from page one and have you tearing through 'til the end. A must read.
May 26, 2012
Run don't walk, to preorder this fun sexy hell of a read! Walker ranks right up there with authors like Lori Foster, Maya Banks, and Lora Leigh. This exciting book has plenty of humor, heart, and steam. Brillant lovable characters and Walker s dynamic writing make this book one the best I've read this year!
November 14, 2015
★★★½✩ The heroine threw up way, way too much; I didn't buy some of the plot; saw some things coming a mile away; and we didn't learn much about the hero. Nevertheless, all this made for a good "buddy read" discussion. Still, some nice scenes in a book by a first-time author; I'll continue the series.
October 19, 2012
5 STARS
Well done Ms. Walker. You have given us a rousing novel full of secrets and suspense. I can’t wait to read the next book in this exhilarating series and see what you have in store for the Black Knights.
If you are looking for a fast paced read that keeps you hooked from the first to last page, a tale that will have you laughing out loud one moment and wiping tears the next, an inspired exciting love story, this book is a must for you!
Entire review posted here: http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
Well done Ms. Walker. You have given us a rousing novel full of secrets and suspense. I can’t wait to read the next book in this exhilarating series and see what you have in store for the Black Knights.
If you are looking for a fast paced read that keeps you hooked from the first to last page, a tale that will have you laughing out loud one moment and wiping tears the next, an inspired exciting love story, this book is a must for you!
Entire review posted here: http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
December 4, 2013
Sexy black-ops operatives on motorcycles – I was sold! And the premise lives up to the promise, absolutely.
Unfortunately my problems have overshadowed the enjoyment I was hoping to get out of this book. The largest one was Nate’s dialect. His mashing of several words together into a single word not on was irritating to read, it was an effort in translation every time it happened – which was at least once a page. I know people talk with dialects, I hear them in my head clearly, but I don’t need every single word typed with the lost ending if the goal is a southern accent. If typed out Scottish brogues irritate you, this is a warning that I found it much more distracting and irritating than that.
The second issue was a few logical fallacies that didn’t work for me. There is a lot of emphasis, throughout the book, put on how super-secret these guys are, and their work for the government is way off the books. They literally live in their compound, which is their cover as a custom motorcycle shop with all the accompanying surveillance and security. But let Ali walk up to the gate and ask to be let in, and she’s shown right in. Not just in the compound but in the building where they start wanding down her luggage – searching for bugs – she sees the computers that any NSA agent would die to have, and there in the corner is a fully equipped Blackhawk helicopter. Yeah, all that doesn’t raise any suspicions what-so-ever that they’re not what they seem.
And that leads me to my final problem. While Ali never truly strays into TSTL – to-stupid-to-live – territory, she comes very close. With all that evidence she still isn’t really sure until someone tells her that they’re black-ops.
One of the things I loved though was how it handled the ‘brother’s best friend’ trope. This is one of my favorite storylines – the friend in love with his best friend’s little sister, warned off, etcetera. This is really where Ali shined for me. She really gave it her all to get Nate to realize that they’re perfect together. While I’m not quite sure how their relationship is going to work in the future with her being a school teacher, and he still being in the Black Knights group, I do believe that they’ll find a way to do it.
Hell on Wheels is the sexy new start of a series, which has a whole host of characters to choose from for subsequent books. It did spend a decent amount of time on setting up future books, and I admit to curiousity on how some of these storylines tie up. If you’re looking for a quick, easy romantic suspense, Hell on Wheels might just hit the spot.
Review on my blog
Unfortunately my problems have overshadowed the enjoyment I was hoping to get out of this book. The largest one was Nate’s dialect. His mashing of several words together into a single word not on was irritating to read, it was an effort in translation every time it happened – which was at least once a page. I know people talk with dialects, I hear them in my head clearly, but I don’t need every single word typed with the lost ending if the goal is a southern accent. If typed out Scottish brogues irritate you, this is a warning that I found it much more distracting and irritating than that.
The second issue was a few logical fallacies that didn’t work for me. There is a lot of emphasis, throughout the book, put on how super-secret these guys are, and their work for the government is way off the books. They literally live in their compound, which is their cover as a custom motorcycle shop with all the accompanying surveillance and security. But let Ali walk up to the gate and ask to be let in, and she’s shown right in. Not just in the compound but in the building where they start wanding down her luggage – searching for bugs – she sees the computers that any NSA agent would die to have, and there in the corner is a fully equipped Blackhawk helicopter. Yeah, all that doesn’t raise any suspicions what-so-ever that they’re not what they seem.
And that leads me to my final problem. While Ali never truly strays into TSTL – to-stupid-to-live – territory, she comes very close. With all that evidence she still isn’t really sure until someone tells her that they’re black-ops.
One of the things I loved though was how it handled the ‘brother’s best friend’ trope. This is one of my favorite storylines – the friend in love with his best friend’s little sister, warned off, etcetera. This is really where Ali shined for me. She really gave it her all to get Nate to realize that they’re perfect together. While I’m not quite sure how their relationship is going to work in the future with her being a school teacher, and he still being in the Black Knights group, I do believe that they’ll find a way to do it.
Hell on Wheels is the sexy new start of a series, which has a whole host of characters to choose from for subsequent books. It did spend a decent amount of time on setting up future books, and I admit to curiousity on how some of these storylines tie up. If you’re looking for a quick, easy romantic suspense, Hell on Wheels might just hit the spot.
Review on my blog
Want to read
January 2, 2018Kindle freebie 1/2/18
June 19, 2018
Hell on Wheels kind of annoyed me. Okay, it really annoyed me. This book was disappointing and definitely underwhelming in my eyes. I was expecting more since this is the opener for the Black Knights Inc. series.. but
The beginning did get me hooked.. but then it just fell so flat. I didn't really care about what was happening in this book and I also didn't connect to any of the characters. This book is basically about a secret ops team that rides motorcycles.. or whatever. It was weird and I couldn't wrap my head around it or support it. This gang was just filled with so many clichés and again, I couldn't see this as being realistic at all.
I just have one thing that bothered me: THE MOTORCYCLE THING. Okay, so motorcycles aren't quiet.. but then again, most vehicles aren't (unless they are a hybrid). So why would they be a secret ops team that goes on missions with them?!? Meh.
