Title: Roped In
Series: Armed and Dangerous
Author: L.P. Dover
Genre: Romantic Suspense Stand Alone
Release Date: October 19, 2015
Who says a wild heart can’t be tamed?
For years, I lived for the job and let it control me. Violence was all I knew. I protected, killed, and served. My name is Blake Evans, one of the best undercover cops in the country. I thought I was about to live a quiet life on my ranch in Wyoming until an old friend showed up and changed everything. He brought me her, Hadley Rivers, country music sensation and the one woman I couldn't have. I didn't want her but she had me completely roped in.
My job is to protect her, to keep her away from some psycho who wants her for himself. However, there's more to her story than I was led to believe. I promised to keep her safe and I won't back down . . . even if I have to die trying. I can't let him have her.
Blake was a little ways ahead, but stopped and turned around. “You okay back there, princess?”
I waved him on. “Don’t worry about me!” I shouted. Picking up my pace, I reached down and grabbed a handful of snow. Each step he took, I did double to catch up to him. My fingers were numb from the snow, but I was almost there. Just a few more steps . . .
Blake sidestepped and tackled me out of nowhere, making me scream. His feet slipped and we both fell to the ground, laughing as we rolled around in the snow. He ended up pinning me to the ground, his legs straddling my waist and his body flush with mine. I shivered and it wasn’t because of the snow.
“You should know better than to sneak up on someone like me,” he said. His eyes strayed to my lips.
“I didn’t think you’d hear me,” I whispered breathlessly.
“You’d be surprised what I notice, princess.” He trailed a finger down my cheek to my rapidly beating heart. “Like how your heart is racing right now. I didn’t know I had that effect on you.” I blew out a nervous breath and he smiled, his lips getting closer to mine. “Tell me what you want,” he murmured.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because once I say the words, I can’t take them back.”
He brought his hands to my face, his thumbs tracing my cheeks. “Maybe this will help.” His lips closed over mine and I melted against him, willingly giving in. I’d never been kissed like that and I didn’t want it to stop. I wanted more. He pushed his tongue inside and I moaned as the heat rose between my legs. Holy hell, I wanted him. Rocking my hips up into him, I dug my nails in his back and he growled, pulling away.
“Fuck, Hadley.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, breathing hard.
He brushed the hair off my face and kissed me again. “You make me want things I can’t have.”
I nodded. He said exactly what I was thinking. “I know how you feel.”
Hadley is a country star with a stalker. She has a 'boyfriend', who I totally took to right away- and really, overall, fell in love with and felt a connection to. She ends up in a situation that puts her in the hands of Blake, the guy who will 'protect' her until all is well and that ends well. The problem? Blake. He has preconceived notions about Hadley and lets just say they don't start off on the right foot.
Roped In was a mixed bag for me. While there were parts I liked, there were parts I had issue with. It was definitely a tale that was stuck on fast-forward. Over all, what I enjoyed the most was the story-line that came around the 60% mark. Though, I really liked how the start of the story took off- I wasn't a fan of where Hadley ended up right after that. That part of the story had good potential. I just didn't like how the story told itself during that time frame, and I felt someone else was an unnecessary part and could have been cut from the book, as they didn't add to the story-line or story later. During this time frame, I also felt that the 'professionals' lacked professionalism around a client with the way they talked. I hate to say it but I also felt like Blake, the best there is, wasn't that great of a bodyguard
However, a big positive with the story would be:
I loved the twist with the main events and how that played out- though at times it felt a little hokey- it was still a great part of the story and I wished that had been the main focus, or how the story basically was told from the start.
One of my biggest complaints, besides the lack of professionalism with the professionals, was Blake's voice. For the majority of the story I felt like he didn't have his own unique voice in the story and sometimes he felt a bit childish to me. By the end, I admit- I liked the emotions that finally felt real to me when he thought something specific had happened to Hadley.
What I liked:
1. NICK - such a connection I felt to him. He needs his own story.
2. Nick's hockey team and how they bonded with Hadley
3. Chapter 38-I totally was channeling Ellen Degeneres's voice during that time.
4. Connor
5. I had some real emotions for the situation with Simon and Nick at the start.
6. The twist and the story-line that came around 60%
7. The overall idea of the story.
8. Blake and Hadley more towards the middle to end of the story.
This book…There
were definitely good parts for me and bad.
Starting
from the beginning of the story, I absolutely loved Hadley with Nick. I loved
everything about them…except that they weren’t real. I totally fell for him and
wanted them to become a real couple. I could actually feel the chemistry
between them leap off of my kindle.
The suspense
storyline started off with a bang…literally. Even though I had just met the
characters, it was very distressing to see what happened to Nick and Hadley’s
bodyguard Simon. I felt so bad for Hadley, that a) she went through that and b)
was pulled away from Nick before being able to find out if he was going to be
ok. Sticking with this thought for a moment, I almost felt like I’d been
dropped into Hadley & Nick’s story in the middle of their story. They would
have made a great story, with the attack being a big turning point for them and
the book. But after Hadley was pulled away from Nick, she was put in protective
custody and she met the character that takes the cake in the jerk department.
I honestly
can’t remember a character that I’ve hated more. And he’s supposed to be a GOOD
GUY. While reading this with my friend Jenn, we were talking about how
his words and actions reminded us of KA guys. And they did, only worse. KA’s
guys often tick me off with how they treat the heroines in the books, and Blake
was right up with them. But what made him so much worse for me was that he had
no reason or basis for treating Hadley so badly. It was all preconceived
notions and just being a jerk. She had just been through so much and he was set
on punishing her for something that wasn’t her fault. She did nothing wrong.
Yet he decided she was a pampered city princess and needed to be punished for
that. He didn’t even take time to get to know her.
Consequently,
after he realized he’s been a huge asshole, he did a total 180 and all of a
sudden, he’s attracted to her and into her. I didn’t buy it for a second. I
just didn’t feel any connection between them. And I thought their ILU was way
too soon in the book.
The book was
tanking, and fast…until there was a twist. Around the 60% mark, the stalker
case looks like it’s closed…and I was disappointed. I mean, if the story is
over by 60%, then what’s left!? There was some unnecessary drama but then the
story took a twist. And it was fantastic! The twist totally saved the book for
me. I loved every moment of the stalker storyline. That may sound weird, but the
author did a great job with it.
Overall,
while I had issues, the suspense storyline definitely made up for it. I would
definitely like to see what happens to Nick. I really did love him and want him
to get a HEA.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can't forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.
Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over fifteen novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Nina Chickalini has been
waiting all her life to get out of Queens, but something always holds her back.
If it isn’t the four siblings she raised almost single-handedly, it’s the
neighborhood pizzeria she’s running so Pop can take it easy. At last, she’s
counting down mere months, instead of years, until she’ll be free to embark on
her grand adventure.
