Spy Hard

SDDU #12

by Dana Marton

Being deep undercover in a drug lord's compound, Jase Campbell can't afford to be anything but ruthless and mission-oriented. But it doesn't take trained instincts to see that pregnant Melanie Key needs his help to escape an increasingly lethal situation…whether she wants it or not. Jase can certainly understand why the once-naive widow insists on relying on herself and will trust him only so far. And her courage and unexpected resourcefulness in the face of killer obstacles is sparking something even more risky—and irresistible—between them. Now, with danger fast closing in, Jase will put everything at stake for a future with Melanie—if they can survive to have one.

Genres: Harlequin, Romantic Suspense

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Dana Marton writes fast-paced action-adventure romances that take her readers all over the globe. She is a Rita Award finalist and the winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. She loves writing stories of intrigue, filled with dangerous plots that try her tough-as-nails heroes and the special women they fall in love with. Her books have been published in seven languages in eleven countries around the world.

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Reviews

[Mandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heroine who is eight months pregnant, flees a drug lord's compound with an undercover agent (hero) a small village boy and a three-legged puppy.

She literally runs through the jungle with little water and food for a few days (8 months preg). At one point she hits a hornet nest, gets stung more than a dozen times, including both eyes which swell completely shut.

Hero kills a snake for her to eat, and then finds steak sauce in an abandoned building.

At the end she is throwing grenades in between contractions at the bad guys.

Too silly for me.

[Julie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my latest reading binge (between deadlines!), I've been on a Dana Marton kick. She's an author who knows how to write action-packed romantic suspense, and this addition to her SDDU series is no exception.

For those of you who like more steam to your romance, this one might not be for you. However, I found it to be one of the most "romantic" romantic suspense novels I've read in a while. Certainly, the 8-month pregnant heroine doesn't lend herself to sex scenes (although there is one at an appropriate point in the story)--but because of her condition and the intense danger the hero/ine are facing as they escape from a drug lord's compound through the Amazon jungle, there seemed to be more emphasis on the emotional link between the hero and heroine. I'm guessing some readers will think it gets a little cutesy when an orphan boy and three-legged puppy are thrown into the escape plan, but they each serve a purpose. And every character gets the chance to shine and help save the day. And that hero... Jase Campbell is really special--not just for his hard body and covert skills, but for his big heart. Loved him.

To me, it read as though I was watching a thrilling action-adventure movie... but one where they get the romance right!

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This is the 12th book in the SDDU series by Dana Marton.

This book is set in Mexico far from any normal type of civilization. Melanie Key is essentially trapped, lured there by her brother-in-law who ends up being a drug lord. Go figure! Jase Campbell is there undercover. He has already been burned by his self-admitted savior complex. So when a pregnant Melanie presents herself and has decided he is her key out, how can he say no? Well, originally, he does say no. But that decision is not a hard and firm rule. When a new threat comes to the campground, Jase knows he needs to get not only Melanie but his little native friend Mochi out of there as well.

Mochi reminds me of that young boy from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom who seemed so much more competent than anyone else in the cast. He could barely communicate with Melanie but they always seemed to get their point across to each other.

I am not always a fan of the cartel/drug lord storyline but I was able to muddle through. I liked the characters to a point but I never found myself completely invested in them. I was rooting more for Mochi than anyone else.

Great story with a lot of action but the romance aspect was pretty lacking, but that is per usual in a suspense title. Still check it out if you love a good romantic suspense book.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

[Paula Legate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book so much, that I just finished reading it for the second time. It is a action packed, heart racing kind of book. the suspense was really good. Jase had the need to protect the weak, to stand up for women and kids, it ran deep in his Texas blood. He was deep undercover on a mission. He didn't need any distraction from his mission. He was pretending to be a drug running, so he could gather intel about the drug camps. When he meet Melanie, he wanted to turn his back, but he couldn't. She was pregnant, and needed his help.

Melanie had been married for a short time before her husband Julio died. After his death, she brought her husband's ashes to his brother. Don Pedro trapped her, and wouldn't allow her to leave. He was a drug runner. She carried his only heir. Melanie knew she had to escape. She had to get away before she had her baby. Melanie knew she wanted a much better life for the baby she carried. She would escape with or without the help of Jase. I have to say I love Melanie's determined attitude. She was a very brave, and strong heroine. She did what she needed to, to survive.

Jase found himself hiking through the juggle with a kid, a 3 legged dog, that stole my heart, and a Melanie a pregnant lady. Jase always wanted to protect everyone. Just didn't know when to give up, especially when it came to saving damsels in distress. This wasn't the first his savior complex had jeopardized a mission. They all worked together as a team surviving the jungle, and the drug runners that was after them. The battles they faced kept me holding my breath.

Here is a sample from chapter 5
The hornets followed her, a whole cloud of the furious colony. They were catching up quickly. No surprise there. A kitchen chair could have outrun her these days. The first few stings came right through her clothing. She zigzagged with an alacrity she wouldn't have thought she still had dashed though bushes just to brush the damned things off. Ran to the left, then ran to the right, having no idea how to escape, running blindly and quickly losing sight of Mochi, who blended into the undergrowth too well. She needed to catch her breath. Her lungs burned from the short burst of effort. Her skin burned from stings. It didn't seem possible that things could go this bad this quickly. And then everything got a lot worse. A hornet stung her right on the eyelid, making her yelp with pain. Her eye swelled shut in less than 30 seconds. She kept her other hand up by the other eye, swatting whatever came that way. If anything happened to that eye, she would be completely blind. And then she would probably be dead very shortly after. Either the hornets would get her, or the snakes, or she'd fall over something and break her neck.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. I liked Melanie and the way she was determined to escape from Don Pedro before she had her baby. She first tried to seduce Jace to get him to help, but then decided to set out on her own. Jace was there undercover to try to get the info that the government needed to shut Pedro down and find out who he was supplying. He didn't need to get involved with rescuing someone that might end up blowing his cover. But when he finds out that a rival drug lord is about to attack, he takes Melanie and a local boy and tries to get them away. I liked the way that Melanie dug in and did what was necessary without complaining. She wasn't sure at first if she could trust Jace, but soon learned that she could. I liked the way that Jace was able to adapt to whatever was happening, and take advantage of opportunities. Their attraction was obvious, but they didn't let it make them do stupid things. I really liked the ending, and the way they worked out their relationship.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Dana Marton Harlequin Intrigues. This latest release falls right in with Dana's other Intrigues. Spy hard features of course a hot, tall, dark and handsome spy. Under cover in the jungle pretending to work for a drug lord Jase is trying to get into the hacienda where Pedro the drug lord let's his most protected men in. So far he hasn't been able to make it happen. Then passing by the hacienda looking for his chance in he spots a figure on the balcony. A woman crying? An American woman no less. Not his business he decides and moves on. Later when he comes face to face with her he discovers she's from Texas his home state and pregnant. Later he would find out she's very pregnant and ready to burst. Oh boy. Melanie wants to escape. The drug lord is her deceased husbands brother. He lured here there under the pretense of bringing her husbands ashes to him and then he kept her captive. He's after her baby which is a boy and would be his heir. Jase has got to decide if he should follow the orders of his Op or try and help this pregnant woman which he's also finds he's attracted to. A lot of work has gone into this operation but when it comes right down to it he puts Melanie first. The time comes and he breaks her out and taking also a small tribal boy and his 3 legged pup they move as quickly as possible through the jungle hopefully to safety. Of course it's never that easy. This is a another great little suspense story from Dana Marton. I love that Melanie gives herself pep talks. Telling herself she can do it and she is in charge of her life. There are some humorous scenes and the one that stands out is when she takes off with some of Jase's stuff and the boy and ends up using the machete she stole and hits a huge hornets nest. Talk about your "oh shit!" moments. lol She ends up blind because she gets stung on both eyes and Jase easily catches up to her. Finally he has to tell her he isn't really the bad guy he's been portraying so maybe she'll trust him. There are of course some kick ass fight scene's where Jase really cleans up and Melanie has a few moments too. It's the little tribal boy who saves the day though. Plenty of action, adventure and romance. Just the right amount of everything to make it a great enjoyable read. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Spy Hard by Dana Marton.

[Yazmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Dana Marton. This book is about Jase Campbell an undercover agent in a drug lord's compound in South America, and a very pregnant Melanie Key. In the beginning Jase thinks that Melanie is the Don's girlfriend, but then he finds out that she is his sister-in-law and is carrying the only living blood-relative that the Don has in the entire world. Melanie scared for her well being and that of her child is looking for escape and sees that in Jase. He is different than the other goons in the compound since he saved a child called Mochi from another goon who was trying to get the child as his slave for labor within the compound. He can be her ticket out of there before the baby is born. She knows that as soon as the Don has her baby she is as good as dead. Brewing romance and suspense starts once Jase decides to try and save Melanie, Mochi and a 3 legged dog out of danger within the compound.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spy Hard takes us back to the South America jungle where this time Jase Campbell has been sent in undercover in the continuing fight to bring down the drug lord Don Pedro . In this adventure Jase not only has his hand full keeping his cover but is saddled with a 8 month pregnant woman and 6 year native boy whose family was slaughtered and a 3 legged dog.

Jase only wants to get his job done. But his conscience keeps getting in the way and the next thing he knows he is traipsing through the jungle with a woman he is doesn’t want to be attracted to and a young boy who is braver than any man he’s ever known. These three couldn’t be more different but yet a strong bond soon ties them together in their quest to escape.

[Brenda Rumsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

He lives by his wits and staying one step ahead of the danger that surrounds him. So how does our hard as nails hero find himself running through the jungle with a small boy, a three legged dog, and a woman that is eight months pregnant? Pregnant and trapped by her dead husbands brother, who just happens to be a drug lord, our heroine will risk it all to save her unborn child. But can she trust this man who works for her enemy to help her escape a fate worse than death? Romance sizzles at every touch but danger, a job not finished, and untold secrets keep getting in the way. Dana Marton has brought us another Intrigue that keeps you turning the pages. SPY HARD is a must read.

[Debbie Heaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Marton’s romantic suspense novel, Jase Campbell was deep undercover in a drug lord’s compound when he meets a very pregnant Melanie Key. It doesn’t take much to realize that she needs help escaping a very lethal situation. With courage and strength, the widow joins Jase to face extreme obstacles to reach safety only to find that together they found each other.

[Jo-Ann Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marton's writing is smooth and it's easy to get lost in her story, but I found the 8 month pregnant heroine less than romantic. Probably, just me.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Danielles]

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