Besides that this book follows Ali and Nate. They have a weird kind of brother sister kind of relationship in the beginning due to the bro code. Then they start to develop feelings for each other or they start to show those said feelings that they've kept hidden. Things start to change from friendship to relationship which I could totally get behind. However, I just did not like Ali and Nate. They were cute and vanilla.. but overall meh and boring.
Overall, I was bored with the main characters and this story. Ali just baffled me when she got all upset about not making Nate cry in all the years she has known him. Nate was just boring to me. I definitely had expectations for this book.. and I have no idea if I'm going to move on to the next one..
The beginning did get me hooked.. but then it just fell so flat. I didn't really care about what was happening in this book and I also didn't connect to any of the characters. This book is basically about a secret ops team that rides motorcycles.. or whatever. It was weird and I couldn't wrap my head around it or support it. This gang was just filled with so many clichés and again, I couldn't see this as being realistic at all.
I just have one thing that bothered me: THE MOTORCYCLE THING. Okay, so motorcycles aren't quiet.. but then again, most vehicles aren't (unless they are a hybrid). So why would they be a secret ops team that goes on missions with them?!? Meh.
Besides that this book follows Ali and Nate. They have a weird kind of brother sister kind of relationship in the beginning due to the bro code. Then they start to develop feelings for each other or they start to show those said feelings that they've kept hidden. Things start to change from friendship to relationship which I could totally get behind. However, I just did not like Ali and Nate. They were cute and vanilla.. but overall meh and boring.
Overall, I was bored with the main characters and this story. Ali just baffled me when she got all upset about not making Nate cry in all the years she has known him. Nate was just boring to me. I definitely had expectations for this book.. and I have no idea if I'm going to move on to the next one..
September 13, 2012
I loved this book. Loved the set-up, the characters, the writing. It was full of realistic action, and wrenching flashbacks, and peopled with characters you quickly came to know and love. Walker doesn't flinch from the dark side of her story and I respect that. I'm hooked and waiting for book #2.
October 2, 2016
This was just ok for me. I was a bit bored with Ali and Nate and Rebecca and Frank. It just seemed like he did everything he could to stay away from her because of his promise to her brother but also due to secrets he had. It was just too much of the back and forth bickering between them.
September 17, 2012
This is a great start to a new series(Black Knight Inc.) by Julia Ann Walker, Nate has been best friends with Grigg for twelve years and was the last person to see him alive so it's his job to tell Grigg's parents the news of his death as well as Griggs sister Ali while trying to remember what Gigg said about staying away from Ali. fast forward to A few months later Ali is sure she is being followed and is pretty sure it has somthing to do with Grigg so she can't think of anyone else to turn to besides Nate, Even though she loves him and he can't stand to even be by her. From there we get a great suspense romance with Ali's life on the line and The Knight company(the company Grigg and nate worked for) and Nate trying to figure out what Grigg was up to before his death that would put Ali's life in jeopardy. The relationship with Nate and Ali was great you could tell right away they loved each other. The author did a great job writing both there personalities and I felt like I was in there heads while reading about them. I felt connected to them both though the story was a little slow at times I found my self unable to tear my self away from this book. Julia also did a great job with setting the secondary characters up for the next book, and taking the time to proparly write the secondary charcters. I found her writing style very refreshing and different than a lot of other authors.
February 17, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Summary
Nate Weller also known as "Ghost" has loved Ali from afar but he knows she could never forgive him for what he had to do and withdraws from her. Ali Morgan, never thought that she would be going to the one man who practically ignores her. Her brothers best friend Nate. But when she gets mugged and being followed, she knows that her life is in danger. So she goes to Nate and the Knights for help. She knows that they do way more than just run a motorcycle muscle shop. But when they uncover a plot of an enemy that will prevent them from finding the truth, Ali and Nate join forces to track down the information her brother left behind. Their feelings for each other become awakened as the danger to them escalates...
The Hero
Nate "Ghost" Weller is a brooding hero. He is quiet and mostly "grunts" in communication. Nate has just lost his best friend to torture and Nate still carries guilt and grief over what happened to the man who was like his own brother. Nate has always wanted Ali, but she is "forbidden fruit" to him. First she is his best friends younger sister and that is a line you don't cross. Nate was a swoon worthy hero. I have such a weakness for those silent broody types, and he makes the best of it. His way of communication are pretty hilarious. He only talks when he has to.
The Heroine
Ali has always loved Nate, but he has always kept himself distant from her. Ali is still grieving for the loss of her brothers life. Ali is a school teacher and when she knows that her life is in danger she knows that it has to do with Grigg (her brother) and with Grigg gone now, she goes to the only people who are her family....the Black Knights, and more specifically Nate. Ali knows that despite the distance that is between them, he is the only help she has now. Ali is such a heroine that you can get behind. She is upbeat, and happy and boy she has hidden depths. She can handle a gun just as well as the guys and love her tenacity and courage she displays.
Plot and Story Line
In Hell On Wheels, we have a intense and thrilling romance that Julie Ann Walker introduces us to. Now this is the first time I have picked this author up and I can tell y'all right now its not going to be the last. I had such a blast with this book, it had me on the edge the whole dang time. It sets off with Ali being attacked, and she feels she has no choice but go to the only people that her brother Grigg considered family, the Black Knights. Now the Black Knights are a group of ex military men, who go on special op missions for the government. They do what needs to be done and take orders from high up the chain. They are still trying to recover from the loss of their own, Grigg who along with Nate were captured and tortured. Nate still bears quite a load of guilt from what happened especially since he couldn't save his closest friend. Nate is a hero you just want to hug. He is a bit withdrawn from the others, very broody but yeah sexy as hell. The story is pretty intense at times and what I admired about this book was the plot. I love a good romantic suspense, and Walker did a fabulous job with this one. I loved the development and the intrigue that the reader is introduced into. We also get to see the commadarie between the members of the Black Knights. I am excited to see what the author does in future books.
The Cover
Love the sexy appeal of this cover, I love the male model's stance with the motorcycle in the backdrop.
Overall View
Hell On Wheels is a thrilling ride of adventure, suspense and desire that will blow your mind!! EXHILARATING
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="26145"]
Summary
Nate Weller also known as "Ghost" has loved Ali from afar but he knows she could never forgive him for what he had to do and withdraws from her. Ali Morgan, never thought that she would be going to the one man who practically ignores her. Her brothers best friend Nate. But when she gets mugged and being followed, she knows that her life is in danger. So she goes to Nate and the Knights for help. She knows that they do way more than just run a motorcycle muscle shop. But when they uncover a plot of an enemy that will prevent them from finding the truth, Ali and Nate join forces to track down the information her brother left behind. Their feelings for each other become awakened as the danger to them escalates...
The Hero
Nate "Ghost" Weller is a brooding hero. He is quiet and mostly "grunts" in communication. Nate has just lost his best friend to torture and Nate still carries guilt and grief over what happened to the man who was like his own brother. Nate has always wanted Ali, but she is "forbidden fruit" to him. First she is his best friends younger sister and that is a line you don't cross. Nate was a swoon worthy hero. I have such a weakness for those silent broody types, and he makes the best of it. His way of communication are pretty hilarious. He only talks when he has to.
The Heroine
Ali has always loved Nate, but he has always kept himself distant from her. Ali is still grieving for the loss of her brothers life. Ali is a school teacher and when she knows that her life is in danger she knows that it has to do with Grigg (her brother) and with Grigg gone now, she goes to the only people who are her family....the Black Knights, and more specifically Nate. Ali knows that despite the distance that is between them, he is the only help she has now. Ali is such a heroine that you can get behind. She is upbeat, and happy and boy she has hidden depths. She can handle a gun just as well as the guys and love her tenacity and courage she displays.
“Wow, put the girl through a couple of days of high-level stress, dress her in black leather and give her a gun, and suddenly she went all Xena: Warrior Princess.”
Plot and Story Line
In Hell On Wheels, we have a intense and thrilling romance that Julie Ann Walker introduces us to. Now this is the first time I have picked this author up and I can tell y'all right now its not going to be the last. I had such a blast with this book, it had me on the edge the whole dang time. It sets off with Ali being attacked, and she feels she has no choice but go to the only people that her brother Grigg considered family, the Black Knights. Now the Black Knights are a group of ex military men, who go on special op missions for the government. They do what needs to be done and take orders from high up the chain. They are still trying to recover from the loss of their own, Grigg who along with Nate were captured and tortured. Nate still bears quite a load of guilt from what happened especially since he couldn't save his closest friend. Nate is a hero you just want to hug. He is a bit withdrawn from the others, very broody but yeah sexy as hell. The story is pretty intense at times and what I admired about this book was the plot. I love a good romantic suspense, and Walker did a fabulous job with this one. I loved the development and the intrigue that the reader is introduced into. We also get to see the commadarie between the members of the Black Knights. I am excited to see what the author does in future books.
“Uh-huh. Now Ali was beginning to get the picture. Riding backseat on a bike like Phantom was better than Mr. Blue any day. Not to mention the highly erotic act of wrapping one's legs around the man you loved.”
The Cover
Love the sexy appeal of this cover, I love the male model's stance with the motorcycle in the backdrop.
Overall View
Hell On Wheels is a thrilling ride of adventure, suspense and desire that will blow your mind!! EXHILARATING
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="26145"]
June 17, 2012
Why I read it: Jane from Dear Author tweeted the other day that she was enjoying In Rides Trouble, the second book in this series. I requested it and this one from NetGalley. Of course, being me, I started on book 1.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) 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?
What worked for me (and what didn't): This is a fast paced, spec-ops group types series, very much in the vein of Tara Janzen's Steele Street (Crazy) series (except with bikes not cars) or Cindy Gerard's BOI's. Lots of over the top alpha male action - both romantically and in terms of plot. A certain suspension of disbelief is required to buy into the super seekrit spec-ops group disguised as a custom bike facility, but really, if you're not prepared for that, why would you even pick up the book?
The book starts off when Nate delivers the news to Ali of her brother Grigg's death. Because they are spec-ops of course, he can't tell her the truth about the circumstances. Nate is haunted by the death because (and I don't think this is a spoiler as it's revealed fairly early on) he was the one who had to finally put a merciful end to Grigg's life after some horrific torture meant the choices were only between a long, agonising death or a quick one at the hands of his best friend. Nate doesn't believe that Ali, if she knew the truth, could ever forgive him for that and he cannot forgive himself. Essentially that is the main internal conflict between the two.
The external conflict is around Ali being followed, her place being broken into and being mugged - someone is looking for something from her - she believes (correctly) that it's linked to Grigg's mysterious work (she knows he's not just a custom bike specialist) and goes to Black Knight Inc for aid, where she meets up with Nate and the rest of the team. There follows a road trip, hit men and plenty of explosions, with a couple of steamy interludes until the villain gets his comeuppance and the man gets the girl.
Some of the writing didn't ring true to me. This for instance from Nate:
It just didn’t seem right. A day like this. So sunny, so bright. Didn’t the world know it’d lost one of its greatest men? Didn’t its molten heart bleed?
But then, there were lines like this, which felt much more realistic
Unmentionables?
Whoever came up with that ridiculous term? Underwear that fantastic deserved to be mentioned on a regular basis.
When Nate was being himself and not trying to wax lyrical, he was a pretty funny guy:
“So that’s why you’ve been acting so…so surly and disagreeable all these years?” she asked in disbelief. “Because you want me?”
Surly and disagreeable? He hadn’t been surly and disagreeable. He’d been noble and honorable. Jesus. Couldn’t she tell the friggin’ difference?
The problem was, that because Nate has been so "surly and disagreeable all these years", they don't really know each other well. Until the book starts (and most of it takes place in about 48 hours) she's never heard Nate laugh and rarely seen him smile. So, it was a little hard to buy that what was between them was true and deep and lasting - they certainly have combustible chemistry but I can't say I had confidence by the end of the book that they had a deep bond beyond the physical.
Wow. Those two sure had it bad.
Ghost practically lifted a leg and pissed on Ali anytime she walked in the room, and Ali got all doe-eyed and flushed the minute Ghost looked at her.
Nate drops his "g"s quite often but not terribly consistently and his habit of weird word contractions didn't work that well for me -
“What’r’ya doin’ here?” he asked again. The man had the strangest way of making contractions out of multiple words.
partly because it was inconsistent and partly because it made the text harder to read.
Ali is a kindergarten teacher. Yes. That's right. Kindergarten teacher with alpha male Spec-Ops type. It is a cliche and it's not helped by her habit of not swearing and saying things (even to herself) like "h-e-double hockey sticks" and "crimeny". She also pukes a lot. That's her stress reaction. Seriously, she vomits all over the place. It isn't very sexy but it is unforgettable, as quirks go.
The villain is fairly one dimensional and not all that bright - which did make me wonder how he could have caused quite so much damage without getting caught previously. What I did really like though was the character of Dagan Zoelner. He's been following Ali for three months trying to locate some information, thinking he's on team white hat - but then he begins to wonder. I really liked how this character was introduced and I'm looking forward to more from him.
The chemistry between Nate and Ali was smoking and the sex scenes were well written and steamy. There were parts of the story that were fun and cool and sexy and other parts which felt too cliched and over the top. Ali ventured perilously close to TSTL territory a few times and I got the impression that some things were there because the plot required them rather than that they made a lot of sense otherwise (eg, Ali accompanying Nate to Jacksonville). Her website says this is Ms. Walker's debut and for a first book, it's pretty good.
What else? A reasonable amount of the story is devoted to the unwanted attraction shared by Frank "Boss" Knight and Rebecca "Rebel" Reichart. There is a 13 year age gap and Frank is desperate to protect her from his bad old self. These two feature in In Rides Trouble and I'm looking forward to seeing Frank brought to his knees by love. Rebel is kickass and reminds me a bit of Skeeter from Janzen's Steele Street series.
There's plenty of sexy guys on sexy bikes and I think Cindy Gerard and Tara Janzen fans will get a kick out of this series.
Grade: C+
www.kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com
What it's about: (from Goodreads) 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?
What worked for me (and what didn't): This is a fast paced, spec-ops group types series, very much in the vein of Tara Janzen's Steele Street (Crazy) series (except with bikes not cars) or Cindy Gerard's BOI's. Lots of over the top alpha male action - both romantically and in terms of plot. A certain suspension of disbelief is required to buy into the super seekrit spec-ops group disguised as a custom bike facility, but really, if you're not prepared for that, why would you even pick up the book?
The book starts off when Nate delivers the news to Ali of her brother Grigg's death. Because they are spec-ops of course, he can't tell her the truth about the circumstances. Nate is haunted by the death because (and I don't think this is a spoiler as it's revealed fairly early on) he was the one who had to finally put a merciful end to Grigg's life after some horrific torture meant the choices were only between a long, agonising death or a quick one at the hands of his best friend. Nate doesn't believe that Ali, if she knew the truth, could ever forgive him for that and he cannot forgive himself. Essentially that is the main internal conflict between the two.
The external conflict is around Ali being followed, her place being broken into and being mugged - someone is looking for something from her - she believes (correctly) that it's linked to Grigg's mysterious work (she knows he's not just a custom bike specialist) and goes to Black Knight Inc for aid, where she meets up with Nate and the rest of the team. There follows a road trip, hit men and plenty of explosions, with a couple of steamy interludes until the villain gets his comeuppance and the man gets the girl.
Some of the writing didn't ring true to me. This for instance from Nate:
It just didn’t seem right. A day like this. So sunny, so bright. Didn’t the world know it’d lost one of its greatest men? Didn’t its molten heart bleed?
But then, there were lines like this, which felt much more realistic
Unmentionables?
Whoever came up with that ridiculous term? Underwear that fantastic deserved to be mentioned on a regular basis.
When Nate was being himself and not trying to wax lyrical, he was a pretty funny guy:
“So that’s why you’ve been acting so…so surly and disagreeable all these years?” she asked in disbelief. “Because you want me?”
Surly and disagreeable? He hadn’t been surly and disagreeable. He’d been noble and honorable. Jesus. Couldn’t she tell the friggin’ difference?
The problem was, that because Nate has been so "surly and disagreeable all these years", they don't really know each other well. Until the book starts (and most of it takes place in about 48 hours) she's never heard Nate laugh and rarely seen him smile. So, it was a little hard to buy that what was between them was true and deep and lasting - they certainly have combustible chemistry but I can't say I had confidence by the end of the book that they had a deep bond beyond the physical.
Wow. Those two sure had it bad.
Ghost practically lifted a leg and pissed on Ali anytime she walked in the room, and Ali got all doe-eyed and flushed the minute Ghost looked at her.
Nate drops his "g"s quite often but not terribly consistently and his habit of weird word contractions didn't work that well for me -
“What’r’ya doin’ here?” he asked again. The man had the strangest way of making contractions out of multiple words.
partly because it was inconsistent and partly because it made the text harder to read.
Ali is a kindergarten teacher. Yes. That's right. Kindergarten teacher with alpha male Spec-Ops type. It is a cliche and it's not helped by her habit of not swearing and saying things (even to herself) like "h-e-double hockey sticks" and "crimeny". She also pukes a lot. That's her stress reaction. Seriously, she vomits all over the place. It isn't very sexy but it is unforgettable, as quirks go.
The villain is fairly one dimensional and not all that bright - which did make me wonder how he could have caused quite so much damage without getting caught previously. What I did really like though was the character of Dagan Zoelner. He's been following Ali for three months trying to locate some information, thinking he's on team white hat - but then he begins to wonder. I really liked how this character was introduced and I'm looking forward to more from him.
The chemistry between Nate and Ali was smoking and the sex scenes were well written and steamy. There were parts of the story that were fun and cool and sexy and other parts which felt too cliched and over the top. Ali ventured perilously close to TSTL territory a few times and I got the impression that some things were there because the plot required them rather than that they made a lot of sense otherwise (eg, Ali accompanying Nate to Jacksonville). Her website says this is Ms. Walker's debut and for a first book, it's pretty good.
What else? A reasonable amount of the story is devoted to the unwanted attraction shared by Frank "Boss" Knight and Rebecca "Rebel" Reichart. There is a 13 year age gap and Frank is desperate to protect her from his bad old self. These two feature in In Rides Trouble and I'm looking forward to seeing Frank brought to his knees by love. Rebel is kickass and reminds me a bit of Skeeter from Janzen's Steele Street series.
There's plenty of sexy guys on sexy bikes and I think Cindy Gerard and Tara Janzen fans will get a kick out of this series.
