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Red Hot & Blue #5
Model Soldier
Packed with sexual tension, passionate love scenes, heart-stopping action, and an appearance by the men of Task Force Zeta, this long-awaited sequel to Cat Johnson’s award-winning A Few Good Men will take you on a memorable, fast-paced journey that is sure to leave you wanting more.
188 pages, Trade Paperback
First published December 18, 2012
152 people are currently reading
907 people want to read
About the author
Cat Johnson
364 books1,764 followers📚Find Series Reading Order and Book Lists at Cat's site CatJohnson.net
🎥 For Film/TV Inquiries Email Cat@Catjohnson.net
It all started in first grade when Cat Johnson won the essay contest at Hawthorne Elementary School and got to ride in the Chief of Police's car in the Memorial Day Parade...and the rest, as they say, is history. As an adult, Cat generally tries to stay out of police cars and is thrilled to be writing for a living. She has been published under a different name in the Young Adult genre, but released her first romance in 2006.
Today, she is a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. A promo ho, she's sponsored real live bull riding cowboys and promoted romance using bologna.
--from the author's website
🎥 For Film/TV Inquiries Email Cat@Catjohnson.net
It all started in first grade when Cat Johnson won the essay contest at Hawthorne Elementary School and got to ride in the Chief of Police's car in the Memorial Day Parade...and the rest, as they say, is history. As an adult, Cat generally tries to stay out of police cars and is thrilled to be writing for a living. She has been published under a different name in the Young Adult genre, but released her first romance in 2006.
Today, she is a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. A promo ho, she's sponsored real live bull riding cowboys and promoted romance using bologna.
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 10, 2008
I really enjoyed this hot little military romance which reminded me very much of Suzanne Brockmann's TDD Navy SEALs series.
Army Staff Sergeant David "Hawk" Hawkins is a dedicated soldier on active duty in the Middle East. Disciplined and respected by the men under his command, he lives and breathes the military life. When he makes and loses a bet with one of the men from Task Force Zeta, he in effect becomes the 'poster boy' for the U.S. Army's recruitment campaign. Hawk has no idea that by losing the bet, he is required to be a 'model soldier'--which means photo shoots and public appearances with USO starlets. It's not something the rough, gruff soldier is looking forward to, but a bet's a bet.
Emily Price is a marketing executive in charge of the Army's advertising campaign. One look at Sgt. Hawkin's picture and she is intrigued and can hardly wait to see the sexy Sgt. model the Army's latest 'outfits'. Little does she know that they will get along like oil and water. She thinks he'a a sexy Neanderthal. He thinks she's a clueless piece of fluff. But there's no denying the sexual tension they're feeling. Hawk's not looking for forever, and Emily's a forever kind of girl. Can these two opposites deny their feelings for long?
This book had some hot love scenes, some military action, and loads of sexual tension, with an interesting plot and a story that moved along at a pretty fast clip. I really enjoyed the banter that went on between Hawk and Emily, too. Of course there was a big misunderstanding that nearly ruined the budding romance between the H/H, but it was resolved in a satisfying way. This was a fast, easy read for me--I read it in one afternoon and enjoyed every page. If you're a fan of Suzanne Brockmann's military romances or Cherry Adair's T-FLAC series, I think you would enjoy this hot little romance by Cat Johnson!
Army Staff Sergeant David "Hawk" Hawkins is a dedicated soldier on active duty in the Middle East. Disciplined and respected by the men under his command, he lives and breathes the military life. When he makes and loses a bet with one of the men from Task Force Zeta, he in effect becomes the 'poster boy' for the U.S. Army's recruitment campaign. Hawk has no idea that by losing the bet, he is required to be a 'model soldier'--which means photo shoots and public appearances with USO starlets. It's not something the rough, gruff soldier is looking forward to, but a bet's a bet.
Emily Price is a marketing executive in charge of the Army's advertising campaign. One look at Sgt. Hawkin's picture and she is intrigued and can hardly wait to see the sexy Sgt. model the Army's latest 'outfits'. Little does she know that they will get along like oil and water. She thinks he'a a sexy Neanderthal. He thinks she's a clueless piece of fluff. But there's no denying the sexual tension they're feeling. Hawk's not looking for forever, and Emily's a forever kind of girl. Can these two opposites deny their feelings for long?
This book had some hot love scenes, some military action, and loads of sexual tension, with an interesting plot and a story that moved along at a pretty fast clip. I really enjoyed the banter that went on between Hawk and Emily, too. Of course there was a big misunderstanding that nearly ruined the budding romance between the H/H, but it was resolved in a satisfying way. This was a fast, easy read for me--I read it in one afternoon and enjoyed every page. If you're a fan of Suzanne Brockmann's military romances or Cherry Adair's T-FLAC series, I think you would enjoy this hot little romance by Cat Johnson!
May 25, 2009
A quick book to read, but for me there was a bit too much detail on the military assignments/missions and I thought the book took too long to get going. The premise was kinda silly in that another soldier was being forced to pose as a "model" for military recruitment purposes. At first, Hawk came off as an turd. Arrogant, rough spoken, looking for a quick fling before he went on a one year remote assignment where he would have only his fellow soldiers (men) as company. Emily obliged him in a one night stand as she was at his base camp in Afghanistan shooting pictures of him and leaving the next day.
I didn't find the intimate scenes to be very hot at all. Based on the cover, I was expecting...hotter love scenes. The love scenes were rare and very short--undescriptive. For me, there was not enough interaction between the hero and heroine for such a short book. Most of the scenes involved other characters. It was hard to feel the relationship with so little interaction.
I didn't find the intimate scenes to be very hot at all. Based on the cover, I was expecting...hotter love scenes. The love scenes were rare and very short--undescriptive. For me, there was not enough interaction between the hero and heroine for such a short book. Most of the scenes involved other characters. It was hard to feel the relationship with so little interaction.
May 19, 2014
The star rating given reflects my opinion within ‘the official goodreads rating system’.
1 star: Didn’t Like it
2 stars: It’s Okay
3 stars: Liked it
4 stars: Really Liked it
5 stars: It Was Amazing
I don’t really give a rat-fuck that there are some who think I ‘owe’ an explanation for my opinion. Nope, nada, and not sorry about it.
Sometimes I may add notes to explain what my opinions are based on, and sometimes I don’t. I do this for me, on my books, in my library and I don’t ‘owe’ any special snowflakes a thing. Fuck off if you don’t like it and stop reading my shit.
Particularly given the ‘modifications’ to reader’s personal content going on (and outright censorship), unless particularly motivated I will not comment in detail.
It would help if GR was forthcoming in the new ‘appropriate’ and would make a site-wide announcement delineating the new focus from a reader-centric site to one that is now for authors and selling.
December 5, 2012
2.5 Stars
After seeing her boss in her blissful happily ever after with her Special Ops boyfriend, Emily Price is excited for more then one reason when she is offered the chance to run an ad campaign for the Army and have close contact with Staff Sergeant David "Hawk" Hawkins, who will be the model. However, Hawk is reluctant, extremely reluctant and only does it as he has lost a bet. What he doesn't count on is the draw he feels to Emily, but with him being posted to Afghanistan as soon as the photo shoots are over, is there enough between them to last a separation?
Girl next door type meets sexy, gruff modern day warrior...I was hoping to love this book, unfortunately it didn't quite do it for me. The romance in this didn't spark enough for me, I didn't catch the instant attraction vibe they seemed to have to one another and I definitely had trouble believing that their relationship went any deeper than sex. I know that all sounds very negative, but I did like both the main characters, Emily and Hawk were really likable and there was some great banter between them, I just couldn't invest in their romance.
I am keeping this review short and sweet, Model Soldier was a quick read and although it may have lacked chemistry between the couple, I did enjoy reading it.
After seeing her boss in her blissful happily ever after with her Special Ops boyfriend, Emily Price is excited for more then one reason when she is offered the chance to run an ad campaign for the Army and have close contact with Staff Sergeant David "Hawk" Hawkins, who will be the model. However, Hawk is reluctant, extremely reluctant and only does it as he has lost a bet. What he doesn't count on is the draw he feels to Emily, but with him being posted to Afghanistan as soon as the photo shoots are over, is there enough between them to last a separation?
Girl next door type meets sexy, gruff modern day warrior...I was hoping to love this book, unfortunately it didn't quite do it for me. The romance in this didn't spark enough for me, I didn't catch the instant attraction vibe they seemed to have to one another and I definitely had trouble believing that their relationship went any deeper than sex. I know that all sounds very negative, but I did like both the main characters, Emily and Hawk were really likable and there was some great banter between them, I just couldn't invest in their romance.
I am keeping this review short and sweet, Model Soldier was a quick read and although it may have lacked chemistry between the couple, I did enjoy reading it.
February 9, 2020
Emily Price was all about finding the one to spend her life with. She just watched her best friend and boss find that person, who was in the military. They are looking for a model, who is in the military. David "Hawk" Hawkins is a military man. He is all about training his men to be the best. He doesn't take loosing in a military game and issues a challenge. When his team looses, he has to do whatever the team leader had planned. What he didn't know was that he was going to meet Emily Price. From the moment they meet, sparks are flying. A misunderstanding tears them apart. With the help of Mel and Dalton, two people Hawk can't stand, he finds her. Sigh worthy.
June 28, 2024
Loved this. Great story that keep me guessing a bit
I kept waiting for Hawk to get offered to try for the Black Ops teams. Emily was trying to do her job but Hawk was fighting her most of the way. There was an instant attraction between the two and they keep fighting it and each other. Then Hawk screws up big time and doesn't know how to fix it. There is also a huge misunderstanding the Emily won't let him explain. Will he ever be able to find her and get her forgiveness and be able to tell her how he feels about her?
I kept waiting for Hawk to get offered to try for the Black Ops teams. Emily was trying to do her job but Hawk was fighting her most of the way. There was an instant attraction between the two and they keep fighting it and each other. Then Hawk screws up big time and doesn't know how to fix it. There is also a huge misunderstanding the Emily won't let him explain. Will he ever be able to find her and get her forgiveness and be able to tell her how he feels about her?
March 6, 2020
The blurb to this book is simple and to the point. What it didn't share was the amount of times I would laugh out loud! Model Soldier (double meaning there) has a great story line with some humor and not so funny moments woven thru it. I really enjoyed Hawk and Emily that make up this story! Several other wonderful characters, too! I also enjoyed the added bonus at the end! All around great book!
July 8, 2023
The story of media girl Emily and model soldier Hawk. This was a fun, quick read. It felt quite short which was nice in some ways but made me feel a lack in their connection. Emily catches feelings a bit too quickly for my liking. I really wanted them to spend a bit more time together. I felt like some of the military scenes were more indepth and protracted than the relationship scenes. It was entertaining though.
March 22, 2024
It was a short read this book but took me a long time to get into it as it took a long time for the story to get moving along and started in my opinion. This book had lots of sexual tension and a lot of military action so it was a very interesting book. I highly reccomend the book though if you are after a military love story to read
January 21, 2020
Hawk looses a bet and ends up being a poster boy for an Army recruitment campaign. Emily is on her own to handle him and things heat up fast. This is a great story and I’m going to have to read more in this series!
July 8, 2020
4.5 Stars
Good story involing a model soldier and a advertising executive. From Germany to Afghanistan and finally to New York City a story of war and love. Highly recommend this read.
Good story involing a model soldier and a advertising executive. From Germany to Afghanistan and finally to New York City a story of war and love. Highly recommend this read.
July 3, 2023
How can you not read about military heros on a long Fourth of July weekend? This is a quick easy read, and I've never been disappointed by this authors work. Hawk is one in a million gruff army dude, but he redeems himself 10-fold.
January 17, 2025
I’m really enjoying this series & this book is a wonderful addition to the series. The tension & drama & miscommunication was definitely high. The physical & emotional aspects was wonderful. Definitely recommend.
October 25, 2025
Cat Johnson also writes romances with military heroes as well as bull riding men. This was #8 in her series Red, Hot & Blue. Model Soldier involves an advertising campaign and the man who is the new face of the army recruitment material.
May 23, 2017
Good read
October 4, 2017
3.75 stars
January 15, 2018
3.5 stars
April 13, 2019
I liked this story but not as much as I have enjoyed the previous books in the series. The Australian bit needs work, but otherwise a good read.
May 30, 2022
Review of Model Soldier
I absolutely loved this book and I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves military romance novels. She is an amazing writer.
I absolutely loved this book and I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves military romance novels. She is an amazing writer.
June 1, 2022
Model .... lol
Can you imagine somebody who does not want to be model at all. It's actually got a lot of funny parts. Men full of competition. Action glore.
Can you imagine somebody who does not want to be model at all. It's actually got a lot of funny parts. Men full of competition. Action glore.
July 5, 2022
Model Soldier
Now I can't wait to read the next one. This was so awesome I love watching Hawk go down. Another great book from Cat. Keep up the good work. Cindy
Now I can't wait to read the next one. This was so awesome I love watching Hawk go down. Another great book from Cat. Keep up the good work. Cindy
July 5, 2023
Had to for 4th of July... lol would be a heck of a fun Hallmark movie lol!
October 31, 2023
Finding love
Emily and Hawk meet under work situations. They end up finding each other their happily ever after which ends up falling apart. A good read.
Emily and Hawk meet under work situations. They end up finding each other their happily ever after which ends up falling apart. A good read.
Want to read
January 2, 2024Prch Amz Dec. 29, 2023
January 20, 2024
Good book.
Not very steamy I would say a level 2 on steam.
FMC irritated me a bit and I felt like the book needed more detail and should have been a bit longer.
Not very steamy I would say a level 2 on steam.
FMC irritated me a bit and I felt like the book needed more detail and should have been a bit longer.
August 29, 2024
DNF 30% They don’t even meet until page 57 out of 187. And all those pages are filled with mind numbing details. By that point I was too bored and over it after heavily skimming.
June 28, 2013
Title: Model Soldier
Series: Red, Hot and Blue bk 8
Author: Cat Johnson
Genre: Contemporary
When love presents itself, take your shot.
When Emily Price is assigned to an ad campaign featuring one of Uncle Sam’s finest soldiers, she’s thrilled. Who better to break up the monotonous parade of smooth, perfect models than a rough, war-hardened alpha male?
Maybe she’ll even get lucky like one of her colleagues and find romance. Unfortunately, when she meets her model, he’s more caveman than Prince Charming. Now her dreams of love—and her career—are dangling precariously from his callused fingertips.
Staff Sergeant David Hawk Hawkins never imagined refusing a command…until he loses a bet and is ordered off the battlefield and into a new role: poster boy for the Army’s recruiting campaign.
From the start, their relationship is more fire-and-ice than fairytale. Yet beneath their sparring simmers an attraction that finally explodes into a night of lovemaking that, after they part, haunts them to opposite sides of the globe.
But love isn’t through with them—and neither is the public. The campaign is a hit and Hawk becomes a star. Soon he and Emily are thrown together again, but this time it’s on Hawk’s turf, where flying bullets could settle their battle before it begins.
This book has been previously published.
Product Warnings
Contains sex hot enough to travel halfway around the world, and a love strong enough to bring them back home again.
Helen has been telling me for a long time I need to read Cat Johnson, so when this book was sent to us I took the plunge and boy oh boy can I say that I’m hooked on this series and now I need to go back and read the other books in the series.
When Hawk loses a bet and has to play model for
After seeing her boss in her blissful happily ever after with her Special Ops boyfriend, Emily Price is excited for more then one reason when she is offered the chance to run an ad campaign for the Army and have close contact with Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins, who will be the model. However, Hawk is reluctant, extremely reluctant and only does it as he has lost a bet. What he doesn’t count on is the draw he feels to Emily, but with him being posted to Afghanistan as soon as the photo shoots are over, is there enough between them to last a separation?
Girl next door type meets sexy, gruff modern day warrior…I was hoping to love this book, unfortunately it didn’t quite do it for me. The romance in this didn’t spark enough for me, I didn’t catch the instant attraction vibe they seemed to have to one another and I definitely had trouble believing that their relationship went any deeper than sex. I know that all sounds very negative, but I did like both the main characters, Emily and Hawk were really likable and there was some great banter between them, I just couldn’t invest in their romance.
I love this series
Grade A
Review By:Helen
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com/2013/04...
Series: Red, Hot and Blue bk 8
Author: Cat Johnson
Genre: Contemporary
When love presents itself, take your shot.
When Emily Price is assigned to an ad campaign featuring one of Uncle Sam’s finest soldiers, she’s thrilled. Who better to break up the monotonous parade of smooth, perfect models than a rough, war-hardened alpha male?
Maybe she’ll even get lucky like one of her colleagues and find romance. Unfortunately, when she meets her model, he’s more caveman than Prince Charming. Now her dreams of love—and her career—are dangling precariously from his callused fingertips.
Staff Sergeant David Hawk Hawkins never imagined refusing a command…until he loses a bet and is ordered off the battlefield and into a new role: poster boy for the Army’s recruiting campaign.
From the start, their relationship is more fire-and-ice than fairytale. Yet beneath their sparring simmers an attraction that finally explodes into a night of lovemaking that, after they part, haunts them to opposite sides of the globe.
But love isn’t through with them—and neither is the public. The campaign is a hit and Hawk becomes a star. Soon he and Emily are thrown together again, but this time it’s on Hawk’s turf, where flying bullets could settle their battle before it begins.
This book has been previously published.
Product Warnings
Contains sex hot enough to travel halfway around the world, and a love strong enough to bring them back home again.
Helen has been telling me for a long time I need to read Cat Johnson, so when this book was sent to us I took the plunge and boy oh boy can I say that I’m hooked on this series and now I need to go back and read the other books in the series.
When Hawk loses a bet and has to play model for
After seeing her boss in her blissful happily ever after with her Special Ops boyfriend, Emily Price is excited for more then one reason when she is offered the chance to run an ad campaign for the Army and have close contact with Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins, who will be the model. However, Hawk is reluctant, extremely reluctant and only does it as he has lost a bet. What he doesn’t count on is the draw he feels to Emily, but with him being posted to Afghanistan as soon as the photo shoots are over, is there enough between them to last a separation?
Girl next door type meets sexy, gruff modern day warrior…I was hoping to love this book, unfortunately it didn’t quite do it for me. The romance in this didn’t spark enough for me, I didn’t catch the instant attraction vibe they seemed to have to one another and I definitely had trouble believing that their relationship went any deeper than sex. I know that all sounds very negative, but I did like both the main characters, Emily and Hawk were really likable and there was some great banter between them, I just couldn’t invest in their romance.
I love this series
Grade A
Review By:Helen
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com/2013/04...
December 18, 2012
Slick's review posted Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 Stars
I’ve really enjoyed Cat Johnson’s Red, Hot, & Blue series. I mean what’s not to like about hot military heroes serving their country and the women in their lives? This is book eight in the series and it’s a little bit different in that our hero, Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins isn’t a member of the elite Task Force Zeta that has been featured in the previous books. Hawk is regular Army and thanks to a bet he made with a member of the team, BB Dalton, he finds himself with orders to become the face of the Army’s newest media campaign.
One thing is for sure there is nothing quite like an alpha male who’s been made to do something he really doesn’t want to do. It’s kind of amusing how men can turn into grouchy little boys when something doesn’t go their way. Hawk is no different and he takes his anger out on Emily Price who has been assigned to run the ad campaign. While Emily tries to go out of her way to run the campaign professionally, despite her immediate reaction to Hawk, he decides to be quite the jackass towards her. I love the verbal sparring between these two characters especially once Emily gains her footing and starts giving it right back. I really enjoyed how out of control Hawk feels when he’s around Emily, for someone who prides himself on control this was quite an eye opening experience for him.
These two collide in what they both know will amount to a one night stand. Hawk is shipping out to Afghanistan and Emily will return to New York. Their time together is frantic yet there is a tenderness to it I didn’t expect. This couple has a lot of misunderstandings during their very limited time together and because they are both stubborn it didn’t surprise me that it took them a while to figure their lives out.
This is another great addition to this series and I love the additional characters we were introduced to. Cat, I’m warning you I’m already wondering if Mel and Jai are going to get their own stories. You really can’t go wrong with a book in this series and Model Soldier proves it. Although we see the “original” cast in this book, it’s evident that the series is moving away from Task Force Zeta and I’m okay with that. Cat has given us a whole new crop of military men to watch out for as well as some highly intriguing side characters. Well done!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
I’ve really enjoyed Cat Johnson’s Red, Hot, & Blue series. I mean what’s not to like about hot military heroes serving their country and the women in their lives? This is book eight in the series and it’s a little bit different in that our hero, Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins isn’t a member of the elite Task Force Zeta that has been featured in the previous books. Hawk is regular Army and thanks to a bet he made with a member of the team, BB Dalton, he finds himself with orders to become the face of the Army’s newest media campaign.
One thing is for sure there is nothing quite like an alpha male who’s been made to do something he really doesn’t want to do. It’s kind of amusing how men can turn into grouchy little boys when something doesn’t go their way. Hawk is no different and he takes his anger out on Emily Price who has been assigned to run the ad campaign. While Emily tries to go out of her way to run the campaign professionally, despite her immediate reaction to Hawk, he decides to be quite the jackass towards her. I love the verbal sparring between these two characters especially once Emily gains her footing and starts giving it right back. I really enjoyed how out of control Hawk feels when he’s around Emily, for someone who prides himself on control this was quite an eye opening experience for him.
These two collide in what they both know will amount to a one night stand. Hawk is shipping out to Afghanistan and Emily will return to New York. Their time together is frantic yet there is a tenderness to it I didn’t expect. This couple has a lot of misunderstandings during their very limited time together and because they are both stubborn it didn’t surprise me that it took them a while to figure their lives out.
This is another great addition to this series and I love the additional characters we were introduced to. Cat, I’m warning you I’m already wondering if Mel and Jai are going to get their own stories. You really can’t go wrong with a book in this series and Model Soldier proves it. Although we see the “original” cast in this book, it’s evident that the series is moving away from Task Force Zeta and I’m okay with that. Cat has given us a whole new crop of military men to watch out for as well as some highly intriguing side characters. Well done!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
July 9, 2024
3.5⭐️
2🌶️
Very slow start, it’s also like 8th book in the series and I was reading it as a stand alone so that probably didn’t help as there were quite a few crossover characters I might have found the beginning more enjoyable.
So the fist 50% of the book the characters like hadn’t even met yet and I was like come on.
Loved the last 50% of the book
2🌶️
Very slow start, it’s also like 8th book in the series and I was reading it as a stand alone so that probably didn’t help as there were quite a few crossover characters I might have found the beginning more enjoyable.
So the fist 50% of the book the characters like hadn’t even met yet and I was like come on.
Loved the last 50% of the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews