What do you think?
Rate this book
The Renegades #1
Rogue Launch
The Renegades #1 Romantic Suspense Enemies to Lovers Action MM
“We will find you, darling. Stay strong. We will find you.”
This was exactly what Elliott Jones needed. A nice barbecue with family and friends. The moving trucks were parked outside his new ranch, and he was ready to start fresh. Again. Despite the regrets he lived with, he tried to focus on the good things in life. His niece Blake, for instance. She was his world. But after twenty years of working as a private military contractor in some of the most hostile territories on the planet, Elliott had made more than one enemy.
He heard the unmistakable sound of a rocket launcher, catapulting him and his closest friends into a nightmare of agony, rage, and determination. Lives had been lost, and three people had been kidnapped. Among them, little Blake.
Elliott would stop at nothing to bring her home again, even if he had to team up with his absolute biggest regret, Joel Hayward—Coast Guard sniper, the ex-husband of Elliott’s sister, and Blake’s stepdad.
“We will find you, darling. Stay strong. We will find you.”
This was exactly what Elliott Jones needed. A nice barbecue with family and friends. The moving trucks were parked outside his new ranch, and he was ready to start fresh. Again. Despite the regrets he lived with, he tried to focus on the good things in life. His niece Blake, for instance. She was his world. But after twenty years of working as a private military contractor in some of the most hostile territories on the planet, Elliott had made more than one enemy.
He heard the unmistakable sound of a rocket launcher, catapulting him and his closest friends into a nightmare of agony, rage, and determination. Lives had been lost, and three people had been kidnapped. Among them, little Blake.
Elliott would stop at nothing to bring her home again, even if he had to team up with his absolute biggest regret, Joel Hayward—Coast Guard sniper, the ex-husband of Elliott’s sister, and Blake’s stepdad.
ebook
First published July 21, 2023
254 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,067 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
August 18, 2023
This is the first part of Elliott and Joel's story. This is a true series and needs to be read in order. If you are able to be patient (I am not), it might be best to wait for all 4 books to be out before you start as there are at least minor cliffhangers with each book.
This series starts out with a reunion of many familiar faces (if you’ve read any of Cara’s prior books) at Elliott’s new house. My main draw to this series was Tenshay because they have my heart, but I have fallen hard for all of the other characters (Elliott, Joel, Crew, Adrien) in this series. Once the reunion gets into full swing, things take a turn and shit gets real.
“Everyone away from the house!” I yelled. “Take cover! Away from the house!” “Fucking run!” Crew shouted.
They are attacked, loved ones are taken and friends are killed. It’s tragic and heartbreaking. But this group is not to be messed with and they immediately jump into action to get their people back.
I like that most of these men are older, in their 40’s, but they’re all still bad asses. They are hot AF especially when going after the cartel. This book focuses mostly on the action and trying to figure out who they need to go after to rescue their family members.
Fuck, I couldn’t see him upset. It was a million times worse than seeing Piper in tears. He had to be closed off. Aloof. A dick, even. Otherwise, I started to crumble—and remember how things used to be. Or how they could’ve been.
Elliott and Joel have such an interesting back story and I loved getting the little glimpses of it through the flashbacks. Listen, the flashbacks are everything! The steam! It is so good. Just the thought of them getting back together has got me dying for book 4 because it will be amazing.
Fuck. One single taste of him, and I had to have more. I slipped my hand to the back of his neck, and he angled himself closer to me. We sucked in a quick breath before we were at each other again, and we started making out.
In the present, Joel and Elliott are trying to navigate their current dynamic while also remembering what happened in their past. There is a scene where Joel gets Elliott his favorite Mexican food and it messes with his head. They have this disdain for one another, yet they know each other so well.
I was working on an apology. I just… It went against my nature these days to be civil to Joel. Even more so to be nice. Or fair. Or whatever. Soon as I saw his face, I immediately wanted to hurt him.
Shrimp quesadillas. He’d bought shrimp quesadillas for me. See, that was enough to make my mind spin, and I couldn’t fucking afford that now.
I cannot wait for the rest of their story.
Joel came out from the bathroom with a towel around his hips, and I averted my gaze. Fucking hell, he was still too gorgeous for words. Or more gorgeous, I should say. He’d been smoking hot at eighteen, and thirty-three, too, but forty-one knocked the others out of the park.
Series Reviews:
2 - Enemy Combatant
3 - On The Double
4 - Tango Down
This series starts out with a reunion of many familiar faces (if you’ve read any of Cara’s prior books) at Elliott’s new house. My main draw to this series was Tenshay because they have my heart, but I have fallen hard for all of the other characters (Elliott, Joel, Crew, Adrien) in this series. Once the reunion gets into full swing, things take a turn and shit gets real.
“Everyone away from the house!” I yelled. “Take cover! Away from the house!” “Fucking run!” Crew shouted.
They are attacked, loved ones are taken and friends are killed. It’s tragic and heartbreaking. But this group is not to be messed with and they immediately jump into action to get their people back.
I like that most of these men are older, in their 40’s, but they’re all still bad asses. They are hot AF especially when going after the cartel. This book focuses mostly on the action and trying to figure out who they need to go after to rescue their family members.
Fuck, I couldn’t see him upset. It was a million times worse than seeing Piper in tears. He had to be closed off. Aloof. A dick, even. Otherwise, I started to crumble—and remember how things used to be. Or how they could’ve been.
Elliott and Joel have such an interesting back story and I loved getting the little glimpses of it through the flashbacks. Listen, the flashbacks are everything! The steam! It is so good. Just the thought of them getting back together has got me dying for book 4 because it will be amazing.
Fuck. One single taste of him, and I had to have more. I slipped my hand to the back of his neck, and he angled himself closer to me. We sucked in a quick breath before we were at each other again, and we started making out.
In the present, Joel and Elliott are trying to navigate their current dynamic while also remembering what happened in their past. There is a scene where Joel gets Elliott his favorite Mexican food and it messes with his head. They have this disdain for one another, yet they know each other so well.
I was working on an apology. I just… It went against my nature these days to be civil to Joel. Even more so to be nice. Or fair. Or whatever. Soon as I saw his face, I immediately wanted to hurt him.
Shrimp quesadillas. He’d bought shrimp quesadillas for me. See, that was enough to make my mind spin, and I couldn’t fucking afford that now.
I cannot wait for the rest of their story.
Joel came out from the bathroom with a towel around his hips, and I averted my gaze. Fucking hell, he was still too gorgeous for words. Or more gorgeous, I should say. He’d been smoking hot at eighteen, and thirty-three, too, but forty-one knocked the others out of the park.
Series Reviews:
2 - Enemy Combatant
3 - On The Double
4 - Tango Down
August 15, 2023
I hate this author’s obnoxious habit of splitting what should be a single book in 2 short-ish books. Add to that the fact that this has way too much action and very little romance and we have a pretty unsatisfying first book. And another thing that bothered me is that the next book isn’t even about them and we have to wait till the 4th book to get this couple’s entire story.
Wow, even 3 stars seems to much now.. To be honest, what saves the book is that I kind of loved the guys and their “lovers turned enemies “ dynamics.
Wow, even 3 stars seems to much now.. To be honest, what saves the book is that I kind of loved the guys and their “lovers turned enemies “ dynamics.
September 22, 2023
I'm not going to rate this, at least not yet. It is half a book, something that keeps happening more and more lately with Cara Dee's books. It has become quite frustrating for me, probably because I love this author so much and splitting a story this way feels unnecessary. I guess we 'll have to wait and see.
Read
October 28, 2024***no rating***
for reasons.
Do you know these days? The ones when you are in a shitty mood in general and for no fucking reason at all? (You know, the ones when you’re hissing and barking at everyone who dares to approache and want something from you?) And you just know (on top of everything) that whatever book you’re going to choose for today you gonna hate it?
I went through my tbr like three times, looking up recs on facebook and scrolling my feed here but nothing, nothing! stood out to me or piqued my interest in the least. In the end I decided on this one. Decent choice I thought. Cara Dee, military men, covert ops, kinda hate-to-love and also a quickie. I mean, it wasn’t impossible.
Only that it was. Because what do you know. I still ended up here: being bored with this book and annoyed with myself.
So. This reading day sucked donkey balls.
Let’s hope for tomorrow’s mood to improve.
***********
The Renegades Series
Book 1 - Rogue Launch - read
Book 2 - Enemy Combatant
Book 3 - On the Double
Book 4 - Tango Down - read
for reasons.
Do you know these days? The ones when you are in a shitty mood in general and for no fucking reason at all? (You know, the ones when you’re hissing and barking at everyone who dares to approache and want something from you?) And you just know (on top of everything) that whatever book you’re going to choose for today you gonna hate it?
I went through my tbr like three times, looking up recs on facebook and scrolling my feed here but nothing, nothing! stood out to me or piqued my interest in the least. In the end I decided on this one. Decent choice I thought. Cara Dee, military men, covert ops, kinda hate-to-love and also a quickie. I mean, it wasn’t impossible.
Only that it was. Because what do you know. I still ended up here: being bored with this book and annoyed with myself.
So. This reading day sucked donkey balls.
Let’s hope for tomorrow’s mood to improve.
***********
The Renegades Series
Book 1 - Rogue Launch - read
Book 2 - Enemy Combatant
Book 3 - On the Double
Book 4 - Tango Down - read
August 4, 2023
* 5 stars *
The first book of the new suspense series by Cara Dee is a delicious enemies-to-lovers story. However, Joel and Elliott's relationship is a bit more complicated than simply that.
They go many decades back, and even though they weren't always in contact, their connection was a strong and intense one. One that neither could deny. The timing was always wrong for them, though.
The details of their past are revealed little by little at the end of each chapter, but we don't get the whole story yet. Also, the book is written from Elliott's point of view entirely, so we only get one side of the story so far.
Because this is the first book in a series with an overreaching main arc, nothing is actually resolved by the end of it. It's not a major cliffhanger, but we're left with a lot of questions. And because Joel and Elliott are the main characters in the fourth book as well, nothing is resolved about the relationship either. After all, it wouldn't feel right to get over their animosity so quickly after basically avoiding each other for years.
As always, I'm amazed by the amount of research the author seems to have done. I have no idea if everything mentioned is realistic and if that's actually the way things work, but just the amount of details and how carefully constructed the story is enough for me. It shows me that the author cares about her story and her characters and that she has put effort into delivering solid work, and that's something I appreciate and I can see in her books in general, not just in this one.
Another characteristic of Cara Dee's writing that I appreciate is the way she digs into her characters and makes each one distinctive and unique. She gives them depth, a personality of their own, and background, and that's a constant in her books. She has dozens of characters, and she loves crossovers, so there's always at least a couple appearing in different stories and the fact that I never mix them up and always remember who is who and what their story is, says everything.
So, of course, the cameos couldn't miss from this series. So far, we have Darius and Gray, River, Reese and Shay, and Ryan (though only by name so far). Oh, and Crew, who we've already met as a side character in other books but will get his own story in book #2 of the series.
Anyway, my point is that all that adds up to creating amazing and interesting stories, and that's one of the reasons I'm always excited to read her books. This latest series is no exception, and I look forward to getting the rest of the story.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
The first book of the new suspense series by Cara Dee is a delicious enemies-to-lovers story. However, Joel and Elliott's relationship is a bit more complicated than simply that.
They go many decades back, and even though they weren't always in contact, their connection was a strong and intense one. One that neither could deny. The timing was always wrong for them, though.
The details of their past are revealed little by little at the end of each chapter, but we don't get the whole story yet. Also, the book is written from Elliott's point of view entirely, so we only get one side of the story so far.
Because this is the first book in a series with an overreaching main arc, nothing is actually resolved by the end of it. It's not a major cliffhanger, but we're left with a lot of questions. And because Joel and Elliott are the main characters in the fourth book as well, nothing is resolved about the relationship either. After all, it wouldn't feel right to get over their animosity so quickly after basically avoiding each other for years.
As always, I'm amazed by the amount of research the author seems to have done. I have no idea if everything mentioned is realistic and if that's actually the way things work, but just the amount of details and how carefully constructed the story is enough for me. It shows me that the author cares about her story and her characters and that she has put effort into delivering solid work, and that's something I appreciate and I can see in her books in general, not just in this one.
Another characteristic of Cara Dee's writing that I appreciate is the way she digs into her characters and makes each one distinctive and unique. She gives them depth, a personality of their own, and background, and that's a constant in her books. She has dozens of characters, and she loves crossovers, so there's always at least a couple appearing in different stories and the fact that I never mix them up and always remember who is who and what their story is, says everything.
So, of course, the cameos couldn't miss from this series. So far, we have Darius and Gray, River, Reese and Shay, and Ryan (though only by name so far). Oh, and Crew, who we've already met as a side character in other books but will get his own story in book #2 of the series.
Anyway, my point is that all that adds up to creating amazing and interesting stories, and that's one of the reasons I'm always excited to read her books. This latest series is no exception, and I look forward to getting the rest of the story.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
July 21, 2023
Quite a cliffhanger, and these MCs don’t return u til book 4!
August 19, 2023
4.5 stars…
Man, I love Cara Dee’s kink books, but her books like this, that feature all the guys that are in the armed forces/private contractors just hit the spot. Sexy, tough men that protect & rescue, who still have capacity for deep emotions for each other really are my crack.
This is a new series, but it features many guys from her “Auctioned” & “The Games” series, plus letting us get to know others who’ve been briefly mentioned. This book revolves primarily around Elliott & Joel who we don’t really know. The animosity between them is immediately obvious, although we also see they have history (that is slowly revealed as a romantic I’m history through time jumps). But when a violent event occurs as a result of their private contractor history, they’re forced to work together to try to recover loved ones who’ve been kidnapped.