Grade: C+
www.kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com
June 12, 2018
DNF @45%
Horribly edited. Multiple POVs that are hard to decide who is thinking.
Just could not get into flow of book. Liked the storyline.
Horribly edited. Multiple POVs that are hard to decide who is thinking.
Just could not get into flow of book. Liked the storyline.
October 9, 2012
Excellent start to a new series. After her brother's death Ali has been experiencing some odd things. She is being followed, her home has been broken into, and she was mugged. Feeling as though it might have something to do with her brother, she goes to Chicago to talk to her brother's best friend Nate. Nate and his friends run a motorcycle shop that is a cover for a special ops team. Ali had always known that there was more to her brother's activities than he'd said and now that was confirmed. As Nate, Ali and the rest of the Knights try to find out what is going on, Nate and Ali get closer. I loved both Nate and Ali. Ali has had a crush on Nate for years, ever since he started working with Grigg. When she went to Chicago she made it clear that she wasn't going anywhere until she knew what was going on. For a sweet kindergarten teacher I thought Ali had a lot of courage. She had no trouble standing up to Nate and the rest of the team and was able to (mostly) deal with anything that came along. I loved the way that she chattered when she was nervous. She also had a weak stomach that showed up at awkward times (especially at the end), but she worked around it. I really liked the way that she understood Nate and was able to get him to talk. Nate was a great hero and alpha male. He was definitely the strong silent type. He had loved Ali from the first time he met her, but as his best friend's little sister she was off limits. He found that the only way he could deal with his feelings was to stay away from her, but this made it seem as though he didn't like her. I loved the way that when he was around her he could hardly think or put words together in a sentence. When she came to him he knew he had to protect her. I loved the way that he tried so hard to keep his distance but she kept wearing him down. His biggest problem was dealing with the details of his friend's death and the guilt he felt. He was sure that if Ali knew what had really happened she wouldn't want anything to do with him. The final scenes of the book are fantastic and I loved the feelings that Nate was finally able to express. Ali's acceptance of Nate and the things he has done was just what he needed. Besides the main story of Nate and Ali, I loved learning about the other people of the Black Knights. Julie Ann did an excellent job of building their world. Each of the other characters was given life by her descriptions. I loved the set up of the next book with Frank and Becky. Their parts in this book were great and I was with Becky in wanting to smack Frank often and hard! I can't wait to start the next book.
June 11, 2017
Hell on Wheels
3 Stars
Nate Weller has been in love with Ali Morgan from the first, but he is determined to keep her at arms length to protect her from a secret that could destroy them both. Ali has other plans, however, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy conspiracy, she naturally turns to Nate and his fellow Black Knights for help.
The story has potential, but the plotting is problematic and the writing style is jarring.
The basic premise is solid with a group of former special forces operatives working together on unsanctioned, undercover operations. Unfortunately, there are some glaring plot holes such as the villain’s decision to go after Ali when she hasn’t a clue that anything is amiss, and a disgraced CIA agent with ethical qualms. There is also the fact that the Black Knights are not exactly as covert as they would like to think, and what on earth are they doing riding around on motorcycles loud enough to wake the dead?!
Ali is likable enough although she is far too sweet and perky for my tastes, which runs to snarky and feisty, and her tendency toward verbal diarrhea and tossing her cookies at the drop of a hat gets really old, really quick. Nate is much more appealing mainly due to his sexy, brooding and tortured manner. Their romance is alright but nothing really special.
The writing is the most significant drawback as it suffers from weak sentence structure, unexplained military jargon, excessive references to popular culture and numerous names and nicknames to keep straight. Nevertheless, the secondary characters are engaging, particularly Frank and Becky whose story is next.
All in all, not bad for a debut book and I’m sufficiently interested in the characters to continue with the series.
3 Stars
Nate Weller has been in love with Ali Morgan from the first, but he is determined to keep her at arms length to protect her from a secret that could destroy them both. Ali has other plans, however, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy conspiracy, she naturally turns to Nate and his fellow Black Knights for help.
The story has potential, but the plotting is problematic and the writing style is jarring.
The basic premise is solid with a group of former special forces operatives working together on unsanctioned, undercover operations. Unfortunately, there are some glaring plot holes such as the villain’s decision to go after Ali when she hasn’t a clue that anything is amiss, and a disgraced CIA agent with ethical qualms. There is also the fact that the Black Knights are not exactly as covert as they would like to think, and what on earth are they doing riding around on motorcycles loud enough to wake the dead?!
Ali is likable enough although she is far too sweet and perky for my tastes, which runs to snarky and feisty, and her tendency toward verbal diarrhea and tossing her cookies at the drop of a hat gets really old, really quick. Nate is much more appealing mainly due to his sexy, brooding and tortured manner. Their romance is alright but nothing really special.
The writing is the most significant drawback as it suffers from weak sentence structure, unexplained military jargon, excessive references to popular culture and numerous names and nicknames to keep straight. Nevertheless, the secondary characters are engaging, particularly Frank and Becky whose story is next.
All in all, not bad for a debut book and I’m sufficiently interested in the characters to continue with the series.
August 12, 2012
Wow. I’m officially a fan of Julie Ann Walker and the Black Knights Inc. series.
I have to start off by saying, my heart completely broke for Nate. What he went through and what he had to do…it’s just unimaginable. I also really admire Ali for all she had to go through in the book. I don’t know how I would have handled what she went through. There were a few scenes between that brought me to tears.
I loved Nate and Ali together. They had great chemistry.
This book is definitely action packed (as you would expect from former military characters). Nate was fiercely protective of Ali. I loved his reactions every time she insisted on being involved in the case. (Rightfully so…she was the one everything was happening to).
The author did a great job making me care about all the people at Black Knight’s Inc. The POV did jump between characters, but I didn’t have a problem with that. It just made me care about them more . I can’t wait to read the other books in the series to find out what happens to them.
I have to start off by saying, my heart completely broke for Nate. What he went through and what he had to do…it’s just unimaginable. I also really admire Ali for all she had to go through in the book. I don’t know how I would have handled what she went through. There were a few scenes between that brought me to tears.
I loved Nate and Ali together. They had great chemistry.
This book is definitely action packed (as you would expect from former military characters). Nate was fiercely protective of Ali. I loved his reactions every time she insisted on being involved in the case. (Rightfully so…she was the one everything was happening to).
The author did a great job making me care about all the people at Black Knight’s Inc. The POV did jump between characters, but I didn’t have a problem with that. It just made me care about them more . I can’t wait to read the other books in the series to find out what happens to them.
November 28, 2016
I read this ages ago. Guess I forgot to star it. I don't remember much, except that the guys weren't good at their job, and were overly serious. The author killed off someone important and I hate that in a romance. The pseudo OW stuff was lame and Nate was an unromantic asshat. Oh yeah, and my biggest pet peeve... 10+ years wasted for no good reason! Never did pick up anything else by this author. Not my cup of tea I guess.
July 18, 2016
Wow! First time I've read this author. Always nice to find a new author I like.
August 8, 2012
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5
I’ve always liked the setup of the hero being the best friend to the heroine’s brother. The story starts with the heroine, Ali’s, brother Grigg dead and Nate having to deal with the events that led to his death. Ali is now being followed and only has one place she can turn, to Nate and his Black Knights Inc. A group running a motorcycle shop as a cover but are really working secret ops headed by Frank Knight. Ali needs help and turns to Nate even though she hasn't seen him since the day he brought her family news of Grigg’s death and the comfort they found together. They haven't spoken since and Ali needs his help.
Nate and Ali start putting together the steps Grigg took prior to his death together and find out he was doing one ‘off the books’ job working security detail in DC. The clues aren't adding up but a file Grigg sent to Ali might have the answers. Nate and Ali take off to get the file and run for their lives when the man responsible for everything wants to keep them quiet for good.
I liked the set up the motorcycle cover and the men in the group, alphas all with different talents and personalities. A lot of time is spent on the supporting characters and we get a great idea about who they all are and their roles not only within the Black Kinghts but how the inner relationships are coming together. Nate and Ali are a nice couple to read about. I really enjoyed Ali even though some of her phrases (h-e-double hockey sticks) got old and felt way overused. She was still an overall sweet character who was still dealing with losing her brother and finding herself in the middle of something she knows nothing about. She's loved Nate for years but after a warning from Grigg to stay away from his sister, Nate never acted on his feelings. Ali is shattering his resolve though and while the romance takes a long time to build back up, it’s very emotional for them once it happens again.
“You want me?” she asked incredulously.
“I’d say that’s undeniably apparent.”
“But you don’t like me.” Inexplicably, she was still pressed against his pulsing, aching like a month of Mondays erection.
Not like her? Was she crazy? “Of course, I like you, Ali.”
(…)
“So that’s why you’ve been acting so…so surly and disagreeable all these years? She asked in disbelief. “Because you want me?”
Surly and disagreeable? He hadn’t been surly and disagreeable. He’d been noble and honorable. Jesus. Couldn’t she tell the friggin’ difference?
Nate is a man a few words, he rarely smiles and getting a laugh out of him is near impossible. Ali brings all that out in him slowly and my favorite scenes revolved around Nate retelling the past and his last moments with Grigg. He felt comfortable enough with Ali and knew she deserved as much of the truth as he was able to give her about what happened. The reality of his capture, which ultimately ended in Grigg’s death is heartbreaking and following along with Nate as he tells Ali the truth was very emotional; I loved seeing that side of him come out. Their storyline, along with the other members of the Black Knights, is what kept me into the story and invested. The suspense storyline surrounding Grigg’s death and the files with information he sent to Ali, it was ok, but it didn’t have me on the edge of my seat. The people drove the story for me and getting to know Nate, Ali and the supporting cast helped propel not only Nate and Ali’s story, but set up future books as well.
One of those future books (book 2) will be Frank and Becky. Talk about an explosive couple. Although calling them a couple would have Frank blowing a gasket. He’s 13 years older than Becky and the age difference bothers him a lot in this book. He’s attracted to Becky but just won’t let himself go there. Becky wants him to go there, 100%, but he cuts her down and at the end of the story this potential couple is going their separate ways. Becky has such a sharp personality, I can’t imagine her being gone for long and I’m excited to see her wear down Frank.
Even though Grigg has died prior to the story starting, it still felt like he was an additional supporting character. There is so much we learn about this man and to be honest, I went and checked the next books’ blurbs just to see if his name was mentioned as being a lead. I didn’t want him to be truly gone! He’s very present in this book, mostly living on through Nate and Ali’s memories, and I wanted him to a have a book. I wanted him to be that character that wasn’t really dead and showed up to surprise everyone. Yeah, not happening, but he ended up being one of the most interesting characters in this book.
This series has promise and I enjoyed and had fun reading book 1. Book 1s in any series are usually hit or miss for me, a lot of world building tends to pull them down. Once we get through who’s who and what’s what and the action and romance got going, the pace picked up quite a bit. Even though the suspense storyline didn’t really grab me, the relationship between Nate and Ali was interesting and I always have a soft spot for a guy who’s dealing with past pain and finally finding the person that allows him to let it all out. Nice start to this new series and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.
Blog rating: 3.5/5
I’ve always liked the setup of the hero being the best friend to the heroine’s brother. The story starts with the heroine, Ali’s, brother Grigg dead and Nate having to deal with the events that led to his death. Ali is now being followed and only has one place she can turn, to Nate and his Black Knights Inc. A group running a motorcycle shop as a cover but are really working secret ops headed by Frank Knight. Ali needs help and turns to Nate even though she hasn't seen him since the day he brought her family news of Grigg’s death and the comfort they found together. They haven't spoken since and Ali needs his help.
Nate and Ali start putting together the steps Grigg took prior to his death together and find out he was doing one ‘off the books’ job working security detail in DC. The clues aren't adding up but a file Grigg sent to Ali might have the answers. Nate and Ali take off to get the file and run for their lives when the man responsible for everything wants to keep them quiet for good.
I liked the set up the motorcycle cover and the men in the group, alphas all with different talents and personalities. A lot of time is spent on the supporting characters and we get a great idea about who they all are and their roles not only within the Black Kinghts but how the inner relationships are coming together. Nate and Ali are a nice couple to read about. I really enjoyed Ali even though some of her phrases (h-e-double hockey sticks) got old and felt way overused. She was still an overall sweet character who was still dealing with losing her brother and finding herself in the middle of something she knows nothing about. She's loved Nate for years but after a warning from Grigg to stay away from his sister, Nate never acted on his feelings. Ali is shattering his resolve though and while the romance takes a long time to build back up, it’s very emotional for them once it happens again.
“You want me?” she asked incredulously.
“I’d say that’s undeniably apparent.”
“But you don’t like me.” Inexplicably, she was still pressed against his pulsing, aching like a month of Mondays erection.
Not like her? Was she crazy? “Of course, I like you, Ali.”
(…)
“So that’s why you’ve been acting so…so surly and disagreeable all these years? She asked in disbelief. “Because you want me?”
Surly and disagreeable? He hadn’t been surly and disagreeable. He’d been noble and honorable. Jesus. Couldn’t she tell the friggin’ difference?
Nate is a man a few words, he rarely smiles and getting a laugh out of him is near impossible. Ali brings all that out in him slowly and my favorite scenes revolved around Nate retelling the past and his last moments with Grigg. He felt comfortable enough with Ali and knew she deserved as much of the truth as he was able to give her about what happened. The reality of his capture, which ultimately ended in Grigg’s death is heartbreaking and following along with Nate as he tells Ali the truth was very emotional; I loved seeing that side of him come out. Their storyline, along with the other members of the Black Knights, is what kept me into the story and invested. The suspense storyline surrounding Grigg’s death and the files with information he sent to Ali, it was ok, but it didn’t have me on the edge of my seat. The people drove the story for me and getting to know Nate, Ali and the supporting cast helped propel not only Nate and Ali’s story, but set up future books as well.
One of those future books (book 2) will be Frank and Becky. Talk about an explosive couple. Although calling them a couple would have Frank blowing a gasket. He’s 13 years older than Becky and the age difference bothers him a lot in this book. He’s attracted to Becky but just won’t let himself go there. Becky wants him to go there, 100%, but he cuts her down and at the end of the story this potential couple is going their separate ways. Becky has such a sharp personality, I can’t imagine her being gone for long and I’m excited to see her wear down Frank.
Even though Grigg has died prior to the story starting, it still felt like he was an additional supporting character. There is so much we learn about this man and to be honest, I went and checked the next books’ blurbs just to see if his name was mentioned as being a lead. I didn’t want him to be truly gone! He’s very present in this book, mostly living on through Nate and Ali’s memories, and I wanted him to a have a book. I wanted him to be that character that wasn’t really dead and showed up to surprise everyone. Yeah, not happening, but he ended up being one of the most interesting characters in this book.
This series has promise and I enjoyed and had fun reading book 1. Book 1s in any series are usually hit or miss for me, a lot of world building tends to pull them down. Once we get through who’s who and what’s what and the action and romance got going, the pace picked up quite a bit. Even though the suspense storyline didn’t really grab me, the relationship between Nate and Ali was interesting and I always have a soft spot for a guy who’s dealing with past pain and finally finding the person that allows him to let it all out. Nice start to this new series and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.
July 10, 2012
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.
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.
August 7, 2012
4.5 Stars
BAM! Julie Ann Walker’s Hell On Wheels starts out with a bang and just keeps on rolling. An excellent read that I did not put down; it grabbed me from page one, threw me in the emotional wringer and refused to let go until the very last word.
Nate “Ghost” Weller is an ex-marine sniper, who along with his best friend, joined an elite and very covert special ops team, Black Knight’s Inc. Using a custom bike shop as a front, this team of alpha males take the government missions that no one else can handle, off-the-books missions that are both dangerous and deadly.
When Nate’s best friend, Grigg Morgan, dies and his baby sister, Ali, shows up at the compound Nate’s world is turned upside down. Already fighting the grief and guilt from losing his best friend, now Nate must fight the desire he’s had for Ali since the first moment he saw her twelve years ago. Little does she know that the emotional distance he’s put between them was because of Grigg warning him off. But Ali needs his help and Nate’s not going to let Ali down like he let down her brother.
Someone is stalking Ali but she doesn’t get really scared until a mammoth of a man in a ski mask tries to mug her. Ali knows someone is after her and seeing as she’s an unassuming kindergarten teacher then it must have something to do with her brother so she turns to the one man she has left, Nate. As they puzzle through the mystery of her Ali’s shadow stalker Ali can’t deny that she feels something for Nate but despite his obvious attraction for her, Nate continuously pushes her away. Will she ever be able to break through his wall or will the secrets he hides end up breaking them both?
Hell On Wheels is an exhilarating and powerful debut for Julie Ann Walker and the Black Knight Inc. series! This book has everything a romantic suspense fan can hope for; heart-break, loss, humor, action, passion, romance, sex, need, intrigue, along with a tortured bad-boy hero on a kick-ass bike and a sweet but feisty heroine who can roll with the punches. I laughed, I cried, I got all hot and bothered, I cried some more; this novel covers all the emotional range.
The author’s writing style captured by attention from the get-go. I could literally hear Nate’s voice in my head and I loved it! The pages were brimming with the sexual tension between Ali and Nate. Nate has a lot of inner-demons to face and Ali doesn’t understand why he won’t let her in, he very obviously wants her if you know what I mean. ;) The action was non-stop, the dialogue captivated, the characters were believable, and the plot consumed. So why the 4.5 rating, instead of a perfect 5? A few things with the heroine got to be tad annoying after a while; the constant weak stomach and the ‘h-e-double hockey sticks’. Also, the world building at the beginning of the story jumped around some and it took me a little bit to catch up, but after that initial rough start the story quickly found it’s groove and I loved every minute of it.
If you think you’ve read ex-military special ops stories with sexy but tortured alpha men, well you ain’t read nothing yet! Pick up Hell on Wheels, you will not be disappointed! I am now an official Julie Ann Walker stalker….err…fan ;) and Hell on Wheels is, without a doubt, one of my favorite reads of the year.
Hell on Wheels would stand up to Lori Foster’s When You Dare (Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor) and the first few books in Maya Bank’s K.G.I. series, it was that dang good!
BAM! Julie Ann Walker’s Hell On Wheels starts out with a bang and just keeps on rolling. An excellent read that I did not put down; it grabbed me from page one, threw me in the emotional wringer and refused to let go until the very last word.
Nate “Ghost” Weller is an ex-marine sniper, who along with his best friend, joined an elite and very covert special ops team, Black Knight’s Inc. Using a custom bike shop as a front, this team of alpha males take the government missions that no one else can handle, off-the-books missions that are both dangerous and deadly.
When Nate’s best friend, Grigg Morgan, dies and his baby sister, Ali, shows up at the compound Nate’s world is turned upside down. Already fighting the grief and guilt from losing his best friend, now Nate must fight the desire he’s had for Ali since the first moment he saw her twelve years ago. Little does she know that the emotional distance he’s put between them was because of Grigg warning him off. But Ali needs his help and Nate’s not going to let Ali down like he let down her brother.
Someone is stalking Ali but she doesn’t get really scared until a mammoth of a man in a ski mask tries to mug her. Ali knows someone is after her and seeing as she’s an unassuming kindergarten teacher then it must have something to do with her brother so she turns to the one man she has left, Nate. As they puzzle through the mystery of her Ali’s shadow stalker Ali can’t deny that she feels something for Nate but despite his obvious attraction for her, Nate continuously pushes her away. Will she ever be able to break through his wall or will the secrets he hides end up breaking them both?
Hell On Wheels is an exhilarating and powerful debut for Julie Ann Walker and the Black Knight Inc. series! This book has everything a romantic suspense fan can hope for; heart-break, loss, humor, action, passion, romance, sex, need, intrigue, along with a tortured bad-boy hero on a kick-ass bike and a sweet but feisty heroine who can roll with the punches. I laughed, I cried, I got all hot and bothered, I cried some more; this novel covers all the emotional range.
The author’s writing style captured by attention from the get-go. I could literally hear Nate’s voice in my head and I loved it! The pages were brimming with the sexual tension between Ali and Nate. Nate has a lot of inner-demons to face and Ali doesn’t understand why he won’t let her in, he very obviously wants her if you know what I mean. ;) The action was non-stop, the dialogue captivated, the characters were believable, and the plot consumed. So why the 4.5 rating, instead of a perfect 5? A few things with the heroine got to be tad annoying after a while; the constant weak stomach and the ‘h-e-double hockey sticks’. Also, the world building at the beginning of the story jumped around some and it took me a little bit to catch up, but after that initial rough start the story quickly found it’s groove and I loved every minute of it.
If you think you’ve read ex-military special ops stories with sexy but tortured alpha men, well you ain’t read nothing yet! Pick up Hell on Wheels, you will not be disappointed! I am now an official Julie Ann Walker stalker….err…fan ;) and Hell on Wheels is, without a doubt, one of my favorite reads of the year.
Hell on Wheels would stand up to Lori Foster’s When You Dare (Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor) and the first few books in Maya Bank’s K.G.I. series, it was that dang good!
August 2, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! The mix between romance and suspense was well done (by my standards - meaning there was a bit more romance than suspense, but it was not sex sex sex by any means at all). I was also really surprised by the level of emotion that Julie Ann Walker brought forth in this book - to the point where there was one scene that I was actually in tears and another where it almost happened again, something which is very rare for me.
I thought the premise of the book was really interesting - a group of secret commandos using a custom bike business as a cover is really clever, and actually pretty believable. I absolutely ADORED Nate/Ghost - and although the "in love with the best friends sister but refuses do to anything about it because of said best friend" trope is one of my favorites, this book did not quite go down that road which gave the trope a nice twist. Maybe that was his original reason for staying away, but it was not the main reason why he was staying away during the book (and let me tell you, his reason is pretty damn valid and heartbreaking). Nate is especially amazing because he is actually really sensitive - going so far as to even blush at one point in the book - but he is also by no means beta in any way.
I really liked Ali too - even her propensity for vomiting when upset. It made her more real in a way and I would have been really disappointed if she was able to handle being followed around by shady characters and later being shot at like it happened to her everyday. What she was able to handle was explained by the fact that she had a military trained brother who then taught her the basics of taking care of herself.
My only real gripe is that I would have preferred the book to only be written in Nate and Ali's points of view. Although I do really like Frank and Becky (and really look forward to their book!), I have never overly loved when books show other POVs other than the main hero/heroine. It reminded me a bit of Nina Bruhns books, or Stephanie Tyler with the other POVs (although I actually thought the plot was much less confusing as sometimes the other authors can get, and it didn't character hop nearly as much). I would say that if you are a fan of either Bruhns or Tyler that you will like this one.
So essentially, I loved this book and I am actually really sad that this is Walker's debut (meaning there are no backtitles to read to tide me over during the wait for the next book to come out!) I would definitely recommend anyone who likes romantic suspense to take a chance on this new author - you won't regret it!
I thought the premise of the book was really interesting - a group of secret commandos using a custom bike business as a cover is really clever, and actually pretty believable. I absolutely ADORED Nate/Ghost - and although the "in love with the best friends sister but refuses do to anything about it because of said best friend" trope is one of my favorites, this book did not quite go down that road which gave the trope a nice twist. Maybe that was his original reason for staying away, but it was not the main reason why he was staying away during the book (and let me tell you, his reason is pretty damn valid and heartbreaking). Nate is especially amazing because he is actually really sensitive - going so far as to even blush at one point in the book - but he is also by no means beta in any way.
I really liked Ali too - even her propensity for vomiting when upset. It made her more real in a way and I would have been really disappointed if she was able to handle being followed around by shady characters and later being shot at like it happened to her everyday. What she was able to handle was explained by the fact that she had a military trained brother who then taught her the basics of taking care of herself.
My only real gripe is that I would have preferred the book to only be written in Nate and Ali's points of view. Although I do really like Frank and Becky (and really look forward to their book!), I have never overly loved when books show other POVs other than the main hero/heroine. It reminded me a bit of Nina Bruhns books, or Stephanie Tyler with the other POVs (although I actually thought the plot was much less confusing as sometimes the other authors can get, and it didn't character hop nearly as much). I would say that if you are a fan of either Bruhns or Tyler that you will like this one.
So essentially, I loved this book and I am actually really sad that this is Walker's debut (meaning there are no backtitles to read to tide me over during the wait for the next book to come out!) I would definitely recommend anyone who likes romantic suspense to take a chance on this new author - you won't regret it!
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