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The IMA #3
Locked and Loaded
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...
Christina Parker agreed to go to work for the BN because she thought it would keep her and her loved ones safe. But the BN's training facility is more like a prison than a school, and rumors about her illicit relationship with an IMA assassin make assimilation difficult - if not impossible.
At the same time, Michael Boutilier has his hands full trying to deal with his psychotic boss's latest sick and sordid plan to broaden his sphere of influence...through social media.
In this age of six degrees of separation, their problems might be more connected than they think...
Christina Parker agreed to go to work for the BN because she thought it would keep her and her loved ones safe. But the BN's training facility is more like a prison than a school, and rumors about her illicit relationship with an IMA assassin make assimilation difficult - if not impossible.
At the same time, Michael Boutilier has his hands full trying to deal with his psychotic boss's latest sick and sordid plan to broaden his sphere of influence...through social media.
In this age of six degrees of separation, their problems might be more connected than they think...
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2013
24 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
Nenia Campbell
60 books20.8k followersNenia Campbell is a dark romance author who lives in San Francisco, California. When she's not writing, or reading, she can be found roaming the city or curled up with her void cat. She collects romance novels older than she is and loves a villain with flair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 12, 2014
OMG THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH STARS FOR THIS BOOK!!!
"It is far more pleasurable to break something beautiful. A butterfly's wings, so much better to tear off than that of a common fly. A crystal sculpture shatters so much more satisfactorily than a dull jar of clay.
Let me start with the first chapter of Locked and Loaded... We have a scene with bucket loads of sexual tension and then a huge shocker, we get an erotic scene!!! WHAT??? You may ask why I'm so shocked. Well I didn't think Nenia wrote erotica, hot erotica, sizzling erotica! You've been holding out on us!!! I may have read some scenes six times over... Particularly one involving bondage and Michael...
Locked and Loaded is set a short time after the last book Armed and Dangerous. Christina and Michael have a tentative relationship, Christina is still awkward and shy when it comes to anything involving her, Michael and a bed. But I think she's also started to mature. She may be a prude and lack self confidence, but she didn't let Michael push her around.
She's agreed to work for the BN, a sacrifice she makes in order to keep her and her father safe. But she might have bitten off more than she can chew. There are enemies who are hard at work, an arch nemesis orchestrating events that could prove fatal. To be quite honest I didn't know who to trust, everyone was was a suspect. This book should be a movie, that's how gripping it was, there were so many twists and turns.
"What's your rush? Live fast," he said, "f*ck slow."
I know I'm rambling here but Michael Boutilier is hands down my favourite book boyfriend, he's so cocky and so sexy and when he says anything in French I freaking melt!!! Freaking sigh!!!
He is the connoisseur of topping from below!!! OMG he let Christina take over!!! And it was freaking awesome!!! What's more, he didn't lose he's alpha appeal because of it!!!
If you haven't read this series, trust me, just give it a go! This is quality romance, suspense, action and Michael!!!
"It is far more pleasurable to break something beautiful. A butterfly's wings, so much better to tear off than that of a common fly. A crystal sculpture shatters so much more satisfactorily than a dull jar of clay.
Let me start with the first chapter of Locked and Loaded... We have a scene with bucket loads of sexual tension and then a huge shocker, we get an erotic scene!!! WHAT??? You may ask why I'm so shocked. Well I didn't think Nenia wrote erotica, hot erotica, sizzling erotica! You've been holding out on us!!! I may have read some scenes six times over... Particularly one involving bondage and Michael...
Locked and Loaded is set a short time after the last book Armed and Dangerous. Christina and Michael have a tentative relationship, Christina is still awkward and shy when it comes to anything involving her, Michael and a bed. But I think she's also started to mature. She may be a prude and lack self confidence, but she didn't let Michael push her around.
She's agreed to work for the BN, a sacrifice she makes in order to keep her and her father safe. But she might have bitten off more than she can chew. There are enemies who are hard at work, an arch nemesis orchestrating events that could prove fatal. To be quite honest I didn't know who to trust, everyone was was a suspect. This book should be a movie, that's how gripping it was, there were so many twists and turns.
"What's your rush? Live fast," he said, "f*ck slow."
I know I'm rambling here but Michael Boutilier is hands down my favourite book boyfriend, he's so cocky and so sexy and when he says anything in French I freaking melt!!! Freaking sigh!!!
He is the connoisseur of topping from below!!! OMG he let Christina take over!!! And it was freaking awesome!!! What's more, he didn't lose he's alpha appeal because of it!!!
If you haven't read this series, trust me, just give it a go! This is quality romance, suspense, action and Michael!!!
October 21, 2013
THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SERIES I'VE READ. SERIOUSLY!
What is it about this funky mix of romance, espionage, suspense, secret agents, double agents and loads of intrigue?? IT IS BEYOND ENJOYABLE.
The third book in, and definitely not the last, kept me on the edge of my seat. I honestly loved everything. EVERYTHING.
The first third of Locked and Loaded was devoted to Christina and Michael. It literally picks up from where Armed and Dangerous left off. Christina has pitched the BN into giving her a job as a programmer. She's nervous as hell and isn't sure if they'll bite, but she needs this. Michael has also been beckoned by the filthy and slimtastic Adrian Callaghan for another mission.
With a couple of days to themselves, the couple I have fallen in love with connect and finally get some heat a' brewin'! FINALLY!! and I mean some serious, pull-the-alarm heat! This short time together changes them as a 'real couple' for the better. Although there was some miscommunication and ill-fired signals, they find themselves forming a stronger bond. Christina also starts to come to terms with her feelings despite the mercurial nature of the man that loves her more than life.
From then on it's an action packed ride. It wasn't as intense as A and D, but the story keeps getting more and more interesting. The betrayals and suspense are out of this world and add to that the beautifully developing romance between Michael and Christina, and this series just gets better with age.
I couldn't believe some of the developments! nothing predictable at all but very smart and in line with how sleek this series is.
I swear, Adrian needs to be taken out and I'm hoping something to that affect takes place in the fourth book. But what really stood out this time is how I've come to love Michael despite his inability to truly be a good guy. He's done some very bad and disturbing things but he's unapologetic. He is truly a man that doesn't sugarcoat his past or future intentions.
I've come to love a character that isn't necessarily redeemable. And the greatest thing? Christina has too. She accepts him for who he is despite everything. But she sees he's capable of good, even if if doesn't appear so. Really, the only thing that could redeem him if you were looking for something is Christina. He loves her desperately and would end his life to protect hers. She brings out what his past and working for the IMA took away: Conpanionship, love, loyalty and trust. The good truly does show when it involves her, so if that's all he's capable of, I'll have him.
I'm also glad Nenia Campbell doesn't try to defend him through others eyes. She gave us this scarred, emotionally stunted man and I LOVE HIM ANYWAYS. And He loves Christina so much for that as well.
To say I'm excited for the fourth book would be a huge understatement! I love being surprised and having my theories turned on their heads!! loved this, love the series! highly recommended!!!!!
What is it about this funky mix of romance, espionage, suspense, secret agents, double agents and loads of intrigue?? IT IS BEYOND ENJOYABLE.
The third book in, and definitely not the last, kept me on the edge of my seat. I honestly loved everything. EVERYTHING.
The first third of Locked and Loaded was devoted to Christina and Michael. It literally picks up from where Armed and Dangerous left off. Christina has pitched the BN into giving her a job as a programmer. She's nervous as hell and isn't sure if they'll bite, but she needs this. Michael has also been beckoned by the filthy and slimtastic Adrian Callaghan for another mission.
With a couple of days to themselves, the couple I have fallen in love with connect and finally get some heat a' brewin'! FINALLY!! and I mean some serious, pull-the-alarm heat! This short time together changes them as a 'real couple' for the better. Although there was some miscommunication and ill-fired signals, they find themselves forming a stronger bond. Christina also starts to come to terms with her feelings despite the mercurial nature of the man that loves her more than life.
From then on it's an action packed ride. It wasn't as intense as A and D, but the story keeps getting more and more interesting. The betrayals and suspense are out of this world and add to that the beautifully developing romance between Michael and Christina, and this series just gets better with age.
I couldn't believe some of the developments! nothing predictable at all but very smart and in line with how sleek this series is.
I swear, Adrian needs to be taken out and I'm hoping something to that affect takes place in the fourth book. But what really stood out this time is how I've come to love Michael despite his inability to truly be a good guy. He's done some very bad and disturbing things but he's unapologetic. He is truly a man that doesn't sugarcoat his past or future intentions.
I've come to love a character that isn't necessarily redeemable. And the greatest thing? Christina has too. She accepts him for who he is despite everything. But she sees he's capable of good, even if if doesn't appear so. Really, the only thing that could redeem him if you were looking for something is Christina. He loves her desperately and would end his life to protect hers. She brings out what his past and working for the IMA took away: Conpanionship, love, loyalty and trust. The good truly does show when it involves her, so if that's all he's capable of, I'll have him.
I'm also glad Nenia Campbell doesn't try to defend him through others eyes. She gave us this scarred, emotionally stunted man and I LOVE HIM ANYWAYS. And He loves Christina so much for that as well.
To say I'm excited for the fourth book would be a huge understatement! I love being surprised and having my theories turned on their heads!! loved this, love the series! highly recommended!!!!!
August 3, 2016
Something happened to me when I read this book. Something spectacular. It was just as suspenseful, just as action-y, just as great as the rest of the series. Wanna know why
this
book was so special?
... It made me change my mind about Christina!
Yup. That's right. Kudos to the author for this accomplishment cuz I'm known to be a stubborn ass bitch.
So, at some point in the plot (and yes, I'm intentionally being vague), Christina became badass and I loved it!! She shot someone people! She even got to show off her hacking skills too. I was so happy that she finally owned up to loving Michael and officially left Denial-land.
And of course Michael was amazingly awesome as usual. I cannot wait to see what he has planned to take down Adrian once and for all. On to book 4.
XO
... It made me change my mind about Christina!
Yup. That's right. Kudos to the author for this accomplishment cuz I'm known to be a stubborn ass bitch.
So, at some point in the plot (and yes, I'm intentionally being vague), Christina became badass and I loved it!! She shot someone people! She even got to show off her hacking skills too. I was so happy that she finally owned up to loving Michael and officially left Denial-land.
And of course Michael was amazingly awesome as usual. I cannot wait to see what he has planned to take down Adrian once and for all. On to book 4.
XO
February 25, 2014
OMG THERE'S GOING TO BE A THIRD BOOK! AHHHHH
OMG I CAN'T WAIT OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG HYPERVENTILATING
OMG I CAN'T WAIT OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG HYPERVENTILATING
Want to read
October 13, 2013Yayyyy I won an arc :))))
July 11, 2015
It's actually a 3.5
Remembering how good Michael looked in formal wear made my chest ache and reminded me of something Mamá had said to me long ago. Something along the lines of, “Don't ever trust a man who looks like a snake in a suit.”
She never gave me any advice about what to do if the man in question looked even better out of it. I suppose the initial warning was supposed to keep the situation from progressing that far.
THAT
BEGINNING
As the book picks up from where the second left, we FINALLY get to see them together. REALLY together.
However, even though Christina is changing, she is still far from what I expected her to change into. She is still a prude. She started working for the BN and I thought that this would change her. Okay that she is a programmer, but as I also am one, this doesn't means we would just spend our days in front of a computer and lose in the action. I know she can be bad too but is not enough. Michael doesn't want her as an assassin but he also has to see that she has to survive with him. They pass through a lot of bad situations but he has to notice that although he iss always protecting her, his life is in danger all the time. So if something happens to him, he has to see that she should learn how to handle life/death situations by herself. In the meanwhile, I would love to see her seriously protecting his back in the action, not only being the "I choose your side while I could choose theirs" style.
Anyway, I'm looking forward for her real mean side.
This was not a home, but a temporary place of residence. I could come or go and the room would not care. It would go on. And then, when the next resident came along, the process would begin anew. Nothing left of me behind.
I really enjoyed the descriptions. I already stayed in a room that was my home for a while and Nenia was able to pass the right feels there. However, the time at the BN kinda left me bored. There were not a lot of interesting people and after a while the things she was learning didn't amazed me. The same with Michael. For me they were the best characters. I know this is to be expected as they are the MCs but I would like good second leads. Aside from the bad guys of course.
And Adam....
Gosh how I want him dead...
And there will be a next book...
Remembering how good Michael looked in formal wear made my chest ache and reminded me of something Mamá had said to me long ago. Something along the lines of, “Don't ever trust a man who looks like a snake in a suit.”
She never gave me any advice about what to do if the man in question looked even better out of it. I suppose the initial warning was supposed to keep the situation from progressing that far.
THAT
BEGINNING
As the book picks up from where the second left, we FINALLY get to see them together. REALLY together.
However, even though Christina is changing, she is still far from what I expected her to change into. She is still a prude. She started working for the BN and I thought that this would change her. Okay that she is a programmer, but as I also am one, this doesn't means we would just spend our days in front of a computer and lose in the action. I know she can be bad too but is not enough. Michael doesn't want her as an assassin but he also has to see that she has to survive with him. They pass through a lot of bad situations but he has to notice that although he iss always protecting her, his life is in danger all the time. So if something happens to him, he has to see that she should learn how to handle life/death situations by herself. In the meanwhile, I would love to see her seriously protecting his back in the action, not only being the "I choose your side while I could choose theirs" style.
Anyway, I'm looking forward for her real mean side.
This was not a home, but a temporary place of residence. I could come or go and the room would not care. It would go on. And then, when the next resident came along, the process would begin anew. Nothing left of me behind.
I really enjoyed the descriptions. I already stayed in a room that was my home for a while and Nenia was able to pass the right feels there. However, the time at the BN kinda left me bored. There were not a lot of interesting people and after a while the things she was learning didn't amazed me. The same with Michael. For me they were the best characters. I know this is to be expected as they are the MCs but I would like good second leads. Aside from the bad guys of course.
And Adam....
Gosh how I want him dead...
And there will be a next book...
October 28, 2013
"I was a weapon. It was my job to kill, and kill as cleanly and quickly as possible."
The anticipation continues to build, and each book gets better than the last.
Nenia has finally given me what my little, pervert heart wanted. Hot and steamy times featuring Christina and Michael. These two are so wonderful together. After being "together" for so long, they just know the other so well and words are not necessarily needed, they can say it all with just one look. These two never defined their relationship but its clear that they share deep feelings and would risk their lives for each other.
"Michael would kill to keep me safe. It was hard to fear the monsters of the darkness when the most dangerous of all slept beside you every night."
In the beginning after getting their freak on Christina and Michael part ways. He goes back to work for Adrian Callaghan and she begins her new job. Let me just say that Adrian Callahan needs to DIE. As Didi mentioned to me, its especially clear by the end of this book that he must be stopped by a bullet in the head, or a knife in his heart. I'm not picky, he just needs to go. Things are not easy for these two and there's twists that I did not see coming and this is why I absolutely adore this series. Nenia's writing is funny, and the characters managed to stay true to themselves even as they adjust to the rapid changes taking place among them. This book sets up the anticipation for the continuation quite nicely, and I can't wait to see what trouble Christina and Michael will find themselves in next. With these two around, trouble abounds.
"Trust No One"
Rating: 4 I Love This Series Stars
October 22, 2013
UPDATED 10/21/2013
so i finally finished it. YAY!!!! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! one of the best series i have ever read. Michael and Christina are back with their complicated and sexy relationship.
i'm gonna use a lot of pics and quotes so please bear with me.
the book starts exactly where it left off in "Armed and dangerous." right after Christina makes her move on Michael and they get right down to it. lol.
i was so glad for all the sexiness of this book. Michael is a perverted bastard but hot nonetheless. their morning is full of moans, groans, kissing and grabbing.
“I'm a mess,” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. I was still tender and a little sore. He was a big man, and it was not in his nature to be gentle. “You look like you just got fucked long and hard.” Michael cupped my breasts. “It's a good look for you.” When I opened my mouth, a rusty squeak came out. “It is?” “Oh yes.” He traced his tongue along the corners of my mouth before tugging at my lower lip. “You should do it more often.” He flicked my nipple with his thumbnail. “How about right now?”
although Christina is still not sure where they stand or what the night meant. but she is not one shy away anymore. she came out of her shell in this book and i loved every but of it. she is still dreading over her job at the BN. she is anxious, scared and paranoid. this create some tension between her and Michael. but i understood her dilemma. the girl had the right to be all riled up about it and i wanted slap Michael for being so impatient. she grew much stronger in this book. she came terms with her feelings for the most complicated man. she accepts his flaws and habits. she knows that no matter what, this flawed man will protect and love her with all he has. she learns to toughens herself up. she knows she is gonna step into lion's den and she mentally prepares herself. i thoroughly enjoyed her. i loved how she stood up for herself in front Michael. she didn't take his bullshit. she gave him a piece of her mind if he did something stupid and treated her wrong. she also became really good at she does and her feelings for Michael grew in the process. she had an inner battle at how she came to love this man but at that point she knew she just did. no questions asked.
Which side of him was I supposed to heed? The cruel, cold side? Or the sweet and fumbling side that was so heartbreakingly awkward? Michael had many personalities, all of them untrustworthy. I didn't want to be just one in a lineup. I wanted clarity . I wanted to know if he was worth making room for in the shambles my life had become, or if I should just cut my losses and move on.
NO!!!! you need to BE WITH HIM, Christina
But truth was truth, and how could you deny something that was, in and of itself, the very essence of being? I missed having another body in bed with me. Specifically, I missed having his body in bed with me. So much so that it was almost a physical ache. It wasn't even about the sex so much as the comforting graze of skin on skin, of the discord that came from feeling a heartbeat that wasn't your own. A universe tangential but apart — two distinct worlds brushing into overlap, eclipsing one another without consuming. If that was not love, then I imagined it was something quite close. I liked the feeling that came from knowing I was not alone. Michael would kill to keep me safe. It was hard to fear the monsters of the darkness when the most dangerous of all of them slept beside you every night.
awww...she missed him...A LOT!!!
Michael...lord help me, where do i start? i fell in love with him in a whole different way. he was still that mean and cold bastard but he was also the man who loved Christina like that's the only thing mattered to him. the way he treated her...ok, he wasn't sunshine and rainbows but he was raw and stripped bare front of her. he didn't shy away when he wanted to show her what it meant to be with him. he wanted her and he made it VERY clear...oh did he want her? i was so jealous of her at one point. lol. if he could, he would have devoured her. he was absolutely CRAZY about Christina. but he also put her in place when she was being childish. and good lord, the man is a PERVERT!!! I mean P.E.R.V.E.R.T. not that i'm complaining. I LOVED IT.
“You don't want to touch yourself, that's fine. Rub you breasts for me then. Lick your fingers and rub them. No, not like that. None of that dabbing shit” — as she poked them uncertainly with a finger — “you're not finger-painting. Touch them the way I would.” She cupped their weight in her hands, looking at me for confirmation. I nodded, breathing out when she began to knead them. “You're kind of a pervert.” “Not really,” I said. When she began pinching and stroking her nipples, my mouth went dry. Maybe a little. “Get 'em nice and wet. Pretend that's my mouth on you.” Hot white heat was bursting behind my eyes. “All this right here, it's all because of you, my petit dirty girl.”
“I bet they weren't, you naughty girl.” He ran his hand up my leg. “We both know you can be dirty. What's a little more? I dream about you, Christina. I could tell you what you're wearing. What you're doing.” I swallowed hard. “Here? No.” “That's what makes it fun. That's what makes it wrong .” His whisper sent a tremor through me. “And that's what makes it right.”“No.” I shook my head slowly. “No — ”“Short skirt,” he said, in that low voice. “Real short. When you bend over, that's when I see you're not wearing anything beneath it, though I kind of suspected from the way it molds to your ass.” “Michael, stop it.” “You're wearing a tiny white blouse. Most of the buttons are already undone. You haven't got anything on under that, either. Around your throat is a striped tie. It was in a bow, earlier, before I unwrapped you just like a little present. You're going to tie me up with it.” My jaw dropped. “You like being tied up?”
YES, HE DOES!!! lmao!!! your controlling and dominating man got a tied up fetish. :p
and is it me or is it just hot in here? *fanning myself*
he grew as a character too. he knew the risk of being with Christina. he knew that asshole Adrian is looking over his shoulder and watching his every move. but he was bound. but that didn't stop him from bring sarcastic or putting that motherfucker in place. he didn't let him pull his string. i loved how strong he was. he was also sweet at times. i guess i can say he was cotton candy when it came to the girl in question. most of all, his heart was in the right place. in the end he knew Christina is what mattered. that he finds his solace in her arms, he loves her and she is the first priority. he didn't once hesitated when it came to her. he put his life on the line and went to save her.
and...HE WAS HOT AND SEXY AS HELL!!!
the story was fast paced and action packed. you won't get bored with them and the story...just like Michael said. i love Nenia's books. there is nothing overly dramatic. the characters talk things out and doesn't jump to conclusion. i HATED that motherfucker Adrian. ugh...what is wrong with him? there some new characters that are introduced. my heart almost stopped at the end. i'm not gonna say anything. you will just have to read it.
and now i'm gonna share some of my favorite quotes and some pics. ENJOY!!! :)
the table scene was...HOT!!!
“Fuck,” he said, his voice ragged . The hand at my back wove through the strands of my hair, pulling my head back. “No more foreplay.” He dropped to his knees in front of me. Gently, he bowed me backwards against the desk so that I was forced to lean back on my arms. He licked his fingers. “Hold on tight now.” My panties slid down easily as he hooked his fingers through the waistband. Then he sealed his lips between my thighs as his fingers slid inside of me.
hoo...too hot.
Twelve hours ago, I had her tie me up, and she sucked me off with that incredible mouth of hers. I only just restrained myself from coming in her face. My God, that full lower lip of hers could drive me crazy. I had her put the condom on, and then she rode me like a racehorse to the finish line. My dick had felt like rubber when we were through.
he has no shame. lol.
“Don't let them do that. Don't cry. I'll be all right. We'll fix it. We'll make them pay. Anything you want. Just, please, darlin— I don't know what to do when you cry.” “Oh, Michael.” Hair got into my mouth when she pressed her face into my neck. “I love you.” “I love you, too."
They became each other's rock. They both gave each other love but they also understood one another and become stronger. Their bond was beyond anything. It was sweet, honest, raw, passionate, intense and sexy.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. it will stay with me forever. this is one of the those serieses that's going on my absolute favorite and cherish forever list. I'm gonna miss Michael and Christina like crazy. they made me fall in love with them from the first book and their transition was so beautiful that i keep falling in love with them over and over again throughout the books. ugh...i'm getting all teary. i am SO gonna miss that perverted, sexy as hell and broody assassin and the girl who brought him to his knees. Until next time, love birds. Happy fighting and fucking ;) :p
Goodbye for now...but not to worry, There will be a fourth book. *jumping up and down from joy* ;) more smexy time,more Michael and Christina, more actions and did I mention more smexy time? Whatever...I love those two getting it on lol. <3
100000 Sexy, broody, perverted, action packed star. LOVE YOU NENIA. thank you for writing such an awesome series.
A MUST READ!!!!
so i finally finished it. YAY!!!! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! one of the best series i have ever read. Michael and Christina are back with their complicated and sexy relationship.
i'm gonna use a lot of pics and quotes so please bear with me.
the book starts exactly where it left off in "Armed and dangerous." right after Christina makes her move on Michael and they get right down to it. lol.
i was so glad for all the sexiness of this book. Michael is a perverted bastard but hot nonetheless. their morning is full of moans, groans, kissing and grabbing.
“I'm a mess,” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. I was still tender and a little sore. He was a big man, and it was not in his nature to be gentle. “You look like you just got fucked long and hard.” Michael cupped my breasts. “It's a good look for you.” When I opened my mouth, a rusty squeak came out. “It is?” “Oh yes.” He traced his tongue along the corners of my mouth before tugging at my lower lip. “You should do it more often.” He flicked my nipple with his thumbnail. “How about right now?”
although Christina is still not sure where they stand or what the night meant. but she is not one shy away anymore. she came out of her shell in this book and i loved every but of it. she is still dreading over her job at the BN. she is anxious, scared and paranoid. this create some tension between her and Michael. but i understood her dilemma. the girl had the right to be all riled up about it and i wanted slap Michael for being so impatient. she grew much stronger in this book. she came terms with her feelings for the most complicated man. she accepts his flaws and habits. she knows that no matter what, this flawed man will protect and love her with all he has. she learns to toughens herself up. she knows she is gonna step into lion's den and she mentally prepares herself. i thoroughly enjoyed her. i loved how she stood up for herself in front Michael. she didn't take his bullshit. she gave him a piece of her mind if he did something stupid and treated her wrong. she also became really good at she does and her feelings for Michael grew in the process. she had an inner battle at how she came to love this man but at that point she knew she just did. no questions asked.
Which side of him was I supposed to heed? The cruel, cold side? Or the sweet and fumbling side that was so heartbreakingly awkward? Michael had many personalities, all of them untrustworthy. I didn't want to be just one in a lineup. I wanted clarity . I wanted to know if he was worth making room for in the shambles my life had become, or if I should just cut my losses and move on.
NO!!!! you need to BE WITH HIM, Christina
But truth was truth, and how could you deny something that was, in and of itself, the very essence of being? I missed having another body in bed with me. Specifically, I missed having his body in bed with me. So much so that it was almost a physical ache. It wasn't even about the sex so much as the comforting graze of skin on skin, of the discord that came from feeling a heartbeat that wasn't your own. A universe tangential but apart — two distinct worlds brushing into overlap, eclipsing one another without consuming. If that was not love, then I imagined it was something quite close. I liked the feeling that came from knowing I was not alone. Michael would kill to keep me safe. It was hard to fear the monsters of the darkness when the most dangerous of all of them slept beside you every night.
awww...she missed him...A LOT!!!
Michael...lord help me, where do i start? i fell in love with him in a whole different way. he was still that mean and cold bastard but he was also the man who loved Christina like that's the only thing mattered to him. the way he treated her...ok, he wasn't sunshine and rainbows but he was raw and stripped bare front of her. he didn't shy away when he wanted to show her what it meant to be with him. he wanted her and he made it VERY clear...oh did he want her? i was so jealous of her at one point. lol. if he could, he would have devoured her. he was absolutely CRAZY about Christina. but he also put her in place when she was being childish. and good lord, the man is a PERVERT!!! I mean P.E.R.V.E.R.T. not that i'm complaining. I LOVED IT.
“You don't want to touch yourself, that's fine. Rub you breasts for me then. Lick your fingers and rub them. No, not like that. None of that dabbing shit” — as she poked them uncertainly with a finger — “you're not finger-painting. Touch them the way I would.” She cupped their weight in her hands, looking at me for confirmation. I nodded, breathing out when she began to knead them. “You're kind of a pervert.” “Not really,” I said. When she began pinching and stroking her nipples, my mouth went dry. Maybe a little. “Get 'em nice and wet. Pretend that's my mouth on you.” Hot white heat was bursting behind my eyes. “All this right here, it's all because of you, my petit dirty girl.”
“I bet they weren't, you naughty girl.” He ran his hand up my leg. “We both know you can be dirty. What's a little more? I dream about you, Christina. I could tell you what you're wearing. What you're doing.” I swallowed hard. “Here? No.” “That's what makes it fun. That's what makes it wrong .” His whisper sent a tremor through me. “And that's what makes it right.”“No.” I shook my head slowly. “No — ”“Short skirt,” he said, in that low voice. “Real short. When you bend over, that's when I see you're not wearing anything beneath it, though I kind of suspected from the way it molds to your ass.” “Michael, stop it.” “You're wearing a tiny white blouse. Most of the buttons are already undone. You haven't got anything on under that, either. Around your throat is a striped tie. It was in a bow, earlier, before I unwrapped you just like a little present. You're going to tie me up with it.” My jaw dropped. “You like being tied up?”
YES, HE DOES!!! lmao!!! your controlling and dominating man got a tied up fetish. :p
and is it me or is it just hot in here? *fanning myself*
he grew as a character too. he knew the risk of being with Christina. he knew that asshole Adrian is looking over his shoulder and watching his every move. but he was bound. but that didn't stop him from bring sarcastic or putting that motherfucker in place. he didn't let him pull his string. i loved how strong he was. he was also sweet at times. i guess i can say he was cotton candy when it came to the girl in question. most of all, his heart was in the right place. in the end he knew Christina is what mattered. that he finds his solace in her arms, he loves her and she is the first priority. he didn't once hesitated when it came to her. he put his life on the line and went to save her.
and...HE WAS HOT AND SEXY AS HELL!!!
the story was fast paced and action packed. you won't get bored with them and the story...just like Michael said. i love Nenia's books. there is nothing overly dramatic. the characters talk things out and doesn't jump to conclusion. i HATED that motherfucker Adrian. ugh...what is wrong with him? there some new characters that are introduced. my heart almost stopped at the end. i'm not gonna say anything. you will just have to read it.
and now i'm gonna share some of my favorite quotes and some pics. ENJOY!!! :)
the table scene was...HOT!!!
“Fuck,” he said, his voice ragged . The hand at my back wove through the strands of my hair, pulling my head back. “No more foreplay.” He dropped to his knees in front of me. Gently, he bowed me backwards against the desk so that I was forced to lean back on my arms. He licked his fingers. “Hold on tight now.” My panties slid down easily as he hooked his fingers through the waistband. Then he sealed his lips between my thighs as his fingers slid inside of me.
hoo...too hot.
Twelve hours ago, I had her tie me up, and she sucked me off with that incredible mouth of hers. I only just restrained myself from coming in her face. My God, that full lower lip of hers could drive me crazy. I had her put the condom on, and then she rode me like a racehorse to the finish line. My dick had felt like rubber when we were through.
he has no shame. lol.
“Don't let them do that. Don't cry. I'll be all right. We'll fix it. We'll make them pay. Anything you want. Just, please, darlin— I don't know what to do when you cry.” “Oh, Michael.” Hair got into my mouth when she pressed her face into my neck. “I love you.” “I love you, too."
They became each other's rock. They both gave each other love but they also understood one another and become stronger. Their bond was beyond anything. It was sweet, honest, raw, passionate, intense and sexy.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. it will stay with me forever. this is one of the those serieses that's going on my absolute favorite and cherish forever list. I'm gonna miss Michael and Christina like crazy. they made me fall in love with them from the first book and their transition was so beautiful that i keep falling in love with them over and over again throughout the books. ugh...i'm getting all teary. i am SO gonna miss that perverted, sexy as hell and broody assassin and the girl who brought him to his knees. Until next time, love birds. Happy fighting and fucking ;) :p
Goodbye for now...but not to worry, There will be a fourth book. *jumping up and down from joy* ;) more smexy time,more Michael and Christina, more actions and did I mention more smexy time? Whatever...I love those two getting it on lol. <3
100000 Sexy, broody, perverted, action packed star. LOVE YOU NENIA. thank you for writing such an awesome series.
A MUST READ!!!!
August 10, 2016
I had such an awesome weekend reading all 3 IMA books back to back. Locked and Loaded is the final book for now. Initially, I thought this is the last book, which brings me to start reading it in the first place. I hate the feeling of having to wait for what feels like a lifetime to sate my next craving. But well, is too late now. I will just have to endure a few miserable months for the next release. Meanwhile, maybe I should check out Nenia's Horrorscape.
The IMA series had came a long way since Cloak and Dagger. The first book introduces us to Michael, an anti-hero that did all the unspeakable things as an assassin and felt no remorse. He is wild, volatile, intense, manipulative, sarcastic, had a dry sense of humor, hate himself and will do anything to achieve his goal. The only thing he take pride in is his absence of a sadistic steak. But now, all he wants is to keep his girl safe and leave all this life-threatening trouble behind him.
"I hate you."
"Hate myself sometimes."
"Good. You're a son of a bitch."
"Probably. Never met the woman."
I'm still all giddy from the ending of Armed and Dangerous, after all the unrequited love and longing for the one he can't seem to have, Michael finally got what he wanted from Christina. I'm so damn freaking happy for him. We are treated to a much welcome honeymoon phase between the two for a few blissful days. Their back and forth banter is always hilarious and I'm actually not surprise that even their sex scene is funny.
"How rough are we talking about?"
"Hair pulling, maybe. Biting. A little scratching. Faster pace. Nothing that would break your skin."
Everything should be all lovely and dandy, but sometimes Michael's insecurities and paranoia (which came with the job), make him think too much and self-sabotaging his relationship. What's up with all the assuming and jumping to conclusion. Wish I could slap some sense into him. Anyway, he was totally adorable when he was acting all weird and awkward.
I was the mess. She was Little Miss Perfect, aspiring saint.
Christina came up with this bizarre plan of enrolling herself into the BN (IMA biggest rival) to acquire their protection. I'm not too convince about her worthiness in this spy-craft biz because she had yet to prove herself in the field. So my favorite duo got separated yet again (Nenia should really stop keeping them apart too often), Christina is going into the BN for some 'training', while Michael was summon back to the IMA.
Christina started to work for the enemy today and I had a date with a psychopath.
The said psychopath aka Adrian Callaghan aka 'Energizer Bunny of Bullshit' (according to Michael) was planning some kind of world domination. Insert evil laughter. I swear this man make me shuddered sometimes.
Michael keept being jerked on a tight leash by Adrian and all this back and forth was driving him insane. He need a plan, a handful of accomplices and a great truckload of luck to be able to break free from this evil monster.
Meanwhile, Christina found herself in this secret training facilities where everyone had a secret agenda, including herself. The place where she thought will keep her safe turn out to be another place that might be the source of danger. It seems like sleeping with the assassin with a bad reputation is overall bad for her well-being.
Sometimes when I was with him I felt like a modern-day Scheherazade hoping that love would be able to ward off death.
Since Michael and Christina are apart, we have their dual POV back and forth to keep track of what is happening at their respective location. Although I wish they could did things together, but when they are going solo, is still entertaining to read. But I find myself reading at a really quick speed just to see them back together.
There isn't a any big resolution by the end of the book, but I'm happy for Michael and Christina for being where they are now. I can see Michael making some big plans and send some shit up the fan in the next book.
"Kiss me", he said, cracking a smile. "Make you feel better."
"No it won't."
"Make me feel better, then."
The IMA series had came a long way since Cloak and Dagger. The first book introduces us to Michael, an anti-hero that did all the unspeakable things as an assassin and felt no remorse. He is wild, volatile, intense, manipulative, sarcastic, had a dry sense of humor, hate himself and will do anything to achieve his goal. The only thing he take pride in is his absence of a sadistic steak. But now, all he wants is to keep his girl safe and leave all this life-threatening trouble behind him.
"I hate you."
"Hate myself sometimes."
"Good. You're a son of a bitch."
"Probably. Never met the woman."
I'm still all giddy from the ending of Armed and Dangerous, after all the unrequited love and longing for the one he can't seem to have, Michael finally got what he wanted from Christina. I'm so damn freaking happy for him. We are treated to a much welcome honeymoon phase between the two for a few blissful days. Their back and forth banter is always hilarious and I'm actually not surprise that even their sex scene is funny.
"How rough are we talking about?"
"Hair pulling, maybe. Biting. A little scratching. Faster pace. Nothing that would break your skin."
Everything should be all lovely and dandy, but sometimes Michael's insecurities and paranoia (which came with the job), make him think too much and self-sabotaging his relationship. What's up with all the assuming and jumping to conclusion. Wish I could slap some sense into him. Anyway, he was totally adorable when he was acting all weird and awkward.
I was the mess. She was Little Miss Perfect, aspiring saint.
Christina came up with this bizarre plan of enrolling herself into the BN (IMA biggest rival) to acquire their protection. I'm not too convince about her worthiness in this spy-craft biz because she had yet to prove herself in the field. So my favorite duo got separated yet again (Nenia should really stop keeping them apart too often), Christina is going into the BN for some 'training', while Michael was summon back to the IMA.
Christina started to work for the enemy today and I had a date with a psychopath.
The said psychopath aka Adrian Callaghan aka 'Energizer Bunny of Bullshit' (according to Michael) was planning some kind of world domination. Insert evil laughter. I swear this man make me shuddered sometimes.
Michael keept being jerked on a tight leash by Adrian and all this back and forth was driving him insane. He need a plan, a handful of accomplices and a great truckload of luck to be able to break free from this evil monster.
Meanwhile, Christina found herself in this secret training facilities where everyone had a secret agenda, including herself. The place where she thought will keep her safe turn out to be another place that might be the source of danger. It seems like sleeping with the assassin with a bad reputation is overall bad for her well-being.
Sometimes when I was with him I felt like a modern-day Scheherazade hoping that love would be able to ward off death.
Since Michael and Christina are apart, we have their dual POV back and forth to keep track of what is happening at their respective location. Although I wish they could did things together, but when they are going solo, is still entertaining to read. But I find myself reading at a really quick speed just to see them back together.
There isn't a any big resolution by the end of the book, but I'm happy for Michael and Christina for being where they are now. I can see Michael making some big plans and send some shit up the fan in the next book.
"Kiss me", he said, cracking a smile. "Make you feel better."
"No it won't."
"Make me feel better, then."
December 30, 2013
I am soooooo behind on reviews for this series (I've only written a review for book 1 - sorry, Nenia!) but rest assured, once I get out from under the mountain of my TBR pile and start catching up on things, reviews for books 2 and 3 will be posted, because they are too good not to review.
Until then, here's what you need to know: The IMA series is BADASS. No, really, it is. There's intrigue, danger, lots of kickassery, and a deliciously complex romance that doesn't follow the usual rules. Michael and Christina are one of my all-time favorite couples and I love the way their story has played out. Heck, I love EVERYTHING about the series, and I really can't recommend it highly enough. If you haven't read it, you are missing out.
Until then, here's what you need to know: The IMA series is BADASS. No, really, it is. There's intrigue, danger, lots of kickassery, and a deliciously complex romance that doesn't follow the usual rules. Michael and Christina are one of my all-time favorite couples and I love the way their story has played out. Heck, I love EVERYTHING about the series, and I really can't recommend it highly enough. If you haven't read it, you are missing out.
November 15, 2013
***review to come!
*must not be lazy :D
Oh and Michael?
:)
Another epic buddy read, with my friend and fellow Michael lovah , the awesome Vilda!
Oh this is going to be fun!
*must not be lazy :D
Oh and Michael?
:)
Another epic buddy read, with my friend and fellow Michael lovah , the awesome Vilda!
Oh this is going to be fun!
February 21, 2014
Cloak and Dagger = 3.5
Armed and Dangerous = 4
Locked and Loaded = 4/4.5
I have read lots of books. Throughout my reading journeys, there has been one “affliction” I have noticed that happens time and time again to many of the lead characters. The affliction: a main character starts off the book as such:
but, after falling in love, becomes more like this:
Now, I’m not saying that this is bad all the time. Sometimes I like the fact that the main character changes and becomes more soft and sappy because of the love he/she feels for another character. Awwwweeee, so cute.
In saying this, it is EXTREMELY refreshing to read about an asshole main character who does not feel the need to change because he has developed romantic type feelings.
Enter, Michael Boutilier. We are introduced to Michael in Cloak and Dagger, where he can best be described as an asshole. In Armed and Dangerous and Locked and Loaded, he seems to have developed some feelings for Christina Parker, but I would still describe him as an asshole. I LOVE IT! I give mad props to the author for sticking true to Michael’s character throughout all three books.
Honestly, Michael made the books for me.
In closing:
Armed and Dangerous = 4
Locked and Loaded = 4/4.5
I have read lots of books. Throughout my reading journeys, there has been one “affliction” I have noticed that happens time and time again to many of the lead characters. The affliction: a main character starts off the book as such:
but, after falling in love, becomes more like this:
Now, I’m not saying that this is bad all the time. Sometimes I like the fact that the main character changes and becomes more soft and sappy because of the love he/she feels for another character. Awwwweeee, so cute.
In saying this, it is EXTREMELY refreshing to read about an asshole main character who does not feel the need to change because he has developed romantic type feelings.
Enter, Michael Boutilier. We are introduced to Michael in Cloak and Dagger, where he can best be described as an asshole. In Armed and Dangerous and Locked and Loaded, he seems to have developed some feelings for Christina Parker, but I would still describe him as an asshole. I LOVE IT! I give mad props to the author for sticking true to Michael’s character throughout all three books.
Honestly, Michael made the books for me.
In closing:
December 8, 2013
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!! :D
I want to read it NOW!!!!! XD
Ommmmg the cover is fuckn god
#covergasm #hot #sexy #iloveu
MICHAEL!!! There better be like 20 pages of hot sexy SEX!!! <3333333
I want to read it NOW!!!!! XD
Ommmmg the cover is fuckn god
#covergasm #hot #sexy #iloveu
MICHAEL!!! There better be like 20 pages of hot sexy SEX!!! <3333333
August 8, 2015
WARNING: Spoilers and a looooooooooong review await!
It took me a while to get around to reviewing this, and there exists a reason for the delay; there is very little left for me to say. While Locked and Loaded isn't the great leap forward in quality Armed and Dangerous was, it was an improvement on all fronts. It offered more of everything I liked about the series and less of what I didn't. Not much to put into a review...except one, the one question I had yet to answer in my own head.
Why do I like this so much?
My enjoyment of The IMA remained a mystery to me for three books. On the surface it contains everything I don't care for in romance and novels in general; two first-person perspectives, a spoiled brat for a heroine, a dick-driven jerkoff of a male lead, a relationship characterized by lust, angst and abuse, and two people who fuck and hate in equal measure, all delivered by herky-jerky prose in dire need of an editor. I should have wanted to toss Cloak and Dagger aside with great force. I should have hated the hell out of it.
Instead not only did I find myself drawn into the continuing tale by purchasing the next two books, I was inspired by it, coming back to my own stalled project (a romance series now titled The Freak Patrol MC) and borrowing elements from Campbell's work, elements I had previously despised. My one novel became four; I hated quadrilogies. One first-person perspective became two; I previously despised the technique. My male lead took on a much darker tone; I don't care for abusive jerks.
The IMA and Campbell's work in general had graduated from "something I read" to "something I study and borrow from". I found myself asking why the hell that had happened.
I am relatively new to writing, but thanks to a long career as an RPG gamemaster I have twenty years experience as a storyteller, experience which has served me well now that I have decided to publish my stories instead of giving them away for free. One advantage gamemastering has over writing books is the availability of immediate and interactive feedback. When players don't like your style, you find out in a big awful hurry - fans of tabletop and LARP alike often have the social graces of a howler monkey and aren't shy about expressing their opinion. I might have hated dealing with their bullshit at the time but these days I bless the experience; it both toughened me up to aggressive criticism and forced me to be more analytical about tropes and archetypes, so that I would better know how and when to employ them.
Thus did I realize; before I went any further with my own project, I had to understand The IMA's appeal to me before I could safely borrow from it, for appropriation without comprehension is also known as plagarism. I went back and read the first two books a second time, and skimmed Loaded as well, this time with an eye towards divining my reasons for appreciating it so.
Instead of reviewing Locked and Loaded what follows is my analysis of The IMA thus far, as well as where it fits in romance in general.
The first thing I noticed was the more I looked, the more I found. Early on I was hesitant to classify The IMA as residing in the "romance" genre despite it clearly being so; the primary conflict is the love affair between two protagonists and after three books said story appears to be heading in the direction of a happy ending...both basic rules of the romance genre. After a second look, I now know why I resisted calling The IMA what it was.
It's just too damn smart.
As a genre, romance has historically gotten no respect even from most of its fans; almost every woman I know who reads them either doesn't own the fact or views reading them as a guilty pleasure - much the way men react when questioned about their porn habits. The writers in it are often either jaded cynics rehashing old standards because they sell or bored-to-tears housewives exploring their masturbatory fantasies. Thus the derisive nicknames of "slut-novel" and "mommy porn".
As I said in my review of Cloak and Dagger, Campbell isn't having any of that bullshit. The IMA is dense and cerebral;it asks cogent and pointed questions regarding sex, love, abuse, rape, power, trust...hell, if there's a concept involving society's views on romance the story doesn't take a swing at I haven't found it yet.
Early on in Cloak and Dagger I did notice the story had a habit of confounding my expectations...and I'm not a reader who is used to getting fooled. Again, twenty years experience in storytelling talking. I can usually see at least a couple of steps ahead before the story unfolds. Not this time.
The biggest example; Michael's rape of Christina. I do have to admit that his constant creepy threats were repetitive during my first reading, but I could never quite hate them...somehow they made sense, as well as all of his other abusive behaviors - rough manhandling, abusive language, etc.
(Note: keep that thought, I'll get back to it.)
For her part Christina annoyed me with her yes-no-maybe-so cocktease coquette act. I kept asking why the hell an insecure teenage girl would toy so blatantly with a guy who keeps threatening her. Still, like Michael's behavior hers had a weird kind of authenticity to it. A second reading likewise increased my understanding.
(Again, hold that thought.)
Then we have the deal Michael cuts with Christina, which was basically sex in exchange for his assistance. By now I knew there was some reluctant attraction evident between the two; I figured we were heading either for the land of rape-is-love or asshole-has-a-change-of-heart. My money was on a change of heart.
Neither happened. Michael goes through with it...and Christina is left just as hurt and confused as reality says she should have been. I can be fooled by a story, but I haven't screamed "BOOK, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"in quite a while.
Moreover, Michael raping her was not a left-field play on Campbell's part, but rather something the narrative built carefully towards. On a second reading I caught all the signs that he would go through with it; my imagination had seen it coming, my analysis had not. I'd been legitimately taken in by my own cynicism regarding romance and its tropes. Thus why I bought in so hard.
After all...if a story could so cleverly defeat my analysis, what else did it have to offer? As a storyteller I'm always looking for new tricks.
I've mentioned in my two previous reviews about how the spy-thriller elements felt a bit flat and most of the other characters likewise, but after a deeper look I now believe that's intentional. The IMA is a romance, and the primary story is the love between the two protagonists; the rest is just present to create action, tension and conflict. Its an excuse plot, but a sturdy one. It does what it is supposed to. The relationship and its vagaries are the going concern.
But first let us look at the characters.
THE RAGGED ANGEL
My biggest peeve with most romance novels is in how the male leads are characterized; the most odious traits of masculinity are on display, and worse yet they are glamorized by the "heroine" and her insipid devotion. The situation has gotten so bad the term "alpha male" has become a synonym for "asshole", and between fiction and reality I can hardly blame women for going there. After a year dealing with such douchebags as a bouncer I almost did too.
On the surface, Michael appears to be just another self-centered, angst-ridden, dick-driven boyman...mostly because he often acts the part. But as with many of The IMA's clever secrets, all is not as it first appears. Yes, Michael is a jerk. The difference; Campbell did it on purpose, and moreover for a purpose.
The legitimate alpha-male archetype can be tough to define, but in his essay "Marxism and the Mystery" crime author Robert B. Parker came the closest to getting it right. To quote:
It took Chandler to point out that the hard-boiled hero was not concerned with economics. He was concerned with honor; what they do, as opposed to what they say, is honorable. The hard-boiled hero is aware that honor has no definition. He knows there are things a man does and things he doesn't do, and it is not usually very hard to decide which is which. It is often wearisome to choose.
The fact that such men elect to be honorable in a dishonorable world makes them heroic. As in most fundamental things that humans care for, honor is indefinable, but easily recognized. He is not of the people; he is alone. His adventures are solitary statements. His commitment is to a private moral code without which no other code makes any sense to him. He regularly reaffirms the code on behalf of people who don't have one.
He is the last gentleman, and to remain that he must often fight. Sometimes he must kill.
Michael is pretty far from Parker's ideal...but deeper analysis shows that he is not completely removed from it. Instead of giving us a fully-fledged alpha male, Campbell serves up an insecure, thuggish jerk with the makings of one...and over three books puts the archetype together right before our eyes.
Michael has ferocity; over time he learns patience. He pushes back when pushed; experience teaches him how to negotiate. He is brutal; a want for tenderness forces him to learn how to be gentle. He has passion; mistakes made in the heat of the moment give him cause to discover restraint. All of it is driven by his feelings for Christina; for Michael, she is the prod which drives his self-improvement.
At bottom the alpha-male archetype is a warrior archetype, and a warrior is superior to a simple thug in two basic ways; the warrior has the heart of a poet and the mind of a philosopher - and while it can be hard to see, Michael has both. He is constantly analyzing the world around him and he has a basic sense of right and wrong; when he has both time to consider and a reason to act, he does the right thing...cursing his stupidity and asking "why the hell am I DOING this?" the whole way, but he still does it. Thanks to Christina, he is learning to act on it by habit.
He isn't all the way there, not yet. However, we do have one more book to go.
THE WOUNDED GAZELLE
My second biggest complaint about romance novels is the heroine. Reviewer Navessa Allen accurately summed up the problem by describing a typical heroine as "nothing more than a receptacle for copious quantities of the male lead's sperm", and such is both crude and apt. Christina has all the makings of such a character; she's childish, spoiled, insecure, mousy and at times hopelessly naive.
But there is one thing she isn't...an object.
Unlike the average romance novel heroine, Christina has agency. Her choices breed consequences both positive and negative. Moreover, as with Michael we are shown good and solid reasons (not excuses, logical and realistic explanations) for why she is the way she is. She's a naive spoiled brat because her family cloisters and pampers her. She's insecure and mousy because her harpy mother considers her a fat cow and isn't shy about saying so. She's imperious and demanding with Michael (often past all reason) because that is the example her mother set for her when dealing with men; it buys her trouble because Michael is most definitely not the hen-pecked noodle-soft everyman her father was.
Again, Campbell doesn't give us a heroic character, or try to sell us on how Christina starts out as one. Instead the narrative shows us an unpleasant person with the makings and hammers a proper heroine out of an insecure child using the same tool; a driving need to understand and master her feelings. As with Michael Christina demonstrates a heroic spirit when she has the time and the ability to reason things out...but also like her counterpart, under sudden stress she reverts to type as a spoiled brat. By the end of Loaded however, she's learned how to 'check herself before she wrecks herself', much as Michael has.
Christina has not yet made the transition from child to adult. But again, there is still the matter of the final book.
THE LONG STRANGE TRIP
Another place where romance novels fall apart for me is in the hows and whys of the romance itself; in most cases the author employs what is colloquially known as 'insta-love'...the characters get twidderpated with each other because the plot demands it. Worse, in story arcs similar to The IMA (where abuse enters the picture) no attempt is made to explain why the (usually female) abused party stays with the (almost always male) abusive one. Books which paint such a picture as "love" (lookin' at YOU, Stephanie Meyer) make me want to reach for a bucket.
On the surface that is what occurs in The IMA; an insecure and mousy female lead falls for a thuggish jerk-jock and stays with him because the sex is good. But again, if one digs there is much to find. Through the expert use of the dual-first-person dynamic (as well as I'm guessing a richly earned psychology degree), Campbell paints a more nuanced picture. Yes, Michael and Christina have sexual chemistry, but that is a requirement in romance both real and fictional. Underneath that, one finds the real source of their irrational devotion and attraction to one another.
Empathy.
It is a truism in real-world intimacy that like attracts like, and Michael and Christina share the common trait of having suffered a lifetime of abuse and neglect. In a stunning and clever irony, the thing which brings them together is the reason why they have such difficulty getting along. Humans are animals...and the abuse victim is a wounded animal, biting anyone and everything which tries to get near - and in Michael and Christina's case this includes each other. Michael is the obvious instigator of abuse, what with his kidnapping and his rough handling of her...but if one pays attention Christina gets her hits in as well.
Thus the reason why Michael rapes her; its a desperate attempt to hurt her badly enough to push her out of his life, because abuse victims often do exactly that to people who attempt to care about them. When it does not work he is almost as tormented by doing it as Christina was in having it done to her. It takes longer for the guilt to set in, but set in it does.
Eventually both of them stop bickering...first out of simple exhaustion and necessity, then because they both discover the joy in legitimate interaction. However, there's a problem; according to society's perception rapists aren't 'supposed' to love their victims...and rape victims aren't 'supposed' to forgive their attackers enough to stay with them. Thus must both of them figure out how to become a person who can love...and in this endeavor both are on equal footing, as neither has any understanding of where to start. Worse, they have to do this without any guidance, as in attempting it they have stepped off society's map regarding love, sex, consent and trust. Which brings me to what is in my eyes the genius of The IMA and my take on its underlying theme - consent is a construct.
Nobody consents to attraction. Nobody consents to being the target of it. Nobody consents to empathy or understanding, and nobody consents to being understood. All simply happen by accident as a consequence of living, and since relationships are as personal as a fingerprint all anyone can do is the best they can with what they're given - or walk away and wonder what might have been. There is no third choice. Chemistry is a devil's bargain with the unknown.
If there's a way to take a love story and boil it any harder, I'm not sure what it would look like.
THE FUTURE
Where is the story going from here? I'll be honest...I've no idea, but I sure as hell want to find out, and now that I think I've got a handle on my enjoyment of Campbell's vision I feel more comfortable being inspired by it. And while I'm on the edge of my seat regarding The IMA's final chapter, I'm content to sit here for as long as it takes the author. I'm sure it will be great, and I'm sure I'll be surprised.
Now if you'll excuse me, there's a little yarn about some bikers I need to see about writing. Congrats, Nenia...you've officially become an influence.
It took me a while to get around to reviewing this, and there exists a reason for the delay; there is very little left for me to say. While Locked and Loaded isn't the great leap forward in quality Armed and Dangerous was, it was an improvement on all fronts. It offered more of everything I liked about the series and less of what I didn't. Not much to put into a review...except one, the one question I had yet to answer in my own head.
Why do I like this so much?
My enjoyment of The IMA remained a mystery to me for three books. On the surface it contains everything I don't care for in romance and novels in general; two first-person perspectives, a spoiled brat for a heroine, a dick-driven jerkoff of a male lead, a relationship characterized by lust, angst and abuse, and two people who fuck and hate in equal measure, all delivered by herky-jerky prose in dire need of an editor. I should have wanted to toss Cloak and Dagger aside with great force. I should have hated the hell out of it.
Instead not only did I find myself drawn into the continuing tale by purchasing the next two books, I was inspired by it, coming back to my own stalled project (a romance series now titled The Freak Patrol MC) and borrowing elements from Campbell's work, elements I had previously despised. My one novel became four; I hated quadrilogies. One first-person perspective became two; I previously despised the technique. My male lead took on a much darker tone; I don't care for abusive jerks.
The IMA and Campbell's work in general had graduated from "something I read" to "something I study and borrow from". I found myself asking why the hell that had happened.
I am relatively new to writing, but thanks to a long career as an RPG gamemaster I have twenty years experience as a storyteller, experience which has served me well now that I have decided to publish my stories instead of giving them away for free. One advantage gamemastering has over writing books is the availability of immediate and interactive feedback. When players don't like your style, you find out in a big awful hurry - fans of tabletop and LARP alike often have the social graces of a howler monkey and aren't shy about expressing their opinion. I might have hated dealing with their bullshit at the time but these days I bless the experience; it both toughened me up to aggressive criticism and forced me to be more analytical about tropes and archetypes, so that I would better know how and when to employ them.
Thus did I realize; before I went any further with my own project, I had to understand The IMA's appeal to me before I could safely borrow from it, for appropriation without comprehension is also known as plagarism. I went back and read the first two books a second time, and skimmed Loaded as well, this time with an eye towards divining my reasons for appreciating it so.
Instead of reviewing Locked and Loaded what follows is my analysis of The IMA thus far, as well as where it fits in romance in general.
The first thing I noticed was the more I looked, the more I found. Early on I was hesitant to classify The IMA as residing in the "romance" genre despite it clearly being so; the primary conflict is the love affair between two protagonists and after three books said story appears to be heading in the direction of a happy ending...both basic rules of the romance genre. After a second look, I now know why I resisted calling The IMA what it was.
It's just too damn smart.
As a genre, romance has historically gotten no respect even from most of its fans; almost every woman I know who reads them either doesn't own the fact or views reading them as a guilty pleasure - much the way men react when questioned about their porn habits. The writers in it are often either jaded cynics rehashing old standards because they sell or bored-to-tears housewives exploring their masturbatory fantasies. Thus the derisive nicknames of "slut-novel" and "mommy porn".
As I said in my review of Cloak and Dagger, Campbell isn't having any of that bullshit. The IMA is dense and cerebral;it asks cogent and pointed questions regarding sex, love, abuse, rape, power, trust...hell, if there's a concept involving society's views on romance the story doesn't take a swing at I haven't found it yet.
Early on in Cloak and Dagger I did notice the story had a habit of confounding my expectations...and I'm not a reader who is used to getting fooled. Again, twenty years experience in storytelling talking. I can usually see at least a couple of steps ahead before the story unfolds. Not this time.
The biggest example; Michael's rape of Christina. I do have to admit that his constant creepy threats were repetitive during my first reading, but I could never quite hate them...somehow they made sense, as well as all of his other abusive behaviors - rough manhandling, abusive language, etc.
(Note: keep that thought, I'll get back to it.)
For her part Christina annoyed me with her yes-no-maybe-so cocktease coquette act. I kept asking why the hell an insecure teenage girl would toy so blatantly with a guy who keeps threatening her. Still, like Michael's behavior hers had a weird kind of authenticity to it. A second reading likewise increased my understanding.
(Again, hold that thought.)
Then we have the deal Michael cuts with Christina, which was basically sex in exchange for his assistance. By now I knew there was some reluctant attraction evident between the two; I figured we were heading either for the land of rape-is-love or asshole-has-a-change-of-heart. My money was on a change of heart.
Neither happened. Michael goes through with it...and Christina is left just as hurt and confused as reality says she should have been. I can be fooled by a story, but I haven't screamed "BOOK, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"in quite a while.
Moreover, Michael raping her was not a left-field play on Campbell's part, but rather something the narrative built carefully towards. On a second reading I caught all the signs that he would go through with it; my imagination had seen it coming, my analysis had not. I'd been legitimately taken in by my own cynicism regarding romance and its tropes. Thus why I bought in so hard.
After all...if a story could so cleverly defeat my analysis, what else did it have to offer? As a storyteller I'm always looking for new tricks.
I've mentioned in my two previous reviews about how the spy-thriller elements felt a bit flat and most of the other characters likewise, but after a deeper look I now believe that's intentional. The IMA is a romance, and the primary story is the love between the two protagonists; the rest is just present to create action, tension and conflict. Its an excuse plot, but a sturdy one. It does what it is supposed to. The relationship and its vagaries are the going concern.
But first let us look at the characters.
THE RAGGED ANGEL
My biggest peeve with most romance novels is in how the male leads are characterized; the most odious traits of masculinity are on display, and worse yet they are glamorized by the "heroine" and her insipid devotion. The situation has gotten so bad the term "alpha male" has become a synonym for "asshole", and between fiction and reality I can hardly blame women for going there. After a year dealing with such douchebags as a bouncer I almost did too.
On the surface, Michael appears to be just another self-centered, angst-ridden, dick-driven boyman...mostly because he often acts the part. But as with many of The IMA's clever secrets, all is not as it first appears. Yes, Michael is a jerk. The difference; Campbell did it on purpose, and moreover for a purpose.
The legitimate alpha-male archetype can be tough to define, but in his essay "Marxism and the Mystery" crime author Robert B. Parker came the closest to getting it right. To quote:
It took Chandler to point out that the hard-boiled hero was not concerned with economics. He was concerned with honor; what they do, as opposed to what they say, is honorable. The hard-boiled hero is aware that honor has no definition. He knows there are things a man does and things he doesn't do, and it is not usually very hard to decide which is which. It is often wearisome to choose.
The fact that such men elect to be honorable in a dishonorable world makes them heroic. As in most fundamental things that humans care for, honor is indefinable, but easily recognized. He is not of the people; he is alone. His adventures are solitary statements. His commitment is to a private moral code without which no other code makes any sense to him. He regularly reaffirms the code on behalf of people who don't have one.
He is the last gentleman, and to remain that he must often fight. Sometimes he must kill.
Michael is pretty far from Parker's ideal...but deeper analysis shows that he is not completely removed from it. Instead of giving us a fully-fledged alpha male, Campbell serves up an insecure, thuggish jerk with the makings of one...and over three books puts the archetype together right before our eyes.
Michael has ferocity; over time he learns patience. He pushes back when pushed; experience teaches him how to negotiate. He is brutal; a want for tenderness forces him to learn how to be gentle. He has passion; mistakes made in the heat of the moment give him cause to discover restraint. All of it is driven by his feelings for Christina; for Michael, she is the prod which drives his self-improvement.
At bottom the alpha-male archetype is a warrior archetype, and a warrior is superior to a simple thug in two basic ways; the warrior has the heart of a poet and the mind of a philosopher - and while it can be hard to see, Michael has both. He is constantly analyzing the world around him and he has a basic sense of right and wrong; when he has both time to consider and a reason to act, he does the right thing...cursing his stupidity and asking "why the hell am I DOING this?" the whole way, but he still does it. Thanks to Christina, he is learning to act on it by habit.
He isn't all the way there, not yet. However, we do have one more book to go.
THE WOUNDED GAZELLE
My second biggest complaint about romance novels is the heroine. Reviewer Navessa Allen accurately summed up the problem by describing a typical heroine as "nothing more than a receptacle for copious quantities of the male lead's sperm", and such is both crude and apt. Christina has all the makings of such a character; she's childish, spoiled, insecure, mousy and at times hopelessly naive.
But there is one thing she isn't...an object.
Unlike the average romance novel heroine, Christina has agency. Her choices breed consequences both positive and negative. Moreover, as with Michael we are shown good and solid reasons (not excuses, logical and realistic explanations) for why she is the way she is. She's a naive spoiled brat because her family cloisters and pampers her. She's insecure and mousy because her harpy mother considers her a fat cow and isn't shy about saying so. She's imperious and demanding with Michael (often past all reason) because that is the example her mother set for her when dealing with men; it buys her trouble because Michael is most definitely not the hen-pecked noodle-soft everyman her father was.
Again, Campbell doesn't give us a heroic character, or try to sell us on how Christina starts out as one. Instead the narrative shows us an unpleasant person with the makings and hammers a proper heroine out of an insecure child using the same tool; a driving need to understand and master her feelings. As with Michael Christina demonstrates a heroic spirit when she has the time and the ability to reason things out...but also like her counterpart, under sudden stress she reverts to type as a spoiled brat. By the end of Loaded however, she's learned how to 'check herself before she wrecks herself', much as Michael has.
Christina has not yet made the transition from child to adult. But again, there is still the matter of the final book.
THE LONG STRANGE TRIP
Another place where romance novels fall apart for me is in the hows and whys of the romance itself; in most cases the author employs what is colloquially known as 'insta-love'...the characters get twidderpated with each other because the plot demands it. Worse, in story arcs similar to The IMA (where abuse enters the picture) no attempt is made to explain why the (usually female) abused party stays with the (almost always male) abusive one. Books which paint such a picture as "love" (lookin' at YOU, Stephanie Meyer) make me want to reach for a bucket.
On the surface that is what occurs in The IMA; an insecure and mousy female lead falls for a thuggish jerk-jock and stays with him because the sex is good. But again, if one digs there is much to find. Through the expert use of the dual-first-person dynamic (as well as I'm guessing a richly earned psychology degree), Campbell paints a more nuanced picture. Yes, Michael and Christina have sexual chemistry, but that is a requirement in romance both real and fictional. Underneath that, one finds the real source of their irrational devotion and attraction to one another.
Empathy.
It is a truism in real-world intimacy that like attracts like, and Michael and Christina share the common trait of having suffered a lifetime of abuse and neglect. In a stunning and clever irony, the thing which brings them together is the reason why they have such difficulty getting along. Humans are animals...and the abuse victim is a wounded animal, biting anyone and everything which tries to get near - and in Michael and Christina's case this includes each other. Michael is the obvious instigator of abuse, what with his kidnapping and his rough handling of her...but if one pays attention Christina gets her hits in as well.
Thus the reason why Michael rapes her; its a desperate attempt to hurt her badly enough to push her out of his life, because abuse victims often do exactly that to people who attempt to care about them. When it does not work he is almost as tormented by doing it as Christina was in having it done to her. It takes longer for the guilt to set in, but set in it does.
Eventually both of them stop bickering...first out of simple exhaustion and necessity, then because they both discover the joy in legitimate interaction. However, there's a problem; according to society's perception rapists aren't 'supposed' to love their victims...and rape victims aren't 'supposed' to forgive their attackers enough to stay with them. Thus must both of them figure out how to become a person who can love...and in this endeavor both are on equal footing, as neither has any understanding of where to start. Worse, they have to do this without any guidance, as in attempting it they have stepped off society's map regarding love, sex, consent and trust. Which brings me to what is in my eyes the genius of The IMA and my take on its underlying theme - consent is a construct.
Nobody consents to attraction. Nobody consents to being the target of it. Nobody consents to empathy or understanding, and nobody consents to being understood. All simply happen by accident as a consequence of living, and since relationships are as personal as a fingerprint all anyone can do is the best they can with what they're given - or walk away and wonder what might have been. There is no third choice. Chemistry is a devil's bargain with the unknown.
If there's a way to take a love story and boil it any harder, I'm not sure what it would look like.
THE FUTURE
Where is the story going from here? I'll be honest...I've no idea, but I sure as hell want to find out, and now that I think I've got a handle on my enjoyment of Campbell's vision I feel more comfortable being inspired by it. And while I'm on the edge of my seat regarding The IMA's final chapter, I'm content to sit here for as long as it takes the author. I'm sure it will be great, and I'm sure I'll be surprised.
Now if you'll excuse me, there's a little yarn about some bikers I need to see about writing. Congrats, Nenia...you've officially become an influence.
February 8, 2014
Okay, so this wasn't my favourite of the series.
The first 20% was great, I loved spending just a little bit of time with Michael and Christina. I wish we had gotten more to be honest.
And the last 10% was awesome. But between the two? I hate to say that I was actually pretty bored, which has never happened to me with this series before.
I just didn't see the point of this storyline at all. We could have been told in 20 pages that Callaghan had It didn't need a whole book.
But onto the good stuff. The writing is still as brilliant and no matter what the storyline; this relationship alone is enough to keep me reading...
Michael and Christina have such a complex and strained relationship, and I love it. I love them together, and I love Michael.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"No reason," I whispered.
But I knew. It was because he was magnificent, dangerous, like some golden beast of prey; it was because he held my heart in his hands, and he could crush me as easily as he could protect me...'
I liked seeing them alone, learning each other and how they work together. I could not believe the level of trust Michael showed Christina and I sometimes wish she knew just how huge those kinds of decisions are for Michael. The huge leap of faith he is taking with her. For her.
But the things that make me love him the most are the moments when he is brutally honest with Christina. He can still be such a cold asshole sometimes, but then he says something that hits me like a brick and I cannot help but fall farther in love.
"What about love?" I said it a with challenge in my voice.
"You have that too," he said coldly. "Or do you think I let every woman talk to me the way you do? No, darling, you have me right where you want me, and you fucking know it. We both fucking know it."
I cannot wait to read the next in the series. I just hope the storyline holds my attention a little more in that one.
The first 20% was great, I loved spending just a little bit of time with Michael and Christina. I wish we had gotten more to be honest.
And the last 10% was awesome. But between the two? I hate to say that I was actually pretty bored, which has never happened to me with this series before.
I just didn't see the point of this storyline at all. We could have been told in 20 pages that Callaghan had It didn't need a whole book.
But onto the good stuff. The writing is still as brilliant and no matter what the storyline; this relationship alone is enough to keep me reading...
Michael and Christina have such a complex and strained relationship, and I love it. I love them together, and I love Michael.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"No reason," I whispered.
But I knew. It was because he was magnificent, dangerous, like some golden beast of prey; it was because he held my heart in his hands, and he could crush me as easily as he could protect me...'
I liked seeing them alone, learning each other and how they work together. I could not believe the level of trust Michael showed Christina and I sometimes wish she knew just how huge those kinds of decisions are for Michael. The huge leap of faith he is taking with her. For her.
But the things that make me love him the most are the moments when he is brutally honest with Christina. He can still be such a cold asshole sometimes, but then he says something that hits me like a brick and I cannot help but fall farther in love.
"What about love?" I said it a with challenge in my voice.
"You have that too," he said coldly. "Or do you think I let every woman talk to me the way you do? No, darling, you have me right where you want me, and you fucking know it. We both fucking know it."
I cannot wait to read the next in the series. I just hope the storyline holds my attention a little more in that one.
October 27, 2013
Can I have this book right now? Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with kitten gifts, videos, pictures, memes, and catnip on top?
Release date on Halloween? That's only 28 days!
And there go my plans to spend the night out with friends.
After Reading:
Mother of Ctullu, that was brilliant.
A message to Nenia:
Please lock yourself in a room and never stop writing amazing novels. Thank you.
-Alisa
And yes, I read this again after a week. It got even more amazing.
Release date on Halloween? That's only 28 days!
And there go my plans to spend the night out with friends.
After Reading:
Mother of Ctullu, that was brilliant.
A message to Nenia:
Please lock yourself in a room and never stop writing amazing novels. Thank you.
-Alisa
And yes, I read this again after a week. It got even more amazing.
August 10, 2016
MICHAEL...
I could read about him all day. All night. GOD. This time around I liked him even more.
He was the reason I kept reading because at some point Christina was driving me insane.
- - - -
This series is phenomenal. I loved it. I highly recommend it.
I could read about him all day. All night. GOD. This time around I liked him even more.
"I don't fuck and tell."
"Very convenient. What about love?" I said it with a challenge in my voice.
"You have that too," he said coldly. "Or do you think I let every woman talk to me the way you do? No, darlin, you have me right where you want me, and you fucking know it. We both fucking know it."
He was the reason I kept reading because at some point Christina was driving me insane.
My jaw dropped. "You like being tied up?"
"Most men do. They're just too chickenshit to ask for what they want. But I know what I want. And I'm not afraid to ask for it. It's just a matter of finding the woman who can give it to me just the way I want."
- - - -
"I can take care of myself," I said hotly. "I don't need your brand of help."
Michael guffawed. "Darlin, you don't even know how to pleasure yourself."
This series is phenomenal. I loved it. I highly recommend it.
November 25, 2013
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THE IMA SERIES! I'm so glad to finally see Michael and Christina together in a relationship. I just wish there were more Michael and Christina together. It was really cute to watch Michael's transformation. He's trying to be soft and caring. The one thing I truly loved about this book is that the author did not try to change Michael too much. I really enjoy books where the Hero does a complete 180, but I'm glad Michael is still rough, sexy and dangerous. Christina has definitely grown even more. She's catching on to things a lot faster. She's definitely not the naive and innocent girl we meet in the first book.
I really can't wait to read the fourth book! Adrian should definitely get his ass whooped and KILLED. I really want more Michael and Christina!
October 21, 2013
First book reviewed here: http://kyraryker.booklikes.com/post/5...
This is third in a series and trust me honey, you want to read the first two books to get the full effect and know what's going on.
Michael and Christina have what I would call "not normal" relationship. In the first book Michael kidnaps Christina to hold as collateral because her hacker dad committed a no-no against the organization Michael works for, IMA. The second book Michael is working toward taking down Adrian (IMA boss) and protecting Christina from them. Now in the third installment Michael and Christina are working together to stop IMA.
As you can probably surmise, this leads to some great push/pull and hate/love moments for these two. With a continuous series that feature the same characters, development is important. One of the aspects of this series I enjoy so much is Christina's growth. She is young (Senior in highschool in first book) with all the insecurities and naiveness that come with that. Now in the third book she stands up to Michael and tries to assert herself more. She is becoming stronger and Michael is a big reason for that. While Christina is toughening up, Michael is softening (just a little bit) by book three. He is basically learning how to interact and learn to have a relationship with another human being.
The action part of the series is interesting, although can seem to diverge at times. The IMA and BN are two secret shady military organizations picking fights with each other that leaves Michael and Christina in the middle, not the best place to be. How they finagle out of dangerous spots can make you suspend your belief at times.
I like this series, there is just something about Michael and Christina that I can't put my finger on that I enjoy. It's kind of becoming my guilty pleasure. There are a few editing mistakes but like with Kristen Ashley, I can see the author improving, cleaning up her writing, and coming into her own more.
So there isn't another book listed in the series but the way this one ended, there could definitely be another in the works. I need to see Michael and Christina more together, I need more of closure with these two!
This is third in a series and trust me honey, you want to read the first two books to get the full effect and know what's going on.
Michael and Christina have what I would call "not normal" relationship. In the first book Michael kidnaps Christina to hold as collateral because her hacker dad committed a no-no against the organization Michael works for, IMA. The second book Michael is working toward taking down Adrian (IMA boss) and protecting Christina from them. Now in the third installment Michael and Christina are working together to stop IMA.
As you can probably surmise, this leads to some great push/pull and hate/love moments for these two. With a continuous series that feature the same characters, development is important. One of the aspects of this series I enjoy so much is Christina's growth. She is young (Senior in highschool in first book) with all the insecurities and naiveness that come with that. Now in the third book she stands up to Michael and tries to assert herself more. She is becoming stronger and Michael is a big reason for that. While Christina is toughening up, Michael is softening (just a little bit) by book three. He is basically learning how to interact and learn to have a relationship with another human being.
The action part of the series is interesting, although can seem to diverge at times. The IMA and BN are two secret shady military organizations picking fights with each other that leaves Michael and Christina in the middle, not the best place to be. How they finagle out of dangerous spots can make you suspend your belief at times.
I like this series, there is just something about Michael and Christina that I can't put my finger on that I enjoy. It's kind of becoming my guilty pleasure. There are a few editing mistakes but like with Kristen Ashley, I can see the author improving, cleaning up her writing, and coming into her own more.
So there isn't another book listed in the series but the way this one ended, there could definitely be another in the works. I need to see Michael and Christina more together, I need more of closure with these two!
June 4, 2017
My favorite of the series so far!
I feel like this review will be very short. Why you may ask? Because I loved everything about this book.
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
What I love most about this book, about this series in fact is that it has both going on for it: romance and the story. This world of mercenaries that Campbell has created is seriously incredible, and it’s not there just for the sake of romance.
Moreover, I loved the plot in this one, it was so suspenseful. And I liked how Campbell structured the chapters; it’s like every chapter has its own little story arc, but of course it contributes to general plot. And every chapter ends in a way that you just can’t stop reading. Well done!
As for the romance, slow burn for the win! It takes great skill to make this kind of romance work; because Michael and Christina have absolutely nothing in common and hate each other in the first book. How it could possibly work, one may ask. Well, Campbell made it work!
From book #1 to book #3 there is so much progress, every installment brings about something new, you just have to be patient and trust that the author knew what she was doing. This series is quickly becoming one of all-time favorites! Highly recommend!
*My review for Book #1
*My review for Book #2
*My review for Book #4
I feel like this review will be very short. Why you may ask? Because I loved everything about this book.
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
What I love most about this book, about this series in fact is that it has both going on for it: romance and the story. This world of mercenaries that Campbell has created is seriously incredible, and it’s not there just for the sake of romance.
Moreover, I loved the plot in this one, it was so suspenseful. And I liked how Campbell structured the chapters; it’s like every chapter has its own little story arc, but of course it contributes to general plot. And every chapter ends in a way that you just can’t stop reading. Well done!
As for the romance, slow burn for the win! It takes great skill to make this kind of romance work; because Michael and Christina have absolutely nothing in common and hate each other in the first book. How it could possibly work, one may ask. Well, Campbell made it work!
But I knew. It was because he was magnificent, dangerous, like some golden beast of prey; it was because he held my heart in those strong, powerful hands, and he could crush me as easily as he could protect me.
From book #1 to book #3 there is so much progress, every installment brings about something new, you just have to be patient and trust that the author knew what she was doing. This series is quickly becoming one of all-time favorites! Highly recommend!
*My review for Book #1
*My review for Book #2
*My review for Book #4
July 17, 2016
“I can take care of myself,” I said hotly.
“Darlin, you don't even know how to pleasure yourself.”
Yes! So many times yes! Christina and Michael are back! I'm just going to pretend I'm not going on full fangirl-mode right now, so bear with me.
The second book in the IMA series was a bit of a let down. I loved Cloak and Dagger and thought the second book was too slow and with too little action. For a moment I was worried this, the third book, would be like that. Man, was I wrong. Locked and Loaded brought back more mystery than the first book, and Christina is growing stronger in herself all the time. And Michael, I should dislike him, I really should, but damn, he's one smooth dude.
Christina is now working for the BN, but she soon realizes there is more going on than anyone is willing to tell her. And with her secret relationship with Michael being not secret at all, she doesn't know who she can trust - or if she can even trust anyone. In the meanwhile, Michael is back at the IMA, dealing with Adrian who's more crazy than ever and he has a new plan to broaden his network.
I love these characters. Twisted, damaged, strong... They are complex and the character development is spot on throughout this novel. And, as usual, the writing is great. But there's more, there's a strong plot with lots of secrets that are just begging to come out in the open, both with Micheal at the IMA and with Christina at BN. I don't want to say too much and spoil anything so I'll leave it at that.
Basically, I loved this novel. It's full of mystery and action, great characters, and solid writing.
February 10, 2014
I am so glad I stumbled upon this series, it has been an amazing journey so far and it just gets more interesting every time.
This book was a fulfillment for all of us craving to see Michael and Christina together for real! To see her overcome fears and the traumatic experiences she went through. To see Michael’s softer side, which was hardly soft but mainly pervy and hysterical… I am totally smitten with a bad guy. The dialogue was witty, it made me laugh and the plot thickens… I can’t wait for book 4!!!
I just want to say that I highlighted parts on the book were I found some editing errors!!! They should be published in amazon if the author wants to look at them….
I highly recommend these books to anyone looking for an action-packed dark romance.
This book was a fulfillment for all of us craving to see Michael and Christina together for real! To see her overcome fears and the traumatic experiences she went through. To see Michael’s softer side, which was hardly soft but mainly pervy and hysterical… I am totally smitten with a bad guy. The dialogue was witty, it made me laugh and the plot thickens… I can’t wait for book 4!!!
I just want to say that I highlighted parts on the book were I found some editing errors!!! They should be published in amazon if the author wants to look at them….
I highly recommend these books to anyone looking for an action-packed dark romance.
November 20, 2015
I finished this book as soon as a I woke up and will be jumping into the next one as soon as possible. The H, Michael, loves the h and it is a deep, consuming love. He lusts for her also and I love reading his thoughts about her. I was disappointed that they were separated again in this book. I like this couple together and want to read a book with them together the whole time. Nevertheless, the story is still fantastic when they are on their own. I was on the edge of my seat because the story was suspenseful and kept me guessing. I don't think it was answered who Cassandra was. Anyway, I really hope this couple gets their HEA. The writing was superb, which is expected from this author.
October 4, 2015
I really loved this third book of The IMA series. This book continued where the last one ended. Christina really matured and I adored Michael's devotion to her. A lot of the book centered around Michael and Christina's devotion to each other. Of course they managed to get out of several tricky situations where their lives were put on the line. The ending left me wanting more so I was happy to hear there will be a fourth book. I have to say this is one of my favorite series and I can't wait for the next book. Well done Nenia Campbell and thanks for another page turner!!!
January 23, 2015
Christina is so depressing to read about. I don't know why she doesn't get over her weight and food issues. Her obsession with what her mother used to say to her seems pretty strange now after everything that has happened in her life. Other than that, she has very little personality and very little growth in this one. She's just not very likable.
Christina and Michael though..
It somehow works.
Christina and Michael though..
It somehow works.
December 2, 2013
Is it me or did Michael Boutillier just get a whole lot blander in this book? The story was fine-ish. The whole BN fiasco felt too meh for me.
Needless to say not my favorite book in the series so far. Hope the fourth book will pick back up.
Full review to come. Maybe.
The upside of 2.5 Stars
Needless to say not my favorite book in the series so far. Hope the fourth book will pick back up.
Full review to come. Maybe.
The upside of 2.5 Stars
January 8, 2014
I took me a while to finish this because I didn't want it to END!!! and then BAM!! we get another one!!!!!!!! I mean another book!!!!
image:
so there is no need for me to review this because it was perfect!!!!
no I need the next book and my life will be A-W-E-S-O-M-E :)
image:
so there is no need for me to review this because it was perfect!!!!
no I need the next book and my life will be A-W-E-S-O-M-E :)
Read
October 6, 2013Not rating this because I just finished reading/commenting on the first draft. Muchos sexy times and explosions, guys! Hold on to your seat belts/mace/Adrian hating hats! ;)
January 19, 2016
I'm glad we got those great sexy times in the beginning of this book. Not only was the anticipation built up for it in the last book, but it was a much needed reprieve before they had to deal with the bad guys again. I really like the dynamic between Michael and Christina. It's not too sweet or too rough. It's realistic enough to where they get angry with each other, but it's not for ridiculously contrived reasons. Life puts stress on their relationship, but they still care about each other and trust each other. Love is not portrayed as some magic cure-all that will change their personalities and make them perfectly considerate of each other every minute. Michael is still wound tight, although he's able to let his guard down with Christina in some ways. I like that she's gaining confidence in her relationship with him. She never went through that doubt in his attraction to her, but she's gaining confidence in their emotional connection.
I also like that she's never fallen apart when she had to leave him. In all three books, she has never sat around moping over him. She went to college, and in this book she went to work knowing that she wouldn't be able to have contact with Michael. And she made the best of it and had her own stuff going on. I don't see that very often in romance books. Honestly, when I do see it, I often get bored and just skim through it. This author made it interesting enough for me to read it straight through.
The last book had a different atmosphere with wide open spaces. This one became increasingly claustrophobic as the mood became more tense at Christina's job and everything started closing in on her. Michael's sections were tense too, although I've always enjoyed the way he trades barbs with Adrian. The guy speaks with such a cool detachment that I sometimes forget how twisted he is. I'm both looking forward to and dreading their showdown with him. That evil bastard needs to die yesterday! There was a surprise death in this one, and I was unexpectedly saddened by it even though I wasn't attached to that character.
I haven't forgotten about these characters even as I've read other books between the books in this series. Just the fact that I'm planning to read the fourth book says a lot. It's very rare for me to get this far in a series without becoming distracted from it by new stories.
I also like that she's never fallen apart when she had to leave him. In all three books, she has never sat around moping over him. She went to college, and in this book she went to work knowing that she wouldn't be able to have contact with Michael. And she made the best of it and had her own stuff going on. I don't see that very often in romance books. Honestly, when I do see it, I often get bored and just skim through it. This author made it interesting enough for me to read it straight through.
The last book had a different atmosphere with wide open spaces. This one became increasingly claustrophobic as the mood became more tense at Christina's job and everything started closing in on her. Michael's sections were tense too, although I've always enjoyed the way he trades barbs with Adrian. The guy speaks with such a cool detachment that I sometimes forget how twisted he is. I'm both looking forward to and dreading their showdown with him. That evil bastard needs to die yesterday! There was a surprise death in this one, and I was unexpectedly saddened by it even though I wasn't attached to that character.
I haven't forgotten about these characters even as I've read other books between the books in this series. Just the fact that I'm planning to read the fourth book says a lot. It's very rare for me to get this far in a series without becoming distracted from it by new stories.
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