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The Hunted #2
Special Forces Rendezvous
An Elle Kennedy favorite, desire in a hot zone leads to a race against time.Unless they stop it, the deadly virus decimating San Marquez will be unleashed on America. Fugitive Sgt. Sebastian Stone and Dr. Julia Davenport have stumbled onto the shocking conspiracy behind a terrifying ultimatum—but exposing it could cost them their lives. Sparks of passion have already threatened their mission. Though both Sebastian and Julia don't "do" commitment, they rush headlong into a casual affair. On the run from both the government and terrorists, neither Sebastian nor Julia knows who to trust. As the clock runs down, they must stop this deadly threat…and realize that some things are worth the risk…Book 2 of The Hunted series.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2013
About the author
Elle Kennedy
180 books93k 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 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 30, 2017
Ahhhhh, why did I forget to bring book #3 with me so I could have started it at lunch!
I'm really enjoying this series! Book 2 picks up from book 1, with Tate, Sebastian, and Nick still trying to figure out who is after them, as well as who is responsible for the virus and what they're planning on doing with it.
Lots of action and even more suspense, as Sebastian and Julia get caught directly in the line of fire.
Sebastian and Julia are pretty much the perfect couple- I love the pairing of these 2.
I will be diving into book 3 tonight, I can't wait to see how everything is wrapped up!
June 17, 2020
“Know exactly how to make me feel good,” she choked out. “I’m just listening to your body, baby.”
Hot damn!
So I’m addicted to Elle Kennedy and her books. I love that they’re not just boy meets girl romance (even though I do love those too) but they have a whole story to them that are so addicting and just suck you in.
I loved this book, the characters; the story, just everything. As always, the romance and smut is amazing but I especially love this story as one of the focal points is something I’m interested in too.
Hot damn!
So I’m addicted to Elle Kennedy and her books. I love that they’re not just boy meets girl romance (even though I do love those too) but they have a whole story to them that are so addicting and just suck you in.
I loved this book, the characters; the story, just everything. As always, the romance and smut is amazing but I especially love this story as one of the focal points is something I’m interested in too.
November 14, 2024
Absolutely perfect
March 22, 2013
Fantastic book with almost constant suspense. I really liked both Julia and Sebastian. Julia has found her calling and has spent her career working in clinics in third world countries. This is her way of honoring her sister who died of an infection that couldn't be treated while traveling in Africa. While in San Marquez she is visited by Sebastian, who is posing as a journalist while trying to track down a virus they found out about in Soldier Under Siege. She is attracted to him but distracted by a missing colleague. When she hears from him she heads out to track him down and stumbles on a village that has been decimated and is being cleaned up by a military task force. She is captured, then rescued by Sebastian. During the rest of the book they have to work together to find the source of the virus and stop it.
Julia is an amazingly strong character. She has no problem speaking her mind which seems to surprise Sebastian every time it happens. I loved the way she was able to stay calm when she was captured and think about what she said before she said it. She also had no problem following Sebastian's lead when necessary, but also made her wishes known at times also. She felt a strong attraction to him from the beginning, but has no interest in a long term relationship because of her work. I loved the way that she basically jumped him to make sure he got the picture of what she wanted. As their search went on and they spent more time together she found that she could share things with him that she'd never told anyone before. She also discovered that they had a lot in common, which added to the feelings that were growing stronger.
Sebastian was quite a guy. He was a big tough man who seemed very self contained. He also tended to look on the pessimistic side of things which occasionally drove his coworkers nuts. When he met Julia the attraction was intense but he was concentrating on his mission. When he found her as a prisoner in the middle of that disaster he knew he had to rescue her before she became another victim. I loved the way that he rationalized it to himself, but the truth was that he just wanted her to be safe. I really liked the way that his nice side peeked out just a little when they arrived at the hideout and he was greeted by Eva's little boy. As the mission went on and he spent more time with Julia he felt his walls start to crumble. He has always kept his emotions separate because he feels that he is cursed by having people close to him die and he blames those deaths on himself. He is stunned when Julia points out that she is alive because of him. I love seeing him open up to her and begin to see that he has a shot at a future. I especially loved the way she let him have it at the end.
The suspense of the story is pretty intense with the need to find out how it is spread and who is responsible. They also have to decide who they can trust. I enjoyed seeing them do what had to be done and develop a great way of working together. The premise of the story is pretty scary when you think about it and I like thinking that there are people like Sebastian who are able to do something about it.
Julia is an amazingly strong character. She has no problem speaking her mind which seems to surprise Sebastian every time it happens. I loved the way she was able to stay calm when she was captured and think about what she said before she said it. She also had no problem following Sebastian's lead when necessary, but also made her wishes known at times also. She felt a strong attraction to him from the beginning, but has no interest in a long term relationship because of her work. I loved the way that she basically jumped him to make sure he got the picture of what she wanted. As their search went on and they spent more time together she found that she could share things with him that she'd never told anyone before. She also discovered that they had a lot in common, which added to the feelings that were growing stronger.
Sebastian was quite a guy. He was a big tough man who seemed very self contained. He also tended to look on the pessimistic side of things which occasionally drove his coworkers nuts. When he met Julia the attraction was intense but he was concentrating on his mission. When he found her as a prisoner in the middle of that disaster he knew he had to rescue her before she became another victim. I loved the way that he rationalized it to himself, but the truth was that he just wanted her to be safe. I really liked the way that his nice side peeked out just a little when they arrived at the hideout and he was greeted by Eva's little boy. As the mission went on and he spent more time with Julia he felt his walls start to crumble. He has always kept his emotions separate because he feels that he is cursed by having people close to him die and he blames those deaths on himself. He is stunned when Julia points out that she is alive because of him. I love seeing him open up to her and begin to see that he has a shot at a future. I especially loved the way she let him have it at the end.
The suspense of the story is pretty intense with the need to find out how it is spread and who is responsible. They also have to decide who they can trust. I enjoyed seeing them do what had to be done and develop a great way of working together. The premise of the story is pretty scary when you think about it and I like thinking that there are people like Sebastian who are able to do something about it.
July 10, 2013
Rating 3.25 stars
October 19, 2025
Strong Suspense, Weak Romance
Book two in Elle Kennedy’s The Hunted series, Special Forces Rendezvous, is a marked improvement over its predecessor.
Sebastian Stone is the second team member to take up the investigation into why he and his unit are being targeted by their own country. Posing as a freelance journalist, he interviews Dr. Julia Davenport about patients who supposedly died of malaria at the clinic where she works—though Sebastian and his team suspect those deaths were caused by a virus, not malaria. The two are instantly attracted to each other, but Sebastian has a plane to catch, and they part ways. However, his car breaks down en route to the airport, forcing him to seek shelter in a barn. There, he witnesses a contingent of U.S. and local military personnel, along with ambulances, rushing in the same direction—so he follows. Meanwhile, Julia decides to travel to the town of Esperanza after receiving a concerning call from a colleague. Upon arrival, she is apprehended and questioned by the military. It’s there that Sebastian finds her, held prisoner in one of the tents. He helps her escape, and together they begin hunting for answers.
I liked both Sebastian and Julia; their characters were well developed. Julia was feisty and independent, while Sebastian was protective and determined to uncover the truth. The suspense and action were solid, and more secrets surrounding the virus—and those potentially behind it—came to light.
The romance, however—and again—did not work for me. As with Tate in book one, I never truly felt that Sebastian was falling for Julia. Indicators such as possessiveness were entirely absent. For example, when they were caught in a storm and Julia’s soaked shirt revealed her nipples, Sebastian didn’t seem to mind that Tate and Nick saw her like that. Later, he even told her she might find a man willing to travel with her.
Although the spice was decent, the emotional depth—especially on Sebastian’s part—was lacking, which made the romance fall flat for me. Then, of course, the author introduced a dead former lover of Sebastian’s (a trope I don’t particularly care for).
Overall, the romance just didn’t land. Like Eva in book one, Julia carried the emotional weight of the relationship: pushing for intimacy, pushing for commitment, unwilling to let go—the classic fighting-for-my-man archetype. Naturally, her efforts are met with rejection, but as the “strong” woman she is, she won’t give up. And naturally (again), the author excuses this behavior by having Julia reflect that being so brazen is out of character for her. Eyeroll. Of course.
There were a couple of inconsistencies—like Julia thinking she’s “falling in love” with Sebastian, only to declare two paragraphs later that she’s “fallen” for him. Also, the scene where Julia was in pain and dying almost made me laugh. Because guess what? While lying there, in agony, she reflects on being intimate with Sebastian and “shivers in pleasure.” Really?
Despite all that, this was actually a good read. I enjoy Elle Kennedy’s writing style and storytelling. I just wish the idea of a “good” woman persisting and eventually bringing the man around didn’t sit at the center of the romance. My rating for this book is a 3.
Book two in Elle Kennedy’s The Hunted series, Special Forces Rendezvous, is a marked improvement over its predecessor.
Sebastian Stone is the second team member to take up the investigation into why he and his unit are being targeted by their own country. Posing as a freelance journalist, he interviews Dr. Julia Davenport about patients who supposedly died of malaria at the clinic where she works—though Sebastian and his team suspect those deaths were caused by a virus, not malaria. The two are instantly attracted to each other, but Sebastian has a plane to catch, and they part ways. However, his car breaks down en route to the airport, forcing him to seek shelter in a barn. There, he witnesses a contingent of U.S. and local military personnel, along with ambulances, rushing in the same direction—so he follows. Meanwhile, Julia decides to travel to the town of Esperanza after receiving a concerning call from a colleague. Upon arrival, she is apprehended and questioned by the military. It’s there that Sebastian finds her, held prisoner in one of the tents. He helps her escape, and together they begin hunting for answers.
I liked both Sebastian and Julia; their characters were well developed. Julia was feisty and independent, while Sebastian was protective and determined to uncover the truth. The suspense and action were solid, and more secrets surrounding the virus—and those potentially behind it—came to light.
The romance, however—and again—did not work for me. As with Tate in book one, I never truly felt that Sebastian was falling for Julia. Indicators such as possessiveness were entirely absent. For example, when they were caught in a storm and Julia’s soaked shirt revealed her nipples, Sebastian didn’t seem to mind that Tate and Nick saw her like that. Later, he even told her she might find a man willing to travel with her.
Although the spice was decent, the emotional depth—especially on Sebastian’s part—was lacking, which made the romance fall flat for me. Then, of course, the author introduced a dead former lover of Sebastian’s (a trope I don’t particularly care for).
Overall, the romance just didn’t land. Like Eva in book one, Julia carried the emotional weight of the relationship: pushing for intimacy, pushing for commitment, unwilling to let go—the classic fighting-for-my-man archetype. Naturally, her efforts are met with rejection, but as the “strong” woman she is, she won’t give up. And naturally (again), the author excuses this behavior by having Julia reflect that being so brazen is out of character for her. Eyeroll. Of course.
There were a couple of inconsistencies—like Julia thinking she’s “falling in love” with Sebastian, only to declare two paragraphs later that she’s “fallen” for him. Also, the scene where Julia was in pain and dying almost made me laugh. Because guess what? While lying there, in agony, she reflects on being intimate with Sebastian and “shivers in pleasure.” Really?
Despite all that, this was actually a good read. I enjoy Elle Kennedy’s writing style and storytelling. I just wish the idea of a “good” woman persisting and eventually bringing the man around didn’t sit at the center of the romance. My rating for this book is a 3.
July 29, 2019
Audible Escape. 4 stars for story, 3 for narration. I liked this story & execution better than the first. Again, it was a good mix of action & romance. This narrator was not my favorite. She's not terrible, but there was a lack of range in voices (Seb & Tate sound exactly alike, and any character outside Seb/Tate & Julia sound almost exactly the same ~ regardless of gender) as well as a few instances of distracting lip-smacking and breathing.
This is part 2 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, Sebastian Stone as he's trying to locate the source of deadly virus as well as a conspiracy that has killed several of his team members. While investigating the virus, he meets Dr. Julia Davenport and later rescues her from a General trying to kill her for knowing too much. I enjoyed the strong, intelligent Julia more than Eva (from book 1). Probably because her character stayed consistent throughout and she brought more than a "damsel in distress" to the story. I also felt the romantic connection much stronger in this story than in the last one.
I wish we got to know Nick a little better so that I felt more invested in his story, but I am looking forward to Special Ops Exclusive. This was a fun and enjoyable listen. For me, it isn’t worth the credits as it isn’t something I’d listen to over and over again, but it was a good borrow on Audible Escape.
This is part 2 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, Sebastian Stone as he's trying to locate the source of deadly virus as well as a conspiracy that has killed several of his team members. While investigating the virus, he meets Dr. Julia Davenport and later rescues her from a General trying to kill her for knowing too much. I enjoyed the strong, intelligent Julia more than Eva (from book 1). Probably because her character stayed consistent throughout and she brought more than a "damsel in distress" to the story. I also felt the romantic connection much stronger in this story than in the last one.
I wish we got to know Nick a little better so that I felt more invested in his story, but I am looking forward to Special Ops Exclusive. This was a fun and enjoyable listen. For me, it isn’t worth the credits as it isn’t something I’d listen to over and over again, but it was a good borrow on Audible Escape.
January 3, 2018
I'm giving this 3.5 stars. I don't read a lot of romantic suspense but this was fun and kept my attention throughout. I really liked both of the main characters. It's nice to see a heroine as smart and capable as Julia. Even though she's not a soldier, she's got an iron backbone and uses her medical knowledge to help the mission. Sebastian is your usual tough, super soldier type but has a softer side he's protecting. They made a good team.
I'd say it's a little heavier on the suspense than romance. Normally I'd prefer a little more romance but I still really enjoyed this book. All in all, a quick, fun read. I may have to go back and read the first book in this series and also track down the third.
I'd say it's a little heavier on the suspense than romance. Normally I'd prefer a little more romance but I still really enjoyed this book. All in all, a quick, fun read. I may have to go back and read the first book in this series and also track down the third.
June 27, 2017
Very entertaining with plenty of action and romance. Story builds on the plot begun in book one of The Hunted. I think I liked this one a little better than the first. Good chemistry between Sebastian and Julia. Sebastian's backstory was heartbreaking. Loved the ending. HEA.
December 8, 2018
I really liked the strength of Julia. Sebastian was your typical alpha mercenary. I really enjoyed their journey. For the most part, it kept me guessing as to who the protagonist was. Another good story by Elle Kennedy. Look forward to Nick’s story.
July 2, 2019
My favorite of the series.
library
July 30, 20210
November 16, 2023
Enjoyable, fast paced read. While the plot I feel has been utilized a bunch, it was still an adventurous read. I recommend.
March 12, 2024
I ended up skimming parts of this book. Seb and Julia were not characters I could relate to. They are both running away from personal issues. Lots of sex and little romance.
May 30, 2024
the hunted
Another great book. Full of adventure, intrigue and love. The story was hard to believe there are sadistic people in the world that are willing to hurt people.
Another great book. Full of adventure, intrigue and love. The story was hard to believe there are sadistic people in the world that are willing to hurt people.
February 16, 2025
Good read!
May 11, 2025
intriguing series
This 3 book series was extremely good to read. The action and suspense superb. Absolutely loved the intriguing stories. Good.
This 3 book series was extremely good to read. The action and suspense superb. Absolutely loved the intriguing stories. Good.
May 14, 2013
I thought this one was better than the first. The guys are still on the hunt for who is hunting them, which leads Sebastien to Dr. Davenport, a Dr with Dr without Borders. I was stunned when the virus was let out near the Dr and she was pulling into the web. It was a good thing that Sebastien was there to help her.
I laughed as Julia met the guys, to say her welcome was a good one is an understatement. I did like how Julia proved that she could help them and then proceeded to do just that. Sebastien and Julia came up with some great ideas to prove that the good guys are really the bad guys. I kept waiting for them to be betrayed.
The ending was a good one, but as much as the all discovered, there is so much that they are in the dark for. I am hoping the next book wraps things up.
I laughed as Julia met the guys, to say her welcome was a good one is an understatement. I did like how Julia proved that she could help them and then proceeded to do just that. Sebastien and Julia came up with some great ideas to prove that the good guys are really the bad guys. I kept waiting for them to be betrayed.
The ending was a good one, but as much as the all discovered, there is so much that they are in the dark for. I am hoping the next book wraps things up.
August 19, 2013
Sebastian was a nice hero, but Julia really had something special that made her a great heroine: fragile but never weak, strong willed without ever turning stubborn. And both were perfect together bringing out the best of the other, having strong chemistry combined with respect. The investigation was a bit more simple than the previous but good enough.
I really enjoyed this one.
It's however not that easy and could be frustrating without the previous and the next in the series, as the overall investigation regarding who wants the 3 men dead covered all three books.
I really enjoyed this one.
It's however not that easy and could be frustrating without the previous and the next in the series, as the overall investigation regarding who wants the 3 men dead covered all three books.
September 11, 2014
Another winner from Elle Kennedy. Can be read as a standalone, but would probably make more sense if you'd read the first book. The plot picks up from that book and runs here, with almost constant action. Sebastian and Julia make a great romantic suspense pairing, both are strong and well-written characters. A little steamy in parts, not too explicit but good. I'm again impressed at the quality of the story for a Harlequin imprint.
July 27, 2016
it was a pretty good book. a great sequence from the last book. they way the characters were presented didn't seem in any way suspicious or out of the blue (like I wonder how those two hooked up). can't wait to read the next one.
Read
December 29, 2014Miniseries: The Hunted
Category: Suspense
Category: Suspense
June 18, 2014
I found the story very interesting and fast paced.how Julia and sebation met and everything that they went through together.
August 30, 2015
Another great read. Dammit. x
February 17, 2016
I liked the first one better because the instant lust/love wasn't convincing in this one, but this book was still very good.
September 17, 2021
not really that thrilling. It was okkk.
I just find it a little different from the romance genre that I used to read.
I just find it a little different from the romance genre that I used to read.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews