What do you think?
Rate this book
Adrenaline Highs #4
Living Dangerously
Book four of Adrenaline HighsJulie Fraser, Hollywood's newest "it" girl, arrives on the red carpet to more than just the flashes of the paparazzi's cameras. A sniper's shots leave her bleeding and in the line of fire. Her life would be over if it weren't for the bodyguard who comes to the rescue-taking a bullet in the process.Troy Mills, a P.I. working undercover, couldn't stand by and watch an innocent woman die, but now he's torn. How can he tell her that he's not a bodyguard, but a P.I.? A P.I. hired to prove that Julie is sleeping with the movie producer he's pretending to protect.When a second attempt is made on Julie's life, Troy realizes that keeping her safe is more important than any supposed affair. And in order to keep her safe, he'll have to keep her close. But desire and danger are hot on Julie's heels. Who could have guessed that protecting an A-list actress would not only put Troy's life in jeopardy, but his heart as well?Go back to the beginning in Dangerous Race, available now!123,000 words
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2013
5 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Dee J. Adams
17 books132 followersDee J. was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. After graduating high school, she moved to Los Angeles and did what most people do in L.A. Tried to make it in show biz. She did okay. Got enough acting work to pay the rent and keep the S.A.G. card. (Screen Actors Guild in case anyone is wondering.) She also worked as a Dialogue Coach in sitcoms. (That's code for acting coach and also means she helped the actors learn their lines.)
Writing came as a fluke. After blowing out several ligaments in her foot – from a beautiful backhand gone wrong on the tennis court – and a very intense dream (she apparently couldn’t stop talking about) her husband said, “Just write it down.” Prophetic words! With a lot of time on her hands since she was laid up, she took it to heart. Three weeks and fourteen hours a day later, she had a 450 page handwritten novel on her hands.
And so it began.
She is lucky to be married to the love of her life and they have one beautiful daughter who was, and continues to be, perfect so she saw no reason for others!
She likes kick-ass heroines and big stories. She likes to read them and she likes to write them. She likes romance, adventure, a little mystery and happy endings. Romance is the perfect genre for her.
Some of her favorite authors are Judith McNaught, Suzanne Brockmann and Linda Howard, just to give you the top of the list. (If you haven’t read these ladies, you’re missing out.)
She wishes she cooked and gardened and did all those other creative things, but she doesn’t. She loves to read and loves to cheer her kid on in soccer or any other sport that catches her fancy. She's a big dog lover, with no offense to cats other than their fur just about kills her.
That’s it in a nutshell. Hope you enjoy one of her adventures as much as she enjoyed writing it!
Writing came as a fluke. After blowing out several ligaments in her foot – from a beautiful backhand gone wrong on the tennis court – and a very intense dream (she apparently couldn’t stop talking about) her husband said, “Just write it down.” Prophetic words! With a lot of time on her hands since she was laid up, she took it to heart. Three weeks and fourteen hours a day later, she had a 450 page handwritten novel on her hands.
And so it began.
She is lucky to be married to the love of her life and they have one beautiful daughter who was, and continues to be, perfect so she saw no reason for others!
She likes kick-ass heroines and big stories. She likes to read them and she likes to write them. She likes romance, adventure, a little mystery and happy endings. Romance is the perfect genre for her.
Some of her favorite authors are Judith McNaught, Suzanne Brockmann and Linda Howard, just to give you the top of the list. (If you haven’t read these ladies, you’re missing out.)
She wishes she cooked and gardened and did all those other creative things, but she doesn’t. She loves to read and loves to cheer her kid on in soccer or any other sport that catches her fancy. She's a big dog lover, with no offense to cats other than their fur just about kills her.
That’s it in a nutshell. Hope you enjoy one of her adventures as much as she enjoyed writing it!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 28, 2015
Review copy provided by author
Why I Read this Book: The Adrenaline Highs series is on my auto-read list. I really hope Dee J. Adams continues writing this series.
What I Liked: Julie was a very likable celebrity character. She was not full of herself or conceded and she did not flaunt her celebrity status. She was a nice, well-respected, and very grounded person. She was also very perceptive, especially when it came to Troy, and I liked that things didn’t go right over her head. She was smart enough to figure out that something was going on.
Troy was an interesting character. I enjoyed watching his character grow. His past was a troubling one, full of sorrow, pain, and confliction. There was a very interesting twist there that caught me completely off guard, even though there were a few clues.
The mystery regarding who the villain turned out to be wasn’t too surprising but there was enough going on to keep things interesting.
What I Didn’t Like: Living Dangerously was fast-paced in the first half of the book but loss a bit of momentum at about the halfway mark. The lull was enough that I put down the book and it was days before I picked it back up again. But the pace picked back up again at about the 70-75% mark and I was unable to put down the book from that point on.
I wanted more closure where the villain was concerned.
Memorable Moments:
Overall Impression: Living Dangerously was a great celeb/commoner love story and a good blend of romance and suspense, with it being favored a little more on the romance side. I can only hope that the author continues writing this series, and that the next book is Abbey’s.
Why I Read this Book: The Adrenaline Highs series is on my auto-read list. I really hope Dee J. Adams continues writing this series.
What I Liked: Julie was a very likable celebrity character. She was not full of herself or conceded and she did not flaunt her celebrity status. She was a nice, well-respected, and very grounded person. She was also very perceptive, especially when it came to Troy, and I liked that things didn’t go right over her head. She was smart enough to figure out that something was going on.
Troy was an interesting character. I enjoyed watching his character grow. His past was a troubling one, full of sorrow, pain, and confliction. There was a very interesting twist there that caught me completely off guard, even though there were a few clues.
The mystery regarding who the villain turned out to be wasn’t too surprising but there was enough going on to keep things interesting.
What I Didn’t Like: Living Dangerously was fast-paced in the first half of the book but loss a bit of momentum at about the halfway mark. The lull was enough that I put down the book and it was days before I picked it back up again. But the pace picked back up again at about the 70-75% mark and I was unable to put down the book from that point on.
I wanted more closure where the villain was concerned.
Memorable Moments:
“Where would you like to start?” she asked.
He hooked his sunglasses in his T-shirt collar and looked at her. Whoa, he had the sexiest eyes, so dark and intense.
“Which way is the bedroom?”
---
“Sometimes you have to play dirty. When it’s life and death, there is no right and wrong.”
Overall Impression: Living Dangerously was a great celeb/commoner love story and a good blend of romance and suspense, with it being favored a little more on the romance side. I can only hope that the author continues writing this series, and that the next book is Abbey’s.
June 28, 2013
Adrenaline Low
Private Investigator Troy Mills enjoys his job, cheating spouse cases notwithstanding. Unfortunately, he's on one such case, working undercover as a bodyguard for a popular movie producer while he waits to get the proof that the wife hired him to find. Proof that her husband is sleeping with America's Sweetheart, actress Julie Fraser.
He hadn't been working undercover long when he first meets the former child star under less than auspicious circumstances. He's "guarding" the producer at a red carpet event when Julie arrives, but she doesn't make it into the building before the shots ring out, sending the crowd into chaos and knocking the star off her feet. Racing to her side to pull her bleeding body out of the line of fire, he manages to help save her life and takes a bullet for his efforts.
Julie has been an actress long enough to have no more illusions about the darker side of fame, but she never expected to be gunned down for it. Recovering in the same hospital as the man responsible for that very recovery gives her a chance to thank him personally. Not only is he her hero, but he's also the sort of decent, honest man she wants to get to know even better.
When repeated attempts to end her life prove Julie wasn't just a victim of random violence, Troy finds himself on shaky ground. Telling her who he really is will do more than just piss her off and ruin any good feelings she may have towards him, it could very well put her in the crosshairs of a determined killer.
~*~
I've been a big fan of the Adrenaline Highs series since its inception, and the previous book, Dangerously Close, was my favorite to date. That's why it sucks so much to have to say that this one didn't appeal to me. I struggled with the narrative and the characters, as well as several elements of the plot, throughout most of the book.
Adams has always brought vibrantly flawed or damaged, believable, three-dimensional characters to life on the pages, characters who are uniquely individual and original. I just wasn't getting any of those vibes from either Julie or Troy in this book. Julie was a little too sweet, nice, caring, and perfect for my taste (which isn't bad so much as it is uninteresting) and Troy was a lying douchebag.
Um...yeah...there may be some personal bias bleeding over into that opinion, but I'm sorry, there were a dozen times he could have come clean with Julie before they slept together and the fact that he not only didn't tell her the truth, but perpetuated the lie throughout the story, made me very uncomfortable with him as the romantic hero and set up what felt like a cliched and predictable suspense climax late in the book
And that's beside the point that I thought the premise for his investigation was a stretch. He's been hired by producer Ari's unhappy wife to get proof he's sleeping with Julie so the wife can divorce Ari's lecherous ass. That's fine on the surface, but I kept wondering why the wife's focus was so specific. Her husband is a sleaze who apparently bounces so many wannabe starlets on the "acting couch" that if extramarital sex were an Olympic event he'd have had the gold. If Troy was even remotely competent as an investigator he should have been able to provide proof of infidelity in no time. Mandating that the proof be her husband's adultery with Julie never made sense to me.
That was a pretty big stumbling block for my willing suspension of disbelief, and it caused problems for me as it related to the entire setup of the plot. There were also several plot threads, like what was going on between Julie's and Troy's assistants and the backstory of Troy's childhood, that weren't fleshed out enough to have any positive impact on the story. They just served to muddy the waters and bog down the pace of the suspense, and that pace was already pretty slow because of a narrative that was heavy on narration and light on dialogue.
There were good points, too, though. I did love the repartee between Troy and Julie in the beginning of the book, and I didn't dislike Julie as a character. She was cute and harmless, she just wasn't all that complex. My only issue with her as the romantic heroine, really, is that when compared to the other female leads in the series, she wasn't nearly as compelling or memorable.
Actually, that pretty much sums up my feelings about this book in general.
I've enjoyed this series, and have been highly entertained by Adams' deft talent for creating pulse-pounding romantic suspense. This book may not have been for me, but even the most adrenaline-pounding thrill ride in the world has its moments of down time. I have no doubt that the next in the series will have my adrenaline racing just as fast and high as did the three previous books.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Private Investigator Troy Mills enjoys his job, cheating spouse cases notwithstanding. Unfortunately, he's on one such case, working undercover as a bodyguard for a popular movie producer while he waits to get the proof that the wife hired him to find. Proof that her husband is sleeping with America's Sweetheart, actress Julie Fraser.
He hadn't been working undercover long when he first meets the former child star under less than auspicious circumstances. He's "guarding" the producer at a red carpet event when Julie arrives, but she doesn't make it into the building before the shots ring out, sending the crowd into chaos and knocking the star off her feet. Racing to her side to pull her bleeding body out of the line of fire, he manages to help save her life and takes a bullet for his efforts.
Julie has been an actress long enough to have no more illusions about the darker side of fame, but she never expected to be gunned down for it. Recovering in the same hospital as the man responsible for that very recovery gives her a chance to thank him personally. Not only is he her hero, but he's also the sort of decent, honest man she wants to get to know even better.
When repeated attempts to end her life prove Julie wasn't just a victim of random violence, Troy finds himself on shaky ground. Telling her who he really is will do more than just piss her off and ruin any good feelings she may have towards him, it could very well put her in the crosshairs of a determined killer.
~*~
I've been a big fan of the Adrenaline Highs series since its inception, and the previous book, Dangerously Close, was my favorite to date. That's why it sucks so much to have to say that this one didn't appeal to me. I struggled with the narrative and the characters, as well as several elements of the plot, throughout most of the book.
Adams has always brought vibrantly flawed or damaged, believable, three-dimensional characters to life on the pages, characters who are uniquely individual and original. I just wasn't getting any of those vibes from either Julie or Troy in this book. Julie was a little too sweet, nice, caring, and perfect for my taste (which isn't bad so much as it is uninteresting) and Troy was a lying douchebag.
Um...yeah...there may be some personal bias bleeding over into that opinion, but I'm sorry, there were a dozen times he could have come clean with Julie before they slept together and the fact that he not only didn't tell her the truth, but perpetuated the lie throughout the story, made me very uncomfortable with him as the romantic hero and set up what felt like a cliched and predictable suspense climax late in the book
And that's beside the point that I thought the premise for his investigation was a stretch. He's been hired by producer Ari's unhappy wife to get proof he's sleeping with Julie so the wife can divorce Ari's lecherous ass. That's fine on the surface, but I kept wondering why the wife's focus was so specific. Her husband is a sleaze who apparently bounces so many wannabe starlets on the "acting couch" that if extramarital sex were an Olympic event he'd have had the gold. If Troy was even remotely competent as an investigator he should have been able to provide proof of infidelity in no time. Mandating that the proof be her husband's adultery with Julie never made sense to me.
That was a pretty big stumbling block for my willing suspension of disbelief, and it caused problems for me as it related to the entire setup of the plot. There were also several plot threads, like what was going on between Julie's and Troy's assistants and the backstory of Troy's childhood, that weren't fleshed out enough to have any positive impact on the story. They just served to muddy the waters and bog down the pace of the suspense, and that pace was already pretty slow because of a narrative that was heavy on narration and light on dialogue.
There were good points, too, though. I did love the repartee between Troy and Julie in the beginning of the book, and I didn't dislike Julie as a character. She was cute and harmless, she just wasn't all that complex. My only issue with her as the romantic heroine, really, is that when compared to the other female leads in the series, she wasn't nearly as compelling or memorable.
Actually, that pretty much sums up my feelings about this book in general.
I've enjoyed this series, and have been highly entertained by Adams' deft talent for creating pulse-pounding romantic suspense. This book may not have been for me, but even the most adrenaline-pounding thrill ride in the world has its moments of down time. I have no doubt that the next in the series will have my adrenaline racing just as fast and high as did the three previous books.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
October 24, 2014
Julie Fraser is America's Sweetheart. She's a successful actress, she has fame and fortune. Has it all, right? But deep inside she's just a regular girl who gets lonely and wants to be liked herself not her Hollywood persona. Only now she has one more problem. Someone is trying to kill her.
She's just lucky to have had a hunky man to protect her at every attempt on her life. Troy is posing as a bodyguard when in reality he's a PI trying to figure out if Julie is sleeping with his client's husband.
Julie is a very down to earth heroine, despite all her Hollywood glam. You can almost forget she's a celebrity. She just makes you relate to her and cheer her on. Not making any stupid decisions, most of the time. Troy is the typical tall, dark and reserved type. You can tell there's something to him but I couldn't quite figure him out. Together they blended perfectly. The chemistry between these two really kept me interested in the story!
Of course there was a psycho to uncover. But as I've found in Ms. Adams previous books, it's always the most obvious and often hurtful betrayal. I should say, I should've seen it coming, but I didn't really.
Now what really threw me for a loop and was a refreshing twist was finding out about Troy's past. This last addition to the plot closer to the end was a sure way to spice things up a bit when they were getting a little dull. I knew he had to carry some baggage around, but he wasn't even aware of some of it! Very well done there, Ms. Adams!
I'm not sure who would be left to read about in this series, but I'll be sure to continue reading her work. Her writing flows and her stories are full of sexiness and a dash of suspense making for very enjoyable reads, every time!
*ARC provided by publisher
❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
September 1, 2013
Julie Fraser is America’s Sweetheart. She’s a successful actress, she has fame and fortune. Has it all, right? But deep inside she’s just a regular girl who gets lonely and wants to be liked herself not her Hollywood persona. Only now she has one more problem. Someone is trying to kill her.
She’s just lucky to have had a hunky man to protect her at every attempt on her life. Troy is posing as a bodyguard when in reality he’s a PI trying to figure out if Julie is sleeping with his client’s husband.
Julie is a very down to earth heroine, despite all her Hollywood glam. You can almost forget she’s a celebrity. She just makes you relate to her and cheer her on. Not making any stupid decisions, most of the time. Troy is the typical tall, dark and reserved type. You can tell there’s something to him but I couldn’t quite figure him out. Together they blended perfectly. The chemistry between these two really kept me interested in the story!
Of course there was a psycho to uncover. But as I’ve found in Ms. Adams previous books, it’s always the most obvious and often hurtful betrayal. I should say, I should’ve seen it coming, but I didn’t really.
Now what really threw me for a loop and was a refreshing twist was finding out about Troy’s past. This last addition to the plot closer to the end was a sure way to spice things up a bit when they were getting a little dull. I knew he had to carry some baggage around, but he wasn’t even aware of some of it! Very well done there, Ms. Adams!
I’m not sure who would be left to read about in this series, but I’ll be sure to continue reading her work. Her writing flows and her stories are full of sexiness and a dash of suspense making for very enjoyable reads, every time!
*ARC provided by publisher
May 20, 2013
My Review:
The set-up of this book was interesting. I liked Troy and the fact that he kept saving Julie's life...just by being at the right place at the right time. The fact that he's a PI investigating someone she's supposedly involved with helps that, but I felt like it was a good premise. I liked their chemistry and how real Julie is even though she's a huge movie star. In the book, I felt like we got to know Julie better just because most of the book takes place on her home turf. That's why I liked it when Dee J. Adams switched things up at the end to give insight into Troy. And wow...I knew the guy was an introvert, but when we found out why...just Wow. I did not see that twist in his story line coming.
Their chemistry together was amazing and definitely the best thing about this book. I loved reading it when it was just the two of them. They had fun, witty exchanges which just made that part of the book fun to read.
This book is pretty long. I almost think it's too long. When it began, I absolutely loved it, but the middle dragged a bit and I could have walked away from it. I hate that. When I'm reading romantic suspense, I want to be at the edge of my seat the entire time. I think part of the problem was that there was never any real mystery as to who was the bad guy...I figured it out at about the 25% point and then everything was revealed within the book at 65%. I would have been much happier if the book had been over around then and at that point in time, I would have rated this book much higher. Instead, the author chose to focus on the bad guys and honestly, I just wasn't that interested in learning the details of what they were doing.
Overall, not my favorite of the series, but it was still an interesting book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The set-up of this book was interesting. I liked Troy and the fact that he kept saving Julie's life...just by being at the right place at the right time. The fact that he's a PI investigating someone she's supposedly involved with helps that, but I felt like it was a good premise. I liked their chemistry and how real Julie is even though she's a huge movie star. In the book, I felt like we got to know Julie better just because most of the book takes place on her home turf. That's why I liked it when Dee J. Adams switched things up at the end to give insight into Troy. And wow...I knew the guy was an introvert, but when we found out why...just Wow. I did not see that twist in his story line coming.
Their chemistry together was amazing and definitely the best thing about this book. I loved reading it when it was just the two of them. They had fun, witty exchanges which just made that part of the book fun to read.
This book is pretty long. I almost think it's too long. When it began, I absolutely loved it, but the middle dragged a bit and I could have walked away from it. I hate that. When I'm reading romantic suspense, I want to be at the edge of my seat the entire time. I think part of the problem was that there was never any real mystery as to who was the bad guy...I figured it out at about the 25% point and then everything was revealed within the book at 65%. I would have been much happier if the book had been over around then and at that point in time, I would have rated this book much higher. Instead, the author chose to focus on the bad guys and honestly, I just wasn't that interested in learning the details of what they were doing.
Overall, not my favorite of the series, but it was still an interesting book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
July 3, 2013
This book tell the story of Julie, who was shot at the red carpet event and Troy, her savior who risked his life to carry her to the ambulance. Julie is a famous actress and is dubbed as the American Sweetheart. Of no reason, she becomes a target for someone to kill. Troy is on assignment. He was appointed by his current boss’ wife to spy on his activity and gather proves of his infidelity which she plans to use against him when she asks for divorce. The mistress in question is Julie. She was rather surprise to know that someone wanted her dead but she took things easy until her mother almost got blown off. Troy knew the serious threat that Julie is facing and wanted so badly to protect her to the extend he resigned from the assignment that have bought him to her.
This is the fourth installation in the Adrenaline High series and I love the main character to bit. Julie is a humble person despite her star studded popularity. I like the way she treat her assistant and how understand she can be. Troy on the other hand, has a dreadful childhood which leaves him dumb for few months. He always feels that he is incapable of loving another person due to the dysfunctional of his upbringing and family. There are so many conflicts that both Julie and Troy carries with them coupled with the truth behind their meeting is enough to jeopardize the newly formed relationship between them. Overall, despite the synopsis of the book indicated a suspense thriller as the genre, I find the story pace is rather slow. Nevertheless, it is a good read for me ;)
This is the fourth installation in the Adrenaline High series and I love the main character to bit. Julie is a humble person despite her star studded popularity. I like the way she treat her assistant and how understand she can be. Troy on the other hand, has a dreadful childhood which leaves him dumb for few months. He always feels that he is incapable of loving another person due to the dysfunctional of his upbringing and family. There are so many conflicts that both Julie and Troy carries with them coupled with the truth behind their meeting is enough to jeopardize the newly formed relationship between them. Overall, despite the synopsis of the book indicated a suspense thriller as the genre, I find the story pace is rather slow. Nevertheless, it is a good read for me ;)
February 21, 2014
Too many twists and turns to be truly enjoyable. This is the fourth book in the series that I have read. All of the books have interesting characters and a generally believable plot. I consider the stories as a combination of hot sex with a little mystery.
This book left such a bad taste in my mouth that it almost ruined the series for me. The only reason this story was able to earn 3 stars was because it was about half way into the story before it got weird. I expected a mystery but this story took the mystery in such a that it caused me to lose all believability. For about half of the book the mystery lead in one specific direction then suddenly it split with the story reality and went into a bizarre direction.
Finishing the story for me then became more about how bizarre the ending might become than the characters resolving their love.
This book left such a bad taste in my mouth that it almost ruined the series for me. The only reason this story was able to earn 3 stars was because it was about half way into the story before it got weird. I expected a mystery but this story took the mystery in such a that it caused me to lose all believability. For about half of the book the mystery lead in one specific direction then suddenly it split with the story reality and went into a bizarre direction.
Finishing the story for me then became more about how bizarre the ending might become than the characters resolving their love.
April 21, 2013
P.I. Troy Mills is working undercover trying to unravel a possible affair from Hollywood “It’ girl Julie Fraser and a powerful movie producer. When a sniper tries to take Julie out at a red carpet event, Troy immediately rushes to protect her. Troy can’t believe he is holding Hollywood’s sweetheart in his arms and everything he is learning about the women contradicts the accusations of an affair. When a second attempt is made, Troy decides he would rather spend his time keeping her alive and hopefully close to his heart.
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=8720
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=8720
June 22, 2013
Living Dangerously by Dee J. Adams
Living Dangerously by Dee J. Adams is the fourth installment in the Adrenaline Heights series and I loved every word of it. I did not know and could not tell that this book was part of a series. The stand alone factor was through the roof. I did not feel the need to go back and read the first three books or get lost in characters.
To see the rest of this review go to www.bsreviewers.blogspot.com
Living Dangerously by Dee J. Adams is the fourth installment in the Adrenaline Heights series and I loved every word of it. I did not know and could not tell that this book was part of a series. The stand alone factor was through the roof. I did not feel the need to go back and read the first three books or get lost in characters.
To see the rest of this review go to www.bsreviewers.blogspot.com
September 5, 2013
Delicious! Another page-turner by Dee J. Adams. Adams is especially adept at crafting likable, flawed characters. And, the love scenes never disappoint.
May 30, 2013
I hope there are more like this series!! Love the danger and passion
August 12, 2014
3.5 stars :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews