Release Reviews: Midnight Captive: Elle Kennedy

by - Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Midnight Captive  (Killer Instincts #6)
Elle Kennedy
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Expected June 2, 2015


“For those who enjoy their romantic suspense on the dark and steamy side,”* here’s the blisteringly sexy new novel in the Killer Instincts series by the author of Midnight Action andMidnight Pursuits...

Former CIA agent Bailey Jones has spent months trying to forget her night of passion with mercenary Sean Reilly. An elite and methodical assassin, she has no room in her life for a reckless, rule-breaking Irishman, and she’s vowed to steer clear of the tempting bad boy who lured her into his bed under false pretenses.



When Sean is implicated in the robbery of a Dublin bank, Bailey knows something isn’t right. So what if she can’t trust him? There’s no way Sean would end up on the wrong side of the law. In fact, he’s stuck in the middle of a dark and dirty conspiracy that could put his twin brother’s life at risk with one wrong move. And Bailey’s life too when she agrees to help.

As the stakes are raised and Bailey finds herself torn between two brothers, the fine line between danger and desire is crossed…and it’ll take more than a killer instinct to survive.

*New York Times bestselling author Christina Reece 

When Bailey Jones ex CIA and current assassin realizes Sean Reilly is in trouble, she drops everything to go and help him. Even if he did sleep with her under false pretenses. They had one crazy night then, but now that they are back in each other's proximity and the sexual tension is still there--along with the sparring, fighting and anger. She's mad because he lied and she does not want to want him. She does not like to share or let anyone in. He's jealous because he's always wanted her, but she would never give into him and he does not like her history with his twin brother. They are both opinionated and stubborn, and soon they are mixed up in a whole bunch of trouble and they are forced to work together. 

I really liked Sean. Sure he is a total alpha male and a charismatic, reckless, bad boy type. But we could also see his more vulnerable, insecure side and how much really liked her.  He is cocky, strong, sexy, impulsive, and hot headed. He is ruthless when he needed to be and could get information on most anyone, but Bailey's secrets are locked up tight and that frustrates him. He is loyal and would die to protect those that he cares about especially his twin Ollie and Bailey. But Bailey has the ability to bring him to his knees and drive him crazy. And as much as he loves his brother, he is also part of the reason he feels insecure because Ollie is the sweeter, more level headed, and dependable brother. But I loved Sean's determination and perseverance.

Bailey is sarcastic, fierce, feisty, and tough. She likes control and having everything planned to the smallest detail. She is a loner and  does not like surprises. She does not like being bossed around. She doesn't like being lied to. She has demons from the past haunting her and secrets she wants to stay buried. Her goal is to stay as detached from Sean as she can while she is helping him in order to protect herself. Because Sean is just the type of man that actually scares her because he threatens her self control.

But they fuss, fight, and have scorching sexual tension. I loved that Sean was the pursuer and Bailey was the one that put up the walls and big fight. But there was no denying their chemistry and how crazy they made each other. But as the situation draws them in deeper and deeper, they get more than they bargained for. They have to rely on each other and a few friends to help get them out of it and keep all of the factions on the edge. And when Bailey's past also adds complications, it just drags them in deeper. The more he wants to know her, the more she wants to resist him getting closer. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to resist the pull between them and that just adds to the danger.

This book was engaging romantic suspense with a good dose of steam and intriguing, flawed, but likable characters.  I love that the women are as tough and deadly as the men and they really play off each other. There are hidden layers to the stories and secrets that are gradually revealed. There is humor and camaraderie within the teams.  I found myself completely sucked into all of the chaos and the intertwined relationships.

Some old friends from both teams are enlisted to help. It was told in multiple points of view and along with the main couple, there were also some interesting side stories that have been brewing since previous books and are still smoldering. Even though this was the first book of this series I have read, I easily got into the story and became invested in the characters...even the side characters. Now I want to go back and read more about them and I am looking forward to more with Liam, Sully, Cate, Ash, Paige, Ollie and the mysterious D in future stories. The next book up is Midnight Revenge featuring D.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 


I found Elle Kennedy not too long ago with her Deal series. When I learned she had an established special ops series, I knew I had to give it a shot, and I was not disappointed.
Bailey Jones has high level secrets and a past that doesn’t exist. She works alone, with connections and several friends who help her as needed. She plans her missions, with contingencies, and likes to know her next move before she goes in. She is strong, independent, and smart. I loved that she was quick to action, but made sure she knew as much as she could before she started, except when it came to jumping in to help Sean -- that was pure reaction.

Sean Reilly has been attracted to Bailey from minute one, but no matter how hard he tried she avoided him and rebuffed all his advances. When she started dating his twin brother, he had to step back, but the emotions still simmered and eventually he acted upon them under the guise of being his brother.

I like the dynamic between Sean and Bailey that developed as they work through some uncomfortable history, her past relationship with his brother, and how to untangle the current situation. I loved the way Bailey didn’t stop to consider that Sean wouldn’t need help, she just inserted herself into his life and refused to be left out of the plans or actions. This made for great conflict and interest, especially as Sean tried his hardest to protect her and keep her out of danger.

As these two began to work together, I was intrigued by the secrets each was keeping, the direction Sean would take within Rabbit’s organization, and at what point everything would come to the surface. There was never a dull moment and the action moved at a great clip.

Bailey is an alpha female, which was both fun to read and added a challenge when one considers her love interest is an alpha male. As they are both stubborn, strong, and control-freaks, there are plenty of opportunities for them to butt heads. But there are also plenty of chances for them to learn compromise and how to lean on each other. As a solo operative, Bailey is not used to relying on others. 
Set in Dublin with a backdrop of Irish civil unrest, this story has tension between Bailey and Sean, but also between rivaling IRA splinter groups run by feuding brothers in law. 

Reading Midnight Captive makes me want to read the rest of the series so I can be all caught up before the next book comes out. Not having the background of the teams didn’t hold back my enjoyment or my understanding of the storyline here. If anything, it made me want to read the previous books even more. 
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Killer Instincts Series


Elle Kennedy
A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!


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