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Rockfort Security #3
Private Affair
Olivia Winters and Max Lyon knew each other way back when, but she was one of the cool kids, and he was a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Olivia’s a successful model now, and Max a PI much in demand.
When Olivia’s old high school friend is murdered-and a raft of “accidental” deaths may be murders, too-Max is the only man Olivia can trust to help her investigate.
As they team up, Max is blown away by Olivia’s courage under fire, and Olivia finds that the bad boy she remembers from the fringes of her social circle might just be the best man she’s ever met.
When Olivia’s old high school friend is murdered-and a raft of “accidental” deaths may be murders, too-Max is the only man Olivia can trust to help her investigate.
As they team up, Max is blown away by Olivia’s courage under fire, and Olivia finds that the bad boy she remembers from the fringes of her social circle might just be the best man she’s ever met.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
28 people are currently reading
658 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca York
319 books449 followersRuth Glick (born 1942) is a best-selling author of healthy cookbooks and has also written dozens of romantic suspense romance novels under the pen name Rebecca York.
Ruth earned a B.A. in American Thought and Civilization from George Washington University and an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Maryland. Although she always wanted to become a writer, Glick was convinced that her lack of spelling skills meant that her goal was unattainable. As a stay-at-home mother, she took a community college course to help her choose a career. The course made it very clear that writing was her primary interest. Glick began writing articles for newspapers and magazines, but after several years decided to try writing fiction. Her first book, a kids' science fiction book, was finally purchased by Scholastic Inc..
Since then, Glick has become a highly successful author of over 50 romantic suspense and paranormal novels. Many of her novels are published under the Harlequin Intrigue line, and in June 2003, she became one of the first authors published under Berkley's new Sensation imprint. Before 1997, she often collaborated with Eileen Buckholtz and Kathryn Jenson.
Glick also is a highly regarded author of cookbooks focusing on healthy eating. She sometimes hires trained chefs to test the recipes that she creates, and makes sure that every recipe is tested at least three times before it appears in one of her cookbooks.
Glick is the head of the Columbia Writers Workshop. She and her husband, Norman Glick, live in Columbia, Maryland, where Ruth collects rocks, and enjoys cooking, walking, reading, gardening, travel, and Mozart operas. They have two grown children, Elissa and Ethan, and two grandsons (Jesse and Leo).
Ruth earned a B.A. in American Thought and Civilization from George Washington University and an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Maryland. Although she always wanted to become a writer, Glick was convinced that her lack of spelling skills meant that her goal was unattainable. As a stay-at-home mother, she took a community college course to help her choose a career. The course made it very clear that writing was her primary interest. Glick began writing articles for newspapers and magazines, but after several years decided to try writing fiction. Her first book, a kids' science fiction book, was finally purchased by Scholastic Inc..
Since then, Glick has become a highly successful author of over 50 romantic suspense and paranormal novels. Many of her novels are published under the Harlequin Intrigue line, and in June 2003, she became one of the first authors published under Berkley's new Sensation imprint. Before 1997, she often collaborated with Eileen Buckholtz and Kathryn Jenson.
Glick also is a highly regarded author of cookbooks focusing on healthy eating. She sometimes hires trained chefs to test the recipes that she creates, and makes sure that every recipe is tested at least three times before it appears in one of her cookbooks.
Glick is the head of the Columbia Writers Workshop. She and her husband, Norman Glick, live in Columbia, Maryland, where Ruth collects rocks, and enjoys cooking, walking, reading, gardening, travel, and Mozart operas. They have two grown children, Elissa and Ethan, and two grandsons (Jesse and Leo).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 7, 2014
This romantic suspense story about a famous model and the private detective she hires had a lot of ups and downs. The suspense element was great...the whodunnit a mystery, the couple of really intense scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Not everything turns out hunky dory for all of the characters involved, and it's always nice to read a suspense novel when you can't actually guess the outcome.
Where it fell flat for me was the romance. It's apparent that Olivia and Max already know each other. I'm assuming that they met in one of the first two books, but I found it strange that there is such a decided lack of chemistry between the two. Not even a token awkwardness aside from the "which bed do we sleep in" part. Very little character description, and in turn, I just didn't "feel" this couple.
Something happens at the very end of this book that really shocked me, and it really ruined both the romance and the conclusion to the suspense aspect. It was abrupt, unexpected, and more brutal than I think most romance readers want to read about. Then this couple tops it off with a completely unbelievable scene the very next day, and the realism lost any believability that I had up to that point. Without spoiling anything, I just want to ask why in the world that was necessary? And how exactly did it blow over so fast that it was barely a blip on the radar for this hero and heroine? That was so tacky.
I read potential here, but it needed some umph. Possibly an overhaul of the last two chapters would have made me enjoy this ending a whole lot more.
Advance copy provided by the publisher for review
Where it fell flat for me was the romance. It's apparent that Olivia and Max already know each other. I'm assuming that they met in one of the first two books, but I found it strange that there is such a decided lack of chemistry between the two. Not even a token awkwardness aside from the "which bed do we sleep in" part. Very little character description, and in turn, I just didn't "feel" this couple.
Something happens at the very end of this book that really shocked me, and it really ruined both the romance and the conclusion to the suspense aspect. It was abrupt, unexpected, and more brutal than I think most romance readers want to read about. Then this couple tops it off with a completely unbelievable scene the very next day, and the realism lost any believability that I had up to that point. Without spoiling anything, I just want to ask why in the world that was necessary? And how exactly did it blow over so fast that it was barely a blip on the radar for this hero and heroine? That was so tacky.
I read potential here, but it needed some umph. Possibly an overhaul of the last two chapters would have made me enjoy this ending a whole lot more.
Advance copy provided by the publisher for review
December 22, 2014
There will be spoilers in this review.
I’ve always enjoyed the romantic suspense genre, and so have spent a lot of time defending it against people who accuse it of brutality. Yes, some books feature a great deal of violence against women – sexual or otherwise – but if you take a look at contemporary romance targeted at the under-25s these days you’ll see at least as much of it there.
However, there’re some authors who have been around in the RS genre for a long time now, prolific authors with a huge backlist, and I find I can’t defend their outdated writing with their blasé attitudes to rape.
Lindsay McKenna is one such author I’ve been annoyed by in the past year, and it turns out Rebecca York is another.
It wasn’t just the bizarre turn of events in the last ten percent of the story; I also found the writing to be emotionally unengaging. Too much tell and next to no show. I felt like I was reading a summary of events rather than the actual story.
Nowhere was this clearer than the end, where rape is used as nothing more than a convenient way to distract a captor. It is handled appallingly – I’d have expected a great deal more emotion and reaction even for a much less serious crime.
Only hours after this occurs, the book concludes with hero and heroine having sex. Recovery from rape took, like, a minute.
Some authors throw in rape to up the drama in their books (such as the truly repulsive scene in Maya Banks’ Shades of Gray), but even that didn’t seem to be the case here. It was dealt with with so little fuss it felt more like filler to make up the word count than even an attempt to brutalise a woman for entertainment.
I didn’t get it. And I didn’t get this book.
It was a huge disappointment.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
I’ve always enjoyed the romantic suspense genre, and so have spent a lot of time defending it against people who accuse it of brutality. Yes, some books feature a great deal of violence against women – sexual or otherwise – but if you take a look at contemporary romance targeted at the under-25s these days you’ll see at least as much of it there.
However, there’re some authors who have been around in the RS genre for a long time now, prolific authors with a huge backlist, and I find I can’t defend their outdated writing with their blasé attitudes to rape.
Lindsay McKenna is one such author I’ve been annoyed by in the past year, and it turns out Rebecca York is another.
It wasn’t just the bizarre turn of events in the last ten percent of the story; I also found the writing to be emotionally unengaging. Too much tell and next to no show. I felt like I was reading a summary of events rather than the actual story.
Nowhere was this clearer than the end, where rape is used as nothing more than a convenient way to distract a captor. It is handled appallingly – I’d have expected a great deal more emotion and reaction even for a much less serious crime.
“You’d better put on your pants before we go up.”
“Pants. Yeah, right. And my front.”
She pulled her bra down over her breasts and seated them in the cups, then reached for her panties and slacks, pulled them on and then put on her shoes.
Only hours after this occurs, the book concludes with hero and heroine having sex. Recovery from rape took, like, a minute.
“I told Fisher I was raped in high school by Masters and raped again yesterday.”
Some authors throw in rape to up the drama in their books (such as the truly repulsive scene in Maya Banks’ Shades of Gray), but even that didn’t seem to be the case here. It was dealt with with so little fuss it felt more like filler to make up the word count than even an attempt to brutalise a woman for entertainment.
I didn’t get it. And I didn’t get this book.
It was a huge disappointment.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
November 24, 2014
I can’t even tell you the thrill I felt when I realized Private Affair took place in my little town! Knowing all these little streets and shops just added so much to the reading experience for me; it’s an added bloom to my bonnet, if you will.
Traveling home for her high school reunion, Olivia Winters has asks for help from Rockfort Security. Olivia has just lost her good friend, and has begun to notice many friends and classmates are dying in random, yet curious, ways. Posing as her fiancé, private investigator Max Lyon is on the job - scoping out leads and paying especially close attention to those around them with his well trained eyes. It doesn’t take long before Olivia begins to feel threatened and Max decides things are more extreme than originally thought.
Olivia and Max move from client/professional relationship into a more personal one, and when this happens Max’s need to keep her safe raises the stakes.
Now I gotta go get books 1 & 2 in the Rockfort Series :)
T~
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Traveling home for her high school reunion, Olivia Winters has asks for help from Rockfort Security. Olivia has just lost her good friend, and has begun to notice many friends and classmates are dying in random, yet curious, ways. Posing as her fiancé, private investigator Max Lyon is on the job - scoping out leads and paying especially close attention to those around them with his well trained eyes. It doesn’t take long before Olivia begins to feel threatened and Max decides things are more extreme than originally thought.
Olivia and Max move from client/professional relationship into a more personal one, and when this happens Max’s need to keep her safe raises the stakes.
Now I gotta go get books 1 & 2 in the Rockfort Series :)
T~
Follow us on
KT Book Reviews
April 14, 2015
A Private Affair by Rebecca York is a 2015 Sourcebooks Casablanca Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've read Rebecca York's work for many years and she is usually very consistent, especially in her romantic suspense series. However, this one missed the mark.
Successful and driven fashion model, Olivia, returns to her hometown after the death of her best friend from high school. Olivia believes her friend's murder and the recent deaths of a couple of other people in her graduating class, is linked. Since the police are not going to buy into the conspiracy theory, Olivia puts her career on hold and hires a private detective, named Max to help her figure out what is going on.
Romantic suspense is actually a favorite of mine because it combines mystery and suspense with romance- my two favorite genres in one book. Win- Win. But, in this case, I was stunned by an incident toward the end of the book where Olivia is in a situation that should have taken her a very long time to recover from emotionally and is very controversial, at least I thought it was.
However, she shrugged it off really quickly and had no problems picking up her sexual relationship with Max almost immediately after this very difficult to read passage that I found disturbing on many, many levels.
But, even without that controversial scene and Olivia's very understated reaction to it, the plot was full of holes and paper thin.
I had the feeling I was reading a manuscript for the 1980's that had been touched up just enough to release as novel, because the story had a really dated feel to it.
I'm usually pretty easy to please and don't usually go in for harsh critiques in my reviews, but I can't recommend this one at all. 1.5 stars rounded to 2.
I've read Rebecca York's work for many years and she is usually very consistent, especially in her romantic suspense series. However, this one missed the mark.
Successful and driven fashion model, Olivia, returns to her hometown after the death of her best friend from high school. Olivia believes her friend's murder and the recent deaths of a couple of other people in her graduating class, is linked. Since the police are not going to buy into the conspiracy theory, Olivia puts her career on hold and hires a private detective, named Max to help her figure out what is going on.
Romantic suspense is actually a favorite of mine because it combines mystery and suspense with romance- my two favorite genres in one book. Win- Win. But, in this case, I was stunned by an incident toward the end of the book where Olivia is in a situation that should have taken her a very long time to recover from emotionally and is very controversial, at least I thought it was.
However, she shrugged it off really quickly and had no problems picking up her sexual relationship with Max almost immediately after this very difficult to read passage that I found disturbing on many, many levels.
But, even without that controversial scene and Olivia's very understated reaction to it, the plot was full of holes and paper thin.
I had the feeling I was reading a manuscript for the 1980's that had been touched up just enough to release as novel, because the story had a really dated feel to it.
I'm usually pretty easy to please and don't usually go in for harsh critiques in my reviews, but I can't recommend this one at all. 1.5 stars rounded to 2.
December 12, 2014
Think you’re good at figuring out who-dun-it before the big reveal? Rebecca York and Private Affair may just give your calculating mind a run for your money! When a top model decides a break from the limelight is in order, she heads home to the place she couldn’t get away from fast enough years before. Olivia finds herself drawn into the suspicious death of a former classmate. With help from private investigator, Max Lyon, they get neck deep in a cesspool of murder, lies and deadly secrets which may put them on target to be next on “the list.”
Posing as a married couple at a high school reunion seemed like a good idea at the time, but is Olivia’s heart in danger now, too? Max has a trouble past, and it seems these two have crossed paths before, but the man in front of her is definite hero material, but can he save her heart from breaking?
Rebecca York has nailed the mystery, the intrigue and twisted route to the end with her ability to tell a tale filled with devious layers of deceit. The relationship between Olivia and Max seems shadowed by their investigation, almost heating up, and then cooling off, with no dramatic “got you by the heartstrings” event to overshadow their main mission. Great planning by the author? A piece of the story that needs some depth? Only you can decide, one thing for sure, either way, you will be entertained from start to finish.
I received an ARC edition from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Rockfort Security - Book 3
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 352 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Posing as a married couple at a high school reunion seemed like a good idea at the time, but is Olivia’s heart in danger now, too? Max has a trouble past, and it seems these two have crossed paths before, but the man in front of her is definite hero material, but can he save her heart from breaking?
Rebecca York has nailed the mystery, the intrigue and twisted route to the end with her ability to tell a tale filled with devious layers of deceit. The relationship between Olivia and Max seems shadowed by their investigation, almost heating up, and then cooling off, with no dramatic “got you by the heartstrings” event to overshadow their main mission. Great planning by the author? A piece of the story that needs some depth? Only you can decide, one thing for sure, either way, you will be entertained from start to finish.
I received an ARC edition from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Rockfort Security - Book 3
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 352 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 19, 2020
Sometimes when I review a book, I can grade it easily because it's consistently a B or an A or an F or whatever throughout. Not so with Private Affair. This romantic suspense novel starts off strong, but pretty much implodes toward the end, leaving readers with a story that starts off well and ends up so poorly that it's actually even offensive.
Olivia Winters grew up as a farmer's daughter in wealthy Howard County, Maryland and did pretty much whatever she had to to fit in with the "popular" crowd in high school. Now an adult, she has left for New York City and found success as a model. She's quick to say she isn't a supermodel, but she has a steady stream of work. Returning home for her high school reunion has brought old demons to the surface, though.
Since Olivia left town, a number of her classmates have met mysterious, supposedly accidental ends. When her best friend gets murdered, Olivia is more than a little bit suspicious and so she turns to the Rockfort Agency for help investigating the deaths. It just so happens one of the principals in the agency went to Olivia's high school. Max Lyon was a couple of years ahead of her, and of course, he was the bad boy, outsider type.
As is often the case in these types of stories, Max felt an attraction to Olivia even back in high school, and it starts to come to the surface again as he works with her. In order to get into her high school "in crowd", he poses as Olivia's fiance. As they spend time together, the two start to trust one another and trust eventually turns into quite a bit more. The suspense keeps tightening and tightening as the story moves along, too, and I initially settled into something that felt a bit like a Christopher Pike throwback - in a good way.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
Olivia Winters grew up as a farmer's daughter in wealthy Howard County, Maryland and did pretty much whatever she had to to fit in with the "popular" crowd in high school. Now an adult, she has left for New York City and found success as a model. She's quick to say she isn't a supermodel, but she has a steady stream of work. Returning home for her high school reunion has brought old demons to the surface, though.
Since Olivia left town, a number of her classmates have met mysterious, supposedly accidental ends. When her best friend gets murdered, Olivia is more than a little bit suspicious and so she turns to the Rockfort Agency for help investigating the deaths. It just so happens one of the principals in the agency went to Olivia's high school. Max Lyon was a couple of years ahead of her, and of course, he was the bad boy, outsider type.
As is often the case in these types of stories, Max felt an attraction to Olivia even back in high school, and it starts to come to the surface again as he works with her. In order to get into her high school "in crowd", he poses as Olivia's fiance. As they spend time together, the two start to trust one another and trust eventually turns into quite a bit more. The suspense keeps tightening and tightening as the story moves along, too, and I initially settled into something that felt a bit like a Christopher Pike throwback - in a good way.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
August 1, 2015
York’s shockingly vivid scenes make this story easy to picture. She definitely kept me on my toes as the story unravelled. The subject matter was very hard hitting at times, bringing up a great deal of unsavoury topics, but York does so in a way that engages her readers, bringing it forward in a very straightforward, in your face manner that relates directly to the story at hand. Combined with suspense, action, and a very healthy dose of romance, she kept me hooked throughout.
I enjoyed getting to know the main characters in this story. They were very well developed, approachable individuals who made me laugh while capturing my heart. The fact that they both overcame their pasts in a big way was awesome. Their interactions with one another, as well as with the rest of the individuals in the story were quite revealing as well. Personal relationships were a large factor in the story, they highlighted the characters pasts and showed who they are today.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable story. York kept me guessing while capturing my heart. This was an enjoyable romantic suspense that could just as easily be read as a standalone or as part of York’s series.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed getting to know the main characters in this story. They were very well developed, approachable individuals who made me laugh while capturing my heart. The fact that they both overcame their pasts in a big way was awesome. Their interactions with one another, as well as with the rest of the individuals in the story were quite revealing as well. Personal relationships were a large factor in the story, they highlighted the characters pasts and showed who they are today.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable story. York kept me guessing while capturing my heart. This was an enjoyable romantic suspense that could just as easily be read as a standalone or as part of York’s series.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2019
ARC received for review
DNF
I'm bored and don't care. The story starts out with a different girl who gets killed. I was invested in her, and then boom, she's dead. I didn't like Olivia and her indifference. I'm done.
DNF
I'm bored and don't care. The story starts out with a different girl who gets killed. I was invested in her, and then boom, she's dead. I didn't like Olivia and her indifference. I'm done.
January 6, 2015
Compelled to investigate the death a high school classmate, Olivia Winters enlists the help of Rockfort Security PI Max Lyon. Posing as husband and wife they uncover a trail of grisly murders that puts them in the murderer’s path in this riveting romantic suspense. Once again, Rebecca York spins a captivating tale that ensnares and entertains guaranteeing the reader wants to know every last detail and Rockfort Security provides sexy and charming hunks for the reader to fall for and strong compelling heroines that the readers can relate to. Each story can be read as stand-alone novels but I do recommend that you read them all.
4 ½ STARS
“Copyright Night Owl Reviews”©
See my full review at:
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
4 ½ STARS
“Copyright Night Owl Reviews”©
See my full review at:
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
January 27, 2015
Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: Private Affair by Rebecca York http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1Zg
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
REVIEW:
This was a murder mystery that kept you flipping the pages. I immediately liked Olivia and Max which made the intense story all the better. Of course the Rockfort Security group was already a series I liked, this book was the best. I had to finish it all in one sitting. My only complaints would be that it is hard to believe a group of people could keep their mouths shut that long and I would have liked more heat in the romance part. But those two things didn’t keep me from turning those pages.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
REVIEW:
This was a murder mystery that kept you flipping the pages. I immediately liked Olivia and Max which made the intense story all the better. Of course the Rockfort Security group was already a series I liked, this book was the best. I had to finish it all in one sitting. My only complaints would be that it is hard to believe a group of people could keep their mouths shut that long and I would have liked more heat in the romance part. But those two things didn’t keep me from turning those pages.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2014
Private Affair is a thriller nicely set up so that the reader will not figure out the culprit too early.
I gave this story 3 stars because it is a little dull and hard-to-believe. I never quite felt the excitement of the chase or the terror of the victim. I didn't have that sizzle that comes from puzzling out the clues and determining "who-dunnit". The characters were only slightly engaging, and there were a couple of plot elements that I found hard to believe.
I read the first book in this series, but not the second. I don't know that I would buy another book in the series. It's just kind of "meh".
I gave this story 3 stars because it is a little dull and hard-to-believe. I never quite felt the excitement of the chase or the terror of the victim. I didn't have that sizzle that comes from puzzling out the clues and determining "who-dunnit". The characters were only slightly engaging, and there were a couple of plot elements that I found hard to believe.
I read the first book in this series, but not the second. I don't know that I would buy another book in the series. It's just kind of "meh".
January 21, 2018
A nice ending for quite a nice series.
With both of his partners settling down, Max Lyon seems the only reasonable choice when Olivia Winters, a famous model who coincidentally went to the same school as him, needs somebody to protect her without attracting attention - in other words, a bodyguard acting as her lover. But Olivia is not just in need of protection. Max's PI skill set will certainly be appreciated, as they both race against their past hunting them down - and a killer dead set on either silencing the model, or making her his.
While Olivia was not exactly my cup of tea as a heroine, and Max was... well, just OK in my book, I did enjoy their teamwork and the chemistry between them. Individually, they didn't really get my attention, yet together the concept seemed to work rather nicely. I loved how, despite the tension between them, there was still that air of familiarity. And the fact that they had a moment, even fleeting, in their teenage years, made it all better.
The Big Baddie wasn't that much of a surprise, unfortunately, and the scene between him and the captured Olivia left me with a bitter aftertaste - mainly because, psychologically, the aftermath just didn't make sense - but the pace was fast enough to forgive all that. And the dialogues and action all made up for it.
And so, the Rockfort Security series came to a close - a rather satisfying one, even. Bravo, Mrs. York!
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
With both of his partners settling down, Max Lyon seems the only reasonable choice when Olivia Winters, a famous model who coincidentally went to the same school as him, needs somebody to protect her without attracting attention - in other words, a bodyguard acting as her lover. But Olivia is not just in need of protection. Max's PI skill set will certainly be appreciated, as they both race against their past hunting them down - and a killer dead set on either silencing the model, or making her his.
While Olivia was not exactly my cup of tea as a heroine, and Max was... well, just OK in my book, I did enjoy their teamwork and the chemistry between them. Individually, they didn't really get my attention, yet together the concept seemed to work rather nicely. I loved how, despite the tension between them, there was still that air of familiarity. And the fact that they had a moment, even fleeting, in their teenage years, made it all better.
The Big Baddie wasn't that much of a surprise, unfortunately, and the scene between him and the captured Olivia left me with a bitter aftertaste - mainly because, psychologically, the aftermath just didn't make sense - but the pace was fast enough to forgive all that. And the dialogues and action all made up for it.
And so, the Rockfort Security series came to a close - a rather satisfying one, even. Bravo, Mrs. York!
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
July 1, 2017
Title: Private Affair - Rockfort Security Book 3
Author: Rebecca York
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: 1-6-2015
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Sagas; Romance
ISBN: 9781402280061
ASIN: B00BH1UKAE
Reviewed For NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 3.75 Stars
I was shocked over an act of violence that was treated as no more than a stealing of a kiss. To act as though nothing happened and did not affect the victim was not realistic and no way would a woman slip back into a physical relationship so easily. That is the reason for the low rating. It ruined the book for me.
My rating of "Private Affair" is 3.75 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NH1UKAE/...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/priv...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
Author: Rebecca York
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: 1-6-2015
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Sagas; Romance
ISBN: 9781402280061
ASIN: B00BH1UKAE
Reviewed For NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 3.75 Stars
I was shocked over an act of violence that was treated as no more than a stealing of a kiss. To act as though nothing happened and did not affect the victim was not realistic and no way would a woman slip back into a physical relationship so easily. That is the reason for the low rating. It ruined the book for me.
My rating of "Private Affair" is 3.75 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NH1UKAE/...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/priv...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
November 28, 2023
A ten year class reunion, a top model, high school secrets, and several murders from the class. Secrets that keep coming out and the Rockfort Security Agency have their hands full trying to keep their model alive. Hot, sizzling romance, steamy sex, and love....this book has it all!!!
December 24, 2025
Was an interesting romance/mystery for the first 300 pages filled with fast-paces action….but the last 30 pages ruined the whole book. The main dude character was like “I know how to make you feel better” after the main girl was SA….his answer was for them to get together….um absolutely not
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2022
2.5 stars
March 28, 2020
Reunions can be murder!
When a high school reunion triggers a murder Olivia Winters realises that someone has been carefully killing off her old schoolmates. Desperate for some answers she calls on Rockfort Security and Max Lyon. Max has some pretty bad memories of his high school days but Olivia isn't one of them. As the killer escalates it becomes apparent that something really bad happened ten years ago, something that he will do anything to cover up. Max comes to care for Olivia but she is not telling him everything. Trust does not come easy to her but her secrets could get them both killed. I really enjoyed this intriguing romantic suspense, book three of the series. Although it can be read on its own, as the other partners feature in the story I regret not reading the series in order.
When a high school reunion triggers a murder Olivia Winters realises that someone has been carefully killing off her old schoolmates. Desperate for some answers she calls on Rockfort Security and Max Lyon. Max has some pretty bad memories of his high school days but Olivia isn't one of them. As the killer escalates it becomes apparent that something really bad happened ten years ago, something that he will do anything to cover up. Max comes to care for Olivia but she is not telling him everything. Trust does not come easy to her but her secrets could get them both killed. I really enjoyed this intriguing romantic suspense, book three of the series. Although it can be read on its own, as the other partners feature in the story I regret not reading the series in order.
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March 22, 2017I wasn't engaged by the characters or the premise. This was a DNF for me.
January 15, 2015
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
Max Lyon and Olivia Winters weren’t exactly friends back in high school. Max was from the wrong side of the popular crowd and Olivia was practically the queen of the popular crowd. Aware of one another’s existence but hardly friends, they both graduated and went their separate ways. Years later, one of Olivia’s high school friends is murdered and a string of “accidental” deaths begin to get closer and closer to Olivia herself. The only person she can turn to for help is Max, now a successful Private Investigator. As Max tries to find out who is targeting the people around Olivia, he discovers a different person than the one he knew in high school and Olivia begins to think Max just might be the one man for her.
Private Affair was a mixed bag for me. Some parts of the book didn’t work but other parts were very well done. That said, I’m writing this review in a very different format so that I can make sure my points are made.
What did work: The suspense, mystery and danger. When I read a book that promises suspense, mystery and danger then damn it, that’s what I expect! Author Rebecca York did a great job of not only making me bite my nails wondering when the villain would make their next move but keeping the identity of the villain a total secret until the last few pages! That’s not easy! In fact, a few times I found myself taking a guess at who the villain was, only to be completely surprised by the real identity at the end. The mystery of who was terrorizing these characters was the real reason I kept reading Private Affair. There’s nothing like a good mystery to keep me turning the pages!
What didn’t work: The romance and the characters. This is a big deal because Private Affair is classified as a romantic suspense novel and the romance just wasn’t there for me. Max and Olivia had close to no chemistry at all. They were more like platonic friends at times than lovers! I just didn’t connect to Max or Olivia as characters, they fell flat for me. They had such potential to set off sparks between them but they never quite reached their potential which is a shame because if they had then Private Affair would have been a big contender in the romantic suspense category.
Final Verdict: Would I recommend this book? Yes but maybe not to romance fans. I think readers who enjoy suspense/thrillers would enjoy Private Affair more than romance fans. Of course, if you like your romance on the light side with a heavy dose of danger and mystery then by all means pick up a copy of this book and enjoy!
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
Max Lyon and Olivia Winters weren’t exactly friends back in high school. Max was from the wrong side of the popular crowd and Olivia was practically the queen of the popular crowd. Aware of one another’s existence but hardly friends, they both graduated and went their separate ways. Years later, one of Olivia’s high school friends is murdered and a string of “accidental” deaths begin to get closer and closer to Olivia herself. The only person she can turn to for help is Max, now a successful Private Investigator. As Max tries to find out who is targeting the people around Olivia, he discovers a different person than the one he knew in high school and Olivia begins to think Max just might be the one man for her.
Private Affair was a mixed bag for me. Some parts of the book didn’t work but other parts were very well done. That said, I’m writing this review in a very different format so that I can make sure my points are made.
What did work: The suspense, mystery and danger. When I read a book that promises suspense, mystery and danger then damn it, that’s what I expect! Author Rebecca York did a great job of not only making me bite my nails wondering when the villain would make their next move but keeping the identity of the villain a total secret until the last few pages! That’s not easy! In fact, a few times I found myself taking a guess at who the villain was, only to be completely surprised by the real identity at the end. The mystery of who was terrorizing these characters was the real reason I kept reading Private Affair. There’s nothing like a good mystery to keep me turning the pages!
What didn’t work: The romance and the characters. This is a big deal because Private Affair is classified as a romantic suspense novel and the romance just wasn’t there for me. Max and Olivia had close to no chemistry at all. They were more like platonic friends at times than lovers! I just didn’t connect to Max or Olivia as characters, they fell flat for me. They had such potential to set off sparks between them but they never quite reached their potential which is a shame because if they had then Private Affair would have been a big contender in the romantic suspense category.
Final Verdict: Would I recommend this book? Yes but maybe not to romance fans. I think readers who enjoy suspense/thrillers would enjoy Private Affair more than romance fans. Of course, if you like your romance on the light side with a heavy dose of danger and mystery then by all means pick up a copy of this book and enjoy!
January 3, 2015
Wow I feel in love with this series and the storyline was beautifully written. I know that I still have to read the first book in this series but these books can still be read as standalones. I was surprised with these characters and how they both were familiar but I couldn’t believe the amount of chemistry they shared.
Max Lyon and Olivia Winters went to the same high school but he was older than her but he knew her. Well then again who didn’t know her she was a beautiful young lady and he was there when she was with her friend when two young men were coaxing them. He wondered if she lived in one of those mansions in their town. He never would have thought that she lived in a farmhouse. Max was a man that lived a hard life but he did what he needed in order to have food to eat. His father left his mother when he was a teen then he needed to find a way for his belly not to be empty but that came with a price.
Olivia needed help when her bestfriend was murdered. There had been two other people that she went to school with that had ended up being murdered but who could she go to but not only that believe what she was saying. Olivia was a model and she was getting burned out but she needed to get away not only because of that but she needed to find out who was murdering her classmates. She ended up hiring Rockfort Security and they had come up with a cover story of having Max portray as her fiancée. But there are feeling that she has towards him but how she just met him but when one of her classmates flirts with him she feels jealously.
Will they be able to find out who the murderer is before another of her classmates dies or worse they come after her? Could it be a man or will it be a woman? Why will she not tell him why she believes the in crowd could be targeted but especially why does she think she could also be a target?
Private Affair was filled with action and suspense. I loved the characters and the plot moved at a perfect pace. Ms. York has out done herself again with a wonderful story that had the perfect amount of romance. The characters chemistry is sensual it’s passionate and I could tell that the tension was there from the moment they went to the high school reunion meeting then when they spent the first night in her home. Once I started reading this story I could not stop reading it because of the amount of suspense kept everything very interesting. There was only one thing that she needed to do in order for Max to find the murderer and that was tell him the truth of what happened in high school.
I totally recommend this read!
Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review
Max Lyon and Olivia Winters went to the same high school but he was older than her but he knew her. Well then again who didn’t know her she was a beautiful young lady and he was there when she was with her friend when two young men were coaxing them. He wondered if she lived in one of those mansions in their town. He never would have thought that she lived in a farmhouse. Max was a man that lived a hard life but he did what he needed in order to have food to eat. His father left his mother when he was a teen then he needed to find a way for his belly not to be empty but that came with a price.
Olivia needed help when her bestfriend was murdered. There had been two other people that she went to school with that had ended up being murdered but who could she go to but not only that believe what she was saying. Olivia was a model and she was getting burned out but she needed to get away not only because of that but she needed to find out who was murdering her classmates. She ended up hiring Rockfort Security and they had come up with a cover story of having Max portray as her fiancée. But there are feeling that she has towards him but how she just met him but when one of her classmates flirts with him she feels jealously.
Will they be able to find out who the murderer is before another of her classmates dies or worse they come after her? Could it be a man or will it be a woman? Why will she not tell him why she believes the in crowd could be targeted but especially why does she think she could also be a target?
Private Affair was filled with action and suspense. I loved the characters and the plot moved at a perfect pace. Ms. York has out done herself again with a wonderful story that had the perfect amount of romance. The characters chemistry is sensual it’s passionate and I could tell that the tension was there from the moment they went to the high school reunion meeting then when they spent the first night in her home. Once I started reading this story I could not stop reading it because of the amount of suspense kept everything very interesting. There was only one thing that she needed to do in order for Max to find the murderer and that was tell him the truth of what happened in high school.
I totally recommend this read!
Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review
February 5, 2017
Angela spent several hours working at her shop and building up her business. Lately Angela had a feeling someone was watching her. Angela was glad it was only a few steps to her car and it was well lit. Angela’s best friends from HS was Olivia who now had both fame and fortune in the fashion world. Angela hoped to get Olivia to come to their HS reunion. Angela was in her garage and then she was grabbed and a rope put around her neck. Olivia had returned for the reunion meeting even though HS had been the most miserable years of her life. But Olivia had come after Angela’s death. Olivia had brought Max with her and they were to act like they were together in actuality max partially owned Rockford Security When Olivia went to Rockford Security Max was the only one who could help her. Olivia felt unease about seeing her old classmates. Olivia was attracted to max but didn’t want to be. The main reason Olivia and Max had come to the planning meeting for the reunion was to try to figure out who killed Angela. He had two other people watching them - Shane and Jack . Max and Shane and Jack had pooled their resources to start Rockford Securities more than two years ago. .The men had met in a Miami jail and since they opened new recommendations came from satisfied customers. Olivia was Max's ticket into this group , his best opportunity to meet these people in a casual way . Someone was murdering Olivia’s classmates . three were already dead. There was Angela, Patrick and Gary and the only connection that could be found was that they had been part of the in crowd in H S. Max had been attracted to Olivia back in HS even though he was a couple years older. But Max had been a bad boy back then . Eventually Max uncovers the deaths of Olivia’s classmates are all murder and not an odd accident. Olivia has to tell Max she was raped in HS something she had kept secret until now.
I had mixed feelings about this story. I liked some of the parts but not others. The starting of this story is good but the ending not so much. I found a lot of the story hard to believe. Also it made no sense to me why Olivia would keep some things to herself when she hired Max and his team to help her find out what is really going on. I liked how max wanted to protect Olivia while also trying to find answers. I liked Max and Olivia as characters for the most part. I also liked most of the ins and outs of this story it just didn’t WOW m
I had mixed feelings about this story. I liked some of the parts but not others. The starting of this story is good but the ending not so much. I found a lot of the story hard to believe. Also it made no sense to me why Olivia would keep some things to herself when she hired Max and his team to help her find out what is really going on. I liked how max wanted to protect Olivia while also trying to find answers. I liked Max and Olivia as characters for the most part. I also liked most of the ins and outs of this story it just didn’t WOW m
January 16, 2015
Private Affair is the third book in the Rockfort Security series by Rebecca York. Model Olivia Winters knows that there is more to her friend's murder than the police believe. She returns to her childhood home after enlisting the help of private investigator Max Lyon. She has to face memories of her teen years in order to get to the bottom of the murder. max might be a PI now, but he is also a former police officer and graduate from the same high school. posing as an engaged couple they investigate what becomes a string of suspicious deaths and attacks. Soon Max and Olivia realize they're in too deep, but it is too late. They're getting close to the truth, each others secrets, and to giving into their attraction.
Private Affair, like the previous two books in this series, can stand on its own and has strong characters that hold true throughout the story. Olivia has been through a lot and still feels like an outsider and shuns the spotlight even though she makes her living in the public eye. more often than not she does what an authority figure suggests rather than taking risks. her insecurity irks me on occasion, but she steps up to the plate and stands up for herself and faces the demons from her past to prevent others from getting hurt. Max is a strong alpha male. he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks but has never worried much about fitting in. he does what he has to to survive, and defends those unable or unwilling to do so for themselves. I like that they knew each other in school, and the way they work together. There is plenty of give and take between the two, and some growth by Olivia. the suspense and mystery portion of the book is powerful and left me on edge most of the time. Even when I thought i had the answers i was unsure and eager to see how everything played out. this was not my favorite of the series, but it was still a decent read.
Private Affair was a solid read for a cold winter weekend. It was not my favorite of the series, or from this author, but i am still glad that I read it. I think fans of the series should read it to discover how the last partner of Rockfort Security gets his happy ending, and readers that love a suspense filled romance will enjoy the read. I was not a fan of Olivia, and I think that was what made me like this book less than the others.
Private Affair, like the previous two books in this series, can stand on its own and has strong characters that hold true throughout the story. Olivia has been through a lot and still feels like an outsider and shuns the spotlight even though she makes her living in the public eye. more often than not she does what an authority figure suggests rather than taking risks. her insecurity irks me on occasion, but she steps up to the plate and stands up for herself and faces the demons from her past to prevent others from getting hurt. Max is a strong alpha male. he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks but has never worried much about fitting in. he does what he has to to survive, and defends those unable or unwilling to do so for themselves. I like that they knew each other in school, and the way they work together. There is plenty of give and take between the two, and some growth by Olivia. the suspense and mystery portion of the book is powerful and left me on edge most of the time. Even when I thought i had the answers i was unsure and eager to see how everything played out. this was not my favorite of the series, but it was still a decent read.
Private Affair was a solid read for a cold winter weekend. It was not my favorite of the series, or from this author, but i am still glad that I read it. I think fans of the series should read it to discover how the last partner of Rockfort Security gets his happy ending, and readers that love a suspense filled romance will enjoy the read. I was not a fan of Olivia, and I think that was what made me like this book less than the others.
January 24, 2016
Lack of chemistry, consistency and caring about the characters made PRIVATE AFFAIR a major disappointment for me.
Olivia Winters and Max Lyon knew one another years ago, when she hung with the popular crowd and he was the bad kid from the wrong side of town. Now as adults, successful model Olivia turns to Private Investigator Max after her old friend is murdered. Olivia is fairly sure a string of "accidental" deaths may be murder too, and Max is the only man that Olivia feels comfortable trusting. Max is surprised to find that behind Olivia's gorgeous face is a woman who can hold her own when push comes to shove, and she's surprised that the former bad boy may be her perfect man. When the threat comes after the woman he's starting to care for, Max realizes he'll do whatever he can to protect her and find out who the murderer is.
PRIVATE AFFAIR started off intriguing, with a mysterious murder that captured my attention. Unfortunately, the story turned quickly confusing, jumping straight into Max and Olivia's faux engagement and not giving us any sort of backstory on why she came to him to begin with. And speaking of approaching Max with this case…I got really damn irritated that she refused to answer his questions, ones that she clearly knew were related to the murders, even though SHE hired HIM! This made no sense to me.
After the bizarre plot twist comes the consistency errors, but nothing is worse than the absolutely gratuitously horrible ending. I won't give anything away. Just take note that this book does hit on a LOT of hot button issues portrayed in a very blasé and emotionally unrealistic manner that may make the reader insane with anger. To add insult to injury, Max and Olivia had no chemistry, no spark of heat whatsoever. Given all of the disappointing aspects of this book, PRIVATE AFFAIR left a lot to be desired in a romantic suspense. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Olivia Winters and Max Lyon knew one another years ago, when she hung with the popular crowd and he was the bad kid from the wrong side of town. Now as adults, successful model Olivia turns to Private Investigator Max after her old friend is murdered. Olivia is fairly sure a string of "accidental" deaths may be murder too, and Max is the only man that Olivia feels comfortable trusting. Max is surprised to find that behind Olivia's gorgeous face is a woman who can hold her own when push comes to shove, and she's surprised that the former bad boy may be her perfect man. When the threat comes after the woman he's starting to care for, Max realizes he'll do whatever he can to protect her and find out who the murderer is.
PRIVATE AFFAIR started off intriguing, with a mysterious murder that captured my attention. Unfortunately, the story turned quickly confusing, jumping straight into Max and Olivia's faux engagement and not giving us any sort of backstory on why she came to him to begin with. And speaking of approaching Max with this case…I got really damn irritated that she refused to answer his questions, ones that she clearly knew were related to the murders, even though SHE hired HIM! This made no sense to me.
After the bizarre plot twist comes the consistency errors, but nothing is worse than the absolutely gratuitously horrible ending. I won't give anything away. Just take note that this book does hit on a LOT of hot button issues portrayed in a very blasé and emotionally unrealistic manner that may make the reader insane with anger. To add insult to injury, Max and Olivia had no chemistry, no spark of heat whatsoever. Given all of the disappointing aspects of this book, PRIVATE AFFAIR left a lot to be desired in a romantic suspense. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
December 22, 2015
Rebecca York’s Private Affair is a story of a young woman who’s looking for a killer, and the sexy private investigator who’s helping her do so. The setting is a high school reunion, where people who somehow got along then (or not) are trying to put together a gathering where they can show off how far they’ve come since. (This is entirely my own interpretation of a reunion, I haven’t been to any of mine…)
I liked Olivia, our heroine. She’s pretty down to earth even though she’s a successful model, and she’s mostly level-headed; “mostly” because even the most level-headed person loses it every once in a while.
I liked Max, too. He’s what I expect out of my heroes – smarts, strength (and not just the physical kind), and charm. Plus the security-geekery is icing on my cake. *grin*
The rest of the cast of characters (excluding Max’s partners) filled what I term the “Clue” set. There’s the jock and his mates, the cheerleader and hers, the “in” crowd, the ones they let hang with them, and the ones they didn’t. In this case, there’s also the moneyed crowd and the not-haves. I imagine going to Donley High was not the highlight of Olivia’s life…
Then you find out what happened back when (in dribs and drabs, because of course you can’t find out everything at once, it wouldn’t be a suspenseful story then), and you begin to understand why Olivia’s so hesitant to share the whole story with Max.
Rebecca York’s deftly talented hand strings you along on Olivia and Max’s adventure, and the twists while expected do come as a surprise. The romance is hot, the plot well drawn, and the story will keep you on your toes. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy this third addition to the Rockfort Security series.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
This review originally posted on drey's library.
I liked Olivia, our heroine. She’s pretty down to earth even though she’s a successful model, and she’s mostly level-headed; “mostly” because even the most level-headed person loses it every once in a while.
I liked Max, too. He’s what I expect out of my heroes – smarts, strength (and not just the physical kind), and charm. Plus the security-geekery is icing on my cake. *grin*
The rest of the cast of characters (excluding Max’s partners) filled what I term the “Clue” set. There’s the jock and his mates, the cheerleader and hers, the “in” crowd, the ones they let hang with them, and the ones they didn’t. In this case, there’s also the moneyed crowd and the not-haves. I imagine going to Donley High was not the highlight of Olivia’s life…
Then you find out what happened back when (in dribs and drabs, because of course you can’t find out everything at once, it wouldn’t be a suspenseful story then), and you begin to understand why Olivia’s so hesitant to share the whole story with Max.
Rebecca York’s deftly talented hand strings you along on Olivia and Max’s adventure, and the twists while expected do come as a surprise. The romance is hot, the plot well drawn, and the story will keep you on your toes. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy this third addition to the Rockfort Security series.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
This review originally posted on drey's library.
January 17, 2015
Originally published in booksandspoons.weebly.com/book-blog
Intriguing murder mystery, a book three in the series, that I just jumped in with this story.
The murder mystery is captivating. Dead bodies of classmates are showing up, as the 10th reunion is approaching. It seems all the possible suspects are from the certain group of friends, and so the chase starts. The clues and hints slowly coming in, the suspense is building, and many of the questions are leading towards certain duo of friends. But there comes another, surprising, action that muddy up the waters. So lots of twists, turns in the plot, that will keep you guessing through the story.
The chemistry in the story wasn't all there for me. The three investigators, who is supposed to be closer than brothers, don't come off that way. Olivia and Max have noticed each other in high school, and now as life has brought them together, the attraction is there, and even though they fight it for a short time, they soon are so driven by the passion that they can't help it. I wish I could have felt that scorching fire between them, but for me, it was a bit lacking.
Intriguing murder mystery, a book three in the series, that I just jumped in with this story.
The murder mystery is captivating. Dead bodies of classmates are showing up, as the 10th reunion is approaching. It seems all the possible suspects are from the certain group of friends, and so the chase starts. The clues and hints slowly coming in, the suspense is building, and many of the questions are leading towards certain duo of friends. But there comes another, surprising, action that muddy up the waters. So lots of twists, turns in the plot, that will keep you guessing through the story.
The chemistry in the story wasn't all there for me. The three investigators, who is supposed to be closer than brothers, don't come off that way. Olivia and Max have noticed each other in high school, and now as life has brought them together, the attraction is there, and even though they fight it for a short time, they soon are so driven by the passion that they can't help it. I wish I could have felt that scorching fire between them, but for me, it was a bit lacking.
January 22, 2015
“Did any of what happened in high school matter to now? Apparently it mattered to someone.”
It’s time for the Donley High School ten-year class reunion and several won’t be attending this year – because they’re already in their graves.
Donley may be considered the best high school in the country but it comes with it’s disadvantages too. Olivia Winters can’t help to wonder if she’s next in the killer’s sights when her high school BFF is strangled. Luckily for her, it’s class reunion time and a member of the Rockfort Security Agency, Max Lyon, puts more credence in her suspicions than the local police.
Someone wants their high school memories to stay buried and bringing troublemaker Max back to the forefront may cause more trouble than Olivia bargained.
Hott Review:
I LOVED 80% of this book. The romance, characters, and suspense through most of the book is just what I’ve grown to love from Rebecca York, but the last couple of pages was a bit weird and off-color. It was almost like someone else wrote the ending! It felt so odd that that characters that used so little foul language throughout the book would pour it out those last couple of chapters!
Now, I will admit that I still finished the book – I was too invested at that point to put it down – but, I don’t think I would have picked it up had I realized the ending.
More…
Author: Rebecca York
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley
Grade: B
Steam: Definitely a higher R Rating; Rape is a main topic
Setting: Howard County, Maryland
Series: Rockfort Security, 3
It’s time for the Donley High School ten-year class reunion and several won’t be attending this year – because they’re already in their graves.
Donley may be considered the best high school in the country but it comes with it’s disadvantages too. Olivia Winters can’t help to wonder if she’s next in the killer’s sights when her high school BFF is strangled. Luckily for her, it’s class reunion time and a member of the Rockfort Security Agency, Max Lyon, puts more credence in her suspicions than the local police.
Someone wants their high school memories to stay buried and bringing troublemaker Max back to the forefront may cause more trouble than Olivia bargained.
Hott Review:
I LOVED 80% of this book. The romance, characters, and suspense through most of the book is just what I’ve grown to love from Rebecca York, but the last couple of pages was a bit weird and off-color. It was almost like someone else wrote the ending! It felt so odd that that characters that used so little foul language throughout the book would pour it out those last couple of chapters!
Now, I will admit that I still finished the book – I was too invested at that point to put it down – but, I don’t think I would have picked it up had I realized the ending.
More…
Author: Rebecca York
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley
Grade: B
Steam: Definitely a higher R Rating; Rape is a main topic
Setting: Howard County, Maryland
Series: Rockfort Security, 3
December 7, 2014
PRIVATE AFFAIR was an action-packed thriller with a wonderful romance too. Olivia Winters is back in the small town she grew up in because a friend was murdered. She has become suspicious because other members of her class have been dying too. She comes home with Max Lyon posing as her fiance so that he can investigate. He's also from town but was a couple of years ahead of Olivia and was the bad boy from the poor part of town. Olivia was part of the in-crowd because of her beauty - a beauty she has parlayed into a successful modeling career.
Olivia is keeping secrets about what went on her senior year of high school and will have to share them with Max if they have any hope of solving the crimes. Olivia is also in danger because of what she knows and what she might tell. There was a lot of tension in this story. I liked the way Max and Olivia got to know each other and open up to each other.
Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story and, like me, be eager to find out the stories of Max's partners in Rockfort Security.
Olivia is keeping secrets about what went on her senior year of high school and will have to share them with Max if they have any hope of solving the crimes. Olivia is also in danger because of what she knows and what she might tell. There was a lot of tension in this story. I liked the way Max and Olivia got to know each other and open up to each other.
Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story and, like me, be eager to find out the stories of Max's partners in Rockfort Security.
February 12, 2015
Romance and suspense mix together in Rebecca York’s Private Affair. Olivia, a successful model, has come home for her high school reunion she is taken aback when her high school friend is murdered. After several other people are killed with accidents, and Olivia hires Max Lyon from Rockfort Security to protect her and figure out what is going on. The only problem is the answer is buried in the secrets of a long ago past best left alone.
I liked the book overall, the suspense was pretty good, and I was definitely surprised to learn what had gone on years ago that was impacting the future. Max was hot, and I liked the way he tried to protect Olivia while still searching for answers. Olivia was pretty good, although her flippancy toward past events was a bit disheartening. There was one part that really alarmed me about this story, and that was the way in which a very serious issue was handled, as though it could just be forgotten and someone could just get over it with no lingering effects.
I liked the book overall, the suspense was pretty good, and I was definitely surprised to learn what had gone on years ago that was impacting the future. Max was hot, and I liked the way he tried to protect Olivia while still searching for answers. Olivia was pretty good, although her flippancy toward past events was a bit disheartening. There was one part that really alarmed me about this story, and that was the way in which a very serious issue was handled, as though it could just be forgotten and someone could just get over it with no lingering effects.
December 25, 2014
For some reason I found the whole high school reunion aspect of this story to be funny, probably because HS was not fun for most people and most are apathetic about going to a reunion.
I liked how Olivia changed over the course of the story, how she faced her two lives, that of high school and her life after. It didn't seem like she was very happy in either, so I was happy that Olivia took the opportunity to make a change that could make her very happy.
I found the connection, past and present, between Olivia and Max to be interesting. I can see where Olivia started to talk about "what if", but think that Max's answers were probably right, it wasn't their time yet.
I hated the choice that Olivia made at the end, even as I new it was the only one that really gave her a chance to survive. Max's response to it was great and the only one that she needed him to have so that they could have a future.
I liked how Olivia changed over the course of the story, how she faced her two lives, that of high school and her life after. It didn't seem like she was very happy in either, so I was happy that Olivia took the opportunity to make a change that could make her very happy.
I found the connection, past and present, between Olivia and Max to be interesting. I can see where Olivia started to talk about "what if", but think that Max's answers were probably right, it wasn't their time yet.
I hated the choice that Olivia made at the end, even as I new it was the only one that really gave her a chance to survive. Max's response to it was great and the only one that she needed him to have so that they could have a future.
January 20, 2015
This was a really good susppense romance. I was really trying to figure who did what and why they did it! York did a great job keeping the reader engagdged. I recieved this book as an ARC from Netgalley and I enjoyed every page of it.
Olivia Winters just found out that her best friend and some of her other classmates have been killed in her hometown. Suspecting foul play she turns to Max Lyon a PI ,who also grew up in her home town, to help figure out what exactly is going on.
Max and Olivia travel back home pretending to be a couple so that no one suspects that they are trying to figure out exactly who is responsible for all of the deaths. Unfortunately for them their hearts want for them to make this relationship 100% real.
This book has the feel of the classic getting a chance with the 'one that got away' but with a twist. Assumptions about who they were in the past are blown apart and secrets are no longer hidden. Great book and great job Rebecca York.
Olivia Winters just found out that her best friend and some of her other classmates have been killed in her hometown. Suspecting foul play she turns to Max Lyon a PI ,who also grew up in her home town, to help figure out what exactly is going on.
Max and Olivia travel back home pretending to be a couple so that no one suspects that they are trying to figure out exactly who is responsible for all of the deaths. Unfortunately for them their hearts want for them to make this relationship 100% real.
This book has the feel of the classic getting a chance with the 'one that got away' but with a twist. Assumptions about who they were in the past are blown apart and secrets are no longer hidden. Great book and great job Rebecca York.
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