Tag Archives: Redemption Harbor

Chasing Vengeance (Redemption Harbor #7) by Katie Reus-Review Tour

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CHASING VENGEANCE (Redemption Harbor #7) by Katie Reus-Review Tour

Chasing Vengeance
(Redemption Harbor #7)
by Katie Reus
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date April 9, 2019

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /ibooks /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 9 , 2019

Wanting her means putting a target on her back…

Layla’s taste in men runs toward the epic side of awful. With one murderous ex-fiancé already behind her, she’s attempting to start over in Redemption Harbor with the help of her bestie, Nova. And wine. Lots of wine. The very thing that helps her make another epic mistake—trying to kiss Xavier, one of her newest friends. So what if he’s sexy, funny, and has completely taken over her fantasies? Relationships and Layla don’t mix. And Xavier is clearly not interested anyway.

But it’s too late to walk away…

Any good hitman has no business forging a personal life…no matter how great the temptation. And Xavier is an exceptionally good hitman, with a long list of enemies. Even if Layla could somehow look past his profession, he’d never put her in jeopardy. But everyone has their breaking point—and when Layla accepts a date with someone else, Xavier’s possessiveness is unleashed. The greater the risk, the sweeter the reward…until Xavier’s sweet Layla is used against him by someone from his past. Now he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her from the enemy hunting her from the shadows.

•••••••••

REVIEW:  CHASING VENGEANCE is the seventh and final instalment in Katie Reus’ contemporary, adult REDEMPTION HARBOR erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Redemption Harbor Consulting. This is former Marine, former CIA contractor, and assassin for hire Xavier, and kindergarten teacher Layla Ferrer’s story line. CHASING VENGEANCE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story line is revealed where necessary. Layla was first introduced to the reader in book five HUNTING DANGER.

Told from several third person perspectives including Layla and Xavier CHASING VENGEANCE follows the friends to lovers relationship between former Marine, former CIA contractor and assassin for hire Xavier, and kindergarten teacher Layla Ferrer. Xavier has lusted after our story line heroine since her rescue months before but Xavier knows his lifestyle will never be conducive to settling down or falling in love. When Xavier suspects he and Layla have been targeted by someone from his past, our hero becomes lover and protector for the woman with whom he will fall in love but a woman whose heart he will break in the process. What ensues is the back and forth, developing relationships between Layla and Xavier, and the fall-out as Xavier continues to push away the woman he loves.

Xavier believes he doesn’t deserve to be happy, and struggles with what he does, very well. Protecting Layla is his number one priority but uncovering the who, how and why is just as important. Leaving the details to the Redemption Harbor team, Xavier shuttles himself and Layla to a safe house for their protection.

The relationship between Layla and Xavier is fraught with the uncertainty of Xavier’s inability to allow himself to be loved. Layla is honest with what she wants, and she wants Xavier in her life but our story line hero is willing to sacrifice his happiness to protect Layla Ferrer. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without he use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including most of the previous story line couples, as well as their expanding families. The requisite evil has many faces.

CHASING VENGEANCE is a bitter-sweet finale knowing this is the last we will see of the Redemption Harbor group, a series focusing on friendships, family, security, protection and love. The premise is engaging and seductive; the characters are colorful, energetic and oft-times fun; the romance is spicy and hot. Thank you Katie for taking me along for the ride.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Resurrection
Savage Rising
Dangerous Witness
Innocent Target
Hunting Danger
Covert Games

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers due to strong language and content

“Did he kiss you?” he demanded, unable to let it go.

“So what if he did? Maybe I kissed him,” she snapped. “Maybe I put on a little strip show for him to the tune of ‘American Woman’! Maybe I let him touch—”

He cut off her words as he crushed his mouth to hers. Xavier didn’t want to know if she’d done anything with her date. He didn’t care. Okay, he fucking cared , but if she’d done anything with that guy, it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was completely possessing her right now and wiping the memory of any other man from her mind forever.

She moaned into his mouth, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she jumped up, wrapping her legs around him. The way she clung to him surprised the hell out of him. She should probably call him out for being a jackass and showing up at her place at midnight.

His erection was hard between his legs, pressing against his abdomen, pulsing with need. She had to feel his reaction to her—and this was all for her. His entire body thrummed with energy, with the desire to thrust deep inside her over and over.

They needed to get to a flat surface. He desperately needed to taste all of her. To hear her moans of pleasure as she came against his mouth.

Xavier felt possessed with the need to have Layla even as he told himself this was insane. But as his tongue teased against hers, all common sense scattered like grains of sand at the beach. There was nothing else in the world but him and Layla. Nothing but right now.

And he needed to see her naked. Needed to taste her everywhere. Earlier tonight, in that dress, she’d looked incredible. Mouthwatering. And he’d wanted nothing more than to strip it from her body, to kiss and tease every inch of her. Now he was going to get the chance to imprint himself on her forever.

“Clothes off,” he rasped out as he pulled back from her mouth, his breathing harsh.

She blinked at him, her expression as dazed as he felt. “What?” she whispered.

“I want to see you naked. Now.” His voice sounded guttural, uneven. His words weren’t even particularly dirty, but her cheeks heated up. Oh hell. He’d misread things. They needed to slow down now. “This is too fast—”

“No, I want this. I’m just…wrapping my head around this. Us.”

That was all he needed to hear. He grasped the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head. He hadn’t come here for this. He’d come here to warn her away from that guy, but… Hell, maybe he had come here for exactly this. He couldn’t lie to himself. He needed her like he needed his next breath.

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.

However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.

Connect with Katie:

Facebook | Blog| Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Website

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Resurrection (Redemption Harbor #1) by Katie Reus-Review,Excerpt & Giveaway

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RESURRECTION (Redemption Harbor #1) by Katie Reus-Review, Excerpt, Book Tour & Giveaway

Resurrection Banner

RESURRECTION
Redemption Harbor #1
by Katie Reus
Genre: adult,contemporary, erotic,romantic suspense
Release Date: July 11, 2017

Resurrection

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / iBooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 11, 2017

She faked her own death…

Skye Arévalo left the CIA and faked her death to protect Colt Stuart, the only man she ever loved. Months later, a brutal kidnapping draws her to quietly infiltrate a dangerous cartel. Just when she thinks she’s home free, things go horribly wrong and she escapes with bloodthirsty enemies on her heels…only to find herself face to face with a bewildered and angry Colt.

He’ll cross every line to save her…

When Colt, a former Marine, finds out the woman he loved betrayed him, he’s shocked and hurt, but it doesn’t stop him from breaking every law on the books to keep her alive. Unfortunately, it might not be enough to stop a powerful enemy who will do anything to see the world burn and Skye dead.

FIRST IN NEW SERIES.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: RESURRECTION is the first installment in Katie Reus’s contemporary, adult REDEMPTION HARBOR romantic suspense series focusing on a tight-knit group of friends who grew up together but now work Black Ops for the CIA. This is CIA operatives Colt Stuart and Skye Arevalo’s story line.

Told from several third person perspectives including Colt and Skye including both past and present time lines, RESURRECTION focuses on the reappearance of not one but two women in Colt Stuart’s life-his life long friend Dr. Mary Grace Mercer, and the woman he loved fellow CIA special operative Skye Arevalo-both women presumed murdered by the Mexican Cartel. When information about the possible sighting of Mary Grace Mercer comes into Colt’s possession, our hero goes rogue hunting for the woman he has known most of his life. Enter Skye Arevalo, the other woman Colt has been grieving, and Mary Grace’s would-be rescuer from the Mexican Cartel. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Colt and Skye; Skye’s attempts to return to the scene of the crime, and the fall out of Colt’s love for a woman who also went rogue, months before.

RESURRECTION is a second chance story line; a rekindling romance between Skye Arevalo-a CIA operative who faked her own death to protect the an that she loved. Not only did Colt mourn the loss of his friend Mary Grace Mercer but his best friend, Mary Grace’s husband, slowly succumbed to the grief and the loss. Struggling not to fall victim to his own grief, Colt heads out in search of Mary Grace only to find Skye Arevalo alive and well. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

We are introduced to Colt’s fellow CIA operatives-Brooks, Gage Yates, Zac Savage, and Leighton Cannon. Their lifelong friendship shows in the love and support they give one another throughout the story line. The requisite evil has many faces including David and Rafael Ramirez. and Mark Gianni- a man Skye and Colt know only too well. We are also introduced to Colt Stuart Sr-our hero’s father, and a man who is also a former operative for the Agency.

RESURRECTION takes the reader from Mexico to Texas, to Redemption Harbor, South Carolina. Redemption Harbor is home and the location of the security firm that Colt envisions for their future-together. The premise is entertaining, suspense filled and intriguing; the characters are animated, engaging and spirited-the sense of camaraderie is heartwarming and fun. The romance is sensual and passionate. RESURRECTION is a fantastic start to a new romantic suspense series by the talented Katie Reus.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

NOTE: Excerpt intended for mature readers 18+

Copyright © 2017 Katie Reus

 

 

Colt banged his fist against the door, fear and the smallest bit of hope punching through him. “Answer the fucking door,” he snarled. “Open, or I kick it in.”
“Maybe you should take it down a notch.” Next to him, Brooks shoved an agitated hand through his hair, his Stetson held loosely at his side.
“And maybe you should be freaking out more.” One of their best friends had been holed up in his home for weeks, refusing to talk to anyone, to see anyone. Colt didn’t know exactly what his friend was going through, but he’d lost a lot of damn friends in the sandbox and the only woman he’d ever loved had died too. Something he couldn’t think about right now. He couldn’t focus on his own pain when he could help his friend, when he had a damn purpose.
Mercer had recently lost his wife, and the man wasn’t handling it. The guy had been in love with Mary Grace since he was fifteen. They’d been each other’s world. And two months ago she’d been killed in Mexico, a victim of cartel violence. Allegedly.
Colt hadn’t been in love with Skye since he was a kid, but eight months with her sure felt like a lifetime. Hell, when she died it felt like he’d lost part of himself. The only part that mattered. He had to force himself out of bed every day, to shove back the emptiness. So on one level, he understood how Mercer felt. He shoved that thought right back inside where it belonged and ignored it. He couldn’t fix his own problem, but he could help out Mercer.
Panic swelled through Colt as the seconds ticked by without any response from inside—until he heard cursing on the other side of the door. Good. If his friend was cursing, he was alive. A solid minute later the lock snicked loudly as it twisted open.
Colt grabbed the handle and shoved it open, pushing past his best friend in case he tried to slam the door closed in his face.
Mercer, wearing boxers and nothing else, had grown a full black beard and his dark eyes were glassy. “What the hell are you doing here this early?”
“First, it’s two o’clock in the afternoon. Second…” Colt hauled off and punched him right in the nose. He needed to wake Mercer the hell up. Violence was pretty much the only way to do that now.
“Ah, hell,” Brooks muttered as Mercer flew back and fell on his ass with a grunt.
He held a hand to his nose, looking more alert than he had in two months as he glared up at Colt and Brooks. “What the hell, man?” His voice was muffled as he tried to stop the bleeding.
“I believe this is called an intervention,” Colt said, stepping into the foyer, cringing at the stench. “God, it smells like old pizza and cow crap in here. Mary Grace would kick your ass if she saw you living like this.”
“Don’t say her name!” Mercer shoved to his feet, letting his hand drop. Blood dripped down his face as he snarled at Colt. His teeth were toothpaste commercial white against his dark brown skin. Right now he looked like a rabid wolf baring his teeth at them.
“I’ll say her name if I want.” Yeah, he knew he was being harsh, but this was what Mercer needed. He needed to feel something, to wake the hell up. And making Mercer angry was the only way Colt knew how. Because the guy sure wasn’t going to talk about his fucking feelings. He needed to get out of this rabbit hole he’d let himself fall into. “We all lost her. Every single one of us.”
Most days Colt couldn’t believe she was gone. They’d all grown up together, and in his case, he’d been friends with Mary Grace since they were five years old. She was like a sister to Colt. Hell, he was still holding on to the hope that she wasn’t actually gone. It was why he was about to get on a plane in two hours and see if the tip he’d received was right. But first he had to make sure one of his best friends didn’t do something stupid while he was gone.
“Mary Grace.”
“Ah, hell,” Brooks said again, clearly not going to intervene. Just muttering his standard curse.
“Fuck you,” Mercer snapped, taking a step toward Colt.
That was it. Get angry, he silently willed his childhood friend. Mercer needed anger to replace the grief. God, or at least mute it. Just for a week. That was all Colt needed. Because if Mary Grace was alive, he was bringing her home to his best friend. He just couldn’t give Mercer the hope she was alive. Because if he did and it turned out she wasn’t… It would destroy him. “Mary. Grace.”
Mercer rushed at him like a bull.


 

 

About the author

Follow: Goodreads / Twitter / Website / Facebook

Katie ReusKatie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Darkness series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.

However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense.

For more information on Katie please visit her website: www.katiereus.com. Also find her on twitter @katiereus or visit her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor.

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