I adored the slow reveal of how much they once meant to each other, and as always with Cara Dee, the emotions & connection between them really hits you in the feels. My only complaint is that it ended abruptly, and it seems we don’t see the resolution for them until Book 4!! I can’t wait that long!!! Thank God the release dates between books is only a few weeks at a time!
Diving into book 2 now!
Check out my reviews and MM content on Instagram, Threads, StoryGraph, Facebook & Bookbub, all under the same name!
Man, I love Cara Dee’s kink books, but her books like this, that feature all the guys that are in the armed forces/private contractors just hit the spot. Sexy, tough men that protect & rescue, who still have capacity for deep emotions for each other really are my crack.
This is a new series, but it features many guys from her “Auctioned” & “The Games” series, plus letting us get to know others who’ve been briefly mentioned. This book revolves primarily around Elliott & Joel who we don’t really know. The animosity between them is immediately obvious, although we also see they have history (that is slowly revealed as a romantic I’m history through time jumps). But when a violent event occurs as a result of their private contractor history, they’re forced to work together to try to recover loved ones who’ve been kidnapped.
I adored the slow reveal of how much they once meant to each other, and as always with Cara Dee, the emotions & connection between them really hits you in the feels. My only complaint is that it ended abruptly, and it seems we don’t see the resolution for them until Book 4!! I can’t wait that long!!! Thank God the release dates between books is only a few weeks at a time!
Diving into book 2 now!
Check out my reviews and MM content on Instagram, Threads, StoryGraph, Facebook & Bookbub, all under the same name!
July 19, 2023
3.5 stars. Wait though: hear me out.
Despite the rating I’ve given, I actually LOVED this. It has an intriguing premise. Interesting, three dimensional characters. Lots of fast-paced action. Single POV, first person; we’re in Elliot’s head here. Wonderfully well written - like their pain just resonates. All things I love from Cara.
So why the lower rating?
I’m grumpy that this was less than half a book. And not even close to the full story; maybe the first third of a full story? Which makes sense given there are three more books in this series coming out over the next couple of months. But still.
There’s no resolution of anything here. Both characters are in pain and barely speaking at the end of this. But it is billed as a romance novel. Like, my heart broke a little, and then it ends abruptly in a cliffhanger.
I must say that I detest this trend of splitting up a story over two, three, or four books. Like, why torture your loyal readers? Why???
Personally I’d rather wait longer to get the whole story in one big book at a higher price point, then have it release in installments every month.
So how did I rate this? I’m giving five and a half stars for the story (honestly it’s fantastic) and I’m deducting two stars for giving us less than half of that story. So three and a half stars. Overly harsh? Maybe. Clearly I am grumpy about this being less than half the story and having to wait for the rest.
Despite the rating I’ve given, I actually LOVED this. It has an intriguing premise. Interesting, three dimensional characters. Lots of fast-paced action. Single POV, first person; we’re in Elliot’s head here. Wonderfully well written - like their pain just resonates. All things I love from Cara.
So why the lower rating?
I’m grumpy that this was less than half a book. And not even close to the full story; maybe the first third of a full story? Which makes sense given there are three more books in this series coming out over the next couple of months. But still.
There’s no resolution of anything here. Both characters are in pain and barely speaking at the end of this. But it is billed as a romance novel. Like, my heart broke a little, and then it ends abruptly in a cliffhanger.
I must say that I detest this trend of splitting up a story over two, three, or four books. Like, why torture your loyal readers? Why???
Personally I’d rather wait longer to get the whole story in one big book at a higher price point, then have it release in installments every month.
So how did I rate this? I’m giving five and a half stars for the story (honestly it’s fantastic) and I’m deducting two stars for giving us less than half of that story. So three and a half stars. Overly harsh? Maybe. Clearly I am grumpy about this being less than half the story and having to wait for the rest.
September 15, 2023
Cara Dee is my absolute favorite MM author, and I will jump on every single book she puts out. I received the ARC for Rogue Launch, and even though my family is currently on vacation, I devoured this book in basically one sitting. My kids want to hang out at the pool after spending the day in the theme park? Sure. Just let mama grab a poolside lounge chair and my Kindle, and y'all can stay out here as long as you want.
This is book one of a four book series that will be rapid released starting at the end of July. Book 1 and 4 follow the same couple, Elliott and Joel. After meeting our cast of characters who are all helping Elliott move into his new house, the house is attacked and three people from their group are kidnapped, including Blake (Elliott's niece) and Shay, our favorite Tenley Middle.
This book is action packed and fast-paced. It doesn't have kink like a lot of Cara's books, but it does have the same depth of character that we're used to seeing. Cara's characters always feel so real, like they could jump right off the page, and it wouldn't even be weird. I was right there with Eliott and Joel as they raced to find clues to where Blake and the others were being held. As we wove from past to present, learning bits and pieces of the relationship between Elliott and Joel and where it all went wrong.
This book is told from Elliott's perspective, and book four will be told from Joel's perspective. I labeled this as a romance because these two will eventually get their HEA, and we get to see the glimpses of their romance over the years, but they don't resolve anything in this book. They start breaking down walls, and it starts to feel like some miscommunication happened that has led to all this animosity. But we just don't have those details yet.
Overall, another great book of Cara's. I'm really excited to see how Crew does over in Europe, how the Tenley twins scorch the earth to find our beautiful Shay, and for the continuation of Elliott and Joel's story.
ARC received via Booksprout for an honest review.
This is book one of a four book series that will be rapid released starting at the end of July. Book 1 and 4 follow the same couple, Elliott and Joel. After meeting our cast of characters who are all helping Elliott move into his new house, the house is attacked and three people from their group are kidnapped, including Blake (Elliott's niece) and Shay, our favorite Tenley Middle.
This book is action packed and fast-paced. It doesn't have kink like a lot of Cara's books, but it does have the same depth of character that we're used to seeing. Cara's characters always feel so real, like they could jump right off the page, and it wouldn't even be weird. I was right there with Eliott and Joel as they raced to find clues to where Blake and the others were being held. As we wove from past to present, learning bits and pieces of the relationship between Elliott and Joel and where it all went wrong.
This book is told from Elliott's perspective, and book four will be told from Joel's perspective. I labeled this as a romance because these two will eventually get their HEA, and we get to see the glimpses of their romance over the years, but they don't resolve anything in this book. They start breaking down walls, and it starts to feel like some miscommunication happened that has led to all this animosity. But we just don't have those details yet.
Overall, another great book of Cara's. I'm really excited to see how Crew does over in Europe, how the Tenley twins scorch the earth to find our beautiful Shay, and for the continuation of Elliott and Joel's story.
ARC received via Booksprout for an honest review.
July 14, 2023
ARC received via Book sprout for honest review.
I’ve been looking forward to this series. No doubt the Tenley Twins were the big draw for me but Cara Dee has upped her game, yet again. With an intriguing plot that keeps throwing curveballs and characters you just want to lick, I devoured this.
No spoilers but I loved this book…and the MC hate each other the entire time. It’s delicious.
Elliot and Joel have a history. It unfolds in flashbacks as they reluctantly join together for a rescue mission. Juxtaposed against where they are now in their lives we get beautiful and sexy little crumbs of their relationship. But something happened, which we’re yet to find out. And so this book ends unresolved, in terms of the relationship and the first part of the plot.
Splitting this rescue over 4 books and multiple couples could be a recipe for disaster. This one was short and there will be cliffhangers. Luckily the release dates are super close together so the rage factor should be low. And this author is skilled enough to pull it off.
I really enjoyed this. There’s a very detailed plot in regards to mafia/cartels and the intricacies of the drug/human trafficking trade. While a little of that went over my head I was still totally invested in this as an action/adventure romance. I’m really excited to see how it all plays out.
I’ve been looking forward to this series. No doubt the Tenley Twins were the big draw for me but Cara Dee has upped her game, yet again. With an intriguing plot that keeps throwing curveballs and characters you just want to lick, I devoured this.
No spoilers but I loved this book…and the MC hate each other the entire time. It’s delicious.
Elliot and Joel have a history. It unfolds in flashbacks as they reluctantly join together for a rescue mission. Juxtaposed against where they are now in their lives we get beautiful and sexy little crumbs of their relationship. But something happened, which we’re yet to find out. And so this book ends unresolved, in terms of the relationship and the first part of the plot.
Splitting this rescue over 4 books and multiple couples could be a recipe for disaster. This one was short and there will be cliffhangers. Luckily the release dates are super close together so the rage factor should be low. And this author is skilled enough to pull it off.
I really enjoyed this. There’s a very detailed plot in regards to mafia/cartels and the intricacies of the drug/human trafficking trade. While a little of that went over my head I was still totally invested in this as an action/adventure romance. I’m really excited to see how it all plays out.
February 27, 2024
Here are my thoughts:
Elliot & Joel:
What a mean thing to do to not finish their romantic relationship (I’m kidding of course, I actually don’t mind too much). But yeah, here we are and here we have to wait for book four.
And I don’t know how Cara does it but I’m almost always a fan of here creations, character wise at least. This was no different. I liked every old character from previous series and every new one from this series as well. Elliot & Joel’s story got me hooked but I’m definitely also looking forward to the other characters as well.
The plot:
I’m not sure yet if I like this kind of story but I do love action and this book was packed with it. I think that helped me enjoying it anyway even though kidnappings aren’t normally my favourites. I gotta admit though that the storyline is very intriguing. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.
The length of the book:
I’m almost glad this wasn’t long because the whole plot is nerve wracking. I get why people would think exactly the opposite but for me this is good. I cannot handle that type of stress.
So, there you go. My unorganised thoughts of the first instalment of this series. Sorry about that.
Elliot & Joel:
What a mean thing to do to not finish their romantic relationship (I’m kidding of course, I actually don’t mind too much). But yeah, here we are and here we have to wait for book four.
And I don’t know how Cara does it but I’m almost always a fan of here creations, character wise at least. This was no different. I liked every old character from previous series and every new one from this series as well. Elliot & Joel’s story got me hooked but I’m definitely also looking forward to the other characters as well.
The plot:
I’m not sure yet if I like this kind of story but I do love action and this book was packed with it. I think that helped me enjoying it anyway even though kidnappings aren’t normally my favourites. I gotta admit though that the storyline is very intriguing. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.
The length of the book:
I’m almost glad this wasn’t long because the whole plot is nerve wracking. I get why people would think exactly the opposite but for me this is good. I cannot handle that type of stress.
So, there you go. My unorganised thoughts of the first instalment of this series. Sorry about that.
September 16, 2023
I’m SO glad I waited until all of this series was out so I could binge it.
Cara is mean to leave such a cliffhanger eeek 😧
Elliot and Joel have a VERY complicated relationship! This is their backstory and future. When friends get kidnapped, they need to do everything to save them. Not everyone will survive. Damn this book messed me up!
Off to read book 2!
Cara is mean to leave such a cliffhanger eeek 😧
Elliot and Joel have a VERY complicated relationship! This is their backstory and future. When friends get kidnapped, they need to do everything to save them. Not everyone will survive. Damn this book messed me up!
Off to read book 2!
July 15, 2023
Cara Dee knows exactly how to draw people in and then leave them hanging.
Anyone who's read anything by her should expect that by now and this book follows the formula perfectly.
It's the opener in a four part miniseries that has three different relationship stories being told alongside the action and suspense.
This book, and the final one, are about Elliott and Joel, who have a complicated past which is revealed in flashbacks, and an awful lot of pain and misunderstanding between them.
It's clear if they ever actually sat down and told each other their true thoughts, a lot of that could be resolved, but it's also not that easy.
Joel's tired of being the one to put himself out there in the past, and Elliott's deeply wounded by a drunken confession and the betrayal he feels knowing his sister was once married to Joel.
There's clearly a secret here waiting to come out which explains the disconnect between what we get in the flashbacks and the almost enemies status they're occupying now.
I can't wait for it to come out!
With loads of action, plenty of delicious angst and the promise of the Tenley twins burning the world down to find their missing loved ones, I can only be thankful this is going to be a quick release series.
Bring on the adventures in Europe 😂
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Anyone who's read anything by her should expect that by now and this book follows the formula perfectly.
It's the opener in a four part miniseries that has three different relationship stories being told alongside the action and suspense.
This book, and the final one, are about Elliott and Joel, who have a complicated past which is revealed in flashbacks, and an awful lot of pain and misunderstanding between them.
It's clear if they ever actually sat down and told each other their true thoughts, a lot of that could be resolved, but it's also not that easy.
Joel's tired of being the one to put himself out there in the past, and Elliott's deeply wounded by a drunken confession and the betrayal he feels knowing his sister was once married to Joel.
There's clearly a secret here waiting to come out which explains the disconnect between what we get in the flashbacks and the almost enemies status they're occupying now.
I can't wait for it to come out!
With loads of action, plenty of delicious angst and the promise of the Tenley twins burning the world down to find their missing loved ones, I can only be thankful this is going to be a quick release series.
Bring on the adventures in Europe 😂
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
July 14, 2023
I'll admit I went into this series mostly excited for book 3, Reese and River's book. However, Elliot and Joel hooked me in their story and the suspense. I'm so invested in their story and what's happening to everyone. I can not wait for the other books.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 4, 2023
3.5 Stars because it ended there????!??? Rounded up because Ms. Dee didn't make us wait an age for the story to continue and I'm binge reading them all. Also, I am enjoying the suspense plot and am pretty damn sold on Elliot and Joel, though they really need to be locked in a room with just a bed and some lube so they can fight, fuck, and then have a serious conversation because they're both being rather bone-headed.
July 20, 2023
A shortish introduction to a potentially excellent new series. It left me a little frustrated though as I expected huge cliffhangers, but even the "relationship" between the MCs didn't result in a HFN in this book so there are no answers to anything. Lots of well written action and an excellent start to the plots which will presumably continue throughout the series. I hope the next part will be out very soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
August 22, 2023
*deep breath*
Going in I knew this wouldn’t be my favorite. I don’t like second chance and I don’t like romantic suspense. I was kind of hoping Cara would win be over. Alas, I was mistaken. Not surprised though as her last few have been..not good.
This would have been 3 stars. Except that I am literally so sick of authors stretching series out that don’t need to be stretched out. This book ends on a cliffy. Fine whatever. But we don’t even get back to this couple until book fucking FOUR? The only book I actually wanted to read was book 3 (TenShay for life). We don’t even know WHY these two hate each other at the end of this book. Now I have to read two more books. Just so I can maybe follow the main suspense plot. Which I don’t really care about.
Anyways. I’ll finish this series. And then (as much as it hurts to say this.) I’ll probably be doing an author break up. I might follow up on the Game series. Heavy on the might.
Going in I knew this wouldn’t be my favorite. I don’t like second chance and I don’t like romantic suspense. I was kind of hoping Cara would win be over. Alas, I was mistaken. Not surprised though as her last few have been..not good.
This would have been 3 stars. Except that I am literally so sick of authors stretching series out that don’t need to be stretched out. This book ends on a cliffy. Fine whatever. But we don’t even get back to this couple until book fucking FOUR? The only book I actually wanted to read was book 3 (TenShay for life). We don’t even know WHY these two hate each other at the end of this book. Now I have to read two more books. Just so I can maybe follow the main suspense plot. Which I don’t really care about.
Anyways. I’ll finish this series. And then (as much as it hurts to say this.) I’ll probably be doing an author break up. I might follow up on the Game series. Heavy on the might.
July 1, 2025
Idk what happened here but this author's usually stellar writing has gone walkabout with this one.
Elliott's ranch is attacked during a BBQ. His niece and two other people are taken hostage. Friends and family are killed/injured. He heads off to rescue her with her stepdad, with whom he has history. There's some flashbacks to happier times in the past but we don't know why they hate each other now.
This is short. Neither MC seen particularly likeable and I suspect this is heading towards a huge miscommunication which will just make me cross.
The next book picks up with a different couple. No resolution for these two though I know it all comes together at the end
Elliott's ranch is attacked during a BBQ. His niece and two other people are taken hostage. Friends and family are killed/injured. He heads off to rescue her with her stepdad, with whom he has history. There's some flashbacks to happier times in the past but we don't know why they hate each other now.
This is short. Neither MC seen particularly likeable and I suspect this is heading towards a huge miscommunication which will just make me cross.
The next book picks up with a different couple. No resolution for these two though I know it all comes together at the end
July 23, 2023
Ends without any plot resolution
I can't stand unexpected cliffhangers or books that are going to conflict in a series without a warning, so I am giving this one star. Nothing in the description warned that NOTHING would be resolved in this book. We still don't even know what happened to cause Joel to marry Piper instead of going for it with Elliott. no one has been rescued, they haven't even figured out why or who, it just ends in the middle.
What a disgusting plot by the author to trick people into buying her books. Even in a series, it's the most basic story telling rule to have some conclusion, not just randomly stop in the middle of everything!
I can't stand unexpected cliffhangers or books that are going to conflict in a series without a warning, so I am giving this one star. Nothing in the description warned that NOTHING would be resolved in this book. We still don't even know what happened to cause Joel to marry Piper instead of going for it with Elliott. no one has been rescued, they haven't even figured out why or who, it just ends in the middle.
What a disgusting plot by the author to trick people into buying her books. Even in a series, it's the most basic story telling rule to have some conclusion, not just randomly stop in the middle of everything!
September 26, 2023
2.5…
I liked it but I don’t like that it’s so incomplete and that I have to read three more books - and pay for them separately because they’re not in KU - to get the complete story. Is this a new way of doing things for this beloved author of mine…? Is it about money…the multiple incomplete stories in one series? I wish I could keep paying like this for her but don’t know if I’ll do it again if this is the new way and that makes me sad.
I liked it but I don’t like that it’s so incomplete and that I have to read three more books - and pay for them separately because they’re not in KU - to get the complete story. Is this a new way of doing things for this beloved author of mine…? Is it about money…the multiple incomplete stories in one series? I wish I could keep paying like this for her but don’t know if I’ll do it again if this is the new way and that makes me sad.
October 2, 2023
This pains me because I normally LOVE Cara Dee’s books, but this was sooooo boring. Way too many names thrown at me, way too much information just dumped on me, and basically no romance. I’m not even sure I want to read the rest. Even though I want to read TenShay’s book, I just don’t know …
July 21, 2023
J'ai tenté l'aventure de nouveau avec Cara Dee avec "The Renegades" (même si je suis super en retard dans ses autres séries, notamment pour les duologies !), une toute nouvelle série, d'autant plus qu'on y retrouve certains personnages rencontrés dans d'autres de ses séries.
Dans "The Renegades", Cara Dee va nous offre plusieurs tomes centrés sur des personnages différents, que l'on va suivre au fil de leurs péripéties, plutôt périlleuses. "Rogue Launch" nous permet de planter le décor dans un premier temps, et nous allons y suivre plus particulièrement Eliott et Joel, l'oncle et le beau-père de Blake, une petite fille qui vient de se faire kidnapper...
Eliott et Joel ne s'apprécient pas des masses, on sent la tension dès le début. Cara Dee va nous permettre de comprendre cette haine, ces ressentiments qu'ils ont l'un pour l'autre par l'alternance de moments passés, des moments clés, où ces deux hommes ne se haïssaient pas... J'ai beaucoup aimé découvrir leur duo, car malgré leurs sentiments, ils vont devoir mettre tout de côté afin de s'allier et mener à bien leur mission de sauvetage. La tension est de ce fait palpable tout le long, la proximité forcée n'aidant absolument pas. J'ai vraiment aimé découvrir un peu plus Eliott, qu'on rencontre déjà dans les derniers tomes de la saga "Auctioned", c'est un ami de Darius de longue date... Sa manière de parler, de remballer Joel était triste par moment, car au final Joel a tendance à ne pas mettre de l'huile sur le feu. Les deux hommes ont un sacré caractère bien trempé, leur fierté qui leur est propre, gratter leur carapace respective ne sera pas une mince affaire.
J'ai hâte de découvrir la suite de leur relation, qui nous sera dévoilée dans le tout dernier tome.
C'était top de revoir tous ces personnages que l'on connaît déjà, un de mes couples chouchou déjà mais aussi un petit trio qui m'avait fait une forte impression ^^
Et ce qui est chouette, c'est que l'auteur a prévu de sortir les autres romans de manière très rapprochée. J'aime assez ce format en "épisodes", d'autant plus que l'auteur a su y apporter un rythme et une dynamique efficaces !
Dans "The Renegades", Cara Dee va nous offre plusieurs tomes centrés sur des personnages différents, que l'on va suivre au fil de leurs péripéties, plutôt périlleuses. "Rogue Launch" nous permet de planter le décor dans un premier temps, et nous allons y suivre plus particulièrement Eliott et Joel, l'oncle et le beau-père de Blake, une petite fille qui vient de se faire kidnapper...
Eliott et Joel ne s'apprécient pas des masses, on sent la tension dès le début. Cara Dee va nous permettre de comprendre cette haine, ces ressentiments qu'ils ont l'un pour l'autre par l'alternance de moments passés, des moments clés, où ces deux hommes ne se haïssaient pas... J'ai beaucoup aimé découvrir leur duo, car malgré leurs sentiments, ils vont devoir mettre tout de côté afin de s'allier et mener à bien leur mission de sauvetage. La tension est de ce fait palpable tout le long, la proximité forcée n'aidant absolument pas. J'ai vraiment aimé découvrir un peu plus Eliott, qu'on rencontre déjà dans les derniers tomes de la saga "Auctioned", c'est un ami de Darius de longue date... Sa manière de parler, de remballer Joel était triste par moment, car au final Joel a tendance à ne pas mettre de l'huile sur le feu. Les deux hommes ont un sacré caractère bien trempé, leur fierté qui leur est propre, gratter leur carapace respective ne sera pas une mince affaire.
J'ai hâte de découvrir la suite de leur relation, qui nous sera dévoilée dans le tout dernier tome.
C'était top de revoir tous ces personnages que l'on connaît déjà, un de mes couples chouchou déjà mais aussi un petit trio qui m'avait fait une forte impression ^^
Et ce qui est chouette, c'est que l'auteur a prévu de sortir les autres romans de manière très rapprochée. J'aime assez ce format en "épisodes", d'autant plus que l'auteur a su y apporter un rythme et une dynamique efficaces !
July 19, 2023
3.5 stars
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Rogue Launch is the first book in The Renegades series by Cara Dee. This one follows Elliot Jones and his ex brother-in-law, Joel, while they try to rescue his young niece, Blake, whose been kidnapped. Eliot and Joe have a complicated history that left them far from friendly with one another and an ocean's worth of hurt between them. But they will have to work together in order to save Blake.
This is my first time reading Cara Dee and while I did enjoy it, I hate hate hate cliffhangers and maybe this one isn't bad, but I have to wait three more books before their relationship resolves..like WHAT?!?! The next few books while I'm assuming following the main plot are from different couples perspectives.
He was fucking perfect for me. I knew I shouldn't think in those terms, but I couldn't help it. Everything about Joel reeled me in.
I also don't like Joel, but I mean that could be because we only get Elliot's POV which is either hurting or angry at him. My favorite parts were the glimpses into their past sprinkled throughout of their happier times together. Their situation is definitely messy as f*ck.
Overall Rogue Launch is a fast paced, action packaged story with older MCs, violence, cartels, bi rep, a messy romance, and a cliffhanger. I'm interested to see where the story continues.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Rogue Launch is the first book in The Renegades series by Cara Dee. This one follows Elliot Jones and his ex brother-in-law, Joel, while they try to rescue his young niece, Blake, whose been kidnapped. Eliot and Joe have a complicated history that left them far from friendly with one another and an ocean's worth of hurt between them. But they will have to work together in order to save Blake.
This is my first time reading Cara Dee and while I did enjoy it, I hate hate hate cliffhangers and maybe this one isn't bad, but I have to wait three more books before their relationship resolves..like WHAT?!?! The next few books while I'm assuming following the main plot are from different couples perspectives.
He was fucking perfect for me. I knew I shouldn't think in those terms, but I couldn't help it. Everything about Joel reeled me in.
I also don't like Joel, but I mean that could be because we only get Elliot's POV which is either hurting or angry at him. My favorite parts were the glimpses into their past sprinkled throughout of their happier times together. Their situation is definitely messy as f*ck.
Overall Rogue Launch is a fast paced, action packaged story with older MCs, violence, cartels, bi rep, a messy romance, and a cliffhanger. I'm interested to see where the story continues.
July 23, 2023
Rogue Launch is book one in The Renegades series.
Now that's how you start a series! Was I hooked right from the start? Absolutely! I've been hanging for this release since Cara first mentioned it! Action right from the beginning.
It absolutely packs a huge punch! But I feel this might just be tip of the iceberg for this series. This book starts us off with Elliot, his closest friends and the bane of his existence Joel on a mission to find the ones they love.
I love how this series ties into characters from two of my series faves from Cara, The Games & Auctioned. I can't wait to read more from this series especially knowing we get another Tenley book!
Now that's how you start a series! Was I hooked right from the start? Absolutely! I've been hanging for this release since Cara first mentioned it! Action right from the beginning.
It absolutely packs a huge punch! But I feel this might just be tip of the iceberg for this series. This book starts us off with Elliot, his closest friends and the bane of his existence Joel on a mission to find the ones they love.
I love how this series ties into characters from two of my series faves from Cara, The Games & Auctioned. I can't wait to read more from this series especially knowing we get another Tenley book!
Want to read
July 22, 2023😭💃🫣🕺🥳 so many emotions and I haven’t even started reading yet
Nts: Spotify playlist:
https://tinyurl.com/5fr7ru5z
Nts: Spotify playlist:
https://tinyurl.com/5fr7ru5z
December 31, 2023
RTC - January is my get shit done month! 🤞
July 26, 2025
Rating: 4
Steam: 2
PoV: single, 1st person
MM | suspense / action | military | second chance
Rogue Launch may have started off with a cosy barbecue, but it wasn’t long before things went FUBAR. This was a story that left me breathless several times, the suspense was high and there was plenty of action all the way through.
I loved the past scenes with Elliott and Joel, and it was clear that there was some attachment between them, even if they never had the chance to take things further. While they were mostly hostile to each other in the present, there were for sure some sexual tension between them. And I’m sure I picked up some jealousy from Joel…
There were a lot of familiar characters from Cara Dee’s other stories, but it will also work perfectly as a standalone. I liked Elliott and I was happy to see some more of Joel, I really look forward to seeing more of them and I’m curious about how things will develop between them. They were not exactly on friendly terms in this one.
Rogue Launch was a fantastic and thrilling start to The Renegades series, and I can’t wait for the rest of the books. Cara definitely left things on an edge and I’m anxious to get back to it!
-
I received an advanced copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Steam: 2
PoV: single, 1st person
MM | suspense / action | military | second chance
Rogue Launch may have started off with a cosy barbecue, but it wasn’t long before things went FUBAR. This was a story that left me breathless several times, the suspense was high and there was plenty of action all the way through.
I loved the past scenes with Elliott and Joel, and it was clear that there was some attachment between them, even if they never had the chance to take things further. While they were mostly hostile to each other in the present, there were for sure some sexual tension between them. And I’m sure I picked up some jealousy from Joel…
There were a lot of familiar characters from Cara Dee’s other stories, but it will also work perfectly as a standalone. I liked Elliott and I was happy to see some more of Joel, I really look forward to seeing more of them and I’m curious about how things will develop between them. They were not exactly on friendly terms in this one.
Rogue Launch was a fantastic and thrilling start to The Renegades series, and I can’t wait for the rest of the books. Cara definitely left things on an edge and I’m anxious to get back to it!
-
I received an advanced copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
July 20, 2023
I was so excited when I saw that a new book by Cara Dee was available for review on BookSprout, so I requested a copy right away and I was over the moon when I was granted one! 😭🙏🏼💕 I immediately started reading but soon realised that to fully enjoyed this book, I actually wanted to re-read “Power Play” and the books of the “Auctioned” series. However, that took me quite a bit longer than expected. Well, is depends on what you think is long 😂- I reread book 1 and finished book 2 and 3 of the auction series in three days haha! I also finished one of the stand-alones (The Job) however, I didn’t have enough time to read book 4-6, but I’m definitely getting back to those asap!
I absolutely loved getting back into Camassia Cove and meeting Gray and Darius again, also I completely forgot how long the auction series is 😱😂 and I love how much detail there is in these books and how everybody knows someone and is linked somehow to one of the characters of the other books…. and the same is the case for “Rogue Launch”! Rogue Launch is book one of a new series (The Renegades) and can be read on its own, however, just like Cara Dee’s other books it’s connected to her other series by the appearance of couples and characters we already know from her other books! We already know Gray and Darius, but also Reese and River from “the Game” series and some other old friends have a prominent role in this book!
From the first page I got the feeling I’d really like this story! I noticed right away that I really liked the writing style and the MC Elliott. However, I was a bit on the fence of whether or not I would actually like Joel! Throughout the story Cara Dee managed to slowly win me over tho! About the characters, I was actually kinda mad cause I got attached to some characters and as we know from “Auctioned” Cara Dee doesn’t shy away from unaliving some of the characters 🥲 (but I forgive her cause it was good for the plot 😭😂)
And then let’s talk about the writing: I was actually surprised when I started to book, it was relatively short! - with the settings I have on my phone ( I like to read my books on my phone as an e-book ) it consists out of 440 pages and took me about seven hours to read (at a relaxed pace!) but I was immediately sucked into the story. I just really like Cara Dee’s writing style and especially in Rogue Launch I loved how she structured the book’s chapters! It was different than I was used to, it being half in the past half of the present, quite a lot of fast-paced action in the present, and a lot more attention for romance, and the connection/relationship forming between Elliot and Joel in the chapters of the past. I think that really allowed for a nice contrast, and made this book feel like a full story even though it is a bit shorter than some of her other books!!
About the plot: so this is where it gets interesting, as a reader who has read part of the Auction series and some of the stand-alones, I can tell you that I still felt like I was missing out on the background / the back stories of some of the characters.
I was glad that Joel actually didn’t know that much about Elliotts work background, what happened in the past, and Elliot’s connections to certain "contacts"/bad guys. The “missing/important info” is explained quite well in the book based on Joel’s lack of knowledge and curiously lol! I found that a very pleasant way of the author to introduce, in a fast way, the most important and relevant information which led to the plot developments in this book (I don’t want to spoil too much). But it was sometimes a bit confusing as of how the characters were connected, and why, certain things of the past might get back to haunt them now. I think I would’ve enjoyed the book even more if I’d read all of the books before picking up this book. That being said, as I mentioned, it is explained quite well throughout the book so well you’re not missing any crúcial information. I just felt like I was missing out on the small details and Easter eggs which just give me a lot of joy with Cara Dee’s books, cause her books are pretty well connected through their characters!
One minor frustration is the ending!! As I mentioned “Rogue Launch” is part of a series and this is not a book with a closed ending, where in the next book we get to meet a different couple - no. Mysteries still have to be solved, fights still need to be fought and will our boys get back together? We’ll have to wait till the next book comes out to see! But on the other hand this is very promising cause we get a 4 part series! *squeal* I personally always feel like Cara Dee’s books only get better and better (and longer and longer haha) as we get further into the series! So I think we have a lot to look forward to! 👀🫶🏼
Overall, I can only say that I enjoyed reading “Rogue Launch” immensely!! It was a fast paced exciting read with quite a few different tropes than the ones that I have read before in Cara Dee’s books. I enjoyed the writing style a lot and couldn’t put the book down! Definitely recommend and a great addition the the other books - I do recommend reading the auctioned series before picking up this one!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. 🫶🏼
I absolutely loved getting back into Camassia Cove and meeting Gray and Darius again, also I completely forgot how long the auction series is 😱😂 and I love how much detail there is in these books and how everybody knows someone and is linked somehow to one of the characters of the other books…. and the same is the case for “Rogue Launch”! Rogue Launch is book one of a new series (The Renegades) and can be read on its own, however, just like Cara Dee’s other books it’s connected to her other series by the appearance of couples and characters we already know from her other books! We already know Gray and Darius, but also Reese and River from “the Game” series and some other old friends have a prominent role in this book!
From the first page I got the feeling I’d really like this story! I noticed right away that I really liked the writing style and the MC Elliott. However, I was a bit on the fence of whether or not I would actually like Joel! Throughout the story Cara Dee managed to slowly win me over tho! About the characters, I was actually kinda mad cause I got attached to some characters and as we know from “Auctioned” Cara Dee doesn’t shy away from unaliving some of the characters 🥲 (but I forgive her cause it was good for the plot 😭😂)
And then let’s talk about the writing: I was actually surprised when I started to book, it was relatively short! - with the settings I have on my phone ( I like to read my books on my phone as an e-book ) it consists out of 440 pages and took me about seven hours to read (at a relaxed pace!) but I was immediately sucked into the story. I just really like Cara Dee’s writing style and especially in Rogue Launch I loved how she structured the book’s chapters! It was different than I was used to, it being half in the past half of the present, quite a lot of fast-paced action in the present, and a lot more attention for romance, and the connection/relationship forming between Elliot and Joel in the chapters of the past. I think that really allowed for a nice contrast, and made this book feel like a full story even though it is a bit shorter than some of her other books!!
About the plot: so this is where it gets interesting, as a reader who has read part of the Auction series and some of the stand-alones, I can tell you that I still felt like I was missing out on the background / the back stories of some of the characters.
I was glad that Joel actually didn’t know that much about Elliotts work background, what happened in the past, and Elliot’s connections to certain "contacts"/bad guys. The “missing/important info” is explained quite well in the book based on Joel’s lack of knowledge and curiously lol! I found that a very pleasant way of the author to introduce, in a fast way, the most important and relevant information which led to the plot developments in this book (I don’t want to spoil too much). But it was sometimes a bit confusing as of how the characters were connected, and why, certain things of the past might get back to haunt them now. I think I would’ve enjoyed the book even more if I’d read all of the books before picking up this book. That being said, as I mentioned, it is explained quite well throughout the book so well you’re not missing any crúcial information. I just felt like I was missing out on the small details and Easter eggs which just give me a lot of joy with Cara Dee’s books, cause her books are pretty well connected through their characters!
One minor frustration is the ending!! As I mentioned “Rogue Launch” is part of a series and this is not a book with a closed ending, where in the next book we get to meet a different couple - no. Mysteries still have to be solved, fights still need to be fought and will our boys get back together? We’ll have to wait till the next book comes out to see! But on the other hand this is very promising cause we get a 4 part series! *squeal* I personally always feel like Cara Dee’s books only get better and better (and longer and longer haha) as we get further into the series! So I think we have a lot to look forward to! 👀🫶🏼
Overall, I can only say that I enjoyed reading “Rogue Launch” immensely!! It was a fast paced exciting read with quite a few different tropes than the ones that I have read before in Cara Dee’s books. I enjoyed the writing style a lot and couldn’t put the book down! Definitely recommend and a great addition the the other books - I do recommend reading the auctioned series before picking up this one!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. 🫶🏼
July 18, 2023
Ok, she finally got me. Cara Dee’s stories are so interconnected that any time I think to pick one up I can’t even figure out where to start or how I’ll ever catch up unless I only read her stories, some of which look absolutely frightening, and nothing else. I don’t know why I thought this would be a standalone story, foolish!
This is not a standalone and I felt like I walked into something and was missing a lot of what had already happened but, with that being said, I enjoyed the book, a lot, I just wish I had the backstory. Even without it though, I was able to dive into the current story. There weren’t missing pieces that I couldn’t get through, nothing like that. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment I just know having more information might have made it increased my enjoyment. I’m guessing some of these cats readers have been waiting for their stories.
It's been a good bit since I’ve read an action-packed story like this. Shoot em’ ups, explosions and all that jazz and I missed it! It was very exciting and there are so many moving parts I felt like Elliott wasn’t the only one who needed a whiteboard. I’m excited for the next installments, the mission is so very time sensitive and I’m so anxious. Faster, faster! It’s very exciting.
Now, let’s talk about the romance. There is just something about a setup like this that makes me cringe. I know we don’t know the whole story. I know that Elliott misunderstood Joel and what he was saying, I picked up on that much, but I don’t yet know the why in the first place and it skeeves me out and pisses me off. Elliott is hurt, Joel is beyond hurt and the sister is going to be hurt. Time is lost and there is so much anger. I just hope it can work itself out in a way that works for everyone. I hope to get a really good explanation as to why their lives are like this to begin with. Adding a kid to the mix just makes and already too complicated situation worse. I don’t know if my anxiety is due to the mission or the fucking romance!
But, what we are seeing in the present and the past I’m digging. I mean, it’s not perfect, these boys were both too young for forever but seeing that there was a chance swept me right away. I can’t even imagine what happened with the sister to get us where we are now. I probably shouldn’t hate her but I sort of do.
I knew this was going to end and not feel complete, I read the warning. I knew it but it still sucked the way it ended. And yes, I also know the rest of the stories will be out quickly but still the end just ended!
I’m really looking forward to the next stories and I think (again) I need to figure out a reading order and knock some of the interconnected stories out. I’d definitely like to know at least who some of the main characters in this series are before I get to their book.
Good stuff for sure.
**ARC provided by the author via Eliza Rae Services in exchange for an honest review.**
This is not a standalone and I felt like I walked into something and was missing a lot of what had already happened but, with that being said, I enjoyed the book, a lot, I just wish I had the backstory. Even without it though, I was able to dive into the current story. There weren’t missing pieces that I couldn’t get through, nothing like that. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment I just know having more information might have made it increased my enjoyment. I’m guessing some of these cats readers have been waiting for their stories.
It's been a good bit since I’ve read an action-packed story like this. Shoot em’ ups, explosions and all that jazz and I missed it! It was very exciting and there are so many moving parts I felt like Elliott wasn’t the only one who needed a whiteboard. I’m excited for the next installments, the mission is so very time sensitive and I’m so anxious. Faster, faster! It’s very exciting.
Now, let’s talk about the romance. There is just something about a setup like this that makes me cringe. I know we don’t know the whole story. I know that Elliott misunderstood Joel and what he was saying, I picked up on that much, but I don’t yet know the why in the first place and it skeeves me out and pisses me off. Elliott is hurt, Joel is beyond hurt and the sister is going to be hurt. Time is lost and there is so much anger. I just hope it can work itself out in a way that works for everyone. I hope to get a really good explanation as to why their lives are like this to begin with. Adding a kid to the mix just makes and already too complicated situation worse. I don’t know if my anxiety is due to the mission or the fucking romance!
But, what we are seeing in the present and the past I’m digging. I mean, it’s not perfect, these boys were both too young for forever but seeing that there was a chance swept me right away. I can’t even imagine what happened with the sister to get us where we are now. I probably shouldn’t hate her but I sort of do.
I knew this was going to end and not feel complete, I read the warning. I knew it but it still sucked the way it ended. And yes, I also know the rest of the stories will be out quickly but still the end just ended!
I’m really looking forward to the next stories and I think (again) I need to figure out a reading order and knock some of the interconnected stories out. I’d definitely like to know at least who some of the main characters in this series are before I get to their book.
Good stuff for sure.
**ARC provided by the author via Eliza Rae Services in exchange for an honest review.**
July 16, 2023
I just love the way Cara Dee writes such complex, action-packed books with great characters and settings.
This is book one in a series of four rapid release books that are coming out starting at the end of July.
The book starts off with all the main characters having a party when they are attacked, and 3 members of the party are kidnapped, including Blake, who is Elliotts neice, and Joels' daughter.
I really like the way the book was written with the small snippets of Elliott and Joel's past, which is steamy, to say the least!!
This book is all go from the very beginning, and the story will carry on throughout the series.
This book is a quick read that will have you hooked from the first page it does end kind of abruptly with not much resolved, but the story will continue in book 2.
This is book one in a series of four rapid release books that are coming out starting at the end of July.
The book starts off with all the main characters having a party when they are attacked, and 3 members of the party are kidnapped, including Blake, who is Elliotts neice, and Joels' daughter.
I really like the way the book was written with the small snippets of Elliott and Joel's past, which is steamy, to say the least!!
This book is all go from the very beginning, and the story will carry on throughout the series.
This book is a quick read that will have you hooked from the first page it does end kind of abruptly with not much resolved, but the story will continue in book 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews