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Running #1
Running With the Devil
Taking a ride on the wild side is riskier than she ever imagined…
The mysterious Kenna Jones was the last person to have contact with a murdered federal informant, and DEA Agent Drake March goes undercover in South Dakota during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to unearth the link between the two. But from the moment Drake encounters the hot-bodied, hot-tempered quick change artist—he doesn’t trust her—or his instant attraction to her.
Posing as arm candy for bikers during the Rally is a humiliating—albeit quick—way to earn tuition for a cash-strapped grad student. After Kenna learns her regular biker patron is dead, she refuses to help the too tempting, too-sexy-for-his-badge Agent Drake March in his investigation…until he threatens to have her arrested.
When bullets start to fly and Kenna is the target, Drake’s protective instincts kick in. He quickly realizes the sweet woman is innocent—and in far over her head.
Fear and desire makes for an explosive combination in the hedonistic atmosphere among warring motorcycle clubs and shady drug dealers, leading Drake and Kenna into acting on their mutual lust. But is riding the edge of danger what makes their intimate moments feel like more? Or is their immediate connection the start of something real?
With their lives at stake, they have to trust each other before it’s too late…or will the devil come calling and finally get his due?
Previously published in 2007 by Samhain Publishing.
The mysterious Kenna Jones was the last person to have contact with a murdered federal informant, and DEA Agent Drake March goes undercover in South Dakota during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to unearth the link between the two. But from the moment Drake encounters the hot-bodied, hot-tempered quick change artist—he doesn’t trust her—or his instant attraction to her.
Posing as arm candy for bikers during the Rally is a humiliating—albeit quick—way to earn tuition for a cash-strapped grad student. After Kenna learns her regular biker patron is dead, she refuses to help the too tempting, too-sexy-for-his-badge Agent Drake March in his investigation…until he threatens to have her arrested.
When bullets start to fly and Kenna is the target, Drake’s protective instincts kick in. He quickly realizes the sweet woman is innocent—and in far over her head.
Fear and desire makes for an explosive combination in the hedonistic atmosphere among warring motorcycle clubs and shady drug dealers, leading Drake and Kenna into acting on their mutual lust. But is riding the edge of danger what makes their intimate moments feel like more? Or is their immediate connection the start of something real?
With their lives at stake, they have to trust each other before it’s too late…or will the devil come calling and finally get his due?
Previously published in 2007 by Samhain Publishing.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2007
70 people are currently reading
1461 people want to read
About the author
Lorelei James
77 books8,325 followersLorelei James is New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary erotic westerns and erotic romances. She lives in western South Dakota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 30, 2011
OMG, this was a seriously hot read! Ms. James sure knows how to write steamy love scenes, and I'll never look at a motorcycle the same way I used to do before I read this book... ;)
I'm not going to give a plot summary here because the book description does the job pretty well. The story had a good setup and the mystery/suspense part was interesting, even though I guessed who the villain was pretty easily - that's what happens when you have very few secondary characters. There were some gripping moments when Drake had to stand aside and let Kenna be mauled by some bad guys, and I really related to her "discomfort" - to put it mildly. I understood his need to keep his cover but Kenna wasn't an undercover agent, so I almost hated him for having forced her into that situation. Anyway, she made him see "the errors of his way" and they had the most sizzling make-up sex on a motorcycle... Oh boy, what a ride! *fans herself*
Drake was one hot DEA agent who had never had problems focusing on the job to be done - until he met Kenna... What I loved about him was, he wasn't a sex machine who lived his life fooling around. Granted, he enjoyed a healthy sex life as much as the next guy, but he wasn't like the popular manwhore in Romancelandia who only decides to redeem himself after he finds "the one". Kenna was sexy and funny at first, but the more I knew her, the more she grated on my nerves. I'd like to say that she was too naïve but, truth be told, she came across as a bit stupid to me. Come on, did she really think an escort service that provided only escort services was for real? Sorry but that was too far-fetched to buy.
Overall, I enjoyed Ms. James' writing and I had a great time reading this book - the sexual tension between Drake and Kenna was great and that's what I want to see when I read a romantica story. This was my 1st book by this author but it won't be my last.
I'm not going to give a plot summary here because the book description does the job pretty well. The story had a good setup and the mystery/suspense part was interesting, even though I guessed who the villain was pretty easily - that's what happens when you have very few secondary characters. There were some gripping moments when Drake had to stand aside and let Kenna be mauled by some bad guys, and I really related to her "discomfort" - to put it mildly. I understood his need to keep his cover but Kenna wasn't an undercover agent, so I almost hated him for having forced her into that situation. Anyway, she made him see "the errors of his way" and they had the most sizzling make-up sex on a motorcycle... Oh boy, what a ride! *fans herself*
Drake was one hot DEA agent who had never had problems focusing on the job to be done - until he met Kenna... What I loved about him was, he wasn't a sex machine who lived his life fooling around. Granted, he enjoyed a healthy sex life as much as the next guy, but he wasn't like the popular manwhore in Romancelandia who only decides to redeem himself after he finds "the one". Kenna was sexy and funny at first, but the more I knew her, the more she grated on my nerves. I'd like to say that she was too naïve but, truth be told, she came across as a bit stupid to me. Come on, did she really think an escort service that provided only escort services was for real? Sorry but that was too far-fetched to buy.
Overall, I enjoyed Ms. James' writing and I had a great time reading this book - the sexual tension between Drake and Kenna was great and that's what I want to see when I read a romantica story. This was my 1st book by this author but it won't be my last.
February 5, 2015
5 stars – Romantic Suspense/Erotica
Yowza...A ride on the wild side indeed! Running with the Devil by Lorelei James reminds me a lot of Jaci Burton’s Wild Riders series. There’s a sexy-as-sin undercover DEA agent posing as a biker badass, a spunky, smart heroine, a biker gang involved with a drug cartel, smokin’ hot sex (including a steamy erotic interlude on a bike), nasty villains, and exciting action, danger, and suspense.
Lead undercover DEA agent Drake March is a devilishly hot, arrogant alpha used to calling all the shots, but federal informant and feisty chameleon Kenna Jones completely turns his world upside down and brings out his soft side and protective instincts. The chemistry and tension between them is combustible, and the sex is scorching hot! When Drake’s manipulation in using Kenna to infiltrate a dangerous drug ring goes bad and puts her directly in the line of fire, he has to choose between the case and job he loves and the woman who rocks his bike!
Running with the Devil is a sexy, thrilling, entertaining read! 5 stars!
Yowza...A ride on the wild side indeed! Running with the Devil by Lorelei James reminds me a lot of Jaci Burton’s Wild Riders series. There’s a sexy-as-sin undercover DEA agent posing as a biker badass, a spunky, smart heroine, a biker gang involved with a drug cartel, smokin’ hot sex (including a steamy erotic interlude on a bike), nasty villains, and exciting action, danger, and suspense.
Lead undercover DEA agent Drake March is a devilishly hot, arrogant alpha used to calling all the shots, but federal informant and feisty chameleon Kenna Jones completely turns his world upside down and brings out his soft side and protective instincts. The chemistry and tension between them is combustible, and the sex is scorching hot! When Drake’s manipulation in using Kenna to infiltrate a dangerous drug ring goes bad and puts her directly in the line of fire, he has to choose between the case and job he loves and the woman who rocks his bike!
Running with the Devil is a sexy, thrilling, entertaining read! 5 stars!
June 20, 2008
Wow...what's not to love about this book? Sexy hero, smart heroine and some really hot sex...it just doesn't get any better than that! This was a really fast read for me. It immediately snagged my attention and held me hostage until I finished it!
Whew! Thanks for the recommendation girls:)
Whew! Thanks for the recommendation girls:)
April 2, 2017
I liked Kenna, and I wanted to eat Drake up!!! Although Kenna was quite naïve, her chemistry with smoking hot Drake was off the charts. The suspense aspect of this story was really pretty good. Kenna/Kaye was an interesting person, who seems to be trying to come to terms with the dual sides of herself. Drake is just the guy to help her out. They have incredible chemistry right from the first meeting, of course they also can't really stand each other and sharpen their tongues with all the verbal sparring, it is like foreplay for them. But even with all of that they are fun to watch as they try to fight, not very hard, their attraction. Wow, hottie Kenna and hottie Drake team up to solve a mystery and both know their attraction is above and beyond that and not part of the job. He worries as he will be onto his next job in the DEA soon and her because this persona is not her, she is a doctorate student, not a sexy biker chick. While they both work things out in their heads, they continue to have fire-worthy, 5 alarm sex, anytime the notion hits them!! STrong characters and yet Kenna seemed to have that vulnerability that gives her character authenticity. i'd really like too read a book about Geo and Shawnee.
OMG, this was a seriously hot read! Ms. James sure knows how to write steamy love scenes, and I'll never look at a motorcycle the same way I used to do before I read this book... ;) I'm not going to give a plot summary here because the book description does the job pretty well. The story had a good setup and the mystery/suspense part was interesting, even though I guessed who the villain was pretty easily - that's what happens when you have very few secondary characters. This is Erotica with a story! A story that was well written and wasn't cheesy. The erotica was HOT, HOT, HOT!!! This is an earlier LJ story, stand-alone. The Sturgis setting during Bike Week makes it a lot of fun, too. This is a combination naive girl with alpha guy and drug-lord thriller. The sex is quite hot, and the angst is solid, if somewhat repetitive. Overall very good story with a lot of steamy love scenes set among the back drop of the decadence that is Sturgis SD and Bike week. Another great book by Lorelei James. Np pretense, what it is, is what it is! Wonderful writing, as is always true with Lorelei James. This is the first non-Wyoming-cowboy novel of hers that I have read and really liked it. Still that tension-filled and sexually charged context to the conflict and resolution that makes for a good plot and story line. This is a really fun read. The dialogue is witty and the connection between the H/h is like lightning. There's a suspenseful plot in between some very hot loving. Heat level is 8 (1= Christian, 5=fade to black and 10= erotica).
OMG, this was a seriously hot read! Ms. James sure knows how to write steamy love scenes, and I'll never look at a motorcycle the same way I used to do before I read this book... ;) I'm not going to give a plot summary here because the book description does the job pretty well. The story had a good setup and the mystery/suspense part was interesting, even though I guessed who the villain was pretty easily - that's what happens when you have very few secondary characters. This is Erotica with a story! A story that was well written and wasn't cheesy. The erotica was HOT, HOT, HOT!!! This is an earlier LJ story, stand-alone. The Sturgis setting during Bike Week makes it a lot of fun, too. This is a combination naive girl with alpha guy and drug-lord thriller. The sex is quite hot, and the angst is solid, if somewhat repetitive. Overall very good story with a lot of steamy love scenes set among the back drop of the decadence that is Sturgis SD and Bike week. Another great book by Lorelei James. Np pretense, what it is, is what it is! Wonderful writing, as is always true with Lorelei James. This is the first non-Wyoming-cowboy novel of hers that I have read and really liked it. Still that tension-filled and sexually charged context to the conflict and resolution that makes for a good plot and story line. This is a really fun read. The dialogue is witty and the connection between the H/h is like lightning. There's a suspenseful plot in between some very hot loving. Heat level is 8 (1= Christian, 5=fade to black and 10= erotica).
April 18, 2014
KcLu's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
Undercover DEA Agent Drake March is on a case to stop the possibility of some purposely bad purestdelightawarddrugs hitting the streets. His informant, Jerry, is dead, and he is using the last lead he gave him. To do that he has to force help from Kenna, the sexy woman that was in touch with his informant throughout the last year. He just has to resist the instant attraction to her too.
Kenna is not what she seems. She is a grad student that was paid to ride on the back of Jerry’s bike looking sexy and show him around the Sturgis rally the year before. When she gets a mysterious email from the supposedly dead Jerry, she goes to the meeting never expecting she would be forced to work with the sexy DEA agent or so attracted to him. These two are like a powder keg together. As much Kenna wants to resist her attraction to Drake, he gets his lips on her and she is lost!!
I don’t know how else to put it except to say that this book is freaking fabulous!!! It is so smoking HOT it will have you wanting your guy to have a motorcycle around to try out one scene!!!!! It has gone into the top five of my favorites by LJ. I don’t say that lightly, but her writing style is one of the few that if she wrote the phone book I would read that. I have shied away from writing reviews of her stuff because as you can see I go fan girl crazy when I talk about her books! This is one that I wish she would make a series!! It has really great supporting characters that are screaming for their story to be told!! If you haven’t read this one snatch it up, and get to reading it!! BUT BE WARNED you will need the following to read it: a fan, ice water, batteries and / or a man close by!!
*this book was previously published in 2007
5 Stars
Undercover DEA Agent Drake March is on a case to stop the possibility of some purposely bad purestdelightawarddrugs hitting the streets. His informant, Jerry, is dead, and he is using the last lead he gave him. To do that he has to force help from Kenna, the sexy woman that was in touch with his informant throughout the last year. He just has to resist the instant attraction to her too.
Kenna is not what she seems. She is a grad student that was paid to ride on the back of Jerry’s bike looking sexy and show him around the Sturgis rally the year before. When she gets a mysterious email from the supposedly dead Jerry, she goes to the meeting never expecting she would be forced to work with the sexy DEA agent or so attracted to him. These two are like a powder keg together. As much Kenna wants to resist her attraction to Drake, he gets his lips on her and she is lost!!
I don’t know how else to put it except to say that this book is freaking fabulous!!! It is so smoking HOT it will have you wanting your guy to have a motorcycle around to try out one scene!!!!! It has gone into the top five of my favorites by LJ. I don’t say that lightly, but her writing style is one of the few that if she wrote the phone book I would read that. I have shied away from writing reviews of her stuff because as you can see I go fan girl crazy when I talk about her books! This is one that I wish she would make a series!! It has really great supporting characters that are screaming for their story to be told!! If you haven’t read this one snatch it up, and get to reading it!! BUT BE WARNED you will need the following to read it: a fan, ice water, batteries and / or a man close by!!
*this book was previously published in 2007
June 10, 2009
*sigh* pc fail. time to re-write:
I'm LOVE bikes, period. If there's one on the road next to me, I instinctively whip my head around...whether I'm driving or not! :) But even if I wasn't a bike enthusiast, I would still love this book. Whew, this was fun!
Hot alpha DEA Agent March is trying to break up a potential new drug cartel. His connection to the big fish dealers in the bike world? Sexy geologist student Kenna Jones, who poses as arm candy for bikers with cash to spare during Sturgis's infamous annual bike rally. When someone wants to take Kenna out, she suddenly finds herself under the protection of Agent March. The attraction is hot and instant, and they don't waste a lot of time denying their feelings for one another. My only criticism? I lot of the heated action took place in the hotel room *someone trying to kill Kenna, remember?*, so I would have liked more variety. But, that scene outdoors on the Harley pretty much made up for that! :) The heat, the suspense, the bikes....the wild antics of Sturgis? This was a winner for me.
I'm LOVE bikes, period. If there's one on the road next to me, I instinctively whip my head around...whether I'm driving or not! :) But even if I wasn't a bike enthusiast, I would still love this book. Whew, this was fun!
Hot alpha DEA Agent March is trying to break up a potential new drug cartel. His connection to the big fish dealers in the bike world? Sexy geologist student Kenna Jones, who poses as arm candy for bikers with cash to spare during Sturgis's infamous annual bike rally. When someone wants to take Kenna out, she suddenly finds herself under the protection of Agent March. The attraction is hot and instant, and they don't waste a lot of time denying their feelings for one another. My only criticism? I lot of the heated action took place in the hotel room *someone trying to kill Kenna, remember?*, so I would have liked more variety. But, that scene outdoors on the Harley pretty much made up for that! :) The heat, the suspense, the bikes....the wild antics of Sturgis? This was a winner for me.
November 24, 2010
This is my first Lorelei James.
This is Erotica with a story! A story that was well written and wasn't cheesy. The erotica was HOT, HOT, HOT!!! I liked Kenna, and I wanted to eat Drake up!!!
I usually don't deduct stars for predictability, as I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who the bad guy is, but this one was too easy. I still enjoyed the story, and the erotica was just....mmmmmm!!!
This is Erotica with a story! A story that was well written and wasn't cheesy. The erotica was HOT, HOT, HOT!!! I liked Kenna, and I wanted to eat Drake up!!!
I usually don't deduct stars for predictability, as I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who the bad guy is, but this one was too easy. I still enjoyed the story, and the erotica was just....mmmmmm!!!
July 25, 2011
Loved it . Thanks holly!!!!!!!!
April 13, 2019
Not a fan
I usually like books by Lorelei James, but I'm not a fan of this one at all. Although this is the first in a series, at the beginning, it felt like I had missed a book and was put down in the middle of characters that had been introduced previously. The hero was a real jerk--even in the end, he disappears for a week with no word, then doesn't admit his feelings until she's admitted hers. "What kind of man do you think I am?" Um, based on your behavior, a user who'll do whatever it takes to close a case? The heroine is all over the place--a bold, brash sexpot one minute and naive the next. Just not what I was expecting from this author.
I usually like books by Lorelei James, but I'm not a fan of this one at all. Although this is the first in a series, at the beginning, it felt like I had missed a book and was put down in the middle of characters that had been introduced previously. The hero was a real jerk--even in the end, he disappears for a week with no word, then doesn't admit his feelings until she's admitted hers. "What kind of man do you think I am?" Um, based on your behavior, a user who'll do whatever it takes to close a case? The heroine is all over the place--a bold, brash sexpot one minute and naive the next. Just not what I was expecting from this author.
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August 4, 2016I think i´m getting spoiled rotten with good reads because this was an ok book but i just couldn´t get through it, not when i know there´s soo many great books just waiting for me to finish this. Might re-read it another time, i usually love biker chicks and alpha males. Here you just get the feeling that Drake and Kenna doesn´t even like each other but have sex anyway and i´m having a hard time understanding where the danger is coming from. He´s DEA and she´s an escort "light" who lost a grant and now the one who got the grant is trying to kill her, at the same time that she´s got two girlfriends who both wont talk to her and might be playing her, too? It was just too much. Blame it on me working nights and not having the brainpower to understand what i´m reading =)
January 9, 2017
Well one thing I can say about this book was the sex was good - loved the motorcycle scene. However, Kenna is so naive I just didn't buy it. I kept rolling my eyes and thinking "no way someone can be that naive/stupid." The "villain" was so horribly obvious that I had it figured out the first second the character was introduced. Drake was a good character but nothing that stands out. This book was an easy read but nothing that I will remember a week from now (except maybe that motorcycle scene).
May 20, 2014
This is an earlier LJ story, stand-alone. The Sturgis setting during Bike Week makes it a lot of fun, too.
This is a combination naive girl with alpha guy and drug-lord thriller. The sex is quite hot, and the angst is solid, if somewhat repetitive.
Well written, but not her best. There may be a sequel with the main secondaries, but it's not linked.
This is a combination naive girl with alpha guy and drug-lord thriller. The sex is quite hot, and the angst is solid, if somewhat repetitive.
Well written, but not her best. There may be a sequel with the main secondaries, but it's not linked.
November 1, 2015
This is a steamy take about a DEA agent working a case in Sturgis. Drake needs Kenna to help him with his cover but he wasn't planning on falling for her. Kenna is doing some escort work to pay for her college. These two are explosive together. And holy Hannah the bike sex??? Wow! Excellent book by one of my favorite authors.
January 15, 2010
Although Kenna was quite naïve, her chemistry with smoking hot Drake was off the charts. The suspense aspect of this story was really pretty good.
Overall very good story with a lot of steamy love scenes set among the back drop of the decadence that is Sturgis SD and Bike week.
Overall very good story with a lot of steamy love scenes set among the back drop of the decadence that is Sturgis SD and Bike week.
January 6, 2013
Ok this book has to be one of my faves by L!!!! This is right up there with my love for Cowgirl Up and Ride, Gone Country, and One Night Rodeo!!! My goodness I wish she would write more about the rest of these characters!!!!
April 27, 2012
I really enjoyed this work, l am a real fan of Lorelei James.
September 25, 2008
Another great book by Lorelei James.
June 29, 2019
Wow! The chemistry between Kenna and Drake is I stand and undeniable and packs a punch. Kenna is scared, full of distrust and as fiery as she is passionate. She drives him crazy and pushes all his buttons. He’s dominant, driven and confusing. He’s hot and cold in his professional capacity and the man himself can’t keep his hands and eyes off her and cannot fight what’s happening between them.
But this is no ordinary love story. Motorcycle club, drugs, escorts, murder, mystery and a team of DEA agents. Head spinning excitement and passion.
But this is no ordinary love story. Motorcycle club, drugs, escorts, murder, mystery and a team of DEA agents. Head spinning excitement and passion.
March 8, 2019
Liked the plot-line but the execution was generic and the relationship not at all believable. There is a distinction between dirty talk that's well... hot and dirty talk that seems like choppy lines scripted for porn. This unfortunately fell into the latter category. Maybe if the writer wasn't so quick to pull the figurative dirty-talk-trigger and let the chemistry build between the MCs, this would have been much better.
May 6, 2017
I really enjoyed the book. Well who wouldn't lol. Hot undercover secret agent man playing the hot, dirty, sexy biker dude, beautiful introvert female playing the hot, sexy biker chick getting up to all kinds of shenanigans & danger. Definitely a must read for anyone who likes this kind of book. I just hope there are more like it from Lorelei.
December 29, 2020
Running with the Devil by Lorelei James is about Kaye Anne Ennis, who uses her alter ego Kenna Jones when she puts on her tough biker-babe exterior to earn much needed funds for her geology doctoral program. DEA agent Drake March is undercover at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and needs Kenna’s help.
Drake and Kenna get their sizzle on as they figure out who they can trust and avoid getting shot. Lorelei James’s story is a fun, hot page-turner.
Drake and Kenna get their sizzle on as they figure out who they can trust and avoid getting shot. Lorelei James’s story is a fun, hot page-turner.
May 23, 2021
I found this book on the "long-haired heroes" list but was disapointed since the hero didn't have any long hair. Moreover, the book had an aboundance of erotic scenes that I was just not in the mood for. Therefore 3 stars only.
February 8, 2019
Certainly not James' best...but definitely entertaining. I'm much more partial to her steamy cowboys.
3.5 ★
3.5 ★
March 3, 2019
Super hot. The suspense was good but the connection between the characters was just not developed.
December 16, 2019
Hot
Great start to a series! Can’t wait to read the next book. Loved the fast pace of the book and fell in Love with the couple.
Great start to a series! Can’t wait to read the next book. Loved the fast pace of the book and fell in Love with the couple.
March 22, 2020
😯
This biker book by Lorelei was amazing and I can’t wait to read more! All of her books are 🔥🔥 Drake and Kenna were an awesome couple to follow!
This biker book by Lorelei was amazing and I can’t wait to read more! All of her books are 🔥🔥 Drake and Kenna were an awesome couple to follow!
April 12, 2020
Entertaining setting and story, with enough details to give a glimpse into the craziness of Strugis. Looking forward to more in this series!
July 7, 2024
4⭐️
3,5🔥
3,5🔥
August 16, 2010
3.5 The sex was hot...let me just get that out there right away. But the reason my rating wasn't any higher was that the rest of the story was a bit lacking. The suspense part of it was only semi-interesting and the characters were redundant. They had the same issues from start to finish and they were just average emotionally. Their chemistry? Smokin' hot! That's what kept me interested enough to read the whole thing and get the HEA that was coming. All in all, not as good as her other books in my opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews