Synopsis:
Morton “Jacko” Jackman isn’t afraid of anything. He’s a former Navy SEAL sniper, and he’s been in more firefights than most people have had hot meals. Lauren Dare scares the crap out of him.
Gorgeous, talented and refined, she’s the type of woman who could never be interested in a roughneck like him. So he’s loved her fiercely in secret, taken her art classes, and kept a watchful but comfortable distance. Until now.
Lauren had finally found a home in Portland, far from her real identity, far from the memories of her mother’s death, and outside the reaches of the drugged-out psycho who’s already tried to kill her twice. One tiny misstep—a single photograph—has shattered it all. She has no choice but to run again, but this time she’ll give herself a proper farewell: one night with Jacko.
Their highly charged emotional encounter changes everything. In Jacko’s arms there cannot be fear, there can only be pleasure. Anyone wishing her harm will have to pass through him, and Jacko is a hard man to kill.
My review:
Midnight Vengeance is book number 4 in author Lisa Marie Rice’s Midnight series and admittedly the first in the series I have read. Well, I’m hooked and will be grabbing the first three in the series because this book was fabulous. Pulse-pounding, smoking hot and full of suspense, Midnight Vengeance is a win all around!
Artist Lauren Dare loves her home, her town, her friends, her artwork, all of it. Unfortunately, she has to leave it all behind. Lauren has been on the run from an extremely dangerous and deadly man for years now and after having her picture taken at her art event last night, she knows her time here is up. She is heartbroken to have to leave her life behind, again, but loves her friends too much to ever put them in danger. And danger is exactly what they will be in if the man looking for her comes here. But she still has one night left here and she decides at the last second to take a chance with the man she has secretly been pining after for months….Jacko. The strong, silent, and dangerously handsome man in her group of friends and the unlikely student in her art class. For one night she could give in and give herself over to the attraction she had been hiding. Hopefully Jacko will give her this last piece of happiness before her life on the run takes over once again…
Former SEAL Morton “Jacko” Jackman has been through more than a few tough situations in his life. Being a SEAL tended to do that to a person. Now he worked in high-profile security and still nothing seemed to scare him sensless like Lauren Dare did. It seems like whenever he was near her, he turned into a different person and lost all his ability to remain calm, cool, and collected. He loved it though. She was unlike anyone he had ever met and he admired so much about her. He wanted nothing more than to take things to the next level with her but surely there was no way a refined woman like her would want a rough and tumble guy like him. Things have a way of working out though and when he is tasked with taking her home early from one of her art events he is certain of two things… One, something is very wrong and he picked up on it the minute her picture was taken and she turned as pale as a ghost and two, there was no mistaking her intentions when they pulled into her driveway. She wanted him and he would gladly take her…and maybe after he would get to the bottom of what had her scared senseless.
Lauren never would have thought Jacko would have picked up on her plan to flee…then again she should have known better. Now he just has to convince her to stay and trust that he will keep her safe at any cost. Easier said than done when you’re dealing with a crazed madman. Could Lauren finally have a shot at a normal life and love with Jacko?
Talk about one hell of a ride! From the very first chapter we are treated to the mystery surrounding Lauren and her past. Once the secret is out, we realized just why she’s been running and why she wants to protect the friends she’s made by fleeing again. Enter Jacko. That man is one hell of a rock and is just who Lauren needs by her side. He’s deadly and dangerous all while being caring and warm when it comes to Lauren. He is a total softie when it comes to her and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Lauren is strong and smart and has a whole lot on her plate that she’s been dealing with alone for years. I was so glad Jacko foiled her plan to go back on the run. Their chemistry is intense and smoking hot and with the whole opposites attract thing going for them, it’s totally delicious. In the meantime we have a different plot forming in the way of another threat to Lauren’s safety and that aspect of the story kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. We knew about the crazed drug dealing step cousin but this second threat was a real surprise and may have threatened Lauren’s safety more. Talk about a nail biter! Oh, and the lead into the next installment in this series at the end was amazing and really well done. I cannot wait to see what happens next!
Thank you, Lisa Marie, for one hell of a smoking hot suspense. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!
Four Loves
About the author:
Lisa Marie Rice is eternally 30 years old and will never age. She is tall and willowy and beautiful. Men drop at her feet like ripe pears. She has won every major book prize in the world. She is a black belt with advanced degrees in archaeology, nuclear physics, and Tibetan literature. She is a concert pianist. Did I mention her Nobel Prize? Of course, Lisa Marie Rice is a virtual woman who exists only at the keyboard when writing erotic romance. She disappears when the monitor winks off.
Praise for Lisa Marie Rice
“Lisa Marie Rice is an auto-buy author for me. She never disappoints! Her books are comfort reads that I re-read time and time again. Hands down she is one of my favorite authors.”
– NYT bestselling author Maya Banks
“Heart of Danger is a deeply compelling read that shows what miracles love can accomplish when least expected…a marvelous concept.”
–Fresh Fiction
“The right blend of romance and pulse-pounding thrills makes this a riveting story. Rice creates strong characters that develop and grow…Sensual sex scenes, action, suspense and some unpredictable twists keep the pages turning.”
–RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Rice weaves a fast-paced story that captivates and mesmerizes. She hooked me at the first few pages. I love the way she creates a great plot and dynamite characters.”
–Coffee Time Romance on Dangerous Secrets
I love to write.
That philosophy served its purpose,
life forever. Follow me on my journey that resurrected my inner badass.
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Kat Bastion is an award-winning paranormal romance writer, poetic warrior, and eternal optimist who loves getting lost in the beauty of nature. On a never-ending, wondrous path of self-discovery, Kat throws her characters into incredible situations with the hope that readers join her in learning more about the meaning of life and love. Her first published work, Utterly Loved, was shared with the world to benefit others. All proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of the proceeds of all her other books, support charities who help those lost in this world. Kat lives with her husband amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Visit her blog at 