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The Hunted #1
Soldier Under Siege
It's a mission of lies in this Elle Kennedy reissue from the popular series, The Hunted.
Eva Dolce would stop at nothing to save her son—even murdering Hector Cruz, the most fearsome man in San Marquez. But she couldn't do it alone. Enter Special Ops Captain Robert Tate, a man who had seen too much. Ruthless and taciturn, Tate couldn't be more different from Eva. But they had one thing in common: revenge.
Tate had seen his brother die by Cruz's hand. And if Eva was his only way to Hector, then so be it. But the combustible chemistry sizzling between them was even more dangerous than their formidable enemies. And Eva's face, beautiful as it was, masked the truth about her past and her child. Could Tate forgive her lies… or would her secrets leave them both dead? The Hunted: A band of brothers out for justice… and love.
Book 3 of The Hunted series
Eva Dolce would stop at nothing to save her son—even murdering Hector Cruz, the most fearsome man in San Marquez. But she couldn't do it alone. Enter Special Ops Captain Robert Tate, a man who had seen too much. Ruthless and taciturn, Tate couldn't be more different from Eva. But they had one thing in common: revenge.
Tate had seen his brother die by Cruz's hand. And if Eva was his only way to Hector, then so be it. But the combustible chemistry sizzling between them was even more dangerous than their formidable enemies. And Eva's face, beautiful as it was, masked the truth about her past and her child. Could Tate forgive her lies… or would her secrets leave them both dead? The Hunted: A band of brothers out for justice… and love.
Book 3 of The Hunted series
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2013
66 people are currently reading
1396 people want to read
About the author
Elle Kennedy
190 books89.7k followersA New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 27, 2013
Wow. There was a lot going on in this smart, hot little RS. All of Elle Kennedy's romantic suspense stories are page turners--she has a style very reminiscent of one of my favorite RS authors, Cindy Gerard, and that's a real good thing! I don't know how to describe it except to say that everything seems very authentic. The plot, the settings, the characters, the dialogue, the love scenes...everything just works for me and is very believable. When I pick up one of EK's books I know I won't be bored. I'm feeling the emotions of the characters, I'm feeling the heat of the jungle setting, and I'm feeling the terror when the H/h meet up with the enemy. Despite a few problems that I had with the hero (okay, so he was just a little too hard-hearted for me), I was thoroughly engaged with this story.
The book blurb spells things out pretty clearly. Our hero is Special Ops Captain Robert Tate--ruggedly handsome, muscular, 34, dark haired and green eyed. Physically dreamy. 'Tate' has had a truly crappy childhood, let down by neglectful and abusive parents, and therefore has some huge trust issues. Never let anyone get too close to you and then you won't get hurt seems to be his motto. While on an op in a small South American island country he witnesses his younger brother's (and teammate) murder by the hands of a rebel leader (Hector Cruz), and from then on he only has one thing on his mind--revenge.
Tate...
But it's hard to exact revenge when you're trying to stay alive and are in hiding. When the members of his team all meet with 'mysterious' deaths after their return to the US, Tate and the remaining two survivors of his team go into hiding in a remote Mexican village, trying to figure out who and why someone wants them dead. But when a beautiful dark haired young woman manages to seek him out with an intriguing proposition, Tate might just be able to get the answers he's seeking--as well as his revenge. Because Eva Dolce wants Hector Cruz dead too.
I really liked the heroine in this book, Eva. She was smart, determined, and gutsy. She was able to draw Tate out and get him to open up (not an easy thing to do with this guy--who had very high walls around his heart). I liked their relationship, even though I thought Eva did most of the work here. In all honesty, she was the best thing that could've happened to gruff loner Tate. And yes, their chemistry was hot, their love scenes smokin'. I'm not sure if I was thoroughly convinced if they were truly 'in love' yet, though. Maybe 'falling in love'...I think they needed to spend a little more time together and had some issues to work through ()
The book left some plot threads dangling, which I'm sure will be explored in the follow-up book (Special Forces Rendezvous) starring Tate's teammate Sergeant Sebastian Stone. I'm looking forward to reading that one, perhaps getting some answers to some questions that remain and seeing more of Tate and Eva. But the one I'm really looking forward to is Special Ops Exclusive, Lt. Nick Prescott's story--loved him in this book and hope I love him in his own story.
Good start to this trilogy. I have some ideas about how the plot threads left dangling will play out, so it will be interesting to see if I'm right! 4 1/2 stars
The book blurb spells things out pretty clearly. Our hero is Special Ops Captain Robert Tate--ruggedly handsome, muscular, 34, dark haired and green eyed. Physically dreamy. 'Tate' has had a truly crappy childhood, let down by neglectful and abusive parents, and therefore has some huge trust issues. Never let anyone get too close to you and then you won't get hurt seems to be his motto. While on an op in a small South American island country he witnesses his younger brother's (and teammate) murder by the hands of a rebel leader (Hector Cruz), and from then on he only has one thing on his mind--revenge.
Tate...
But it's hard to exact revenge when you're trying to stay alive and are in hiding. When the members of his team all meet with 'mysterious' deaths after their return to the US, Tate and the remaining two survivors of his team go into hiding in a remote Mexican village, trying to figure out who and why someone wants them dead. But when a beautiful dark haired young woman manages to seek him out with an intriguing proposition, Tate might just be able to get the answers he's seeking--as well as his revenge. Because Eva Dolce wants Hector Cruz dead too.
I really liked the heroine in this book, Eva. She was smart, determined, and gutsy. She was able to draw Tate out and get him to open up (not an easy thing to do with this guy--who had very high walls around his heart). I liked their relationship, even though I thought Eva did most of the work here. In all honesty, she was the best thing that could've happened to gruff loner Tate. And yes, their chemistry was hot, their love scenes smokin'. I'm not sure if I was thoroughly convinced if they were truly 'in love' yet, though. Maybe 'falling in love'...I think they needed to spend a little more time together and had some issues to work through ()
The book left some plot threads dangling, which I'm sure will be explored in the follow-up book (Special Forces Rendezvous) starring Tate's teammate Sergeant Sebastian Stone. I'm looking forward to reading that one, perhaps getting some answers to some questions that remain and seeing more of Tate and Eva. But the one I'm really looking forward to is Special Ops Exclusive, Lt. Nick Prescott's story--loved him in this book and hope I love him in his own story.
Good start to this trilogy. I have some ideas about how the plot threads left dangling will play out, so it will be interesting to see if I'm right! 4 1/2 stars
September 21, 2024
Blurb:
“You want this as badly as I do.”
Eva Dolce would stop at nothing to save her son—even murdering Hector Cruz, the most fearsome man in San Marquez. But she couldn’t do it alone. Enter special ops captain Robert Tate, a man who had seen too much. Ruthless and taciturn, Tate couldn’t be more different from Eva. But they had one thing in common: revenge.
Tate had seen his brother die by Cruz’s hand. And if Eva was his only way to Hector, then so be it. But the combustible chemistry sizzling between them was even more dangerous than their formidable enemies. And Eva’s face, beautiful as it was, masked the truth about her past and her child. Could Tate forgive her lies…or would her secrets leave them both dead?
Triggers:
Dislikes:
So much of the “romance” focused on physical attraction. For the first 50% of the book, they had internal monologues about how hot the other person was without thinking about the other person’s other qualities. It made me feel indifferent to them as a couple. It’s not romantic when they’re not also attracted to who the person is on the inside. I like it more when they focus on personality traits and getting to know each other. On the bright side, this changed after a while. Tate started to appreciate who she was on the inside just as much as the outside, but still, it made the beginning eh, even with all the fun action thrown in.
In one of the first chapters, Eva goes into a bar and asks the bartender for a man named Robert Tate. Supposedly, the entire bar got quiet and looked at her after she said his name. I know it was for dramatic effect, but come on. That is so unbelievable! I can hardly hear the person ten feet away when I’m at the bar, yet I’m supposed to believe that the entire bar was silenced when Eva spoke? Please. Unless she was shouting at the top of her lungs, this wouldn’t have happened.
The MCs both fit society’s standards of beauty to a T. Eva has a thin waist, firm boobs that are the size of a planet and long legs. Tate is tall with abs and the face of a model. He’s a captain, so the abs thing makes sense. However, I’m tired of this false beauty standard romance authors are putting out. I read three other Elle Kennedy books and it was the same thing. It isn’t realistic.
Likes:
The prologue. It introduced us to the villain and gave us gruesome murders & war. It succeeded in capturing my attention right away. How could I not want to dive into the book after such an interesting prologue?
Eva. She’s an intelligent computer whiz who would do anything for her son. She’s brave and compassionate mommy 😚 Eva > Tate.
Captain Tate 🫡 I didn’t care for him in the beginning because he was abrasive, condescending towards the heroine, bossy and had a “my way or the highway” attitude. Despite all that, I started to grow on him at the 25-ish% mark. He might be rude and distrustful, but he’s also protective and loyal.
The scenes that involved Tate and Eva walking through the jungle. There was a good dose of action, which made for exciting chapters. Also, Tate started to lower his guard around her and it was nice to see.
The mystery element. Why are people trying to kill Tate and his men? It was fun to search for clues and guess at the reasons. I’m a sucker for a good mystery.
THE PLOT TWISTS!! Ms. Kennedy really outdid herself with this one. I don’t remember her college romances having these kinds of twists. Obviously, I’m not complaining because I loved the twists as well as her hockey romances.
The parallels. I don’t know why, but parallels are always so satisfying to me.
It was a quick and easy read. If you’re looking for something to pass the time, check this book out :)
Eva Dolce would stop at nothing to save her son—even murdering Hector Cruz, the most fearsome man in San Marquez. But she couldn’t do it alone. Enter special ops captain Robert Tate, a man who had seen too much. Ruthless and taciturn, Tate couldn’t be more different from Eva. But they had one thing in common: revenge.
Tate had seen his brother die by Cruz’s hand. And if Eva was his only way to Hector, then so be it. But the combustible chemistry sizzling between them was even more dangerous than their formidable enemies. And Eva’s face, beautiful as it was, masked the truth about her past and her child. Could Tate forgive her lies…or would her secrets leave them both dead?
Triggers:
Dislikes:
So much of the “romance” focused on physical attraction. For the first 50% of the book, they had internal monologues about how hot the other person was without thinking about the other person’s other qualities. It made me feel indifferent to them as a couple. It’s not romantic when they’re not also attracted to who the person is on the inside. I like it more when they focus on personality traits and getting to know each other. On the bright side, this changed after a while. Tate started to appreciate who she was on the inside just as much as the outside, but still, it made the beginning eh, even with all the fun action thrown in.
In one of the first chapters, Eva goes into a bar and asks the bartender for a man named Robert Tate. Supposedly, the entire bar got quiet and looked at her after she said his name. I know it was for dramatic effect, but come on. That is so unbelievable! I can hardly hear the person ten feet away when I’m at the bar, yet I’m supposed to believe that the entire bar was silenced when Eva spoke? Please. Unless she was shouting at the top of her lungs, this wouldn’t have happened.
The MCs both fit society’s standards of beauty to a T. Eva has a thin waist, firm boobs that are the size of a planet and long legs. Tate is tall with abs and the face of a model. He’s a captain, so the abs thing makes sense. However, I’m tired of this false beauty standard romance authors are putting out. I read three other Elle Kennedy books and it was the same thing. It isn’t realistic.
Likes:
The prologue. It introduced us to the villain and gave us gruesome murders & war. It succeeded in capturing my attention right away. How could I not want to dive into the book after such an interesting prologue?
Eva. She’s an intelligent computer whiz who would do anything for her son. She’s brave and compassionate mommy 😚 Eva > Tate.
Captain Tate 🫡 I didn’t care for him in the beginning because he was abrasive, condescending towards the heroine, bossy and had a “my way or the highway” attitude. Despite all that, I started to grow on him at the 25-ish% mark. He might be rude and distrustful, but he’s also protective and loyal.
The scenes that involved Tate and Eva walking through the jungle. There was a good dose of action, which made for exciting chapters. Also, Tate started to lower his guard around her and it was nice to see.
The mystery element. Why are people trying to kill Tate and his men? It was fun to search for clues and guess at the reasons. I’m a sucker for a good mystery.
THE PLOT TWISTS!! Ms. Kennedy really outdid herself with this one. I don’t remember her college romances having these kinds of twists. Obviously, I’m not complaining because I loved the twists as well as her hockey romances.
The parallels. I don’t know why, but parallels are always so satisfying to me.
It was a quick and easy read. If you’re looking for something to pass the time, check this book out :)
February 22, 2013
Good book. Eva has gone looking for Tate, needing his help to find and kill Hector Cruz. She knows that he is also looking for Cruz who killed his brother. He doesn't trust her, fearing a trap, but is willing to take a chance. Parts of her story ring true but he feels that she is hiding something.
I liked both Eva and Tate. She is tired of running from Hector and knows the only way he'll stop is if he is dead. What she learns about Tate convinces her that he is the only one who can help her. When she does meet with him he is reluctant but finally agrees. She is wary of him but insists on going along, wanting to be sure that Hector dies. I liked the way that she was all in on the mission. She didn't complain, she kept up and she stayed calm in tense situations. She wasn't real happy about the strong attraction that she felt for him. I liked the way that she took control of that attraction. I liked the way that she felt bad about keeping her secret but was sure it was the only way, even though it really caused problems when it came out.
Tate is very distrustful of Eva. He'll take her up on her offer to show him where Hector is hiding but he is going to watch her all the time. Besides this search for Hector, Tate and his men are being hunted by their own government. They were part of a botched mission and apparently saw things that they shouldn't have even though they don't know it. Eva has offered to help them find out who is after them and why when this is done. Tate does his best to resist the attraction he feels for Eva, but when she admits hers also they can't resist. As they begin to share parts of their backgrounds they form a connection that both try to ignore.
I was really rooting for things to turn out well for Eva. All she really wants is to be able to give her son a normal life. She is willing to give up any kind of happiness of her own to do that. Tate's background affects everything he does. He doesn't allow himself to get close to anyone, always expecting it to turn out badly. I felt so sad about his lack of expectation of any kind of happiness and really wanted to see him open up with Eva. I loved Sebastian's plain talking to him at the end and the way it opened Tate's eyes.
The suspense in the story was very good, with enough action to keep me turning the pages as quick as I could read. I also loved the descriptiveness of the setting, which gave a really clear picture of what they were dealing with from Mother Nature as well as the man made dangers. There was great dialogue between Eva and Tate, both intense and humorous. I also enjoyed the scenes with Sebastian and Nick and really look forward to their stories.
I liked both Eva and Tate. She is tired of running from Hector and knows the only way he'll stop is if he is dead. What she learns about Tate convinces her that he is the only one who can help her. When she does meet with him he is reluctant but finally agrees. She is wary of him but insists on going along, wanting to be sure that Hector dies. I liked the way that she was all in on the mission. She didn't complain, she kept up and she stayed calm in tense situations. She wasn't real happy about the strong attraction that she felt for him. I liked the way that she took control of that attraction. I liked the way that she felt bad about keeping her secret but was sure it was the only way, even though it really caused problems when it came out.
Tate is very distrustful of Eva. He'll take her up on her offer to show him where Hector is hiding but he is going to watch her all the time. Besides this search for Hector, Tate and his men are being hunted by their own government. They were part of a botched mission and apparently saw things that they shouldn't have even though they don't know it. Eva has offered to help them find out who is after them and why when this is done. Tate does his best to resist the attraction he feels for Eva, but when she admits hers also they can't resist. As they begin to share parts of their backgrounds they form a connection that both try to ignore.
I was really rooting for things to turn out well for Eva. All she really wants is to be able to give her son a normal life. She is willing to give up any kind of happiness of her own to do that. Tate's background affects everything he does. He doesn't allow himself to get close to anyone, always expecting it to turn out badly. I felt so sad about his lack of expectation of any kind of happiness and really wanted to see him open up with Eva. I loved Sebastian's plain talking to him at the end and the way it opened Tate's eyes.
The suspense in the story was very good, with enough action to keep me turning the pages as quick as I could read. I also loved the descriptiveness of the setting, which gave a really clear picture of what they were dealing with from Mother Nature as well as the man made dangers. There was great dialogue between Eva and Tate, both intense and humorous. I also enjoyed the scenes with Sebastian and Nick and really look forward to their stories.
June 2, 2020
“She’d glimpsed past his gruff exterior and discovered a man who could be sweet and tender, a man who’d protect her with his dying breath, who treated her like an equal and made her body burn with the simplest touch”.
God I just love Elle Kennedy’s books! My aim currently is to read them all! 😊
This book was great. I loved the story, really loved Eva, her strength and determination to protect her son. I loved Tate, he was so manly and strong & determined to find out the truth for his circumstances.
The smut and romance was amazing as always but I think what I love best about this book and Elle’s books is it’s not just a boy meets girl romance, it has a whole story to them that sucks you in.
Looking forward to readjust the next 💜
God I just love Elle Kennedy’s books! My aim currently is to read them all! 😊
This book was great. I loved the story, really loved Eva, her strength and determination to protect her son. I loved Tate, he was so manly and strong & determined to find out the truth for his circumstances.
The smut and romance was amazing as always but I think what I love best about this book and Elle’s books is it’s not just a boy meets girl romance, it has a whole story to them that sucks you in.
Looking forward to readjust the next 💜
October 22, 2017
Terrific romantic suspense. My plan was to read a couple of chapters each night before bed...that lasted a whole 2 days, and then I stayed up way too late last night to finish, because I couldn't stop reading! This was a great start to the series- I really like how this book gave us 2 stories in one, with one part of the storyline being wrapped up at the end, but the overlying mystery continuing into the next 2 books. Looking forward to finding out the whys in Sebastian and Nick's books!
July 18, 2025
Ergens tussen 2 en 3 ⭐ omdat het vanaf de start zo voorspelbaar was. Het vriendinnetje van de bad guy die definitief van hem wil ontsnappen dus vraagt ze een militair die trust issues heeft of hij de bad guy voor haar wil vermoorden... en uiteraard gaat ze mee op tocht en laait de passie hoog op. Doordat het verdere verloop van het verhaal voorspelbaar was was ik niet erg gedreven om het boek zo snel mogelijk uit te hebben...
February 23, 2024
Ok I tried… I TRIED but I should have known after reading the description of the male protagonists SCENT. Question: why are men’s smells described as ‘spicy, woodsy, and male’? I feel as if a more accurate description would be ‘his scent was reminiscent of captured wildebeest’. When I attempted to further my journey into this crazy boring book, I just kept thinking back to how male he must smell, especially hiding in a mountain with his buddies and no shower. Isn’t there a babbling brook nearby? One star Elle. You can do better.
June 30, 2021
3,5 estrelas
June 23, 2025
Amazing book. It's an easy story, fluent read.
Loved it, actually finished it in 2 days. That basically says enough 😅
Loved it, actually finished it in 2 days. That basically says enough 😅
August 24, 2025
Easy verhaal. Wil je het lezen? Ga voor de Engelse versie, want de vertaling staat vol fouten.
April 13, 2016
I loved it!
I actually own this book for pretty much a while yet I didn't really feel like reading it especially because I still can't get over The Midnight Revenge series. But when I start reading this book.. BAM!
I loved it. Just like that.
I love how Eva's so strong and even though there were moments where I can't help but wanting to smack Eva in the face for being so.. Flat, but overall I enjoyed this book so much!
I can't wait to read the next installment of this series!
I actually own this book for pretty much a while yet I didn't really feel like reading it especially because I still can't get over The Midnight Revenge series. But when I start reading this book.. BAM!
I loved it. Just like that.
I love how Eva's so strong and even though there were moments where I can't help but wanting to smack Eva in the face for being so.. Flat, but overall I enjoyed this book so much!
I can't wait to read the next installment of this series!
July 10, 2013
Rating 3.25 stars
January 10, 2021
Nice suspense though the mission could have been better treaded
November 9, 2023
The first in the hunted series
This was a fast read, but not my favorite Elle Kennedy book. If you really want to read Elle Kennedy, read her Off Campus series.
This was a fast read, but not my favorite Elle Kennedy book. If you really want to read Elle Kennedy, read her Off Campus series.
September 19, 2025
Writing and suspense decent, romance lacking
Soldier Under Siege, book one in The Hunted Series, was my first read by Elle Kennedy. The writing was solid, and the suspense well-paced, but the romance fell short.
Robert Tate has two goals: to find and kill the man responsible for his brother’s death, and to uncover why the government wants him and his team dead. He’s in hiding with the only two surviving members of his unit—Sebastien and Nick—somewhere in Mexico when Eva Dolce approaches him. Eva needs Tate’s help to kill her ex-boyfriend, Cruz, who is also the father of her three-year-old son, Rafe. She’s been on the run for three years to keep Rafe out of Cruz’s reach, and she’s tired of running. Though distrust simmers between them, Tate agrees to help—because Cruz is the same man he’s hunting. The two set off to finish the job, and what follows is a fast-paced blend of action and steam.
I appreciated the writing style and the suspense. Eva initially struck me as a strong FMC, and the action and resolution were satisfying, though I would’ve liked more emotional depth.
That said, Eva’s lies about her son’s paternity soured my impression of her. Her justification—that she feared Tate wouldn’t agree to the killing if he knew the truth—felt flimsy. She spun an elaborate story about Rafe’s conception and stuck to it until the truth caught up with her and bit her on her lying lips. Eva was portrayed as intelligent throughout, yet she never considered that Cruz—or anyone else—might expose her once they caught up to him. That felt implausible. Worse, when the consequences of her deception hit, she suddenly had a twinge of conscience. I found myself thinking, You went through all of that, someone even died for your cause, and now you feel bad?
Then, despite being portrayed as smart and capable, Eva refused to take no for an answer when it came to pursuing a relationship with Tate. Honestly, I felt embarrassed for her. He treated her poorly, rejected her cruelly, and still she persisted. By the end, her lack of self-respect and pride made me lose interest in their HEA.
Tate, for his part, was gruff, rude, abrasive, and emotionally detached. Yes, he carried deep anguish over his brother’s death and a traumatic upbringing, but I was never convinced he cared for Eva or her son. Early in their journey, he was ready to kill her at the slightest provocation, told her she’d fall in love with someone else, and only “slightly” missed her after their third-act breakup.
There were also some glaring inconsistencies. For instance, Tate had a box of condoms on hand, despite both characters claiming to have been celibate for years. Why bring condoms on a mission? Then there’s Eva’s age: she claimed to be twenty-five, but the math doesn’t add up. She was twenty-two when she met Cruz and got pregnant. They’d been together for six months, followed by nine months of pregnancy, and then three years on the run. That would make her twenty-six or twenty-seven. Additionally, Eva insisted on joining the mission to kill Cruz, only to be completely useless when Tate was easily overpowered.
I genuinely felt the premise held promise. Tate’s revenge arc made sense for a military man, but Eva’s deliberate pursuit of a kill left a sour taste. I downloaded the third book because it was mistakenly tagged as book one on Amazon. Once I realized it was actually the final installment, I decided to read the series in order, hence I started with this one. But because of how Tate treated Eva, I never felt the chemistry. She was always the one pushing for a relationship, while Tate kept her at arm’s length. Even after he considered leaving her behind in Cruz’s bunker and refused to ask her to stay, she was still the one to declare her love first. I truly, truly hate this trope—where the woman does all the chasing and patiently waits for the man to “come around.”
The romance missed the mark, but the writing and suspense were decent. I’m rating this one a 2.5, rounded up to a 3.
Soldier Under Siege, book one in The Hunted Series, was my first read by Elle Kennedy. The writing was solid, and the suspense well-paced, but the romance fell short.
Robert Tate has two goals: to find and kill the man responsible for his brother’s death, and to uncover why the government wants him and his team dead. He’s in hiding with the only two surviving members of his unit—Sebastien and Nick—somewhere in Mexico when Eva Dolce approaches him. Eva needs Tate’s help to kill her ex-boyfriend, Cruz, who is also the father of her three-year-old son, Rafe. She’s been on the run for three years to keep Rafe out of Cruz’s reach, and she’s tired of running. Though distrust simmers between them, Tate agrees to help—because Cruz is the same man he’s hunting. The two set off to finish the job, and what follows is a fast-paced blend of action and steam.
I appreciated the writing style and the suspense. Eva initially struck me as a strong FMC, and the action and resolution were satisfying, though I would’ve liked more emotional depth.
That said, Eva’s lies about her son’s paternity soured my impression of her. Her justification—that she feared Tate wouldn’t agree to the killing if he knew the truth—felt flimsy. She spun an elaborate story about Rafe’s conception and stuck to it until the truth caught up with her and bit her on her lying lips. Eva was portrayed as intelligent throughout, yet she never considered that Cruz—or anyone else—might expose her once they caught up to him. That felt implausible. Worse, when the consequences of her deception hit, she suddenly had a twinge of conscience. I found myself thinking, You went through all of that, someone even died for your cause, and now you feel bad?
Then, despite being portrayed as smart and capable, Eva refused to take no for an answer when it came to pursuing a relationship with Tate. Honestly, I felt embarrassed for her. He treated her poorly, rejected her cruelly, and still she persisted. By the end, her lack of self-respect and pride made me lose interest in their HEA.
Tate, for his part, was gruff, rude, abrasive, and emotionally detached. Yes, he carried deep anguish over his brother’s death and a traumatic upbringing, but I was never convinced he cared for Eva or her son. Early in their journey, he was ready to kill her at the slightest provocation, told her she’d fall in love with someone else, and only “slightly” missed her after their third-act breakup.
There were also some glaring inconsistencies. For instance, Tate had a box of condoms on hand, despite both characters claiming to have been celibate for years. Why bring condoms on a mission? Then there’s Eva’s age: she claimed to be twenty-five, but the math doesn’t add up. She was twenty-two when she met Cruz and got pregnant. They’d been together for six months, followed by nine months of pregnancy, and then three years on the run. That would make her twenty-six or twenty-seven. Additionally, Eva insisted on joining the mission to kill Cruz, only to be completely useless when Tate was easily overpowered.
I genuinely felt the premise held promise. Tate’s revenge arc made sense for a military man, but Eva’s deliberate pursuit of a kill left a sour taste. I downloaded the third book because it was mistakenly tagged as book one on Amazon. Once I realized it was actually the final installment, I decided to read the series in order, hence I started with this one. But because of how Tate treated Eva, I never felt the chemistry. She was always the one pushing for a relationship, while Tate kept her at arm’s length. Even after he considered leaving her behind in Cruz’s bunker and refused to ask her to stay, she was still the one to declare her love first. I truly, truly hate this trope—where the woman does all the chasing and patiently waits for the man to “come around.”
The romance missed the mark, but the writing and suspense were decent. I’m rating this one a 2.5, rounded up to a 3.
July 29, 2019
Audible Escape. 3.5 rounded to 4. It was hard not to compare this to Kennedy’s “Killer Instincts” series which, I think, is a better level of writing despite being released fairly close to this. Overall, it was a good mix of action & romance despite being a little on the short side. This narrator was not my favorite. Again, not terrible, but not to the level of Allyson Ryan who narrates all Killer Instinct books.
This is part 1 of a 3 book series. It has it’s own complete adventure, but is part of a story arc that weaves through all 3 books. This book follows Former Spec Ops soldier, Tate who is trying to find out who is hunting down and killing members of his team and why they’re wanted dead. Concurrently, he’s after the man who killed his brother (and also teammate) ~ a rebel named Hector Cruz.
Eva Dolce also wants Hector Cruz dead. Eva has a son with Hector and has been hunted by Hector’s men since she fled with Rafe three years earlier. Eva doesn’t share Rafe’s paternity with Tate when she offers to help Tate locate and kill Hector.
They traverse the jungle over several days to locate Hector’s hideout. Of course, there’s instant attraction and a convenient rain storm allows them the opportunity to hideout in a cave for several days and use up a box of condoms. 😉
It feels a like an HFN more than an HEA, but again as part of a series I’m assuming we’ll be seeing more Tate, Eva, & Rafe. I wish we got to know the other guys a little better so that I felt more invested in them, but I am looking forward to Sebastian’s story, Special Forces Rendezvous. This is a fun and enjoyable listen, but it’s too rushed and there’s some flimsy plot points for this to be a full 4 stars. For me, it isn’t worth the credit as it isn’t something I’d listen to over and over again (probably due more to the narrator than the story), but it was a good borrow on Audible Escape.
This is part 1 of a 3 book series. It has it’s own complete adventure, but is part of a story arc that weaves through all 3 books. This book follows Former Spec Ops soldier, Tate who is trying to find out who is hunting down and killing members of his team and why they’re wanted dead. Concurrently, he’s after the man who killed his brother (and also teammate) ~ a rebel named Hector Cruz.
Eva Dolce also wants Hector Cruz dead. Eva has a son with Hector and has been hunted by Hector’s men since she fled with Rafe three years earlier. Eva doesn’t share Rafe’s paternity with Tate when she offers to help Tate locate and kill Hector.
They traverse the jungle over several days to locate Hector’s hideout. Of course, there’s instant attraction and a convenient rain storm allows them the opportunity to hideout in a cave for several days and use up a box of condoms. 😉
It feels a like an HFN more than an HEA, but again as part of a series I’m assuming we’ll be seeing more Tate, Eva, & Rafe. I wish we got to know the other guys a little better so that I felt more invested in them, but I am looking forward to Sebastian’s story, Special Forces Rendezvous. This is a fun and enjoyable listen, but it’s too rushed and there’s some flimsy plot points for this to be a full 4 stars. For me, it isn’t worth the credit as it isn’t something I’d listen to over and over again (probably due more to the narrator than the story), but it was a good borrow on Audible Escape.
September 15, 2025
Onder vuur. Door: Elle Kennedy.
Mijn favoriete guilty pleasure heet Elle Kennedy ;) Ik verslind alles van haar. Ze schrijft aan een hels tempo en blijft beter worden.
Onder vuur is een oudje, het verscheen voor het eerst in 2013. Dank je wel Harper Collins om dit boek (deze reeks moet ik zeggen) weer op te duikelen! Dit is het eerste boek in een serie van 3 over Special Forces-soldaten. Iets totaal anders dan het ijshockey waar Kennedy meestal over schrijft.
Dit is echt een avontuurlijk verhaal, waarin we Eva en Tate volgen op hun gezamenlijke missie om Hector Cruz te vermoorden. Ze beginnen vol wantrouwen tegenover elkaar aan hun tocht maar eindigen…
Zoals je van Elle gewend bent komt er naast romantiek ook lekker wat seks voorbij. Haar hoofdpersonen zijn beiden stoer en sexy en leren onderweg veel van elkaar én over zichzelf.
Is dit de beste Elle Kennedy die ik al las? Nee, want je merkt dat ze nog niet zo geëvolueerd is qua schrijfstijl en invulling van karakters - de wereld was toen ook nog een andere plek. Maar ik heb wel enorm genoten en het heel graag gelezen. Onder vuur is een spannend, sexy, avontuurlijk verhaal en eens iets helemaal anders dan we van haar gewend zijn. Zin in de volgende 2 delen!
Mijn favoriete guilty pleasure heet Elle Kennedy ;) Ik verslind alles van haar. Ze schrijft aan een hels tempo en blijft beter worden.
Onder vuur is een oudje, het verscheen voor het eerst in 2013. Dank je wel Harper Collins om dit boek (deze reeks moet ik zeggen) weer op te duikelen! Dit is het eerste boek in een serie van 3 over Special Forces-soldaten. Iets totaal anders dan het ijshockey waar Kennedy meestal over schrijft.
Dit is echt een avontuurlijk verhaal, waarin we Eva en Tate volgen op hun gezamenlijke missie om Hector Cruz te vermoorden. Ze beginnen vol wantrouwen tegenover elkaar aan hun tocht maar eindigen…
Zoals je van Elle gewend bent komt er naast romantiek ook lekker wat seks voorbij. Haar hoofdpersonen zijn beiden stoer en sexy en leren onderweg veel van elkaar én over zichzelf.
Is dit de beste Elle Kennedy die ik al las? Nee, want je merkt dat ze nog niet zo geëvolueerd is qua schrijfstijl en invulling van karakters - de wereld was toen ook nog een andere plek. Maar ik heb wel enorm genoten en het heel graag gelezen. Onder vuur is een spannend, sexy, avontuurlijk verhaal en eens iets helemaal anders dan we van haar gewend zijn. Zin in de volgende 2 delen!
May 1, 2024
An addictive read from the beginning that lost it's way part of the way and I didn't like the ending, just too all over the place for me. I just don't think that Eva should have to give up all her freedom, which she has been running from for 3 years, to be with a guy she met a week ago. I think they should try a relationship, but maybe give it some time to grow.
Overall though, it was an entertaining read.
Overall though, it was an entertaining read.
June 25, 2017
Very entertaining. I liked the main characters, Tate and Eva, who at first disliked one another, even while attracted to each other. Good chemistry, which they acted on repeatedly. Action and suspense kept the story moving. Next up, Sebastian's story.
November 25, 2018
Love these types of books. I liked Tates’ brooding, alpha attitude. Eva is so strong and confident. This was well written with a lot of chemistry. Loved Nick and can’t wait to read his story. Sebastian is next and look forward to his journey.
July 8, 2017
Actually a 3.5 rating. Lots of fast-paced action. Characters were interesting. Plot was intense.
November 1, 2019
Read before and rated it 1*
(11/1/2019) This time I thought it was pretty good - 5
(11/1/2019) This time I thought it was pretty good - 5
library
July 30, 20210
September 7, 2023
A mission of lies and suspense.
May 28, 2024
soldier under siege
Very action pact along with a unusual love story. This book was hard to put down. I look forward to the next one.
Very action pact along with a unusual love story. This book was hard to put down. I look forward to the next one.
February 13, 2025
I read this to get me out of the slump onyx storm put me in. It did what it needed to do
August 19, 2025
i devoured this book in one day, so good 4.5/5 loved the concept, characters, but the happy ending kind of felt rushed to me? maybe a bit unlogical? but still loved this book!
December 30, 2025
Een beetje voorspelbaar mag wel maar dit boek is vanaf het begin zo voorspelbaar ala het maar kan zijn en daardoor is helaas er ook geen spanning in het boek.
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