What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Ops Inc. #3
Whisper No Lies
In New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard's fiery new romantic suspense series, when danger threatens, the seductive heroes of Black Ops, Inc. turn up the heat.
AN INDECENT PROPOSAL...
When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation and her life are on the line.
REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE...
Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can't get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her.
...WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.
Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant's wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves....
335 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 30, 2008
89 people are currently reading
2107 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Gerard
156 books1,622 followersThe only thing Cindy had in mind when she started writing her first book was finishing it. The issue of actually selling it came much later. Only after she made that life-altering first sale did she realize that one book would never be enough. Now, over 20 books and numerous awards later, Cindy laughingly admits that she can barely remember life before...well, was there life before writing?
Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. "Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines."
Cindy's career has taught her much about the human condition, its frailties, its strengths, and its spirit. The evocative emotions that pour from the pages of her books are a reflection of some of her work experiences. Her writing celebrates life's richness and trials, offering a wide range of emotions — hope and elation, anger and indecision, laughter and, of course, love. And, according to her readers, her powerful love scenes run the gamut from steamy to tender to lusty to just plain fun.
Cindy's writing has netted her spots on bestseller lists, numerous RT nominations and awards, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a National Reader's Choice Award and two RITA nominations.
Between writing and working full time you wouldn't think Cindy would have much time for anything else. And while she does find her work and her writing rewarding, there does have to be more. Cindy has more. Much more. She is happily married to the perfect man. Tom's a cowboy, ladies!
Yes, even Iowa has its share of that saddle-straddling, Wrangler-wearing species who love their horses almost as much as they love their women. As a matter of fact, recently a whole herd of Texans gathered at the Gerard "Ranch" to treat their little ones to real horseback rides. Go figure.
Cindy has a passion for pink depression glass — she always has her eye out for the special piece to add to her collection. Cindy's down time often takes the form of the classic "busman's holiday." She loves to read and most of all, she loves to read at their summer place, a cabin in the woods on Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota.
Both Tom and Cindy enjoy gardening and have recently expanded their annual beds into a perennial garden. Cindy says she can hardly wait for spring and the promise of all that reawakening and the colorful blooms.
In addition to the horses, the Gerards have two dogs, Ellie and Boomer, who pretty much get anything they want. Tom and Cindy have one son, Kyle, who, after years of keeping them in suspense, found Eileen, the perfect woman.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cindyg...
Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. "Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines."
Cindy's career has taught her much about the human condition, its frailties, its strengths, and its spirit. The evocative emotions that pour from the pages of her books are a reflection of some of her work experiences. Her writing celebrates life's richness and trials, offering a wide range of emotions — hope and elation, anger and indecision, laughter and, of course, love. And, according to her readers, her powerful love scenes run the gamut from steamy to tender to lusty to just plain fun.
Cindy's writing has netted her spots on bestseller lists, numerous RT nominations and awards, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a National Reader's Choice Award and two RITA nominations.
Between writing and working full time you wouldn't think Cindy would have much time for anything else. And while she does find her work and her writing rewarding, there does have to be more. Cindy has more. Much more. She is happily married to the perfect man. Tom's a cowboy, ladies!
Yes, even Iowa has its share of that saddle-straddling, Wrangler-wearing species who love their horses almost as much as they love their women. As a matter of fact, recently a whole herd of Texans gathered at the Gerard "Ranch" to treat their little ones to real horseback rides. Go figure.
Cindy has a passion for pink depression glass — she always has her eye out for the special piece to add to her collection. Cindy's down time often takes the form of the classic "busman's holiday." She loves to read and most of all, she loves to read at their summer place, a cabin in the woods on Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota.
Both Tom and Cindy enjoy gardening and have recently expanded their annual beds into a perennial garden. Cindy says she can hardly wait for spring and the promise of all that reawakening and the colorful blooms.
In addition to the horses, the Gerards have two dogs, Ellie and Boomer, who pretty much get anything they want. Tom and Cindy have one son, Kyle, who, after years of keeping them in suspense, found Eileen, the perfect woman.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cindyg...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
April 17, 2017
Crystal Debrowski is a force despite her pixie-ish size. She's a casino gaming manager and can handle herself, even with player Johnny Duane Reed, BOI's pretty boy. Though they're enjoying each other's company, she's playing it loose with the commitment phobe. When the head of an Asian crime syndicate makes her a disgusting offer she can refuse, Crystal finds herself in desperate circumstances when he doesn't take kindly to "no."
I loved, loved, loved Crystal! She's smart, witty, resourceful and pretty fierce without putting out negative vibes. When Johnny comes to her rescue, she handles herself and contributes almost as much as the BOI team does on her behalf. The subject matter was awful as human trafficking is a very big issue these days and the author doesn't try to make it pretty. The tension was palpable as Crystal's suitor is seriously powerful and twisted.
Johnny and Crystal's relationship developed so fittingly for both of them. I liked them as a couple as well as individually. This story was the best so far and they've all been really good. 4.5 stars
I loved, loved, loved Crystal! She's smart, witty, resourceful and pretty fierce without putting out negative vibes. When Johnny comes to her rescue, she handles herself and contributes almost as much as the BOI team does on her behalf. The subject matter was awful as human trafficking is a very big issue these days and the author doesn't try to make it pretty. The tension was palpable as Crystal's suitor is seriously powerful and twisted.
Johnny and Crystal's relationship developed so fittingly for both of them. I liked them as a couple as well as individually. This story was the best so far and they've all been really good. 4.5 stars
August 5, 2011
Ahhhh...there aren't enough superlatives to adequately express how much I loved this book! You know how it is when you're reading a book and everything just 'clicks' for you? You love the characters, you love the dialogue, you love the supporting characters, you love the plot...you even love (to hate) the villain? And you don't want to put it down--in fact, you can't find a good place to stop when you have to (when life gets in the way), but you try to draw it out and make the book last as long as possible? That's how this one was for me--I loved everything about it, and it even made me tear up at the end.
Whisper No Lies is book #3 in Cindy Gerard's fantastic Black Ops series, and while they are all excellent, this one is my personal favorite, largely due to the characters of flirty adonis Johhny Duane Reed and brave little spitfire and one kick-ass heroine, Crystal Debrowski. I could not get enough of these two! Chemistry? They had it in spades! Passion? Oh yeah! Fearlessness? Both had it, except when it came to love. Crystal had big time trust issues involving good looking, sweet-talking men, and Johnny--due to some crappy parenting, had lots of problems with emotional intimacy. The characters first meet in the previous book, Take No Prisoners,(Crystal is Abbie's best friend, Johnny works with Sam at Black Ops) and we get a hint of their combustible chemistry and what's to come.
Crystal is a security manager in a Las Vegas casino, although she'd much rather be a cop, like her well-respected retired cop Dad. But since she couldn't pass the police physical (hearing loss in one ear), this 5 foot, curvy, red-headed dynamo with a pixie face (nicknamed 'Tinkerbell' or 'Tink', by Johnny) has to be content taking care of security business and fending off come-ons from overly amorous guests at the Las Vegas casino where she works. Despite her petite stature, Crystal has no trouble handling herself, until she meets one customer who is unwilling to take 'no' for an answer... Mr. Yao Long, 5'4", Asian ancestry, and with a bodyguard to do his 'propositioning' (he wants Crystal to be his 'sex slave'), doesn't appear all that threatening, but ahhh, appearances can be deceiving. You just don't say 'no' to Mr. Yao. And live to tell about it.
Well, Crystal's refusal to Mr. Yao lands her in a heap of trouble. The powerful Yao (uh-oh, he's an international crime lord, involved in everything shady from illegal arms trafficking to human trafficking) proceeds to wreck Crystal's career, ultimately landing her in jail when $200,000 is missing under her watch at the casino. Of course Crystal doesn't realize that the slimy Yao is bent on her destruction-- he was just another unpleasant blip on her men-I-would-never-date radar. So when Crystal turns to Sam and Abbie for help, Sam is able to learn that Yao is the one behind Crystal's troubles. But before he and Johnny Duane Reed (Crystal's bed partner-when-he's-in-town) can figure out how to get Crystal out of her predicament, she's abducted by the obsessive Yao's henchmen and taken to be part of his 'personal harem' in Jakarta, Indonesia, where the powerful Yao's influence stretches far and wide.
Johnny's not going to let Crystal go down in flames or become a part of Yao's smarmy operations, and he high-tails it to Jakarta to save his lady. But while he's able to save Crystal in a daring rescue, will he be able to save the other girls (one who's a daughter of a military general) who are being held against their will and part of Yao's human trafficking network? Will the addition of Johnny's teammates from Black Ops Inc. help to defeat Yao? Will they be able to rescue the general's daughter and make a small dent in his vast human trafficking network? Will Johnny and Crystal's relationship develop beyond the 'we're-just-having-some-hot-sex' stage? And will Johnny, Crystal and the BOIs be able to get out of Jakarta alive or will Yao's power and influence be too much for them?
Action, this book had plenty of action, and it was very well done and quite believable. CG's words were so descriptive, from the heat and humidity when Johnny and Crystal were running through the streets of Jakarta to avoid Yao's men, to the scenes where the guys were formulating a plan to take down Yao and assembling all their weaponry. Everything was clearly spelled out and I was able to follow along very easily and every tension filled moment made me feel like I was there--or at least imagining it as a movie.
Characterization? Probably the best part of the book. From CG's physical descriptions of the characters...Crystal knew what men saw when they looked at her: sex on a stick. Pixie features, spiky red hair, and fairy-green eyes. Showgirl breasts and round hips that swayed to a sultry beat when she walked and drew heartbreakers and bizarros from the four corners of the earth.... And of Johnny..Hair too long and too blond. Eyes too sexy and too blue. Body too buff, ego in danger of liftoff. Standing there in his tight, faded jeans, painted on T-shirt, and snakeskin boots, he looked like God's guilty gift. Trouble was, he knew it. Gerard has a way of painting a picture, not just physically, but emotionally too. The reader gets a clear picture of where the characters are at emotionally in their lives--why Crystal doesn't really trust men--why she expects them to leave her once they get what they want from her, why she now keeps her emotions in check and Johnny at bay, and why she (and her heart)eventually just can't resist the charming and needs-some-real- lovin' Johnny. Gerard's depiction of Johnny and why he's not the over confident, happy-go-lucky charmer that he wants the world to see, was a real eye-opener. To see a guy that has so much to offer think so little of himself, well, at times it brought a tear to my eyes. When he said "I've never...never been anyone's best thing before.", it just about broke my heart. Crystal needed Johnny just as much as he needed her, and it was a beautiful thing to watch their relationship blossom from 'sex buddies' to I-can't-live-without-you. (I loved the gift Johnny gave to Crystal near the end and how unsure he was that she'd like it--what a sweetheart!) They had some romantic, tender moments together (as well as some scorch-the-sheets sexual interludes), and I was just praying that they would get the nerve up to recognize that they were in love, were meant to be, and to embrace it.
I could go on and on about this one, but I'll just sum it up to say if you like romantic suspense that has plenty of easy-to-follow, big screen heroic action, a smarmy villain, a cast of lovable, charismatic supporting characters who need their own stories told, and most importantly a couple who grows emotionally and that you can respect and root for, you'll want to read this book. I don't know how Cindy Gerard is going to top this one, but I'll give Feel the Heat a try next. I'm not ready to stop with this series yet! 5 big stars
Whisper No Lies is book #3 in Cindy Gerard's fantastic Black Ops series, and while they are all excellent, this one is my personal favorite, largely due to the characters of flirty adonis Johhny Duane Reed and brave little spitfire and one kick-ass heroine, Crystal Debrowski. I could not get enough of these two! Chemistry? They had it in spades! Passion? Oh yeah! Fearlessness? Both had it, except when it came to love. Crystal had big time trust issues involving good looking, sweet-talking men, and Johnny--due to some crappy parenting, had lots of problems with emotional intimacy. The characters first meet in the previous book, Take No Prisoners,(Crystal is Abbie's best friend, Johnny works with Sam at Black Ops) and we get a hint of their combustible chemistry and what's to come.
Crystal is a security manager in a Las Vegas casino, although she'd much rather be a cop, like her well-respected retired cop Dad. But since she couldn't pass the police physical (hearing loss in one ear), this 5 foot, curvy, red-headed dynamo with a pixie face (nicknamed 'Tinkerbell' or 'Tink', by Johnny) has to be content taking care of security business and fending off come-ons from overly amorous guests at the Las Vegas casino where she works. Despite her petite stature, Crystal has no trouble handling herself, until she meets one customer who is unwilling to take 'no' for an answer... Mr. Yao Long, 5'4", Asian ancestry, and with a bodyguard to do his 'propositioning' (he wants Crystal to be his 'sex slave'), doesn't appear all that threatening, but ahhh, appearances can be deceiving. You just don't say 'no' to Mr. Yao. And live to tell about it.
Well, Crystal's refusal to Mr. Yao lands her in a heap of trouble. The powerful Yao (uh-oh, he's an international crime lord, involved in everything shady from illegal arms trafficking to human trafficking) proceeds to wreck Crystal's career, ultimately landing her in jail when $200,000 is missing under her watch at the casino. Of course Crystal doesn't realize that the slimy Yao is bent on her destruction-- he was just another unpleasant blip on her men-I-would-never-date radar. So when Crystal turns to Sam and Abbie for help, Sam is able to learn that Yao is the one behind Crystal's troubles. But before he and Johnny Duane Reed (Crystal's bed partner-when-he's-in-town) can figure out how to get Crystal out of her predicament, she's abducted by the obsessive Yao's henchmen and taken to be part of his 'personal harem' in Jakarta, Indonesia, where the powerful Yao's influence stretches far and wide.
Johnny's not going to let Crystal go down in flames or become a part of Yao's smarmy operations, and he high-tails it to Jakarta to save his lady. But while he's able to save Crystal in a daring rescue, will he be able to save the other girls (one who's a daughter of a military general) who are being held against their will and part of Yao's human trafficking network? Will the addition of Johnny's teammates from Black Ops Inc. help to defeat Yao? Will they be able to rescue the general's daughter and make a small dent in his vast human trafficking network? Will Johnny and Crystal's relationship develop beyond the 'we're-just-having-some-hot-sex' stage? And will Johnny, Crystal and the BOIs be able to get out of Jakarta alive or will Yao's power and influence be too much for them?
Action, this book had plenty of action, and it was very well done and quite believable. CG's words were so descriptive, from the heat and humidity when Johnny and Crystal were running through the streets of Jakarta to avoid Yao's men, to the scenes where the guys were formulating a plan to take down Yao and assembling all their weaponry. Everything was clearly spelled out and I was able to follow along very easily and every tension filled moment made me feel like I was there--or at least imagining it as a movie.
Characterization? Probably the best part of the book. From CG's physical descriptions of the characters...Crystal knew what men saw when they looked at her: sex on a stick. Pixie features, spiky red hair, and fairy-green eyes. Showgirl breasts and round hips that swayed to a sultry beat when she walked and drew heartbreakers and bizarros from the four corners of the earth.... And of Johnny..Hair too long and too blond. Eyes too sexy and too blue. Body too buff, ego in danger of liftoff. Standing there in his tight, faded jeans, painted on T-shirt, and snakeskin boots, he looked like God's guilty gift. Trouble was, he knew it. Gerard has a way of painting a picture, not just physically, but emotionally too. The reader gets a clear picture of where the characters are at emotionally in their lives--why Crystal doesn't really trust men--why she expects them to leave her once they get what they want from her, why she now keeps her emotions in check and Johnny at bay, and why she (and her heart)eventually just can't resist the charming and needs-some-real- lovin' Johnny. Gerard's depiction of Johnny and why he's not the over confident, happy-go-lucky charmer that he wants the world to see, was a real eye-opener. To see a guy that has so much to offer think so little of himself, well, at times it brought a tear to my eyes. When he said "I've never...never been anyone's best thing before.", it just about broke my heart. Crystal needed Johnny just as much as he needed her, and it was a beautiful thing to watch their relationship blossom from 'sex buddies' to I-can't-live-without-you. (I loved the gift Johnny gave to Crystal near the end and how unsure he was that she'd like it--what a sweetheart!) They had some romantic, tender moments together (as well as some scorch-the-sheets sexual interludes), and I was just praying that they would get the nerve up to recognize that they were in love, were meant to be, and to embrace it.
I could go on and on about this one, but I'll just sum it up to say if you like romantic suspense that has plenty of easy-to-follow, big screen heroic action, a smarmy villain, a cast of lovable, charismatic supporting characters who need their own stories told, and most importantly a couple who grows emotionally and that you can respect and root for, you'll want to read this book. I don't know how Cindy Gerard is going to top this one, but I'll give Feel the Heat a try next. I'm not ready to stop with this series yet! 5 big stars
May 13, 2021
5+ stars – Romantic Suspense
Uber delicious, flirtatious, affable, sexy, playboy charmer, Texas cowboy stud, and ex Special Forces soldier turned mercenary with an underlying heart of gold, Johnny Duane Reed + spitfire, kick-ass, pixieish heroine Crystal Debrowski + taut, intense, high-octane action and thrilling suspense = the best (and my favorite) book in Cindy Gerard’s awesome, top-notch Black Ops military romantic suspense series! Big 5 stars!
Uber delicious, flirtatious, affable, sexy, playboy charmer, Texas cowboy stud, and ex Special Forces soldier turned mercenary with an underlying heart of gold, Johnny Duane Reed + spitfire, kick-ass, pixieish heroine Crystal Debrowski + taut, intense, high-octane action and thrilling suspense = the best (and my favorite) book in Cindy Gerard’s awesome, top-notch Black Ops military romantic suspense series! Big 5 stars!
August 15, 2011
Opening Line: "It was business as usual at Bali Hai Casino on the Vegas strip, which meant that every nut job and wacko who could arrange bail was on the prowl."
WHISPER NO LIES is another thrilling instalment from Cindy Gerard’s Black-Ops series and with each book better than the last this is a great ride. Skilfully whisking us away to yet another exotic location Gerard gives us a kick butt heroine this time to go along with the daring roof top rescues, shootouts, explosions and boat chases. We also get the sweetest of love stories between a couple that never expected to find it especially with each other. Of course the entire team turns up so there’s also some great secondary characters who when tied together with an international crime lord and human trafficking give you everything you could possibly want in romantic suspense.
Crystal and Johnny as our heroes were first introduced to us in Take No Prisoners and have in fact been sleeping together ever since which is part of what makes this story so interesting. I’ve never read a romance before where the couple is already together and wondered how the author was going to make it exciting without the usual build up to “the deed” Well let me tell you Gerard manages and then some. This is one exciting couple and watching them try to keep things casual when emotions take over is a lot of fun. The first time they do ‘it’ with feeling there are tender looks and words and then when each subsequently freaks out you’ll laugh but your heart strings will give a little tug too.
When a wealthy Asian man propositions Crystal at the Vegas casino she manages she flat out refuses and immediately puts the strange man and his cronies out of her mind. I mean it’s not like men don’t hit on her all the time besides right now her hands are full with Texan heartbreaker Johnny Reed. His mystery job has him out of town again which suits Crystal just fine because as good as the sex is and as much as she likes him she knows Johnny will never be anything more than just a fling. That night however sees Crystal getting kidnapped and when she wakes up in Jakarta Indonesia, branded and a prisoner in Yao’s white slavery ring she knows she‘s in serious trouble. Now if she only knew someone who could rescue her, someone with say military training and a whole team to back him up.
Despite his flirty grin and playboy ways Johnny can’t get Crystal off his mind, damn if that little pixie hasn’t found a way into his closed off heart. When she goes missing its up to Johnny to get the BOI’s together and lead a potential suicide mission into Yao’s lair to rescue her and likely ruin his carefree heartbreaker act in the process.
This is a fantastic series that I can’t get enough of and Gerard’s not so happily-ever-after endings continue to leave me guessing until the last moment before providing a glimpse of our couples future and updates on past characters. Cheers.
WHISPER NO LIES is another thrilling instalment from Cindy Gerard’s Black-Ops series and with each book better than the last this is a great ride. Skilfully whisking us away to yet another exotic location Gerard gives us a kick butt heroine this time to go along with the daring roof top rescues, shootouts, explosions and boat chases. We also get the sweetest of love stories between a couple that never expected to find it especially with each other. Of course the entire team turns up so there’s also some great secondary characters who when tied together with an international crime lord and human trafficking give you everything you could possibly want in romantic suspense.
Crystal and Johnny as our heroes were first introduced to us in Take No Prisoners and have in fact been sleeping together ever since which is part of what makes this story so interesting. I’ve never read a romance before where the couple is already together and wondered how the author was going to make it exciting without the usual build up to “the deed” Well let me tell you Gerard manages and then some. This is one exciting couple and watching them try to keep things casual when emotions take over is a lot of fun. The first time they do ‘it’ with feeling there are tender looks and words and then when each subsequently freaks out you’ll laugh but your heart strings will give a little tug too.
When a wealthy Asian man propositions Crystal at the Vegas casino she manages she flat out refuses and immediately puts the strange man and his cronies out of her mind. I mean it’s not like men don’t hit on her all the time besides right now her hands are full with Texan heartbreaker Johnny Reed. His mystery job has him out of town again which suits Crystal just fine because as good as the sex is and as much as she likes him she knows Johnny will never be anything more than just a fling. That night however sees Crystal getting kidnapped and when she wakes up in Jakarta Indonesia, branded and a prisoner in Yao’s white slavery ring she knows she‘s in serious trouble. Now if she only knew someone who could rescue her, someone with say military training and a whole team to back him up.
Despite his flirty grin and playboy ways Johnny can’t get Crystal off his mind, damn if that little pixie hasn’t found a way into his closed off heart. When she goes missing its up to Johnny to get the BOI’s together and lead a potential suicide mission into Yao’s lair to rescue her and likely ruin his carefree heartbreaker act in the process.
This is a fantastic series that I can’t get enough of and Gerard’s not so happily-ever-after endings continue to leave me guessing until the last moment before providing a glimpse of our couples future and updates on past characters. Cheers.
August 18, 2017
Another winner by Ms Gerard. I got up very early this morning and because I really wanted to read about Johnny I started this book straight away and several hours later I was still laying on my couch reading it and refused to move until it was finished.
This book had loads of action and both strong H & h. I was really looking forward to reading about Johnny and he didn't disappoint. From the glimpses we had seen of him in the other stories we could see that he was a player and committment shy so knew it would be interesting to watch him surrender to his feelings and admit that he loved Crystal. They had been having a relationship before the start of this story but it was very casual whenever he was in town. Ms Gerard wrote it sensitively in that although she hadn't written as much we kind of deduced that neither of them had slept with anyone else since they had started hooking up.
At the start of the book Johnny recognised that this woman was dangerous to his way of life and that if he continued to see her he would fall in love with her. But of course it was too late and he was already in love but refused to acknowledge that. He was about to walk away when he finds she has been kidnapped and dragged to a foreign country so he goes to rescue her.
Crystal is a very strong woman which I like so she was definately my kind of girl. She could kick arse as well as any of the men and astounded them several times with her knowledge of guns, ability at shooting them and of course her ability to fight and protect herself.
Looking forward to reading the next installment.
This book had loads of action and both strong H & h. I was really looking forward to reading about Johnny and he didn't disappoint. From the glimpses we had seen of him in the other stories we could see that he was a player and committment shy so knew it would be interesting to watch him surrender to his feelings and admit that he loved Crystal. They had been having a relationship before the start of this story but it was very casual whenever he was in town. Ms Gerard wrote it sensitively in that although she hadn't written as much we kind of deduced that neither of them had slept with anyone else since they had started hooking up.
At the start of the book Johnny recognised that this woman was dangerous to his way of life and that if he continued to see her he would fall in love with her. But of course it was too late and he was already in love but refused to acknowledge that. He was about to walk away when he finds she has been kidnapped and dragged to a foreign country so he goes to rescue her.
Crystal is a very strong woman which I like so she was definately my kind of girl. She could kick arse as well as any of the men and astounded them several times with her knowledge of guns, ability at shooting them and of course her ability to fight and protect herself.
Looking forward to reading the next installment.
October 27, 2014
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I revised my rating. I really enjoyed this one, Far better than book one, and I think my initial 5 stars ratings was mainly due to the fact of the ginormous difference between book 1 and 3.
I revised my rating. I really enjoyed this one, Far better than book one, and I think my initial 5 stars ratings was mainly due to the fact of the ginormous difference between book 1 and 3.
April 29, 2017
Crystal Debrowski has been working as a floor supervisor at a Las Vegas casino when she is accused of putting counterfeit money into play and stealing from the house. Her friends believe she is innocent and delve into who could be behind the counterfeit money. When Crystal is kidnapped and spirited away to Indonesia, Johnny Duane Reed believes international crime lord Yao Long is behind Crystal's problems and her disappearance. He travels to Jakarta to rescue Crystal and enlists his Blacks Ops, Inc. buddies to help him take down Yao Long.
This romantic suspense series gets better with each book. The romance in this book is strong. We met both Crystal and Johnny in the previous book of the series. Johnny is a love 'em and leave 'em with a smile on their face type guy. His casual relationship with Crystal is exactly what they are both looking for. Crystal has given up on a series relationship and just wants a good time. She is very tough and holds her own with the Black Ops team. She's not a woman who constantly needs rescuing.
The action in this book never lets up. Johnny and his team find that Yao Long is an arms dealer whose side business is human trafficking. Not only do they have to find Crystal, but also get out of Indonesia without Long's army of soldier's finding them. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This romantic suspense series gets better with each book. The romance in this book is strong. We met both Crystal and Johnny in the previous book of the series. Johnny is a love 'em and leave 'em with a smile on their face type guy. His casual relationship with Crystal is exactly what they are both looking for. Crystal has given up on a series relationship and just wants a good time. She is very tough and holds her own with the Black Ops team. She's not a woman who constantly needs rescuing.
The action in this book never lets up. Johnny and his team find that Yao Long is an arms dealer whose side business is human trafficking. Not only do they have to find Crystal, but also get out of Indonesia without Long's army of soldier's finding them. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
September 14, 2017
#3 and I loved it! So much action and suspense in this one....as well as some steamy scenes and a few laughs. Johnny Reed was such an arrogant, conceited man/boy, but was it all an act? Crystal is a pixie with spiked red hair and some bad ass moves when needed. What a pair they are! I enjoyed this one was beginning to end. We also get to catch up with the previous characters.
April 17, 2017
I love this series and the story of Johnny and Crystal is just fantastic, except for Johnny endlessly beating himself up over how his father perceived him and Crystal lamenting how all her other men used her for a good time and split. This is a very exciting, adventurous and seductive read. It does well as a standalone, but reading in order is recommended.
Crystal Debrowski manages security at a Vegas casino, when a Asian high roller wants to get to know her better she refuses his advances and tells him to get lost. Then things start going screwy at the casino and Crystal is arrested. Things take a very dangerous turn when she is released on bail and goes missing. Johnny Duane Reed, who has been finding it difficult to keep Crystal as just a good time in his mind, enlists his Black Ops, Inc for help to find Crystal.
Following her trail half-way around the world, he ends up with a whole lot more than he bargained for. Crystal is one take charge woman and finds strength within herself that few women ever need. Her compassion and resourcefulness are just two of the things Johnny comes to love about her. That she can kick a** with the best of them is just another. 4 1/2-Stars
Crystal Debrowski manages security at a Vegas casino, when a Asian high roller wants to get to know her better she refuses his advances and tells him to get lost. Then things start going screwy at the casino and Crystal is arrested. Things take a very dangerous turn when she is released on bail and goes missing. Johnny Duane Reed, who has been finding it difficult to keep Crystal as just a good time in his mind, enlists his Black Ops, Inc for help to find Crystal.
Following her trail half-way around the world, he ends up with a whole lot more than he bargained for. Crystal is one take charge woman and finds strength within herself that few women ever need. Her compassion and resourcefulness are just two of the things Johnny comes to love about her. That she can kick a** with the best of them is just another. 4 1/2-Stars
January 2, 2017
Spoiler free review
This book was one of my favorite of the series.
Here again we have a full action packed, exhilarating story with great heroes.
It's quite unbelievable but I loved Reed even better than Sam. I usually don't fall for the Casanova kind of heroes but Johnny Duane Reed was simply irresistible and I just LOVED his character and the couple he formed with Crystal.
We met Crystal in the previous book, she's Abbie (Take No Prisoners) kick ass and sassy best friend. After having dismissed Reed in Take No Prisoners — “Why bother?” Crystal sighed. “He’s probably gay anyway.” Another sigh. “Or a cowboy. Or a cop. One’s as bad as the other.” — and led him on a merry chase, she started a hot "no string attached" relationship with him.
A thing I loved in this story is that despite what she went through, Crystal didn't suddenly turn into a hopeless damsel in distress but stayed true to herself and .
Here again, I loved the interactions between the BOI as well as the short encounter with Cavanaugh.
I loved that book! <3
This book was one of my favorite of the series.
Here again we have a full action packed, exhilarating story with great heroes.
It's quite unbelievable but I loved Reed even better than Sam. I usually don't fall for the Casanova kind of heroes but Johnny Duane Reed was simply irresistible and I just LOVED his character and the couple he formed with Crystal.
We met Crystal in the previous book, she's Abbie (Take No Prisoners) kick ass and sassy best friend. After having dismissed Reed in Take No Prisoners — “Why bother?” Crystal sighed. “He’s probably gay anyway.” Another sigh. “Or a cowboy. Or a cop. One’s as bad as the other.” — and led him on a merry chase, she started a hot "no string attached" relationship with him.
A thing I loved in this story is that despite what she went through, Crystal didn't suddenly turn into a hopeless damsel in distress but stayed true to herself and .
Here again, I loved the interactions between the BOI as well as the short encounter with Cavanaugh.
I loved that book! <3
January 19, 2016
Cindy Gerard is a real master when it comes to creating heat between her characters. Johnny Duane Reed and Crystal are both playas when it comes to the game of love and they have been playing with each other for awhile. But now that a drug lord has decreed that Crystal shall be his next woman and carted her off to Jarkarta without her permission of course. Johnny figures out real quick that Crystal means more to him then just a fun time in the hay when he blows into town.
Crystal and Johnny had a real connection to me, despite their attitude of non trust that they had for one another. Once they let each other see the real person it was magic. There was some on the edge of your seats action in this one as they race against the bad man himself as he closes his net around the lovers.
The problems of human trafficking and slavery are very real and I thought that Gerard did a masterful job of bringing it into her story, but still keeping focus.
Crystal and Johnny had a real connection to me, despite their attitude of non trust that they had for one another. Once they let each other see the real person it was magic. There was some on the edge of your seats action in this one as they race against the bad man himself as he closes his net around the lovers.
The problems of human trafficking and slavery are very real and I thought that Gerard did a masterful job of bringing it into her story, but still keeping focus.
April 24, 2017
Playboy Johnny Duane Reed with all his charms and swagger is a love 'em and leave 'em type of man. Crystal Debrowski know this of him yet she couldn't resist falling into bed with him each time he flew into town.
Trying to move up the chain in her casino, Crystal suddenly gets caught up in counterfeit chip and money, and the next thing she knew, she's abducted into human trafficking across the world in Jakarta.
Now it's racing against time as Johnny tries to save Crystal before she's lost in the sex trade world.
This is an action packed book from beginning to end. Just when you think you can catch your breath, the next minute, you're holding your breath waiting to see what happens.
I enjoyed everything about the book, the plot, the characters, and the writing. Even in the most dire situation, Crystal was never a damsel in distress. She really surprised me with how she took care of herself. Johnny had always been likable to me but this book made him more endearing.
My favorite in the series so far!
Trying to move up the chain in her casino, Crystal suddenly gets caught up in counterfeit chip and money, and the next thing she knew, she's abducted into human trafficking across the world in Jakarta.
Now it's racing against time as Johnny tries to save Crystal before she's lost in the sex trade world.
This is an action packed book from beginning to end. Just when you think you can catch your breath, the next minute, you're holding your breath waiting to see what happens.
I enjoyed everything about the book, the plot, the characters, and the writing. Even in the most dire situation, Crystal was never a damsel in distress. She really surprised me with how she took care of herself. Johnny had always been likable to me but this book made him more endearing.
My favorite in the series so far!
July 27, 2012
**3 1/2 stars**
Whisper No Lies, the third book in the Black Ops series, had another exciting, edge of your seat, suspenseful storyline with lot of action and romance, but i would have to say that it was my least favorite of the ones i've read so far. While i LOVED Johnny, i didn't so much care for Crystal. After everything she'd gone through, she should have gone back to the states and let the guys from Black Ops Inc. take care of business, but oh no...she had to insist on heading into the front line with them all. By the time they'd finally decided to "make her" go home, things went FUBAR very quickly and at that point they didn't have a choice BUT to keep her with them!
Now, I'm all for a kick ass heroine, but she was flat out annoying! I understand that she'd taken karate lessons and had some police training, but that in no way meant she was qualified to handle the situations that the guys had many years of training and experience with...she's all of 5 ft. tall, i don't care how much karate training you have...when ur put up against a man who's 6+ feet, 200+ lbs., the odds are pretty much stacked against you, especially if he's trained. Again, she was like the annoying little sister that wouldn't leave the group alone..alright, so it didn't bother the guys cuz they're all super yummy and funny and take everything in stride, but she bothered me enough that it took some of the enjoyment away for me.
Considering the genre of books i like to read (PNR and romantic suspense)...there are often unrealistic situations but i feel that i'm typically pretty forgiving when it comes to suspending belief. That wasn't so much the case with this one. Sadly, Crystal's nose having to be in the thick of it all and the guys "allowing" her to be was NOT realistic to me at all!
I'm sorry Johnny Duane Reed, i love you, but your book is getting "knocked down" a bit because of who you ended up with. :(
November 20, 2012
OMG OMG OMG!!! This is my favorite book of this series yet!
I love Johnny and Crystal (he calls her tink as in tinkerbell how cute is that). I loved the chemistry between these two, the banter and the fact that both of them were deathly afraid to admit to any deeper feelings for each other. Johnny was a definitely a hot alpha man, but also a man with an look and smile that let you know "resistance is futile". You just hoped you didn't get to broken hearted when it was over.....
but then he finally admitted his feelings for crystal (to himself first of course) and I was completely head over heels in love!! How sweet was this man, and the tinkerbell necklace? And the epilogue!!! *sigh*
Part of me doesn't want to read anymore from this series, I just want to bask in this book for a while!!
I love Johnny and Crystal (he calls her tink as in tinkerbell how cute is that). I loved the chemistry between these two, the banter and the fact that both of them were deathly afraid to admit to any deeper feelings for each other. Johnny was a definitely a hot alpha man, but also a man with an look and smile that let you know "resistance is futile". You just hoped you didn't get to broken hearted when it was over.....
but then he finally admitted his feelings for crystal (to himself first of course) and I was completely head over heels in love!! How sweet was this man, and the tinkerbell necklace? And the epilogue!!! *sigh*
Part of me doesn't want to read anymore from this series, I just want to bask in this book for a while!!
May 9, 2013
"In the heat of the night, without a single word spoken, she felt everything change between them. Until this moment, they'd only played at love, danced cautiously around the prospect of commitment. But as he sank in and out of her body, immersing them in sensation and a profound stream of consciousness, he sought her gaze in the dark. What she saw in his eyes brought tears to hers as it became achingly, wonderfully clear.
The biggest player of them all wasn't playing anymore.”
Another great read from Cindy Gerard--loved Crystal and Johnny D's story
The biggest player of them all wasn't playing anymore.”
Another great read from Cindy Gerard--loved Crystal and Johnny D's story
January 29, 2011
Cindy Gerard sure knows how to write riveting romantic/suspense! The thrills start as soon as the book is opened and continue until the last page. The suspense aspect is believable and very well done. It was the romance aspect in this book that was a little hard to swallow. A couple of wham-bam,thank you, ma'm one night stands having been referred to, then suddenly when danger hits, they can't live without each other? Eh..... just not working as remotely realistic.
June 13, 2012
Thank you to Buggy for recommending this series! Whisper No Lies is the third book in the Black Ops romantic suspense series, and I enjoyed it immensely.
Though she doesn't look like your typical security agent, showty Crystal works for a casino in Las Vegas. She's a red-haired, green-eyed firecracker who doesn't take anyone's shit. She's best friend to Abbie, the heroine of Take No Prisoners, and met Black Ops team member Johnny Duane Reed while helping Abbie out of a tight spot in book #2.
Reed is a tall, lean, blond cowboy with an easy grin and a long list of female conquests. He's a love-'em-and-leave-'em type which makes Crystal quite wary, justifiably so.
Crystal and Reed are wonderful characters with intense interactions. Their chemistry is crackling with conflict and connection. When the conflict between them eventually smolders into a slow burn, any harsh word or avoided eye contact can reignite the fight. Not surprisingly, the sex between them is amazing. But both begin to wonder...is this more than sex? The idea of a relationship terrifies Reed, whose self-esteem is in the toilet thanks to an abusive father.
I love Cindy Gerard's little one-liners, like:
"Damn, woman," Reed muttered, then walked inside the room and shut the door. He dropped down on his back on the bed, angrily folded his hands behind his head. "Thinks she's James freaking Bond."
This was why he'd always shied away from intelligent women. They were just too...intelligent.
She watched him move about the room, gathering his things, all buff and beautiful and capable and thought, So help me god, if he lets me down, I'm going to slit my wrists--right after I cut off his dangly parts."
This novel tackles the horrifying crime of human sex trafficking in a realistic manner. As a psychologist, I have worked with survivors of sexual abuse and this story makes me want to help these individuals even more. I wish Reed's background had a little more depth, but overall this is a wonderful story.
If you're a romantic suspense fan and haven't started this series, get on it!
Though she doesn't look like your typical security agent, showty Crystal works for a casino in Las Vegas. She's a red-haired, green-eyed firecracker who doesn't take anyone's shit. She's best friend to Abbie, the heroine of Take No Prisoners, and met Black Ops team member Johnny Duane Reed while helping Abbie out of a tight spot in book #2.
Reed is a tall, lean, blond cowboy with an easy grin and a long list of female conquests. He's a love-'em-and-leave-'em type which makes Crystal quite wary, justifiably so.
Crystal and Reed are wonderful characters with intense interactions. Their chemistry is crackling with conflict and connection. When the conflict between them eventually smolders into a slow burn, any harsh word or avoided eye contact can reignite the fight. Not surprisingly, the sex between them is amazing. But both begin to wonder...is this more than sex? The idea of a relationship terrifies Reed, whose self-esteem is in the toilet thanks to an abusive father.
I love Cindy Gerard's little one-liners, like:
"Damn, woman," Reed muttered, then walked inside the room and shut the door. He dropped down on his back on the bed, angrily folded his hands behind his head. "Thinks she's James freaking Bond."
This was why he'd always shied away from intelligent women. They were just too...intelligent.
She watched him move about the room, gathering his things, all buff and beautiful and capable and thought, So help me god, if he lets me down, I'm going to slit my wrists--right after I cut off his dangly parts."
This novel tackles the horrifying crime of human sex trafficking in a realistic manner. As a psychologist, I have worked with survivors of sexual abuse and this story makes me want to help these individuals even more. I wish Reed's background had a little more depth, but overall this is a wonderful story.
If you're a romantic suspense fan and haven't started this series, get on it!
March 22, 2009
Enjoyed the story, writing and the two main characters--Johnny and Crystal--that were first introduced in an earlier book in this series. The Black Ops series spins right off the Bodyguard series. IMO, for maximum enjoyment I recommend reading the latter FIRST then the Black Ops because some of the characters from the Bodyguard overlap.
The book starts out in Las Vegas where Crystal (AKA Tinkerbell) is a security guard for a casino. She gets propositioned by an Asian warlord who won't take no for an answer. Crystal is kidnapped and taken to Indonesia to become part of his brothel. The warlord is a sick and perverted "creature" who collects girls (as young as 15) and forces them to be his property and plaything until he tires of them and gives them to his brothels.
Whisper No Lies tapped into the twisted world of human trafficking. I had no idea that 800,000 people went missing each year (a lot of runaways) and are believed captured for the sex slave world...800,000!
Unbeknownst to the ego maniac/warlord, Crystal had been having a "fling" with Johnny for a few months. Johnny was a member of Nathan Black's Black Ops (covert missions) and was in hot pursuit. One thing lead to another and Johnny calls in the team for help in rescuing another girl(s).
There's a lot of action, romance and suspense. Felt the book went a tad too far in describing the types of weaponry, sequence of events for the operation for my taste. The chapters ended abruptly, too. For some, there was no reason for a chapter to end...
Kinda got a feel that this was going to take on a similar plot that happened in the Bodyguard series where I believe one (or two) of the young girls rescued will become characters for future book(s).
The book starts out in Las Vegas where Crystal (AKA Tinkerbell) is a security guard for a casino. She gets propositioned by an Asian warlord who won't take no for an answer. Crystal is kidnapped and taken to Indonesia to become part of his brothel. The warlord is a sick and perverted "creature" who collects girls (as young as 15) and forces them to be his property and plaything until he tires of them and gives them to his brothels.
Whisper No Lies tapped into the twisted world of human trafficking. I had no idea that 800,000 people went missing each year (a lot of runaways) and are believed captured for the sex slave world...800,000!
Unbeknownst to the ego maniac/warlord, Crystal had been having a "fling" with Johnny for a few months. Johnny was a member of Nathan Black's Black Ops (covert missions) and was in hot pursuit. One thing lead to another and Johnny calls in the team for help in rescuing another girl(s).
There's a lot of action, romance and suspense. Felt the book went a tad too far in describing the types of weaponry, sequence of events for the operation for my taste. The chapters ended abruptly, too. For some, there was no reason for a chapter to end...
Kinda got a feel that this was going to take on a similar plot that happened in the Bodyguard series where I believe one (or two) of the young girls rescued will become characters for future book(s).
March 30, 2013
Not quite 3 stars. My friends loved this one, but I MUCH preferred Killing Time, the first in the One-Eyed Jacks series. My main gripe is the plot (see spoilers below), but the relationship building was weak, too.
Johnny and Crystal (likeable characters) were already sleeping together before the book started. However, because of a verbally abusive father, Johnny felt worthless, unable to bring anything good to a relationship, and therefore unwilling to commit, even though he clearly cared for Crystal. (Yawn. That song went on too long).
Over the course of the book, the two sleep together numerous times, and turn to each other for comfort, but...meh....I felt little rising sexual tension. (But that's just me. It's a personal thing.)
THE PLOT involved Crystal, a casino dealer, getting kidnapped and abducted into Jakarta, Indonesia, to serve as Yuo's personal whore, and Johnny rushing to her rescue. Crystal convinced Johnny to bring in his entire Black Ops team to save a fellow captive, and -- she hoped -- to save all the other kidnapping victims in Yuo's prostitution cribs.
I would normally like that sort of action, but there were too many plot contrivances -- they bugged the hell out of me.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHOY: Below I list the parts of the suspense plot that struck me as improbable or illogical.
Two stars. I wanted sex with my story. Instead, I got story with my sex.
Content: Lots of explicit sex, but not grossly graphic. A lot of profanity (could do without so much). Violence, including gunshots, flesh burning/branding, throat-cutting, bombing, and references to child rape, beating, and whipping.
Johnny and Crystal (likeable characters) were already sleeping together before the book started. However, because of a verbally abusive father, Johnny felt worthless, unable to bring anything good to a relationship, and therefore unwilling to commit, even though he clearly cared for Crystal. (Yawn. That song went on too long).
Over the course of the book, the two sleep together numerous times, and turn to each other for comfort, but...meh....I felt little rising sexual tension. (But that's just me. It's a personal thing.)
THE PLOT involved Crystal, a casino dealer, getting kidnapped and abducted into Jakarta, Indonesia, to serve as Yuo's personal whore, and Johnny rushing to her rescue. Crystal convinced Johnny to bring in his entire Black Ops team to save a fellow captive, and -- she hoped -- to save all the other kidnapping victims in Yuo's prostitution cribs.
I would normally like that sort of action, but there were too many plot contrivances -- they bugged the hell out of me.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHOY: Below I list the parts of the suspense plot that struck me as improbable or illogical.
Two stars. I wanted sex with my story. Instead, I got story with my sex.
Content: Lots of explicit sex, but not grossly graphic. A lot of profanity (could do without so much). Violence, including gunshots, flesh burning/branding, throat-cutting, bombing, and references to child rape, beating, and whipping.
April 26, 2010
Rating: 4.5 / 5
I rather liked this addition to the Bodyguards/Black Ops series. It wasn't perfect. There was one area I thought could have been better, but other than that, I enjoyed it. Both the hero and heroine kicked butt, the story is a bit heart-wrenching, and it kept me reading cover to cover.
Series Note:
Best to read this series in order.
Summary:
Crystal knew Johnny Duane Reed was going to be trouble from the moment she met him. So how she keeps ending up in bed with him, she doesn't know. He's not the type for a commitment. But that's the last thing on her mind when her life goes crazy. She's framed for grand larceny at the casino she works at then kidnapped by an Indonesian mobster and taken to his lair in Jakarta.
When Johnny Duane finds out what happened to her, he'll do anything to get Crystal back. He knows what could happen to her in the hands of a man known for his sexual perversions and ties to human trafficking. He rescues Crystal, but the two can't forget the horrors they've seen or the man perpetuating them. Something needs to be done about. And in the process, Johnny and Crystal realize there's more between them than just sex, but can Johnny get past his bad childhood enough to let Crystal in?
Review:
Johnny Duane Reed has been flitting around this series since, I believe, the last book of the Bodyguards series. He comes off as a flirty, happy-go-lucky ladies man who just happens to know how to kick ass. He's at times been a bit annoying, but there was also something intriguing about him. So I've been looking forward to finding out more about him. This story mostly lived up to my expectations.
But Crystal...what a kick ass girl she turned out to be! I mean, she was literally kickin' ass and takin' names. That girl could certainly take care of herself. I really enjoyed reading about her. She's resourceful, courageous, strong. She fit perfectly into this story, and was a great match for Johnny. They had some yummy chemistry between them.
Then there's the story. And yeah, maybe it does have a more than a little bit of similarity to other books in the series (kidnapping, rescue, trekking through a foreign country, etc), but the story is a bit heart wrenching as it deals with human trafficking and sexual slavery. It's a disturbing tale to read at time because it deals with minors being enslaved and abused, and forced prostitution, but it's also an engaging tale because of the guts it took for these women to survive. And the story was different enough that I didn't feel like I was reading the same thing over again.
Two things I wished had maybe been done a little better. One was that the characters' backgrounds could have been fleshed out more, in particular Johnny. There's a lot of referencing here and there, bits and pieces, and I never really felt like I had the whole picture of who he was or that Crystal understood it all. It was an important factor because it was why he thought he wasn't good enough for Crystal. And two, I wanted more of an update on how Dina and Mary were doing. They were rescued then just dropped out of the picture. After learning so much about them, it was disappointing not to find out how they were doing.
But that's all that really bugged me. I liked everything else. This one may be one of my favorites of this series. It was an all around solid read. I look forward to reading the next book in the series (the last one I have to read to be caught up on the series).
WARNING, this book contains: dark themes dealing with sexual slavery, kidnapping and human trafficking of underage females and adult females
I rather liked this addition to the Bodyguards/Black Ops series. It wasn't perfect. There was one area I thought could have been better, but other than that, I enjoyed it. Both the hero and heroine kicked butt, the story is a bit heart-wrenching, and it kept me reading cover to cover.
Series Note:
Best to read this series in order.
Summary:
Crystal knew Johnny Duane Reed was going to be trouble from the moment she met him. So how she keeps ending up in bed with him, she doesn't know. He's not the type for a commitment. But that's the last thing on her mind when her life goes crazy. She's framed for grand larceny at the casino she works at then kidnapped by an Indonesian mobster and taken to his lair in Jakarta.
When Johnny Duane finds out what happened to her, he'll do anything to get Crystal back. He knows what could happen to her in the hands of a man known for his sexual perversions and ties to human trafficking. He rescues Crystal, but the two can't forget the horrors they've seen or the man perpetuating them. Something needs to be done about. And in the process, Johnny and Crystal realize there's more between them than just sex, but can Johnny get past his bad childhood enough to let Crystal in?
Review:
Johnny Duane Reed has been flitting around this series since, I believe, the last book of the Bodyguards series. He comes off as a flirty, happy-go-lucky ladies man who just happens to know how to kick ass. He's at times been a bit annoying, but there was also something intriguing about him. So I've been looking forward to finding out more about him. This story mostly lived up to my expectations.
But Crystal...what a kick ass girl she turned out to be! I mean, she was literally kickin' ass and takin' names. That girl could certainly take care of herself. I really enjoyed reading about her. She's resourceful, courageous, strong. She fit perfectly into this story, and was a great match for Johnny. They had some yummy chemistry between them.
Then there's the story. And yeah, maybe it does have a more than a little bit of similarity to other books in the series (kidnapping, rescue, trekking through a foreign country, etc), but the story is a bit heart wrenching as it deals with human trafficking and sexual slavery. It's a disturbing tale to read at time because it deals with minors being enslaved and abused, and forced prostitution, but it's also an engaging tale because of the guts it took for these women to survive. And the story was different enough that I didn't feel like I was reading the same thing over again.
Two things I wished had maybe been done a little better. One was that the characters' backgrounds could have been fleshed out more, in particular Johnny. There's a lot of referencing here and there, bits and pieces, and I never really felt like I had the whole picture of who he was or that Crystal understood it all. It was an important factor because it was why he thought he wasn't good enough for Crystal. And two, I wanted more of an update on how Dina and Mary were doing. They were rescued then just dropped out of the picture. After learning so much about them, it was disappointing not to find out how they were doing.
But that's all that really bugged me. I liked everything else. This one may be one of my favorites of this series. It was an all around solid read. I look forward to reading the next book in the series (the last one I have to read to be caught up on the series).
WARNING, this book contains: dark themes dealing with sexual slavery, kidnapping and human trafficking of underage females and adult females
February 24, 2012
Black Ops is a series in which the more you read, the more you love. These characters become more and more endearing (maybe a strange thing to say about a series of alpha male, special ops warriors). You become invested in them as individuals and as the Black Ops group. This is my third Black Ops book and so far, my favorite.
Whisper No Lies features Johnny Duane Reed and Crystal Debrowski. Johnny is the playboy of the BOI team. He thrives on his reputation as an playful rake which he uses to prevent people from getting to close. Crystal Debrowski is is a red-headed spitfire, with pixie features, tough-as-nails attitude and an inch thick mental force-field as a shield against men who are constantly disappointing her. Johnny and Crystal are introduced in Take No Prisoners and have an established a “let’s keep it casual” relationship.
Because Crystal and Johnny have already met and have an established attraction from the previous book, the relationship development is supercharged. They already like it each other, but are they ready and willing to move it forward? We have two vibrant, attractive, and charismatic characters with low expectations when it comes to trust in relationships. In this mix we have adrenaline pumping action from rescues, escapes and a demolition mission.
Cindy Gerard’s books have strong female characters. Crystal is one of my favorites. She is spunky, courageous, daring, skilled, confrontational, and the perfect foil for Johnny. She holds her ground when Johnny tries to bully her and shows her grit in dire situations. Their romance is steamy, but also surprisingly tender.
In the science fiction genre, there is emphasis on “worldbuilding” – the ability of the writer to build the imaginary setting including history, geography, and backstory. Cindy Gerard is an excellent world-builder for this genre. She gives us the setting for the men who come from the Special Forces backgrounds - the history of their work, the challenges they face, the demons that they struggle with, and she highlights the special camaraderie that they share. Within this world, she focuses on the relationship-building. This is what makes her books so exciting and fun.
Whisper No Lies features Johnny Duane Reed and Crystal Debrowski. Johnny is the playboy of the BOI team. He thrives on his reputation as an playful rake which he uses to prevent people from getting to close. Crystal Debrowski is is a red-headed spitfire, with pixie features, tough-as-nails attitude and an inch thick mental force-field as a shield against men who are constantly disappointing her. Johnny and Crystal are introduced in Take No Prisoners and have an established a “let’s keep it casual” relationship.
Because Crystal and Johnny have already met and have an established attraction from the previous book, the relationship development is supercharged. They already like it each other, but are they ready and willing to move it forward? We have two vibrant, attractive, and charismatic characters with low expectations when it comes to trust in relationships. In this mix we have adrenaline pumping action from rescues, escapes and a demolition mission.
Cindy Gerard’s books have strong female characters. Crystal is one of my favorites. She is spunky, courageous, daring, skilled, confrontational, and the perfect foil for Johnny. She holds her ground when Johnny tries to bully her and shows her grit in dire situations. Their romance is steamy, but also surprisingly tender.
In the science fiction genre, there is emphasis on “worldbuilding” – the ability of the writer to build the imaginary setting including history, geography, and backstory. Cindy Gerard is an excellent world-builder for this genre. She gives us the setting for the men who come from the Special Forces backgrounds - the history of their work, the challenges they face, the demons that they struggle with, and she highlights the special camaraderie that they share. Within this world, she focuses on the relationship-building. This is what makes her books so exciting and fun.
January 10, 2012
4.5 Stars
Cindy Gerard is the *sigh* Queen. I think it has become a habit of mine to finish one of Cindy's books, place my Kindle down and just let out a big, heartfelt sigh.
Her suspense novels are sledge hammer - hard hitting. They knock me for six when it comes to the continuous adrenaline rush and heart palpitating romance. I love them all. Whisper No Lies included.
Johnny Duane Reed has always held a soft spot in my heart. From the last book in the Bodyguard series I have been openly crushing on him. And although I'm usually not into the womanisers, Cindy made me fall in love anyway. He was such a spunk. A spunk with a thousand or so notches on his belt, but still didn't have a clue about love.
Crystal (Tink) was Rambo woman in a tiny little Tinkerbell package. Boy was she strong and I loved her will to live. She definitely deserved Johnny. And honestly, maybe even a little more than Johnny had to give. I had to cringe at the end when he made a comment about how he liked another BOI's woman. It left a tiny sour taste in my mouth, but that is who Johnny is. He loved Crystal and I am left feeling happy about their HEA.
Cindy Gerard is the *sigh* Queen. I think it has become a habit of mine to finish one of Cindy's books, place my Kindle down and just let out a big, heartfelt sigh.
Her suspense novels are sledge hammer - hard hitting. They knock me for six when it comes to the continuous adrenaline rush and heart palpitating romance. I love them all. Whisper No Lies included.
Johnny Duane Reed has always held a soft spot in my heart. From the last book in the Bodyguard series I have been openly crushing on him. And although I'm usually not into the womanisers, Cindy made me fall in love anyway. He was such a spunk. A spunk with a thousand or so notches on his belt, but still didn't have a clue about love.
Crystal (Tink) was Rambo woman in a tiny little Tinkerbell package. Boy was she strong and I loved her will to live. She definitely deserved Johnny. And honestly, maybe even a little more than Johnny had to give. I had to cringe at the end when he made a comment about how he liked another BOI's woman. It left a tiny sour taste in my mouth, but that is who Johnny is. He loved Crystal and I am left feeling happy about their HEA.
July 24, 2014
Best book yet! I love a strong female character and Crystal Debrowski did not disappoint.
Crystal has trained to be a cop all her life. However, because of a series of ear infections, she couldn't pass the hearing part of the cop physical. Crystal is also a black belt in martial arts (five years of training) and she knows how to handle weapons. Needles to say, this little five foot Tinkerbell can take care of herself. And boy does she!
Johnny Duane Reed has been interested is Crystal since he first set eyes on her; and he doesn't take "no" for an answer. So when Crystal is kidnapped by Yao Long; an extremely perverted, human trafficer. Reed goes to the rescue.
Whisper No Lies is full of laugh-out-loud moments. Reed and the other BOI's with their black humor commentary; and Crystal with her strait forward attitude.
Crystal has trained to be a cop all her life. However, because of a series of ear infections, she couldn't pass the hearing part of the cop physical. Crystal is also a black belt in martial arts (five years of training) and she knows how to handle weapons. Needles to say, this little five foot Tinkerbell can take care of herself. And boy does she!
Johnny Duane Reed has been interested is Crystal since he first set eyes on her; and he doesn't take "no" for an answer. So when Crystal is kidnapped by Yao Long; an extremely perverted, human trafficer. Reed goes to the rescue.
Whisper No Lies is full of laugh-out-loud moments. Reed and the other BOI's with their black humor commentary; and Crystal with her strait forward attitude.
February 26, 2010
I hve loved all of Cindy Gerard's books that I have read, but this is one that I have waited for for a while. I first came to be interested in these characters in Take No Prisoner's. Johnny Duane Reed is in several of her books and now he has a book just about him and his on again off again lover Crystal. When Johnny visits his friend Sam Lang in Vegas he always sees his lover Crystal, who is also Sam's wife Abby's best friend. Crystal is abducted in this story and taken to Indonesia as a Sex Slave. The book informs you of the terrible Human trafficing problem that our worls has, and yet the story is exciting and suspenseful. Johnny saves Crystal from the Evil Mr. Yau, but they are taken back into the situation when Crystal insists that they go back and rescue a girl there that she met. Johnny calls in his Black Ops buddys and the rescue two different girls and rid the world of Mr. yau, you think. You need to read this fast paced and entertaining book.
July 30, 2011
I knew that I'd just love Johnny Reed! Rarely have I read a book that makes a player into such a softie. I imagine it's hard to make the hero into every woman's dream man while also showing such vulnerability, but Ms. Gerard really nailed it with Reed. And Crystal was kick-butt in a believable way, and perfect for him. Though parts of the storyline were horrifying, mainly due to the fact that they actually happen, even more parts were uplifting. I found myself wanting to do a fist pump and say, "Yeah!" Once again, loved the interaction with the rest of the BOIs, the nonstop suspense, and the sexy couple with substance.
October 19, 2010
Oh WOW what can I say... I love me some Johnny Duane Reed!
I thought the book started out with a bang but somewhere in between I wasn't so sure. I was hoping it picked back up and sure enough it did.
This was going to be a 4 1/2 star rating for me until the ending and even after finishing the book I'm still smiling.
So for that 5 stars all the way!!
Cindy Gerard is becoming one of my favorite authors. I have only read the first three books in this series and will continue. I would also like to get a hold of her other series Bodyguards soon!
I thought the book started out with a bang but somewhere in between I wasn't so sure. I was hoping it picked back up and sure enough it did.
This was going to be a 4 1/2 star rating for me until the ending and even after finishing the book I'm still smiling.
So for that 5 stars all the way!!
Cindy Gerard is becoming one of my favorite authors. I have only read the first three books in this series and will continue. I would also like to get a hold of her other series Bodyguards soon!
September 8, 2015
The third in the Black Ops series by Cindy Gerard. The hero and heroine actually got together in the previous book, Take No Prisoners. I loved Johnny and Crystal's story. I loved that Crystal was such a kick*** woman who could take care of herself but didn't seem overly bothered that Johnny tried to take care of her anyway.
November 15, 2021
This was book 3 in the
"Black Ops Inc"
. This was a pretty good book that I listened to on audio. Johnny Duane Reed is the playboy of the team and he loves it. Crystal Debrowski is a redheaded spit fire. We first met these two in book 2. This two have a casual relationship they have a lot of hot sexy chemistry between them. When a wealthy man propositions her at the Vegas casino she manages she refuses and doesn't think anything about it. Yao Long refuses to accept her no to his sexual advances. The Asian crime lord pulls strings which leads to Crystal being arrested she is accused of stealing by substituting counterfeit chips and other security glitches all occurring during her shift as security game manager Yao pays her bail. Abbie knows Crystal is innocent and asks her husband Sam to help her. When she is kidnapped and taken out of the country she is a prisoner in a white slavery ring. The team comes to her rescue they learn that the man running the ring also kidnapped and sold an American Generals daughter. This was a good book with a lot of action in it. Johnny will do anything to get her back. I am looking forward to listening to the next book in this series.
May 5, 2022
Reread via Audible ten years later. Still one of my all time favourite romantic suspense series and this guy Johnny Reed takes the cake. Sigh.
Another thrilling instalment from Cindy Gerard’s Black-Ops series and with each book better than the last this is a great ride. Skillfully whisking us away to yet another exotic location Gerard gives us a kick ass heroine this time to go along with the daring roof top rescues, shootouts, explosions and boat chases. We also get the sweetest of love stories between a couple that never expected to find it especially with each other. Of course the entire team turns up so there’s also some great secondary characters who when tied together with an international crime lord and human trafficking give you everything you could possibly want in romantic suspense.
Another thrilling instalment from Cindy Gerard’s Black-Ops series and with each book better than the last this is a great ride. Skillfully whisking us away to yet another exotic location Gerard gives us a kick ass heroine this time to go along with the daring roof top rescues, shootouts, explosions and boat chases. We also get the sweetest of love stories between a couple that never expected to find it especially with each other. Of course the entire team turns up so there’s also some great secondary characters who when tied together with an international crime lord and human trafficking give you everything you could possibly want in romantic suspense.
January 10, 2012
Posted on Under the Covers
Crystal Debrowski has got it all – the red, pixie hair, the big boobs, the mile-long legs. Many envy her good looks, but it’s those same looks that have made her a target of an Indonesian bastard named Yao Long.
Yao wants Crystal as his slave. His sex slave.
When Yao’s second-in-command, Wong Li tries to proposition Crystal on behalf of Mr. Yao, Crystal gives the two the one-finger salute. It isn’t until her job is in jeopardy and she spends some time behind bars that she realizes that the counterfeiting scam on her shift may be due to Mr. Yao’s actions.
Crystal gets attacked unawares and is taken into the world of prostitution and sex slave rings in Jakarta, miles away from her smooth-talking cowboy, Johnny Duane Reed.
But it doesn’t take Johnny long to figure things out... And then he’s on the hunt for his girl, delving deep into the city of Jakarta to get Crystal back. But what he finds there causes even a worldly man like him to step back in surprise.
WHISPER NO LIES is lighter in tone than the rest of the books. While it does involve the sensitive subject and real-life issue of human trafficking, Johnny and Crystal are jokers all the way through. It seems that the more tense and dangerous the situation, the more wise cracks they make. It works for them, but sometimes I wished they were more serious when my heart was pumping a mile a minute as they faced off dangerous SOBs.
This book hits just as hard as the other ones, however, I did feel like the romance was set on the side for most of the book. Both the hero and heroine struggle with this image they portray and being seen as someone else other than who they really are. Crystal, the girl with the cute strut and big boobs. Johnny, the blonde haired, blue-eyed looker. Their appearances make impressions on others that revolve around sex and sex only.
And for awhile, between Crystal and Johnny, it was just about sex too. Until something happened in the dirty streets of Jakarta. The two fell in love and it was believable. They saw something more in each other than just their appearances and it works well with the storyline.
What I loved was the fact that even when they returned from the adrenaline-filled atmosphere of their last op, their chemistry was still there. And they put effort into their relationship to make it work. Things just didn’t fall into place on its own. They MADE it work.
And to me, that’s better than anything fate could plan for someone.
Crystal Debrowski has got it all – the red, pixie hair, the big boobs, the mile-long legs. Many envy her good looks, but it’s those same looks that have made her a target of an Indonesian bastard named Yao Long.
Yao wants Crystal as his slave. His sex slave.
When Yao’s second-in-command, Wong Li tries to proposition Crystal on behalf of Mr. Yao, Crystal gives the two the one-finger salute. It isn’t until her job is in jeopardy and she spends some time behind bars that she realizes that the counterfeiting scam on her shift may be due to Mr. Yao’s actions.
Crystal gets attacked unawares and is taken into the world of prostitution and sex slave rings in Jakarta, miles away from her smooth-talking cowboy, Johnny Duane Reed.
But it doesn’t take Johnny long to figure things out... And then he’s on the hunt for his girl, delving deep into the city of Jakarta to get Crystal back. But what he finds there causes even a worldly man like him to step back in surprise.
WHISPER NO LIES is lighter in tone than the rest of the books. While it does involve the sensitive subject and real-life issue of human trafficking, Johnny and Crystal are jokers all the way through. It seems that the more tense and dangerous the situation, the more wise cracks they make. It works for them, but sometimes I wished they were more serious when my heart was pumping a mile a minute as they faced off dangerous SOBs.
This book hits just as hard as the other ones, however, I did feel like the romance was set on the side for most of the book. Both the hero and heroine struggle with this image they portray and being seen as someone else other than who they really are. Crystal, the girl with the cute strut and big boobs. Johnny, the blonde haired, blue-eyed looker. Their appearances make impressions on others that revolve around sex and sex only.
And for awhile, between Crystal and Johnny, it was just about sex too. Until something happened in the dirty streets of Jakarta. The two fell in love and it was believable. They saw something more in each other than just their appearances and it works well with the storyline.
What I loved was the fact that even when they returned from the adrenaline-filled atmosphere of their last op, their chemistry was still there. And they put effort into their relationship to make it work. Things just didn’t fall into place on its own. They MADE it work.
And to me, that’s better than anything fate could plan for someone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews