ARC Reviews: Last Hit, Last Hit Reloaded, & Last Breath: Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick

by - Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Last Hit (Hitman #1)
Jessica Clare (Goodreads Author), Jen Frederick (Goodreads Author)

Amazon | BN | KoboiBooks

Nikolai: 

I have been a contract killer since I was a boy. For years I savored the fear caused by my name, the trembling at the sight of my tattoos. The stars on my knees, the marks on my fingers, the dagger in my neck, all bespoke of danger. If you saw my eyes, it was the last vision you’d have. I have ever been the hunter, never the prey. With her, I am the mark and I am ready to lie down and let her capture me. Opening my small scarred heart to her brings out my enemies. I will carry out one last hit, but if they hurt her, I will bring the world down around their ears.

Daisy: 

I've been sheltered from the outside world all my life. Home-schooled and farm-raised, I’m so naive that my best friend calls me Pollyanna. I like to believe the best in people. Nikolai is part of this new life, and he’s terrifying to me. Not because his eyes are cold or my friend warns me away from him, but because he’s the only man that has ever seen the real me beneath the awkwardness. With him, my heart is at risk... and also, my life.
Read Chapters One through Four before you buy!
Chapter One at Natasha is a Book Junkie
Chapter Two at Angie’s Dreamy Reads
Chapters Three & Four at The Rock Stars of Romance


Last Hit: Reloaded (Hitman #2.5)
Jessica Clare (Goodreads Author), Jen Frederick (Goodreads Author)

Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo

There was a time when Nick loved the fear he instilled in his enemies. His tattoos alone promised danger, but it was the look in his eyes that delivered on it. A contract killer since he was just a boy, Nick has now forged a new life and a new identity with the woman who followed him, captured him, and changed him.

He terrified Daisy. Once. But she couldn't resist, and she ignored every warning. It paid off. Now she's part of a new beginning, a fresh start in America helping him to leave behind a reckless and violent past as a professional killer. But the past is never easy to outrun, especially when so much of it thrives on revenge.

A new threat has emerged from the shadows, and now Nick and Daisy have no choice but to rely on Nick's killer skills to protect them from everything they've tried so hard to escape.
Last Breath (Hitman #2) 
Jessica Clare (Goodreads Author), Jen Frederick (Goodreads Author)


Regan:

I never really knew what misery was until the day I was kidnapped and sold for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two months later, I'm at a brothel in Rio when I meet Daniel Hays. He says he's here to save me, but can I trust him? All I know of him are his sarcastic retorts and his tendency to solve every dispute with his gun. He's also the only safe thing in my world, and I know it's wrong to fall in love with him, but I can't seem to help myself. He says he’ll protect me until his last breath but I don’t know if I should believe him or even if I can. 

Daniel:

For the last eighteen months, I’ve had one goal: to find my kidnapped sister. I’ve left the Army, turned paid hit man, and have befriended criminals all across the globe. In every brothel I raid or every human trafficking truck I stop, her face is the one I’m desperate to see. In Rio, I find Regan Porter, bruised but not broken and still sane despite her weeks in hell. I should leave her behind or send her home because the last thing either of us needs is to get involved. But with every passing minute, I find I can’t let her go. 

Last Kiss (Hitman #3)
Jessica Clare (Goodreads Author), Jen Frederick (Goodreads Author)


Expected publication: May 5th 2015 by Berkley

Naomi: 

When I was kidnapped I thought only of survival. I don’t thrive well in chaos. That’s why I gave my captors exactly what they wanted: my skill with computers. Making millions for a crime lord who kept me imprisoned in his basement compound kept my family safe. When he was taken out, I thought my ticket to freedom had arrived. Wrong. I traded one keeper for another. This time I’m in the hands of a scarred, dark, demanding Russian who happens to be the head of the Bratva, a Russian crime organization. He wants my brain and my body. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued, but I can’t be a prisoner forever...no matter how good he makes me feel.

Vasily: 

At a young age, I was taught that a man without power is a puppet for all. I’ve clawed—and killed—my way to the top so that it is my heel on their necks. But to unify the fractured organization into an undefeatable machine, I need a technological genius to help me steal one particular artifact. That she is breathtaking, determined, and vulnerable is making her more dangerous than all of my enemies combined. But only I can keep her safe from the world that she now inhabits. Soon, I must choose between Naomi and Bratva law. But with every day that passes, this becomes a more impossible choice.


FYI, if the over the top possessive male makes your skin crawl, I would suggest that you move on to something else. Nick and Daisy are not the book for you. 

Last Hit (Hitman #1)


I am not even sure where to start my review. I honestly thought this series was going to be a huge bust for me. I was soooo ready to DNF. I am not sure what kept me pushing through the first quarter of the book, but man I am glad I did. It did not take overly long for Nikolai and Daisy to catch my attention, and once they did, I could not put the book down. I read their story in one night. My curiosity and disbelief kept me turning the pages. I needed to know where the authors were going to go with this couple who would normally piss me right the hell off. Last Hit held ever cliché I would normally avoid like the plague. Talk about instant—EVERYTHING was very insta. Now if you have been reading my reviews you know this is a big, huge oh. hell. to. the. no. for me. And I am flabbergasted as I write this review because the insta-lust, possession, and love totally worked with this couple, and me in this moment. Yes, you read that right. I am approving of all the flagrant insta in this book.

In fact, I think that is what made me keep reading. The whole time I couldn't stop shaking my head at the audacity and possessiveness Nick showed when it came to Daisy, and the authors wasted no time in his claiming. Nick knew the minute his scope landed on our/his girl that she was undeniably his. I actually think I sat there for a moment with my mouth hanging wide open when this antihero started to speak. I could tell getting inside his head was going to be one wicked experience. I love me a man who can be possessive, but even with that Nikolai seemed clinically insane with his thought/obsession process; however, he quickly had me hanging on to his every last word and actions. On top of that possessiveness was a man who didn't hesitate to show his girl life, love, kindness, adoration and his intensity when it came to her. Nick's character was intriguing as well as endearing in his undying loyalty and devotion. There was definitely more to Nick than meets the eye. 

Daisy, hmm...how do I describe Daisy? She was the exact opposite of Nikolai. Very innocent, and perfectly pure. Her father kept her hidden from the world until the day she decided she needed to branch out and experience life. Normally, the heroine will annoy the snot out of me, especially a naive virgin. As soon as I read that I cringed. I am glad to say that while Daisy was very innocent and very pure, she was also very likable. Her innocence mixed with her curiosity totally worked for her and I think the vulnerability she felt made her the perfect protagonist for our Nick. Any other type of personality would not have worked as well for someone who needed to absolutely belong to him. Daisy instantly endeared her character to me. I liked her a lot and I was glad that she found Nick. 

Would some say that this type of relationship was majorly unhealthy? Yes. Yes, they would. And normally I might agree, but the characters were so true to how I envisioned them that it didn't feel overwhelming or abusive by any means. Was it always believable? No, Not in the least, but that is what attracted me to this book. I loved that the authors switched it up and gave us a couple who reveled in being over the top with their affection, dramatization and talk. It worked for them. It made THEM believable. Captivating to say the least. Their extreme relationship drew me in and left me hooked until the very last page. Never in my reading life did I ever think I would be admitting to loving the crap out of this type of story.

Jen and Jessica kept me turning the pages by making me experience a myriad of emotions. I have to give them some major props, as I am a wicked hard ass when it comes to my books and what I will read. They provided me with both an entertaining and engaging leading couple, as well as secondary characters who felt very much like main ones, smokin' hawt naughty scenes, and an opportunity to keep a very open mind toward experiencing what would be a very unorthodox read to me. For that, they have a fan who will see this series through to the end. 

Thank you, Intermix Romances/Berkeley/Penguin, for the complimentary copy of Last Hit.

Last Hit: Reloaded (Hitman #2.5)


I loved Nick & Daisy so much I could not wait to get my hands on Reloaded. I needed more of this infectious couple STAT. As soon as I saw an invite for it in my email, I snatched it right up. Why the four star rating than instead of the 4.5 I gave the first book? Well…for me, it was simply the lack of connection I felt to the characters outside of making my lower region tingle. I really missed having that in the longer novels. I struggle with novellas for this reason and the norm is to usually avoid them. Unfortunately, my need and want won out. As you can tell, my struggles were with things in the bedroom. There was definitely PLENTY of sex and then some. Which is in no way a bad thing. I love sex as much as the next person does, but there was just so much of it I had to start skimming a bit, as it began to become overwhelming, to me, in such a short book. 

With that, I will admit, these girls can write one hell of a naughty scene. Nick was so damn sexy and dirty…*shudder* I was psyched to see the authors gave us more of this side to him in the novella. Please, can I have a Nick!! I mean, he is my total fantasy built man…tats—check. Bad boy image—check. Dirty mouth—check. Wild imagination—check. Devoted lover and significant other—check. Only thing missing was the piercings. I did not even mind his obsessive possessiveness as it was very true to character. 

Upon finishing these two books, I have found, I am a huge fan of Jen and Jessica’s writing. I cannot wait to continue with the series and start Daniel and Regan’s journey! Damaged retired soldier who became an enforcer for the mob is mixed together with a sold into sexual slavery heroine…very intriguing!!

Thank you, Intermix Romances/Berkeley/Penguin, for the complimentary copy of Last Hit: Reloaded.


Last Breath (Hitman #2)


Trigger Warning: Rape & Sex Trafficking

Oh. My. Gosh. *swooning* so damn hard over Daniel right now!!

While I loved Nick and Daisy, I fell head over heels in love with Daniel and Regan. Everything about their relationship felt poetic and rhythmical, in my opinion.

Last Breath was not a story painting a picture of pretty little rainbows and unicorns, parts of it were very raw and gritty. While it was not as dark as say Pepper Winters or CJ Roberts, it was still dark in theme that centered on rape and sex trafficking. I really loved the way the authors handled this sensitive story line. I liked that they bent reality a bit when it came to Regan’s natural reactions towards Daniel after she was raped. I loved that they intertwined lightness amongst the dark. Jen and Jessica did an amazing job intermingling fiction and reality, enabling the reader to experience a myriad of emotions. 

Daniel was so damn lethal not only on a girl’s heart, but her panties as well. Everything about this perfect male protagonist will leave you breathless, your heart pounding, and your body aching with excitement and sexual tension. Daniel was a complete and total bad ass who exuded patience, dirtiness, love, confidence, loyalty, and strength. Not to mention, he was quite the smart ass with a great sense of humor. I do not think there wasn’t a moment spent with this man that I wasn’t enamored.

Regan was just as bad ass as Daniel, in her own way. She had me falling in love with her from the opening scene. My heart sat in my stomach and I ached with gut wrenching pain for her. Although, Regan was the classic definition of a victim—she did not allow this status to break her spirit. Our girl was amazingly strong in sass, love, and trust. Regan was written with such intricate depth and character. Our girl was an epitome of inspiration.

Daniel and Regan are one of my all time favorite couples ever! The chemistry between them was out of this world. Sizzling sparks flew between these two in and out of the bedroom. Speaking of the bedroom, I thoroughly enjoyed the steamy scenes, which were beyond panty melting HAWT, especially that “non-sex, sex scene.” Jen and Jessica can sure as hell write their asses off when it comes to tantalizing and delicious sex. 

2014 has definitely gone out with one hell of a bang when it comes to amazing reads. Jessica and Jen rocked my fricken socks with this book. These characters worked their way into my heart from the very first page and stayed embedded there even after their journey ended. I kept hitting next on my Kindle, as I WANTED MORE Daniel and Regan. I was in complete denial regarding the book reaching an end. I can only hope that we will see more of them in the near future.

For now, bring on Naomi and Vasily!
 
Jen Frederick

Bestselling author Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.


Jessica Clare

This is a pen name for Jill Myles.

Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.

After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.

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