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Titan #4
Savage Secrets
Caterina Cruz has no home. No loyalties. No objection to exacting torturous revenge. Her life’s mission is to destroy the terrorist who murdered her family. Then she steps into an elaborate game of charades alongside a Titan Group operative posing as an arms dealer—and her newlywed husband. The sexy distraction may be more than she can handle.
Attacked with a psychedelic drug weeks before, Rocco Savage is plagued with hallucinations that threaten his new rank as Titan’s second-in-command. No one knows and he wants to keep it that way. Throwing him further off his game, he now has a wife with her own secrets he can’t crack and an agenda he can’t control.
Their mission—an elaborate deception of heated glances and passionate kisses—spins out of control. With Rocco's mind already compromised, can he keep his secret and his distance? And with Caterina's tragic past controlling her every move, can she keep the con up long enough to secure her revenge? Or will both go down in flames?
Adult audiences: book includes violent scenes.
Attacked with a psychedelic drug weeks before, Rocco Savage is plagued with hallucinations that threaten his new rank as Titan’s second-in-command. No one knows and he wants to keep it that way. Throwing him further off his game, he now has a wife with her own secrets he can’t crack and an agenda he can’t control.
Their mission—an elaborate deception of heated glances and passionate kisses—spins out of control. With Rocco's mind already compromised, can he keep his secret and his distance? And with Caterina's tragic past controlling her every move, can she keep the con up long enough to secure her revenge? Or will both go down in flames?
Adult audiences: book includes violent scenes.
310 pages, Paperback
First published February 22, 2014
992 people are currently reading
1647 people want to read
About the author
Cristin Harber
54 books2,359 followersCristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy romantic suspense, military romance, and new adult. Fans voted her onto Amazon's Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.
The Titan Series:
Winters Heat
Sweet Girl
Garrison's Creed
Westin's Chase
Gambled
Chased
Savage Secrets
Hart Attack
Sweet One
Live Wire
Black Dawn
Bishop’s Queen
Locke and Key
Jax
Deja Vu
The Delta Series:
Delta: Retribution
Delta: Revenge
Delta: Rescue*
Delta: Redemption
Delta: Ricochet
*Delta: Rescue is a novella in Liliana Hart's MacKenzie Family Collection. It can read as a standalone story or in conjunction with either authors' series.
The Only Series:
Only for Him
Only for Her
Only for Us
Only Forever
Each Titan and Delta book can be read as a standalone (except for Sweet Girl), but readers will likely best enjoy the series in order. The Only series must be read in order.
7 Brides for 7 Soldiers:
Ryder (#1) - Barbara Freethy
Adam (#2) - Roxanne St. Claire
Zane (#3) - Christie Ridgway
Wyatt (#4) - Lynn Raye Harris
Jack (#5) - Julia London
Noah (#6) - Cristin Harber
Ford (#7) - Samantha Chase
The Titan Series:
Winters Heat
Sweet Girl
Garrison's Creed
Westin's Chase
Gambled
Chased
Savage Secrets
Hart Attack
Sweet One
Live Wire
Black Dawn
Bishop’s Queen
Locke and Key
Jax
Deja Vu
The Delta Series:
Delta: Retribution
Delta: Revenge
Delta: Rescue*
Delta: Redemption
Delta: Ricochet
*Delta: Rescue is a novella in Liliana Hart's MacKenzie Family Collection. It can read as a standalone story or in conjunction with either authors' series.
The Only Series:
Only for Him
Only for Her
Only for Us
Only Forever
Each Titan and Delta book can be read as a standalone (except for Sweet Girl), but readers will likely best enjoy the series in order. The Only series must be read in order.
7 Brides for 7 Soldiers:
Ryder (#1) - Barbara Freethy
Adam (#2) - Roxanne St. Claire
Zane (#3) - Christie Ridgway
Wyatt (#4) - Lynn Raye Harris
Jack (#5) - Julia London
Noah (#6) - Cristin Harber
Ford (#7) - Samantha Chase
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
November 21, 2019
As a huge fan of Cristin Harber's Titan series, I was eager to get my hands on Rocco Savage's story. I have to say, I yet again completely devoured this book. From start to finish it was filled with suspense, strong characters and most of all Cristin Harber's magical writing talents.
Caterina Cruz has one mission in her life; search and destroy the terrorists who decimated her entire existence. She will stop at nothing until she gets her revenge. Since that unfortunate day in her youth, she has held everyone at an arms distance. She is a force to be reconded with, but nothing could have prepared her for Rocco Savage, one of Titan's top men.
While on a mission, Rocco was inadvertently stabbed. The ramifications of this incident are far further than he would ever admit to anyone. He is pulled into another mission shortly after this incident and little does he know just how life-changing the experience will be.
I continue to love this series so much, that I automatically one-clicked the next story in this series. I can't wait to read more from this amazing author!
PS- The audio version of this book only enhanced Cristin's brilliance as an author. Jeffrey Kafer is fantastic to listen to. He has me hooked as a fan as well! His deep timber makes the storyline even better!
Caterina Cruz has one mission in her life; search and destroy the terrorists who decimated her entire existence. She will stop at nothing until she gets her revenge. Since that unfortunate day in her youth, she has held everyone at an arms distance. She is a force to be reconded with, but nothing could have prepared her for Rocco Savage, one of Titan's top men.
While on a mission, Rocco was inadvertently stabbed. The ramifications of this incident are far further than he would ever admit to anyone. He is pulled into another mission shortly after this incident and little does he know just how life-changing the experience will be.
I continue to love this series so much, that I automatically one-clicked the next story in this series. I can't wait to read more from this amazing author!
PS- The audio version of this book only enhanced Cristin's brilliance as an author. Jeffrey Kafer is fantastic to listen to. He has me hooked as a fan as well! His deep timber makes the storyline even better!
July 4, 2017
Wow
Shit got real in this book! Harber pulled no punches.
I LOVED Rocco. Absolutely! His inner thoughts were so funny at times. I liked Cat but thought she should have been a little better "trained". The events that took place in the book were gut wrenching. Just when you thought the hero would save the day...he did not. And the ending...yikes! Talk about rip your heart out! Luckily the epilogue was awesome.
Safety gang HUGE
Shit got real in this book! Harber pulled no punches.
I LOVED Rocco. Absolutely! His inner thoughts were so funny at times. I liked Cat but thought she should have been a little better "trained". The events that took place in the book were gut wrenching. Just when you thought the hero would save the day...he did not. And the ending...yikes! Talk about rip your heart out! Luckily the epilogue was awesome.
Safety gang HUGE
February 16, 2017
Original Review
5 Stars
Right from the start of this series Rocco has been a favourite of mine (well they are all favourites but Rocco has that extra little bit of twinkle if you know what I mean *waggles eyebrows*) and his story funnily enough turned out to be the hardest one to read, not because it wasn’t good or it was badly written because that is definitely not the case. Savage Secrets tells a story that brings out a variety of emotions including anger, rage and uneasiness and at times my eyes filled up. There were a few niggles that I had but they didn’t detract from the story and how well written it is, but when it came to the crunch I couldn’t deduct any stars as even with them this story deserved it’s very high rating. I can imagine that there were a few scenes that the author struggled to write and as a reader they were difficult to read.
This series is about a group of Alpha men and their ladies, some of who work alongside them for an agency called Titan. These men are the tough Alpha types who kick ass when needed and come up trumps every time, they are the toughest of the tough and they are the people the government calls when nobody else is up to the job, when a Black Ops mission is needed, when someone needs saving or a bad guy need taking out without anyone having to take responsibility….Some would call them the ‘A Team’. Their women can kick ass just as much as they can but are also feminine enough to want to be their man’s female, their sole mate.
The next part of this review contains MAJOR spoilers so be warned!
I am looking forward to reading Roman and Beth’s story which is due to be released sometime this summer (2014).
ARC courtesy of Mill Creek Press via Netgalley
5 Stars
Right from the start of this series Rocco has been a favourite of mine (well they are all favourites but Rocco has that extra little bit of twinkle if you know what I mean *waggles eyebrows*) and his story funnily enough turned out to be the hardest one to read, not because it wasn’t good or it was badly written because that is definitely not the case. Savage Secrets tells a story that brings out a variety of emotions including anger, rage and uneasiness and at times my eyes filled up. There were a few niggles that I had but they didn’t detract from the story and how well written it is, but when it came to the crunch I couldn’t deduct any stars as even with them this story deserved it’s very high rating. I can imagine that there were a few scenes that the author struggled to write and as a reader they were difficult to read.
This series is about a group of Alpha men and their ladies, some of who work alongside them for an agency called Titan. These men are the tough Alpha types who kick ass when needed and come up trumps every time, they are the toughest of the tough and they are the people the government calls when nobody else is up to the job, when a Black Ops mission is needed, when someone needs saving or a bad guy need taking out without anyone having to take responsibility….Some would call them the ‘A Team’. Their women can kick ass just as much as they can but are also feminine enough to want to be their man’s female, their sole mate.
The next part of this review contains MAJOR spoilers so be warned!
I am looking forward to reading Roman and Beth’s story which is due to be released sometime this summer (2014).
ARC courtesy of Mill Creek Press via Netgalley
November 21, 2014
Rocco wanted justice...She wanted vengeance...
4.25+ RATING- I consider Cristin Harber my number one author find of 2013! Everything she has written, just completely works for me. She’s knows what I want from a story and delivers each and every time. That’s why I’m a little pissed at myself for picking up Savage Secrets months ago, putting it down, and not coming back to read it until now. I should have known better. I definitely should have known better!
I’m not sure why I had a hard time getting into Savage Secrets the first time around. The Titan series has been a must read, stop what I’m doing, and read all the way through, type of book for me. The only thing I can figure out is... I am a sexist. Totally. See, in Savage Secrets, the first part of the book spends a lot of time on Rocco and what’s he’s going through after being drugged. He really struggles with the effects of the drugs and isn't his normal badass self. I like my hero’s emotionally vulnerable, not physically vulnerable, and I think I struggled with this. Because once again, I’m a total sexist. So I let this book linger on my kindle for months!
Fortunately, Cristin Harber just released book five in the Titan series, Hart Attack. Because I’m a good girl (some days) and read my series books in order (mostly because I’m anal), I had to finish Savage Secrets before I could pick up Hart Attack. It was a “must do”. So I picked Savage Secrets back up, hunkered down, and dove back in. What I quickly found upon picking it back up is that I must have been going through some kind of crisis when I put it down the first time. What the hell was I thinking??? This time around, I was immediately pulled into the story and the characters. Before I knew it, I was half way through. I don’t want to give anything away but will just say…Shit got REAL, fast! I thought a very important scene was going to go one way, but the author didn’t shy away from going a different direction and it really made the story line incredibly intense. This book had been lingering on my kindle for months? Sometimes, I make myself sick.
Titan is hands down one of my very favorite romantic suspense series ever! The series reminds me a good bit of Maya Banks KGI series (back when the KGI series were still really good) but better and Savage Secrets is a great addition! I’m not sure if it’s just been so long since I’ve spent some time with a Titan hero but Rocco, Rocco, Rocco… wowzer. Pure physical perfection. His body, his tats…yum. And how he acted, how he wanted to protect his “kitten”. Rocco is one of my favorite Titan hero's. Seriously. He just rocked! He definitely earned a spot on my best book boyfriends shelf.
“I’m here for the wrong reasons.” With the tips of two fingers, he touched her wrist and skimmed up her silky forearm. Shivers bit his shoulders. Something about touching the smoothness of her skin made her even more irresistible. If he hadn’t fucked their partnership up enough earlier, he was about to do it again.
“You.” Rocco touched her chin, her jaw line. His fingers brushed into her thick hair, then back. Both of his hands cupped her face. “I’m here because I couldn’t walk away. From you.”
The mix of suspense and romance was perfect. It’s so difficult to find really steamy romantic suspense stories that are well written. Most of what I come across isn't as steamy as I want or it's poorly written erotica.Savage Secrets, like the rest of the Titan series books, really delivered on the steam. HOT!
“You’re gonna come on my hand. On my face and on my cock.” His hand pumped, diving deeper, and he sucked a deep breath, cursing. “You have a long night ahead of you.”
One thing I have to note, the villain in Savage Secrets was totally creepy. Once again, I don't want give anything away but I cringed more than once at some of the things that came out of his mouth. His "quirks" were beyond freaky!
The book wasn’t perfect. I did have a hard time getting pulled into the first 20%. I loved the heroine but was a bit frustrated at her after she made a couple decisions that ended up having terrible consequences. I could understand why she did what she did but still thought she was pretty stupid for doing what she did. Follow me?
Overall, Savage Secrets was a solid, well-written steamy story and I’d recommend for all readers that love romantic suspense. For any lovers of romantic suspense that have not started on the Titan series, it’s a must read! I'm really excited to read Hart Attack, the next book in the series, and can't wait to see what the author releases next in the Delta series!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
4.25+ RATING- I consider Cristin Harber my number one author find of 2013! Everything she has written, just completely works for me. She’s knows what I want from a story and delivers each and every time. That’s why I’m a little pissed at myself for picking up Savage Secrets months ago, putting it down, and not coming back to read it until now. I should have known better. I definitely should have known better!
I’m not sure why I had a hard time getting into Savage Secrets the first time around. The Titan series has been a must read, stop what I’m doing, and read all the way through, type of book for me. The only thing I can figure out is... I am a sexist. Totally. See, in Savage Secrets, the first part of the book spends a lot of time on Rocco and what’s he’s going through after being drugged. He really struggles with the effects of the drugs and isn't his normal badass self. I like my hero’s emotionally vulnerable, not physically vulnerable, and I think I struggled with this. Because once again, I’m a total sexist. So I let this book linger on my kindle for months!
Fortunately, Cristin Harber just released book five in the Titan series, Hart Attack. Because I’m a good girl (some days) and read my series books in order (mostly because I’m anal), I had to finish Savage Secrets before I could pick up Hart Attack. It was a “must do”. So I picked Savage Secrets back up, hunkered down, and dove back in. What I quickly found upon picking it back up is that I must have been going through some kind of crisis when I put it down the first time. What the hell was I thinking??? This time around, I was immediately pulled into the story and the characters. Before I knew it, I was half way through. I don’t want to give anything away but will just say…Shit got REAL, fast! I thought a very important scene was going to go one way, but the author didn’t shy away from going a different direction and it really made the story line incredibly intense. This book had been lingering on my kindle for months? Sometimes, I make myself sick.
Titan is hands down one of my very favorite romantic suspense series ever! The series reminds me a good bit of Maya Banks KGI series (back when the KGI series were still really good) but better and Savage Secrets is a great addition! I’m not sure if it’s just been so long since I’ve spent some time with a Titan hero but Rocco, Rocco, Rocco… wowzer. Pure physical perfection. His body, his tats…yum. And how he acted, how he wanted to protect his “kitten”. Rocco is one of my favorite Titan hero's. Seriously. He just rocked! He definitely earned a spot on my best book boyfriends shelf.
“I’m here for the wrong reasons.” With the tips of two fingers, he touched her wrist and skimmed up her silky forearm. Shivers bit his shoulders. Something about touching the smoothness of her skin made her even more irresistible. If he hadn’t fucked their partnership up enough earlier, he was about to do it again.
“You.” Rocco touched her chin, her jaw line. His fingers brushed into her thick hair, then back. Both of his hands cupped her face. “I’m here because I couldn’t walk away. From you.”
The mix of suspense and romance was perfect. It’s so difficult to find really steamy romantic suspense stories that are well written. Most of what I come across isn't as steamy as I want or it's poorly written erotica.Savage Secrets, like the rest of the Titan series books, really delivered on the steam. HOT!
“You’re gonna come on my hand. On my face and on my cock.” His hand pumped, diving deeper, and he sucked a deep breath, cursing. “You have a long night ahead of you.”
One thing I have to note, the villain in Savage Secrets was totally creepy. Once again, I don't want give anything away but I cringed more than once at some of the things that came out of his mouth. His "quirks" were beyond freaky!
The book wasn’t perfect. I did have a hard time getting pulled into the first 20%. I loved the heroine but was a bit frustrated at her after she made a couple decisions that ended up having terrible consequences. I could understand why she did what she did but still thought she was pretty stupid for doing what she did. Follow me?
Overall, Savage Secrets was a solid, well-written steamy story and I’d recommend for all readers that love romantic suspense. For any lovers of romantic suspense that have not started on the Titan series, it’s a must read! I'm really excited to read Hart Attack, the next book in the series, and can't wait to see what the author releases next in the Delta series!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
September 2, 2016
Dear Cristin Harber....
My gracious woman, you can write a book! This is another fantastic addition to the Titan group. Another one bites the dust, as Roman would say!
Caterina Cruz is on a mission to exact revenge on a man that murdered her entire family. Rocco Savage is the newly appointed second in command at Titan. He was injured in a previous mission and is now plagued with hallucinations that could threaten his position at Titan. While on a mission, Caterina and the Titan group cross paths. Caterina seizes an opportunity to do some undercover work and requests Rocco specifically. Rocco wanted justice. Caterina wanted vengeance.
My Rocco:
Oh, I love me some Rocco. I just adore how a big bad military guy who's not ready to settle down can be brought to his knees by a beautiful woman and some eye batting. Rocco does have some faults.... for example I super hate it when a guy tries to control a woman and thinks shes too weak to take care of herself. Dude! Shes survived all these years without you, so I think she'll be ok.
Rocco you are a sexy beast and I would climb you like a spider monkey!
My Caterina:
Caterina is a badass most of the time. But, my biggest issue with her was that shes been preparing for this revenge for the past 20 years and then all of the sudden she gets his with a dumb stick. What in the hell happened Caterina! If I was in this book, I would smack you upside the head.
Yassine. I'm not going to spend much time on this but I just wanted to say EWWWW!
Lets talk about Rocco and Caterina together... MmmmHmmm! I love sex!
Rocco: "I'm here because I couldn't walk away. From you."
OHHHHH... I think I'm developing a thing for pianos!
There is just too much stuff to mention that I loved about this book. Plus I don't want to give all the good stuff away.
Now for the things that I didn't really like. I do have to be honest and say that I was a little worried in the beginning. I wasn't really connecting with the characters and I wasn't sure where the story was headed. Caterina was getting on my nerves a little with her Spanglish. However the Spanglish was primarily at the beginning so I was ok with the little bit that was used later. Another thing that dry humped my nerve was the fact that Rocco and Caterina hardly ever used their undercover names. If you are being watch by the enemy, you better believe I will call you Micky Mouse if thats your name.
At about 50% in is when it really got crazy and Cristin Harber bitch slapped me and gave me something that I never expected. It was bad. Im not gonna lie. It made my heart hurt. Harber did it again at 90% but in a completely different way. I was on the verge of tears for about the last 20%.
Overall, I really liked it. The story was really good, I loved the characters and I'm ready to have Rocco's babies. We get to see the rest of the Titan family in this book, which is always nice to see how the rest of the gang is doing. Jared is still kick ass and I love him and Sugar is just a juggernaut type of friend. Whew! That woman would wear me out. The sex and love story is fantastic! Then I almost cried. UGH! Just read this book!
Bravo Cristin Harber! Bravo!
Favorite Quotes:
"She could castrate them with a piece of dental floss."
"Big hairy monkey balls do nothing to get me naked"
"Prettiest pussy I've ever seen."
"Sweetest sound I've ever heard was when your tight pussy milked my cock, Kitten."
Then last... I just wanted to throw this extra picture in this review because once I saw it I immediately thought of Rocco and Cat.
My gracious woman, you can write a book! This is another fantastic addition to the Titan group. Another one bites the dust, as Roman would say!
Caterina Cruz is on a mission to exact revenge on a man that murdered her entire family. Rocco Savage is the newly appointed second in command at Titan. He was injured in a previous mission and is now plagued with hallucinations that could threaten his position at Titan. While on a mission, Caterina and the Titan group cross paths. Caterina seizes an opportunity to do some undercover work and requests Rocco specifically. Rocco wanted justice. Caterina wanted vengeance.
My Rocco:
Oh, I love me some Rocco. I just adore how a big bad military guy who's not ready to settle down can be brought to his knees by a beautiful woman and some eye batting. Rocco does have some faults.... for example I super hate it when a guy tries to control a woman and thinks shes too weak to take care of herself. Dude! Shes survived all these years without you, so I think she'll be ok.
Rocco you are a sexy beast and I would climb you like a spider monkey!
My Caterina:
Caterina is a badass most of the time. But, my biggest issue with her was that shes been preparing for this revenge for the past 20 years and then all of the sudden she gets his with a dumb stick. What in the hell happened Caterina! If I was in this book, I would smack you upside the head.
Yassine. I'm not going to spend much time on this but I just wanted to say EWWWW!
Lets talk about Rocco and Caterina together... MmmmHmmm! I love sex!
Rocco: "I'm here because I couldn't walk away. From you."
OHHHHH... I think I'm developing a thing for pianos!
There is just too much stuff to mention that I loved about this book. Plus I don't want to give all the good stuff away.
Now for the things that I didn't really like. I do have to be honest and say that I was a little worried in the beginning. I wasn't really connecting with the characters and I wasn't sure where the story was headed. Caterina was getting on my nerves a little with her Spanglish. However the Spanglish was primarily at the beginning so I was ok with the little bit that was used later. Another thing that dry humped my nerve was the fact that Rocco and Caterina hardly ever used their undercover names. If you are being watch by the enemy, you better believe I will call you Micky Mouse if thats your name.
At about 50% in is when it really got crazy and Cristin Harber bitch slapped me and gave me something that I never expected. It was bad. Im not gonna lie. It made my heart hurt. Harber did it again at 90% but in a completely different way. I was on the verge of tears for about the last 20%.
Overall, I really liked it. The story was really good, I loved the characters and I'm ready to have Rocco's babies. We get to see the rest of the Titan family in this book, which is always nice to see how the rest of the gang is doing. Jared is still kick ass and I love him and Sugar is just a juggernaut type of friend. Whew! That woman would wear me out. The sex and love story is fantastic! Then I almost cried. UGH! Just read this book!
Bravo Cristin Harber! Bravo!
Favorite Quotes:
"She could castrate them with a piece of dental floss."
"Big hairy monkey balls do nothing to get me naked"
"Prettiest pussy I've ever seen."
"Sweetest sound I've ever heard was when your tight pussy milked my cock, Kitten."
Then last... I just wanted to throw this extra picture in this review because once I saw it I immediately thought of Rocco and Cat.
April 27, 2016
Rocco and Cat! I loved this book, I think this one is my favorite one so far. Rocco had some issue from the previous mission they tackled on so his head is not in the game 100 percent. Cat bless her heart trying to get revenge on the man who killed her family and left her an orphan. The first half of the book it was great they were barley testing out the waters, I liked them together in there "fake marriage". Then BAM! the tragedy struck and it just broke my heart I was in tears. Cat is strong and even stronger still trying to go on with her life. Rocco was such a great character and an amazing hero always there for Cat when things got rough. I LOVED the epilogue!! I was happy we got to see into their future super cute.
February 28, 2023
I'm so fucking disappointed.
There won't be any spoiler tags because I want people to have an exact picture of what Savage Secrets is.
Tell me, was it really necessary for me to read about a woman getting brutally raped ON-PAGE without any warning whatsoever? Was it not enough that her entire family was massacred right in front of her young eyes, on her 10th birthday, by the same fucker who stripped away everything from her? She not only lost her family but also dedicated her entire life to finding this asshole to exact her vengeance. She doesn't have any roots, no friends or family, just a deep gaping wound that will never heal. Then to further her pain, you get her tortured and raped BY THE SAME NECROPHILIAC COCKSUCKER WHO KILLED HER ENTIRE FAMILY.
Did she really have to go through that? Was losing her family not enough of a driving force for her to want to kill this asshole? Did she have to get tortured and have her dignity taken away from her, which was the only thing she had left might I add, to add to the story???? I call bullshit.
AND THEN, you made her military boyfriend steal her chance to kill the monster who's ruined her life, and have him swoop in and be the hero. What was the point of making her a character that was an assassin who had skills to break the most seasoned criminals but when it came to herself, she needed the hero's help. And for the people saying that she made some stupid decisions, yeah she did. I'm guessing the monster who haunts your dreams raping you and making you feel helpless beyond measure would disorient you and make you act impulsively. Who the fuck can blame her?!
I'm so fucking mad at this book. As if all of that shit isn't enough, to top it off, she gets pregnant. I literally wanted to throw my phone away and still do when I think about it. The baby could have been Rocco's since they had unprotected sex just hours before her rape, but it also couldn't be. I wanted her to not continue with the pregnancy. I always love a pregnancy trope but I just wanted Cat to heal first.
Caterina has been through so fucking much, she has emotional and physical trauma that will never ever be forgotten, I just wanted her to have a normal life for once. I wanted her to HAVE A CHOICE in something in her life. She didn't have a choice when her family was killed, or when she was raped by a necrophiliac douchecanoe, or when she was possibly pregnant with her rapist's baby. I know it could've been Rocco's, but I just wanted her to live her life for herself for once.
Adding in that sappy little epilogue of 20 years later, with her brood of teenagers doesn't take away from the fact that this was a shit book.
I'm not averse to reading dark romances or rape scenes but I would have liked to be fucking warned. I've also never read a book about the good guys where the fmc actually goes through assault, on page, and that too so brutally after getting together with the hero. You mean to tell me that these guys who work with the government can't keep anyone safe, let alone their own woman. And the way Rocco hid very important details from Cat? I usually don't have problems with overbearing heroes but this one, I just wanted to punch in the nuts.
Beyond that shitshow, the writing doesn't flow well. At all. There's too many errors and most of my time went in trying to decode what the sentence actually meant. It was the same with the last book I read by Cristin Harber. There was a lot of sex in the beginning and too much insta-lust and insta-love. I don't mind either, but Rocco's affection just felt because of Cat's appearance, even if he said the right words at times. There's also no mention of how the Titans were able to guess the exact house where Cat was stashed in Somalia. And Rocco's hallucinations? They were never mentioned again, without any resolution. A lot of other plot holes as well have been left in the book, which suggests lazy writing. Which is a shame because I like the world CH creates.
I wanted much, much better for Cat, but the author did her so fucking dirty.
TL, DR; This book is a personal piece of hell and if you want a well written story and justice for the fmc, look elsewhere.
TW (for you guys since I didn't get any):
Brutally explicit rape of heroine on page
Death of family on page
Pregnancy (possibly by rapist)
There won't be any spoiler tags because I want people to have an exact picture of what Savage Secrets is.
Tell me, was it really necessary for me to read about a woman getting brutally raped ON-PAGE without any warning whatsoever? Was it not enough that her entire family was massacred right in front of her young eyes, on her 10th birthday, by the same fucker who stripped away everything from her? She not only lost her family but also dedicated her entire life to finding this asshole to exact her vengeance. She doesn't have any roots, no friends or family, just a deep gaping wound that will never heal. Then to further her pain, you get her tortured and raped BY THE SAME NECROPHILIAC COCKSUCKER WHO KILLED HER ENTIRE FAMILY.
Did she really have to go through that? Was losing her family not enough of a driving force for her to want to kill this asshole? Did she have to get tortured and have her dignity taken away from her, which was the only thing she had left might I add, to add to the story???? I call bullshit.
AND THEN, you made her military boyfriend steal her chance to kill the monster who's ruined her life, and have him swoop in and be the hero. What was the point of making her a character that was an assassin who had skills to break the most seasoned criminals but when it came to herself, she needed the hero's help. And for the people saying that she made some stupid decisions, yeah she did. I'm guessing the monster who haunts your dreams raping you and making you feel helpless beyond measure would disorient you and make you act impulsively. Who the fuck can blame her?!
I'm so fucking mad at this book. As if all of that shit isn't enough, to top it off, she gets pregnant. I literally wanted to throw my phone away and still do when I think about it. The baby could have been Rocco's since they had unprotected sex just hours before her rape, but it also couldn't be. I wanted her to not continue with the pregnancy. I always love a pregnancy trope but I just wanted Cat to heal first.
Caterina has been through so fucking much, she has emotional and physical trauma that will never ever be forgotten, I just wanted her to have a normal life for once. I wanted her to HAVE A CHOICE in something in her life. She didn't have a choice when her family was killed, or when she was raped by a necrophiliac douchecanoe, or when she was possibly pregnant with her rapist's baby. I know it could've been Rocco's, but I just wanted her to live her life for herself for once.
Adding in that sappy little epilogue of 20 years later, with her brood of teenagers doesn't take away from the fact that this was a shit book.
I'm not averse to reading dark romances or rape scenes but I would have liked to be fucking warned. I've also never read a book about the good guys where the fmc actually goes through assault, on page, and that too so brutally after getting together with the hero. You mean to tell me that these guys who work with the government can't keep anyone safe, let alone their own woman. And the way Rocco hid very important details from Cat? I usually don't have problems with overbearing heroes but this one, I just wanted to punch in the nuts.
Beyond that shitshow, the writing doesn't flow well. At all. There's too many errors and most of my time went in trying to decode what the sentence actually meant. It was the same with the last book I read by Cristin Harber. There was a lot of sex in the beginning and too much insta-lust and insta-love. I don't mind either, but Rocco's affection just felt because of Cat's appearance, even if he said the right words at times. There's also no mention of how the Titans were able to guess the exact house where Cat was stashed in Somalia. And Rocco's hallucinations? They were never mentioned again, without any resolution. A lot of other plot holes as well have been left in the book, which suggests lazy writing. Which is a shame because I like the world CH creates.
I wanted much, much better for Cat, but the author did her so fucking dirty.
TL, DR; This book is a personal piece of hell and if you want a well written story and justice for the fmc, look elsewhere.
TW (for you guys since I didn't get any):
Brutally explicit rape of heroine on page
Death of family on page
Pregnancy (possibly by rapist)
June 5, 2014
Reviewed on behalf of Give Me Books
If there were more stars to give I would! Cat with her angry outburst in Spanish and Rocco stole my heart with his humor and loyalty and Alfa side!
"Oh for Christ sakes. Ay carrumba, chimichanga. I have no idea what you're saying, but shut your pretty pie-hole." ~Rocco Savage~
This one completely and totally blew me away! Cristin just keep's finding new ways to blow shit up, this time she blew up my emotions! Rocco and Cat's story is so different from the others. Cristin has been known for her twist and turns in her books and you never know what's going to come next for Team Titan. Rocco and Cat's story isn't a pretty one it take's a few dark moments and a few times your wondering OMG what more could happen. I love a story that brings out all kinds of emotions in me I love my steam romance novels but I want to feel more than just heat. You get that in this story, you get the instant chemistry, and boy does it get hot, ( She never fails to find a new hot place for the Titan men to take care of business!) you get moments that rip your heart out and then slowly gets pieced back together, you have moments that your stomach just drops to the floor and your thinking OH HELL, and you don't know if you want to cry, throw up or do both. You have the on the edge of your seat moments that always come with these HOT Titan men! It has the sweetest .../... (no teasers) I have ever read in a book. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!! Cristin most defiantly knows how to write a kick-ass Heroin that is tougher than nails and knows how to kick ass and some sexy men that know how to make you hot in 0.2 seconds and protect their girls! This one is a MUST read!!
If there were more stars to give I would! Cat with her angry outburst in Spanish and Rocco stole my heart with his humor and loyalty and Alfa side!
"Oh for Christ sakes. Ay carrumba, chimichanga. I have no idea what you're saying, but shut your pretty pie-hole." ~Rocco Savage~
This one completely and totally blew me away! Cristin just keep's finding new ways to blow shit up, this time she blew up my emotions! Rocco and Cat's story is so different from the others. Cristin has been known for her twist and turns in her books and you never know what's going to come next for Team Titan. Rocco and Cat's story isn't a pretty one it take's a few dark moments and a few times your wondering OMG what more could happen. I love a story that brings out all kinds of emotions in me I love my steam romance novels but I want to feel more than just heat. You get that in this story, you get the instant chemistry, and boy does it get hot, ( She never fails to find a new hot place for the Titan men to take care of business!) you get moments that rip your heart out and then slowly gets pieced back together, you have moments that your stomach just drops to the floor and your thinking OH HELL, and you don't know if you want to cry, throw up or do both. You have the on the edge of your seat moments that always come with these HOT Titan men! It has the sweetest .../... (no teasers) I have ever read in a book. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!! Cristin most defiantly knows how to write a kick-ass Heroin that is tougher than nails and knows how to kick ass and some sexy men that know how to make you hot in 0.2 seconds and protect their girls! This one is a MUST read!!
June 20, 2014
Cristin Harber, you crafty author you. I've read all of your books and enjoyed them but this one is my favorite so far. Everything clicked for me with this story. I loved all the characters, old and new alike. Loved the story and the pacing of it. I was never bored or felt like I had to force myself to read. Action packed from beginning to end.
Caterina is a woman with a terrible past. Her family was murdered in front of her at her birthday party by an up and coming mobsterish type. She's dedicated her whole life to vengeance. She doesn't have a home or close ties because she's always on the move, tracking the Dog killer. I know it's kind of an odd name but when you read the story it all makes sense. She finally has a great lead but then the lead dies. She quickly comes up with a plan B. This is where Titan comes in.
In the previous book, Rocco Savage was injured by stabbing. Since then, Titan found out that the knife used to stab him with was laced with a high powered hallucinogenic. Rocco has had spells since then that leave him pretty incapacitated. He's kept this a secret from his teammates in fear for his job. He sees an angel that helps him to his room one night during one of his spells. This angel was Caterina. She asks for Titan's help with this case and picks Rocco as the one to pose as a couple with her.
From that point on, buckle your seat belts, because this is a roller coaster of a story. High suspense, questionable content for some, hot sex, a creepy bad guy with minions, and a very deserved HEA. If you haven't read this series yet, you really, really should. Lovers of military romantic suspense will be singing it's praises for the roof tops.
Caterina is a woman with a terrible past. Her family was murdered in front of her at her birthday party by an up and coming mobsterish type. She's dedicated her whole life to vengeance. She doesn't have a home or close ties because she's always on the move, tracking the Dog killer. I know it's kind of an odd name but when you read the story it all makes sense. She finally has a great lead but then the lead dies. She quickly comes up with a plan B. This is where Titan comes in.
In the previous book, Rocco Savage was injured by stabbing. Since then, Titan found out that the knife used to stab him with was laced with a high powered hallucinogenic. Rocco has had spells since then that leave him pretty incapacitated. He's kept this a secret from his teammates in fear for his job. He sees an angel that helps him to his room one night during one of his spells. This angel was Caterina. She asks for Titan's help with this case and picks Rocco as the one to pose as a couple with her.
From that point on, buckle your seat belts, because this is a roller coaster of a story. High suspense, questionable content for some, hot sex, a creepy bad guy with minions, and a very deserved HEA. If you haven't read this series yet, you really, really should. Lovers of military romantic suspense will be singing it's praises for the roof tops.
June 20, 2014
5 Stars - only second behind Cash and Nic's story!
Catarina Cruz is on a life’s mission to avenge the murders of her parents and brothers. She is so close and then one part of her plan falls apart. She must act quickly and call in a favor; never realizing the man who will help her avenge their deaths will be the one to complete her life.
Rocco is one Titan character I have loved since day one. His conviction to doing the right thing is admirable and his focus to make it happen incredible. Like all the other Titan heroes he was not looking for forever; but forever kind of snuck up on him in Cat. Cat fits in fine with all the other Titan women. She has a sharp tongue – often reverting to her native Spanish when under stress or angry (which drives Rocco the good kind of crazy) and she can defend herself. She is sort of a cross between Sugar and Nicola. Their love story has heart stopping and heart racing parts. I just loved them together. Rocco had the right amount of sexy with a little humor mixed in.
The plot is intense and fast moving from the first page. This is one Titan book where we travel the globe some. We see many Titan characters in a supporting role and a few you might not have thought you would see again. The love story and suspense are intricately woven. Plenty of time is given to each and at the end of the book I felt satisfied that Rocco and Cat had found forever love and would be part of the Titan family for years to come.
Cristin Harber writes fantastic romance suspense and at this point she is an automatic read for me. This book convinced me she can write even the most delicate scenes with class. She does not shy away from tough topics and scenes, she writes them with respect. I try to write my reviews spoiler free and let the reader enjoy the story unfolding, however in this case I feel compelled to point out that there could be a trigger issues for some with a violent scene of a sexual nature. This scene is integral to the plot and it is not just fluff added for shock factor. It wasn’t the easiest to read for me; but created a way to show what Cat and Rocco were really capable of and the depth of their love.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. I will also be purchasing the book to add to my Titan collection!
Catarina Cruz is on a life’s mission to avenge the murders of her parents and brothers. She is so close and then one part of her plan falls apart. She must act quickly and call in a favor; never realizing the man who will help her avenge their deaths will be the one to complete her life.
Rocco is one Titan character I have loved since day one. His conviction to doing the right thing is admirable and his focus to make it happen incredible. Like all the other Titan heroes he was not looking for forever; but forever kind of snuck up on him in Cat. Cat fits in fine with all the other Titan women. She has a sharp tongue – often reverting to her native Spanish when under stress or angry (which drives Rocco the good kind of crazy) and she can defend herself. She is sort of a cross between Sugar and Nicola. Their love story has heart stopping and heart racing parts. I just loved them together. Rocco had the right amount of sexy with a little humor mixed in.
The plot is intense and fast moving from the first page. This is one Titan book where we travel the globe some. We see many Titan characters in a supporting role and a few you might not have thought you would see again. The love story and suspense are intricately woven. Plenty of time is given to each and at the end of the book I felt satisfied that Rocco and Cat had found forever love and would be part of the Titan family for years to come.
Cristin Harber writes fantastic romance suspense and at this point she is an automatic read for me. This book convinced me she can write even the most delicate scenes with class. She does not shy away from tough topics and scenes, she writes them with respect. I try to write my reviews spoiler free and let the reader enjoy the story unfolding, however in this case I feel compelled to point out that there could be a trigger issues for some with a violent scene of a sexual nature. This scene is integral to the plot and it is not just fluff added for shock factor. It wasn’t the easiest to read for me; but created a way to show what Cat and Rocco were really capable of and the depth of their love.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. I will also be purchasing the book to add to my Titan collection!
July 18, 2015
4 1/2*
Love the Titan guys and this book was no exception. While it was darker than the other books in the series, it still had some great LOL moments. Rocco and Cat were great together and perfect for each other.
The only reason that this isn't getting 5* is because of the editing mistakes. Unfortunately there were a few missing words in sentences and spelling/grammar mistakes such as "where's" was used instead of "wears", "the" instead of "that" and "damn" instead of "dammed". Small things and easily fixed.
The other thing I would have liked more clarity on was Jace. Was he or wasn't he? It was implied he was, but not stated outright (and that's just my OCD showing up, I need things to be spelt out clearly). Sorry if I sound a bit vague here, I'm trying not to give away spoilers.
Love the Titan guys and this book was no exception. While it was darker than the other books in the series, it still had some great LOL moments. Rocco and Cat were great together and perfect for each other.
The only reason that this isn't getting 5* is because of the editing mistakes. Unfortunately there were a few missing words in sentences and spelling/grammar mistakes such as "where's" was used instead of "wears", "the" instead of "that" and "damn" instead of "dammed". Small things and easily fixed.
The other thing I would have liked more clarity on was Jace. Was he or wasn't he? It was implied he was, but not stated outright (and that's just my OCD showing up, I need things to be spelt out clearly). Sorry if I sound a bit vague here, I'm trying not to give away spoilers.
January 9, 2017
Closer to 3.5 stars. I love this series but Savage Secrets felt kinda disjointed to me, and there were a TON of editing errors. The story was good though, action packed, sexy, devastating & healing.
Warning: Graphic & horrifying rape scene. It was tough to read but I appreciated the seriousness that Ms. Harber took in dealing with the aftermath.
Warning: Graphic & horrifying rape scene. It was tough to read but I appreciated the seriousness that Ms. Harber took in dealing with the aftermath.
April 2, 2017
Sexy, action packed and a blast of fun.
January 25, 2021
Went back to read it again. I've read the titan series a few times. Can't help but love the different couples. I honestly couldnt pick my favourite couple which is a compliment to Cristin. That's for the hours of entertainment with the titan books. Warning once you start this book you won't be able to put it down.
January 26, 2015
“Te adoro. Te amo. Mi Galán.” - Caterina Cruz
What... what did I just read?! Oh, God, Cristin Harber, can your writing be any more perfect?!
Rocco Savage, now acting as the new second-in-command for the Titan group, accepts a solo mission after being specifically requested by Caterina Cruz, to take out one of the world's most famous terrorists. The funny guy of the group seems to have finally found his match in the fiery Spaniard - pretending to be her husband for the mission seems to be even easier as time goes by. But both he and Cat are hiding some very crucial things. If they want to survive - and be together - they will have to spill some of their darkest secrets. Can they trust in each other to do so?
Ok, well, if you have heard the rumors about needing to read the two Titan novellas between this book and the previous (Jared's story) then allow me to tell you, they're true. There are many things in Rocco's book that are explained but in a vague way - unless you've read Gambled and Chased you just can't fully grasp their importance, though.
Also, I never thought I'd live to see the day I would dare to like a Titan book more than Jared's but damn it all to hell, I adored this one! Probably more than Boss Man's story - can you believe it?!
But it's true! This book had:
- more action than the first one
- a couple that complicated each other more perfectly than the couple in the second one
- more badassery than the third one
- more drama and heavily traumatized feels than the first novella
- more suspense and plot twists than the second novella
I dare say this has to be Harber's Best. Book. Ever! I haven't read any other books of hers apart from Titan, of course, but I'm 100% sure about one thing: this woman goes in my "absolute writer recommendation" list - a mental list of mine that no matter how good a writer is, it's hard for just anyone to enter it.
I cried. And laughed. And swooned. And fangirled to the point where several members of my family had to enter my room and tell me to "shut up already" - many times over, might I add. I loved Caterina, I loved Rocco. Loved it all to death! The romance was sizzling hot, the tension nearly suffocating, the action breathtaking! No matter how much I tried to keep a level head about it, in order for me to be a fair judge, I just couldn't! It's a good thing, though, because there was nothing that could have been done differently - perfection to its ultimate glory!
I'm not giving anything else away - seriously, a single hint might be a BIG spoiler with this book. And trust me, in this case, you WANT to read Rocco's story! You'll be missing out big time on one of the best books there is out there if you don't!
“I fuckin’ love you, Kitten.” - Rocco Savage
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
What... what did I just read?! Oh, God, Cristin Harber, can your writing be any more perfect?!
Rocco Savage, now acting as the new second-in-command for the Titan group, accepts a solo mission after being specifically requested by Caterina Cruz, to take out one of the world's most famous terrorists. The funny guy of the group seems to have finally found his match in the fiery Spaniard - pretending to be her husband for the mission seems to be even easier as time goes by. But both he and Cat are hiding some very crucial things. If they want to survive - and be together - they will have to spill some of their darkest secrets. Can they trust in each other to do so?
Ok, well, if you have heard the rumors about needing to read the two Titan novellas between this book and the previous (Jared's story) then allow me to tell you, they're true. There are many things in Rocco's book that are explained but in a vague way - unless you've read Gambled and Chased you just can't fully grasp their importance, though.
Also, I never thought I'd live to see the day I would dare to like a Titan book more than Jared's but damn it all to hell, I adored this one! Probably more than Boss Man's story - can you believe it?!
But it's true! This book had:
- more action than the first one
- a couple that complicated each other more perfectly than the couple in the second one
- more badassery than the third one
- more drama and heavily traumatized feels than the first novella
- more suspense and plot twists than the second novella
I dare say this has to be Harber's Best. Book. Ever! I haven't read any other books of hers apart from Titan, of course, but I'm 100% sure about one thing: this woman goes in my "absolute writer recommendation" list - a mental list of mine that no matter how good a writer is, it's hard for just anyone to enter it.
I cried. And laughed. And swooned. And fangirled to the point where several members of my family had to enter my room and tell me to "shut up already" - many times over, might I add. I loved Caterina, I loved Rocco. Loved it all to death! The romance was sizzling hot, the tension nearly suffocating, the action breathtaking! No matter how much I tried to keep a level head about it, in order for me to be a fair judge, I just couldn't! It's a good thing, though, because there was nothing that could have been done differently - perfection to its ultimate glory!
I'm not giving anything else away - seriously, a single hint might be a BIG spoiler with this book. And trust me, in this case, you WANT to read Rocco's story! You'll be missing out big time on one of the best books there is out there if you don't!
“I fuckin’ love you, Kitten.” - Rocco Savage
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
December 23, 2014
Reviewed at Lost In A Book
It shouldn't be a big surprise that I've read all the books in the Titan Series and each one gets better than the last. This was no exception. Just like the other books in this series, you have your bad-ass alpha male hero and you have your bad-ass heroine. That is what sets this series apart from the rest and I love it.
The second my eyes hit the prologue, it had me. I was in tears before I even got to Chapter 1. Seriously, what kind of book does that? An awesome one!.
So, Rocco and Caterina, could there be two people more perfect for each other? I think not! Off the charts chemistry. Their banter was flirty and amusing. I loved how they interacted. And even though they were both keeping secrets they seemed to know what each other needed. They worked so well together, personally and mission-wise.
Cristin Harber finds a new way to surprise me with each story. I must say that I was not expecting what happened. My heart was racing, I was starting to panic and my mind was screaming, "No. This isn't going to happen. No. No. Rocco is gonna stop it. He will. This can't happen." and then it happened. I was devastated. I was bawling and it was ugly. I had to stop reading.
When I finally started back, I thought things were getting back to a not so dark place, but then... oh, total devastation, again. I cried for Cat, I cried for Rocco, I just cried and my heart hurt, it hurt so bad. I didn't want to finish. But I knew, I just knew, like all great romance novels, there would be a happily ever after.
And YES! It felt like a huge boulder was lifted off my chest. Thank goodness for that epilogue. If not for that I think I might still be crying.
It's that. That crazy emotional roller-coaster that makes this so great. I love a book that can make me have all these emotions. When I finish I'm so drained, I can do nothing but reflect. I may not like all of the emotions that I feel at the time, but in the end the emotions and the books are so worth it.
Oh... and just for the record, when they're in the car -- hottest thing ever!
-- a note of caution if you're thinking about picking this up. There is a violent rape scene, so reader beware.
*Copy received in exchange for an honest review
It shouldn't be a big surprise that I've read all the books in the Titan Series and each one gets better than the last. This was no exception. Just like the other books in this series, you have your bad-ass alpha male hero and you have your bad-ass heroine. That is what sets this series apart from the rest and I love it.
The second my eyes hit the prologue, it had me. I was in tears before I even got to Chapter 1. Seriously, what kind of book does that? An awesome one!.
So, Rocco and Caterina, could there be two people more perfect for each other? I think not! Off the charts chemistry. Their banter was flirty and amusing. I loved how they interacted. And even though they were both keeping secrets they seemed to know what each other needed. They worked so well together, personally and mission-wise.
Cristin Harber finds a new way to surprise me with each story. I must say that I was not expecting what happened. My heart was racing, I was starting to panic and my mind was screaming, "No. This isn't going to happen. No. No. Rocco is gonna stop it. He will. This can't happen." and then it happened. I was devastated. I was bawling and it was ugly. I had to stop reading.
When I finally started back, I thought things were getting back to a not so dark place, but then... oh, total devastation, again. I cried for Cat, I cried for Rocco, I just cried and my heart hurt, it hurt so bad. I didn't want to finish. But I knew, I just knew, like all great romance novels, there would be a happily ever after.
And YES! It felt like a huge boulder was lifted off my chest. Thank goodness for that epilogue. If not for that I think I might still be crying.
It's that. That crazy emotional roller-coaster that makes this so great. I love a book that can make me have all these emotions. When I finish I'm so drained, I can do nothing but reflect. I may not like all of the emotions that I feel at the time, but in the end the emotions and the books are so worth it.
Oh... and just for the record, when they're in the car -- hottest thing ever!
-- a note of caution if you're thinking about picking this up. There is a violent rape scene, so reader beware.
*Copy received in exchange for an honest review
March 5, 2014
Ever since I started the Titan series, I have been blown away with Cristin Harber and her ability to write an amazing romance series that his action and suspense. All of the books have had their own twists and turns filled with emotion and action that will have you hooked all the way until the end. I am now ready to give up all this greatness quite yet. I will have to reread these all with a glass of wine and some good chocolate before winter is over because it packs just the right amount of heat.
Rocco and Caterina have a connection that was dreamy and was hot in all the right places. I loved all of their conversations that they had between them and they fit together amazingly. Cristin does a great job in letting us in on he little details that make each of the characters tick so that when they meshed that well we understood exactly why. I was engaged with them in all their thoughts and reactions to different situations as if I was there myself. Catarina is a strong woman and any female character that is like this in a novel strikes me before any other. I want to be a stronger woman, but sometimes I find it hard to be that outgoing. She battled a lot in the present and with her past and I admired her courageousness. Rocco was battling things as well and I liked that he was able to admit when he did not know what decision to make. Rocco is a male that all women want. He is gentle and kind but uber strong when needed. A great balance like this in a man is swoonworthy for sure.
The rollercoaster that took on all the characters in this story had my emotions so mixed and torn up at some points that I knew that I was in love yet again with the Titan series. Cristin is an amazing author that will have you feeling every single emotion possible but still has you wanting more of the feeling even if it is not one that you normally experience on an everyday basis. All the characters are brought between the books in the series with ease which can sometimes be a challenge. Definitely pick this series up and give it a whirl. It does not disappoint in the least!
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this novel by Promotional Book Tours in exchange for my open and honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Rocco and Caterina have a connection that was dreamy and was hot in all the right places. I loved all of their conversations that they had between them and they fit together amazingly. Cristin does a great job in letting us in on he little details that make each of the characters tick so that when they meshed that well we understood exactly why. I was engaged with them in all their thoughts and reactions to different situations as if I was there myself. Catarina is a strong woman and any female character that is like this in a novel strikes me before any other. I want to be a stronger woman, but sometimes I find it hard to be that outgoing. She battled a lot in the present and with her past and I admired her courageousness. Rocco was battling things as well and I liked that he was able to admit when he did not know what decision to make. Rocco is a male that all women want. He is gentle and kind but uber strong when needed. A great balance like this in a man is swoonworthy for sure.
The rollercoaster that took on all the characters in this story had my emotions so mixed and torn up at some points that I knew that I was in love yet again with the Titan series. Cristin is an amazing author that will have you feeling every single emotion possible but still has you wanting more of the feeling even if it is not one that you normally experience on an everyday basis. All the characters are brought between the books in the series with ease which can sometimes be a challenge. Definitely pick this series up and give it a whirl. It does not disappoint in the least!
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this novel by Promotional Book Tours in exchange for my open and honest review. All thoughts are my own.
December 1, 2014
This is an ARC Review.
This one threw me for a loop. I had expectations for this book - uber alpha character (most of the male characters in this series have been a smidge over the top), good action, a bit of drama, with a dash of emotion. The story starts that way. Rocco Savage is the new second-in-command at Titan. He is working with a world-class interrogator to bring down a terrorist group. They are posing as an arms dealing couple. Things heat up, buildings go boom, and then our couple goes riding off into the sunset, right? Cristin Harber gives us that and a lot more.
Ms. Harber chooses to write a very gritty trauma into the storyline. I applaud her for that. It is a courageous portrayal. When reading romantic suspense there is one thing you can usually expect - the story can be violent. The plots often revolve around international or domestic terrorism, serial killers, or slave trafficking. However, when it comes to the relationship between our two main characters, we don't expect that violence to touch them in an intimate way. I don't know why it is so unexpected. Maybe it is because we suspend our reality just a little so that we can get our happily ever after. In this story, issues have to be worked out. We do not find a simple ending; although we do get a satisfying one in the end.
My one critique of this book is the disconnect between Rocco's drugging and the rest of the story. His episodes only seem to exist as a device to bring Rocco and Cat together. Disappointingly, it loses it role in the cat-and-mouse story with the Dog Killer. I thought there could've been an additional tension to the mission with Rocco's uncertain status due to the effects of the drugs. Still, this is a minor point in an other wise successful romantic suspense story.
IN A NUTSHELL:
I've never been so relieved for a happy ending. Cristin Harber takes a adventurous romantic suspense and ties it with a plot turn that has my emotions in a twist. A great read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This one threw me for a loop. I had expectations for this book - uber alpha character (most of the male characters in this series have been a smidge over the top), good action, a bit of drama, with a dash of emotion. The story starts that way. Rocco Savage is the new second-in-command at Titan. He is working with a world-class interrogator to bring down a terrorist group. They are posing as an arms dealing couple. Things heat up, buildings go boom, and then our couple goes riding off into the sunset, right? Cristin Harber gives us that and a lot more.
Ms. Harber chooses to write a very gritty trauma into the storyline. I applaud her for that. It is a courageous portrayal. When reading romantic suspense there is one thing you can usually expect - the story can be violent. The plots often revolve around international or domestic terrorism, serial killers, or slave trafficking. However, when it comes to the relationship between our two main characters, we don't expect that violence to touch them in an intimate way. I don't know why it is so unexpected. Maybe it is because we suspend our reality just a little so that we can get our happily ever after. In this story, issues have to be worked out. We do not find a simple ending; although we do get a satisfying one in the end.
My one critique of this book is the disconnect between Rocco's drugging and the rest of the story. His episodes only seem to exist as a device to bring Rocco and Cat together. Disappointingly, it loses it role in the cat-and-mouse story with the Dog Killer. I thought there could've been an additional tension to the mission with Rocco's uncertain status due to the effects of the drugs. Still, this is a minor point in an other wise successful romantic suspense story.
IN A NUTSHELL:
I've never been so relieved for a happy ending. Cristin Harber takes a adventurous romantic suspense and ties it with a plot turn that has my emotions in a twist. A great read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2014
Gut wrenching, exciting, sexy.
Not going to lie, this was probably the hardest book in the series for me to get into but once I started going I was hooked until the end.
I was a little put off because I thought both Rocco and Jared acted out of character a couple of times. Rocco's decision to not share his physical condition put his entire team and op in danger and was very unprofessional.
No spoilers here but Jared did something that I thought was simultaneously good and horrible. Those two things were difficult for me but once that was over it was full steam ahead.
There is a very graphic, unsettling scene in this book that may offend some readers. It was hard to get through and I was heartbroken for Cat.
The way that Rocco handled the fallout was stellar and made me like him even more.
As always, the entire team and other assorted characters show up in this book. It's always nice to get a look at other couples after their story is over.
This was a gritty, tough read that really made you work to get to the wonderful ending.
The epilogue was particularly appreciated.
Readers who don't necessarily need their romance tied up in a pretty bow and who don't shy away from some harsh realities in their fiction won't mind delving into this exciting, action packed story.
Cristin Harber always leaves me anxious for her next book... this is no different.
I know Roman is coming up and I can hardly wait!
Not going to lie, this was probably the hardest book in the series for me to get into but once I started going I was hooked until the end.
I was a little put off because I thought both Rocco and Jared acted out of character a couple of times. Rocco's decision to not share his physical condition put his entire team and op in danger and was very unprofessional.
No spoilers here but Jared did something that I thought was simultaneously good and horrible. Those two things were difficult for me but once that was over it was full steam ahead.
There is a very graphic, unsettling scene in this book that may offend some readers. It was hard to get through and I was heartbroken for Cat.
The way that Rocco handled the fallout was stellar and made me like him even more.
As always, the entire team and other assorted characters show up in this book. It's always nice to get a look at other couples after their story is over.
This was a gritty, tough read that really made you work to get to the wonderful ending.
The epilogue was particularly appreciated.
Readers who don't necessarily need their romance tied up in a pretty bow and who don't shy away from some harsh realities in their fiction won't mind delving into this exciting, action packed story.
Cristin Harber always leaves me anxious for her next book... this is no different.
I know Roman is coming up and I can hardly wait!
September 18, 2020
Cristin Harber has written an absolute cracking security series, if you're looking for loads of action; bromance; laughs; suspense and a hot & sexy romance, read these books!
Savage Secrets is my favourite of the series which is why I've come back for a re-read, actually listened to the audio and it's highly recommended, Jeffrey Kafer does an amazing narration with all the Titan books. Rocco and Cat's book is a fast paced, fuel injected, heart stopping ride.
Caterina is out for revenge, it has been her motivation to pursue one man since she was 10, the man that took everything away from her. Through her connections with Jared, head of the Titan Team she meets and teams up with Rocco, one of Jared's men. Uncomfortable and still suffering from being drugged on a recent job, Rocco finds himself posing as Cat's husband with the purpose of bringing down a terrorist.
There are secrets, Rocco is not aware of Cat's past, motives collide and right from the start sparks ignite with this couple and before they know it they're in too deep. Their mission is fraught with danger and has devastating results. Not many books make me tear up, but this one always does. Apart from all the action and suspense, it has a beautiful love story and a great epilogue.
Although this book could be read as a standalone, it would be best to read this series in order to fully appreciate the Titan team men and their woman. Definitely one of my favourite series.
Savage Secrets is my favourite of the series which is why I've come back for a re-read, actually listened to the audio and it's highly recommended, Jeffrey Kafer does an amazing narration with all the Titan books. Rocco and Cat's book is a fast paced, fuel injected, heart stopping ride.
Caterina is out for revenge, it has been her motivation to pursue one man since she was 10, the man that took everything away from her. Through her connections with Jared, head of the Titan Team she meets and teams up with Rocco, one of Jared's men. Uncomfortable and still suffering from being drugged on a recent job, Rocco finds himself posing as Cat's husband with the purpose of bringing down a terrorist.
There are secrets, Rocco is not aware of Cat's past, motives collide and right from the start sparks ignite with this couple and before they know it they're in too deep. Their mission is fraught with danger and has devastating results. Not many books make me tear up, but this one always does. Apart from all the action and suspense, it has a beautiful love story and a great epilogue.
Although this book could be read as a standalone, it would be best to read this series in order to fully appreciate the Titan team men and their woman. Definitely one of my favourite series.
December 21, 2019
I don’t know where to start with this book. All of the ones leading up to this I really enjoyed and I was excited for Rocco’s book but everything about it just fell flat. No one seemed to be able to make up their mind about what they wanted or how they felt, the heroine felt like a complete caricature who can’t handle any kind of human emotion yet she has a job as an interrogator? She can’t keep calm or control her feelings, but she can torture and interrogate people? That makes no sense. Then throw in the fact that the author made her a perpetual victim. Childhood trauma, a rape, a kidnapping, a beating, a surprise pregnancy but she doesn’t know who the father is because she was raped, etc. Reading this book felt like reading a poorly written script for a really crappy soap opera. The writing, compared to the other books, was garbage. There were typos and errors everywhere and, frankly, I almost gave up after the rape because 1. There was no legitimate warning that it was going to happen. Not in the beginning of the book and not in the blurb and 2. It was graphic. I don’t want to read that shit and I sure as hell don’t want it sprung on me unexpectedly. Yes, rape is a horrible thing and it happens (unfortunately) all the time to women and people in general everywhere, but I hate when it’s used the way it was in the book. At this point, I’m debating on finishing the series and this book has put me off in a major way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the fourth book that I've read from Cristin Harber and they stay just as good as the first book! The storyline is exciting and pulls you in with the action from the very first page.There is tension, both from the action, and sexual from the two main characters towards one another. This helps fuel the storyline further and faster. When I read Cristin Harber's stuff, I know there will be plenty of explosions, both in bed and out.
I love the Titan men. They are well-written, alpha military-type men who are just so hot, and have so much testosterone, you can almost smell it coming off the pages. I love alpha men, but I hate when they are paired with weak, whiny women.Rocco has always been a favorite of mine, in the background.
Thank God the women who are the counterparts of the Titan men are just as bad-ass as their men! Caterina is definitely Rocco's equal, is not his saving grace at his times of weakness. It shows the softer side of Caterina that you may not see without those hallucinations of Rocco's.
Overall, this was an incredible book to read, and I can't wait to read the next. It would be nice to see a thread of an enemy throughout the series, but without it, it makes it easier to read these books as a stand-alone and not be required to start from the beginning of the series.
This is the fourth book that I've read from Cristin Harber and they stay just as good as the first book! The storyline is exciting and pulls you in with the action from the very first page.There is tension, both from the action, and sexual from the two main characters towards one another. This helps fuel the storyline further and faster. When I read Cristin Harber's stuff, I know there will be plenty of explosions, both in bed and out.
I love the Titan men. They are well-written, alpha military-type men who are just so hot, and have so much testosterone, you can almost smell it coming off the pages. I love alpha men, but I hate when they are paired with weak, whiny women.Rocco has always been a favorite of mine, in the background.
Thank God the women who are the counterparts of the Titan men are just as bad-ass as their men! Caterina is definitely Rocco's equal, is not his saving grace at his times of weakness. It shows the softer side of Caterina that you may not see without those hallucinations of Rocco's.
Overall, this was an incredible book to read, and I can't wait to read the next. It would be nice to see a thread of an enemy throughout the series, but without it, it makes it easier to read these books as a stand-alone and not be required to start from the beginning of the series.
April 15, 2014
I love this series and know that amongst the action and suspense, I'm going find a man to love, a feisty lady that can bring him to his knees and plenty of explosions, both in the bedroom and when fighting the bad guys.
Savage Secrets is all that. Rocco Savage is no stranger and after what happened to him in Chased I couldn't wait to see how his story evolved. As is the case with all the Titan men, he's alpha, but just the right amount and whilst he's not without his secrets, he is a protective gent who will fight for those closest to him. And Catarina Cruz gets close. The Spanish firecracker is strong, independent with a huge heart but has a painful past and an axe to grind.
It is darker and heavier than the previous books and whilst I found it a little slower starting, when the action hits it pulls a real punch; some of which is brutally heartbreaking and doesn't make easy reading. My heart ached for both Rocco and Cat and their journey put me through the ringer, but amongst all the heartache was passion, intimacy and some wonderful touching moments and banter that made me smile. They were a wonderful couple with a deep connection. In some respect much more than that of our previous couples.
If you are a fan of this series, I doubt you will be disappointed and is a must read. And if you haven't met the Titan boys yet, this is a series I recommend.
Savage Secrets is all that. Rocco Savage is no stranger and after what happened to him in Chased I couldn't wait to see how his story evolved. As is the case with all the Titan men, he's alpha, but just the right amount and whilst he's not without his secrets, he is a protective gent who will fight for those closest to him. And Catarina Cruz gets close. The Spanish firecracker is strong, independent with a huge heart but has a painful past and an axe to grind.
It is darker and heavier than the previous books and whilst I found it a little slower starting, when the action hits it pulls a real punch; some of which is brutally heartbreaking and doesn't make easy reading. My heart ached for both Rocco and Cat and their journey put me through the ringer, but amongst all the heartache was passion, intimacy and some wonderful touching moments and banter that made me smile. They were a wonderful couple with a deep connection. In some respect much more than that of our previous couples.
If you are a fan of this series, I doubt you will be disappointed and is a must read. And if you haven't met the Titan boys yet, this is a series I recommend.
April 1, 2014
Savage Secrets is an intense read between a strong, resilient heroine and a hot, badass, Alpha hero who were thrown in situations no one could have foreseen.
Caterina lost her family while celebrating her 10th birthday. But she also gained a family when a young dark-eyed soldier made her a promise that she can have her vengeance when she’s ready.
Rocco is Titan’s second in command. He was injected with a hallucinogenic drug while rescuing the heroine of the previous story. He and Caterina meet when she helps him out during one of his episodes. Caterina requests for him to help her out with the person who killed her family El Mateperros. From there, their attraction for one another could not be contained. The chemistry between Cat and Roc is explosive.
This story is not for the faint of heart. There is action, suspense, violence and yes love. The heroine suffers not only from losing her family early on in her life. She is also violated in the worst way a woman could be by the Dog Killer. But with the hero’s patience and love, she conquers it all.
The epilogue answers the uncertainty we have at the end of the story. It also tells us how Rocco and Cats’ lives turned out. Ay Dios Mio!
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review .
Caterina lost her family while celebrating her 10th birthday. But she also gained a family when a young dark-eyed soldier made her a promise that she can have her vengeance when she’s ready.
Rocco is Titan’s second in command. He was injected with a hallucinogenic drug while rescuing the heroine of the previous story. He and Caterina meet when she helps him out during one of his episodes. Caterina requests for him to help her out with the person who killed her family El Mateperros. From there, their attraction for one another could not be contained. The chemistry between Cat and Roc is explosive.
This story is not for the faint of heart. There is action, suspense, violence and yes love. The heroine suffers not only from losing her family early on in her life. She is also violated in the worst way a woman could be by the Dog Killer. But with the hero’s patience and love, she conquers it all.
The epilogue answers the uncertainty we have at the end of the story. It also tells us how Rocco and Cats’ lives turned out. Ay Dios Mio!
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review .
March 4, 2014
Having read all of the books in the Titan series, I can definitely say this one was my favorite so far. In this one, the main characters are Rocco and Catarina. Rocco was recently injured on a mission (Chased: A Titan Novella) and is still having hallucinations from that injury. Catarina is a woman obsessed with revenge against the terrorist that killed her family. When opportunity to get that terrorist comes up, Catarina convinces Rocco to go undercover as a married couple. Only Rocco doesn't know just what this mission means to Catarina.
While this book did deal with some difficult issues, Harber managed to handle the issues well while still keeping to the story. Almost immediately you want to see Catarina not only get the bad guy but also a life that she never even dared to hope for. And you just have to laugh at Rocco's reaction to even the idea of a fake marriage as a mission cover! This was a great entry in the series and I certainly hope there are more to come.
While this book did deal with some difficult issues, Harber managed to handle the issues well while still keeping to the story. Almost immediately you want to see Catarina not only get the bad guy but also a life that she never even dared to hope for. And you just have to laugh at Rocco's reaction to even the idea of a fake marriage as a mission cover! This was a great entry in the series and I certainly hope there are more to come.
April 12, 2014
This book was provided by Mill Creek Press for an honest review...
4-4.5 stars..
Another great read in Titan Series! Rocco Savage is 2nd in command in the Titan Group. He's sent on a mission to "play husband" to the beautiful Caterina Cruz. She seems familiar to him, but he can't quite figure out why. To take down a terrorist, who also is the man that murdered Cat's family, they pose as this arms-dealing couple. Their relationship builds from there, Rocco puts the pieces together on the familiarity piece to him, and they encounter all sorts of trouble.
A heads up, there is a rape scene in the book. As 'rape scenes' go, I felt is was written well (as hard as it is to say that). It was difficult to read obviously, but it's not setting me for nightmares tonight.
They are a great couple; there are emotional parts to the book; there's a huge jump (twenty years)in the epilogue. I would definitely recommend the book; it's been a great series. Cannot wait for Roman and Beth!
4-4.5 stars..
Another great read in Titan Series! Rocco Savage is 2nd in command in the Titan Group. He's sent on a mission to "play husband" to the beautiful Caterina Cruz. She seems familiar to him, but he can't quite figure out why. To take down a terrorist, who also is the man that murdered Cat's family, they pose as this arms-dealing couple. Their relationship builds from there, Rocco puts the pieces together on the familiarity piece to him, and they encounter all sorts of trouble.
A heads up, there is a rape scene in the book. As 'rape scenes' go, I felt is was written well (as hard as it is to say that). It was difficult to read obviously, but it's not setting me for nightmares tonight.
They are a great couple; there are emotional parts to the book; there's a huge jump (twenty years)in the epilogue. I would definitely recommend the book; it's been a great series. Cannot wait for Roman and Beth!
December 21, 2016
Not happy
I really like this author and this series and I would have given this book more stars if certain elements in the book were removed. Caterina's rape and pregnancy. I understand that this is an extremely terrible act that occurs way to often and women can and do move on from it. I just don't want to read about it especially a graphic depiction when I am reading a romance book. I wish there would have been some type of disclaimer before I read it. I retread a lot of books and will reread this series but I will skip over this book, just as I skip over the shades of gray book in maya banks Kgi series. My ultimate favorite series. I don't think the rape was a necessary element in the book I still understood cat's desire to kill the dog killer without adding her rape into the mix. An attempted rape would have been fine if necessary but I really wish it wasn't in the book at all it really tainted this book for me
I really like this author and this series and I would have given this book more stars if certain elements in the book were removed. Caterina's rape and pregnancy. I understand that this is an extremely terrible act that occurs way to often and women can and do move on from it. I just don't want to read about it especially a graphic depiction when I am reading a romance book. I wish there would have been some type of disclaimer before I read it. I retread a lot of books and will reread this series but I will skip over this book, just as I skip over the shades of gray book in maya banks Kgi series. My ultimate favorite series. I don't think the rape was a necessary element in the book I still understood cat's desire to kill the dog killer without adding her rape into the mix. An attempted rape would have been fine if necessary but I really wish it wasn't in the book at all it really tainted this book for me
March 11, 2014
WOW!! What can I say! This author does not disappoint!
For some reason this book seemed off to me in the beginning & I couldn't get into it. I got kind of bored with Rocco's acid like trips from his previous exposure...
BUT!! When it took off, I couldn't put it down! I love Cristin Harber's descriptions! They are very detailed, but not over the top bringing boredom. This author can write! I think the best part of her writing is that she spares no one. If it happens & it is a major part of the story, it isn't brushed over... Meaning there is a part that is very graphic & heart stopping!
There are only a handful of authors that can write a riveting story, with heart stopping moments & Cristen Harber is one!! I am a faithful follower & these men are great. AND to think I started off not too sure about this book!
For some reason this book seemed off to me in the beginning & I couldn't get into it. I got kind of bored with Rocco's acid like trips from his previous exposure...
BUT!! When it took off, I couldn't put it down! I love Cristin Harber's descriptions! They are very detailed, but not over the top bringing boredom. This author can write! I think the best part of her writing is that she spares no one. If it happens & it is a major part of the story, it isn't brushed over... Meaning there is a part that is very graphic & heart stopping!
There are only a handful of authors that can write a riveting story, with heart stopping moments & Cristen Harber is one!! I am a faithful follower & these men are great. AND to think I started off not too sure about this book!
November 11, 2014
Oh wells it looks like I'm the minor here of where most people loved this book but I didn't. IMO, this book is the worst amongst them all in the series. I was/am pissed with almost everything in this book and suffice to say, both Titan and Cat are stupid, reckless, careless and selfish. I might as well just held high my beer and cheer for the villain. Amongst them all, the enemy was the only one with smarter tactical move and gave serious thought before he reacted. Besides, the drama llamas definitely a mood killer and for that alone, boohoo book just downgraded from good to terrible of two freaking stars. I'm disappointed. Read on your own peril.
November 18, 2014
4.25 stars!!
Cristin Harber never fails to kick ass. I was pleasantly excited for Rocco. Ms. Harber KICKED MY ASS with this book. Total book hangover. Came out of nowhere, kicked my ass up and down, I tell you. In fact, I ended up messaging Ms. Harber and informing her of my intention to drink some alcohol. True story.
This is how I felt:
For the rest of my review: Straight Shootin' Book Reviews
Cristin Harber never fails to kick ass. I was pleasantly excited for Rocco. Ms. Harber KICKED MY ASS with this book. Total book hangover. Came out of nowhere, kicked my ass up and down, I tell you. In fact, I ended up messaging Ms. Harber and informing her of my intention to drink some alcohol. True story.
This is how I felt:
For the rest of my review: Straight Shootin' Book Reviews
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