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Blood Money #1
Blamed
Born into a long line of spies, sanctioned killers and covert weapons developers, Beth Faraday carried out her first hit-for-hire when she was still a teenager.
That part of her life—the American spy royalty part—ended one year ago, with a job gone wrong in Afghanistan. The collateral damage she caused with a single shot was unfathomable and, for Beth, unforgivable. She’s worked hard to build a new life for herself, far away from the family business.
But someone, somewhere, hasn’t forgotten what Beth did in Kabul. And they want revenge.
As the Faraday clan bands together to defend Beth and protect their legacy, Beth is forced to flee her new home with the unlikeliest of allies—MI6 agent Raleigh Vick, the only man she’s ever loved. And the one she thought she’d killed in the desert.
That part of her life—the American spy royalty part—ended one year ago, with a job gone wrong in Afghanistan. The collateral damage she caused with a single shot was unfathomable and, for Beth, unforgivable. She’s worked hard to build a new life for herself, far away from the family business.
But someone, somewhere, hasn’t forgotten what Beth did in Kabul. And they want revenge.
As the Faraday clan bands together to defend Beth and protect their legacy, Beth is forced to flee her new home with the unlikeliest of allies—MI6 agent Raleigh Vick, the only man she’s ever loved. And the one she thought she’d killed in the desert.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2014
14 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Edie Harris
26 books100 followersEdie Harris is a Chicago-based author whose novels have been lauded by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and USA Today. Visit her website for backlist titles, contact information, and regular updates on upcoming projects. www.edieharris.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 4, 2014
Favorite Quote: –her phone chimed with an incoming text. “You…you need to let me look at that.”
“I need my cock inside you, is what I need.”
(damn boy!)
I was hooked on this book from the first page of the prologue.. Which is kind of funny because when I got to the end of the book, I had forgotten about the prologue (first chapter goes back in time) and then my head kind of exploded and yeah… I loved this book.
Beth Faraday has been an assassin spy since a very young age, I think making her first kill at the age of sixteen. Her family owns Faraday Industries, the number one weapons manufacturer in America, selling their complex weapons to the government. Outside of this weapons business, the Faraday’s send Beth all over the world to take out bad guys. Actually, their entire family is involved – as her brother Tobias says:
“But they never gave a damn about protecting your mind.” He tapped her temple twice before dropping his hand to the table once more. “Adam sits behind his computers all day and parties with his frat-boy buddies all night. Gillian plays at being Tony Stark in her California labs. Casey performs the dangerous duties of his job without sweating thanks to the foundation the Army provided him with. And I…” Again, his jaw clenched. “I bury myself in books and boardrooms. Because I’m cold, Beth, and Faraday Industries needs someone cold if we’re going to continue to lie to the world about all we do. Me, I can lie to everyone in my life without blinking an eye. Everyone except you.”
Last year, a mission in Afghanistan went horribly wrong, as Beth missed her target and a bomb went off, killing children. Beth could not recover from the guilt, and leaves her spy career behind, creating a new identity and putting her art history degree to use as a curator in a museum. Beth has a secret though – she doesn’t just feel guilty over the kids death, but the man she calls “her spy” died that day too – or so she thought.
Raleigh Vick is a British spy who first met Beth when she was sixteen. Often assigned to kill the same bad guys, they started meeting on different missions. Vick soon fell in love with Beth (from a distance) and started stalking her to make sure he would show up around the world where she was. She soon started recognizing him and their relationship turned intense and romantic as they would have brief time to be together. With the nature of their jobs, their relationship never evolved into anything else than a sensual day or night. Vick was in Afghanistan, in the building when it collapses – Beth assumes he is dead.
But that wouldn’t be a very fun romance book now, would it? Vick lives, but needs many surgeries to survive, so his appearance changes. Which is why her neighbor across the street that Beth often thinks is following her around is Vick, and she doesn’t recognize him. That is until Beth learns a hit is placed on her, and Vick is the one that is supposed to kill her. *Cue the suspense!*
Now, don’t fret. Vick is deeply in love with Beth and doesn’t want to kill her. *whew* But it takes Beth and her extremely overprotective brothers time to come to trust Vick.
There is so much to love about this book. This book is complex and rich in suspense. There are twists and turns, really, really bad guys, violence, and an intense, extremely sexy romance that matches the suspense step for step.
Beth loves Vick and Vick loves Beth, but they are spies down to their souls and there is much angst!
“Give me your mouth,” he demanded, the tingling at the base of his spine telling him exactly how much time he didn’t have before he died in her.
Clutching at his shoulders with both hands, she kissed him as she came, a rhythmic clench around his length that milked his release from him with shocking ease. He swallowed her cries, fed her his own, and wrapped his arms tightly around her slender torso while he tried to piece his world back together.
I love you, he thought fiercely. I love you to the point of madness, and beyond.
Instead of telling her, he buried his face in her neck and bit the inside of his lip until he bled.
Oh Vick *I bite my own lip*
They have lived and breathed their spy life for as long as they can remember. They are used to being people other than themselves. While they have had brief, intense love sessions while on missions, that is all they have had. The fact that Beth wants to just walk away from that life is great and her family supports it, but there are others all over the world who are not done with her yet. The hit doesn’t come as a shock, except for the fact that Vick is suppose to carry it out. Beth feels betrayed that he is alive and didn’t reach out to tell her.
Vick’s one weakness in life is Beth, and while he is an amazing spy, his employer figures out what Beth means to him. This puts Vick in a bad position, and makes the book quite exciting as we race to the end. Oh – and let’s not forget about the romance and sex in this book. Vick wants Beth – badly, but there are hard feelings and anger, and it all finally explodes into some very hot scenes.
I loved Vick and Beth (especially Beth) and I think the author does a great job balancing the romance and suspense. If you have read Carolyn Crane’s Associates series, this has a bit of the same feel. Plus this is spy falls for spy – such a fun premise.
With that being said, Beth’s brother Tobias stole the show for me. Well, he made my lady bits tingle. He is the brother in charge, the one who wears the fancy suits with never a hair out-of-place. He is ice cold – an elegant bad ass. His part in this book made me sit up and take notice. Even better, his book is next and his heroine, (you find out who it is at the very end) makes me so giddy for his book. Oh, it’s going to be good.
If you want a very fun, very sexy, very action-packed romantic suspense, read this. The start of what I think will be a great series.
Ratinng: B+
“I need my cock inside you, is what I need.”
(damn boy!)
I was hooked on this book from the first page of the prologue.. Which is kind of funny because when I got to the end of the book, I had forgotten about the prologue (first chapter goes back in time) and then my head kind of exploded and yeah… I loved this book.
Beth Faraday has been an assassin spy since a very young age, I think making her first kill at the age of sixteen. Her family owns Faraday Industries, the number one weapons manufacturer in America, selling their complex weapons to the government. Outside of this weapons business, the Faraday’s send Beth all over the world to take out bad guys. Actually, their entire family is involved – as her brother Tobias says:
“But they never gave a damn about protecting your mind.” He tapped her temple twice before dropping his hand to the table once more. “Adam sits behind his computers all day and parties with his frat-boy buddies all night. Gillian plays at being Tony Stark in her California labs. Casey performs the dangerous duties of his job without sweating thanks to the foundation the Army provided him with. And I…” Again, his jaw clenched. “I bury myself in books and boardrooms. Because I’m cold, Beth, and Faraday Industries needs someone cold if we’re going to continue to lie to the world about all we do. Me, I can lie to everyone in my life without blinking an eye. Everyone except you.”
Last year, a mission in Afghanistan went horribly wrong, as Beth missed her target and a bomb went off, killing children. Beth could not recover from the guilt, and leaves her spy career behind, creating a new identity and putting her art history degree to use as a curator in a museum. Beth has a secret though – she doesn’t just feel guilty over the kids death, but the man she calls “her spy” died that day too – or so she thought.
Raleigh Vick is a British spy who first met Beth when she was sixteen. Often assigned to kill the same bad guys, they started meeting on different missions. Vick soon fell in love with Beth (from a distance) and started stalking her to make sure he would show up around the world where she was. She soon started recognizing him and their relationship turned intense and romantic as they would have brief time to be together. With the nature of their jobs, their relationship never evolved into anything else than a sensual day or night. Vick was in Afghanistan, in the building when it collapses – Beth assumes he is dead.
But that wouldn’t be a very fun romance book now, would it? Vick lives, but needs many surgeries to survive, so his appearance changes. Which is why her neighbor across the street that Beth often thinks is following her around is Vick, and she doesn’t recognize him. That is until Beth learns a hit is placed on her, and Vick is the one that is supposed to kill her. *Cue the suspense!*
Now, don’t fret. Vick is deeply in love with Beth and doesn’t want to kill her. *whew* But it takes Beth and her extremely overprotective brothers time to come to trust Vick.
There is so much to love about this book. This book is complex and rich in suspense. There are twists and turns, really, really bad guys, violence, and an intense, extremely sexy romance that matches the suspense step for step.
Beth loves Vick and Vick loves Beth, but they are spies down to their souls and there is much angst!
“Give me your mouth,” he demanded, the tingling at the base of his spine telling him exactly how much time he didn’t have before he died in her.
Clutching at his shoulders with both hands, she kissed him as she came, a rhythmic clench around his length that milked his release from him with shocking ease. He swallowed her cries, fed her his own, and wrapped his arms tightly around her slender torso while he tried to piece his world back together.
I love you, he thought fiercely. I love you to the point of madness, and beyond.
Instead of telling her, he buried his face in her neck and bit the inside of his lip until he bled.
Oh Vick *I bite my own lip*
They have lived and breathed their spy life for as long as they can remember. They are used to being people other than themselves. While they have had brief, intense love sessions while on missions, that is all they have had. The fact that Beth wants to just walk away from that life is great and her family supports it, but there are others all over the world who are not done with her yet. The hit doesn’t come as a shock, except for the fact that Vick is suppose to carry it out. Beth feels betrayed that he is alive and didn’t reach out to tell her.
Vick’s one weakness in life is Beth, and while he is an amazing spy, his employer figures out what Beth means to him. This puts Vick in a bad position, and makes the book quite exciting as we race to the end. Oh – and let’s not forget about the romance and sex in this book. Vick wants Beth – badly, but there are hard feelings and anger, and it all finally explodes into some very hot scenes.
I loved Vick and Beth (especially Beth) and I think the author does a great job balancing the romance and suspense. If you have read Carolyn Crane’s Associates series, this has a bit of the same feel. Plus this is spy falls for spy – such a fun premise.
With that being said, Beth’s brother Tobias stole the show for me. Well, he made my lady bits tingle. He is the brother in charge, the one who wears the fancy suits with never a hair out-of-place. He is ice cold – an elegant bad ass. His part in this book made me sit up and take notice. Even better, his book is next and his heroine, (you find out who it is at the very end) makes me so giddy for his book. Oh, it’s going to be good.
If you want a very fun, very sexy, very action-packed romantic suspense, read this. The start of what I think will be a great series.
Ratinng: B+
February 25, 2015
It took me way too long to read this book. If you like romantic suspense, or maybe you're hankering for something with a little more action than you're used to? This book is for you, lady. You, too, sir. The characters are rich and singular. There is an intricate plot, but I was never lost for a second, because the author employed excellent timing and each character is SO recognizable by their personality, they instantly felt like old friends. The heroine is a total badass ASSASSIN and the hero, a sexy-smoldering-spy is more than deserving of her attentions. There is a whole family of badasses on the horizon and they will all pique your interest in this book, so get on board. xo
March 20, 2016
This was the author’s tweet-pitch for her book: She was an assassin; now she’s retired, but a sexy MI6 agent from her past missed the memo. The price on her head doesn’t help, either.
Best. Synopsis. Ever.
The Good, The Meh and Everything In Between
-(Brutally) Good prologue: The prologue got my attention and the story never let me go. It established the heroine, Beth, as a survivor, made you root for her and want to find out how she ended up in that situation. It really gave me a snapshot of Beth’s personality - she’s someone who has been through a hell we are only getting a glimpse of, and yet she is standing. You may even think you know what she’s gone through because of that prologue, but you have no idea. I loved that.
-Non-linear storytelling: Beth and Vick’s relationship is revealed layer by complicated layer through flashbacks and it gave me great insight to their history, and how they came to be in this situation. This is something that may or may not work, but I think it would have been a difficult story to tell in a straightforward fashion.
-Kickass former assassin heroine: the family business for Beth Faraday is established early on. The Faradays are in the business of secrets and weapons and the best way I could describe it is, take Tony Stark and give him brothers and sisters, all with special abilities in spying, assassinations, etc. She was trained early on, but she's retained her soul and she's given up the spy games business for a very good reason. Beth's conflict at being dragged back in, the blood on her hands, even knowing the things she's done, I still loved her and wanted her to win, no matter what.
-Protective alpha spy hero: Raleigh Vick’s obsession and love for Beth really helped anchor this tale. He has been intrigued, and half in love with Beth from the moment he saw her (which is ten years before the events of the book) and I believed in his all-consuming love for her. When I say the storytelling isn’t linear, you see glimpses of their relationship over the course of ten years through flashbacks, and it established their connection from the very first moment. That build was solid, and I thoroughly believed in their HEA because of it.
-Enjoyable world-building: Getting to know Beth and her family’s unusual circumstances was done slowly throughout the story and never felt like an info dump. Meeting each of her siblings made me want to know more about them.
-Suspenseful, yet focus is on romance: Spy games give an excitement to the story, but I never doubted that I was reading a romance. Beth and Vick’s story is front and center through it all. Their chemistry is combustible from jump and their love scenes were never lacking in heat.
-Standalone HEA with potential for more: No cliffy (though a thread is left for future stories), I felt that Beth and Vick’s story was told and I was thoroughly satisfied.
-Vick could have been more active: I would have liked to see Vick do more through the story, and I think Beth would have liked it too. I loved her resilience, but I like my heroes a bit more swashbuckle-y. Not to say that he doesn’t do anything, but without going into spoilers, the big climactic end would have had even more punch for me if he had been more active participant. This is a minor quibble on my part, since I still loved it.
-Villain wasn’t a surprise: There aren’t alot of twists and turns when it comes to the suspense part, and I would have liked to see more tension and action prior to the climax - however, the romance more than satisfied me. If the spy games had been delved into more (and to be fair, Beth is retired, so I understand why it wasn’t a big part of this), I think it would have been even more suspenseful. The setup for the next book leads me to believe that it can be even more exciting in this respect and I look forward to it.
The Bottom Line
I loved it and I recommend it. I really loved Beth and I am very eager to read more of this series, because there are several Faradays I'd like to get to know better.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
For more reviews, visit
Best. Synopsis. Ever.
The Good, The Meh and Everything In Between
-(Brutally) Good prologue: The prologue got my attention and the story never let me go. It established the heroine, Beth, as a survivor, made you root for her and want to find out how she ended up in that situation. It really gave me a snapshot of Beth’s personality - she’s someone who has been through a hell we are only getting a glimpse of, and yet she is standing. You may even think you know what she’s gone through because of that prologue, but you have no idea. I loved that.
-Non-linear storytelling: Beth and Vick’s relationship is revealed layer by complicated layer through flashbacks and it gave me great insight to their history, and how they came to be in this situation. This is something that may or may not work, but I think it would have been a difficult story to tell in a straightforward fashion.
-Kickass former assassin heroine: the family business for Beth Faraday is established early on. The Faradays are in the business of secrets and weapons and the best way I could describe it is, take Tony Stark and give him brothers and sisters, all with special abilities in spying, assassinations, etc. She was trained early on, but she's retained her soul and she's given up the spy games business for a very good reason. Beth's conflict at being dragged back in, the blood on her hands, even knowing the things she's done, I still loved her and wanted her to win, no matter what.
-Protective alpha spy hero: Raleigh Vick’s obsession and love for Beth really helped anchor this tale. He has been intrigued, and half in love with Beth from the moment he saw her (which is ten years before the events of the book) and I believed in his all-consuming love for her. When I say the storytelling isn’t linear, you see glimpses of their relationship over the course of ten years through flashbacks, and it established their connection from the very first moment. That build was solid, and I thoroughly believed in their HEA because of it.
-Enjoyable world-building: Getting to know Beth and her family’s unusual circumstances was done slowly throughout the story and never felt like an info dump. Meeting each of her siblings made me want to know more about them.
-Suspenseful, yet focus is on romance: Spy games give an excitement to the story, but I never doubted that I was reading a romance. Beth and Vick’s story is front and center through it all. Their chemistry is combustible from jump and their love scenes were never lacking in heat.
-Standalone HEA with potential for more: No cliffy (though a thread is left for future stories), I felt that Beth and Vick’s story was told and I was thoroughly satisfied.
-Vick could have been more active: I would have liked to see Vick do more through the story, and I think Beth would have liked it too. I loved her resilience, but I like my heroes a bit more swashbuckle-y. Not to say that he doesn’t do anything, but without going into spoilers, the big climactic end would have had even more punch for me if he had been more active participant. This is a minor quibble on my part, since I still loved it.
-Villain wasn’t a surprise: There aren’t alot of twists and turns when it comes to the suspense part, and I would have liked to see more tension and action prior to the climax - however, the romance more than satisfied me. If the spy games had been delved into more (and to be fair, Beth is retired, so I understand why it wasn’t a big part of this), I think it would have been even more suspenseful. The setup for the next book leads me to believe that it can be even more exciting in this respect and I look forward to it.
The Bottom Line
I loved it and I recommend it. I really loved Beth and I am very eager to read more of this series, because there are several Faradays I'd like to get to know better.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
For more reviews, visit
November 8, 2014
Thank you to CARINA PRESS and Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Blamed is the story of two spies (one former and one current, but who can really let that life go?) who are trying to forge a relationship, but neither are sure the other can be trusted.
This prologue was knock-your-socks-off fantastic. The reader is catapulted right into the middle of this story only to be yanked out again and tossed back to the beginning, but it works really well here and gives us some idea of what’s ahead. When done well, time jumps can really make a story, and they served this one well. Beth and Vick have a long history, and I think the writer did an excellent job giving us glimpses into significant moments of their past. The dialogue was snappy and fun, and though they were in the midst of a serious situation, the humor was able to lighten things up.
She stroked her finger along the barrel of her gun, almost absentmindedly, he thought, unable to tear his gaze from that slender digit with it’s nail painted a deep fire-engine red. Fingernail polish and firearms – two things he always associated with this woman.
While there were some great action scenes (the sex was pretty hot, too), there were a few issues that kept me from loving the book. Number one, our heroine has a hit out on her. When the hit fails, her super intelligent spy family decides that the people who ordered the hit probably won’t send another assassin for at least forty-eight hours, but just to be safe, they will get her out of there in twenty-four. WHAT?!?!? This was really, really tough for me to swallow. Granted I’m not a spy, and I’ve never (to my knowledge) had a hit taken out on me, but you can bet if I found out there was one, I would not pass go, I would not collect two hundred dollars, and I would not try to guess what their timeline was! I’d grab my cat, and we’d get the hell out of there!
Second, Vick was meant to keep the reader constantly guessing, and this was achieved. But there were some things he did that I felt were forgiven too quickly. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thought the heroine was taken out of character by giving that forgiveness without question at times. The strong woman Beth was in the past doesn’t seem to jive with the woman she’s become. At the beginning of the book, I think I had a good grasp of the characters. As it progressed, I realized I had no idea who they were. They were unpredictable, and I couldn’t tell if this was an issue with characterization or if their situation was making them erratic. I think it may have been a mixture of both.
“Your name isn’t Preston Barnes.”
“No, thank fuck, because doesn’t he sound like a twat?”
There were a lot of players in this story, and you could see the setup coming for the rest of the series. Blamed is a decent introduction to the Faraday family and their legacy, and I’m intrigued enough to read more, especially about Beth’s sister, Gillian, who is the mastermind behind some of the weaponry her family utilizes.
The story was constantly moving forward; even the flashback scenes seemed to move things along. Something big was always happening, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of it. If you can get over the inconsistencies and not take this book too seriously, it’s an entertaining read. If you ever wished Nancy Drew had a bad girl side, this book was written for you!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
3.5 stars
Blamed is the story of two spies (one former and one current, but who can really let that life go?) who are trying to forge a relationship, but neither are sure the other can be trusted.
This prologue was knock-your-socks-off fantastic. The reader is catapulted right into the middle of this story only to be yanked out again and tossed back to the beginning, but it works really well here and gives us some idea of what’s ahead. When done well, time jumps can really make a story, and they served this one well. Beth and Vick have a long history, and I think the writer did an excellent job giving us glimpses into significant moments of their past. The dialogue was snappy and fun, and though they were in the midst of a serious situation, the humor was able to lighten things up.
She stroked her finger along the barrel of her gun, almost absentmindedly, he thought, unable to tear his gaze from that slender digit with it’s nail painted a deep fire-engine red. Fingernail polish and firearms – two things he always associated with this woman.
While there were some great action scenes (the sex was pretty hot, too), there were a few issues that kept me from loving the book. Number one, our heroine has a hit out on her. When the hit fails, her super intelligent spy family decides that the people who ordered the hit probably won’t send another assassin for at least forty-eight hours, but just to be safe, they will get her out of there in twenty-four. WHAT?!?!? This was really, really tough for me to swallow. Granted I’m not a spy, and I’ve never (to my knowledge) had a hit taken out on me, but you can bet if I found out there was one, I would not pass go, I would not collect two hundred dollars, and I would not try to guess what their timeline was! I’d grab my cat, and we’d get the hell out of there!
Second, Vick was meant to keep the reader constantly guessing, and this was achieved. But there were some things he did that I felt were forgiven too quickly. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thought the heroine was taken out of character by giving that forgiveness without question at times. The strong woman Beth was in the past doesn’t seem to jive with the woman she’s become. At the beginning of the book, I think I had a good grasp of the characters. As it progressed, I realized I had no idea who they were. They were unpredictable, and I couldn’t tell if this was an issue with characterization or if their situation was making them erratic. I think it may have been a mixture of both.
“Your name isn’t Preston Barnes.”
“No, thank fuck, because doesn’t he sound like a twat?”
There were a lot of players in this story, and you could see the setup coming for the rest of the series. Blamed is a decent introduction to the Faraday family and their legacy, and I’m intrigued enough to read more, especially about Beth’s sister, Gillian, who is the mastermind behind some of the weaponry her family utilizes.
The story was constantly moving forward; even the flashback scenes seemed to move things along. Something big was always happening, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of it. If you can get over the inconsistencies and not take this book too seriously, it’s an entertaining read. If you ever wished Nancy Drew had a bad girl side, this book was written for you!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
November 15, 2014
Holy.
Awesomeness.
YES.
I am the luckiest girl in the world. Thank you SO much to Edie for sending me an early ARC!
I loooove this book. So, so much.
Edie Harris' writing is so compelling. I first fell in love with The Corrupt Comte, and Blamed was no different. (In fact, better, because the genre and tone is different, yet I was sucked in to each so completely, from page one.)
Assassin. Heroine. Assassins are one of my weaknesses. Badass heroines are my weakness. Everything about this situation was a total win. I loved Beth. She's so strong, in all the right ways. She can wear pretty heels and nail polish and have perfect sniper aim and withstand the worst torture and just *squee*. She's awesome.
The relationship between Beth and Vick was perfect. It's reunited lovers in a way I've never read before, but it's so much more than that. It was a beautiful thing to watch.
Speaking of unique, the format of this book was absolutely brilliant. The series of flashbacks to previous encounters between Beth and Vick happened at just the right moments to give me proper feels, never a moment too soon or too late. I've never read a book quite like Blamed, and it was exactly the book I didn't know I was looking for.
I can't wait to get my hands on Ripped, upcoming book two in the series. TOBIAS. You sexy devil, you. unf.
Awesomeness.
YES.
I am the luckiest girl in the world. Thank you SO much to Edie for sending me an early ARC!
I loooove this book. So, so much.
Edie Harris' writing is so compelling. I first fell in love with The Corrupt Comte, and Blamed was no different. (In fact, better, because the genre and tone is different, yet I was sucked in to each so completely, from page one.)
Assassin. Heroine. Assassins are one of my weaknesses. Badass heroines are my weakness. Everything about this situation was a total win. I loved Beth. She's so strong, in all the right ways. She can wear pretty heels and nail polish and have perfect sniper aim and withstand the worst torture and just *squee*. She's awesome.
The relationship between Beth and Vick was perfect. It's reunited lovers in a way I've never read before, but it's so much more than that. It was a beautiful thing to watch.
Speaking of unique, the format of this book was absolutely brilliant. The series of flashbacks to previous encounters between Beth and Vick happened at just the right moments to give me proper feels, never a moment too soon or too late. I've never read a book quite like Blamed, and it was exactly the book I didn't know I was looking for.
I can't wait to get my hands on Ripped, upcoming book two in the series. TOBIAS. You sexy devil, you. unf.
November 8, 2014
Rating: 3.5 Stars
August 14, 2017
wowowowow
I didn't expect it to be this intense. Racquel pitched this book to me as "suspense, and very romantic" and it truly is! There is so much yearning in this book it hurts; the couple has been circling each other for ten years, ffs.
I love the relationship between all the Faraday siblings, I'm happy to see all of them getting books of their own.
I didn't expect it to be this intense. Racquel pitched this book to me as "suspense, and very romantic" and it truly is! There is so much yearning in this book it hurts; the couple has been circling each other for ten years, ffs.
I love the relationship between all the Faraday siblings, I'm happy to see all of them getting books of their own.
November 3, 2014
Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-blamed...
Romantic suspense is tricky for me. I have a few authors I trust, but it isn’t my favorite genre. I tend to give an exasperated side eye all those ‘in the midst of danger’ sex scenes that always seem to pop up out of no where. But then Edie Harris’ new release came up for review and I’ve always adored her historicals so I thought I would give it a try. Blamed was one of those reads that had me immediately going to Twitter to give a fangirl shout out to the author and begging for her to hurry up with the next book, because it was a total winner from beginning to end.
Beth Faraday was born into the first family of American defense. There are spies, weapons specialists and one computer genius who can break into any computer anywhere. Then there is Beth. She is the person they send in to eliminate a target. Beth became an assassin while still in her teens and it’s not until a job in Afghanistan goes horribly wrong that she decides to leave the family business and try to live a normal life. Now it’s a year later and she has a nice apartment, a job she loves and is even trying to date a normal guy. Then it all goes to hell when a ghost from her past suddenly reappears.
Raleigh Vick has chased Beth across the globe for ten years. As a member of M16, a British covert agency, their paths cross during a job and then they continue to seek each other out again and again over the years. Vick is the only man Beth has ever loved and also one of the people who she believed were killed in her last job. It’s quite the shock when she finds out he’s been hiding out across the street, watching her, for months. Beth’s normal life is shattered when Vick is forced to out himself in order to protect her because of a contract on her life. His reappearance thrills her and while she desperately wants to believe he has no ulterior motives, she can’t help but wonder if this is the real Vick.
Edie Harris tells Vick and Beth’s backstory by periodically taking readers back into the past and giving them glimpses into their interactions over the years. They have a long, complicated history that explains their feelings for each other in present day. Even while on a covert, non-stop race to discover who exactly wants Beth dead, they can’t help but be drawn to each other again. The problem is whether or not two people who’ve always kept secrets from each other can really trust each other enough to have a real relationship.
I think the thing I loved the most (and there was a lot to love) was how I never knew what was going to happen next. I never knew what Vick’s motives really were, I had no idea of the identity of the bad guy and I kept wondering how this couple would make it work. This was one of those reads that really does keep the reader in suspense up to the end. Vick and Beth’s relationship is very sexy and while there is a reunited lovers feel to it, there is also the sense that they are just getting to really know each other. I’m happy to report that there aren’t any unnecessary love scenes thrown in just to sex up the book. Every step this couple makes both backward and forward made sense. It’s a riveting and action-packed journey that kept me engaged the whole way through.
In the midst of all of this there are a ton of secondary characters in the form of Beth’s family who are introduced and are so well-developed that you can’t help but be intrigued and desperate for their stories. There’s a reason I very rarely read teasers and I really wish that I would have listened to myself this time because now I am positively DYING for book two. Oh man, I want it so bad. This is one series that should be on everyone’s radar. Definitely recommend. Final Grade- B+
Favorite Quote:
“Tell me what you need, love.”
“Mornings with you,” she answered promptly, bluntly her pale face a solemn mask.
“Nights with you. Uninterrupted days with you.” Her voice broke then, throat working against a blatant surge of emotion. “I don’t want you to be a ghost anymore, Vick. Ghosts don’t get to have mornings.
Romantic suspense is tricky for me. I have a few authors I trust, but it isn’t my favorite genre. I tend to give an exasperated side eye all those ‘in the midst of danger’ sex scenes that always seem to pop up out of no where. But then Edie Harris’ new release came up for review and I’ve always adored her historicals so I thought I would give it a try. Blamed was one of those reads that had me immediately going to Twitter to give a fangirl shout out to the author and begging for her to hurry up with the next book, because it was a total winner from beginning to end.
Beth Faraday was born into the first family of American defense. There are spies, weapons specialists and one computer genius who can break into any computer anywhere. Then there is Beth. She is the person they send in to eliminate a target. Beth became an assassin while still in her teens and it’s not until a job in Afghanistan goes horribly wrong that she decides to leave the family business and try to live a normal life. Now it’s a year later and she has a nice apartment, a job she loves and is even trying to date a normal guy. Then it all goes to hell when a ghost from her past suddenly reappears.
Raleigh Vick has chased Beth across the globe for ten years. As a member of M16, a British covert agency, their paths cross during a job and then they continue to seek each other out again and again over the years. Vick is the only man Beth has ever loved and also one of the people who she believed were killed in her last job. It’s quite the shock when she finds out he’s been hiding out across the street, watching her, for months. Beth’s normal life is shattered when Vick is forced to out himself in order to protect her because of a contract on her life. His reappearance thrills her and while she desperately wants to believe he has no ulterior motives, she can’t help but wonder if this is the real Vick.
Edie Harris tells Vick and Beth’s backstory by periodically taking readers back into the past and giving them glimpses into their interactions over the years. They have a long, complicated history that explains their feelings for each other in present day. Even while on a covert, non-stop race to discover who exactly wants Beth dead, they can’t help but be drawn to each other again. The problem is whether or not two people who’ve always kept secrets from each other can really trust each other enough to have a real relationship.
I think the thing I loved the most (and there was a lot to love) was how I never knew what was going to happen next. I never knew what Vick’s motives really were, I had no idea of the identity of the bad guy and I kept wondering how this couple would make it work. This was one of those reads that really does keep the reader in suspense up to the end. Vick and Beth’s relationship is very sexy and while there is a reunited lovers feel to it, there is also the sense that they are just getting to really know each other. I’m happy to report that there aren’t any unnecessary love scenes thrown in just to sex up the book. Every step this couple makes both backward and forward made sense. It’s a riveting and action-packed journey that kept me engaged the whole way through.
In the midst of all of this there are a ton of secondary characters in the form of Beth’s family who are introduced and are so well-developed that you can’t help but be intrigued and desperate for their stories. There’s a reason I very rarely read teasers and I really wish that I would have listened to myself this time because now I am positively DYING for book two. Oh man, I want it so bad. This is one series that should be on everyone’s radar. Definitely recommend. Final Grade- B+
Favorite Quote:
“Tell me what you need, love.”
“Mornings with you,” she answered promptly, bluntly her pale face a solemn mask.
“Nights with you. Uninterrupted days with you.” Her voice broke then, throat working against a blatant surge of emotion. “I don’t want you to be a ghost anymore, Vick. Ghosts don’t get to have mornings.
November 10, 2014
Have you or someone you’ve known ever gone into the family business? What if your family’s legacy was to be a spy or maybe an assassin or a weapons developer? Are you cut out for a career like that? Beth entered the family business as a teen, but after a deadly disaster in the Middle East, she packed up and decided she was done, out of the family business. But is that really possible? Someone may have revenge in mind.
Part of Beth’s past comes walking out of the shadows, a man she thought she had killed a year before. In a game of spy versus spy versus death, an agent of M16, Raleigh Vick becomes her greatest and most unlikely ally. Not only do they have a tenuous truce to hold, but Beth is in danger of dying of a broken heart long before a bullet can touch her. Raleigh is the only man she has ever loved, and their previous times together were always while each was on an “assignment.” Is she in love with a facade or the real man beneath the mask?Together again, the heat turns into a raging fire, but can they trust each other enough to stay alive?
Blamed by Edie Harris is electric with intrigue, sizzling romance and danger at every turn! The game of espionage comes to life, as she wields her remarkable pen! Both main characters are tough as nails, but inside, Beth is full of regrets and insecurity, feeling unworthy of Raleigh’s attentions, but she’ll take what she can get until her time runs out. Raleigh, a man of many disguises and names is strong, yet vulnerable to anything Beth. Beth’s family? Certainly unique, yet loyal in this dark game of cat and mouse played across the globe.
From page one, Ms. Harris sets an edgy stage, dark, with a veiled future, then proceeds to peel back each layer slowly, tantalizing her readers with her crisp style and no-nonsense writing. Fans of spy drama, intrigue and hidden secrets, heated up with scorching sensual scenes are going to find a new series to follow after reading Blamed.
I received an ARC edition in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Blood Money - Book 1
Publication Date: November 3, 2014
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 210 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Part of Beth’s past comes walking out of the shadows, a man she thought she had killed a year before. In a game of spy versus spy versus death, an agent of M16, Raleigh Vick becomes her greatest and most unlikely ally. Not only do they have a tenuous truce to hold, but Beth is in danger of dying of a broken heart long before a bullet can touch her. Raleigh is the only man she has ever loved, and their previous times together were always while each was on an “assignment.” Is she in love with a facade or the real man beneath the mask?Together again, the heat turns into a raging fire, but can they trust each other enough to stay alive?
Blamed by Edie Harris is electric with intrigue, sizzling romance and danger at every turn! The game of espionage comes to life, as she wields her remarkable pen! Both main characters are tough as nails, but inside, Beth is full of regrets and insecurity, feeling unworthy of Raleigh’s attentions, but she’ll take what she can get until her time runs out. Raleigh, a man of many disguises and names is strong, yet vulnerable to anything Beth. Beth’s family? Certainly unique, yet loyal in this dark game of cat and mouse played across the globe.
From page one, Ms. Harris sets an edgy stage, dark, with a veiled future, then proceeds to peel back each layer slowly, tantalizing her readers with her crisp style and no-nonsense writing. Fans of spy drama, intrigue and hidden secrets, heated up with scorching sensual scenes are going to find a new series to follow after reading Blamed.
I received an ARC edition in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Blood Money - Book 1
Publication Date: November 3, 2014
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 210 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 21, 2015
I was SUPER into this. There are some elements that might give some of you pause (semi-graphic depiction of torture, a decade long two-sided pining relationship), and it's very much romantic suspense with an emphasis on suspense, but the hero and heroine's relationship just WORKED for me. He was just so hot. They were so hot together. I have no idea how the next book can work at all, but I am certainly curious to find out.
August 15, 2025
It’s a sharp, fast-paced romantic suspense thriller that expertly balances tension, emotion, and unexpected twists.
Even though it’s on the shorter side, it delivered the kind of emotional punch and adrenaline rush I usually only get from much longer books.
Blamed is one of those romantic suspense stories that proves you don’t need 400 pages to make an impact. It’s still one of my favorite reads in the genre.
Even though it’s on the shorter side, it delivered the kind of emotional punch and adrenaline rush I usually only get from much longer books.
Blamed is one of those romantic suspense stories that proves you don’t need 400 pages to make an impact. It’s still one of my favorite reads in the genre.
June 13, 2021
I had to write a review for this one because it OFFENDED me as a CHICAGOAN. A book like this one requires some suspension of disbelief, obviously. An assassin from a family of assassins who run a military industrial operation of their own, separate from but in coordination with the US government, who started wet work when she was a teen? Sure. Another spy who is obsessed with her as she is with him, brought together at last because of a hit on her after she's left the biz and gone straight after a Job Gone Wrong? Sure. He's 10 years older and has been obsessed since she was 16? O....kay. Little squicky, but no pre-18 action between them. I'm willing to roll with all of this. But then...the little assassin's new "regular" job is as a curator at the ART INSTITUTE, which she just waltzed into with an online masters in art history as her only qualification, because they were "so desperate" for someone to fill a job vacancy during someone's maternity leave, and then had her stay because she was just so good at...curating, I guess. And...belief unsuspended. Anyone who works in the library/museum biz is rolling on the ground right now, knowing how difficult and cutthroat breaking into a job like that would be. The toughest assassin in the world has done nothing as difficult as trying to secure a job like that, in a world-class institution that would never be "desperate" enough to hire a random online MA off the streets with no experience to recommend her.
And then there's the part where the spies leave her Lincoln Park apartment to pick up a hidden car in a hospital parking lot that is "several minutes" away via cab, and then head back into the Loop, and somehow encounter an I-Pass checkpoint on their journey? Uh, no. No place in Chicago remotely fits that description. And where are they going downtown? THE TRUMP HOTEL for a romantic evening. Um, FUCK no. Granted, this was published in 2014, but even before 2016, no Chicagoan wanted anything to do with that eyesore and its hideous TRUMP letters cluttering up our skyline. A Chicagoan would go literally anywhere else. The Langham across the street from Trump. The Peninsula. The Ritz or Four Seasons. One of a hundred other boutique luxury hotels. NOT Trump. The author claims to live in Chicago in her bio, but I don't believe her. No one who has lived there for more that a few months would make elementary mistakes like that. There's other romance stuff that may or may not work for you, but whatever your feelings about the other elements, this is NOT a book for people who actually know Chicago.
And then there's the part where the spies leave her Lincoln Park apartment to pick up a hidden car in a hospital parking lot that is "several minutes" away via cab, and then head back into the Loop, and somehow encounter an I-Pass checkpoint on their journey? Uh, no. No place in Chicago remotely fits that description. And where are they going downtown? THE TRUMP HOTEL for a romantic evening. Um, FUCK no. Granted, this was published in 2014, but even before 2016, no Chicagoan wanted anything to do with that eyesore and its hideous TRUMP letters cluttering up our skyline. A Chicagoan would go literally anywhere else. The Langham across the street from Trump. The Peninsula. The Ritz or Four Seasons. One of a hundred other boutique luxury hotels. NOT Trump. The author claims to live in Chicago in her bio, but I don't believe her. No one who has lived there for more that a few months would make elementary mistakes like that. There's other romance stuff that may or may not work for you, but whatever your feelings about the other elements, this is NOT a book for people who actually know Chicago.
March 3, 2019
In Edie Harris's Blamed, the first installment in the Blood Money romantic suspense series, this debut will blow you away with the first chapters. For Beth Faraday, she wanted a quiet life as a former assassin in her hometown of Chicago as an art historian as a museum. But that didn't come easy for her, when she came face to face from someone in her past--someone she had thought she had killed during the war in Kabul a couple of years. And she was set out to kill him, when now it was the other way around. Someone's gunning after Beth and wanted her dead. In came Raleigh Vick, a spy for T-16, who was set out to kill her, but things changed as he saved her life. They remember when they first met and sparks fly for each other. But now the chemistry between them in red-hot and more than fiery than before when they make love. Before you can call this a happy reunion for them, they had to deal with the lies between them and an unknown threat--a possible double agent in the midst. For Raleigh, he teamed up with Beth's brothers and make an unlikely alliance to find her and to dispatch the threats that lurked for them. In the end, Vick profess his love and future for Beth in an intense climax for them in a sweet, happy ending.
November 3, 2014
First reviewed at Red Hot Books http://redhotbooks.com/2014/11/review...
The blurb totally hooked me. A retired spy has to ally with another spy who just so happens to be her former lover. I was hoping for a little Mr. and Mrs. Smith love/hate. While there is an element of that, the story is much more.
For the last year, Beth Faraday finally has what she’s always wanted. She’s a living a quiet life in Chicago working as a curator at the Art Institute, trying desperately to live a “normal” life. However, checking for intruders and sweeping for bugs every time she returns to her home is standard protocol even though Beth is retired. When you become an assassin at the young age of sixteen for the family business, old habits die hard. Despite these minor inconveniences and being slightly estranged from her family, Beth is happy to be free of the emotional weight of her former profession.
The past is never far enough for someone trying to escape it and one winter night it comes crashing back. A phone call from her brother, Casey, informing her of a hit taken out on her comes at the same time as Beth sees the flash of a gun across the street at her handsome neighbor’s place. Worlds collide when the neighbor Beth rescues turns out to be Raleigh Vick, her former nemesis and one time lover who Beth thought died in a bomb blast that she was partially responsible for.
Still recovering from shock, Vick informs her that he was the one contracted to kill her. Beth always knew that her past would come back to bite her. He says he quit his employer when the word came to take Beth out, but there is no trust among spies. The enigmatic Faraday clan is there to back her up, but before they can get to her, she has to trust Vick to watch her back. It’s a cloak and dagger suspense story with Beth and Vick trying to out maneuver assassins while revisiting their unique history.
Obviously, trust is the key component to the story. Vick and Beth’s relationship is told in a series of flashbacks. It was a little skeevy to read that Vick started perving on Beth when she was only 16 and he was 22. Of course, he was a gentleman and waited until she was of age until engaging in anything sexual. Vick was Beth’s one and only, so when they reunite, it’s really only her second time. It was a bit odd that she was sexually knowledgeable for someone who had that little experience.
On the other hand, at times, Beth comes off a bit juvenile for someone who’s traveled the world and been trained as an assassin. Vick is the real mystery. The man has many secrets and it was fascinating to watch them unfold. Vick’s point of view let the reader know how much he really cared for Beth over the years. I hope we get peeks of the couple down the road.
I love the whole premise of the book but what really stands out is the whole Faraday family. As with any start to a series, there’s a whole bunch of information thrown at the reader. As Beth is only on the periphery of the family business; it’s not an overload but does set up future books well. Each member of the Faraday clan is detailed clearly and has me chomping at the bit for all of their stories. Great suspense and intrigue with reunited lovers make this book a great read.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by Carina Press
The blurb totally hooked me. A retired spy has to ally with another spy who just so happens to be her former lover. I was hoping for a little Mr. and Mrs. Smith love/hate. While there is an element of that, the story is much more.
For the last year, Beth Faraday finally has what she’s always wanted. She’s a living a quiet life in Chicago working as a curator at the Art Institute, trying desperately to live a “normal” life. However, checking for intruders and sweeping for bugs every time she returns to her home is standard protocol even though Beth is retired. When you become an assassin at the young age of sixteen for the family business, old habits die hard. Despite these minor inconveniences and being slightly estranged from her family, Beth is happy to be free of the emotional weight of her former profession.
The past is never far enough for someone trying to escape it and one winter night it comes crashing back. A phone call from her brother, Casey, informing her of a hit taken out on her comes at the same time as Beth sees the flash of a gun across the street at her handsome neighbor’s place. Worlds collide when the neighbor Beth rescues turns out to be Raleigh Vick, her former nemesis and one time lover who Beth thought died in a bomb blast that she was partially responsible for.
Still recovering from shock, Vick informs her that he was the one contracted to kill her. Beth always knew that her past would come back to bite her. He says he quit his employer when the word came to take Beth out, but there is no trust among spies. The enigmatic Faraday clan is there to back her up, but before they can get to her, she has to trust Vick to watch her back. It’s a cloak and dagger suspense story with Beth and Vick trying to out maneuver assassins while revisiting their unique history.
Obviously, trust is the key component to the story. Vick and Beth’s relationship is told in a series of flashbacks. It was a little skeevy to read that Vick started perving on Beth when she was only 16 and he was 22. Of course, he was a gentleman and waited until she was of age until engaging in anything sexual. Vick was Beth’s one and only, so when they reunite, it’s really only her second time. It was a bit odd that she was sexually knowledgeable for someone who had that little experience.
On the other hand, at times, Beth comes off a bit juvenile for someone who’s traveled the world and been trained as an assassin. Vick is the real mystery. The man has many secrets and it was fascinating to watch them unfold. Vick’s point of view let the reader know how much he really cared for Beth over the years. I hope we get peeks of the couple down the road.
I love the whole premise of the book but what really stands out is the whole Faraday family. As with any start to a series, there’s a whole bunch of information thrown at the reader. As Beth is only on the periphery of the family business; it’s not an overload but does set up future books well. Each member of the Faraday clan is detailed clearly and has me chomping at the bit for all of their stories. Great suspense and intrigue with reunited lovers make this book a great read.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by Carina Press
did-not-finish
November 27, 2014Blamed started off very intriguing: there’s a hit out on Beth, a former assassin just trying to live a normal life. It’s obvious very early on that the story is going to be a bit outrageous and over the top. I did try the sample first which was filled with ads at the very beginning and the story not starting until 35% into the sample! Very unfair of the publisher to do this in my opinion because I didn’t get a chance to read enough of a sample to gauge whether or not this was something I wanted to continue reading or not. After I already had already committed myself to reviewing the book, I quickly realized I was no longer enjoying it.
The relationship between Beth and Vick was just too unbelievable, and then for her not to even know who he was! And it’s probably my fault attempting to read this when it was quite obvious from the blurb that this was a reunited lovers trope, but since she didn’t know who he was at first, I was hoping she had only loved him from afar and never knew what he looked like. However, that was not the case.
THEN picture this: there are assassins trying to kill Beth. KILL HER DEAD WITH GUNS! And she knows this! So what does she do the next day after it’s obvious that they’ve found her and know who she is? SHE GOES TO WORK AT A MUSEUM!! Absolutely no sense of urgency to get away and stop the assassins. Instead, she takes her former lover to work with her, shows him off, and then has sex with him! AT WORK!!
I didn’t make it much farther after that...giving up at 50%. There were too many characters being introduced and I couldn’t keep up with all of their names...some even had multiple names. And the plot had just gotten too complicated and and confusing.
I also, wasn’t liking the back and forth telling of present day and then scenes from the past.
Not for me.
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
The relationship between Beth and Vick was just too unbelievable, and then for her not to even know who he was! And it’s probably my fault attempting to read this when it was quite obvious from the blurb that this was a reunited lovers trope, but since she didn’t know who he was at first, I was hoping she had only loved him from afar and never knew what he looked like. However, that was not the case.
THEN picture this: there are assassins trying to kill Beth. KILL HER DEAD WITH GUNS! And she knows this! So what does she do the next day after it’s obvious that they’ve found her and know who she is? SHE GOES TO WORK AT A MUSEUM!! Absolutely no sense of urgency to get away and stop the assassins. Instead, she takes her former lover to work with her, shows him off, and then has sex with him! AT WORK!!
I didn’t make it much farther after that...giving up at 50%. There were too many characters being introduced and I couldn’t keep up with all of their names...some even had multiple names. And the plot had just gotten too complicated and and confusing.
I also, wasn’t liking the back and forth telling of present day and then scenes from the past.
Not for me.
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
January 28, 2016
Beth is a retired assassin trying to live a normal life. She has been shooting people since 16, working with her family to keep America safe. Vic is a MI-6 agent sent to kill her. Had to suspend belief here, what parent would let their child go around the world killing people? I got passed that, then there was the relationship between Beth and Vic. Both are spies and are not allowed to be together, so over time, they fall in love while working. I hate danger boner, but their interactions were desperate and hot. Then on a mission gone wrong, innocent people are killed and Beth needs to get out of the spy game and she thinks Vic is dead. Years pass and Vic comes back into her life, she's angry for a minute but after some hot loving she quickly forgives him for lying to her about his death. This irritated me, how quickly she forgave him. He follows up with betraying her and her family to MI-6, resulting in her kidnapping and torture. The torture was gory and made me gag. He doesn't visit her while she is recuperating, he chooses to hide out in the guest room in her own home. I wanted to slap him for his weakness. He claimed to love her sooooo much but didn't really fight for her.
Beth was kick-ass and didn't need a man to take care of her but she deserved a stronger man and she need to make Vic work for her love and trust. Vic was a disappointment.
Beth was kick-ass and didn't need a man to take care of her but she deserved a stronger man and she need to make Vic work for her love and trust. Vic was a disappointment.
October 15, 2014
*Review copy received through Netgalley*
SPOILER FREE
Holy Wow! This book is pretty damn awesome, and very unique. I wont go into the summary, but the story line is exciting and well developed. From start to finish, it keeps you interested. I loved Beth and her internal dialogue. She's a great heroine. Strong, kickass, funny, but vulnerable. And, well, Vick is just fucking sexy and dangerous and who doesn't love that? I enjoyed reading about the history they share, and definitely enjoyed the journey to their HEA.
I really thought the author did a fantastic job with all the small details about Beth's previous employment, (no spoilers, remember?) and her whole family's. She really did her homework. But, I admit, there were times when my eyes glazed over from a little too much info. Mostly, the explanations on all the government - (international and U.S) - workings, crime bosses/families, and that sort of stuff. I think I could have done with less of it. But regardless, I loved it. I would recommend it in a heartbeat!
4 stars. But only because I skimmed read the above mentioned overly-detailed info. :)
SPOILER FREE
Holy Wow! This book is pretty damn awesome, and very unique. I wont go into the summary, but the story line is exciting and well developed. From start to finish, it keeps you interested. I loved Beth and her internal dialogue. She's a great heroine. Strong, kickass, funny, but vulnerable. And, well, Vick is just fucking sexy and dangerous and who doesn't love that? I enjoyed reading about the history they share, and definitely enjoyed the journey to their HEA.
I really thought the author did a fantastic job with all the small details about Beth's previous employment, (no spoilers, remember?) and her whole family's. She really did her homework. But, I admit, there were times when my eyes glazed over from a little too much info. Mostly, the explanations on all the government - (international and U.S) - workings, crime bosses/families, and that sort of stuff. I think I could have done with less of it. But regardless, I loved it. I would recommend it in a heartbeat!
4 stars. But only because I skimmed read the above mentioned overly-detailed info. :)
December 11, 2014
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
This is my first Edie Harris novel and I must say her writing is simply compelling! I was blown away by this book from beginning to end. The way she wrote these characters, drama and plot twists were seriously a work of art.
Beth is not your typical female. She's a kickass, badass, assassin. She's strong and fashionable. Becoming an assassin as a teen just makes her a deadly woman. Even after a job gone wrong she stays strong and tries to move forward with her life away from the family business. Things are perfect until a "ghost" appears.
That "ghost" is Raleigh Vick. He was an awesome character as well. I love how strong he was and how determined he was in his feelings for Beth. I think what sold me on Vick is him trying to save Beth's life.
The romance between the Beth and Vick was absolute perfection to a t. The heat between the reunited was just amazing. Beth gets reunited with the only man she loves, but has to deal with all the craziness in between from her life as an assassin.
Seriously I'm sitting here drooling for the sequel already!
This is my first Edie Harris novel and I must say her writing is simply compelling! I was blown away by this book from beginning to end. The way she wrote these characters, drama and plot twists were seriously a work of art.
Beth is not your typical female. She's a kickass, badass, assassin. She's strong and fashionable. Becoming an assassin as a teen just makes her a deadly woman. Even after a job gone wrong she stays strong and tries to move forward with her life away from the family business. Things are perfect until a "ghost" appears.
That "ghost" is Raleigh Vick. He was an awesome character as well. I love how strong he was and how determined he was in his feelings for Beth. I think what sold me on Vick is him trying to save Beth's life.
The romance between the Beth and Vick was absolute perfection to a t. The heat between the reunited was just amazing. Beth gets reunited with the only man she loves, but has to deal with all the craziness in between from her life as an assassin.
Seriously I'm sitting here drooling for the sequel already!
March 2, 2017
Excellent spy/assassin romance. I really enjoyed all the elements, from the scorching hot romance between the leads to the adorable/funny relationship between Beth and her siblings, to the intrigue and horror that was part of being a (retired?) assassin. I would have devoured this in one sitting if I hadn't been so damned busy. Took me 2 weeks to find out what would happen! Can't wait to continue the series.
November 2, 2014
A super sexy spy thriller/romance. Stay tuned for a more in depth First Look at Heroes and Heartbreakers!
ETA: Here is the in depth first look at Heroes and Heartbreakers!
ETA: Here is the in depth first look at Heroes and Heartbreakers!
November 11, 2014
Beth and Vick
Rom sus done right. Wow, this one was so angsty and hot. Loved it.
Rom sus done right. Wow, this one was so angsty and hot. Loved it.
May 6, 2015
4 Solid Stars!
Oh so so good. And so so so hot.
December 24, 2014
Rating 3.5 stars
A very unique spy romance book IMO.
A very unique spy romance book IMO.
March 15, 2015
Intense. Intriguing. Even funny and compelling at points. I liked it.
July 5, 2015
Somewhere between 3-3.5/5 stars.
Ultimately I thought this was pretty good for the genre, but I could have used a little more romance and a little less suspense. Or even just a little more romance.
Ultimately I thought this was pretty good for the genre, but I could have used a little more romance and a little less suspense. Or even just a little more romance.
July 2, 2015
How good was this, oh my god.
November 24, 2018
I really enjoyed this book featuring a retired assassin who happens to be a woman. Her family is insane (not crazy) - I am looking forward to reading about her siblings in the next books. There are some smexy times but the story was intriguing with MI6, FBI, and the family’s company of weapons dev and killers. I can see this become a movie, and I wish someone would pick it up.
January 5, 2015
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books on 12/1/14.
"Scarecrow" from TV's Scarecrow and Mrs. King was my first love. All that top secret, for your eyes only, I'd-tell-you-but-then-I'd-have-to-kill-you stuff has been total catnip for me ever since, as have sexy, oh-so-capable alpha spies.
I. Freaking. Love. Them.
So it was pretty much a forgone conclusion I was going to request a review copy of this book. First in a five-book series about a family of spies? Bring it on!
Then when the author thanked her dad for making her watch The Fugitive (Harrison Ford's movie version) and the Christmas classic Die Hard? I knew I'd made the right choice.
And oh, did I! I loved this book.
It grabbed me from the prologue and didn't let go until the author's note at the end. Beth and Vick are currently my new favorite spies--at least until Ms. Harris writes the next book in the series. It's going to be Beth's oldest brother Tobias's, and oh my goodness, he has such a presence in this book. I can't wait to find out his story...
But I digress. :)
Beth has been killing people for a living since the tender age of sixteen, and she's darn good at it. Though joining the family business (which goes all the way back to an ancestor who was a driving force in the Sons of Liberty; how totally cool is that?) of serving their country as a card-carrying member of "America's first warmongering family" is expected of any and all Faradays, it's not what Beth truly longs to do. Then a mess of an assassination in Kabul prompts her to quit cold turkey. She's always longed for a so-called "normal" life, and as an art curator at the Art Institute of Chicago, she thinks she might have found it.
But "normal" people don't have a routine they go through every time they leave and return to their apartment that involves baby powder dusted on window sills and sideboards, clear fishing line strung between the handles of their French doors, and disguising their exact location in the apartment with stocking feet and loud music as they go about setting and checking their myriad of safety precautions. So...maybe saying she has a "normal" life is a bit of a stretch after all.
And then finding out that a hit's been ordered on her anyway? It's the icing on a pretty crappy cake, thank you.
But what Beth really isn't expecting is to find out that the neighbor across the street who keeps bumping into her at odd times is the guy ordered to carry out the hit. Oh, and he's also the man she's thought of as "her spy" for the past ten years--though a near-death episode (in Kabul--yep, during that disastrous assassination) has made him unrecognizable, at least on the surface. He's MI-6, and he's just quit his job rather than carry out the hit.
Or...has he?
Vick's been in love with Beth since she was sixteen. He's almost a decade her senior, though, and he knew at the time it was more than a little pervy of him. So he waited for her to grow up, and kept an eye on her.
But he can't...or can he?
There's so much angst in this book--the good kind (for the reader, not for the characters, obvs)--with the two spies who desperately want to trust each other but know that they shouldn't--or can't. There's edge-of-your-seat international spy drama, and some really delicious sexual tension. There's broken ribs, GSWs, and some oh-my-goodness long-anticipated hot, hot sexy times. And then, to balance it out, there's some really funny banter from our hero and heroine, like this conversation that had me laughing out loud:
Count me in for books two through five--can't wait!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
"Scarecrow" from TV's Scarecrow and Mrs. King was my first love. All that top secret, for your eyes only, I'd-tell-you-but-then-I'd-have-to-kill-you stuff has been total catnip for me ever since, as have sexy, oh-so-capable alpha spies.
I. Freaking. Love. Them.
So it was pretty much a forgone conclusion I was going to request a review copy of this book. First in a five-book series about a family of spies? Bring it on!
Then when the author thanked her dad for making her watch The Fugitive (Harrison Ford's movie version) and the Christmas classic Die Hard? I knew I'd made the right choice.
And oh, did I! I loved this book.
It grabbed me from the prologue and didn't let go until the author's note at the end. Beth and Vick are currently my new favorite spies--at least until Ms. Harris writes the next book in the series. It's going to be Beth's oldest brother Tobias's, and oh my goodness, he has such a presence in this book. I can't wait to find out his story...
But I digress. :)
Beth has been killing people for a living since the tender age of sixteen, and she's darn good at it. Though joining the family business (which goes all the way back to an ancestor who was a driving force in the Sons of Liberty; how totally cool is that?) of serving their country as a card-carrying member of "America's first warmongering family" is expected of any and all Faradays, it's not what Beth truly longs to do. Then a mess of an assassination in Kabul prompts her to quit cold turkey. She's always longed for a so-called "normal" life, and as an art curator at the Art Institute of Chicago, she thinks she might have found it.
But "normal" people don't have a routine they go through every time they leave and return to their apartment that involves baby powder dusted on window sills and sideboards, clear fishing line strung between the handles of their French doors, and disguising their exact location in the apartment with stocking feet and loud music as they go about setting and checking their myriad of safety precautions. So...maybe saying she has a "normal" life is a bit of a stretch after all.
And then finding out that a hit's been ordered on her anyway? It's the icing on a pretty crappy cake, thank you.
But what Beth really isn't expecting is to find out that the neighbor across the street who keeps bumping into her at odd times is the guy ordered to carry out the hit. Oh, and he's also the man she's thought of as "her spy" for the past ten years--though a near-death episode (in Kabul--yep, during that disastrous assassination) has made him unrecognizable, at least on the surface. He's MI-6, and he's just quit his job rather than carry out the hit.
Or...has he?
Vick's been in love with Beth since she was sixteen. He's almost a decade her senior, though, and he knew at the time it was more than a little pervy of him. So he waited for her to grow up, and kept an eye on her.
Whenever the bad guys lurked, young Elizabeth Faraday had a tendency to shine her light--though, usually, her light was the little red dot attached to the scope of her sniper rifle. A trifling detail, if you asked him.In his job, he lies to absolutely everyone he knows--and all he wants is to be the real him, if only just to Beth.
But he can't...or can he?
There's so much angst in this book--the good kind (for the reader, not for the characters, obvs)--with the two spies who desperately want to trust each other but know that they shouldn't--or can't. There's edge-of-your-seat international spy drama, and some really delicious sexual tension. There's broken ribs, GSWs, and some oh-my-goodness long-anticipated hot, hot sexy times. And then, to balance it out, there's some really funny banter from our hero and heroine, like this conversation that had me laughing out loud:
"How long have you had these?"(Am I the only one who flashed to that scene in Lethal Weapon 3 when Mel Gibson and Rene Russo are comparing their scars and how they got them when reading that?)
He squirmed a bit in his seat before taking the next exit into downtown. "A while."
Her lips curled upward, almost unwillingly. "A while, huh? Your attention to detail here is so sexy."
"If you're talking about the documentation, yes, the quality of work is pretty damn sexy." His mouth twitched with subdued humor. "If you're referring to my vague answer, your sarcasm is noted."
"Noted, but not appreciated." She tapped the passports against her leg, aiming for a casual tone. "You should answer, anyway."
"No."
"Come on, man. I was shot today."
"I was shot yesterday. Worse than you."
"It's not a contest," she huffed.
"It is when you're trying to use it as leverage."
Count me in for books two through five--can't wait!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2018
3 and 1/2 stars. Loved the characters and I feel the author did a great job at depicting where they each were in life and why; however, I was a little disappointed about a few things at the end.
June 20, 2021
A really good spy thriller with a great romance. Or is it a really good romance with a great spy thriller. Either way it was good. I’m glad I have two Edie Harris books in my TBR.
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