Publisher: Soucebooks Casablanca

Hot Pursuit by Julie Ann Walker

Hot pursuit

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 2017 new release challenge, Reviews / 0 Comments

Hot Pursuit by Julie Ann Walker is the eleventh book in the Black Knights Incorporated series. It provided a humorous, fast-paced and gritty story with a blend of passion and romance. This is Christian Watson’s story.
 

Hot Pursuit by Julie Ann WalkerTitle: Hot Pursuit
Author(s): Julie Ann Walker
Series: Black Knights Inc #11
Also in this series: Fuel for Fire , Built to Last
Published by Soucebooks Casablanca on October 3, 2017
Pages: 384
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Source: Netgalley, Publisher
Format: eArc
Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Series Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

He puts the hot...Christian Watson, a former SAS officer and current BKI operator, never thought he would return to England after a terrible turn of events forced him to abandon his homeland. But now he's back on British soil where old enemies are determined to do him in. Fighting for his life is pretty much SOP for Christian. Doing it with the beautiful, bossy Emily Scott in tow is another matter entirely.
In hot pursuit.Emily lost her coveted job at the CIA because of a colleague turned rogue, and now she has just one rule when it comes to men: they're for recreational purposes only. But when she and Christian are thrust into very close quarters while evading two mysterious men who want Christian dead, she can't help but question all her ideas about love and life lived on the edge. Battling the bad guys is hard enough, battling her feelings for Christian just might prove impossible.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

What the story is about.

 
Christian Watson is a former SAS officer and a current member of the Black Knights Incorporated.  He left England, his homeland after a horrific turn of events had him questioning his loyalty to his country. He had no plans to return the country that betrayed him, but his current mission set him on a path, which required him to return to the place he once called home.  His return however did not go unnoticed, which led to unknown enemies’ hell bent on revenge surfacing.  Fighting for his life is nothing new to Christian, but when it involves protecting Emily Scott, it is a different ball game.
 
Emily is a former CIA operative. She is the office manager for the Black Knights.  Burnt by love she vowed never to fall in love especially when it involved a co-worker. Her number one rule, men are good only for recreational purposes.  However, when she is forced to spend time with Christian in closed quarters, while being chased by his enemies, she began questioning her pre-conceived ideas about love.
 

The Story

Hot Pursuit picked up from where the previous book ended.  I liked the story, but it did not wow me as I hoped it would.  The highlight of the story was Christian escaping the enemies from his past and his relationship with Emily. The thread involving the villain, whom the team was pursuing from the previous installments and the reason they were in England was not addressed. Mention was made of the fact he maybe behind the team’s current troubles but that was where his involvement ended. For me this was a huge disappointment. In spite of this, it had some redeeming qualities. There was intrigue and action with a side of humour and passion.

The Characters

Christian is a fascinating character. He is the epitome of an alpha male. He is hot, confident, protective and willing to fight for what he wants and he wants Emily.  Emily on the other hand was a disappointment. She may be tough when it comes to dealing with her colleagues, but in matters of the heart, she was a wimp. Using her past to avoid romantic entanglements was not only weak but also annoying.

The Supporting Characters.

I enjoyed the camaraderie between the members of the Black Knights.  They made a great team not only in the field but also on a personal level. Regarding the villains, I found them irritating.  Revenge drove their actions, but they were reckless and clueless, which made them dangerous. Angel, a member of the Black Knights peaked my curiosity. Mystery surrounds him and I would love to know his story, which luckily will be revealed in the next installment.
The Romance
I had a difficult time connecting with the romance between Christian and Emily. Emily’s actions grated on my nerves. Everyone around them is aware of how they both feel about each other, but she kept denying her feelings. She kept making up excuses as to why they could not get involved with each other.  I did not like that, she was happy with sharing her body, but not willing to share her heart.  Christian fought to save what he believed was the best thing to have happened to him.
I did enjoy the banter between them. They had silent way of communicating with each other, which was a testament to the depth of their connection. If only Emily would acknowledge her feelings  and stop hiding behind her past.
In addition to the romance between Christian and Emily there was another one developing on the sidelines between Ace and Rusty.  I found this developing relationship more interesting than the main romance, even though it is not one that I would read.

Conclusion/Recommendation

Despite not caring much for the heroine, I enjoyed Hot Pursuit and cannot wait to read Angel’s story. I recommend this for fans of romantic suspense.

I’m the forever type of bloke. What’s mine stays mine. You need to understand that. The only way out of this for me is a body bag, hopefully sixty years from now.

Let me show you why God made beautiful women and well hung Englishmen.

He had suffered so much in his life. And yet none of it had broken him or hardened him. Through it all he had managed to stay tough, yet tender, strong and sweet.

 

About Julie Ann Walker

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word.  Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper.  During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics. “I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.” It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion. Now Julie loves to travel the world looking for views to compete with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, petting every dog that walks by her, and… reading, of course!

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Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading

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