Mission: Keep Margaret Barlow distracted…using any means necessary!
Ranger Hunter Cross is the army poster child—excitement, danger and no strings in sight. And he's been in town exactly three hours before a curvy blonde named Maggie flashes him a look that says "You belong in my bed." It's a night of wicked satisfaction. And it's a night they can never repeat….
All Professor Maggie Barlow wanted was an orgasm—or three— from the dead-sexy Ranger. Having him as her official army liaison while she works on her new book? That wasn't in the plan. Especially when she learns that Hunter has orders to "control" her. Little does the army know that when it comes to their deliciously naughty nighttime activities, Hunter is at Maggie's complete command….
Uniformly Hot! The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.
Sara Jane Stone lives near New York's Hudson River with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children, a lazy Burmese cat, and a very active dog. When she is not finger painting with the kids, she loves writing sexy stories, staying up past her bedtime reading red-hot romance, and chatting with her readers on Facebook.
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Command Performance before it hits the shelves in a few weeks, and I have one piece of advice: Order your copy right now!
I've read a lot of romance novels, and Command Performance is by far one of my favorites. I liked Maggie from the moment I "met" her. She is smart, sexy and tough, but with an endearing vulnerability that will have you rooting for her from page 1. Maggie had a tumultuous childhood with a distant, alcoholic father. She learned how to take care of herself, and she rarely (if ever) relinquishes control. After she catches her fiancé cheating on her she decides to throw caution to the wind for one night. Enter Hunter, a hot injured soldier with emotional baggage of his own. The two share an amazingly hot night together, and part ways, only to discover a few days later that Hunter is assigned to be Maggie's army liaison for the book she is writing. While Maggie wants learn everything she can about Hunter, his teammates and their latest mission, Hunter has a vested interest (and an official order) to lead Maggie away from the truth.
The story has all of the elements of a good romance novel--steamy sex scenes, conflict, love and a happy ending--but it is still fresh, original and unlike any other romance novel I've read recently. While the love story and the hot sex scenes feature prominently, the story also focuses on Maggie and Hunter's emotional journeys as they attempt to overcome their respective emotional baggage. I often find characters in romance novels to be difficult to relate to, but the characters in Command Performance are easy to relate to, understand and love.
Sara Jane Stone is definitely going on my "must-read" authors list!
Hunter is one of my fave Heroes that SJS have written.... He is a combination of hot and sweet like 🥺🤧💞 A FREAKING GREEN FLAG!!!!!!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 And Maggie was also a great heroine, she had trust issues BUT she was being reasonable. I also liked that she wasn't annoying.
4 Stars – Command Performance is an adult contemporary/military romance by Sara Jane Stone, and part of the Harlequin Blaze Uniformly Hot! series. The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell!
Maggie Barlow's life is defined by responsibility. A career-oriented author and political science professor with a specialty in military studies; she has a need to succeed. And if she can hit the bestseller list with her next publication, recounting the story of a six-man team of army Rangers—modern day cowboys—who rode horses belonging to an Afghan warlord to rescue three female aid workers, she’ll be a shoo-in for tenure at the college, which is about as close as you can get to a lifetime of job security.
But Maggie has a growing need to do something just for herself. For one night. Something wild. She's tired of being the caretaker, the writer, the teacher and, worst of all, the dutiful fiancée who got screwed over by her ex. Tired of being the girl who's too afraid to ask for what she wants from a man. And what she wants is to kiss goodbye her carefully planned life for a few hours and find a man who can give her an orgasm—or three—and make all of her sexual fantasies come true.
Ranger Hunter Cross is the army poster child—excitement, danger ... and no-strings-attached. He loves his job and excels at taking charge, especially in the bedroom. And in his wildest fantasies, he’d never imagined he’d meet someone like Maggie. A woman who demands orgasms, lots of them, without commitment. He's the perfect man for her one night of wild sex. A night of wicked satisfaction. But what happens when Maggie discovers her one-night stand now holds the key to her professional success?
Assigned to be her official army liaison, Hunter's job is to control what goes in Maggie's book. His orders are to set up interviews with his teammates and coach them on what to say. Lead her away from sensitive issues. Stonewall her. Distract her. Keep the upper hand. And if he succeeds, he'll get his dream job. A promotion. Leader of Alpha Team. But little does the army know that when it comes to their deliciously naughty nighttime activities, Hunter is at Maggie’s complete command …
I just love a man in uniform! Command Performance is a quick, sexy, steamy read with a satisfying HEA, perfect for the beach or a lazy afternoon.
2-2.5 stars. This was just okay for me. The beginning was good and I was really enjoying, but then the characters stared not acting like they had been first portrayed - Maggie started as a strong woman in spite of her insecurities and issues, and then just fell into the same old cliche.
The rest of the book I really didn't connect with either character or the circumstances, more like there was a checklist of things for them to go through, briefly with no depth, the end. Also didn't make me believe in the whole Ranger aspect, Hunter's reactions didn't seem to be true to military or an elite division (like an active-if-on-medical-leave Ranger wouldn't notice a second car in the driveway even if he was thinking of sex, or the dwelling on his teammate's "mistake" that got him shot not to mention the guy being on the mission in the first place). Might be true to life, but just didn't strike me that way and took me out of the story. And I never got the reason or felt his sudden attitude change about relationships.
And Maggie, kind of cardboard and going through romance novel motions, like Hunter's sister showing up at her house (how the heck did she know he was staying there or how to find it?) and right after meeting her (after a thankfully brief and internal misunderstanding that she was an old or current girlfriend) Maggie just pops out (of curiosity, we're told that) and says, "So, you're in rehab." Who does that? A character needing to get it out to address a point in the plot, but it really could have been handled better, like maybe the sister bringing it up first? I dunno.
And how the sexual double standards were handled and dealt with. A woman picking up a guy for a night of hot sex would reflect badly on her, but okay for the guy. The man groping her (her boss, basically) at the pool party, how she dressed, like an intelligent, strong, capable woman has to dress dowdy to be taken seriously. I mean, the double standards are true, but I had hoped she would have been portrayed as handling them more like the strong, intelligent woman the story wanted us to believe her to be. Lots of little things like this, and the story and characters weren't strong enough to make me overlook and keep from being small annoyances throughout.
After catching her ex cheating on her, Maggie Barlow goes out for a night on the town and ends up having a steamy one-night stand. She just never thought she'd see Hunter Cross again. So she's a little shocked when it turns out Hunter is the army liaison she has to spend the next week with in order to finish her book. Maggie had a tough childhood and learned to always seek stability and control. In her quest for stability, Maggie is looking to write a best-selling book about an Army Ranger mission, hoping it will get her tenured. Hunter was on the Ranger team and has agreed to answer her questions. But he has also been ordered to distract her from several secrets leadership doesn't want put into print. And he'll use whatever means necessary - even seduction.
This was pretty good. I would definitely pick up this author again. I got a bit nervous reading this when it started to go into realms of giving up control and what not. I usually don't go for those kinds of stories because the battle for control between characters typically sucks the romance right out of a story for me here. This didn't happen here, since "control" here really just meant letting go of insecurities and opening up to the possibility of love. The sex was pretty steamy and the characters were fairly likeable. I did have a bit of trouble believing in the characters sudden decisions - with Hunter's sudden realization that he loved Maggie and Maggie's sudden realization that she was "ready" for a commitment. These decisions felt so out of the blue for the most part. I was also somewhat disappointed in how quickly the angst between the characters was resolved. I mean, Hunter's deceit was pretty big, and while his solution was a great one, it felt so quickly done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
For those readers not familiar with the Harlequin Blaze line, suffice it to say that the author must pack a lot of punch in a short book. And author Sara Jane Stone wins this one with a knock-out story of two lovers who agree to one, single orgasm-filled night of passion. But fate intervenes and changes everything. Hunter Cross is a Ranger with wounds physical and emotional. Professor Maggie Barlow keeps a tight rein on her heart because she's finally ready to live after a life spent caring for others. She's looking for tenure and a successful publishing career writing about a daring Ranger rescue of aid workers. What she gets is her official liasion: Hunter Cross - and he's under orders to keep her under control. And control is what it's all about, in the bedroom and out. One night becomes more and hearts are all too soon engaged. Stone's novel is lush, rich, filled with an incredibly rendered sensuality that makes the pages sizzle even as you sigh with the romance. The dark sides of the characters are explored and explained. The setting is immediate and homey-familiar. I could not stop reading this book and was sorry to see it end. But it was a roller-coaster ride of perfectly rendered emotion, passion, drama and humor that had me breathless at the end. And amid the perfect moments was one absolutely shining star - you'll know it when you read it. And when you do? I dare you not to fall madly in love with Hunter Cross. And be of so jealous of Miss Maggie. Don't miss this book, and don't forget the author's name because you will want everything she writes on your keeper shelf.
Maggie is on the rebound from finding her fiance cheating on her. So what is a girl to do. Go pick the hottest guy she can find, sounds like a good plan to her. It is just for one night. One night to live a fantasy, to feel, to live, to let go of control and to be who she would really like to be. Hunter is in town because of his job. He really wants to get the job done and move on. He has obligations that he needs to attend too. But when he spots Maggie he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. One night. That is all either of them want. That is until morning comes and Maggie walks out of his hotel room leaving Hunter wanting another night with her. This was a good story. It started off with a bang, then slowed down just a bit, then picked up again. I was overall happy with this book. I don’t know what happened to the formatting as I put it on my kindle but the font wigged out on me. If you are looking for a good book I would suggest picking up a copy of Command Performance.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review. Review will be posted at
I was lucky to get a review copy of this sexy fun title in exchange for an honest review. This is definitely an author to watch. Readers will marvel that this is a debut author while enjoying dimensional, appealing characters Hunter and Maggie as they fall for each other.
Maggie goes to the car show to find a one night stand to get the memory of her ex-fiance with another woman out of her head. She's never done this before, but she is instantly attracted to Hunter. He is draw to her as well and they enjoy a sizzling sensuous night.
Maggie runs the next morning, confused by her strong emotions for the man, only to discover that he is an officer of the Ranger group she has to interview for her book. That book means tenure and professional success for her, and she tries not to let her growing feelings interfere.
Hunter finds that the woman he can't stop thinking about is his new mission. He has to keep her from finding out details about the last operation to put in her book. He stays in her guest room but works on her heart.
Short and sweet but sexy, the only disadvantage to this story is that it is not longer so readers can see more of how the romance plays out. Readers can only hope that this author will write many more stories like this!
I forced myself to finish this. Though the writing itself was competent, never at any time did I feel that these were three-D characters experiencing real emotions. The heart of the Blaze books is supposed to be the steamy love scenes, but these were poorly executed and tame: The H is supposed to fulfill the h's wild and kinky fantasies, but these "wild" fantasies include her giving him a BJ in high heels, and him tying her wrists before sex. As Seth and Amy would say, "Really?" Finally, the premise of this novel is the h writing a nonfiction book about a major military mission. From her actions in the novel, it is clear the h has NO IDEA how to research and write such a book. Furthermore, FIVE MONTHS after the h BEGINS her interviews for the book, the book has been written, published and is on the NYT bestseller list. Preposterous timetable! If there is one thing an author should know how to write, it's a character who is a writer. And the author should also know the timetable for a such a book's publication. I don't take writing negative reviews lightly, but I really felt that my time was wasted on this novel--it felt like an assembly-line product rather than the piece of art and self-expression that a good novel should be.
Command Performance was both seductive and intelligent. I've read many romance novels that I couldn't connect with... the characters were too sterile, or the plot was too simple or predictable, but Hunter and Maggie were both wonderful (and believable!) characters, and the book was well-paced and interesting. Maggie alternately wrestles with her dreams, responsibilities, and sexual desires in a way that I found very entertaining and accessible... she was a sexy everywoman, not an impossible and unbelievable sex goddess (but don't worry, the sex is HOT!). The plot is well-organized, the buildup to the sex is tantalizing, and yet Maggie and Hunter still keep the reader guessing... when I was finished, I found myself wishing for a few more steamy chapters. I can't wait for Ms. Stone's next book!
I have a weakness for Harlequin Blaze books and this one definitely delivered.. A bit of romance, a lot of hot sex, and an entertaining storyline. Command Performance by Sara Jane Stone is definitely a fun and sexy read. Maggie decides to pick up a random guy (Hunter) at a bar to get her mind off her ex fiance but when fate intervenes and reunites Maggie & Hunter. They both learn to challenge and overcome their own personal issues. Love the chemistry between the main characters and once you pick this book up you will not want to put it down!
*Received from Goodreads first-reads. Many thanks to the author for sending and autographing :)
I love the Blaze line and the Uniformly Hot! series in particular. Sara Jane Stone's debut novel is off the charts hot, and an excellent example of the passionate stories this line is known for. Hunter and Maggie make a great couple from the very beginning, and the conflict of what they want out of life personally and as a couple has a fantastic resolution. I would give this more stars if I could. So, if you are a Blaze fan, don't miss out on this one! I'm looking forward to many more great reads by Ms. Stone.
If only I could be as bold as Maggie! Wow! Loved the way Maggie and Hunter met and came together! This book was a great fast sexy read. Loved the immediate connection they had and the way they were so possessive of each other. The sex scenes were perfect, not too much. I enjoyed the strength of Maggie's character and the humbling of Hunter. This was my first book by Sara Jane Stone and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Contemporary romance with protected sex. This book runs concurrently with "Command Control". Logan's story.
I almost liked this book better than Logan's. I enjoyed Maggie & Hunter's story. The romance is whirlwind. They know each other a week & Hunter is in love & ready to risk it all for Maggie. I know sometimes it happens that way, but hopefully not in every SJS book! Maybe Olivia could find someone?
"New Blaze author Stone provides a solid first entry to the imprint with this incarnation of the Uniformly Hot! series. ... The man with no strings winds up tied up in knots over her and gives her everything she wants and more in this steamy tale with likable characters and well-paced development." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
Received this book in February as a Goodread winner and I must say although it was cold outside I was kept warm and toasty but this book. Wow not usually the type of book I read but it was great to see how Sara makes the characters strong but also sensitive and the romantic scenes will warm everyone this winter. Sorry it took me so long to write a review but definitely grab this story.
I love this book, I am a big fan of all Harlequin books and this one was so much better than I thought it would be. I sure hope Sara Stone is going to be writing more books because I have became a big fan of hers. I truly recommend this book to anyone who love romance and harlequin books.
This was such a good book, Like the others this one can't end the way it did. There has to be more. I loved it! And "Hunter Cross" Is my kind of man. I would die to have a chance to meet the guy who did the book cover. Sara did a great job on this book too!
This book surprise me in so many ways. Such a romantic story . It played with my emotions but it turned out to be one great 1 day read. Worth reading and more.
Not bad. A bit predictable and it seemed as though the end confrontation was too quick and easy (I'd prefer more groveling, personally) but otherwise an overall good read.