Spotlight Tour and Giveaway: Too Hard to Handle: Julie Ann Walker

by - Tuesday, September 01, 2015



Too Hard to Handle  (Black Knights Inc. #8)
Julie Ann Walker
Add to Goodreads
Buy Amazon/B&N/iTunes/Kobo/Indiebound

Expected September 1, 2015
Publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker continues her red-hot Black Knights Inc. series in rough-and-tumble Peru

"The Man" is back

Dan "The Man" Currington is back in fighting form with a mission that takes him four thousand miles south of BKI headquarters, high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. He's hot on the trail of a rogue CIA agent selling classified government secrets to the highest bidder, when Penni DePaul arrives on the scene. Suddenly the stakes are higher, and keeping Penni safe becomes Dan's number one priority.

And this time she's ready

A lot has changed since former Secret Service Agent Penni DePaul last saw Dan. Now a civilian, she's excited about what the future might hold. But before she can grab onto that future with both hands, she has to tie up some loose ends-namely, Dan Currington, the man she just can't forget. And a secret that's going to change both their lives-if they can stay alive, that is.


Message from the Author

Hi everyone!  Julie Ann Walker here, delighted to be talking today about my mad love for men on motorcycles whose hearts happen to be as big as their... ehem... hogs.  (That's slang for their bikes!  Get your heads out of the gutter, you naughty readers! *wink, wink*) 

But seriously, from the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, to Marlon Brando in The Wild One, to Charlie Hunnam in Sons of Anarchy, there has always been something about a guy riding around with rolled steel and a V-Twin engine between his legs.  It sets our hearts aflutter.  And in my Black Knights Inc. series, I try to take those badass bikers to a whole new level by also making them covert government operators.  The series is all spies on bikes, leather and chrome, romance and redemption, action and adventure.  So, what's not to love?  Nothing!  I guarantee it. 

Read on for an excerpt of TOO HARD TO HANDLE.  You'll see the men of Black Knights Inc. have heart, humor, and everything a woman could want in a man...   

Excerpt: Too Hard To Handle by Julie Ann Walker

“Luke Winterfield,” Dan growled. “Under the authority granted to me by the government of the United States of America, I hereby inform you that you’re totally screwed. You made a choice to sell out your country and now you’re gonna face the consequences. Reap the whirlwind, asshole.”

“Nice,” Zoelner said. “Have you been holding on to that one for a while?”

“Came up with it in Bogotá,” Dan admitted, a definite grin in his tone.

“I like it.”

“Thought you might.”

“Really though,” Zoelner went on, “I was expecting some quote from Ted Nugent or Eminem.”

“I can come up with my own material, you know,” Dan insisted. “It’s just I like to give credit to my hometown whenever I can. To make up for the place getting such a bad rap.”

“Maybe it’s because so much bad rap has come out of there,” Zoelner mused. “Insane Clown Posse comes to mind.”

“Hey,” Dan whispered urgently, “don’t say that too loud. You’ll have groups of juggalos beating down your door.”

Zoelner snorted.

“And just so you know,” Dan went on, “what I’ve learned out of this lifetime is you should be proud of where you come from.”

“I’m waiting…”

“Kid Rock said that. Via his Twitter account.”

“And there it is.”

This installment of Black Knights, Inc. involves a fun foursome. Dan "The Man" Currington is reunited with Penni De Paul, the Secret Service agent he can't forget  about from his last mission. Dan had been having a hard time coming out of a dark funk, but Penni brought in some light even during dire circumstances. But when the mission was over, they parted ways.

Also featured is his team mate and friend Dagan Zoeller who has his hands full with BKI's CIA liason, Chelsea Duvall. These two also have history and love to go rounds with each other. They are both smart mouthed, stubborn, and love to tease each other. But neither will admit what they really want. One of their team mates declares that they need to "duke it out, or screw it out."

There is fussing, fighting, flirting, fun, and tons of sexual tension and longing between them. But they also find themselves on a mission that is getting hotter. They're hunting a mole, but it seems that they aren't the only ones. All of a sudden their quiet surveillance mission is becoming more perilous, risky, and fast-paced. I loved both of these pairings and each of their personalities. They all have a good sense of humor and love to tease, but also have good hearts. They might taunt each other, but they band together without question for protection and safety. The guys are  alpha, intelligent, protective, unfiltered, and tough. And the girls are just as talented, brave, and  bad a** as the guys.

Dan and Penni seem to be the King and Queen of Bad Timing and Missed Opportunities. They've got unfinished business and it seems like anytime something can go wrong...it does. But at least they give each other hope. But they both have some secrets and baggage, and they also need to be able to trust, believe, and let go of the past.

Z and Chelsea are that couple circle around each other, and give each other fits, but are afraid to make a move. They are drowning in sexual tension but both are afraid to grab onto  the other or take a risk. But they keep finding themselves thrown into close proximity so eventually something is going to have to give....or explode. But right now they are in slow burn mode with a big side of frustration.

There are multiple antagonists and players and several storylines going on both with dangerous business and interpersonal situations. It is told in multiple points of view and brings back some of our BKI friends: Ozzie, Rock, Vanessa, Boss, Becky, and Michelle. It was a funny, suspenseful, sexy and sweet second chance love story for Dan and Penni. And also set up two other couples with sexual tension and conflicts as well. There is definitely still more brewing with Z and Chelsea, and also with Ozzie and his potential love interest. I am excited about both of those stories that have been building. 

I was surprised that this book ended when it did. It seemed a bit rushed to me and I wanted a bit more.  But I imagine we will get more with Dan and Penni in one of the next installments.

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

See Kim's reviews of 
Thrill Ride (# 4) 
Born Wild (# 5)
Julie Ann Walker Website/Facebook/Twitter

Julie Ann Walker is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling Author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She'll never say no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk. You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

You May Also Like

1 comments