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Elite Operatives #1

Lethal Affairs

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Elite operative Domino is no stranger to peril and impossible situations. Trained all her life to be just as comfortable fighting terrorists as mixing with the gala crowd, she is proficient at playing any role necessary to accomplish her objective and believes the cause sanctifies the means. But her latest assignment to investigate journalist Hayley Ward will test more than her skills, ingenuity, and courage, because this time she faces the ultimate dilemma: a choice between loyalty and love.

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2008

27 people are currently reading
1182 people want to read

About the author

Kim Baldwin

33 books238 followers
Kim has made her living as a writer for more than three decades, working as an Emmy-winning journalist in network news for twenty years before she began penning fiction. She resides in a national forest in Michigan, with few neighbors and a long drive to get to the nearest airport, movie theater, or ethnic restaurant. She never imagined herself a novelist, her first book, Hunter’s Pursuit, was written as a way to fight off cabin fever during a long winter and was sent off to a publisher at the encouragement of friends. The positive feedback she received from readers hooked her to continue writing more romantic lesbian adventures.
Travel is a major obsession. Kim first went to Europe at age fourteen, traveling with her parents on a five week excursion through a dozen countries. Four years later, she returned as part of a singing and dancing troupe, performing in town squares and castles and staying with local families.
The decades since have been filled with many more far-flung excursions... riding a camel at the Pyramids of Giza, crossing the U.N. green line at Cyprus, dogsledding above the Arctic Circle in Alaska, watching Paris awaken from atop Notre Dame Cathedral, motorcycling the Blue Ridge parkway, watching shuttles launch from a kayak near Cape Canaveral, skiing Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia, climbing Diamondhead in Hawaii. Her travels and journalism background provide great fodder for her novels. And her younger years in community theater have paid off in her new passion--narrating audiobooks.
Kim is a member of PAN (Published Author’s Network), Romance Writers of America, and the Rainbow Romance Writers, Chapter #217 of the RWA. She's also a 2008 Recipient of an Alice B. Readers Appreciation Award The Alice B. Medal: This award is given annually to living writers who have careers distinguished by consistently well-written stories about lesbians. The award is given once, only, in appreciation of career achievement. (from the author's website)

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5 stars
486 (41%)
4 stars
406 (34%)
3 stars
222 (18%)
2 stars
42 (3%)
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20 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Profile Image for Kat.
939 reviews
March 24, 2013
And so the quest for the Holy f/f Grail continues...

I wish I could say something nice about Lethal Affairs. And in fact, I can! The cover. At least they got that one right...



Based on the summary combined with that bad ass cover, I was certain this one would be a winner. As an elite operative, Domino (where have we heard that name before?) kills terrorists for a living. When one of her missions goes awry, the surveillance material of the fuck up is too revealing and could potentially blow Domino's cover. So the tape has to disappear. But this operation, too, goes wrong, and suddenly pretty and ambitious journalist Hayley finds the tape in her mail box.

So much potential. Then how did the authors manage to turn this into such an uninspiring and tedious read? I got the impression that they watched a TV episode of a crime series and penned the whole thing down. So many characters are introduced in unnecessarily extensive descriptions (and everyone's apartment or office is described in painstaking detail as well).
The MC's don't have any remotely interesting personality traits, nor do they have chemistry. Despite their - utterly unbelievable - instalove, they don't actually get their groove on until page 480 (for some odd reason my ebook has 870 pages, which I admit didn't help keeping me motivated to finish it).
And when they finally do, it's so inadequately written that, for once, I was glad when one of the ladies pushed the other one away, exclaiming the cliché words "we have to stop" in what seemed be an attempt to prolong whatever sexual tension the authors thought they still had...

"The fist inside coiled tighter, and the rising passion engulfed her. She deepened the kiss, unleashed some of the coil, her mouth claiming Hayley's with a sudden flare of heat. Hayley kissed her back with equal ardor, their tongues stroking deep, making clear the mutual depth of their attraction."

Usually I feel the need to be somewhat supportive of lgbt books. So when I don't particularly enjoy a book, I will still consider giving it 2 or 3 stars, if I think others will love it. Considering that both Anna and I struggled to finish Lethal Affairs, and the fact that it's overpriced, I'm not even going to bother. To think of all the authors of great free online fic I could've donated these 11 euro's to instead.

**********************************************

Anna, Lee, I couldn't think of a better place to poll you for our next f/f buddy read. We have to prove that our buddy reads aren't cursed, so pick carefully. There's a lot at stake here!;)
Discuss in the comments section? Hopefully I didn't do too badly....

Armchair Detective by Kelli Jae Baeli
Gotta love a strong lez detective? Reviews are looking okay.

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According to the reviews, a funny and stellar read.

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A solid - novella length - romance.

Pitifully Ugly by Robin Alexander
I don't know about that "hot" claim, but every poll needs a funny book.

Random Act of Blindness by Kelli Jae Baeli
Supposedly classy hot and an interesting summary

Sometimes She Lets Me Best Butch Femme Erotica by Tristan Taormino
Sex, sex, sex.

Better Off Red (Vampire Sorority Sisters, #1) by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Throwing some silly lezzie PNR in for good measure.
547 reviews10 followers
August 23, 2019
Action-packed thriller/mystery. I liked it a lot, and I'm thrilled that there's a whole series.
Profile Image for Ted.
560 reviews89 followers
September 13, 2019
Read this years ago and recently saw the audio version released. Took me a while to get used to the voice actress but once settled in it was quite enjoyable. Would be really cool if the entire series (6 or 7 books I think?) was on audio but I don't think they're all there yet.
Profile Image for hubsie.
614 reviews85 followers
December 23, 2021
This was a trip! Loved it! And there's more, what a treat.....
Profile Image for Kexx.
2,271 reviews94 followers
July 28, 2019
Not quite sure what Xenia Alexiou did to be dropped as the Author... seems a bit harsh! Book fell between two stools for me - Lesbian Romance and spy thriller - which meant both suffered as the other was squeezed in over the other (if you see what I mean!?!) Jury still out whether I'll read the second...
Profile Image for Bárbara Sousa.
376 reviews48 followers
Read
December 25, 2021
DNF @ 21%… I was so excited about this one and there are so many amazing reviews, but it didn’t click for me. The MCs insta-love is not believable and I can’t “feel” any chemistry… it’s all just meh… I don’t know… I’ll give it another try some other day, in case it’s just because of my mood lol since the reviews are really great.
Profile Image for Tara.
783 reviews367 followers
January 4, 2016
I'd been putting off reading this one for a while and now I don't know why. This book was a whole lot of fun with characters I liked and a romance I believed in. I'm hoping I'll like the rest of the series just as much!
Profile Image for Kara.
720 reviews1,268 followers
December 30, 2019
“Lethal Affairs - (Elite Operatives #1)” is the first of seven books of the Elite Operatives; but only books 1 and 6 are currently available on audible. That’s a shame that I hope is corrected sooner than later, because this was a terrific audiobook and I’d love to hear the rest of the series!

MC Hayley is an investigative journalist who is sent a tape outing the Elite Operative squad by a senator who has motives of his own. MC Luca/Domino, one of the Elite Operatives, is as likable as Hayley. Their instaattraction is clear, and it’s fun that it’s Hayley that is the pursuer in the relationship.

As the adventure moves along, Domino senses that something is wrong with her current assignment, and moves to protect Haley from learning more than would be safe for her to know. Oh, and the two have some pretty good moves between them too, and it’s fun that Haley insists the light remains on!

Lots of fun; highly recommended! 4.8*
Profile Image for Anna (Bananas).
419 reviews
March 4, 2013
This book disappointed me. I really wanted to love it. I tried. It had so much potential but overall just didn't engage me. The plot was dull - so damn dull. Domino could have been a fantastic lead character, a badass babe who falls for her assignment, but she felt distant much of the time. To be fair, there were some moments when I truly liked her. A few.
Ultimately, the biggest thing missing was FUN. The mundane details of Hayley's investigation, Hayley's uninspiring personality, the EOO mumbo jumbo, the stuff with the senator, the.....uh...what, oh, sorry, I fell asleep for a second. All of it left me with a perma scowl. Like that grumpy cat. You know the one.
Two stars for Domino's potential as a character and for a few sexy scenes that worked. There just wasn't enough to keep me interested.

*Love the cover though. That woman. I would do her in a heartbeat.
Profile Image for Erin.
36 reviews6 followers
March 16, 2013
A good start to an excellent series. The seeds were planted here for what has become one of my all time favorite lesbian romance/thriller series. That this is the weakest of them doesn't mean it's bad and it definitely is important for introducing characters that will return throughout the series.

My biggest problem with this book is that Domino is my least favorite of the operatives. She's too damaged and lacks a sense of self for much of the book. She gets better, but she was never incredibly interesting to me especially when compared to Allegro, Lynx and Fetch. Haley on the other hand was a great character who I rooted for all the way.

So minor issues aside, this is still a good book with thrills, steamy romance and introduces you to the world of the series. Definitely recommend.
Profile Image for T.
307 reviews81 followers
November 15, 2016
i am so excited and hopeful that this whole series makes it to audible and not just this first book. So i rounded up to five stars even though it's probably only a 4 compared to other books in the series, and the narrator was meh, but definitely not bad.
It's so weird when a narrator interprets voices different from what you had, in your head, when reading the book. ie: i tend to stereotype blonde fems as having higher pitched voices than Rambo on the cover here. .. The narrator did it the opposite. *shrug*
no matter, I'm still hoping that the rest of the series is soon to follow on audible.
Profile Image for Serena.
100 reviews29 followers
May 31, 2015
The first part in a very good series. Tension, action, thrills, beautiful women, a sizzling love story. Who would not fall for someone like Domino! Hayley Ward fits perfectly as the another main character. Her interaction with Domino was great and hot! Hayley Ward and Domino are also one of my favorite couples, because of how well they fit together.This first part for me was also one of the best part, but fortunately the quality remains very high throughout the series.
Profile Image for Steph.
7 reviews
August 19, 2012
I don't understand the lackluster reviews. I love this series! It's like a lesbian James Bond but better. You care about the characters and each book ends with you wanting to read more. Can't wait for the next one in the series!
Profile Image for Tory.
390 reviews11 followers
February 20, 2022
Very good book. It started a bit slow or maybe it took me a bit to get into it, I’m not sure. I was about halfway through and just couldn’t put it down till I finished. I already got the second book in the series. I highly recommend this book and these authors.
Profile Image for Justina Johnson.
385 reviews25 followers
July 25, 2013
This first book in the 'Elite Operatives' series is a winner. I was already smitten since I had read the sixth book, 'The Gemini Deception', and I wanted to know and experience the beginnings. Most of the considerable action in the trenches peppered with some scenes between the sheets happens in and around Washington, D.C. plus a few investigative jaunts to Brooklyn, NY. I could not put this book down.

Domino, aka Luca Madison, is a brilliant and accomplished operative. Adopted at an early age from an orphanage in the Balkins by the EOO (Elite Operatives Organization), she was raised, educated, and trained within their system. Luca is highly guarded, with lightening reflexes, and skillful at avoiding personal questions. However, she is rather blown away by Haley and puts her life and career on the line for her. Rather awesome, I would say.

Haley Ward is a reporter for the Baltimore Dispatch. She is low on the totem pole and hungry for that first big break. Voilà a first break opportunity shows up unbidden in her mailbox. Relentless in her pursuit of this story, she is also incredibly charming, loving, and seductive. She, too, is surprised how hard she falls for Luca. Together they are a powerhouse couple and quite a sexy pair.

On balance, there is considerably more edge of your seat action than sizzling sex, but the heat generated by Luca and Haley permeates throughout and raises the intensity level for all. There is also a cinema graphic quality to this story that continues to make me wonder why no screenwriter has translated this to a visual medium as well. It would be marvelous!




NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
14 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2012
I've been trying to read this without much success. I enjoyed it when the narrative focused on the thriller/action-oriented story, but when it shifted to the romance it lost me. This book feels as if two stories have been welded together and not very successfully. Even the style and tone seem different. And it suffers from one of the worst problems in lesbian romance or any romance really: two characters who fall instantly in love with each other after only a few moments in each other's company. I was definitely not feeling it. Instant lust I would have believed, but love... 'Show don't tell' is a writing instructor cliche for a reason. It's especially difficult with a character who has been trained from childhood to kill, spy, lie, and basically not trust another human being. To describe a woman like this as falling instantly in love is beyond unrealistic. I'm not looking for 'realism' in my romance, but it still has to be believable in some universe.
Profile Image for Artemis.
260 reviews
May 11, 2015
First of all, Luka is a great name. (Roses for the Queen, Perfectionist Complex and Magnet, anyone? Heheh, Megurine-san.)

Second of all, I love the connection between this story and Thief of Always, the friendship between Luka and Mishael can be explored more, though. Having read the series in a bit of a reverse order, it's nice to catch up to this story and connect the dot with the story with Mishael and Kris.



Hope to read more of this series!
Profile Image for Regina.
50 reviews7 followers
July 6, 2015
This is exactly like a James Bond movie, but without the philandering part, haha... :p I think the premise is a tad unbelievable, but suspend any realistic expectations (as you would when watching a James Bond movie) and this book becomes fun. I'm actually looking forward to reading the next book in the series, it's simply unadulterated action-packed escapism. :D
Profile Image for Tonya.
11 reviews54 followers
September 20, 2014
Main issue, the cover. I hate it, but the book was more than good, kept me on edge, enough romance, the type I like the most, (blushes) and not to mention the female protagonist assassin that was more than badass. Major crush on her. And her love interest? Hot, hot and hot.
Profile Image for Indy.
32 reviews
April 16, 2014
Ended pretty well. Left some unanswered questions in which I'm hoping to find answers to in the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
352 reviews46 followers
December 27, 2014
So......I hate to admit it....but i LOVED all the Elite Opeartive's novels! The writing is good and the premise is interesting to think about. I just really enjoyed the escape all of them provided!
Profile Image for Evren (Nonbinary Knight Reads).
208 reviews3 followers
April 10, 2021
4.5/5

I enjoyed this book more than I had ever expected to. I love Kim Baldwin’s writings, but I’ve been avoiding this book because I don’t always like action books. This book impressed me and managed to keep me engaged the entire time I was reading it.

Luca, aka Domino, is an elite operative with the EOO and she’s very good at her job. She’s used to ignoring her feelings and getting comfortable in a crowd in order to complete her missions. She is set up with her newest target, a reporter named Hayley, after a threat to her identity is picked up by the agency. Hayley is a journalist who mainly writes some of the smaller pieces, but she really wants to break out into serious, investigative journalism. When she’s sent a tape by a “mysterious benefactor”, she thinks she’s finally got the lead she needs.

I really liked both characters and I didn’t expect that. I was worried that Luca would be similar to Natalya from Requiem for Immortals and I didn’t like her. However, Luca was very likeable. She’s hard because she has to be to do her job but she’s also softer than expected. She’s a paint restorer who likes to be out on the ocean. I just really liked her. Hayley is driven to make the most of this opportunity and she’s smart enough to find the information she needs. The two of them together is sexy and powerful and it’s a pleasure to read.

The main characters were also joined but several side characters, many of whom I really liked. I’m excited to read Mishael’s book but I also really wouldn’t have minded a book about Blade. Outside of Mishael, I really liked at least two of the three people running the EOO.

The only real issue I have with this book was towards the end. I’m putting it behind a spoiler tag but it’s basically when Hayley realizes that things aren’t going well.

I found this to be a really enjoyable read with nice action and an intriguing plotline.
267 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2020
This is the first in a series dealing with the Elite Operatives Organization, a secret corporation that takes on jobs the government considers too hot to touch. The book also classifies itself as romantic intrigue and there is romance between Domino, a veteran agent of the EOO, and the target of her investigation, Haley, a reporter caught in the middle of a conspiracy by a presidential candidate to take down the EOO. The intrigue is pretty much run of the mill, with Domino putting her relationship with Haley above her assignment, resulting in both of them becoming targets for elimination.

I give it a fairly high rating because the developing relationship between the two leads is presented very well, overcoming the plot of the evil billionaire with his eyes on the White House. I also did stay up late (with the prerequisite bag of potato chips) to finish the final chapters to see how the tale played out.

I would hazard a guess that the rest of the series would center on other operatives of the EOO, and I'm very tempted to pick up the second novel to see how that one goes.
115 reviews
January 17, 2020
I didn't finish this book. I couldn't get over how poorly researched it was. I mean, I get that it's a fantasy about an assassin working for a secret organisation, but the authors don't seem to have gone through the trouble to learn anything, even the parts important to the plot.
I don't even think the fundamental plot works. The journalist gets a secret tape depicting a current, high profile story. Instead of publishing it IMMEDIATELY she holds on to it for several weeks and manages to fumble the whole story in the process. Rendering high details from a grainy tape doesn't work. Motorcycles don't work like that. There are no orphanages to visit in Stockholm. I know that because I LIVE here and also because I took like five seconds to google just to be certain. Both main characters make mistakes that makes me think they both deserve to die.
Profile Image for Allison.
117 reviews5 followers
July 15, 2017
Better than Bourne & Bond!

Like the title says, "Better than Bourne & Bond!" I love adventure and the covert world stories. Mix that with a little romance and you have the perfect story. If you like Bourne & Bond, but feel there is just a little too much testosterone, check out this book. You will not be disappointed!
81 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2018
This book is a lesbian spy thriller. It was better than I thought it would be. It wasn't quite what I expected, but the plot was well constructed. I think there are six books in this series. This is the first one I've read, but I look forward to read the other If you like spy thrillers and girl on girl romance, this book is the ticket.
Profile Image for Helena.
42 reviews
April 6, 2018
Gosh spy novels with wlw romance are *so* much better than the tom clancy novels I read as a tween. File under: vacation reads (I'm in a good mood / not going to be upset by bad writing or unnecessary side plots / etc.)
Profile Image for JWG1973UK.
400 reviews5 followers
April 29, 2018
This was the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last.
I loved the characters and the storyline and already looking forward to going on to the next in the series.
Would highly recommend - 5*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews

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