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Marked For Love
Nailed: A Hitman Romance
"Lay Low and Live" is what's kept Bonnie James alive for three years. As resident fix-it girl for a tiny apartment complex in an even tinier Texas town, she makes enough money to pay the bills, but being on the run is lonely. Then Bonnie's latest one-night stand turns out to be the bounty hunter sent to track her down, and more importantly, track down the sister she thought was dead.
Wynn Collier is in big trouble: He's got to find what Bonnie's hiding and deliver it to his latest client—On Time Or Else. Manhandling Bonnie violates his personal code, but Wynn is more than happy to use naughtier, more entertaining, forms of persuasion to get what he wants.
Living outside the law comes at a high price for the both of them…but so does settling down.
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52,000 Words
Wynn Collier is in big trouble: He's got to find what Bonnie's hiding and deliver it to his latest client—On Time Or Else. Manhandling Bonnie violates his personal code, but Wynn is more than happy to use naughtier, more entertaining, forms of persuasion to get what he wants.
Living outside the law comes at a high price for the both of them…but so does settling down.
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52,000 Words
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
13 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Amie Stuart
21 books183 followersAmie Stuart is the last of a dying breed: a Native Texan. She writes sexy, emotional contemporary romances set in small towns. In the past, she's worked as a receptionist, a daycare office manager, delivered pizzas, and was even a hairdresser for five years--all fodder for the writing gig. That and all those Barbara Cartland romances she cut her teeth on.
None of those careers can compare to her favorite job: writer. She's a storyteller through and through, even when she's keeping tabs on her almost-grown sons and many pets, or organizing promo and planning trips for her day job as a personal assistant. She smokes, she drinks, she writes, she curses--sometimes at the same time.
You can reach her online at www.amiestuart.com
And copy/paste the link to sign up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bo1GNT
None of those careers can compare to her favorite job: writer. She's a storyteller through and through, even when she's keeping tabs on her almost-grown sons and many pets, or organizing promo and planning trips for her day job as a personal assistant. She smokes, she drinks, she writes, she curses--sometimes at the same time.
You can reach her online at www.amiestuart.com
And copy/paste the link to sign up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bo1GNT
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 1, 2008
First of all, let me say don't be mislead by the back cover synopsis, which leads you to believe that this book is all about a woman who is a voyeur and the bounty hunter who gets distracted and turned on by her. That is only a very minor plot point. Actually, this book was part mystery, part romantic suspense, with just a touch of erotica thrown into the mix, and also had touches of humor.
Basically it is about bounty hunter Wynn Collier, the 'white sheep' of a family of paid asassins. Wynn's father and brothers kill for a living, but Wynn doesn't believe in killing innocent people, just roughing them up to get information, so he's a disappointment to his father. Wynn has been looking for a woman (Julie Burt) who disappeared over 18 months ago, needing to get information from her so he can find her missing sister and brother-in-law. Wynn believes they have some very important knowledge about some underhanded dealings of a powerful pharmaceutical company, and they are in hiding. Wynn's family has been hired by this company to find the missing info and eliminate anyone with any knowledge about it.
Bonnie James (aka Julie Burt) has been in hiding in a small out-of-the way Texas town, working as a maintenance girl in an apartment complex for a couple of years, with only her sister's cat Clyde for company. She left her cushy life in Arizona behind when she thought her sister and brother-in-law were killed in an explosion. She knew her sister and brother-in-law were in trouble because of something they knew, but couldn't believe they would be killed because of it. When the authorities wanted to question her, she figured it was time to disappear. So she got a new identity and decided to lose herself in the last place on earth where someone would find her.
It's taken awhile, but Wynn finally traces Julie to the small Texas town, and as he's staking out the apartment complex, he notices a sexy woman 'peeping' through the neighbor's windows. Too bad that's not the woman he's looking for, or is it?
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, some not so much. I thought the hero, Wynn, was adorable. I just couldn't imagine him as a bounty hunter though. He just seemed too kind and caring, and he seemed kind of domestic, always cooking meals for Julie and taking care of her. Julie was just okay for me; she was a little rough around the edges for my taste. I thought the plot was rather original--I've never read a romance about a family of asassins. But parts of the story moved along at a rather slow pace. The few love scenes between Julie and Wynn were hot, but fall just short of being erotic. I guess on the whole the book was a little bit uneven for me. But it did manage to hold my interest enough to make me want to finish it, and it had a satisfying ending. For me it fell between 3 and 4 stars.
A word of warning--this book is partially written in first person (from the heroine's point of view). I didn't find this too troublesome though, since the hero's thoughts were not in first person.
Basically it is about bounty hunter Wynn Collier, the 'white sheep' of a family of paid asassins. Wynn's father and brothers kill for a living, but Wynn doesn't believe in killing innocent people, just roughing them up to get information, so he's a disappointment to his father. Wynn has been looking for a woman (Julie Burt) who disappeared over 18 months ago, needing to get information from her so he can find her missing sister and brother-in-law. Wynn believes they have some very important knowledge about some underhanded dealings of a powerful pharmaceutical company, and they are in hiding. Wynn's family has been hired by this company to find the missing info and eliminate anyone with any knowledge about it.
Bonnie James (aka Julie Burt) has been in hiding in a small out-of-the way Texas town, working as a maintenance girl in an apartment complex for a couple of years, with only her sister's cat Clyde for company. She left her cushy life in Arizona behind when she thought her sister and brother-in-law were killed in an explosion. She knew her sister and brother-in-law were in trouble because of something they knew, but couldn't believe they would be killed because of it. When the authorities wanted to question her, she figured it was time to disappear. So she got a new identity and decided to lose herself in the last place on earth where someone would find her.
It's taken awhile, but Wynn finally traces Julie to the small Texas town, and as he's staking out the apartment complex, he notices a sexy woman 'peeping' through the neighbor's windows. Too bad that's not the woman he's looking for, or is it?
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, some not so much. I thought the hero, Wynn, was adorable. I just couldn't imagine him as a bounty hunter though. He just seemed too kind and caring, and he seemed kind of domestic, always cooking meals for Julie and taking care of her. Julie was just okay for me; she was a little rough around the edges for my taste. I thought the plot was rather original--I've never read a romance about a family of asassins. But parts of the story moved along at a rather slow pace. The few love scenes between Julie and Wynn were hot, but fall just short of being erotic. I guess on the whole the book was a little bit uneven for me. But it did manage to hold my interest enough to make me want to finish it, and it had a satisfying ending. For me it fell between 3 and 4 stars.
A word of warning--this book is partially written in first person (from the heroine's point of view). I didn't find this too troublesome though, since the hero's thoughts were not in first person.
March 30, 2015
Fabulous book! Sexy, funny, and a little gritty. Wynn and Bonnie are a fabulous couple, kind of a Texan-style Ranger and Stephanie Plum. I loved Bonnie, she's tough and sassy and resourceful. Wynn is a great alpha hero and his crazy family is hilarious. Clyde the cat is one crazy neurotic feline. Fun book.
The cover is a bit misleading as it makes the book look like an urban contemporary/erotic romance. It reads more like a Kristen Ashley Rock Chick book, sexy and funny with a bit of romantic suspense thrown in. Highly recommend.
The cover is a bit misleading as it makes the book look like an urban contemporary/erotic romance. It reads more like a Kristen Ashley Rock Chick book, sexy and funny with a bit of romantic suspense thrown in. Highly recommend.
April 2, 2015
I could not put this f-ing book down!!!!!!!
Real review to come soon, but damn!!! Get this!!!!
Edited to add review: (I liked the first part so I kept it - sue me)
Do not be fooled by this book like I was. It’s a sleeper book. Permit me to explain:
I started reading Nailed (which was given to me in exchange for this honest review) and like all books I immediately started judging it. It was cute – super cute. Female Peeping Tom (what do you call that anyway?) being chased by hot-as-sin Knee Breaker. I gotcha.
So at first, I’m all: This is so cute, the writing is good, I like the character descriptions/interactions – you know, the things you mentally list for reviewing later.
So ok, let’s move on. I am reading this book, and all I can think is “This is not realistic.” Well you know what, SHAME ON ME! I have never been chased by bad guys because of family drama, so how the hell do I know what’s realistic?! So I get down off of my high horse and just read the damn book.
Well, I read the whole damn book. In. One. Sitting. It snuck up on me, playing the “I’ll finish one more chapter and then go to bed” game. Amie won that battle every freaking time. I was supposed to be able to function the next day, I had to work, but did I stop reading? NO! Why? Because I had to know what happened!
So if you like suspenseful romance, you don’t have to look any further. Nailed is fan-freaking-tastic, slowly pulling you in and before you realized what’s happening, your fingers refuse to let go, you eyes refuse to stay closed for longer than a quick blink. It’s like potato chips – you start off thinking you’ll eat a few and BAM! the bag is empty.
Real review to come soon, but damn!!! Get this!!!!
Edited to add review: (I liked the first part so I kept it - sue me)
Do not be fooled by this book like I was. It’s a sleeper book. Permit me to explain:
I started reading Nailed (which was given to me in exchange for this honest review) and like all books I immediately started judging it. It was cute – super cute. Female Peeping Tom (what do you call that anyway?) being chased by hot-as-sin Knee Breaker. I gotcha.
So at first, I’m all: This is so cute, the writing is good, I like the character descriptions/interactions – you know, the things you mentally list for reviewing later.
So ok, let’s move on. I am reading this book, and all I can think is “This is not realistic.” Well you know what, SHAME ON ME! I have never been chased by bad guys because of family drama, so how the hell do I know what’s realistic?! So I get down off of my high horse and just read the damn book.
Well, I read the whole damn book. In. One. Sitting. It snuck up on me, playing the “I’ll finish one more chapter and then go to bed” game. Amie won that battle every freaking time. I was supposed to be able to function the next day, I had to work, but did I stop reading? NO! Why? Because I had to know what happened!
So if you like suspenseful romance, you don’t have to look any further. Nailed is fan-freaking-tastic, slowly pulling you in and before you realized what’s happening, your fingers refuse to let go, you eyes refuse to stay closed for longer than a quick blink. It’s like potato chips – you start off thinking you’ll eat a few and BAM! the bag is empty.
April 22, 2010
If you haven't been reading about The Collier brother's yet you SHOULD be. I Love Amie Stuart's extremely unique and original plot line about a family of hit men with heart. I can't wait to re-read Hittin It and hopefully she comes out with a story for youngest sibling; Dani soon :)
September 22, 2017
Picking that next book to read is such a bizarre process, more alchemy than science. The “TBR Romance” collection on my Kindle is LARGE, and I’m surprised at the weird things that will kick a book up to the pole position. In this case, I picked up Nailed by Amie Stuart for the dumbest of reasons: I’m a cat person. I’ve read a bunch of books with dogs lately, and I’m pretty sure my cats are keeping the feline equivalent of The Naughty List...and they know. I see them eying me, so it seemed prudent to get back in their good graces by reading a book with a cat in it.
Enter Nailed by Amie Stuart. The book has a cat named Clyde, a woman on the run, and a hit man hero. Perfect. Our hero Wynn is a constant disappointment to his family of thugs and hit men. Wynn (his mother calls him Wynnie. Dying.) participates in the family business in that he’ll track people down and strong arm information out of them, but he refuses to kill anyone. Wynn’s older brother and father are disappointed and upset in Wynn’s poor life choices. It’s a great premise, one Amie Stuart carries off with humor and panache.
The heroine is Julie Burt, who’s been on the run for three years, hoping to elude the killers who murdered her sister. Julie has created a new life and identity for herself in a nowhere Texas town called Cielo. She’s the handyman for a rundown apartment complex and after three years of running, she’s finally settled in enough and starts to feel safe. She picks up Wynn for a one night stand: he doesn’t realize she’s the woman he’s been looking for, and she only wants a quick release from a drifter who won’t stick around. But once Wynn realizes Julie is his quarry, he needs to decide how to get her to trust him so he can get the information he needs.
I really loved Wynn, Julie, and the whole cast of characters in Cielo. Amie Stuart has a gift for dialogue, and the snappy banter between Wynn and Julie is the best part of the book. I giggled a few times, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t report in that Clyde is a very well-developed cat character. Julie’s miffed that Clyde prefers Wynn, thinking, “I just couldn’t bring myself to trust someone Clyde liked. After all, Clyde hated me, which just went to show what a poor judge of character he was!” I enjoyed this self-deprecating and slightly sarcastic tone from both Julie and Wynn. To me, this book was a great mix of heart and humor.
This book wasn’t perfect. There were a few typos, which didn’t bother me all that much-- I’ve found typos in every review I’ve published here, and I swear I’ve triple checked them all. Self-publishing is hard and I don’t worry about a few misplaced commas, so I’m reporting only because I know it’s a deal breaker for some folks. The book’s plot is complicated and didn’t always feel entirely coherent, and there were definitely loose ends I wanted tied up. The characters are the star of this show; Wynn and Julie are charming and I had fun following their adventures. I wouldn’t have predicted I’d use the word fun for a book about a hitman trying to chase down an innocent woman. I enjoyed the dichotomy of the serious danger plot with a light comic tone. I’ll almost always give a good rating to a book that surprises me. Nailed was delightful---which, come to think of it, is what I should have expected from a book with a cat.
Cross posted from The Book Queen's site: http://www.tbqsbookpalace.com/2017/09...
Enter Nailed by Amie Stuart. The book has a cat named Clyde, a woman on the run, and a hit man hero. Perfect. Our hero Wynn is a constant disappointment to his family of thugs and hit men. Wynn (his mother calls him Wynnie. Dying.) participates in the family business in that he’ll track people down and strong arm information out of them, but he refuses to kill anyone. Wynn’s older brother and father are disappointed and upset in Wynn’s poor life choices. It’s a great premise, one Amie Stuart carries off with humor and panache.
The heroine is Julie Burt, who’s been on the run for three years, hoping to elude the killers who murdered her sister. Julie has created a new life and identity for herself in a nowhere Texas town called Cielo. She’s the handyman for a rundown apartment complex and after three years of running, she’s finally settled in enough and starts to feel safe. She picks up Wynn for a one night stand: he doesn’t realize she’s the woman he’s been looking for, and she only wants a quick release from a drifter who won’t stick around. But once Wynn realizes Julie is his quarry, he needs to decide how to get her to trust him so he can get the information he needs.
I really loved Wynn, Julie, and the whole cast of characters in Cielo. Amie Stuart has a gift for dialogue, and the snappy banter between Wynn and Julie is the best part of the book. I giggled a few times, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t report in that Clyde is a very well-developed cat character. Julie’s miffed that Clyde prefers Wynn, thinking, “I just couldn’t bring myself to trust someone Clyde liked. After all, Clyde hated me, which just went to show what a poor judge of character he was!” I enjoyed this self-deprecating and slightly sarcastic tone from both Julie and Wynn. To me, this book was a great mix of heart and humor.
This book wasn’t perfect. There were a few typos, which didn’t bother me all that much-- I’ve found typos in every review I’ve published here, and I swear I’ve triple checked them all. Self-publishing is hard and I don’t worry about a few misplaced commas, so I’m reporting only because I know it’s a deal breaker for some folks. The book’s plot is complicated and didn’t always feel entirely coherent, and there were definitely loose ends I wanted tied up. The characters are the star of this show; Wynn and Julie are charming and I had fun following their adventures. I wouldn’t have predicted I’d use the word fun for a book about a hitman trying to chase down an innocent woman. I enjoyed the dichotomy of the serious danger plot with a light comic tone. I’ll almost always give a good rating to a book that surprises me. Nailed was delightful---which, come to think of it, is what I should have expected from a book with a cat.
Cross posted from The Book Queen's site: http://www.tbqsbookpalace.com/2017/09...
April 12, 2017
3.5 stars
July 22, 2015
Cute peeping Tomasina or feisty hell cat on the run?
The book blurb gives you a good clue of what’s going on in this story. Julie Burt is on the run and hiding out in an out of the way town in Texas. Under the assumed name of Bonnie James she fills her days with maintaining the only apartment complex in town and her nights with living vicariously as a peeping Tom or is that Tomasina? Life is lonely. Her life as a fix it woman is a hell of long way from the college educated go getter commercial real estate agent’s life she left behind. But the suspicious deaths of her sister and brother in law sent her on the run within hours of hearing about their deaths three years ago. Having read everything she could on staying off the grid and studying everything about mob enforcers and the like she and her cat, Clyde live life in a paranoid state. Julie is a smart cookie and has an uncanny sense of when she’s being stalked or lied to. So after a hot hook up with a tourist named Wynn she has no intentions of a repeat performance with the over inquisitive man.
Wynn Collier has been looking for Julie for the past eighteen months. He figures he knows about all there is to know about Julie and he’s finally tracked her down. Too bad he hadn’t figured that out before he bedded her last night. Now he can’t seem to find the distance to just treat her as a job. She is so far from just a job. While Wynn is in the family business he just can’t muster what it takes to be a cold hearted killer, a hard hitting interrogator maybe but not a killer. When Julie gets under his skin Wynn’s code of ethics kick in big time. Soon the two of them are doing whatever it takes to figure a way out of her dilemma. In the meantime the heat between the two just keeps climbing the thermostat.
In the background you have some interesting secondary characters in the residents of the apartment complex. Challenges come in the form of Wynn’s hard headed cold blooded hitman brother, FBI agents and the shadow of Wynn’s father hanging over them. Julie’s crazy cat, Clyde adds comedic relief. If you’re into a bit of suspense, adventure and mystery with a hot hero and feisty heroine then Nailed has it going on. All in all Nailed was a fun ride.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
The book blurb gives you a good clue of what’s going on in this story. Julie Burt is on the run and hiding out in an out of the way town in Texas. Under the assumed name of Bonnie James she fills her days with maintaining the only apartment complex in town and her nights with living vicariously as a peeping Tom or is that Tomasina? Life is lonely. Her life as a fix it woman is a hell of long way from the college educated go getter commercial real estate agent’s life she left behind. But the suspicious deaths of her sister and brother in law sent her on the run within hours of hearing about their deaths three years ago. Having read everything she could on staying off the grid and studying everything about mob enforcers and the like she and her cat, Clyde live life in a paranoid state. Julie is a smart cookie and has an uncanny sense of when she’s being stalked or lied to. So after a hot hook up with a tourist named Wynn she has no intentions of a repeat performance with the over inquisitive man.
Wynn Collier has been looking for Julie for the past eighteen months. He figures he knows about all there is to know about Julie and he’s finally tracked her down. Too bad he hadn’t figured that out before he bedded her last night. Now he can’t seem to find the distance to just treat her as a job. She is so far from just a job. While Wynn is in the family business he just can’t muster what it takes to be a cold hearted killer, a hard hitting interrogator maybe but not a killer. When Julie gets under his skin Wynn’s code of ethics kick in big time. Soon the two of them are doing whatever it takes to figure a way out of her dilemma. In the meantime the heat between the two just keeps climbing the thermostat.
In the background you have some interesting secondary characters in the residents of the apartment complex. Challenges come in the form of Wynn’s hard headed cold blooded hitman brother, FBI agents and the shadow of Wynn’s father hanging over them. Julie’s crazy cat, Clyde adds comedic relief. If you’re into a bit of suspense, adventure and mystery with a hot hero and feisty heroine then Nailed has it going on. All in all Nailed was a fun ride.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2015
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Reading Alley for the purpose of an honest review.
On the run for over three years, Bonnie James has temporarily settled in a tiny Texas town as the resident fix-it-all girl of a small apartment complex. Making just enough to pay the bills, Bonnie does everything possible to keep a low profile until her latest one night stand turns out to be a bounty hunter sent to track her and her supposedly dead sister down.
Wynn Collier needs to find Bonnie and deliver what she’s hiding to his client by the deadline he was given or else someone will be sent to deal with her permanently. Instead of employing the usual rough handling, Wynn seduces Bonnie over and over again until he suddenly finds himself falling for the very woman who could end up getting him killed.
So for a short erotic story, Nailed was pretty fun. I had no idea what to expect from author Amie Stuart, but a quick, exciting romp wasn’t it. Bonnie is a quick thinker with a sassy attitude. Even with a gun to her head, she doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s no fool though and that’s what made it more interesting.
Wynn was not what I expected. For a man who came from a questionable family, he was surprisingly hesitant to physically hurt, let alone kill anyone. His snarky attitude covered a very empathetic and somewhat sensitive heart. Still, he had some pretty heated exchanges with Bonnie that alternated between funny and sexy.
Nailed to me felt like one of those “On the Run” kind of movies where there’s a bit of everything: Sex, love, action, danger, mystery and humor but I think because there’s a little of everything, I felt like the overall book didn’t reach its potential in every department. The author stops just short of the mark, making some of the scenes feel incomplete. The rushed ending for Wynn and Bonnie didn’t help either.
Final Verdict: Still, there was enough about Nailed to chuckle about and I didn’t mind this runaround story with kooky characters.
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Reading Alley for the purpose of an honest review.
On the run for over three years, Bonnie James has temporarily settled in a tiny Texas town as the resident fix-it-all girl of a small apartment complex. Making just enough to pay the bills, Bonnie does everything possible to keep a low profile until her latest one night stand turns out to be a bounty hunter sent to track her and her supposedly dead sister down.
Wynn Collier needs to find Bonnie and deliver what she’s hiding to his client by the deadline he was given or else someone will be sent to deal with her permanently. Instead of employing the usual rough handling, Wynn seduces Bonnie over and over again until he suddenly finds himself falling for the very woman who could end up getting him killed.
So for a short erotic story, Nailed was pretty fun. I had no idea what to expect from author Amie Stuart, but a quick, exciting romp wasn’t it. Bonnie is a quick thinker with a sassy attitude. Even with a gun to her head, she doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s no fool though and that’s what made it more interesting.
Wynn was not what I expected. For a man who came from a questionable family, he was surprisingly hesitant to physically hurt, let alone kill anyone. His snarky attitude covered a very empathetic and somewhat sensitive heart. Still, he had some pretty heated exchanges with Bonnie that alternated between funny and sexy.
Nailed to me felt like one of those “On the Run” kind of movies where there’s a bit of everything: Sex, love, action, danger, mystery and humor but I think because there’s a little of everything, I felt like the overall book didn’t reach its potential in every department. The author stops just short of the mark, making some of the scenes feel incomplete. The rushed ending for Wynn and Bonnie didn’t help either.
Final Verdict: Still, there was enough about Nailed to chuckle about and I didn’t mind this runaround story with kooky characters.
May 18, 2015
She Nailed It!
Professional not-a-hitman Wynn Collier has spent a year and a half searching for a woman who doesn't want to be found. He's tracked his quarry, Julie Burt, to a tiny town in Texas and quickly falls in lust with the sexy brunette. When they discover each other's identities and true motives, they're in too deep to reign in their passion. Wynn and Julie will have to figure out what information that a treacherous third party wants before she disappears...for good.
NAILED is book 1 in the Marked for Love series, and if future installments are anything like this gem, consider me ALL IN. The tone of the book was darkly sweet, with Wynn being this "black sheep" of the family of professional hitmen. He uses his size and attitude to get the results he wants, claiming to be a lover, not a fighter. Julie is a kick-ass female, strong and independent who's thwarted two other guys sent to find her, and who brings Wynn to his knees (literally) when she figures out who he is. Add in some deliciously hot sex and flirty banter and NAILED was a perfect storm of yumminess that I devoured in one sitting. Yup, I finished this one just as fast as I could turn the pages, I couldn't get enough!
The interesting secondary characters were a random assortment of outlaws and outcasts, all in sleepytown, TX trying to get lost. Julie's particular brand of kink saved NAILED from taking itself too seriously. This story was told in Julie's first person POV and Wynn's secondhand POV, sometimes making for awkward transitions and pronoun mistakes. That fact, along with the plethora of editing errors had me taking the rating down a notch, but with some good editing this is easily a 5 star book.
Bottom Line: NAILED was a really good book that just needs some cleaning up. I'm excited for more in this fun series!
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
Professional not-a-hitman Wynn Collier has spent a year and a half searching for a woman who doesn't want to be found. He's tracked his quarry, Julie Burt, to a tiny town in Texas and quickly falls in lust with the sexy brunette. When they discover each other's identities and true motives, they're in too deep to reign in their passion. Wynn and Julie will have to figure out what information that a treacherous third party wants before she disappears...for good.
NAILED is book 1 in the Marked for Love series, and if future installments are anything like this gem, consider me ALL IN. The tone of the book was darkly sweet, with Wynn being this "black sheep" of the family of professional hitmen. He uses his size and attitude to get the results he wants, claiming to be a lover, not a fighter. Julie is a kick-ass female, strong and independent who's thwarted two other guys sent to find her, and who brings Wynn to his knees (literally) when she figures out who he is. Add in some deliciously hot sex and flirty banter and NAILED was a perfect storm of yumminess that I devoured in one sitting. Yup, I finished this one just as fast as I could turn the pages, I couldn't get enough!
The interesting secondary characters were a random assortment of outlaws and outcasts, all in sleepytown, TX trying to get lost. Julie's particular brand of kink saved NAILED from taking itself too seriously. This story was told in Julie's first person POV and Wynn's secondhand POV, sometimes making for awkward transitions and pronoun mistakes. That fact, along with the plethora of editing errors had me taking the rating down a notch, but with some good editing this is easily a 5 star book.
Bottom Line: NAILED was a really good book that just needs some cleaning up. I'm excited for more in this fun series!
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2015
From the synopsis I was looking for a hot and sexy romance with perhaps a touch of intrigue. What emerged was a tale heavy on the hero, lighter on the heroine and almost completely focused on suspense. That’s not a bad thing, but not anything close to my expectation, and I strongly feel a synopsis should guide potential readers, not confuse them.
Bonnie (Julie) has spent the last while hiding from those who wish her ill, after the death of her sister and brother in law. Completely changing her life, she is in Cielo Texas: the place where you go to get ‘lost’ if you aren’t a native. Strong and determined, she’s doing what needs to be done to find some answers while staying out of the line of fire.
Wynn is in the family business of enforcing, but he’s a little different: he has some scruples. But, he needs to find Bonnie (Julie) or his brother and father will pay the price. When he stumbles upon her in east of nowhere Texas, in a slightly compromising position, he’s intrigued and convinced he’s solved his own dilemma. But when the bad guys target Bonnie, he’ll do what he can to keep her safe while trying to ignore the heat sizzling between them.
With clever family insets, plenty of dry humor, a few sexy moments (although few related to the rather misleading blurb) and a cat named Clyde that steals the show, this was a clever romantic suspense story that held my interest for the most part. Secondary characters were fun and funny, and while there was an overall lack of ‘something’ that would have brought the characters fully to life as I read, this was a good start for a series.
I received an eBook copy of the title via Reading Alley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Bonnie (Julie) has spent the last while hiding from those who wish her ill, after the death of her sister and brother in law. Completely changing her life, she is in Cielo Texas: the place where you go to get ‘lost’ if you aren’t a native. Strong and determined, she’s doing what needs to be done to find some answers while staying out of the line of fire.
Wynn is in the family business of enforcing, but he’s a little different: he has some scruples. But, he needs to find Bonnie (Julie) or his brother and father will pay the price. When he stumbles upon her in east of nowhere Texas, in a slightly compromising position, he’s intrigued and convinced he’s solved his own dilemma. But when the bad guys target Bonnie, he’ll do what he can to keep her safe while trying to ignore the heat sizzling between them.
With clever family insets, plenty of dry humor, a few sexy moments (although few related to the rather misleading blurb) and a cat named Clyde that steals the show, this was a clever romantic suspense story that held my interest for the most part. Secondary characters were fun and funny, and while there was an overall lack of ‘something’ that would have brought the characters fully to life as I read, this was a good start for a series.
I received an eBook copy of the title via Reading Alley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
June 12, 2015
Romantic Suspense in a Hot Texas Town
"Nailed" starts out with an excellent premise - I was really looking forward to reading about a female apartment maintenance girl who enjoys peeping on her neighbors' sexual antics while she hides out in the dustbowl of Texas. Into this mix of voyeurism and Texas sensibilities comes Wynn, the 'white sheep' brother of a family of hitmen, out to find Bonnie, or more specifically, her sisters and the information they have on some very important clients.
Great set up.
My disappointment in the reading was that I couldn't really feel anyting for the characters. Was it because that Bonnie spent her day fixing and cleaning apartments? Being described with yellow cleaning gloves, a face mask, sweat, and garbage bags? I'm not sure. She definitely wasn't your typical romantic lead. I also had a difficult time with our hero Wynn, and couldn't really understand his motivation. Together, I really didn't care about these characters. And perhaps that is why the book felt a little flat for me.
There were elements that I enjoyed about the book, most particularly the setting of Cielo, Texas, a tiny, dusty, hot West Texas town where most of the inhabitants seem to be hiding from something or someone. I wanted to enjoy the humor in the book, but unfortunately I couldn't seem to find the punch lines.
I would recommend this book as a contemporary romance, with some reservations.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
"Nailed" starts out with an excellent premise - I was really looking forward to reading about a female apartment maintenance girl who enjoys peeping on her neighbors' sexual antics while she hides out in the dustbowl of Texas. Into this mix of voyeurism and Texas sensibilities comes Wynn, the 'white sheep' brother of a family of hitmen, out to find Bonnie, or more specifically, her sisters and the information they have on some very important clients.
Great set up.
My disappointment in the reading was that I couldn't really feel anyting for the characters. Was it because that Bonnie spent her day fixing and cleaning apartments? Being described with yellow cleaning gloves, a face mask, sweat, and garbage bags? I'm not sure. She definitely wasn't your typical romantic lead. I also had a difficult time with our hero Wynn, and couldn't really understand his motivation. Together, I really didn't care about these characters. And perhaps that is why the book felt a little flat for me.
There were elements that I enjoyed about the book, most particularly the setting of Cielo, Texas, a tiny, dusty, hot West Texas town where most of the inhabitants seem to be hiding from something or someone. I wanted to enjoy the humor in the book, but unfortunately I couldn't seem to find the punch lines.
I would recommend this book as a contemporary romance, with some reservations.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2015
A Delicious, Sexy, and Fun Book
Nailed is a thoroughly engaging book that grabbed me on page one and didn't let go until The End. Stuart's writing style is witty and succinct. Loaded with dry humor the story sails along fast.
Julie Burt wasn't always such a hard ass. She used to shop at Neiman's, take gourmet cooking classes, and get manicures with her sister. Now? She's fishing bikini tops out of the pool filter, unclogging sinks, and installing new garbage disposals at Marquez Terrace Apartments in god-forsaken Cielo, Texas. Why? As Julie says, "One thing you had to understand about Cielo, Texas...was that if you weren't born here, you came here to get lost."
Wynn Collier's job is to find people who don't want to be found. He's been looking for Julie for over a year and time is running out. The client has a deadline and if Wynn fails to locate Julie and obtain the necessary info there will be hell to pay. In the form of his dad and brother.
Although Wynn has come to admire Julie's ability to stay under the radar all these months he's relieved to finally track her down in Cielo. When he discovers her dirty little habit he's even more delighted. And a lot turned on. Getting the info out of Julie just might be a lot less like a job and more like a lot of fun. Hot, sexy fun.
I will definitely read the other books in this series.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
Nailed is a thoroughly engaging book that grabbed me on page one and didn't let go until The End. Stuart's writing style is witty and succinct. Loaded with dry humor the story sails along fast.
Julie Burt wasn't always such a hard ass. She used to shop at Neiman's, take gourmet cooking classes, and get manicures with her sister. Now? She's fishing bikini tops out of the pool filter, unclogging sinks, and installing new garbage disposals at Marquez Terrace Apartments in god-forsaken Cielo, Texas. Why? As Julie says, "One thing you had to understand about Cielo, Texas...was that if you weren't born here, you came here to get lost."
Wynn Collier's job is to find people who don't want to be found. He's been looking for Julie for over a year and time is running out. The client has a deadline and if Wynn fails to locate Julie and obtain the necessary info there will be hell to pay. In the form of his dad and brother.
Although Wynn has come to admire Julie's ability to stay under the radar all these months he's relieved to finally track her down in Cielo. When he discovers her dirty little habit he's even more delighted. And a lot turned on. Getting the info out of Julie just might be a lot less like a job and more like a lot of fun. Hot, sexy fun.
I will definitely read the other books in this series.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2016
Nailed is a perfect blend of romance, suspense, humor, and intrigue, with a little sexy time thrown in to keep everyone happy. It was a nice change of pace- as it's low on angst, high on mystery, and kept me guessing until the very end. I could definitely see this playing out as a movie, one I'd definitely pay to see.
Wynn and Bonnie/Julie form an unlikely alliance, one that threatens everything they've both worked hard for...Wynn, his families trust, and Julie, her freedom and possibly her life. Things start to get even more complicated for these two- as much as they've tried to fight their attraction it becomes impossible to ignore. But it's tough because once the job Wynn is sent there to do is completed they both know they are going to have to go their separate ways. As the book went on I really wanted them to figure out a way to be together-you could just feel their connection, and they deserved to be happy together!
I really enjoyed Nailed- it's got action, adventure, a little danger thrown in to keep you on your toes. And I loved the ending!
***Borrowed through KU.
July 8, 2015
The town of Cielo has it's fair share of citizens, who, for the most part, tend to want to get lost, because they don't want to be found. And since Cielo is a town in the middle of practically nowhere, people want to get lost on purpose.
Wynn collier was a bounty hunter tracking down two sisters. One Julie Burt and the Other Karen Lyons and they both managed to disappear quite nicely for quite awhile. He gets a little more than he bargained for when he runs into the heroine of the story.
It had sass, charm, wit and it left you rooting for Wynn and his new lady, to beat the odds and have a happy ever after. The characters were funny and engaging and you definitely want to root for the heroine, despite all her efforts to "get lost". It's a good read and you'll enjoy it so if you don't mind getting "Nailed" for a bit, pick up a copy and enjoy.
Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review
January 10, 2009
You're in another town in hiding thinking your life is going great until a man comes to town on business. This business is a family business. This man catches her peeping on another couple having sex and she explores herself until she realizes someone is watching. Eventually they hook up.
They come to know each other (trying to not fall for one another, but fate brings them together). They are now working together, even though she is the target. There is something hidden that was left with her without her knowledge. They find out later she has had this item the whole time since her sister and brother-in-law came up missing.
She is forced to leave town and eventually comes to realize exactly what the family was hired to find....
The sex, mystery, emotions and anger makes a hot, steamy, sexy read.
They come to know each other (trying to not fall for one another, but fate brings them together). They are now working together, even though she is the target. There is something hidden that was left with her without her knowledge. They find out later she has had this item the whole time since her sister and brother-in-law came up missing.
She is forced to leave town and eventually comes to realize exactly what the family was hired to find....
The sex, mystery, emotions and anger makes a hot, steamy, sexy read.
May 13, 2015
Considering the subject of this book I was pleasantly surprised at the humor. Our heroine, Julie/Bonnie is in hiding after her sister and bro-in-law died in an explosion. Wynn, an enforcer with scruples in his families business(hitmen), has been sent to locate her and find out where her sister and BIL are hiding. News to Julie!
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more about this "family". There are 2 more brothers and a sister. Rubbing hands together.. ;) Written from both Wynn and Julie/Bonnie's POV these two explore develop feelings for each other as they attempt to solve the mystery of where a piece of evidence needed to free J/B is before time runs out.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more about this "family". There are 2 more brothers and a sister. Rubbing hands together.. ;) Written from both Wynn and Julie/Bonnie's POV these two explore develop feelings for each other as they attempt to solve the mystery of where a piece of evidence needed to free J/B is before time runs out.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
October 9, 2008
Even tho the synopsis was not really what the book was about (it was more about the hero than the heroine), I still enjoyed it. Somewhat predictable, there were still moments that were unexpected and the sex did not carry the book as it does in most erotics.
May 13, 2015
5 star riot
What's the definition of a perfect book? Romance, hot sex, mystery, intrigue, humor, thugs, and a cat named Clyde. This book has it all! I absolutely loved this read! 5stars and will read again.
What's the definition of a perfect book? Romance, hot sex, mystery, intrigue, humor, thugs, and a cat named Clyde. This book has it all! I absolutely loved this read! 5stars and will read again.
August 16, 2010
Really liked this one.
June 5, 2013
Loved it Oh MY GOD this was one of my favorite reads, if others don't love it as well, well....
January 20, 2024
Cute read. A pretty light hitman romance.
May 30, 2013
This book started out very good, but it wavered near the middle. I knew very early into the book that Clyde was going to be the key to the story. If you are going to read this book based on the synopsis you are in for a rude awakening because the synopsis has absolutely nothing to do with the main story line. The peeping tom stuff was only in one maybe two scenes in the entire book, though they did reference to her peeping but even that was only three times at the most.
The main story line was about Julie/Bonnie hiding from the people that "killed" her Sister, and brother-in-law for an item they had taken that was valuable enough to kill for. Wynn is sent in to find Julie/Bonnie in order to find her "missing/dead" sister Karen, and her brother-in-law Kevin, because Wynn has reason's to believe they are in fact NOT dead. In light of looking for Julie Wynn meets Bonnie and sleeps with her. He soon figures out Bonnie is in fact the girl he has been sent to find and question Julie. Things heat up between the two and feelings emerge but the only way to save Julie/Bonnie is to send her to another country to hide, but not before Wynn can get his hands on the evidence he needs to hand to his dad to finish his job.
Julie/Bonnie finds the evidence and hands it over for her own freedom but not before making sure she exposes the company involved for their fraud.
This book should definitely not be labeled a straight romance novel as it is more of a Mystery/Romantic Suspense novel more than anything.
With that said it wasn't a bad book, I did like it but it was just missing something for me.
The main story line was about Julie/Bonnie hiding from the people that "killed" her Sister, and brother-in-law for an item they had taken that was valuable enough to kill for. Wynn is sent in to find Julie/Bonnie in order to find her "missing/dead" sister Karen, and her brother-in-law Kevin, because Wynn has reason's to believe they are in fact NOT dead. In light of looking for Julie Wynn meets Bonnie and sleeps with her. He soon figures out Bonnie is in fact the girl he has been sent to find and question Julie. Things heat up between the two and feelings emerge but the only way to save Julie/Bonnie is to send her to another country to hide, but not before Wynn can get his hands on the evidence he needs to hand to his dad to finish his job.
Julie/Bonnie finds the evidence and hands it over for her own freedom but not before making sure she exposes the company involved for their fraud.
This book should definitely not be labeled a straight romance novel as it is more of a Mystery/Romantic Suspense novel more than anything.
With that said it wasn't a bad book, I did like it but it was just missing something for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2015
Complex and Beautiful story
Nailed is the first book in the Marked for Love series by Amie Stuart.
The beginning of the story leaves you interested in knowing more. At the end of the first chapter, I wanted to know how it would turn out. The author did a good job of drawing the reader in to her world. I was pulled into the world she created. The pace of the story was a bit slow at some points and fast is others. The main characters and the secondary characters were quirky and believable. I really liked how both Bonnie and Wynn were not what you would have expected and seemed to break some stereotypical molds.
The point of view stayed with Bonnie all the way through. At times I would have liked to see things from Wynn’s point of view. The main conflict of the story is why Bonnie is running in the first place. I liked that while the synopsis gives hits of the story it did not tell the whole tale. The conflict keeps the story moving. The dialogue between the characters was candid and distinct. The characters voice matched not only the setting but seemed to fit their overall personality. The ending of the book is not what I was expecting. I hope we get to see these characters again in the future.
** Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
Nailed is the first book in the Marked for Love series by Amie Stuart.
The beginning of the story leaves you interested in knowing more. At the end of the first chapter, I wanted to know how it would turn out. The author did a good job of drawing the reader in to her world. I was pulled into the world she created. The pace of the story was a bit slow at some points and fast is others. The main characters and the secondary characters were quirky and believable. I really liked how both Bonnie and Wynn were not what you would have expected and seemed to break some stereotypical molds.
The point of view stayed with Bonnie all the way through. At times I would have liked to see things from Wynn’s point of view. The main conflict of the story is why Bonnie is running in the first place. I liked that while the synopsis gives hits of the story it did not tell the whole tale. The conflict keeps the story moving. The dialogue between the characters was candid and distinct. The characters voice matched not only the setting but seemed to fit their overall personality. The ending of the book is not what I was expecting. I hope we get to see these characters again in the future.
** Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2016
I enjoyed this book. There were just a few spots that were just a bit confusing, & there were a few places in the book I would have liked more info.The heroine, Bonnie/Julie is great, love strong leading ladies that take control of their lives & can learn to do anything. The book's characters are very likeable, plot flows along good & pulls you in. Loved the humor, ranging from comparing the cat, Clyde, to a child and then a demon, to trying to figure out what you would call a female peeping tom...the humor in this book had me laughing out loud, so you might not want to read this in public to avoid funny looks from strangers. This kind of felt like the author was maybe setting readers up for sequels for the hit men brothers of Wynn. No cliff-hanger ending & with a HEA.
October 24, 2013
It's hard to categorize this book. A family of hit men (Dad and two sons) also has a younger brother, Wynn, who is an enforcer who doesn't want to kill people. He is put on the trail of a young woman, at the request of a client. She has gone into hiding after the suspected deaths of her sister and brother in law. He finds her, and also more than he expected. Together they try to solve the mystery of what the client wants returned, and where it might be hidden. What is most interesting is the career choice of Wynn's family. A nice beach book that kept my interest but would not justify a second go. Plenty of characters for more books.
March 29, 2009
Was okay but really I had a hard time reading it. Was not one of my favorites of all the ones that Laura sent me
February 20, 2016
super este libro
October 24, 2016
Well written
This is a well written book with interesting characters and story line. Looking forward to the next story about John.
This is a well written book with interesting characters and story line. Looking forward to the next story about John.
March 28, 2013
Enjoyed the "love story", but the erotic scenes left you hanging.
March 25, 2017
Wynn and Julie have amazing chemistry and hit it off at first sight. Things become more interesting with Wynn discovers Julie is his target. A real page turner. I couldn't put it down. A story filled with chemistry, mystery, action, some suspense, family drama, and ultimately love. Can't wait for the rest of the series!
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