Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker (Black Knight Inc #4)
Romantic suspense
April 2, 2013
Sourcebooks
Reviewed by Mandi
This is the fourth book in Julie Ann Walker’s Black Knight Inc series, featuring ex-military guys who go on missions with the front of a motorcycle shop. I’m not sure what to make of this book. I can’t deny it is entertaining, but it is also over the top silly in some places.
My biggest frustration is with our heroine Vanessa, who is a communications specialist. She has had a thing for Ex-Navy SEAL Rock Babineaux, but now Rock is missing. When the team gets a report that he has turned dirty charged with killing innocent people, the Black Ops crew doesn’t believe it. Because of a bowl that Rock has in his bedroom bought from a specialized vendor sold only in Santa Elana, the team goes down there with a hunch he is there (quite the hunch there). Vanessa decides to go off on her own to find him, and does. Rock is hiding deep in the jungle in a treehouse 40 feet off the ground. It is here I start to question Vanessa. I never once believed she is a communication specialist or that she should be working for a Black Ops team at all. She came across as lustily aroused by Rock, and not a professional about her job. Rock has the CIA hunting him down, which is uh..pretty serious. Vanessa goes screaming through the jungle when noises scare her and taking any opportunity to try to molest Rock. As I said earlier, there are parts that are entertaining..I found myself smiling or getting into the action. But it would quickly turn to frustration when Vanessa would scream “geez louise” for the 100th time.
So instead of Vanessa going in to bring Rock back to them, he has to be the one to save her. I wanted her to be stronger and more independent. Make it feel like she is actually an experienced Black Ops member. Everything is a little silly in this book. When the CIA puts some kind of optical bug on their safe house, the crew decides to put vibrators (sex toy vibrators) on the windows to make them vibrate to disable the bug. They are all giggling about it while their lives are at danger. Again – I’m a broken record – I think many can find this entertaining. I kind of did. But at times I needed the team to act professional or that they really could die that day.
In the past I think I’ve complained that there are not enough dirty sex scenes in this series, but that is definitely taken care of here. Rock is a naughty boy. While there are plenty of lusty sex scenes, I’m not sure if I actually believed in their true love. But hot scenes nonetheless.
Over the top, slightly silly black op romance book. I’m not sorry I read it, but I’m not sure if I’ll read the next one.
Rating: C
Recent Reviews:
Love to Read for Fun – B
Under the Covers – 4/5
The Book Pushers – B
Buried by Books – C-
Goodreads
Author Website l Series Listing
I know lots of people liked the first book in this series, but I found it to be pretty ridiculous and this sounds even more so. So I am not tempted to try this series again by your review! I think I am spoiled by other authors who have written credible female characters who are in the military or some other covert operation. I may not have liked Maya Banks’ most recent KGI series book, for example, but I do think the female protagonist is generally credible as a professional. Similarly, some of Suzanne Brockmann’s heroines are too.
Yes…I think Cindy Gerard writes great heroines in this genre. Book 1 was ok in this series, book 2 was better..but otherwise..I’ve been disappointed.
holy shit I so am going to keep vibrators in my windows whenever I think the CIA is spying on me.
[and, I will so NOT be reading this book]
You already have them in your windows, don’t you? ;)
I agree 1000% percent with every complaint you had about this book. It embodies every pet peeve I have about Romantic Suspense. There were parts that were very well done, but between the poor characterization and the author’s style (too many cliches in one place for me) it just didn’t hold together.
Yes..it was an okay set-up just not executed well. Could have been SO much better