Winters Heat

Titan #1

by Cristin Harber

After putting her life on the line to protect classified intelligence, military psychologist Mia Kensington is on a cross-country road trip from hell with an intrusive save-the-day hero. Uninterested in his white knight act, she’d rather take her chances without the ruggedly handsome, cold-blooded operative who boasts an alpha complex and too many guns.

Colby Winters, former Navy SEAL and an elite member of The Titan Group, has a single objective on his black ops mission: recover a document important to national security. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation. But now, by any means necessary becomes a survival mantra when he faces off with a stunning woman he can’t leave behind.

When Titan’s safe houses are compromised, Colby stashes Mia at his home, exposing his secret—he’s the adoptive father of an orphaned baby girl. Too soon, danger arrives and Mia lands in the hands of a sadistic cartel king with a taste for torture. As hours bleed into fear-drenched days, Colby races across the globe and through a firestorm of bullets to save the woman he can’t live without.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Military Fiction, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Military Romance

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2013

About the author

Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy romantic suspense, military romance, and new adult. Fans voted her onto Amazon's Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.

The Titan Series:
Winters Heat
Sweet Girl
Garrison's Creed
Westin's Chase
Gambled
Chased
Savage Secrets
Hart Attack
Sweet One
Live Wire
Black Dawn
Bishop’s Queen
Locke and Key
Jax
Deja Vu

The Delta Series:
Delta: Retribution
Delta: Revenge
Delta: Rescue*
Delta: Redemption
Delta: Ricochet

*Delta: Rescue is a novella in Liliana Hart's MacKenzie Family Collection. It can read as a standalone story or in conjunction with either authors' series.

The Only Series:
Only for Him
Only for Her
Only for Us
Only Forever

Each Titan and Delta book can be read as a standalone (except for Sweet Girl), but readers will likely best enjoy the series in order. The Only series must be read in order.

7 Brides for 7 Soldiers:
Ryder (#1) - Barbara Freethy
Adam (#2) - Roxanne St. Claire
Zane (#3) - Christie Ridgway
Wyatt (#4) - Lynn Raye Harris
Jack (#5) - Julia London
Noah (#6) - Cristin Harber
Ford (#7) - Samantha Chase

Reviews

[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

Reason: Main dude has no brain

Explanation: He's doing an op for the Titan group or whatever they are called, he finishes the op plus kidnaps the main woman and they run together because the human trafficking cartel is after them both.

Human trafficking cartel. After them both, but mainly after the woman and her package.


*some spoilers ahead*

So they need to hide from that human trafficking cartel and he decides to take them to his house where he has a few months old baby (!!!!!) and his mother looking after the said baby.

So. Stupidity number one.

He mentions that the Titan headquarters is impenetrable, so damn secure it's... , I don't know what it is but impenetrable says it all. And he's currently doing a job for the said Titan group/security/whatever it is. But does he go there to hide? No. He goes home but is not really worried cause he has... Security cameras. Yeah. Shoot him right now.

Stupidity number two though it still goes into the number one.

I kinda lost it there, well actually I lost it after the incredibly predictable thing happened considering where they went to hide and how un-impenetrable that location was.

Uber disappointed in this book. When it comes to suspense I need characters with brains and this dude didn't deliver.

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I don't mind insta love but this was weird. From the way the blurb sounded, there was some sort of push-pull with these two, as the hero kind of sort of saves the girl while also kidnapping her. First of all, he could have alleviated her fears with a thirty second conversation instead of making her think that he was actually kidnapping her from her kidnappers. Second of all, the hot and heavy started waaaay early. Third, for being a badass former black ops military dude, Colby is pretty inept. The bad guys steal his package and the girl within a couple of pages, then after he steals them back, the bad guys track them down TWICE more within the next fifty pages, so he decides that the best place to hide is at his HOME, with a newborn daughter and his mom. WTF? At this point, I'm picturing a bumbling seventeen year old with peach fuzz laden whispy whiskers and a rebel flag tattoo.

After pushing through about 80 pages, I finally checked out some of my friend's reviews and nearly smacked myself in the forehead for not reading them before the book. Not my cuppa at all :(

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insanity. She was delicious insanity. In between breathless pants, wicked want fired. Her lips were full. Her kiss was better than he expected, and hell, he expected a whole lot. She stoked him faster than he could remember. A kiss unlike any other kiss.

I’d like to announce, I have a new book boyfriend. Colby Winters, your all mine.

Before starting this book, I wasn’t familiar with the Titan series and had never heard of the author, Cristin Harber. That was roughly two days ago. Since then, I’ve read (inhaled) Winters Heat and book two in the series, Garrison's Creed. I am now debating whether I actually have time to write a proper review before I start reading book three,Westin's Chase, which I have already downloaded!

Colby is delicious. His alpha tendencies and protective nature along with his capable warrior skills had me swooning more than once. Seriously, this guy is kick ass! He’s one of the best hero’s I’ve read lately and probably one of my all-time favorite hero’s from the romantic suspense genre. And did I mention he is seriously sexy? Oh yeah. This guy totally did it for me! Mia’s character was also easy to like. She had a good head on her shoulders, handled stress well, and didn’t act like a brainless damsel in distress.

I love Cristin Harber’s writing style. The dialogue between the characters is authentic. The story line is well thought out and complete. I think romantic suspense can be a difficult genre to nail. Some readers want more suspense while others want more romance. I think Winters Heat was the perfect mix for me. The book offers a suspenseful story line along with a heavy dose of steam. For readers familiar with Maya Banks KGI series or Lori Foster fans, Winter Heat felt very similar in terms of mix of suspense and romance as well as the wonderful alpha hero. And Cristin Harber can definitely write a good steamy scene. I love that her scenes never feel rushed. She gives pages of detail (nothing over the top), you know how each character is feeling, what sounds there making, etc. I’ve definitely read more intense sex scenes but something about the romance in Winters Heat was very sexy to read. Everything played out very naturally and was very HOT!

He pounded into her harder. Almost too hard. The sound of their slapping flesh burned his ears. She didn’t fight it. No, she seemed to crave it as much as he did. Her hips moved with him, begged him to keep up the intensity.

The lights were on. His woman was wild. They were out of control and completely in sync. Sweet addiction, have mercy. He struggled for more, struggled for restraint, but reveled in the complete lecherous abandon.

“Colby, please.” She begged, muscles constricting on his shaft. “Make me come again. Now.”

It was all he needed to push into overdrive. Palming her ass off the mattress, he gripped tight, fingers flexed, and aimed to please. He needed to explode, but not until that beautiful face had unraveled again. She’d come on his cock if it killed him.

Yep, HOT!

I’m writing this with the benefit of already having read book two in the series. (All books are stand-alone). Because of that, I know that Winters Heat isn’t just a one hit wonder. This series totally rocks. The writing is wonderful, the story line well thought out, the romance is hot, the hero is hotter...This is such a strong debut, I can’t wait to read more and the good thing is, there are several books released, so no waiting for months! Definitely a solid 4.5 STAR book for me. Really excited to see what this author has next, definitely one to watch!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for a honest review.

[Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia Kensington, a psychologist, is trying to fulfill the wish of a client which puts directly into the path of Colby Winters, a Member of Titan. The Titan team are a band of strong, courageous men who take on crazy missions. Mia didn’t know she was disrupting a mission and Colby drags Mia along and keeps her safe. Mia finds out Colby doesn’t fit into her pre judgmental thoughts of men who look like him and Colby finds out that not all women are alike.

Nice action packed read. Just when you think the book is going to wind down and the MCs are in the clear, something else happens. The book was also kinda funny.

I liked the group of men, but only got to know Cash and Jared. I’m assuming the next book will be about one of them.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. I was so bored. Which is strange considering there was lots of action. So why was I bored? Let me tell you: insta-love. There was fucking insta-love in this book, and as soon as I realized it, my brain zoomed out. I'm not interested in insta-love, I hate them, but I didn't want to DNF it. So I went through it all, though half into the book, I started skimming.... Plus, the characters weren't any special, nor did I connect with them. They just were. Which was boring as well. Did I mention that I was bored? But the book was light, fast forward and had action in it with insta-love, so if that's your thing, then this is for you.

Behind him, Jared cursed and shouted. “No one else falls for a chick. Ever. Again. No one.”

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? - No.
Cheating? - No.
HEA? - Yes.
Favorite character? - Colby Winters
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Probably not.
Would I recommend this book/series? - If you like insta-love.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 1.5 stars.

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

What took me so long to read this series?! I loved this one! Colby was HAWT! Mia was pretty cool. Absolutely NOT TSTL. Brave, yet terrified when she should be. I also liked her sass. Of course anytime you get a super hot military dude with a little baby...well I can't resist.

I listened via audible and it worked for me. A GR friend of mine suggested this for fans of Maya Bank's KGI series and I totally agree.

Safety Gang
short separation towards the end
his friend tries to get him to see the truth about Mia by orchestrating a meet up with a woman like he would have used to go for. He was totally NOT into it. The woman was aggressive and at some point put her hand on his junk and he removed it promptly and said Not Interested.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ‘Almost, but not quite’ stars

The first in the Titan series, this book is fast paced, action packed and all high intensity. Sadly for me though, a little too fast paced, and a little too clichéd with the badassery.

Colby Winters is an ex-Seal who now works for the Titan group, an elite band of badasses who carry out secretive and highly dangerous operations. His latest mission has him tracking down documents that could prove deadly if they fall into the wrong hands.

Mia is a strong, determined and independent woman, a therapist who found out about the secretive documents from a patient of hers who died in order to keep them a secret. Trying to do her bit, she goes after them only to end up kidnapped by bad guys until Colby comes to her rescue.

The two of them soon find themselves on the run from a Columbian cartel, with Mia now a target and Colby fighting to keep her alive.

All very exciting, right? And yeah, it is. The part that didn’t work for me was the romance. Not really insta-love, but definitely insta-lust and then it’s pretty much insta-relationship.

Seriously, they’re on the run from bad guys, and he’s so overcome by passion in the 4 or so hours that they’ve known each other that post car-chase he pulls onto a freeway exit ramp so that they can make out and he can feel her up a bit. And does she protest? Hell no, she overcomes her kidnapping trauma to jump on in there with a bit of groping of her own, and this is seemingly the beginning of a relationship between them.

I’m all for lusty attraction, and fast movers, but in this case, it just confused me. I was reading and all of a sudden… wait, what? Why are they kissing? And then, after yet another attack, they wind up having wildly hot monkey sex that very night - which is not all that unusual for a contemporary romance, but it’s all very intense with ‘take down you walls for me’ and ‘where is this going’ sort of conversations happening that first night *sigh*.

And then there’s Colby himself. He’s a clichéd badass – tough, ruthless and spouting off clichéd one-liners about his badassery.

“I’m no angel, and I’m not finished dancing with the devil.���

Somewhat bizarrely, he has an adopted baby girl – bit of a souvenir from breaking up a sex trafficking ring. Yes, I get that this adds to his swoon factor – big badass, tiny baby girl who has him wrapped around her adorable little finger. But it just seemed really weird.

And then there is his questionable decision-making. They’re on the run from dangerous bad guys and he decides to take Mia to his home …. where his infant daughter lives….. where he leaves the two of them alone and unprotected while he goes off to work…. hmmmmmm.

But despite all that, and even with things moving so quickly between them, I did like the way Colby handled their developing relationship. He wants Mia, and he lets her know it.

“No, Mia, I don’t do this after my ops. I don’t shower with women and ask about their feelings. I’m flying blind here, babe, no idea what I’m doing. But I’m doing it for you.”

There is a bit of stupid, but it’s handled well, and if you can suspend belief that they are madly in love and want to spend their lives together after 4 days, then you might just find yourself getting swept away.

“I’ve needed you my whole life, Mia. And I had no idea.”

Oh, and on a side not, the word “doll” as a term of endearment just does not work for me but Colby, apparently, loves it. He says it all. the. freaking. Time! And literally every time he called her “doll”, I cringed.

But moving on…

The story moves at a fast paced, and even with all of the relationship drama, the action in the book definitely kept me interested. There is so much going on, and it’s all very intense, violent and exciting, and I enjoyed that aspect of the story. I also enjoyed the time spent with the other Titan group boys, and I see some potential there.

Behind him, Jared cursed and shouted. “No one else falls for a chick. Ever. Again. No one.”

I almost DNF’d this book, but I think the fact that I was listening to it as an audiobook helped pull me through. I find that it’s easier to put up with something that would have you putting down your kindle if you’re listening to it while you’re running errands or doing housework. And Jeffrey Kafer does a great job telling the story – he has a wicked voice, and his sexy is almost shiver-inducing.

Despite my issues with this one, there were aspects of the story that I really enjoyed so I’m not ready to give up on this series just yet. I’m intrigued by Cash, and his story sounds really good, so I’m cautiously looking forward to his book up next.

2.5 stars.

[Erth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm really into Cristin Harber now! Her good friend and romance author (of equal caliber I might add), Kelly Elliott, recommended Cristin and read Delta Rescue first and enjoyed it.
Winter's Heat is a romantic suspense, my favorite kind of read, and Book#1 in the Titan series. I loved Colby who is an ex-Seal, now working for Titan. He thinks he's just out for a routine retrieval until he unexpectedly meets Mia. She's like nothing or no one Colby has ever known. She carries her own baggage. The story flows well and is fast paced and of course has got my required hot & juicy getting to know you between Colby and Mia. I definitely do not want to vacation in Columbia anytime soon. Cristin sure knows how to write to scare the heck out of you describing those cartel guys. I almost had to stop and take a shower because I could actually drum up the smells of bad guys!
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the other guys in Titan and can't wait to start "Garrison's Creed". Gotta go. I'm going to be busy for awhile.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never read this author before I didn't know what to expect, but this series has been receiving high ratings/reviews so when the box-set (3 full stories plus 2 novellas) was on sale for £0.77 at Amazon I jumped in to give it a try.....Unfortunately it is now back up to it's usual price but still well worth it's price. The stories are also sold individually.

I can honestly see why this author has been getting those high ratings as this is a really great story which was extremely well written and full of action. Usually when starting a new series I kind of dread having to wade through all the character building that we usually get in the first book, but Ms Harber did a fantastic job of giving us just enough to spark interest in the other characters but the story was mainly focused around the H/h.

A really good read that I would happily recommend to all that like RS

[Kelli C · Rating 2 out of 5]

What can I say...smokin' hot cover...military ops...guns, danger, damsel in distress...well, yep I am sold! Unfortunately I just didnt find the thrill to be there.

Colby Winters is a part of the covert Titan group...he is an extreme soldier. His latest mission puts him together with a military psychologist who has ended up with a much wanted NOC list! On the run from a drug/tafficking carel there ae shooting sprees, car chases, and kidnappings...Colby Winters and Mia Kensington waste no time straddling the console and feeding off the adrenalin.

Sounds good right? Sure, until one night of getting it on after about 4 hours of knowing one another leads to "forever kinda feelings" and "i am never letting you go", "take down you walls for me" jibberish! I am gonna need much more than that. I just couldnt get the instant connection between muscle man and khaki/cardigan wearing woman! Colby was pretty alpha hot with his all in attitude, but Mia just didnt work for me...instead of being sassy and strong, she came off bitchy and insecure.

If I could have skipped the first 40% and jumped in after, I would have probably really liked it as the action picked up, the connection seemed more plausible. I also liked the other Titan team members alot, so I will definitely give this author and this series a second go round

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in the Titan series by Cristin Harber and the first book I've read by this author. Colby Winters is at the airport in Kentucky to pick up a package. But before he can get it a woman secures it and is then kidnapped by baddies. So he rushes in and rescues the woman and takes control of the package. The woman is psychologist Mia Kensington from Virginia. She was directed to get the package by one of her clients who is now dead.

This had all the elements that should have made it a joyful ride but it just didn't quite reach the potential. It was a fair read but not really my style.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 cover to cover reread. All these years later and I still fall head over bootstraps for Colby and Michelle... Er... Mia. Lol

The word rhythm and world immersion recaptured me and held tight from the first words through the last moments.

And going back to where it all began, love knowing the magic is still holding strong.

======
2013 original review

What can I say besides I love Colby and Mia!!! From the first sentence Cristin hooked me and before I knew it I was swooning over Colby!!! The dialogue kept me entertained, the tension between the main characters kept me intrigued and the adventures kept me on the edge of my chair!! I couldn't have asked for a better alpha hero or a more perfect leading lady.


“I’m a lot of things, doll. But worried about getting hurt ain’t one of them. Now, if you don’t mind, feed me macho sh*t or shut that pretty trap of yours.”

Cristin Harber rocks with her voice and stories she shares!! I love the rough badass men and sweet strong ladies she shares with us. So far every book of hers I've read, I've loved and has found a place in my heart and on my forever favorites shelf.

[Tina "IRead2Escape" · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Hotness Rating 3 out of 5

I was really impressed with the start of the Titan series by Cristin Harber. Winters Heat was a fast-paced, entertaining read with alpha-men coming out of the woodwork.

I enjoyed Mia Kensington immensely. She was a strong female lead that wasn't afraid to show her feminine side. Sent to an airport to collect a package by one of her clients has put her in the middle of all kinds of bad stuff. Did I mention that client is now dead? She, of course, was accosted by bad guys when retrieving the package. In swoops Colby Winters to the rescue. Maybe a rescue. Mia has no idea who to trust.

Colby Winters is a member of the elite Titan team. His current mission? Get to the airport and retrieve a package before it ends up in the wrong hands. The mission turns into a cluster right before his very eyes. Mia has the package and is being attacked. Not knowing who she is and what her part is in the whole deal he rescues her and takes with him. Technically, this is against her will, but they can't just let her go without getting all of the information she has. Colby has a need to keep her safe that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the mission and doesn't that just throw him for a loop?

I loved this couple. Colby was so much more open and honest than most heroes in elite ops books. He had a big heart to go along with his all-man alpha exterior. I mean who doesn't love a man who takes in an orphaned baby girl and is raising her as his very own? Once Mia decided to trust Colby she was all-in. She stepped up when it mattered most. The attraction between this couple was very believable and real. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Bottom Line: If you love hot, alpha men this book is for you. Not quite on the same level of Julie Ann Walker, but darned close. If the rest of this series stays along this path we'll be in for quite a treat.

You can find this review and others at www.riverinaromantics.com

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move over all other Special Ops and Security Firms as The Titan Group show you truly what it means to be a bad ass alpha male. So I would give 8 guns if I could but unfortunately Goodreads only offers 5 stars

All I have to do is think of Colby Winters and I start drooling. He is sex on a stick. He has a simple assignment pick up a package at the airport and head home only that when he gets there he sees that there is a lady trying to pick up the package. She doesn't realize that there are thugs on her tail and gets manhandled into leaving with them.
Colby Winters saves the day and goes on a road trip (well not really) to shake off the bad guys. Mia is a right spitfire and gives Colby a lot of shit to begin with but the better they get to know one another the more the attraction grows. After Mia is kidnapped twice and nearly killed twice or was it more. Colby decides to not take her to one of the Titan safe houses but to his home where Mia meets his mother and his daughter Clara. Mia is a civilian and only went after the package as one of her clients mentioned it to her in therapy and he "accidently" died.
The Columbian Cartel is still hot on their heels and after the package. Mia ends up being kidnapped at Colby's home and being taken to South America. This is where "Operation Save Mia" takes place and it kicks ass.

I wasn't sure about this book but after the awesome plot full of suspense, romance, fighting alpha males and an awesome story it is a must read. The characters are introduced bit by bit and the character development of Colby and Mia is to notch making everything to turn out alright in the end. Colby although he was trying to do the right thing for Mia was actually doing the wrong thing and well being a douche but that made the ending so much sweeter.

I received this book from Netgalley and have already signed up for the second one.

[Melissa Haggerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not know if I can even begin to write a review that will do Winters Heat justice. I know what I was expecting, a romance with some chase and suspense. There are many books like that out there, and many of them are really good books. In my opinion Cristin Harber went beyond what I was expecting and delivered something extraordinary.

The plot of this book starts fast, and it just never stops. It is rescue after rescue, but it doesn’t get boring. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what Mia and Colby would do next. I love that their relationship, while moving fast, still has a progression over the book. It added a bigger element of believability to the story.

Mia is so interesting. I don’t know what I expected from the beginning, maybe for her to be a bit unassuming and kind of a wall flower. How would she stand up to the big personality that I was expecting Colby to be? Oh did Mia throw me for a loop. She was brave, strong, and she didn’t shy away from anything. I was so intrigued with how self-sacrificing she was. In the rare moments where she broke down, I felt for her. She is a character that I got lost in.

Colby Winters is strong, all Alpha, and sexy. He came off abrasive, but that man was a teddy bear at heart. I loved each little layer that we got to see of him. He was like an onion (or cake), lots of layers. If I ever find myself kidnapped I think I would want Mr. “Just call me Winters” to come to my rescue. He jumps in with both feet and tears up anything in his way.

Although the plot and characters are amazing, what really set this book apart for me were Harber’s descriptions. She brought hole-in-the-wall hotel rooms to life; I could picture the beater cars; I could imagine the simple luxury of showers and soft sheets after being on the run. The Columbian jungle leapt off the page, I could almost feel the heat and humidity, and imagine the vines, trees, and horrible bugs. Her descriptions made this book worth six stars to me.

I love finding an author whose voice I know I will never tire of. There are some authors out there who write a book and you know you will love everything else they write. I think Cristin Harber is one of those authors. Winters Heat is exciting and so incredibly fast paced. There was an intense and beautiful romance that ran perfectly alongside an action packed adventure. Garrison’s Creed, here I come!

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Candy Coated Stars



Reeces Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite. Chocolate and PB. So yum. But there are lots of great candies out there. Some you have only on special times like candy corn in October. Or malted Robin's Eggs at Easter. Sugary melt in your mouth goodness. Stuff you wanna just lick up. Add the men of Titan Group to that list. Alpha sweetness you will want by the handful.

Colby Winters is a man on a mission. He is former military and works for a Special Ops Groups that takes on bad guys all over the globe. He has a slight candy addiction, but nothing that interferes with his job. This mission should be easy...retrieve a package. Done. Oops. Not so fast.

Enter Mia. She is a psychiatrist who is in serious need of some therapy herself. She is trying to help a former client. He's not former because he was cured. He's former because he is dead. Mia gets the package that Colby was after. Now she has the package, Colby and the bad guys on her tail.

As Mia and Colby are on the road trip from hell as they fight off waves of bad guys. They are attracted to each other, I mean DUH, right. He is a walking candy gram of sexiness. But being with Colby means some dangerously strange things can happen.

She tasted of sweat and tear gas, of soft woman, and carnal ambition.

Really? Sweat and tear gas? I guess you can't tell what will turn on a military man. But can they trust each other with their lives and their hearts. Colby's life is constantly surrounded by danger. Can he allow Mia to be pulled into that circle of danger? Could Mia be more danger to him that the guys with guns?

You, my friend, have a death wish. Columbian cartels are child's play compared to a woman on the warpath.

This was a great sexy, fast paced, thriller of a candy coated read. There are some surprises in there too. I was not expecting some of the secrets and plot twists. I can't wait for Titan #2. Just like M&Ms, you will want these guys by the handful. Oh wait. That sounds bad doesn't it? Yeah...I stand by it. You will want these guys by the handful.

[Bee'sBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok,
I am still reading this book and trying to finish it. I have been on a break from it for a minute due to illness and then my Kindle had the nerve to get a frozen screen I'm waiting for a replacement screen, so I can resume my story. However, all of the setbacks aside, here is my review on this book so far, MEHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I am so trying to like this story, but I really want to quit it, but my sometime OCD (for real, not even a joke) won't allow me to leave it unfinished,, so I am on a like two and half page a day situation, which is not conducive to a speedy rap up of this book at all. So far, this story to me is so unbelievable in a "Lord please, give me back the time from my life that I spent reading this," kind of way. This story is a bit disjointed to me. It starts with Colby Winters, a special op, security expert something or other, going to retrieve some top secret package from a park, he gets to the location and encounters a woman, Mia, retrieving the package he was going to get. However, before he can get to her, some guys from some Colombian cartel swoop in and kidnap her. Then, Winters decides he has to save her to get the package and when he saves her decides she is pretty and starts to like her and they kiss. Mind you, all of this happens in like the first twenty to thirty pages give or take a few. WHHHHAAAATTTT????!!!!. I am so sorry, but if I am kidnapped and I don't know who has taken me or what is going on and the guy who saves me, comes in like gangbusters and takes me without saying who he is, the last thing I will end up wanting to do is kiss him and think he is hot stuff.

I understand this is a story and none of this is real life, but I still feel like some of it needs to feel plausible and unfold in a way where I am like, "Oh yeah this could happen." I shouldn't immediately feel like "What in the hot hell just happened?" Instead, I am left feeling like "What did I just miss?"

I will continue on my OCD, must finish everything I read, two and a half pages a day until the end; because that is all I seem to be able to take at a time. I will continue to read other stories and one day I will write a proper rated review, but it most definitely won't be soon.

[Beanbag Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story starts out great. Colby Winters is sent to extract a package from an airport in what is supposed to be a simple operation. When he gets there he finds not only a group of Russian bad guys moving toward the same package, but a lone woman, Mia Kensington, already there securing it for herself. Thus ensues a series of intense action sequences and a lot of one-on-one time for the leads.

The one-on-one time is where I started to have a problem. It really starts to feel claustrophobic after about 20%. We know there's a group that works with Colby, but we don't get to see them until around 50%. That's when things picked up again for me.

Colby is a commando and Mia is a therapist, mainly working with the military and their families. One of her patients gives her the old "if something happens to me …" and that's how she ends up in this mess. They make a great couple. Both smart, both attractive, both complimenting each other in a variety of ways. The problem is that we're treated to about 10 inner monologues for each of them that remind us how they never do this and this relationship is impossible and what are they thinking. It gets old and the book bogs down.

Also, Colby turns into kind of a squish for a while and that just feels odd when he's the kind of guy who can probably perform surgery on himself while strangling a bad guy and eating a steak at the same time.

After the Titon Group enters the scene things get even more intense and the whole story starts to regain the lost momentum. It takes a while to get their names and types out, but once they're known to the reader they're really engaging.

Despite the use of a very tired trope near the end and some basic story holes, I ultimately found it pretty enjoyable. The excerpt for the next book in the series was very intriguing, so I'll be continuing with this promising series.

I was provided a copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Serban Georgiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aceasta serie este combinatia perfecta intre povestea de dragoste si actiune pura.
Titan este o organizatie nonguvernamentala de elita,care se angajeaza in diferite misiuni.
In cazul de fata ,este vorba de recuperarea unui CD care contine date secrete despre o organizatie criminala din Columbia.
Floare la urechie pentru Winter Colby.La experienta pe care o are in cadrul Titanilor,aceasta misiune nu ar fi trebiut sa fie una dificila,dar atunci cand o intalneste pe Mia Kensington totul se complica.
Mi-au placut personajele,si povestea lor de dragoste,dar cel mai mult mi-a placut actiunea acestei carti,si faptul ca tot timpul "se sta ca pe muchie de cutit".Ador genul acesta de carti,pline de actiune.
Cristin Harber a fost o surpriza interesanta,si modul ei de a scrie mi-a mers la suflet.
Punctajul acestei carti este de 4.5 stele.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a fabulous read. Once I stared reading I could not put my Kindle down till I was done.

Loved both main characters, Colby is totally a badass delish alpha and Mia was perfect for him. I hate limp heroines and there seems to be a glut of them so Mia was such a refreshing change. The sub characters (looking forward to reading their stories) were brilliant as well. Not once was I bored or tempted to skim, in fact in places I was reading with bated breath. I loved the lack of unnecessary angst too.

A totally brilliant read, fast paced but never rushed or skimped. Cristen Harber you have a new fan.

July 2015 - Listened to the audio version and loved it.

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5 stars

[DearReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 – 3 stars … I can’t really decide whether I liked this book or not… it really was just meh. I gave it three stars in the end because it still was better than two.

What I didn’t like:
- The plot was very predictable
- The plot felt like books I already read warmed up and badly copied
- The dialogues were awful and so stiff and unauthentic. Man that was hard to read at times.
- The characters were not deep and lacked background story. I just couldn’t connect with them.
- Mia was a bitchy cow most of the time. I liked her at first but after a few chapters her sass just turned into a bitchfest.
- The “strategic” decisions Colby made were ridiculous. Bringing the woman, the bad guys want dead, to his home where his baby daughter lives must be about the most stupid decision a former Navy Seal ever made. I mean come on!
- Of course they were outnumbered one to 20 during the rescue and made it out okay apart from Colby being captured
- The fact that they both loved each other after four freaking days so much they were absolutely miserable without each other. I truly despise unrealistic insta love and stories that don’t give their characters the chance to actually build a relationship
- The name TITAN Group. No. Just no.
- The two evil antagonists were risible. I doubt were they real they would have made it above a common street thug.

What I liked:
- Alpha hero: Colby could be very entertaining
- Jared: broody and grumpy boss with a big heart.
- Clara and Colby’s mum

Not sure whether I wanna continue this series. The blurb for the next instalment actually sounds promising and I liked Cash.

[Luli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este no es el tipo de libro que me gusta. Me ha parecido predecible, nada nuevo en él y es una pena porque en principio la idea parecía interesante. A esto hay que sumarle el exceso de testoterona que emana...es demasiado...no he conseguido deshacerme de la sensación de que iba leyendo un cliché tras otro a lo largo de toda la historia, y reconozco que me ha costado terminarlo.
Creo que este libro funcionaría para amantes de Jean Claude Van Damme y héroes de este estilo: mucho músculo y pocas neuronas.
La acción tampoco me ha parecido interesante, hasta el 50% del libro no está del todo mal, pero a partir de ahí, empieza la debacle...y la protagonista es secuestrada una y otra y otra vez por los malos....y se veía venir...no cuadra con lo organizado y eficiente que es el prota en el primer 50%...parecen 2 libros diferentes...
Y por último, pero no menos importante, me parece perfecto el uso de palabras en español cuando en la historia aparecen cárteles colombianos, pero, para tres palabras que se usan....al menos una podrían haberse escrito correctamente...es tan fácil como usar un diccionario online...
"Senor"no es señor, "rapido" no es rápido, "si" no es sí, "comprehende" no es comprende y "vamanos" no es vámonos....
Y aún estoy intentando averiguar que significa hasta en "Hasta. Up.Up."
A menos que fuese Basta.....
I´m sorry.
:(

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

Was a freebie at time I picked Winters Heat up. I just could not get into this. I was forcing myself to read and that is just not enjoyable. I stopped at 48%.

The character's just did not work for me. The first kiss was at a very un-cool moment & they hardly knew each other, before becoming all physical.
The lead guy started doing some stupid things, for being a member of an elite military team. Exp: Instead of taking her to his impenetrable head quarters, Titan Group, he takes her to his home to protect her???

Wanted to like this, but did not. Even though this one was a DNF for me, does not mean it won't work for you, so if you find the blurb interesting I urge you to give it a shot.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read, especially in the beginning as we get to know Colby Winters. The book is told from duel points of view, and we get to spend a lot of time in his head. Colby is an operative for a private security company. He has been sent on what he thinks will be a cakewalk of an assignment to retrieve a small package taped to the underside of a chair at an airport. He realizes that he is being followed by another party trying to beat him to the package, but when they both arrive on the scene they find Mia, on her hands and knees prying the package off the chair.

And the fun begins! Kidnappings, murder attempts, and one very confused Colby who can't stop his strong reaction to the firecracker that Mia turns out to be. A sweet twist on the usual for this type of story is that Colby is the adoptive father of a toddler who means the word to him.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right off the bat the book starts off with a BANG! Action, which I like. Colby I like how his mind works, "I'm starving." Her tongue ran over her lips. Maybe he should have bought some lip gloss or something like that. Women liked that stuff. Needed it. Didn't they? He blew out a frustrated puff." I mean I really love how he thinks, "he released her hands, and she arched into him, digging her nails into his shoulder blades. She clawed for blood. Marking him as hers. She could leave scars for all he cared. He'd own that constant reminder." And you don't mess with Colby's woman he will kill you, "the things Silva would comprehend when Winters was finished with him would be innumerable. First lesson. Don't eff with my girl." I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

[Svenja · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abbruch nach 49%

Ich komme mit den Protagonisten nicht zurecht.

Sowie "die Guten" als auch "die Bösen" sind so langweilig und durchschaubar. Ich fand weder Mia, noch Colby sind sonderlich sympathisch. Da wird eine Bedrohung dargestellt, die irgendwie keine ist. "Die arme Mia hat auf den Weg hierher so viel durchgemacht." Ja was denn?

Ich glaube, Christin Harber möchte einfach nur Erotikszenen schreiben und der Rest läuft so nebenher. Wenn es um Sex geht, wird alles auf einmal sehr bildlich, leidenschaftlich und ausführlich. Aber warum die beiden miteinander schlafen, bleibt für mich unergründlich. Da war vorher kein Knistern und keine Funken. Es passte einfach gar nicht.

In dem Genre kann man wirklich sehr viel besseres lesen.

[Eric Plume · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tossing in the towel after two chapters. I can't even with this shit; nothing fits with anything, I lost the plot after the first few pages, skimmed a bit and still couldn't figure out why I should care.

My eyes glazeth over.

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars to 4 1/2 stars

[Stephanie Nicol · Rating 1 out of 5]

Es war nur anstrengend!