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Bitterwood P.D. #3
Smoky Ridge Curse
Two former partners find their feelings rekindled when they're forced to uncover the truth in Paula Graves's Bitterwood P.D. trilogy! Assistant FBI director Adam Brand is out of time. His attempt to expose a domestic terrorist hiding in plain sight has left him with more questions than answers. Still, asking his former FBI subordinate Delilah Hammond for help is even more dangerous.
Once before, the unexpected heat between them drove her back to her mountain hometown-and Adam to the heights of the Bureau. And now, as a new sheriff, Delilah has much more to lose...even as her skills and determination leave Adam breathless all over again. Staying two steps ahead of their ruthless quarry reignites a desire neither can resist. But as Delilah puts herself on the line to set a lethal trap, will they survive to explore the future neither has given up on?
Once before, the unexpected heat between them drove her back to her mountain hometown-and Adam to the heights of the Bureau. And now, as a new sheriff, Delilah has much more to lose...even as her skills and determination leave Adam breathless all over again. Staying two steps ahead of their ruthless quarry reignites a desire neither can resist. But as Delilah puts herself on the line to set a lethal trap, will they survive to explore the future neither has given up on?
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 23, 2013
26 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Paula Graves
153 books136 followersI was raised in Alabama, so I know we Southerners don't hide our crazy people—we showcase them. Eccentric people make for the best stories, and we Southerners do love our stories. The need to tell stories has been a driving force in my life from childhood.
As a girl, my favorite books were mysteries and romances. When I realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, I knew I'd found my calling. Now I get to play both matchmaker and murderer and get paid for it. Could there be a better job anywhere?
I love to hear from readers, so don't be shy! You can email me through my website, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page and interact with me there: http://on.fb.me/MS3ldp And of course, you can always talk to me here on Goodreads!
Are you interested in subscribing to my newsletter? Go here and I tell you what to do: http://bit.ly/LYi4Ry
I look forward to chatting with you!
As a girl, my favorite books were mysteries and romances. When I realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, I knew I'd found my calling. Now I get to play both matchmaker and murderer and get paid for it. Could there be a better job anywhere?
I love to hear from readers, so don't be shy! You can email me through my website, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page and interact with me there: http://on.fb.me/MS3ldp And of course, you can always talk to me here on Goodreads!
Are you interested in subscribing to my newsletter? Go here and I tell you what to do: http://bit.ly/LYi4Ry
I look forward to chatting with you!
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 6, 2019
This was an okay read. It gets an extra star for the fact that the heroine rather quickly refused to let the hero pull the old, "I can't let you get involved because it's too dangerous" trope every time he tried it. She's a highly trained former FBI agent, AND he went to her for help in the first place.
July 10, 2013
I really liked both Delilah and Adam. Delilah had been a brand new agent when she was assigned to Adam's team. She had a great talent for figuring out puzzles which meshed well with his. She managed to hide her attraction to him until after one mission when they gave in to it. Knowing there was no future in it, plus being frustrated with the agency bureaucracy, she left for the private sector. She had a very successful career with Cooper Security and learned a lot. After returning to Bitterwood to help find a serial killer she found that she wanted to stay. A week before starting her new job, Adam showed up wounded and on the run. Knowing him as well as she had, she knew he was innocent and there was no way she was going to let him continue on his own. I loved the way that she had the strength to stand up to him when he tried to convince her to stay out of it. Even though they had been apart for eight years she was still able to slide right into a good working relationship with him. She was also a lot better at reading him and knowing how to make sure she was able to do her part. Even as their attraction heated up she was still sure that there would be no future for them but now she was willing to take what she could get. I also really enjoyed seeing the way she worked and how good her instincts were. There were times I felt like she had a better idea of what was going on than Adam did.
Adam had been attracted to Delilah from the moment he met her. As her supervisor he also knew that he couldn't do anything about it. I really liked the way that he appreciated and respected her abilities even as a new agent. When he could resist her any more he then tried to step back afterward to protect her reputation. He didn't expect her to leave the agency afterward. While he tried to tell himself it was for the best, he still kept track of her as best he could, even using her brother to do so. When he didn't know who else he could trust, he went to Delilah for help. All he wanted was for her to clean up his wound and he wasn't real happy when she insisted she was going to help him. Even though he was well aware of her capabilities he still had his protector hat on and hated the idea of putting her in danger. I really enjoyed seeing him struggle with admitting she was right when she took the lead in some of their activities. I also liked seeing him struggle with the knowledge that she meant even more to him now and that he wasn't going to be able to let her go.
The suspense part of the story really kept me turning the pages. I loved watching the two of them work together to piece together the motivations and activities of the bad guy. It was also interesting to see them merge the information that the two of them had to make a more complete picture. One of the bad guys came as no surprise at all. I also loved seeing some of the Coopers make an appearance and also the hacker from an earlier Cooper book. I'm looking forward to more Bitterwood stories -- I'd love to see a story for Antoine!
Adam had been attracted to Delilah from the moment he met her. As her supervisor he also knew that he couldn't do anything about it. I really liked the way that he appreciated and respected her abilities even as a new agent. When he could resist her any more he then tried to step back afterward to protect her reputation. He didn't expect her to leave the agency afterward. While he tried to tell himself it was for the best, he still kept track of her as best he could, even using her brother to do so. When he didn't know who else he could trust, he went to Delilah for help. All he wanted was for her to clean up his wound and he wasn't real happy when she insisted she was going to help him. Even though he was well aware of her capabilities he still had his protector hat on and hated the idea of putting her in danger. I really enjoyed seeing him struggle with admitting she was right when she took the lead in some of their activities. I also liked seeing him struggle with the knowledge that she meant even more to him now and that he wasn't going to be able to let her go.
The suspense part of the story really kept me turning the pages. I loved watching the two of them work together to piece together the motivations and activities of the bad guy. It was also interesting to see them merge the information that the two of them had to make a more complete picture. One of the bad guys came as no surprise at all. I also loved seeing some of the Coopers make an appearance and also the hacker from an earlier Cooper book. I'm looking forward to more Bitterwood stories -- I'd love to see a story for Antoine!
July 26, 2013
4.5 Star Review – Bitterwood P.D. series
I recommend this book.
As always I enjoyed this book by Paula. Have yet to be disappointed by Paula as she adds plenty of drama, passion, and romance. She captures the small town feel and you really feel as if the characters in her books are real. Look forward to the next book in this series.
I can't wait for the next book in the Bitterwood P.D. series due out in 2014.
Delilah Hammond starts her new job as detective on the Bitterwood Police department in a week. Before starting the job she is trying to keep her mother from drinking. Her mother has tried to stop drinking for years but has not been able to stop.
Special Agent Adam Brand is on the run from the FBI who thinks he is a traitor. He has been framed for espionage and murder. He has run to his former protégée, Delilah. She is former FBI but left after Brand and her had one night of passion. They both had their own reasons for not fighting for more than one night.
As they decide what to do about Brand’s predicament someone goes after Delilah’s brother Seth.
They rescue Seth and Rachel from danger and get them hidden away while they try to get Brands name cleared.
As they work together on putting the pieces of the puzzle in order the passion that is below the surface overflows.
They are working against the clock and Delilah assumes once Adam’s name is cleared he will go back to the FBI and she will be picking up the pieces of her heart once again.
Once they think they have the main player in the frame up. They decide to confront them in a roundabout way. Delilah decides to meet the man and play as if Adam has left her and she will give him up. But there is an explosion and Adam is wondering if Delilah is even alive.
As they uncover the players of the frame up a few of them come as surprises. You reconnect with a few characters from the Cooper Justice Cold Case Investigation and the Cooper Security series. If you want to get technical you also get one of the characters from the forbidden series.
You can feel the chemistry between the two throughout the book.
Read the book to get answers to the below:
Who is behind the framing of Adam?
Who does Adam see who everyone believes died years before?
What happened to Delilah and why?
Some favorite parts from this book:
He laid his hands on her cheeks, studying her face. “You have to know you’re brilliant and capable.”
“I do know,” she admitted with another little laugh. ”But I’ve never heard anyone else say it.”
He laughed in response, pressing his lips against her forehead. “I never knew you needed anyone to say it.” He pulled away, smiling down at her. “You walked into my office like you owned the place and told me what you intended to do and how I was going to help you make it happen, remember?”
She nodded, cringing a little at the memory. “That’s what you fancy educated people call bravado. I was scared out of my gourd but I didn’t dare let anyone know it. So I pretended I was a big ol’ bitch on wheels who wasn’t going to let anyone tell me no. I kept hoping that if I did that long enough and loud enough, one day I might believe it myself.”
“We can set up something really high-tech. We know the stuff to get. Maybe a button mike with a remote receiver. He’d never spot it.”
“This is my mess, Delilah, not yours.”
She stared at him, frustrated. “You called me Delilah.”
“It’s your name.”
“You only call me Delilah when you’re putting your foot down.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“No. Quinn’s bought a big building in Purgatory, Tennessee. Turns out that’s where the old bastard grew up.”
“He wasn’t spawned, fully grown, from some alien space pod?”
Brand gave her hip a little slap.
I recommend this book.
As always I enjoyed this book by Paula. Have yet to be disappointed by Paula as she adds plenty of drama, passion, and romance. She captures the small town feel and you really feel as if the characters in her books are real. Look forward to the next book in this series.
I can't wait for the next book in the Bitterwood P.D. series due out in 2014.
Delilah Hammond starts her new job as detective on the Bitterwood Police department in a week. Before starting the job she is trying to keep her mother from drinking. Her mother has tried to stop drinking for years but has not been able to stop.
Special Agent Adam Brand is on the run from the FBI who thinks he is a traitor. He has been framed for espionage and murder. He has run to his former protégée, Delilah. She is former FBI but left after Brand and her had one night of passion. They both had their own reasons for not fighting for more than one night.
As they decide what to do about Brand’s predicament someone goes after Delilah’s brother Seth.
They rescue Seth and Rachel from danger and get them hidden away while they try to get Brands name cleared.
As they work together on putting the pieces of the puzzle in order the passion that is below the surface overflows.
They are working against the clock and Delilah assumes once Adam’s name is cleared he will go back to the FBI and she will be picking up the pieces of her heart once again.
Once they think they have the main player in the frame up. They decide to confront them in a roundabout way. Delilah decides to meet the man and play as if Adam has left her and she will give him up. But there is an explosion and Adam is wondering if Delilah is even alive.
As they uncover the players of the frame up a few of them come as surprises. You reconnect with a few characters from the Cooper Justice Cold Case Investigation and the Cooper Security series. If you want to get technical you also get one of the characters from the forbidden series.
You can feel the chemistry between the two throughout the book.
Read the book to get answers to the below:
Who is behind the framing of Adam?
Who does Adam see who everyone believes died years before?
What happened to Delilah and why?
Some favorite parts from this book:
He laid his hands on her cheeks, studying her face. “You have to know you’re brilliant and capable.”
“I do know,” she admitted with another little laugh. ”But I’ve never heard anyone else say it.”
He laughed in response, pressing his lips against her forehead. “I never knew you needed anyone to say it.” He pulled away, smiling down at her. “You walked into my office like you owned the place and told me what you intended to do and how I was going to help you make it happen, remember?”
She nodded, cringing a little at the memory. “That’s what you fancy educated people call bravado. I was scared out of my gourd but I didn’t dare let anyone know it. So I pretended I was a big ol’ bitch on wheels who wasn’t going to let anyone tell me no. I kept hoping that if I did that long enough and loud enough, one day I might believe it myself.”
“We can set up something really high-tech. We know the stuff to get. Maybe a button mike with a remote receiver. He’d never spot it.”
“This is my mess, Delilah, not yours.”
She stared at him, frustrated. “You called me Delilah.”
“It’s your name.”
“You only call me Delilah when you’re putting your foot down.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“No. Quinn’s bought a big building in Purgatory, Tennessee. Turns out that’s where the old bastard grew up.”
“He wasn’t spawned, fully grown, from some alien space pod?”
Brand gave her hip a little slap.
August 13, 2013
I’ve read several of the books about Cooper security and have enjoyed them all. This book was more suspense with a little action, and a nice touch of romance.
Delilah, and Adam were partners in the FBI. They shared one steamy night. Afterwards Adam said it couldn’t happen again with him being her boss. Delilah couldn’t work every day next to him and pretend that it never happened. She quit the FBI, and started working for cooper security. Throughout the years Adam kept tabs on Delilah to make sure she was ok.
Someone set up Adam, and Delilah, and Adam works together to find out who set him up, and clear Adam’s name. The relationship from years before simmers. The passion is still there between the couple.
Delilah, and Adam were partners in the FBI. They shared one steamy night. Afterwards Adam said it couldn’t happen again with him being her boss. Delilah couldn’t work every day next to him and pretend that it never happened. She quit the FBI, and started working for cooper security. Throughout the years Adam kept tabs on Delilah to make sure she was ok.
Someone set up Adam, and Delilah, and Adam works together to find out who set him up, and clear Adam’s name. The relationship from years before simmers. The passion is still there between the couple.
March 23, 2016
I gave this one 3-1/2 stars. The parts that were good were really good but the tech talk & political info dump were boring and pulled me out of the story. I liked the love story & those parts were great. The interaction with the other characters from the series was good. I liked Adam, but to be honest, I would think he would have "seen the light" a bit earlier than his 40s if he was really so smart. Maybe that is just a personal bias against men who live & breathe their careers for so long. :)
June 10, 2013
It was a great book. Kept you thinking all the time. Can't believe we have to wait till 2014 for the next book in the series.
June 25, 2013
This was a good story, and the premise was good, too. I just felt the story spent so much time on the physical relationship between the two characters. Not really my cup of tea.
June 30, 2019
I am not a fan of the reunited lovers story unless there is some great backstory; like separated due to circumstances beyond their control type backstory. There was no such great story here. It was the old and boring my work is more important than you story. Nevertheless, i continued reading because i had enjoyed the first 2 books in the series and i wanted to learn the end.
It started out enjoyable enough. The characters had some redeeming personality qualities. I enjoyed the scene that included "operation snuggle". These characters didn't have hardly any chemistry together so it is funny that the only place i found chemistry was when they were supposedly acting during operation snuggle.
Unfortunately, the story got bogged down in the middle where we were introduced to a whole lot of characters that i got the feeling i was supposed to care about. I'm sure if you read some of the author's previous series you might enjoy these plugs but i just found them boring. Then it got bogged down even more when lots of organizations with acronyms are introduced and this info seemingly goes no where. A lot of times i felt there was information i was missing, like maybe i was supposed to have gotten it from a previous series.
The end is unsatisfying as the male character all of a sudden does a complete turn around that is not completely fleshed out. And worse, i read this book to learn the resolution of the mystery but i feel more confused than ever. The author weaved quite a tangled web. I'm guessing there is more but i'm probably not gonna read it. I no longer care about the mystery, probably because i no longer care about the characters. It was fun while it last but now its time to move on!
It started out enjoyable enough. The characters had some redeeming personality qualities. I enjoyed the scene that included "operation snuggle". These characters didn't have hardly any chemistry together so it is funny that the only place i found chemistry was when they were supposedly acting during operation snuggle.
Unfortunately, the story got bogged down in the middle where we were introduced to a whole lot of characters that i got the feeling i was supposed to care about. I'm sure if you read some of the author's previous series you might enjoy these plugs but i just found them boring. Then it got bogged down even more when lots of organizations with acronyms are introduced and this info seemingly goes no where. A lot of times i felt there was information i was missing, like maybe i was supposed to have gotten it from a previous series.
The end is unsatisfying as the male character all of a sudden does a complete turn around that is not completely fleshed out. And worse, i read this book to learn the resolution of the mystery but i feel more confused than ever. The author weaved quite a tangled web. I'm guessing there is more but i'm probably not gonna read it. I no longer care about the mystery, probably because i no longer care about the characters. It was fun while it last but now its time to move on!
July 13, 2019
Didn't finish (read ~40%) because realised it's not worth my time. I didn't like the romance - age gap was weird and their pre-story history made it predictable (no firsts) and made their romantic connection simply a fact rather than believable.
January 30, 2018
I really loved this book.
I didn't see the end twist coming.
I didn't see the end twist coming.
July 26, 2013
In Graves’ romantic suspense novel, assistant FBI director Adam Brand is on the run and out of time. Unable to expose a domestic terrorist hiding in the area has left him with more questions than answers that have forced him underground. Former FBI subordinate Delilah Hammond is a resource he can turn to but a dangerous one due to their past intimate involvement. Their past relationship drove Delilah out of the FBI and back to her hometown where she is now a member of the Sheriff’s department. Forced together to solve the case, their feelings are rekindled as they team to solve a crime destined to get many killed.
Another great installment to the Bitterwood P.D. series.
Another great installment to the Bitterwood P.D. series.
May 29, 2014
Adam Brand and Delilah Hammond, both older than your average H/h, were a very interesting couple because they had their own issues, accomplishments, and certain ways of doing things. I found them a refreshing change from the characters in their twenties.
Graves did a great job on describing the mountain area and made me itch to visit Tennessee. :)
The overall story arc for Bitterwood P.D. is spread over three books and I read the trilogy.
Graves did a great job on describing the mountain area and made me itch to visit Tennessee. :)
The overall story arc for Bitterwood P.D. is spread over three books and I read the trilogy.
September 28, 2016
Loved both the Main characters and even though I've read these out of order - something that would normally bother me buts it's hasn't taken away from the stories!
Read in (I believe this order)
Cooper Justice
Cooper Justice - Cold Case
Cooper Security
Bitterwood PD
The Gates
The Gates - Most Wanted
Hoping Ms. Graves adds on to the Cooper series and the The gates with additional books or series!!
Read in (I believe this order)
Cooper Justice
Cooper Justice - Cold Case
Cooper Security
Bitterwood PD
The Gates
The Gates - Most Wanted
Hoping Ms. Graves adds on to the Cooper series and the The gates with additional books or series!!
Read
December 29, 2014"TOP PICK! Sizzling chemistry and plenty of action keeps the plot moving, and readers on their toes, in this fantastic read." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 1/2 stars
Miniseries: Bitterwood P.D.
Category: Suspense
Miniseries: Bitterwood P.D.
Category: Suspense
January 11, 2016
Great Story
I loved this book. The story was interesting the characters were wonderful. I would have loved to know what happened to the brother and mother. Paula Graves knows how to write a book that keep you interested from beginning to end
I loved this book. The story was interesting the characters were wonderful. I would have loved to know what happened to the brother and mother. Paula Graves knows how to write a book that keep you interested from beginning to end
Read
December 29, 2014Miniseries: Bitterwood P.D.
Category: Suspense
TOP PICK! Received 4 1/2 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Category: Suspense
TOP PICK! Received 4 1/2 stars @ RT Book Reviews
December 22, 2013
Lots of action and adventure. Pretty good read
February 12, 2014
Good book i need to check the other books out
Read
July 12, 2017I enjoyed reading this book .
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews