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Payne
Payne Carter? Payne in my ass is more like it.
Tall: check. Brooding: check. Ex-SEAL: check.
Rude, suspicious, still annoyingly sexy: check check check.
If he were a romance hero, he’d be perfect, but as a neighbor, I have to say I’m not impressed.
The department relies on me to keep Alderman Trabucco safe until the election, and as a rookie police officer, I can’t afford to screw this up. Especially not by being too distracted by Jerkface McSexypants upstairs.
Except he’s there every time I turn around, and my instincts scream that he’s not who he seems. Of course, my instincts also seem to think clothing is optional when we’re together, so I’m not sure what to believe.
All I ever wanted in life was to make a difference in people’s lives. Now the good guys are out to kill me, and a killer might be my best chance at staying alive.
Payne will do anything to keep me safe, but who’s going to keep me safe from him?
Tall: check. Brooding: check. Ex-SEAL: check.
Rude, suspicious, still annoyingly sexy: check check check.
If he were a romance hero, he’d be perfect, but as a neighbor, I have to say I’m not impressed.
The department relies on me to keep Alderman Trabucco safe until the election, and as a rookie police officer, I can’t afford to screw this up. Especially not by being too distracted by Jerkface McSexypants upstairs.
Except he’s there every time I turn around, and my instincts scream that he’s not who he seems. Of course, my instincts also seem to think clothing is optional when we’re together, so I’m not sure what to believe.
All I ever wanted in life was to make a difference in people’s lives. Now the good guys are out to kill me, and a killer might be my best chance at staying alive.
Payne will do anything to keep me safe, but who’s going to keep me safe from him?
461 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2016
68 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 6, 2016
Today was just not my day for books. This one was really not bad, I just was not feeling it. I really hate liars and the truth took too long to come out. Plus he was using her! I just could not like him for way too much of the book to feel good about the ending. There was a lot of suspense. Frankly, a lot more story than I was expecting. That would have been a good thing if the H was not planning to leave her the entire time. That just does not work for me. I think many will enjoy more than I did, it was probably my mood rather than the story....
June 4, 2016
3. 75 stars. Enjoyable read for the most part without any OW or OM drama!
I liked both hero and heroine. Both had some funny moments.
Still something felt off to me. Not sure what might just be my mood.
This was still a decent read.
safety gang safe
I liked both hero and heroine. Both had some funny moments.
Still something felt off to me. Not sure what might just be my mood.
This was still a decent read.
safety gang safe
June 3, 2016
4.25 Stars
“Never let it be said that I didn’t do my all to save a nice piece of ass. Let me know if you need a hand or two to keep it warm.” —Payne
Confident and quick witted, Payne Carter, 28, might be Officer Nora Keaton’s, 23, pain in the ass neighbor, but he’s also a lot more than that, little does she know.
“‘If this was one of my books, you’d either be the tough-as-nails FBI agent with a heart of gold, or the tortured hitman, rediscovering his humanity with the help of my magical vagina.’” —Nora
Nora just wants to be a cop doing good herself though, but she soon finds that she’s surrounded by a lot of bad in the world. Payne is used to making a living on the other side of the law, but once he comes to know Nora, the bad boy begins to rethink his plans.
“I imagine a world where I could have all of that. Where I could pull her innocence close and bury myself in it. A world where sliding into her would let some of that beauty rub off on me, instead of me tainting it.” —Payne
Though they get off to a bit of a rocky start, the pair have plenty of sexy times to keep the story smoking in between babysitting elected officials, running from the mob, and uncovering the real bad guys.
“‘I’m going to make you come so hard you scream…It’s a good thing your sexy upstairs neighbor isn’t home. He’d probably call the cops.’” —Payne
Despite a few story aspects that could have been explained further, the pace of the story is good. Told via Payne and Nora’s alternating first person point of view, they were both likable characters who weren’t quite as opposite as they initially thought. In fact, Payne is actually quite sweet in a dangerous sort of way.
‘"I need someone who can make me hot chocolate when it’s cold and aim a gun at my head when I’m being an ass.’” —Payne
All in all, it’s a good romance-action-adventure story with some intrigue but thankfully without any OW/OM drama, and in the end, you might just want your own payne in the ass! ;-)
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review
“Never let it be said that I didn’t do my all to save a nice piece of ass. Let me know if you need a hand or two to keep it warm.” —Payne
Confident and quick witted, Payne Carter, 28, might be Officer Nora Keaton’s, 23, pain in the ass neighbor, but he’s also a lot more than that, little does she know.
“‘If this was one of my books, you’d either be the tough-as-nails FBI agent with a heart of gold, or the tortured hitman, rediscovering his humanity with the help of my magical vagina.’” —Nora
Nora just wants to be a cop doing good herself though, but she soon finds that she’s surrounded by a lot of bad in the world. Payne is used to making a living on the other side of the law, but once he comes to know Nora, the bad boy begins to rethink his plans.
“I imagine a world where I could have all of that. Where I could pull her innocence close and bury myself in it. A world where sliding into her would let some of that beauty rub off on me, instead of me tainting it.” —Payne
Though they get off to a bit of a rocky start, the pair have plenty of sexy times to keep the story smoking in between babysitting elected officials, running from the mob, and uncovering the real bad guys.
“‘I’m going to make you come so hard you scream…It’s a good thing your sexy upstairs neighbor isn’t home. He’d probably call the cops.’” —Payne
Despite a few story aspects that could have been explained further, the pace of the story is good. Told via Payne and Nora’s alternating first person point of view, they were both likable characters who weren’t quite as opposite as they initially thought. In fact, Payne is actually quite sweet in a dangerous sort of way.
‘"I need someone who can make me hot chocolate when it’s cold and aim a gun at my head when I’m being an ass.’” —Payne
All in all, it’s a good romance-action-adventure story with some intrigue but thankfully without any OW/OM drama, and in the end, you might just want your own payne in the ass! ;-)
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review
May 30, 2016
:::: May contain minor spoilers ::::
I really liked this one. She's a tiny snarky, newbie cop and he's a bad boy ex-SEAL and now hitman, whose latest job brings them together. It was funny, steamy & sweet with some action and suspense and likable characters.
• BOOK: Standalone. Full length.
• POV: Dual first person
• STEAMINESS: 3.5/5
• ENDING: HEA. Epilogue. No cliffhanger.
• SAFETY: No OW/OM mentioned. H hadn't been with anyone in quite awhile and didn't do relationships. Neither are virgins. No separation. No pushing away.
* * ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review * *
I really liked this one. She's a tiny snarky, newbie cop and he's a bad boy ex-SEAL and now hitman, whose latest job brings them together. It was funny, steamy & sweet with some action and suspense and likable characters.
“In my defense, you have this whole... wounded hero thing going on. If this was one of my books, you’d either be the tough-as-nails FBI agent with the heart of gold, or the tortured hitman, rediscovering his humanity with the help of my magical vagina.”
Is my shirt pulled up on the side? I wiggle a little to try and make my side-boob more obvious. Guys never seem to think straight when that happens.
Payne jerks like I landed a hit. “This isn’t a book.”
“Trust me, I know. If my vagina really was magical, I’d be shooting lasers at you right now.”
• BOOK: Standalone. Full length.
• POV: Dual first person
• STEAMINESS: 3.5/5
• ENDING: HEA. Epilogue. No cliffhanger.
• SAFETY: No OW/OM mentioned. H hadn't been with anyone in quite awhile and didn't do relationships. Neither are virgins. No separation. No pushing away.
* * ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review * *
June 7, 2016
4.25 stars!
June 5, 2016
What happens when the bad boy moves into the same apartment building as a rookie police officer? Well, with Payne and Nora you get a LOT of sparks!
Nora finds herself with a new assignment...actually it's her first one. She is to babysit an Alderman, apparently the Alderman has some people that don't like him since he is trying to do away with the Mafia in Chicago. Payne is in Chicago to do a hit, take out the Alderman....no further information is needed is there.
I have enjoyed many of Kim Linwood's books but I Love Payne Carter! There is just something about this man that even though he's a hitman you know that somehow he got lost along the way and just needs to find the right woman to bring him around again...and Nora is just that woman.
There is one part of the book that had me laughing so hard, I am not going to set up this quote for you because it will give too much away but even without knowing what is going on it is still funny.
“In my defense, you have this whole... wounded hero thing going on.
If this was one of my books, you’d either be the tough-as-nails FBI agent with the heart of gold, or the tortured hitman, rediscovering his humanity with the help of my magical vagina.” Is my shirt pulled up on the side? I wiggle a little to try and make my side-boob more obvious. Guys never seem to think straight when that happens.
Payne jerks like I landed a hit. “This isn’t a book.”
“Trust me, I know. If my vagina really was magical, I’d be shooting lasers at you right now.”
Nora's Magical Laser Show...LOL
Nora finds herself with a new assignment...actually it's her first one. She is to babysit an Alderman, apparently the Alderman has some people that don't like him since he is trying to do away with the Mafia in Chicago. Payne is in Chicago to do a hit, take out the Alderman....no further information is needed is there.
I have enjoyed many of Kim Linwood's books but I Love Payne Carter! There is just something about this man that even though he's a hitman you know that somehow he got lost along the way and just needs to find the right woman to bring him around again...and Nora is just that woman.
There is one part of the book that had me laughing so hard, I am not going to set up this quote for you because it will give too much away but even without knowing what is going on it is still funny.
“In my defense, you have this whole... wounded hero thing going on.
If this was one of my books, you’d either be the tough-as-nails FBI agent with the heart of gold, or the tortured hitman, rediscovering his humanity with the help of my magical vagina.” Is my shirt pulled up on the side? I wiggle a little to try and make my side-boob more obvious. Guys never seem to think straight when that happens.
Payne jerks like I landed a hit. “This isn’t a book.”
“Trust me, I know. If my vagina really was magical, I’d be shooting lasers at you right now.”
Nora's Magical Laser Show...LOL
June 14, 2016
Who'd have guessed that opposites would attract!!
~~~I received an ARC of Payne by Kim Linwood for an honest review!~~~
This is my fourth book I've read by Ms Linwood, and I just love her writing. I started this book earlier today and just couldn't put it down.
Nora is as straight as they come and a cop, who is taking after her father in this line of work. Her father was shot in the back 6 yrs prior, and left in wheelchair bound while the investigation seems to have been placed on the back burner. Nora applied for a position on her father’s old squad, though was kept on desk duty until her boss placed her guarding Alderman Trabucco until further notice. Things don't completely seem as they should be.
Payne is a former Navy SEAL, turned gun for hire. He is in Chicago for a job, when he meets Nora while he is moving in and she saves some expensive electronics from shattering on the ground. He later sees her again that night, or early the next morning as she pounded on his door since he was blasting his music in the apartment above hers. He is sexy, yet crude, arrogant, yet confident, and oh soooo divine!!!
Nora starts to wonder if Payne is following her since she keeps seeing him everywhere. Though things change for them once Payne saves her from an out-of-control truck on ice, and soon receives the gratitude from her father. All this time around each other proves to be dangerous for them both in respect to each of their assignments.
Ms Linwood knows how to reel you in and keep you reading until you get to the end. She has a gifted writing style that allows me to picture everything as I read, like a mini movie in my head. I just loved the push and pull between Nora and Payne, but what I loved most is that Payne truly does love Nora and would do almost anything for her!!!
I would recommend this to anyone over 18 y/o, there is some very mature sexual scenes. I would definitely read more books by Kim Linwood.
~~~I received an ARC of Payne by Kim Linwood for an honest review!~~~
This is my fourth book I've read by Ms Linwood, and I just love her writing. I started this book earlier today and just couldn't put it down.
Nora is as straight as they come and a cop, who is taking after her father in this line of work. Her father was shot in the back 6 yrs prior, and left in wheelchair bound while the investigation seems to have been placed on the back burner. Nora applied for a position on her father’s old squad, though was kept on desk duty until her boss placed her guarding Alderman Trabucco until further notice. Things don't completely seem as they should be.
Payne is a former Navy SEAL, turned gun for hire. He is in Chicago for a job, when he meets Nora while he is moving in and she saves some expensive electronics from shattering on the ground. He later sees her again that night, or early the next morning as she pounded on his door since he was blasting his music in the apartment above hers. He is sexy, yet crude, arrogant, yet confident, and oh soooo divine!!!
Nora starts to wonder if Payne is following her since she keeps seeing him everywhere. Though things change for them once Payne saves her from an out-of-control truck on ice, and soon receives the gratitude from her father. All this time around each other proves to be dangerous for them both in respect to each of their assignments.
Ms Linwood knows how to reel you in and keep you reading until you get to the end. She has a gifted writing style that allows me to picture everything as I read, like a mini movie in my head. I just loved the push and pull between Nora and Payne, but what I loved most is that Payne truly does love Nora and would do almost anything for her!!!
I would recommend this to anyone over 18 y/o, there is some very mature sexual scenes. I would definitely read more books by Kim Linwood.
June 2, 2016
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This bad boy romance had enough suspense that it could appeal to a lot of people. This started out a little slow paced for me, but then the action picked up! I really enjoyed this book.
This bad boy romance had enough suspense that it could appeal to a lot of people. This started out a little slow paced for me, but then the action picked up! I really enjoyed this book.
June 27, 2016
Wow this book took my breath away in so many forms! An emotional rollercoaster with brilliant writing had my imagination flowing throughout the writers words.
Payne an ex Navy seal, now a hired killer. He only takes out the dirt bags so it seems to make sense to him, besides its what he's good at. Make a plan. Get in get out, no strings, and noone is the wiser, except this time , there's a different target than he ever imagined possible.
Nora a 5 foot cop, working the desk, with a hunger for the field. Taking after her dad who got shot in the back during the line of duty, she now works at his old precinct. She's tiny , but is a force to be reckoned with.
As Payne finds his new home till his job is finished he runs into the little police officer, saving his music from tumbling out into the Chicago snow and slush. As she catches it he gives her an irritated thanks , and holds open the door to the same apartment building she lives in. Oh great, Payne is going to be staying in the same building as a cop.
He gets off to a bad start with the neighbors as he blasts his metal, causing the windows to rattle in Nora's apartment. Annoyed and frustrated she puts on her robe and boots walking upstairs to the new neighbor knocking and banging on the door. Finally answering without a shirt, his body sweaty from working out, her mind goes blank not able to stop staring at his body. Payne quickly notices getting a kick out of her mad lil scrunched face, not able to keep his own eyes from looking down at her busty figure . Nora notices the tattoo right away on his heart, and figures that's why he acts so cold .
Nora's boss finally gives her a job in the field to watch a higher up running for mayor. A babysitting job but at least it's something.
Payne's watching his target doing his homework, and of all people he sees his police neighbor with the target.
He uses this tidbit to his ability, explaining to Nora that he takes pictures for a living. His reasoning is " he likes to shoot things" lol
So Nora gets him inside the building as he photographs paying attention to the details as a hired gunman would.
The couple get closer, more than both would like, but fate keeps pushing them together, Payne saves her from an icy road an vehicle, which her parents are so grateful for they invite the both to dinner.
Nora's dad knows you don't go from being a seal to a photographer, but doesn't know his plans. Nora also knows something isn't right, but how dark is he?
With the mob, and everyone else moving closer Payne must do this job, and get away fast, but in doing so will change Nora's life forever.
Is he willing to go that far ? Or will he go even further to protect the adorable little cop? Will the Payne-in-her-ass do the unthinkable?
Is there hope for him, and can a cop be with a murderer? Must read intense thriller! 18 and up for the smoking scenes, highly recommended!
Payne an ex Navy seal, now a hired killer. He only takes out the dirt bags so it seems to make sense to him, besides its what he's good at. Make a plan. Get in get out, no strings, and noone is the wiser, except this time , there's a different target than he ever imagined possible.
Nora a 5 foot cop, working the desk, with a hunger for the field. Taking after her dad who got shot in the back during the line of duty, she now works at his old precinct. She's tiny , but is a force to be reckoned with.
As Payne finds his new home till his job is finished he runs into the little police officer, saving his music from tumbling out into the Chicago snow and slush. As she catches it he gives her an irritated thanks , and holds open the door to the same apartment building she lives in. Oh great, Payne is going to be staying in the same building as a cop.
He gets off to a bad start with the neighbors as he blasts his metal, causing the windows to rattle in Nora's apartment. Annoyed and frustrated she puts on her robe and boots walking upstairs to the new neighbor knocking and banging on the door. Finally answering without a shirt, his body sweaty from working out, her mind goes blank not able to stop staring at his body. Payne quickly notices getting a kick out of her mad lil scrunched face, not able to keep his own eyes from looking down at her busty figure . Nora notices the tattoo right away on his heart, and figures that's why he acts so cold .
Nora's boss finally gives her a job in the field to watch a higher up running for mayor. A babysitting job but at least it's something.
Payne's watching his target doing his homework, and of all people he sees his police neighbor with the target.
He uses this tidbit to his ability, explaining to Nora that he takes pictures for a living. His reasoning is " he likes to shoot things" lol
So Nora gets him inside the building as he photographs paying attention to the details as a hired gunman would.
The couple get closer, more than both would like, but fate keeps pushing them together, Payne saves her from an icy road an vehicle, which her parents are so grateful for they invite the both to dinner.
Nora's dad knows you don't go from being a seal to a photographer, but doesn't know his plans. Nora also knows something isn't right, but how dark is he?
With the mob, and everyone else moving closer Payne must do this job, and get away fast, but in doing so will change Nora's life forever.
Is he willing to go that far ? Or will he go even further to protect the adorable little cop? Will the Payne-in-her-ass do the unthinkable?
Is there hope for him, and can a cop be with a murderer? Must read intense thriller! 18 and up for the smoking scenes, highly recommended!
June 13, 2016
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
In this book we meet Payne Carter and Nora Keaton. Nora is a cop who happens to meet the new neighbor on his way in. He is kind of a jerk to her but there is something about her that just wants to know more about him. She gets her wish when she finds out he is her upstairs neighbor that plays his music to loud at 1:00 in the morning. The more she learns about Payne the more she wants to know. What happens when she learns to much about him will she accept him or will that be the end of Payne?
Payne knows better than to get involved with a cop he's a hitman for goodness sakes. However there is something so delectable to him when it comes to this particular cop. Not only is he attracted to Nora on a primal level when he learns that she is the protection detail for his mark. He knows that he can get information from Nora and spend time with her at the same time. What happens though when she finds out who he really is can he finish the job and get the girl? Or will he loose his one chance at happiness?
This is an edge of your seat kind of book. Though you know what Payne is there to do you don't know really how the story will go? Does Nora arrest Payne and stop him from completing his job? Does Nora get killed by all the bad guys in this book? Who lives and who dies will be an all the way edge of your seat books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
In this book we meet Payne Carter and Nora Keaton. Nora is a cop who happens to meet the new neighbor on his way in. He is kind of a jerk to her but there is something about her that just wants to know more about him. She gets her wish when she finds out he is her upstairs neighbor that plays his music to loud at 1:00 in the morning. The more she learns about Payne the more she wants to know. What happens when she learns to much about him will she accept him or will that be the end of Payne?
Payne knows better than to get involved with a cop he's a hitman for goodness sakes. However there is something so delectable to him when it comes to this particular cop. Not only is he attracted to Nora on a primal level when he learns that she is the protection detail for his mark. He knows that he can get information from Nora and spend time with her at the same time. What happens though when she finds out who he really is can he finish the job and get the girl? Or will he loose his one chance at happiness?
This is an edge of your seat kind of book. Though you know what Payne is there to do you don't know really how the story will go? Does Nora arrest Payne and stop him from completing his job? Does Nora get killed by all the bad guys in this book? Who lives and who dies will be an all the way edge of your seat books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
July 21, 2016
Wow. I have never read anything by Kim Linwood and now I’m wondering why! This was such a great story. Nora is a rookie police officer who has been given her first official job outside a desk. She must protect Alderman Trabucco until the election. Her career is looking up and after some sizzling chemistry with a new neighbour, her love life seems to be taking a turn for the better too. Only thing is that Payne has a secret. He’s been hired to take out Trabucco and it appears he is using Nora to make sure that happens.
This story has everything. Action, suspense, hot sexy scenes, an intriguing plot, and two main characters that have incredible chemistry together. I fell completely into this story and I was surprised at the humour that kept popping up. This was so well written and fun that I can’t recommend this book enough. A must read for fans of bad boy romances.
This story has everything. Action, suspense, hot sexy scenes, an intriguing plot, and two main characters that have incredible chemistry together. I fell completely into this story and I was surprised at the humour that kept popping up. This was so well written and fun that I can’t recommend this book enough. A must read for fans of bad boy romances.
June 7, 2016
Payne was a suspenseful, sexy read with sweet and funny moments.
Both characters were likeable for the most part. The H did frustrate me a bit with his lies and his using of the h, but he did redeem himself in the end.
The book is told in both POVs which I really like. I love reading the male POV.
This book is pretty safe with no drama from OW/OM. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a good action packed romance.
I received an ARC copy for an honest review!
Both characters were likeable for the most part. The H did frustrate me a bit with his lies and his using of the h, but he did redeem himself in the end.
The book is told in both POVs which I really like. I love reading the male POV.
This book is pretty safe with no drama from OW/OM. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a good action packed romance.
I received an ARC copy for an honest review!
May 30, 2016
Payne by Kim Linwood is remarkable well-written with characters that come alive on the page. It has a great mix of mystery, suspense, action, deceit, secrets, and some sizzling-hot chemistry. The author pulls you into the story and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If you're not into sexy bad boy former SEAL turned hitman doing dirty things... then this book isn't for you.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
June 7, 2016
Arc for an honest review
Payne is an ex navy seal who is now a Hitman and hes now in Chicago on a job
Nora is a rookie cop who is in working in the police department as her father did
Nora is protecting Alderman Trabucco who happens to be the person Payne as been told to take out only he is falling for Nora big time
I really enjoyed the story of these two and look forward to see what Kim comes up with next
this book has everything its a brilliant read and keeps you gripped in one read
Payne is an ex navy seal who is now a Hitman and hes now in Chicago on a job
Nora is a rookie cop who is in working in the police department as her father did
Nora is protecting Alderman Trabucco who happens to be the person Payne as been told to take out only he is falling for Nora big time
I really enjoyed the story of these two and look forward to see what Kim comes up with next
this book has everything its a brilliant read and keeps you gripped in one read
June 9, 2016
Ex-Seal, present hitman, Payne, falls in love with a cop, Nora.. This is an interesting combination, and it was interesting through this whole book. This book has love, romance, sizzling sex, action, and humor all blended together in a well written book by Kim Linwood. Once I started reading this book, I did not want to put it down. I received this book from the author in return for an honest review, and I highly recommend this book. I loved Nora's "Payne in her ass".
February 8, 2018
Payne is a former seal - turned hitman. Nora is a rookie cop - just assigned to her first detail.
Payne has just moved into his sublet while on this 'job'. Although he's not too thrilled with the fact that his downstairs neighbor is a cop, he's not too put off by it either since she's cute and he's dubbed her Nora the Adora. Nora is attracted to her new upstairs neighbor, despite his annoying attitude and his loud music.
Action, adventure and hot sex...what more could you ask for? The chemistry between Nora and Payne is off the charts, the writing style of the author is fantastic. Good story that kept the pages turning. All around a solid read.
Payne has just moved into his sublet while on this 'job'. Although he's not too thrilled with the fact that his downstairs neighbor is a cop, he's not too put off by it either since she's cute and he's dubbed her Nora the Adora. Nora is attracted to her new upstairs neighbor, despite his annoying attitude and his loud music.
Action, adventure and hot sex...what more could you ask for? The chemistry between Nora and Payne is off the charts, the writing style of the author is fantastic. Good story that kept the pages turning. All around a solid read.
October 8, 2017
Great
Even though he is a bad guy, he gets reformed. This is a very good Kindle Unlimited choice. Even though the story is predictable, it is worth the read.
Even though he is a bad guy, he gets reformed. This is a very good Kindle Unlimited choice. Even though the story is predictable, it is worth the read.
December 18, 2017
great story could not put the book down.
February 17, 2022
Payne and Nora
Kim Linwood knows how to write. Reading Payne kept me smiling until the end. I definitely can’t wait to read more of her stories.
Kim Linwood knows how to write. Reading Payne kept me smiling until the end. I definitely can’t wait to read more of her stories.
March 20, 2017
Good book
Not ur usual hitman story, wished they had more detail into his past or him being a SEAL. It was nice finishing a longer book
Not ur usual hitman story, wished they had more detail into his past or him being a SEAL. It was nice finishing a longer book
July 21, 2016
Bad against the Good and sometimes the Bad are the Good or are they? I know I need a Payne! One click now!
Holy Hotness Need Bad Boy Ex Seal? Payne is the Real Deal in the Ex Seal way and well in Every Way! Payne can dish out Pain in both Bad and Good ways! He is sex persona, a green eyed man of steel! as he was trained in the Military as a Killing machine it moved right on into his personal life after he finished his 6 years as a Seal!
Need your neighborly nice and sweet Police Officer? Nora she is a 5 foot of perfection in a woman, she is lean and mean in her own little perfect
way! But she is a Rookie cop and she is set up with a task that might be more than she can handle. Now she has to decide who the good guys are as she is given a new job to safe guard the new man running for the Mayors office that could have ruffled a lot of the wrong feathers. or the maybe Hunk of a man that moved into the apartment above her.
Now stop, are you 18 years or older? Because it has a lot of Hot Sex Scenes, if that isn't your kind of book then Stop now you are in the wrong place looking for a good book!
Payne loves music and guns and killing the bad guys! Nora has always wanted to be making a difference in peoples lives helping those in need and protecting people in Chicago were trouble could be at every corner. Together they are a hot mess of total sexiness that seem to have trouble finding neutral ground or their eyes and hands off each other.
I Loved Payne and I Loved Nora! Kim Linwood does a great job creating these strong characters they grew within themselves and together and I loved that. These characters never are claimed to be perfect maybe even the opposite, and or have they had life handed to them? Have they had had to work hard for what they get and was bumping into each other fate? Maybe, but well it works it is life and I just loved that they are working people, I like that they found errors in ways that needed correcting but didn't hold it against each other, the book just goes forward not standing still getting stagnate. That makes it flow very well and its a great story in all ways including the length, it isn't filled it with bunch of unneeded fillers. I think you could bring in some of Payne's ex Seal team as well as Nora's from her college experiences and or her police training! With all the police situations in our world today maybe you will get a new character in your head Kim Linwood, you could do very well in that area I think! :) I found very few spelling or punctuation errors, it isn't perfect but hey mine isn't either, it didn't bother me at all! She tells ya Payne is a bad guy and Nora is the good girl rookie cop but when you read it you can feel who is bad and who is good, the freezing cold temperatures and the HOT heat of the sex! That's what reading is all about for me anyways, figuring it all out piece by piece, page by page. (and I always need it) I liked the small mystery in todays times of needing your fix in fiction but sometimes it can seem to blend into the things happening in our world today when it comes to finding out how to beat "the bad guys" because folks in the real world it can and does happen every single day, we get a few bad cops in with ALL the good and trying to find those few in millions is an impossible task until they mess up. Just shows us bad people are everywhere, psycho's are among us. They can be your neighbor, at your work place, standing in line at the grocery or driving beside you plotting to kill somebody "THAT is all REAL LIFE" and the thing is that these things that Kim Linwood made me imagine in the book, its Real stuff folks, its happening right now and yet life goes on...I need me a Payne, yes More Please! One Click now you wont regret it I promise if you read past my warning to turn back you won't be disappointed matter of fact you will be pleasantly surprised I think as I was with who is good and who is bad, its the characters themselves that struggle with whom they think they are and whom and what they want to be in life and that things can change on a dime for us all, even for fictional hot characters! Thanks for the reminder of that Kim Linwood and Enjoy folks.
Holy Hotness Need Bad Boy Ex Seal? Payne is the Real Deal in the Ex Seal way and well in Every Way! Payne can dish out Pain in both Bad and Good ways! He is sex persona, a green eyed man of steel! as he was trained in the Military as a Killing machine it moved right on into his personal life after he finished his 6 years as a Seal!
Need your neighborly nice and sweet Police Officer? Nora she is a 5 foot of perfection in a woman, she is lean and mean in her own little perfect
way! But she is a Rookie cop and she is set up with a task that might be more than she can handle. Now she has to decide who the good guys are as she is given a new job to safe guard the new man running for the Mayors office that could have ruffled a lot of the wrong feathers. or the maybe Hunk of a man that moved into the apartment above her.
Now stop, are you 18 years or older? Because it has a lot of Hot Sex Scenes, if that isn't your kind of book then Stop now you are in the wrong place looking for a good book!
Payne loves music and guns and killing the bad guys! Nora has always wanted to be making a difference in peoples lives helping those in need and protecting people in Chicago were trouble could be at every corner. Together they are a hot mess of total sexiness that seem to have trouble finding neutral ground or their eyes and hands off each other.
I Loved Payne and I Loved Nora! Kim Linwood does a great job creating these strong characters they grew within themselves and together and I loved that. These characters never are claimed to be perfect maybe even the opposite, and or have they had life handed to them? Have they had had to work hard for what they get and was bumping into each other fate? Maybe, but well it works it is life and I just loved that they are working people, I like that they found errors in ways that needed correcting but didn't hold it against each other, the book just goes forward not standing still getting stagnate. That makes it flow very well and its a great story in all ways including the length, it isn't filled it with bunch of unneeded fillers. I think you could bring in some of Payne's ex Seal team as well as Nora's from her college experiences and or her police training! With all the police situations in our world today maybe you will get a new character in your head Kim Linwood, you could do very well in that area I think! :) I found very few spelling or punctuation errors, it isn't perfect but hey mine isn't either, it didn't bother me at all! She tells ya Payne is a bad guy and Nora is the good girl rookie cop but when you read it you can feel who is bad and who is good, the freezing cold temperatures and the HOT heat of the sex! That's what reading is all about for me anyways, figuring it all out piece by piece, page by page. (and I always need it) I liked the small mystery in todays times of needing your fix in fiction but sometimes it can seem to blend into the things happening in our world today when it comes to finding out how to beat "the bad guys" because folks in the real world it can and does happen every single day, we get a few bad cops in with ALL the good and trying to find those few in millions is an impossible task until they mess up. Just shows us bad people are everywhere, psycho's are among us. They can be your neighbor, at your work place, standing in line at the grocery or driving beside you plotting to kill somebody "THAT is all REAL LIFE" and the thing is that these things that Kim Linwood made me imagine in the book, its Real stuff folks, its happening right now and yet life goes on...I need me a Payne, yes More Please! One Click now you wont regret it I promise if you read past my warning to turn back you won't be disappointed matter of fact you will be pleasantly surprised I think as I was with who is good and who is bad, its the characters themselves that struggle with whom they think they are and whom and what they want to be in life and that things can change on a dime for us all, even for fictional hot characters! Thanks for the reminder of that Kim Linwood and Enjoy folks.
May 31, 2016
I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review and here it is: 5 stars.
Kim Linwood has done it again, turned what might have been a run-of-the-mill bad boy romance on it's ear and come up with an un-put-downable 5-star romantic suspense read.
When we first meet Payne Carter, he's just arriving in Chicago, it's winter, he's cranky, and he's moving into a sublet with his most important possessions, his duffle bag, his kick-ass sound system and his sniper rifle. Trying to balance everything in his car at one time so he doesn't have to hike through the icy slush again, he slips and nearly loses a couple of his prized stereo speakers when Nora Keaton manages to catch them before they hit the ground. Payne notes that she's barely five feet tall, very cute and also very obviously a cop.
At 1:00 a.m., Nora is desperately attempting to fall asleep over the blaring sound of Payne's stereo system rattling the walls. He's apparently sublet the apartment directly above hers, and since she knows that the building rules prohibit loud music after 9:00 p.m., she throws on a robe and boots and trudges upstairs to read Payne the riot act. When he answers her repeated knocks on his door, he's shirtless and wearing nothing but a pair of low-riding sweatpants. She's stunned speechless for a moment by his gorgeous body, his Navy SEAL tattoo, the visible scars to prove it, and discovers that he also has a very sarcastic sense of humor, which is a fine match for her own.
Nora hasn't been a police officer long and she's been on desk duty the entire time. When she makes it into work later that morning, she's finally given her first field assignment by Captain Palmieri, guarding Alderman James Trabucco, who requested a police escort now that elections are soon to occur. This is the same precinct where her father once worked before being shot in the back and ending up in a wheelchair six years ago, the investigation afterwards going nowhere. He's not thrilled with Nora's chosen profession, nor the fact that she's been assigned no partner--and for good reason.
We soon learn that Payne is more than an ex-Navy SEAL, he's also a professional hitman and his mission in Chicago is to kill Alderman Trabucco. While hanging out in a coffee house across the street from Trabucco's office, he soon discovers that Nora is his personal bodyguard, and getting close to her seems like the perfect way to set up the hit without appearing suspicious. It's obvious that these two characters are also very attracted to one another and what an original take on this odd couple, a steamy hot romance between a professional hitman and the dedicated police officer who's guarding his target.
The sparks certainly fly in this novel and the suspense ratchets up to the point that you can barely turn the pages quickly enough. Ms. Linwood is incredibly adept at writing blisteringly hot sex scenes, and creating interesting and well-developed characters, whose signature snarkiness I've come to appreciate in her novels.
Will good girl Nora be able to able to tame this bad boy? Will Payne manage to complete his mission? Will Nora get caught in the crossfire? Can such an odd couple find a way to do their jobs and continue their relationship? You'll have to get as caught up in this gem of a novel as I did to find out.
Kim Linwood has done it again, turned what might have been a run-of-the-mill bad boy romance on it's ear and come up with an un-put-downable 5-star romantic suspense read.
When we first meet Payne Carter, he's just arriving in Chicago, it's winter, he's cranky, and he's moving into a sublet with his most important possessions, his duffle bag, his kick-ass sound system and his sniper rifle. Trying to balance everything in his car at one time so he doesn't have to hike through the icy slush again, he slips and nearly loses a couple of his prized stereo speakers when Nora Keaton manages to catch them before they hit the ground. Payne notes that she's barely five feet tall, very cute and also very obviously a cop.
At 1:00 a.m., Nora is desperately attempting to fall asleep over the blaring sound of Payne's stereo system rattling the walls. He's apparently sublet the apartment directly above hers, and since she knows that the building rules prohibit loud music after 9:00 p.m., she throws on a robe and boots and trudges upstairs to read Payne the riot act. When he answers her repeated knocks on his door, he's shirtless and wearing nothing but a pair of low-riding sweatpants. She's stunned speechless for a moment by his gorgeous body, his Navy SEAL tattoo, the visible scars to prove it, and discovers that he also has a very sarcastic sense of humor, which is a fine match for her own.
Nora hasn't been a police officer long and she's been on desk duty the entire time. When she makes it into work later that morning, she's finally given her first field assignment by Captain Palmieri, guarding Alderman James Trabucco, who requested a police escort now that elections are soon to occur. This is the same precinct where her father once worked before being shot in the back and ending up in a wheelchair six years ago, the investigation afterwards going nowhere. He's not thrilled with Nora's chosen profession, nor the fact that she's been assigned no partner--and for good reason.
We soon learn that Payne is more than an ex-Navy SEAL, he's also a professional hitman and his mission in Chicago is to kill Alderman Trabucco. While hanging out in a coffee house across the street from Trabucco's office, he soon discovers that Nora is his personal bodyguard, and getting close to her seems like the perfect way to set up the hit without appearing suspicious. It's obvious that these two characters are also very attracted to one another and what an original take on this odd couple, a steamy hot romance between a professional hitman and the dedicated police officer who's guarding his target.
The sparks certainly fly in this novel and the suspense ratchets up to the point that you can barely turn the pages quickly enough. Ms. Linwood is incredibly adept at writing blisteringly hot sex scenes, and creating interesting and well-developed characters, whose signature snarkiness I've come to appreciate in her novels.
Will good girl Nora be able to able to tame this bad boy? Will Payne manage to complete his mission? Will Nora get caught in the crossfire? Can such an odd couple find a way to do their jobs and continue their relationship? You'll have to get as caught up in this gem of a novel as I did to find out.
February 4, 2017
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story was a fun read. I really enjoyed the two main characters. This story is told in first person view with each of the two characters Payne and Nora speaking from their point of view. I loved the snide remarks and the banter between the two. It was funny in some parts because of the way they spoke about each other. It is also a romantic book, and I love how the story developed their relationship throughout the whole book up until the end. The plot was very well developed and it was an easy read. There were some parts that were somewhat suspenseful when it came to dealing with the bad guys, you are surprised when you find out just who is working for whom. Payne is a paid assassin who is hired out by the mob in this book and Nora is a Cop, so from the beginning of the book you kind of get an introduction to what Payne's first impression is of Nora because of his profession he warns himself to stay away from her, but all it takes is some loud music from Payne to be played at 1:00 in the morning that starts the tension between these two characters. Payne was a true hit man especially when it came to protecting Nora, he took care of the threats and the people he was hired out to work for. Nora had joined the police force because she wanted to find out what happened to her Dad and who was behind his shooting, which caused him to be paralyzed from the waist down. Her father was somewhat of an influence in the way she was close to her parents. She didn't always agree with some of the things he was telling her, but in the end she had to admit that her father had been right in telling her those things that she didn't agree with. Nora had to find the courage to survive in a fast paced shootout, she was worried about Payne alot instead of herself and got caught off guard but Payne saved her. Payne was a tough character and it was nice to know that one woman could change the way he thought about himself because Nora always told him that he was a good guy.
There were some funny scenes towards the end when they just had to leave to start fresh after everything that happened. For instance, when they stopped at a gas station to get Nora a bottled water she ended up getting into a fight with a man, which resulted in broken windows and possible run in with police if she wasn't careful. There was one very romantic scene towards the end of the book that was just so sweet, but I won't tell you what happened you'll have to read it yourself, but I'll give you a clue it involved a whole lot of flowers. I also love the end of the book it definitely has a HEA for both of them. Oh and I just simply love the way Payne nicknamed Nora "Adorable". Overall, I thought it was a fun and enjoyable and good read. I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good romance between a bad guy and a good girl.
This story was a fun read. I really enjoyed the two main characters. This story is told in first person view with each of the two characters Payne and Nora speaking from their point of view. I loved the snide remarks and the banter between the two. It was funny in some parts because of the way they spoke about each other. It is also a romantic book, and I love how the story developed their relationship throughout the whole book up until the end. The plot was very well developed and it was an easy read. There were some parts that were somewhat suspenseful when it came to dealing with the bad guys, you are surprised when you find out just who is working for whom. Payne is a paid assassin who is hired out by the mob in this book and Nora is a Cop, so from the beginning of the book you kind of get an introduction to what Payne's first impression is of Nora because of his profession he warns himself to stay away from her, but all it takes is some loud music from Payne to be played at 1:00 in the morning that starts the tension between these two characters. Payne was a true hit man especially when it came to protecting Nora, he took care of the threats and the people he was hired out to work for. Nora had joined the police force because she wanted to find out what happened to her Dad and who was behind his shooting, which caused him to be paralyzed from the waist down. Her father was somewhat of an influence in the way she was close to her parents. She didn't always agree with some of the things he was telling her, but in the end she had to admit that her father had been right in telling her those things that she didn't agree with. Nora had to find the courage to survive in a fast paced shootout, she was worried about Payne alot instead of herself and got caught off guard but Payne saved her. Payne was a tough character and it was nice to know that one woman could change the way he thought about himself because Nora always told him that he was a good guy.
There were some funny scenes towards the end when they just had to leave to start fresh after everything that happened. For instance, when they stopped at a gas station to get Nora a bottled water she ended up getting into a fight with a man, which resulted in broken windows and possible run in with police if she wasn't careful. There was one very romantic scene towards the end of the book that was just so sweet, but I won't tell you what happened you'll have to read it yourself, but I'll give you a clue it involved a whole lot of flowers. I also love the end of the book it definitely has a HEA for both of them. Oh and I just simply love the way Payne nicknamed Nora "Adorable". Overall, I thought it was a fun and enjoyable and good read. I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good romance between a bad guy and a good girl.
June 9, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of my review.
Payne is a former SEAL and he is going to Chicago, he has this last bit of business to take care of and then it is sweet freedom for him. He is driving in the middle of winter in Chicago, did I mention in his sports car that he is so thrilled with. Yes, Chi town and winter....rough. Not to mention parking there in winter?! Forget about it. He comes to a sliding halt and has to rely on the anti lock breaks which thank goodness work. Finds a spot relatively close to the building he is going to reside in for the next few weeks to months (depending on this job) He likes his music loud, his car flashy but worth the money, and apparently has the dropsies. Before his speakers and all can fall onto the wet snow covered pavement, she appears and helps. He notices her uniform and how short the little sprite is. This could be fun. He just doesn't know how true that thought is going to turn out to be. But he is withholding a dark secret.
Nora is a Chicago Police Officer, following in her dad's footsteps. She happens to come upon this guy with the black hair in his face and arms overloaded (so no second or third trips out in the cold) just when his speakers and belongings would hit the ground. But is this guys at all appreciative - no! He has a snide comment instead of just saying thanks, sheesh talk about jackass. Nora is the one to give benefit of the doubt and listens to her gut, usually. So does it surprise you that he catches her eye. She knows something is off but figures moving is causing him to be a bit off. Later that first night in the apartment building is going to start this duo into motion.
They both are at different ends of the spectrum as far as people go, but they have a lot in common, and a lot not in common with each other. It starts that first night, he has the music cranked up and it is shaking the whole building. Nora tries hard to ignore it but is completely unable to. She puts her robe on, her hair is a mess (after all she was woken up out of a deep sleep to this) and her work boots.....oh yeah going for the sexy look at 3 am. Pounding on the door and pounding some more, finally the music gets turned down somewhat and they are face to face again. This time he is not playing the jackass to her, nope he notices her all right. But will his hidden secret ruin any chance he has with her? Can he follow his heart? Can she follow hers? Does she know his secret, or can she get bits and pieces and put it together? Where does this leave the two of them? He has fallen and so has she, but to what lengths has that fall taken them to, and do they fight against the fall or just go with it? Grab this book and read on. You will be glad you did. It is up and down at times, and at times you side with him and others with her. It really is a great and fantastic book.
Payne is a former SEAL and he is going to Chicago, he has this last bit of business to take care of and then it is sweet freedom for him. He is driving in the middle of winter in Chicago, did I mention in his sports car that he is so thrilled with. Yes, Chi town and winter....rough. Not to mention parking there in winter?! Forget about it. He comes to a sliding halt and has to rely on the anti lock breaks which thank goodness work. Finds a spot relatively close to the building he is going to reside in for the next few weeks to months (depending on this job) He likes his music loud, his car flashy but worth the money, and apparently has the dropsies. Before his speakers and all can fall onto the wet snow covered pavement, she appears and helps. He notices her uniform and how short the little sprite is. This could be fun. He just doesn't know how true that thought is going to turn out to be. But he is withholding a dark secret.
Nora is a Chicago Police Officer, following in her dad's footsteps. She happens to come upon this guy with the black hair in his face and arms overloaded (so no second or third trips out in the cold) just when his speakers and belongings would hit the ground. But is this guys at all appreciative - no! He has a snide comment instead of just saying thanks, sheesh talk about jackass. Nora is the one to give benefit of the doubt and listens to her gut, usually. So does it surprise you that he catches her eye. She knows something is off but figures moving is causing him to be a bit off. Later that first night in the apartment building is going to start this duo into motion.
They both are at different ends of the spectrum as far as people go, but they have a lot in common, and a lot not in common with each other. It starts that first night, he has the music cranked up and it is shaking the whole building. Nora tries hard to ignore it but is completely unable to. She puts her robe on, her hair is a mess (after all she was woken up out of a deep sleep to this) and her work boots.....oh yeah going for the sexy look at 3 am. Pounding on the door and pounding some more, finally the music gets turned down somewhat and they are face to face again. This time he is not playing the jackass to her, nope he notices her all right. But will his hidden secret ruin any chance he has with her? Can he follow his heart? Can she follow hers? Does she know his secret, or can she get bits and pieces and put it together? Where does this leave the two of them? He has fallen and so has she, but to what lengths has that fall taken them to, and do they fight against the fall or just go with it? Grab this book and read on. You will be glad you did. It is up and down at times, and at times you side with him and others with her. It really is a great and fantastic book.
June 5, 2016
kim delivers another ace book! thrilling rides, sizzling moments, drama, emotions, betrayal. it all happens in this book.
rookie cop Nora is tired of sitting behind her desk. when she's called in and put on a security details she's not sure why she has to do that but her boss is rather convincing it's that or even more paperwork for decades.
her mood isn't really good since her new hot as hell neighbor is messing up her mind. he's rude, he's loud, he keeps the building awake with his music and, yay, all the neighbors rely on her, the resident cop, to make him listen.
payne is taken with the teeny tiny spitfire of a cop. he shouldn't be, he isn't here for her, he's here to do his job. and his job happens to be to kill the one she is protecting. yet his libido and mind are in agreement that nora is worth his time and attention.
as the verbal sparring between them starts igniting more and more, nora can't help but start thinking there is more to payne that he is telling her. she knows he's a former SEAL, but something about it isn't adding up. same as her boss is acting like a douche about her security detail. things aren't so much above board as she would like them to be, but she has no real other choice but to suck it up and show up for work and be a glorified coffee lady!
payne is getting more invested in nora then he thought, hopes of having a normal live creep into his mind. that his employers seems to know about his interest in nora is ringing all kind of bells and he knows she isn't safe any longer. he knows he can't just let her go, he has to make her understand. it's in that break or make moment their feelings get to a boil and both have to dig deep to accept where it is all leading too.
as important as this moment was to them, it took too long and it sets so much in motion that i was afraid one of them wouldn't make it!
the battle of emotions between these two is hard and heartfelt. their heated moments are dominant and thriving and just perfect for them both!.
gotta love payne's double entendre of just the lack there off and nora quick and witty replies. on opposites sides of the law, will these two make it work or will things start to crumble when they're separated?
what a read and ride this was. was hard to put down the book. i just had to know what was coming. one more chapter, than one more and another and before i knew it i was at the end. another masterpiece kim!
free copy provided in exchange for an honest review
rookie cop Nora is tired of sitting behind her desk. when she's called in and put on a security details she's not sure why she has to do that but her boss is rather convincing it's that or even more paperwork for decades.
her mood isn't really good since her new hot as hell neighbor is messing up her mind. he's rude, he's loud, he keeps the building awake with his music and, yay, all the neighbors rely on her, the resident cop, to make him listen.
payne is taken with the teeny tiny spitfire of a cop. he shouldn't be, he isn't here for her, he's here to do his job. and his job happens to be to kill the one she is protecting. yet his libido and mind are in agreement that nora is worth his time and attention.
as the verbal sparring between them starts igniting more and more, nora can't help but start thinking there is more to payne that he is telling her. she knows he's a former SEAL, but something about it isn't adding up. same as her boss is acting like a douche about her security detail. things aren't so much above board as she would like them to be, but she has no real other choice but to suck it up and show up for work and be a glorified coffee lady!
payne is getting more invested in nora then he thought, hopes of having a normal live creep into his mind. that his employers seems to know about his interest in nora is ringing all kind of bells and he knows she isn't safe any longer. he knows he can't just let her go, he has to make her understand. it's in that break or make moment their feelings get to a boil and both have to dig deep to accept where it is all leading too.
as important as this moment was to them, it took too long and it sets so much in motion that i was afraid one of them wouldn't make it!
the battle of emotions between these two is hard and heartfelt. their heated moments are dominant and thriving and just perfect for them both!.
gotta love payne's double entendre of just the lack there off and nora quick and witty replies. on opposites sides of the law, will these two make it work or will things start to crumble when they're separated?
what a read and ride this was. was hard to put down the book. i just had to know what was coming. one more chapter, than one more and another and before i knew it i was at the end. another masterpiece kim!
free copy provided in exchange for an honest review
March 4, 2023
I went back and forth on 3 or 4 stars here but it definitely deserved more for the flawless writing. I didn’t come across any typos and it flowed nicely. The extra star was also because Payne was NOT a manwhore and there was no unnecessary OW drama as these books tend to have. Thank you for that!!!
I did like the characters but they were very surface level. I honestly knew nothing about either of them or how they even fell in love with each other. I felt like everything wasn’t resolved, there were so many questions I still had by the end. When the conflict came and the major players were revealed I was honestly confused. I don’t even know what happened or why…?
Also the romance seemed secondary to the suspense and the more I write this review the more I’m leaning toward 3.5 stars.
Their chemistry was pretty good and the sex scenes were on point, there weren’t too many of them that it took away from the story. I wouldn’t exactly recommend but I wouldn’t tell you not to read this book. It was quick and an easy read. You can tell the author is a very talented writer, this book was just missing a little something.
I did like the characters but they were very surface level. I honestly knew nothing about either of them or how they even fell in love with each other. I felt like everything wasn’t resolved, there were so many questions I still had by the end. When the conflict came and the major players were revealed I was honestly confused. I don’t even know what happened or why…?
Also the romance seemed secondary to the suspense and the more I write this review the more I’m leaning toward 3.5 stars.
Their chemistry was pretty good and the sex scenes were on point, there weren’t too many of them that it took away from the story. I wouldn’t exactly recommend but I wouldn’t tell you not to read this book. It was quick and an easy read. You can tell the author is a very talented writer, this book was just missing a little something.
June 7, 2016
Payne knows the only people who need fear him will never know until it is too late; he is a killer, but there are two vital things that define him - his sound system and his sniper rifle; one keeps him sane and the other grounded, but friends, well….his job doesn’t call for friends. Nora thinks it is a pity that the only hot guy in the building is a jerk. When she asks him to turn his music down, he shuts the door in her face. There is something off about him, aside from his attitude and questionable taste in music; she would be keeping an eye on him. It is not hard for Payne to figure out who Nora is; a neighbor and a cop. Nora is trouble, something Payne has never been much good at staying out of, but he has got a job to do and Nora is a distraction. Nora is following in her father’s footsteps as a police officer, and her first job in the field is to protect Alderman James Trabucco; running for Mayor and cracking down on organised crime, his life is at risk, and he is also Payne’s target. When Nora is run down by a truck, Payne saves her life and now he has the perfect “in”, but Payne is convinced Nora has been set up to fail with her babysitting duties for the Alderman and even Nora cannot make sense of her assignment. When Payne sees his target and contact having a deep and angry discussion, Payne wants to find out what Nora’s role really is; nothing about her strikes him as underhand or corrupt, so why is she present at this meeting. Meanwhile, Nora wonder about Payne’s involvement. With his military history, he could be undercover as part of the FBI investigation, or working for the Mafia, but the answers are closer to home. Nora’s world has been turned on its head. The job she thought she wanted more than anything else almost got her killed, but a killer saved her and stole her heart. Payne had tried to give Nora a way out – now it was too late. This was an exciting and rivetting story which I enjoyed reading immensely. It has lots of twists and turns to keep the reader’s interest and is certainly a book I would recommend. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2016
This is the first novel that I have read by Kim Linwood and I'll say it now, it won't be my last. It had me captivated and fully enthralled. It may have been slow in the first two or three chapters but after that the pace was superb.
The two main protagonists in this book couldn't be any more opposite.
First you have Nora Keaton. Rookie cop, doing the one thing that she always dreamed of, helping others. Or so she thought. Permanently stuck on desk duty, she is finally given a new position, guarding Alderman Trabucco, a mayoral candidate.
Secondly there is Payne Carter, ex Navy SEAL and now a hired killer. He comes to town with only one thing on his mind - to exterminate his next target. But he soon learns that things don't always work out how they're planned.
When these two meet the fireworks are instant and their reactions are amusing to follow. As the book progresses these fireworks really start to sparkle and gonna off with a bang!!! Torridly HOT is how I would describe the intimate scenes that mentioned. You'll definitely need a fan for the laundry basement scene!!!
Danger lurks on all sides for our hero and heroine. Soon it becomes a case of the hunter becoming the prey. Payne becomes extremely protective of Nora and will do anything to keep her away and alive.
Ms Linwood's exceptional writing skill is a positive when reading this novel. She takes the reader into the dark side of politics and The Mafia. It was a book I simply could not put down. The final shootout scene at an abandoned warehouse is brilliant. You can see the action taking place right before your very eyes.
Congratulations Ms Linwood on such a wonderful book. You have definitely won me as a future reader.
I would most definitely rate this as 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ And more.
This review has been written for Reading Is Our Satisfaction Blog.
The two main protagonists in this book couldn't be any more opposite.
First you have Nora Keaton. Rookie cop, doing the one thing that she always dreamed of, helping others. Or so she thought. Permanently stuck on desk duty, she is finally given a new position, guarding Alderman Trabucco, a mayoral candidate.
Secondly there is Payne Carter, ex Navy SEAL and now a hired killer. He comes to town with only one thing on his mind - to exterminate his next target. But he soon learns that things don't always work out how they're planned.
When these two meet the fireworks are instant and their reactions are amusing to follow. As the book progresses these fireworks really start to sparkle and gonna off with a bang!!! Torridly HOT is how I would describe the intimate scenes that mentioned. You'll definitely need a fan for the laundry basement scene!!!
Danger lurks on all sides for our hero and heroine. Soon it becomes a case of the hunter becoming the prey. Payne becomes extremely protective of Nora and will do anything to keep her away and alive.
Ms Linwood's exceptional writing skill is a positive when reading this novel. She takes the reader into the dark side of politics and The Mafia. It was a book I simply could not put down. The final shootout scene at an abandoned warehouse is brilliant. You can see the action taking place right before your very eyes.
Congratulations Ms Linwood on such a wonderful book. You have definitely won me as a future reader.
I would most definitely rate this as 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ And more.
This review has been written for Reading Is Our Satisfaction Blog.
August 2, 2016
This is my 4th book by this author. Our H is Payne Carter, a once Navy SEAL not hit man. Our h is Nora Keaton, a strict by the book cop.
Nora is a cop following in the footsteps of her father. He was shot in the back and is now in a wheelchair and the investigation has stalled. She has been on desk duty with her dad's old unit until Captain Palmieri decides to place her on guard duty for Alderman Trabucco. Trabucco is said to have ties with the mob but now things are tense between them as he is in the election.
Payne is a former Navy SEAL that is now a hit man. He is in Chicago on a job. While trying to carry his expensive electronics inside the building, he starts to drop some. Luckily they are saved by Nora. Payne is attracted to her but he is there for a job, to take out Alderman Trabucco. Nora is attracted to Payne also or at least she was until she is having to bang on his door early in the morning because his music is too loud.
Nora soon thinks Payne is following her because he always ends up where she is. Imagine Payne's surprise when he finds out Nora is his target's personal bodyguard. It certainly complicates matters for both as their jobs overlap each other. When Payne saves Nora from an out of control truck, the sparks really get going.
What really happen to Nora's father? Who is involved, the mob, Captain Palmieri or both? How will Nora handle Payne being a hit man after the man she is guarding? What will Payne do with Nora standing in his way to take out his target? You'll have to read it to find out.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nora is a cop following in the footsteps of her father. He was shot in the back and is now in a wheelchair and the investigation has stalled. She has been on desk duty with her dad's old unit until Captain Palmieri decides to place her on guard duty for Alderman Trabucco. Trabucco is said to have ties with the mob but now things are tense between them as he is in the election.
Payne is a former Navy SEAL that is now a hit man. He is in Chicago on a job. While trying to carry his expensive electronics inside the building, he starts to drop some. Luckily they are saved by Nora. Payne is attracted to her but he is there for a job, to take out Alderman Trabucco. Nora is attracted to Payne also or at least she was until she is having to bang on his door early in the morning because his music is too loud.
Nora soon thinks Payne is following her because he always ends up where she is. Imagine Payne's surprise when he finds out Nora is his target's personal bodyguard. It certainly complicates matters for both as their jobs overlap each other. When Payne saves Nora from an out of control truck, the sparks really get going.
What really happen to Nora's father? Who is involved, the mob, Captain Palmieri or both? How will Nora handle Payne being a hit man after the man she is guarding? What will Payne do with Nora standing in his way to take out his target? You'll have to read it to find out.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2016
I have to say the author does not disappoint when it comes to this book. You will get drawn into the book and want to see how things finish out for the characters. It will start off slow but then once you make it past that, you won't want to stop reading.
Nora is a rookie cop and decided to become one after what happened to her father. She has always wanted to help others and becoming a cop she thought would be the perfect job. She gets her first real assignment and is a little down knowing that she will be playing babysitter but she does as she is told. She meets a man, Payne who she instantly has an attraction to and she gets to know him better. She gets to know Payne more and she stills guards a candidate but she knows something more is going on. Things start to happen but she has Payne by her side and knows that he will protect her if anything happens.
Payne is an ex-Seal and has a job that he needs in order to stay in control. When he accepts his latest job, he doesn't plan on meeting a woman that he can't stop thinking about. He must get this job done and leave as soon as possible only now he is having second thoughts and wants to protect Nora. Things heat up and Payne has no choice but to keep Nora with him.
The characters have that instant connection along with the attraction that is like fireworks ready to explode. The way two people can come together after barely knowing each other just shows you how they really work well together. When trouble starts to follow them, Payne will stop at nothing to keep Nora safe but Nora will make sure Payne is safe as well. Can the love hold out for both of them?
Great job to the author, I highly recommend.
Nora is a rookie cop and decided to become one after what happened to her father. She has always wanted to help others and becoming a cop she thought would be the perfect job. She gets her first real assignment and is a little down knowing that she will be playing babysitter but she does as she is told. She meets a man, Payne who she instantly has an attraction to and she gets to know him better. She gets to know Payne more and she stills guards a candidate but she knows something more is going on. Things start to happen but she has Payne by her side and knows that he will protect her if anything happens.
Payne is an ex-Seal and has a job that he needs in order to stay in control. When he accepts his latest job, he doesn't plan on meeting a woman that he can't stop thinking about. He must get this job done and leave as soon as possible only now he is having second thoughts and wants to protect Nora. Things heat up and Payne has no choice but to keep Nora with him.
The characters have that instant connection along with the attraction that is like fireworks ready to explode. The way two people can come together after barely knowing each other just shows you how they really work well together. When trouble starts to follow them, Payne will stop at nothing to keep Nora safe but Nora will make sure Payne is safe as well. Can the love hold out for both of them?
Great job to the author, I highly recommend.
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