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Wild Riders #3

Riding on Instinct

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"Hot, sexy, romantic suspense at its best"( New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh) from the national bestselling author of Riding Temptation .Department of Justice agent Shadoe Grayson is out to prove she's no rookie, and eagerly accepts her first undercover assignment at a strip club in New Orleans. Working with the Wild Riders, a government agency of bad boy bikers, her goal is to expose a corrupt DEA agent. All she has to do is learn to strip like a pro.Standing in Shadoe's way is arrogant and smokin' hot Spencer King, her new partner and one of the Wild Riders. Spence thinks she looks more like a schoolteacher than a stripper, and doubts her ability to do the job. But when he mockingly challenges Shadoe to strip just for him, he finds out there's more to the surprisingly sexy agent than by-the book rules and Government Issue pantsuits...

296 pages, Trade Paperback

First published April 7, 2009

54 people are currently reading
2812 people want to read

About the author

Jaci Burton

162 books8,283 followers
Jaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 85 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, book information and contests.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
Profile Image for Auntee.
1,352 reviews1,457 followers
April 2, 2009
"Riding on Instinct" is a hot, quick, easy to follow read, and sometimes you need to read a little brain candy--it's good for what ails you. There isn't an overabundance of characters to keep track of, the plot is pretty simple and straight forward--nothing to really tax the mind--and the H/H were one lusty but likable couple. The combination of bikers, strippers, federal agents, and drug smuggling bad guys made for one enjoyable, fast paced, sexy read!

Department of Justice rookie agent Shadoe Grayson is ready for her first real assignment, and it's a doozy. She's to go undercover and work as a stripper at a New Orleans nightclub, with the hopes of exposing a corrupt rogue DEA agent who is involved with drug traffickers from Columbia. The Wild Rose Club in the French Quarter is the place where the drug transactions take place, but the DEA is unable to nab the traffickers or place any insiders in the club because the rogue can always identify the agents and seems to be one step ahead of them. The DEA needs someone unrecognizable to the rogue, and that's why Shadoe draws this assignment. Shadoe's got a photographic memory, and has studied the roster of agents, so she should be able to recognize his face as soon as he appears in the club. Assisting Shadoe will be some members of a secret government organization called the Wild Riders, whose members all grew up on the wrong side of the law. But under the guidence of their leader, Army General Lee, the Wild Riders are now working on the right side of the law--but under the radar, in less than legal ways.

Shadoe's partner in the sting is sexy bad boy Spencer King, who will pose as her bodyguard/lover. Shadoe and Spence don't exactly start off on the right foot. Spence's first impression of Shadoe is not very positive. Although he can see that she's pretty, with her 'regulation' baggy pantsuit, hair pulled in a bun, and the pinched expression on her face, he declares that there's no way she could pass for a stripper, and lets all the Wild Riders know it. Shadoe thinks he's an arrogant ass, and there's nothing she likes better than a challenge. She's used to men like him, men like her military father who think she can't be successful in law enforcement because she's a woman. She'll show this fool what she can do--she's going to be the best darn stripper he's ever seen!

To say that Spence is thunderstruck by the transformation of Shadoe from Little Miss Prim and Proper to sexy siren is an understatement. And after watching her dance, Spence is forced to eat his words. Not only is she sexy as all get out, but she's a tough cookie too. Spence wants her and he lets her know it. And although Shadoe's not too sure that mixing business with pleasure is a good idea, it's hard for her to resist Spence's sexy roughness. Spence doesn't 'do' relationships, and lets her know it. Which is okay with Shadoe, because her career is number one with her. This affair will just be fun and games, no strings attached. And while on the surface their backgrounds are wildly dissimilar--Shadoe comes from money and privilege, Spence practically grew up on the streets--after a while they both come to realize that they have many things in common. What starts out as an affair turns into a need that neither one can deny. But what will happen when the case is over? Will either one be able to walk away and go on as if nothing happened?

To say this book was hot is an understatement. Once Shadoe and Spence got over their preconceived notions about the other, they really connected and set the pages on fire! Wow, did they have their bedroom moments! I also loved how loner Spence was able to open up to Shadoe about his horrible past and his neglectful parents, and to reveal the beautiful sacrifices he made for his brother. And when Shadoe was finally able to tell Spence about her own less than stellar and loveless upbringing, and Spence was so sweet and understanding to her, it actually brought a few tears to my eyes. These two were perfect together, but each was like a wounded animal, wary of admitting (even to themselves) their true feelings to the other. Each was so in need of love and having someone to care for them, I wanted to shout out to both "Open your eyes, it's more than just the sex--you two belong together!"

The suspense was about what you'd expect in an erotic romance. The author identifies the main suspect pretty soon, but the reader is left to figure out who else may be involved. A few possible suspects were dangled for the reader, but I had my own suspicions about a certain character, and I was proven correct. But that didn't bother me, because there was a rather exciting showdown with this character near the end, where Shadoe had a borderline TSTL moment...

All in all a pretty hot, fast-paced read. This book is the third book of the series but I think you may be able to read this one as a stand alone. There's a couple of possible spoilers revealed if you do that (which Wild Riders are married, etc.), but if you don't mind that, you should be able to follow along--the author provides enough background info so you won't be lost. A couple of interesting Wild Riders are featured in a minor role, and I sure wouldn't mind reading about their story too. The heat factor is very high, so be warned--there's outdoor lovin', bathroom lovin', backstage lovin'--lots and lots of steamy moments between Shadoe and Spence. If you like 'em hot, with a decent amount of plot and some mild suspense, give "Riding on Instinct" a try. I found it to be a very enjoyable read--4 1/2 stars.

Warning: This book contains explicit language, explicit sex (including oral and anal) and mild violence. Not for the faint of heart.
Profile Image for Shawna.
3,769 reviews4,727 followers
February 5, 2015
5 stars – Romantic Suspense/Erotica

"Riding on Instinct" is the third book in Jaci Burton's fun, sexy Wild Riders series about a covert government agency led by an ex-military general and made up of ex-thieves/bikers turned good guys/gals who take on undercover assignments and bend the laws to nab the bad guys that other government agencies are inept at catching. There’s a terrific mix of action, suspense, humor, and scorching hot romance, and it’s an easy, fast paced, exciting read.

The Wild Riders series, with its sexy bikers turned government agents, is always thrilling, but this time around, there’s strippers, drug smugglers, and the sultry New Orleans setting to boost the entertainment factor. In Riding on Instinct, Wild Rider agent Spence is teamed up with Department of Justice rookie field agent Shadoe Grayson (yes, that’s her real name, not her stripper name) to go undercover at a high class strip club in New Orleans to expose a corrupt DEA agent using the club for drug trafficking. Agent Shadoe Grayson is tasked with posing as a headlining stripper and Spence as her bodyguard and lover. Rookie agent Grayson has been selected for the assignment because she has a photographic memory and has reviewed the list and faces of all DEA agents and can therefore recognize the rogue agent and help infiltrate the drug smuggling operation at the club. Spence is reluctant to work with Shadoe because he feels the Miss Prim and Proper agent is too banal and uptight to effectively pass as a stripper, especially one who’s supposed to be a convincing headliner at a high class strip club like the Wild Rose in New Orleans. Spence raises the gauntlet by questioning her ability to handle the case since it depends on her being convincing as a stripper, and boy does she ever prove him wrong! Her stripper persona Desi, clad in biker chic black leather, is a hit at the club, and Spence doesn’t know what hit him either once she takes the stage as his ultimate fantasy biker babe! It’s a lot of fun to see cocky, bad boy Spence get all hot and bothered by Shadoe’s makeover from stuffy agent to sexy vixen.

Spence and Shadoe have smoking hot chemistry and fight it (for all of about 5 minutes) because they both have concerns over getting involved while on a case, but it’s not long before they are scorching the sheets. Spence has the typical angst of “can’t do love or relationships because I’m not a good guy” hang-up, but Shadoe convinces him that she’s fine with a temporary fling and that they can just be what each other needs for the duration of the case. They both agree to go their separate ways with no strings attached once the case is over, but will it really be that simple?

"Riding on Instinct" is an erotic, action packed read! It’s sexy, fun entertainment, with steamy romance between a sexy bad boy biker/undercover agent hero and a smart, tough, siren federal agent heroine against the backdrop of a spicy strip club in sultry New Orleans. It's an enjoyable read to fill up an afternoon...5 stars!
Profile Image for Quinn.
1,209 reviews69 followers
August 29, 2015
After a somewhat shaky start, I’m really quite enjoying Jaci Burton’s Wild Riders series, now that I know what to expect. This series is actually a lot of fun if you go into it expecting a sexy romp and are happy just to go along for the ride and not spend time analysing the over-the-top suspense plot.

Riding on Instinct sees a return to the steam taking centre stage, although the suspense plot (implausible though it may be) is still well done. Shadoe (hate the name) Grayson is a Department of Justice agent about to undertake her first undercover assignment – and it’s a doozy.

Working with the Wild Riders, Shadoe (did I mention I hate the name?) will pose as a headline stripper, using her photographic memory to identify a corrupt DEA agent who is believed to have connections to one of the premier strip clubs in New Orleans. Wild Rider Spencer will be partnering her on the assignment, acting as her bodyguard and lover.

Arrogant Spence doesn’t think the straight-laced, anal-retentive, pantsuit wearing Shadoe can possibly pull it off, but when he challenges her to strip for him, he has to eat his words. Seems like underneath the schoolteacher appearance is one smoking hot, sexy lady – she’s a natural.

The set-up obviously made for great titillation and some very steamy scenes, and the suspense plot didn’t disappoint, either. Spence wasn’t as likeable in the beginning as I remember him from the other books, but he came through in the end, and Shadoe’s character had more depth than her name would have you believe. All in all, a great installment in Burton’s erotic suspense series, and I look forward to reading the next one.
Profile Image for Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog).
1,886 reviews503 followers
September 16, 2012
This review was posted at Under the Covers

Spence is hot. And when he has to go work with special agent Shadoe, then things get hotter. Of course both of them are reluctant to act on that attraction because they are on a case and they should keep their focus on the job, but the sparks are hard to put out.

So why do I think this book has just about every checkmark on my list of sexiness must-reads? Bad boy biker, check. Part of a badass government organization, check. Sexy and badass chick, check. Sexy setting, check (A strip club in New Orleans). Did I make my case yet?

Spence is very alpha and intense. Shadoe is out to prove she can play with the big boys. They both have tough pasts and ultimately that helps cement a stronger bond than any physical attraction. They are a perfect fit, in and out of the bedroom.

The storyline is fast paced and action packed, while Shadoe and Spence are set to bring down a corrupt DEA Agent. Shadoe plays the part of a stripper and Spence is her boyfriend/bodyguard so they can both be in the thick of the action and get the clues they need.

Loved these two together, maybe my favorite couple so far. Definitely steamy and very well developed and likeable characters.

"You heard me." He pulled the chair around and sat in it. "I'm a paying customer. Strip for me." Spence's gaze followed her, and she teased him with a roll of her hip near his shoulder, barely grazing him. Emboldened by the sudden flash of heat in his eyes, she took it further, dragging the hem of her T-shirt up, baring the skin of her belly.
Profile Image for Kiri Fiona.
279 reviews14 followers
July 22, 2016
My favourite in the Wild Riders series, by far

What I loved:
- JB seemed to grow throughout this series - by this book (#3) I think she's well and truly found her feet. Jessie & Diaz's story was good, but this one is strong in ways I haven't seen in the earlier books.
- Shadoe is a strong, confident, feisty woman with a squishy heart and a solid backbone. I was so excited to see these two get their HEA, and JB did not disappoint.
- The plot was exciting - even if I hadn't been reading this for the romance sex, I would have enjoyed it. I was invested in what happened with the storyline.
- I'm excited to see the last guys in the series get their stories... I suck in that I try to guess the premise and the type of heroine before I read the synopsis, but JB's Wild Riders series has me intrigued and I can't wait to read the rest of it. It's not often that I last through a whole series, but this one is so doing it for me.

What I didn’t love:
- Some of the x-rated phrases are starting to get a little repetitive. I'm hoping that since the author looks to be going from strength to strength, the next books will shake something up in the sex department.

Overall…
A sizzling, easy read - not overly dark, not overly complicated - just a really good time.
Profile Image for Sharon (Simi) Ehcstasy.
153 reviews
September 2, 2012
This series just keeps getting better with each book. Please dont tell me it will be over soon!!

Spence was somebody who captured you from reading about the Wild Riders from the start. He is an alpha male through and through. Take charge, gorgeous, sexual and oh so out of reach.

I loved the intense, sexual chemistry that Spence and Shadoe shared and we not afraid to take on. These two really lit up the pages of the book with their raw, unbridled sexuality and needs. Spence is not used to relationships with women so finds it hard to take on Shadoe who has captured his body and heart and know he has to let her go at the end of the mission.

This is a fast paced erotic read and I loved reading it from start to finish. I love it when two characters clearly are good together and you cant put the book down to do anything but see what happens next. You will enjoy!
Profile Image for Miss Kim.
535 reviews138 followers
June 29, 2009
This one was pretty much a mirror of the second one in this series, Riding Temptation. Instead of undercover in a biker gang, they are undercover in a strip club.
Profile Image for Melann.
961 reviews22 followers
August 7, 2016
Très basic. Le scénario est très simpliste. Beaucoup de sexe pour combler. Mais ça se lit !
Profile Image for Love love .
346 reviews
October 15, 2011
This is the thrid book by Jaci Burton that I've read and I liked the other ones much better. For some reason this one had horrible dialog, maybe I just don't quite remember the other ones as well. I just about put this one down right from the begining because of the dialog but I really wanted to read a biker love story so I stuck with it. Here's an example of the part that almost did the book in for me,The H/h are supose to be partners and when meating for the first time they hate eachother on sight also our h is supose to have a photographic memory but our H isn't buying it.He calls her on it and say's "Bullshit" so to prove it she repeats everything he has said to her since the met...

"' No way in hell is anyone going to believe that she's a stripper. Sorry darlin' but your not the right man for the job. Well, look at you. Loose, dark pantsuit with God only knows what kind of body underneath it,hair in a bun without one strand out of place. Your face is pinched so tight you look like you have a stick shoved up your ass'....Should I go on Spence or should I stop now?"

"Well goddamn. She just repeated everything I said to her right before y'all came in....." I stand corrected,darlin'. You've got the skills."

Who wouldn't remember 5 rapid-fire insults five minutes after meating someone????? Uggg it was really horrible. I do have to say that the story did get a bit better and I did have to remember that it's erotica so basically it's more about the sex and less about the quailty of the writting. I just wish it was a good balance between the two.

Shadoe (h) had just gotten her first assingment, to go undercover with the Wild Riders ( a secret angency but also bikers who fight on the side of good). She's supose to pose as a stripper at a bar were the Wild Riders feel that drugs are being sold.


Spence (H) is a Wild Rider and he's up for this assingment as long as his new partner can pull of the stripper act. When he has her give him a preview of her act he decides she has the stuff. He also starts to fall for her and her for him but he doesnt' do relationships and he's told her that when the case is over so are they. He never thought it would be so hard to walk away....

Profile Image for Becca.
309 reviews13 followers
April 9, 2011
Shadoe is an agent of the DOJ. She is a driven young women out to prove that she can do anything a man can do, and maybe even do it better. Since she was born she has constantly been fighting the stigma of being a girl, her father always wanted a boy and drilled it into her that she was less because she was female. She has just received her first assignment and she happens to be partnered with a member of the Wilder Riders.

Spence takes one look at Shadoe and knows that she doesn't have what it takes to do this undercover assignment. Shadoe must pose as a stripper to infiltrate a strip club and identify a dirty agent who uses the club as a meeting place to sell drugs. Spence had a horrible background like all of the Wild Riders and when he looks at Shadoe he see's a princess in an ivory tower. He doesn't believe she is capable of loosening up, or that she has the sex appeal to preform this operation. But Spence soon learns that there is much more to Agent Shadoe than he previously thought. She is changing his every perception he had about her. As these two work closely they begin to find things in one another that they never believed possible, but with two people so driven for their jobs can they make it work between them.

I loved both main characters in this story. Spence was a complete Alpha male. He was possessive and territorial when it came to Shadoe, which was something he was unaccustomed to and did not like. Shadoe was always adapting and you could never tell her she can't do something. She gives everything she has when trying to accomplish something, and nothing dissuades her. I liked how both characters never had love in their lives and they both rejected it. Neither one wanted to care about the other so it made it all the more great when they refused to see that they had together. They were a great couple and I loved their story.

I would have really liked to actually see Spence's brother Trevor, I hold out hope for a short story or something.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
6,339 reviews228 followers
March 30, 2009
Department of Justice agent Shadoe Grayson has just signed on to help the Wild Riders. The Wild Riders are a group of bikers that work for the US government. Their latest case is to identify a DEA rogue agent, who is helping the Colombians bring in illegal drugs. The only clue the Wild Riders have is that the drugs are being transported through a strip club in New Orleans. Agent Shadoe plans to go undercover as a head lining stripper but first she has to convince bad boy and one of the Wild Riders, Spencer King that she is not the stuck up bitch he thinks she is. Agent Grayson not only convinces Spence that she is more than qualified for the job but leaves him wanting her body from head to toe. Things are about to really heat up in New Orleans.

The sexual attraction between Shadoe and Spence is so hot that it burns! The characters in this story were captivating and had a great sense of humor. They all meshed well together. Riding in Instinct seems to be part of a series that features the Wild Riders. This book can be read separately. I have been in a reading slump and thought I would never be able to ge4t out of it. That all changed when I picked up Riding with Instinct. From the first chapter I was hooked. I read the whole book in a matter of hours. Let me say that Jaci Burton is just what the doctor ordered. So if you are looking for something steamy that touches up in all the right spots, then you need to pick up a copy of Riding with Instinct today.
Profile Image for PepperP0t .
5,108 reviews86 followers
November 3, 2012
3.25stars actually

I do love this series but for me this was the weakest entry. There was plenty of sex and not much of the action/adventure or drama that this series does so well. This installment gives Spence his moment in the spotlight as he plays bodyguard to agent Shadoe Grayson in her undercover role as they attempt to stop the influx of drugs.

The mechanics for the most part were fine, and the characters, pacing and overall arc – for me it was the particular storyline that felt weak. It was as if each situation was a set-up to get to the next sex scene and I’ve come to expect more from this author and this series so I was disappointed. While I liked the multi-agency pairing, this wasn’t a favorite of the series for me. The ending was more in line of my expectations and does open new possibilities for future series entries.
Profile Image for Kameron.
Author 8 books103 followers
June 2, 2013
Just like the first two books in the series, there was plenty of heat between the two main stars. I found it easy to fall in love with the characters because Jaci kept me engaged in their budding relationship.

The only reason why I gave it four stars was I figured out the ending early on. Maybe you will too and maybe not. However, even though the "mystery players" weren't a mystery to me, I thoroughly liked watching them get caught. I'm sure you will as well.
Profile Image for Cindy.
939 reviews19 followers
April 24, 2009
Like bad boy biker heroes? Have I got a book for you... This is the third in the Wild Riders series and it has a tight plot, great action, steamy sex scenes and characters with enough depth to make you care. I will definitely be searching out the two previous books. Great read.

The Wild Riders Series

Riding Wild
Riding Temptation
Riding on Instinct
Profile Image for Vani.
763 reviews
August 6, 2014
No esperaba mucho la verdad, pero me gustó mucho y voy a leer más de la autora ^^
Profile Image for Laura.
731 reviews54 followers
May 25, 2015
My favorite of the series. An undercover stripper and her body guard,Fun!
145 reviews
March 6, 2019
Another one that wasn't finished. I just can't! The hero sounds like he has cave man Tourettes - there was absolutely nothing seductive about him. The heroine is way too malleable - their sexual relationship is completely on the hero's terms and never on hers - how is she a strong female character? why are there still romance novels like this?
Also, the writing in general is jumpy and choppy and seems to be following some sort of formula: H & h squabble, H insults h, H and h have some dialogues exposing their rough background, H kisses h, h melts, H is flippant about h - rinse and repeat. This reminded me more of a porn film than a romance novel, which beats the purpose of me going to romance novels.
Profile Image for Ruthie Taylor.
3,723 reviews39 followers
October 3, 2022
This is the third in the series, and you would be wise to read them in order, as each book follows the last, and the building groundswell of men finding their HEAs is part of the narrative.

Spence was in the previous book, as a man who is quite happy to scratch an itch or play a role, but has no heart in the game. Here he will be working with an agent posing as a stripper as her bodyguard/ boyfriend. I love the dynamics between Shadoe and Spence and the depth to the budding relationship.

The action is good, with a clever little twist, and the tension serves to waken Spence up to his feelings.

Really good addition to the series!
Profile Image for Francesca Canonica.
4 reviews
July 21, 2024
So spicy! This was my first book I read written by Jaci Burton & now I am going to read all of her book! A fantastic erotic romance with thriller. Two FBI agents finding love in a place that neither of them thought they would find. Becoming an undercover stripper, heated up every scene in the book that they were together in. The thriller came towards the end of the book as their mission had gone crazy, thinking they would never see each other again. The ending was so sweet & shocking despite of both of their strong willed character traits. Love Love Love this book!
Profile Image for Dolce.
1,205 reviews7 followers
October 27, 2019
3.5 satisfyingly trope-y Stars. The whole “I need to go undercover as stripper” thing just doesn’t get old. Like Doritos it always tastes good going down. I enjoyed this book no question. It was fun. Like how you sometimes shoot whipped cream straight from the can into your mouth and hope the kids don’t catch you doing it. Like that. 👍
555 reviews6 followers
July 10, 2019
Really enjoyed this book, loved the story and the main characters Spence & Shadoe.
868 reviews6 followers
July 30, 2019
Read this one quickly. Loved the characters and the story. Each character is well developed and the interaction between them is well written.
Profile Image for Cherie Clark.
4,125 reviews15 followers
October 22, 2019
Love jaci Burtons books. This was a great love story and a little mystery. Loved it.☆☆☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡☆☆☆☆
542 reviews2 followers
June 29, 2020
Super sexy. Spence and Shadoe are undercover as stripper and body guard to catch a fallen federal agent now drug dealer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews

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