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Agents Undercover #1
Soft Target
Wounded FBI agent Gray Harper will honor his dead partner by returning to work-as soon as the Bureau shrink clears him for duty. In the meantime, a long vacation in his best friend’s hometown sounds like the perfect distraction. But Nate Mathis has another plan. His twin sister, Maggie, has a stalker, and Gray’s the only one Nate trusts to catch the bastard.Admitting she's scared would bring the cavalry, and Maggie Mathis has always taken care of herself. She certainly doesn't need a bodyguard. As far as she knows, Gray's in town to work as the Mathis family's new business manager. That she's always found her brother's friend handsome is something she'll keep to herself.Gray's real job would be a lot easier if he didn't have to keep his intentions from Maggie. It would also be easier if he didn't want to sleep with her. He certainly shouldn’t have kissed her good-night. There never should have been a second date.All too soon, the line between responsibility and pleasure blurs. Gray hates to think of Maggie in danger. He hates that he thinks about Maggie too much, and of the day he won't be there to protect her. Secrets aren’t easy to keep from those you love, but Gray needs to guard several with his life…before he risks losing Maggie forever.
- GenresRomantic Suspense
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2015
37 people want to read
About the author
Mia Kay
7 books10 followersMia Kay spent years writing legal documents and keeping people out of trouble. Now she spends her days looking for ways to get her characters into trouble. She lives in Arkansas with her husband, who doesn’t mind discussing (and sometimes causing) mayhem over breakfast.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 30, 2018
Great page-turning suspense! Can't wait to read the next book.
October 14, 2018
My first time to read something by Mia Kay, but it may not be the last. This romantic suspense is part of a series and pits recovering FBI agent Gray Harper against the sister of his best friend. Maggie Mathis has no intention of being babysat, but someone is freaking her own with regular deliveries of floral bouquets and creepy notes. Gray is brought in to keep her safe and catch whoever's doing it. In the process, his heart is captured by Maggie, but he's supposed to go back to Chicago, something his former partner wants, too.
But when that partner learns that Gray has married (What?!) Maggie to keep her safe, she has something else in mind. The question remains, however, whether he will stay in small-town Idaho or go back to his work with the FBI.
As the danger ramps up, both Gray and Maggie are targeted and the question becomes, who will die first, and by whom?
But when that partner learns that Gray has married (What?!) Maggie to keep her safe, she has something else in mind. The question remains, however, whether he will stay in small-town Idaho or go back to his work with the FBI.
As the danger ramps up, both Gray and Maggie are targeted and the question becomes, who will die first, and by whom?
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October 2, 2018Miniseries: Agents Undercover
November 14, 2015
It's always interesting to read the first book from a new author…sometimes they nail it, sometimes they need a little work, but regardless, it's an accomplishment each of them should be proud of.
Wounded and waiting for his shrink-appointed hiatus to end, FBI agent and tax attorney Graham "Gray" Harper bides his time in his BFF Nate Mathis's hometown. The timing couldn't be better, especially since Nate's twin sister Maggie has a creepy stalker who needs to get a clue, and Gray's just the man to watch out for her. Maggie has always known her brother's bestie, but now that he's around a lot more, the lines between innocent flirting and a connection start to blur. But when everyone in town starts becoming a suspect, Gray will have to not only figure out who wants his woman, but also how to tell her he's as FBI agent that her twin brother brought in to keep her safe.
SOFT TARGET is the first book in the Agents Undercover Series and while there was nothing inherently bad about it, there was little about this book that was engaging. Technically well written, the book still failed to captivate me, therefore dragging on (and on and on) at a slow pace. I didn't think that Gray and Maggie had a bit of chemistry other than that of friendship, and even that wasn't that great. With just a few kisses and hints about wanting each other, the couple didn't make love until about 90% into the book.
And, I feel like a book with a suspenseful undertone should actually kick up the suspense before the last 1/5, and maybe that was part of what I didn't care for. The ho-hum mundane day to day going-ons just didn't entice me or make me care about who was sending Maggie flowers. Her character was like the perfect Stepford wife, doing what she felt she needed to do and never bucking the system.
Gray was also hard to get excited about; he was a tax attorney for the FBI, and that's great, they can't all be badass front line agents, but his personality was as dry as the law books and numbers he managed. That said, once the action began to pick up some speed, the book did improve SO much for me. I enjoyed the brisk pace at the end, though it became a little too rushed at the climax, making it feel slightly incomplete. I started to care about the outcome, but it was a case of too little, too late for me. Or rather, too boring, too long.
Bottom Line: SOFT TARGET is a promising debut by a new author. I would read more from her if the next storyline was like a good crab cake: more meat, less filler. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Wounded and waiting for his shrink-appointed hiatus to end, FBI agent and tax attorney Graham "Gray" Harper bides his time in his BFF Nate Mathis's hometown. The timing couldn't be better, especially since Nate's twin sister Maggie has a creepy stalker who needs to get a clue, and Gray's just the man to watch out for her. Maggie has always known her brother's bestie, but now that he's around a lot more, the lines between innocent flirting and a connection start to blur. But when everyone in town starts becoming a suspect, Gray will have to not only figure out who wants his woman, but also how to tell her he's as FBI agent that her twin brother brought in to keep her safe.
SOFT TARGET is the first book in the Agents Undercover Series and while there was nothing inherently bad about it, there was little about this book that was engaging. Technically well written, the book still failed to captivate me, therefore dragging on (and on and on) at a slow pace. I didn't think that Gray and Maggie had a bit of chemistry other than that of friendship, and even that wasn't that great. With just a few kisses and hints about wanting each other, the couple didn't make love until about 90% into the book.
And, I feel like a book with a suspenseful undertone should actually kick up the suspense before the last 1/5, and maybe that was part of what I didn't care for. The ho-hum mundane day to day going-ons just didn't entice me or make me care about who was sending Maggie flowers. Her character was like the perfect Stepford wife, doing what she felt she needed to do and never bucking the system.
Gray was also hard to get excited about; he was a tax attorney for the FBI, and that's great, they can't all be badass front line agents, but his personality was as dry as the law books and numbers he managed. That said, once the action began to pick up some speed, the book did improve SO much for me. I enjoyed the brisk pace at the end, though it became a little too rushed at the climax, making it feel slightly incomplete. I started to care about the outcome, but it was a case of too little, too late for me. Or rather, too boring, too long.
Bottom Line: SOFT TARGET is a promising debut by a new author. I would read more from her if the next storyline was like a good crab cake: more meat, less filler. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...November 15, 2015
"I am the world's worst bodyguard." - Gray Harper
Soft Target is an extremely well written romantic suspense debut with characters that are unique in the genre.
Gray Harper is a forensic accountant with the FBI, so if intelligence combined with a rocking hard body trips your trigger, Gray will be your new book boyfriend. He's not the club-her-over-the-head-and-throw-her-over-the-shoulder type alpha. He's too smart for that. His methods are far more subtle but equally effective. Think Bradley Cooper with a Big Bang Theory brain.
Maggie Matthews isn't a small town shrinking violet. Along with her brother Nate, she's CEO of a quarry and is the owner/manager of the best bar in town. She's strong and used to standing on her own two feet. Unfortunately, being an heiress and always having to do the right thing in public has encased those feet in the cement of propriety.
Its a friends to lovers trope combined with marriage of convenience. The suspense element steadily escalates throughout the entire timeline and is appropriate for the setting and characters.
Mia Kay writes small towns with the understanding of someone who's probably actually lived it and brings it to 3D life in a way few others manage. Her debut offering is a promising start to what surely will be a solid career.
Soft Target is an extremely well written romantic suspense debut with characters that are unique in the genre.
Gray Harper is a forensic accountant with the FBI, so if intelligence combined with a rocking hard body trips your trigger, Gray will be your new book boyfriend. He's not the club-her-over-the-head-and-throw-her-over-the-shoulder type alpha. He's too smart for that. His methods are far more subtle but equally effective. Think Bradley Cooper with a Big Bang Theory brain.
Maggie Matthews isn't a small town shrinking violet. Along with her brother Nate, she's CEO of a quarry and is the owner/manager of the best bar in town. She's strong and used to standing on her own two feet. Unfortunately, being an heiress and always having to do the right thing in public has encased those feet in the cement of propriety.
Its a friends to lovers trope combined with marriage of convenience. The suspense element steadily escalates throughout the entire timeline and is appropriate for the setting and characters.
Mia Kay writes small towns with the understanding of someone who's probably actually lived it and brings it to 3D life in a way few others manage. Her debut offering is a promising start to what surely will be a solid career.
December 7, 2015
Romantic suspense isn't normally on my radar, but I'm very glad to have read this one. It was an interesting mix of suspense and small-town classic romance (reminding me of Debbie Macomber in the way small details about different townspeople fit together). The small town build-up definitely felt like the focus for the major chunk of the story, with a stalker mixed in here and there; at the end, that storyline took precedence and the rapid finish of the story wrapped things up nicely.
Gray and Maggie had many individual issues to deal with, so while the romance was slow to build, it was believable. I appreciated the humor in their relationship; it felt real and their banter made me laugh throughout the novel.
I'll definitely have to try Kay's future RS offerings and see if she can convert me to this genre. I'm eager to see where her career goes next.
Gray and Maggie had many individual issues to deal with, so while the romance was slow to build, it was believable. I appreciated the humor in their relationship; it felt real and their banter made me laugh throughout the novel.
I'll definitely have to try Kay's future RS offerings and see if she can convert me to this genre. I'm eager to see where her career goes next.
July 12, 2021
It was well written but the plot dragged like crazy. It took me a long time to finish because I kept getting bored. The characters were alright, but they waffled on decisions too much. It was a decent airport read, but I won't reread it.
January 22, 2016
At the core of Soft Target by Mia Kay lies a stalker-themed mystery, introduced at the novel’s beginning. While the novel contains some "whodunit" elements and surprises regarding the threat to Maggie, what I enjoyed most about the read was its thorough characterization of Maggie and Gray. As a reader, I got a real sense of who they were and the motivation underlying their actions.
The main characters’ individual stories are very well developed, with each person bearing a burden of sorts. Maggie, as the matriarch of her long-standing wealthy family, shoulders an inordinate amount of responsibility, while also trying to manage others’ perception of her in light of that wealth. On the other hand, Gray is recovering both physically and mentally from a major work-related injury. Readers see him reevaluating major factors in his life as a result.
The history between the two is founded on friendship, common interests and upbringings, and what I’d call “mutual curiousity.” As such, I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve and mature. I also enjoyed Maggie’s brother as a secondary character and the depiction of their small, close-knit town.
All in all, Soft Target is a quick read with suspenseful elements, a few surprises, and mature, level-headed characters that I hope other readers will understand and appreciate as I have.
*Copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
The main characters’ individual stories are very well developed, with each person bearing a burden of sorts. Maggie, as the matriarch of her long-standing wealthy family, shoulders an inordinate amount of responsibility, while also trying to manage others’ perception of her in light of that wealth. On the other hand, Gray is recovering both physically and mentally from a major work-related injury. Readers see him reevaluating major factors in his life as a result.
The history between the two is founded on friendship, common interests and upbringings, and what I’d call “mutual curiousity.” As such, I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve and mature. I also enjoyed Maggie’s brother as a secondary character and the depiction of their small, close-knit town.
All in all, Soft Target is a quick read with suspenseful elements, a few surprises, and mature, level-headed characters that I hope other readers will understand and appreciate as I have.
*Copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
November 23, 2015
Soft Target is Mia Kay’s debut book and boy, can she tell a story. I loved all the characters but the hero, Graham “Gray” Harper, was my favorite. Who knew FBI forensic tax attorneys could be so sexy. The heroine, Maggie Mathis, is the woman you want to be your best friend.
The story is set in Fiddler, Idaho, and this small town comes alive on the pages of the story—the sense of family, lifelong friendships and yes, even the lack of privacy that comes with small town life.
I love that Gray and Maggie start out as friends and grow into lovers. As I read the story, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it all turned out and at the same time, I didn’t want it to end, I wanted to savor every moment of this wonderful romantic suspense.
I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Fiddler or the people who live there.
The story is set in Fiddler, Idaho, and this small town comes alive on the pages of the story—the sense of family, lifelong friendships and yes, even the lack of privacy that comes with small town life.
I love that Gray and Maggie start out as friends and grow into lovers. As I read the story, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it all turned out and at the same time, I didn’t want it to end, I wanted to savor every moment of this wonderful romantic suspense.
I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Fiddler or the people who live there.
February 25, 2016
A Tale of Romance and Suspense
Set in a small town Soft Target is a fun romantic suspense with engaging characters, plot twists and a love story that melted my heart. What I loved most was how real the two main characters are portrayed. They were both strong in character, but also flawed and they struggled to become better people for each other. My second favorite thing was the way Mia Kay built the suspense from page one. I can't wait for her next book.
I will say, without spoiling too much, that I will never look at the game of Scrabble again without thinking about this book.
My favorite line is, "The heat under his skin had little to do with the tequila."
If you like mysteries set in small towns, if you like suspense, if you like flawed heroes that are smoking hot, this book is for you.
Set in a small town Soft Target is a fun romantic suspense with engaging characters, plot twists and a love story that melted my heart. What I loved most was how real the two main characters are portrayed. They were both strong in character, but also flawed and they struggled to become better people for each other. My second favorite thing was the way Mia Kay built the suspense from page one. I can't wait for her next book.
I will say, without spoiling too much, that I will never look at the game of Scrabble again without thinking about this book.
My favorite line is, "The heat under his skin had little to do with the tequila."
If you like mysteries set in small towns, if you like suspense, if you like flawed heroes that are smoking hot, this book is for you.
December 3, 2015
Excellent Story and Characters Maggie was Nate's twin sister. Gray was Nate's best friend and to be Nate's best man. Gray is an FBI agent. Maggie is being stalked so Nate asked for Gray's help.
I love the plot of this story. It had everything: A past lover, a simple love, nightmares, injure, and danger. I loved everything that Gray went through to be truly happy. I loved all the ins and outs that made Maggie who she was so she could trust again. This was an excellent story with an excellent plo9t and characters. I highly recommend.
**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review
I love the plot of this story. It had everything: A past lover, a simple love, nightmares, injure, and danger. I loved everything that Gray went through to be truly happy. I loved all the ins and outs that made Maggie who she was so she could trust again. This was an excellent story with an excellent plo9t and characters. I highly recommend.
**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review
July 19, 2016
Well done!
A good book, great western theme. Lovely romance and thrilling action. I very much enjoyed this book. Would recommend. 6/10
A good book, great western theme. Lovely romance and thrilling action. I very much enjoyed this book. Would recommend. 6/10
August 25, 2021
3 and 1/2 stars. I liked it but the hero acted like a jackass for way too long
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews