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Covert Attractions #3
Hard Target
NOTE: This title is currently out of print and unavailable.
Book three in the Covert Attractions series.
With a body hot enough to inspire a second Trojan conquest—of the latex variety—FBI agent Alexandra Valentine could be Simon Jakes’ match made in heaven. If only she weren’t the reason his career as a CIA hacker ended in a pile of ash.
When Alex returns after six years, it’s with a proposition he can’t refuse. Work with her or return to prison. Compared to negotiating the powder keg of their relationship, the job should be simple. Take down a criminal organization run by one egomaniacal billionaire and try not to get killed along the way. The problem is, with a woman as sexy as Alex by his side, Simon has trouble keeping his mind on the mission and out of the bedroom.
At their darkest hour, each has a decision to make. To trust despite the fog of lies and deception being spun around them, or to fail because a second crack at love proved the hardest and most impenetrable target of all.
A Romantica® erotic romantic suspense from Ellora’s Cave
Book three in the Covert Attractions series.
With a body hot enough to inspire a second Trojan conquest—of the latex variety—FBI agent Alexandra Valentine could be Simon Jakes’ match made in heaven. If only she weren’t the reason his career as a CIA hacker ended in a pile of ash.
When Alex returns after six years, it’s with a proposition he can’t refuse. Work with her or return to prison. Compared to negotiating the powder keg of their relationship, the job should be simple. Take down a criminal organization run by one egomaniacal billionaire and try not to get killed along the way. The problem is, with a woman as sexy as Alex by his side, Simon has trouble keeping his mind on the mission and out of the bedroom.
At their darkest hour, each has a decision to make. To trust despite the fog of lies and deception being spun around them, or to fail because a second crack at love proved the hardest and most impenetrable target of all.
A Romantica® erotic romantic suspense from Ellora’s Cave
- GenresRomance
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2013
2 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Tibby Armstrong
43 books236 followersTibby Armstrong is an author of Paranormal, Contemporary, and LGBTQ Romance fiction.
Tibby hangs out on social media at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibby..., dreaming up new plots and teasing readers with snippets from her works in progress.
Tibby hangs out on social media at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibby..., dreaming up new plots and teasing readers with snippets from her works in progress.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 23, 2014
3 stars.
"Why don't you just lock me in the holding cell and bring me out for parties?" Simon snarked. "Your own personal pleasure doll. Fun for every orifice."
REVIEW TO COME...
"Why don't you just lock me in the holding cell and bring me out for parties?" Simon snarked. "Your own personal pleasure doll. Fun for every orifice."
REVIEW TO COME...
Want to read
June 10, 2013I just want to look at the cover! :)
June 12, 2013
Tibby Armstrong is an awesome writers. She has given me David's story in Sheet Music... Then she gave me Gunter's story in Undercover Lover and I mean she gave me Gunter! He was... Oh man... Tibby knows how to write the story that will bring you to the edge of your seat, she will make you feel the sweat drip down your shirt and she will definitely make you feel all hot and bothered while reading about these delicious men. She will also give you women (besides me) who can handle these men. David is the musician and Gunter and Simon are his security detail... And let's just say that you will wish they were your security detail... Oh man... Tibby rocks the world of undercover things!! :)
Welcome to Simon and I's story... Okay, okay, okay **Gives Elaine, Tibby & Mama Kitty a dirty look**... Simon & Cecile's story... Okay, okay, okay Pouts... Let me introduce you to Simon and *sigh* Alex's story... I have been waiting very patiently for this story to come out. Simon has been my man since I read David's story, then I got more of him but not enough of him in Gunter's story... And I think I bugged Tibby enough to give me Simon... And Oh Dear Gawd she came through for me with Simon's story!!!
Simon, oh man where do I start. This is a man that will do whatever is necessary to protect what is his. His family, his friends and his home. His heart - well, if he doesn't let anyone in, then he doesn't have to worry about protecting it. Simon has worked very hard to keep his past in the past. He has only divulged information that was needed when it was needed. He wasn't expecting to have to relive his past, so building the wall around his heart when he heard his ex-girlfriend would be his handler in a case that was proving to be life or death for him... well, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for this. But like it or not............... He had to be ready for it because losing his sister was not a option.
Alex wanted the promotion the FBI was ready to give her, but was she ready for the price she would have to pay for the promotion? Well, there was only one way to find out... She would have to work side by side with the one man that had her heart and then broke it by the worst kind of betrayal. But did she really think Simon was capable of doing what the CIA said he did... or did she believe in him? Alex was tired of running, tired of guessing... tried of the apologies. She was going to go all out with this job if it was the last thing she did... And omg... did it seem to be the last thing she would ever have to do!
This is an explosive story. Tibby put me through the freaking ringer... I mean seriously. This story is awesome. Simon has intrigued me from the very first line I have read with his name in it... I have wanted more. And this story has the drama, the action, the heartache, the heartbreak, the deepest, darkest past that was buried - that was resurrected, the lust, the desire, the love, the courage to stand for what you believe in, and of course second chances!
I cannot promise you a story that is filled with butterflies and rainbows. I cannot promise you story that is just a delightful read. No, I am sorry... I can promise you a story that is full of life, full of love, and full of the feeling that I got your back... I might not have had it before, but I got it now. You will get a story of trust, faith, friendship, family and reconnecting. Does the bad guy win? Does evil get away with all it has put Simon and Alex through? Will Alex get the man at the end of the story or will he turn his back on her like she did him several years ago? Will courage and faith come together to make things happen? You will be twisted up and turned around and you will find out some things that you really did not know you wanted to know! And I will promise you a story that will heat you up on more than one level - because we are after all, talking about Simon!! And I finally got my Simon's story! Thank you Tibby! Ahhhh.... Now I am going dream about My Man!
Do not hesitate to get your copy right now!!!!! :)
Tibby Armstrong
Welcome to Simon and I's story... Okay, okay, okay **Gives Elaine, Tibby & Mama Kitty a dirty look**... Simon & Cecile's story... Okay, okay, okay Pouts... Let me introduce you to Simon and *sigh* Alex's story... I have been waiting very patiently for this story to come out. Simon has been my man since I read David's story, then I got more of him but not enough of him in Gunter's story... And I think I bugged Tibby enough to give me Simon... And Oh Dear Gawd she came through for me with Simon's story!!!
Simon, oh man where do I start. This is a man that will do whatever is necessary to protect what is his. His family, his friends and his home. His heart - well, if he doesn't let anyone in, then he doesn't have to worry about protecting it. Simon has worked very hard to keep his past in the past. He has only divulged information that was needed when it was needed. He wasn't expecting to have to relive his past, so building the wall around his heart when he heard his ex-girlfriend would be his handler in a case that was proving to be life or death for him... well, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for this. But like it or not............... He had to be ready for it because losing his sister was not a option.
Alex wanted the promotion the FBI was ready to give her, but was she ready for the price she would have to pay for the promotion? Well, there was only one way to find out... She would have to work side by side with the one man that had her heart and then broke it by the worst kind of betrayal. But did she really think Simon was capable of doing what the CIA said he did... or did she believe in him? Alex was tired of running, tired of guessing... tried of the apologies. She was going to go all out with this job if it was the last thing she did... And omg... did it seem to be the last thing she would ever have to do!
This is an explosive story. Tibby put me through the freaking ringer... I mean seriously. This story is awesome. Simon has intrigued me from the very first line I have read with his name in it... I have wanted more. And this story has the drama, the action, the heartache, the heartbreak, the deepest, darkest past that was buried - that was resurrected, the lust, the desire, the love, the courage to stand for what you believe in, and of course second chances!
I cannot promise you a story that is filled with butterflies and rainbows. I cannot promise you story that is just a delightful read. No, I am sorry... I can promise you a story that is full of life, full of love, and full of the feeling that I got your back... I might not have had it before, but I got it now. You will get a story of trust, faith, friendship, family and reconnecting. Does the bad guy win? Does evil get away with all it has put Simon and Alex through? Will Alex get the man at the end of the story or will he turn his back on her like she did him several years ago? Will courage and faith come together to make things happen? You will be twisted up and turned around and you will find out some things that you really did not know you wanted to know! And I will promise you a story that will heat you up on more than one level - because we are after all, talking about Simon!! And I finally got my Simon's story! Thank you Tibby! Ahhhh.... Now I am going dream about My Man!
Do not hesitate to get your copy right now!!!!! :)
Tibby Armstrong
June 15, 2013
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Wow did this book every get my blood pumping, my heart racing, and my mind questioning everything! Leave it to Tibby Armstrong to write an amazingly sexy reunion love story and fill it with action, intrigue, and deception. From beginning to Hard Target kept my attention and made me think and while some might question if this is truly a romance book, I’ll assure you it is and this couple has to deal with a lot. They bicker, they insult, they spar, and there is no denying there is a thin line between love and hate and these to cross it over and over in some of very interesting ways.
Alexandra Valentine is an FBI agent on the rise and determined to get the career recognition she deserves. She’s smart, tough, and doesn’t plan to let anything get in her way until she’s once again forced to work with her ex-boyfriend Simon Jakes, whose career as a CIA hacker came crashing down while they were together. Simon blames her for his incarceration and doesn’t trust her; she plans to prove him wrong.
It was easy to see the hurt between these two from the beginning of the book. It was also easy to see that despite the nasty words coming out of their mouths towards each other there were intense feelings of longing and even love. I found it fascinating to watch them come to grips with what happened in the past, to watch what they believed to be true unraveling, and to accept that things aren’t always as they seem. There are some nasty, ugly outside forces working against them and in addition the FBI isn’t being completely forthright with what they want from Alex and Simon. While Simon and Alex work on a case filled with one problem after another they also find it impossible to not revisit their relationship of the past, these moments are often frantic and wild and sometimes hurtful as they try to sort through everything that has happened between them. While their relationship is a big part of this book it’s not the only thing, there is a suspense and mystery element to this story as well and it all blends into an incredibly complex and well written story.
I finished this book with my heart still pounding because although the ending was perfectly satisfying, I know this isn’t the last we’ll see of these characters and I can only imagine what twisted plot Tibby has in store for the next book. If you enjoy steamy romance, suspense, mystery, and twisted sadistic villains then you’ll appreciate Hard Target…I sure did!
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Wow did this book every get my blood pumping, my heart racing, and my mind questioning everything! Leave it to Tibby Armstrong to write an amazingly sexy reunion love story and fill it with action, intrigue, and deception. From beginning to Hard Target kept my attention and made me think and while some might question if this is truly a romance book, I’ll assure you it is and this couple has to deal with a lot. They bicker, they insult, they spar, and there is no denying there is a thin line between love and hate and these to cross it over and over in some of very interesting ways.
Alexandra Valentine is an FBI agent on the rise and determined to get the career recognition she deserves. She’s smart, tough, and doesn’t plan to let anything get in her way until she’s once again forced to work with her ex-boyfriend Simon Jakes, whose career as a CIA hacker came crashing down while they were together. Simon blames her for his incarceration and doesn’t trust her; she plans to prove him wrong.
It was easy to see the hurt between these two from the beginning of the book. It was also easy to see that despite the nasty words coming out of their mouths towards each other there were intense feelings of longing and even love. I found it fascinating to watch them come to grips with what happened in the past, to watch what they believed to be true unraveling, and to accept that things aren’t always as they seem. There are some nasty, ugly outside forces working against them and in addition the FBI isn’t being completely forthright with what they want from Alex and Simon. While Simon and Alex work on a case filled with one problem after another they also find it impossible to not revisit their relationship of the past, these moments are often frantic and wild and sometimes hurtful as they try to sort through everything that has happened between them. While their relationship is a big part of this book it’s not the only thing, there is a suspense and mystery element to this story as well and it all blends into an incredibly complex and well written story.
I finished this book with my heart still pounding because although the ending was perfectly satisfying, I know this isn’t the last we’ll see of these characters and I can only imagine what twisted plot Tibby has in store for the next book. If you enjoy steamy romance, suspense, mystery, and twisted sadistic villains then you’ll appreciate Hard Target…I sure did!
June 10, 2013
Okay, this book is brilliant. I was one of the lucky few to read it early on, and I'm so thrilled for the privilege. Full review to come after release date.
Hard Target is the third book in the Covert Attractions series. Simon Jakes, former government operative, finds himself pitted against the only woman he'd ever loved -- the same woman who betrayed him all those years ago and helped land his ass in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Alexandra Valentine loved Simon with everything she was and found herself manipulated, her words twisted, and Simon behind bars. He wouldn't speak to her after it all went down, cutting her out of his life and never looking back. She wanted to hate him, needed to stop loving him. But his memory wouldn't leave her alone. When she's faced with essentially forcing Simon to work with the FBI, she knows the assignment will be the final nail in the coffin of what they once had.
I have to preface this by saying I absolutely loved, loved, loved Simon in the previous book (Undercover Lover). His humor and wit were endearing. That same humor is peppered throughout his novel, but the author gives this intense look into who Simon really is. It kills me to learn about his past, to find out what he's had to do to survive and what loyalty really means to him. Ms. Armstrong reels the reader in from page one, seducing and teasing you into falling further in love with Simon.
She's wily, though, this author. She also makes you want to rail against Alex only to peel back layers of who she is and, suddenly, create this empathy for the heroine that you just weren't sure you could find.
Alex is to Simon what sunlight is to all things green. She's the reason he grows out of the mire he's bogged down in. She's the reason he wants to be more than the sum of his past. The love story is rich and intense. I loved the way the author had these two rediscover each other. I loved the way Simon fights the fact he really never stopped loving Alex. If I could, I'd trade places with the heroine in a heartbeat.
Though this is a stand alone novel, I'd recommend starting with Sheet Music (short read) and then moving to Undercover Lover before reading this book. You'll appreciate Simon Jakes all the more for immersing yourself in this world.
I'm holding out hope, sweet hope, that Ryan gets his own story next.
Hard Target is the third book in the Covert Attractions series. Simon Jakes, former government operative, finds himself pitted against the only woman he'd ever loved -- the same woman who betrayed him all those years ago and helped land his ass in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Alexandra Valentine loved Simon with everything she was and found herself manipulated, her words twisted, and Simon behind bars. He wouldn't speak to her after it all went down, cutting her out of his life and never looking back. She wanted to hate him, needed to stop loving him. But his memory wouldn't leave her alone. When she's faced with essentially forcing Simon to work with the FBI, she knows the assignment will be the final nail in the coffin of what they once had.
I have to preface this by saying I absolutely loved, loved, loved Simon in the previous book (Undercover Lover). His humor and wit were endearing. That same humor is peppered throughout his novel, but the author gives this intense look into who Simon really is. It kills me to learn about his past, to find out what he's had to do to survive and what loyalty really means to him. Ms. Armstrong reels the reader in from page one, seducing and teasing you into falling further in love with Simon.
She's wily, though, this author. She also makes you want to rail against Alex only to peel back layers of who she is and, suddenly, create this empathy for the heroine that you just weren't sure you could find.
Alex is to Simon what sunlight is to all things green. She's the reason he grows out of the mire he's bogged down in. She's the reason he wants to be more than the sum of his past. The love story is rich and intense. I loved the way the author had these two rediscover each other. I loved the way Simon fights the fact he really never stopped loving Alex. If I could, I'd trade places with the heroine in a heartbeat.
Though this is a stand alone novel, I'd recommend starting with Sheet Music (short read) and then moving to Undercover Lover before reading this book. You'll appreciate Simon Jakes all the more for immersing yourself in this world.
I'm holding out hope, sweet hope, that Ryan gets his own story next.
April 13, 2013
I'm one of the fortunate few who got to read Hard Target early and I've been rooting for Simon's story for a while now. SO HAPPY IT'S FINALLY HERE!! I'm hard core in love with Simon and Alexandra (Alex) and I know you will be too.
Full review to come soon!
Full review to come soon!
July 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this book.
The characters were very likeable. The plot moved at a good pace so you didn't get bored or felt left wanting.
And the sex was hot.
Love a hard-bodied geek!
4 STARS.
The characters were very likeable. The plot moved at a good pace so you didn't get bored or felt left wanting.
And the sex was hot.
Love a hard-bodied geek!
4 STARS.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews