Tag Archives: JL Drake

Embedded (Stonewall Trilogy 2) by JL Drake-review tour

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Embedded (Stonewall Trilogy 2) by JL Drake-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK:Release Date November 18, 2025

Nicole Winter has many facets—a war correspondent, a protector, a mother in all but blood.

But those are just titles.

Nicole’s relentless drive for the truth was forged in war zones and honed by years of experience. Her instincts catch the shifts others overlook, and what whispers now is clear— the Cartel is gathering strength, and war is coming. Once, she would have chased the story, but for the first time, she is in a position more dangerous than she has ever faced.

A secret.
A bond.
A betrayal.

Paul is recovering from his wounds, but the scars no one can see cut deepest. He can’t forgive Nicole for putting his son in the spotlight, yet the child he never claimed is bound to her. She’s a risk he can’t afford, yet the only one who can protect his future.

Fueled by vengeance and ambition, Bruno Perez’s recklessness gives Nicole the chance to do the unthinkable and return to the viper’s pit, even if it costs her life.

As the team closes in and loyalties fracture, the green light unleashes the unimaginable. Blood is shed in the most unlikely places, and no one is beyond the line of fire.

••••••

REVIEW:EMBEDDED is the second instalment in JL Drake’s contemporary, adult STONEWALL romantic, military suspense trilogy set in the author’s WORLD OF MAYHEM focusing on war correspondent Nicole Winter, and Stonewall Agent Paul. EMBEDDED should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of book one EXTRACTION. If you have not read book one, there may be spoilers in my review

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers from more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Paul, Nicole and Bruno) EMBEDDED follows in the aftermath of the rescue of Nicole Winter, and Chase, a small child she rescued from the Mexican Cartel.Having eluded the Cartel, with the help of the agents from the dark Ops group known as Stonewall, Nicole will come face to face with a man she thought was dead but upon their return to the US, and a debrief by the man in charge, Nicole is forced to reveal her own secrets, secrets that will see our heroine poised on the precipice of returning to the scene of the crime. Paul is a man with secrets of his own, secrets of which very few people are aware, and in this, Nicole struggles to trust the man with whom she will fall in love but against Paul’s objections, Nicole is sent back to the Cartel in an effort to retrieve information she left behind.

The world building is detailed, complex yet slow as the agents at Stonewall, as well as our story lie heroine find themselves journeying towards danger as the Mexican Cartel is determined destroyed them all.

The relationship between Paul and Nicole continues to be contentious as Nicole struggles to trust a man she does not know, a man whose secrets are dangerous and dark. As Nicole battles between head and heart, the truth may be something she is unable to believe. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including many crossing over from the Broken, Blackstone and Blackwater series, as well as several members of the Mexican Cartel.

EMBEDDED is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is detailed, complex and dramatic; the romance is edgy; the characters are desperate and dynamic. EMBEDDED end on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Click HERE  for Sandy’s review of book one EXTRACTION

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

J.L. Drake is a bestselling author with multiple series published in several different countries. The Broken Trilogy is her best seller, and her next series, Quiet Mafia, has the same kind of homey feel sprinkled with some yummy darkness.

She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to southern California. Though she loves the weather in Cali, she would sell her left kidney for a good rainstorm. Jodi’s love of the seasons back home in Canada definitely put in an appearance in her books.

When she’s not writing, you can often find her sitting somewhere along the coast of Huntington Beach, reading, or at home curled up on a couch with her two children and husband, binge watching Marvel movies.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website / Goodreads / Facebook /  Instagram/

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Extraction (Stonewall Trilogy1) by JL Drake -review tour

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Extraction (Stonewall Trilogy1) by JL Drake -review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 26, 2025

Agent Paul is a soldier of many faces—
a ghost, an undercover operative, a team leader.

But those are just titles.

When a letter lands in his hands, everything changes. The past he buried resurfaces with a single revelation—his son.

Returning to the cartel world he barely escaped is a mission he can’t face alone. His brothers rally behind him, shifting their current operation to follow a trail that leads into the darkest corners of Mexico. What they encounter is far more than intel.

A pawn.
An heir.
A child.

Nicole Winter is a war correspondent with a reputation for chasing the truth. Smart. Relentless. And already three steps ahead. When their paths collide, she’s holding the one document Paul needs—and carrying secrets of her own.

As trust is tested and loyalties blur, the mission spirals. When Paul vanishes mid-operation, Nicole is left with one impossible task—to get the boy out alive.

Even if it costs her everything.

•••••••••

REVIEW: EXTRACTION by JL Drake is the first instalment in JL Drake’s contemporary, adult STONEWALL dark, suspense series set in the author’s WORLD OF MAYHEM. This is Stonewall Agent Paul and war correspondent Nicole Winter’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers from more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Paul, Nicole and Bruno) EXTRACTION follows in the wake of a notification for Agent Paul. A couple of years earlier, while undercover in Mexico with the Mexican Cartel, Paul fathered a child he knew nothing about. A letter arrived from the woman he left behind, letting Paul know she gave birth to his son but Paul will not be the only person searching for the child-the Cartel is determined to claim the child as their own, and no one will stand in their way. War correspondent Nicole Winter has found herself at the mercy of the Cartel, having befriended numerous members and controlling parties but Nicole has been ordered to find the missing child, and return the child to the Cartel. Along the way, Nicole encounters Agent Paul, and with the help of the Blackstone organization,find themselves on the hunt but at every opportunity, someone else is ready to take them down.

The world building is detailed and complex as the Blackstone soldiers must rescue a child they have never seen but a child that belongs to one of their own. Nicole Winter never expected to come face to face with the group of former soldiers who will lay down their lives to protect the innocent but Paul’s past is about to come full circle, and Nicole has no idea as to the depths of his secrets.

The relationship between Paul and Nicole is slow to build as most of the time is spent on the run, trying to stay one-step ahead of the Mexican Cartel. Paul and his team are working from one side, while Nicole is forced to operate within the parameters of the Mexican Cartel.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including several characters from the Broken, Blackstone and Blackwater series. We are introduced to war correspondent Nicole Winter, her cameraman Benjamin Bale, and several members of the Mexican Cartels.The requisite evil has many faces.

EXTRACTION is a story of betrayal and vengeance, obsession and madness, power and control, secrets and lies, deseperation and determination. The premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; the characters are strong-willed and stubborn. EXTRACTION ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

J.L. Drake is a bestselling author with multiple series published in several different countries. The Broken Trilogy is her best seller, and her next series, Quiet Mafia, has the same kind of homey feel sprinkled with some yummy darkness.

She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to southern California. Though she loves the weather in Cali, she would sell her left kidney for a good rainstorm. Jodi’s love of the seasons back home in Canada definitely put in an appearance in her books.

When she’s not writing, you can often find her sitting somewhere along the coast of Huntington Beach, reading, or at home curled up on a couch with her two children and husband, binge watching Marvel movies.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website / Goodreads / Facebook /  Instagram/

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Havoc (Havoc of Sins 2) by JL Drake -review & excerpt tour

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Havoc (Havoc of Sins 2) by JL Drake -review & excerpt tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 11, 2024

My family and friends are targets of an unseen enemy. How can I fight them when I have no idea when and where they will strike next?

Kenna lives by the same moral code as her friends who wear the cut of the Reaper. When she spills her secret to me, I’m enraged. The knowledge she carries affects us all but puts her directly in the crosshairs. This driving need to protect her is new for me.

As the truth is revealed, I discover those who were like friends are nothing more than traitors in this dangerous game.

When it happened, I never saw it coming. I was blinded by her. Guilt and pain send me into a dark spiral as I try to survive. Blood would spray across the city of Vegas until the truth showed its ugly face.

My world has been turned upside down. The true enemy could be in plain sight, but even if they are revealed, it could still be too late to save our empire—and the lives of those sworn to protect it.

••••

REVIEW:HAVOC is the second instalment in Jl Drake’s contemporary, adult HAVOC OF SIN dark, erotic,crime world romance series a cross over with the author’s Devil’s Reach Trilogy, Quiet Mafia Series, and the Dark Water Series. This is Las Vegas businessman and Devil’s Reach MC member Grimson ‘Grim’ Gates, and hostess Kenna Tame-Lodge. HAVOC should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the cliff hanger of book one GRIM.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic violence there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Grim, Kenna, Simon) HAVOC picks up immediately after the events of book one GRIM. Grimson ‘Grim’ Gates is the up and coming king of Las Vegas but any number of crime lords, wanna-bes, and powerful businessmen are taking aim at Grim Gates starting with his on again, off again relationship with our story line heroine but as the vultures begin to circle, Grim’s world will come crashing down, and he aims his grief and pain at the woman that calls to his heart. With vengeance at the forefront of his mind, Grim sets out to destroy those who are quickly destroying the world in which he lives.

The world building is, once again, complex and detailed, with many predators targeting our story line couple. Kenna finds herself caught between the love for a man who is unable to love back, and the knowledge that she may never be ready for what the future unfolds. Kenna has a target on her back, and someone close, may be responsible for her life, and that of Grim Gates’ life that is spiralling out of control.

The relationship between Grim and Kenna is turbulent, emotional and impassioned. Grim doesn’t do love or relationships yet his past keeps threatening the current woman in his life. Grims’ darkness screams danger and death, and in this, Grim takes aim at our story line heroine. For all of her knowledge and ability to ferret out problems, Kenna is often TSTL and in this, she can be frustrating on so many levels. Where Grim is unable to trust, Kenna trusts too easily. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters, many of whom we met in the previous story line. Most are questionable at best, controversial in intent, and not trustworthy from the start. Someone will die; everyone is suspect but there are too many probabilities and possibilities- Grim struggles to believe even those closest.

HAVOC is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, family and deception. The premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; the romance is intense and impassioned; the characters are determined yet broken. HAVOC ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one GRIM

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

Zhar sensed I was awake and lifted his head, and his eyes glowed in the red lighting along the base of
the wall. A moment later, he let out a low whine, and I strained to hear what he’d tuned in to. I’d
locked the elevator and wasn’t concerned, as I was on the top floor and there was zero way anyone
could break in through the elevator doors. They only opened if you had the right card.
“No!” Kenna shot straight up in bed, and both dogs leapt to their feet. She sucked in a breath.
I gave a command for the boys to stand down. They listened, but both kept their eyes on her. Kenna
looked around then slowly turned to see me awake. It was dark, but I could sense her fear.
“Sorry,” she whispered as she rubbed her head like it hurt.
“I was awake, anyway.” I turned the low lighting up a bit so she could take in her surroundings.
“Maybe it’s best if I go.”
“No.” I yawned uninterested in the idea.
“And if I wanted to?” She raised her chin, and I saw a tiny spark in her eye. I missed that spark.
“I’d chain you to the bed.”
“Right.” I reached over and pulled a chain from the bedpost and let the cuff dangle from it. “Why
does that bring me comfort?” She rubbed her arms uneasily, and I could tell it wasn’t from the idea
of being bound but from what was weighing on her. She slowly lowered herself to the pillow.
“Reach out and feel the back of the nightstand.” I felt her reach over, and when she did, I rolled
over and put my hand over hers. “Feel that buckle?”
“Yeah.” Her glossy eyes blinked up at me. I could see the nightmare still cling to her mind.
“Unsnap, pull down, and it’s ready to fire.” She nodded. I moved her hand up and under the
headboard. “That’s a Talon knife, sharp as hell. Just pull forward and it will release.” She nodded
again, and I stared down at her worried expression. “You’re safe.”
“Okay.” She nodded a bunch of times, then I ran my hand down her extended arm, across her
collarbone, and up her neck. I brushed her jawbone, and her gaze dropped to my lips. I pushed my
interest into her hip.
I leaned down and caught her mouth with mine. It was a slow kiss, just lips at first, then my tongue
danced with hers. Her hand moved up my side and into my hair while my hand was under her chin
gently holding her in place. It felt different. She tasted just as she smelled, fresh but fruity, and it was
fucking with my head. My normal instinct was to ravish, to consume, flood her body with pleasure
and take whatever I wanted at the same time. But I felt an unusual need to be careful. Her body still
needed time to heal, and her head was in a bad place. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being split
down the center. I pulled back and studied her. Her confusion on what just happened mirrored my
own.
“You should sleep,” I said quietly.
“Yeah, I guess we should.” She waited for me to roll back, then she pulled the covers up to her chin.
When my head hit the pillow, I came nose to nose with Leal.
“Jesus!” I mouthed then glared at him. He stared just as hard back. I swore he cocked a brow at me. I
wondered what went through his brain in that moment. “Go.” I pointed. He waited for a beat then
did what he was told. His typical huff as he plunked back down in his bed was louder than usual.


 

J.L. Drake is a bestselling author with multiple series published in several different countries. The Broken Trilogy is her best seller, and her next series, Quiet Mafia, has the same kind of homey feel sprinkled with some yummy darkness.

She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to southern California. Though she loves the weather in Cali, she would sell her left kidney for a good rainstorm. Jodi’s love of the seasons back home in Canada definitely put in an appearance in her books.

When she’s not writing, you can often find her sitting somewhere along the coast of Huntington Beach, reading, or at home curled up on a couch with her two children and husband, binge watching Marvel movies.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website / Goodreads / Facebook /  Instagram/

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Tango (Dark Water 4) by JL Drake-review tour

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Tango (Dark Water 4) by JL Drake-review tour

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /Apple

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November. 21, 2023

Major Ty Beckett

A ghost returned with one of our own.
A rescue has been made.

Ivy and I fight to stay strong while the team leans on one another and goodbyes are laid to rest.
Missing pieces to an old puzzle form a picture that will send a shockwave through the house.

I return for one last mission on familiar ground to bring justice to light.
Then I focus on one of the biggest fights Blackstone will ever face.

We call in every favor we are owed because it’s time for revenge.

Eric Noah

I am a ghost with a recognizable face racing to cross the border unseen.

Once on home soil, I’m met with confusion and doubt.
There’s a lot to explain.

I gather information and continue to watch those who feared me.
Secrets spill as tempers rise and the truths start to surface.

I can’t change the past, but I can help mend the future.

•••••

REVIEW:TANGO is the fourth instalment in JL Drake’s contemporary, adult DARK WATER romantic suspense series, a spin off series, interconnected with the author’s BLACKSTONE and BROKEN worlds. This is the continuing story of Major Ty Beckett, and psychiatrist Dr. Ivy Knight. TANGO should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of books two and three WHISKEY and ALPHA, referencing numerous past missions and plot lines, as well as focusing on the embattled relationship between Lexi and Keith (ESCAPE: Blackstone series 2), and the appearance of someone long thought dead.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several first person perspectives including Ty, Ivy and Paul, following several paths using present day and memories from the past, TANGO follows in the aftermath of an undercover operation in Mexico where everything spirals out of control. Working undercover in an effort to rescue the most vulnerable from the human trafficking rings in Mexico, several members of Dark Water find themselves struggling in the aftermath of betrayal and vengeance, where one of their own will not survive.

Meanwhile, Major Ty Beckett has proclaimed his love for psychiatrist Dr. Ivy Knight but Ty has unfinished business in Afghanistan, and is desperate to retrieve that which he lost. As the team at Dark Water mourn the loss of one of their own, the reappearance of an another may threaten all sense of trust going forward.

The world building is complex, detailed and therefore, I strongly recommend reading the series in order, as well as the interconnected books. The overarching premise of the Dark Water series is dependant upon knowing about previous events and character involvement in the other series, as well as the building conflict throughout the current timeline.

The relationship between Ty and Ivy continues to grow. Ivy struggles with her attraction to Ty but a proclamation of love and forever pushes our couple together, only to see Ivy struggle with Ty’s need to return to Afghanistan.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and charismatic characters, all of whom we have met, once again, throughout the interconnected series. Some will die, some will return, others will be betrayed by the people they know.

TANGO is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, love and lost, friendships, relationships and family. The premise is heart breaking, emotional and captivating; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic, dynamic and determined.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ALPHA

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

J.L. Drake is a bestselling author with multiple series published in several different countries. The Broken Trilogy is her best seller, and her next series, Quiet Mafia, has the same kind of homey feel sprinkled with some yummy darkness. 

She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to southern California. Though she loves the weather in Cali, she would sell her left kidney for a good rainstorm. Jodi’s love of the seasons back home in Canada definitely put in an appearance in her books.

When she’s not writing, you can often find her sitting somewhere along the coast of Huntington Beach, reading, or at home curled up on a couch with her two children and husband, binge watching Marvel movies.  

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website / Goodreads / Facebook /  Instagram/

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Alpha (Dark Water 3) by JL Drake-review tour

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Alpha (Dark Water 3) by JL Drake-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 15, 2023

Major Ty Beckett

The unthinkable has happened.
We will not stand by while one of our own is in the enemy’s grasp.

Ivy and I are part of the house now, and their family is our family. Together, we will fight to get her back.

This mission nearly brings Blackstone down. We missed our mark, and now it’s
Code Red.

Though our families are prepared for the unthinkable, we will not take this lying down.

Dr. Ivy Knight

Ty and I have a good connection, until he makes a decision that sends me into a tailspin.

Regardless of my personal struggles, I know one thing is true.
The house is in disarray, and it’s up to me to keep everyone on point.

But deep inside, I’m slowly unraveling. I need to find a way to get my life back.

Shadows has a mixture of light and laughter, but there’s a level of danger that comes with living here. I just hope I’m strong enough to endure.

••••

REVIEW:ALPHA is the third instalment in JL Drake’s contemporary, adult DARK WATER romantic suspense series, a spin off series, interconnected with the author’s BLACKSTONE and BROKEN worlds. This is the continuing story of Major Ty Beckett, and psychiatrist Dr. Ivy Knight. ALPHA should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of book two WHISKEY, referencing numerous past missions and plot lines, as well as focusing on the embattled relationship between Lexi and Keith (ESCAPE: Blackstone series 2).

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Ty, Ivy and Eric) ALPHA follows in the aftermath of the abduction of one of their own, and the return of Major Ty Beckett to the team at Blackstone at the Shadows. Dr. Ivy Knight is working temporarily with the Blackstone Special Ops team, at one of their safehouses known as the Shadows but her relationship with Major Ty Beckett is struggling in the face of his inability to let go of the past, a past that wants something more from our story line hero. Meanwhile, a Code Red has been activated, one of their own is missing, and the team is struggling to get information on the who, why or how. The Mexican Cartel is once again taking aim at the Blackstone Operatives, abducting and threatening anyone who gets in the way.

The world building continues to focus on the previous missions, sins of the past, and a need for vengeance against the Blackstone team. I would strongly recommend reading the previous two books in the Dark Water series, and if able, reading ESCAPE (Blackstone 2) and the author’s BROKEN trilogy. Several of the events in the current timelines are as of a direct result from the events in the aforementioned books/series .

The relationship between Ivy and Ty is one of second chances, of a sort. At any given point Ty Beckett is on the run, into danger and precarious situations, often forgetting about the people he has left behind. Ivy continues to struggle with Ty’s need to save everyone else, a need that is a constant pressure to save our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and dynamic characters most of whom were introduced and played a significant role in both the BLACKSTONE series and BROKEN trilogy. The past refuses to let go; vengeance is an obsession; betrayal may come at the cost of someone’s life.

ALPHA is a complex, detailed and dramatic story of secrets and lies, power and control, obsession and vengeance, understanding and love. The premise is edgy and intense; the romance is seductive but struggles in the face of mistrust; the characters are desperate and broken. ALPHA ends on a cliff hanger-there is no happily ever after at this point in the series.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

J.L. Drake is a bestselling author with multiple series published in several different countries. The Broken Trilogy is her best seller, and her next series, Quiet Mafia, has the same kind of homey feel sprinkled with some yummy darkness. 

She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to southern California. Though she loves the weather in Cali, she would sell her left kidney for a good rainstorm. Jodi’s love of the seasons back home in Canada definitely put in an appearance in her books.

When she’s not writing, you can often find her sitting somewhere along the coast of Huntington Beach, reading, or at home curled up on a couch with her two children and husband, binge watching Marvel movies.  

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website / Goodreads / Facebook /  Instagram/

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