What do you think?
Rate this book
Love on the Line #2
Running Target
An innocent in the crossfire . . .
FBI agent Jack Holland broke every rule in the book falling for the girlfriend of Angelo Cabrini, son of a New Jersey mob boss. But even if Callie Lansing’s relationship to Angelo was actually a cover and her heart was free, her relationship with Jack put both of their lives at risk. Nothing, though, could make Jack regret the liaison that led to the birth of their son, Jonathan.
After Angelo discovered Callie’s pregnancy, he went after Jack and wound up dead. Now Jack is on the run with a target on his back. The only thing keeping Callie and Jonathan safe is the mob boss's belief that the baby is his grandchild. But if Victor Cabrini discovers the truth before Jack can put him behind bars, it could mean death for his sweet covert family. . . .
FBI agent Jack Holland broke every rule in the book falling for the girlfriend of Angelo Cabrini, son of a New Jersey mob boss. But even if Callie Lansing’s relationship to Angelo was actually a cover and her heart was free, her relationship with Jack put both of their lives at risk. Nothing, though, could make Jack regret the liaison that led to the birth of their son, Jonathan.
After Angelo discovered Callie’s pregnancy, he went after Jack and wound up dead. Now Jack is on the run with a target on his back. The only thing keeping Callie and Jonathan safe is the mob boss's belief that the baby is his grandchild. But if Victor Cabrini discovers the truth before Jack can put him behind bars, it could mean death for his sweet covert family. . . .
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2017
15 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 6, 2017
Running Target is a wonderfully emotional story of star-crossed lovers. A poignant, against all odds, second chance romance where Jack and Callie struggle to find their way back to each other. Jack is the ultimate hero, an FBI agent who breaks the rules by falling in love with an informant. Callie is a heroine who risks all for the man she loves and the son they share. I adored this story. You could literally feel the love Jack has for his son, and I couldn’t help but cheer his determination to be a part of his family’s life despite the risk. He is unswerving in this and not even a mob boss bent on revenge can stop Jack’s protective instincts. If you’re looking for a book that both tugs on the heartstrings and has you holding your breath through a tight-rope of danger and deception, then this book is for you. Kari Lemor knows how to deliver an addictive and suspenseful story that packs an emotional punch. Her Love on the Line series is definitely going on my keeper shelf.
June 2, 2017
Learning from Angelo Cabrini, the son of a mob boss, that the woman he was secretly seeing was pregnant, FBI agent Jack Holland will do anything to keep her safe. Except things don't turn out like he hopes, and instead he finds himself on the run after killing Angelo. Even worse, if mob boss, Victor Cabrini, ever learns the truth that Callie's baby isn't his grandson, all hell will break loose. Can Jack find the evidence he needs to put Victor behind bars for good, or will he and Callie's chance at happy ever after never happen?
Ms. Lemor's incredible writing skills shine in this second story of her Love on the Line series, as she takes readers on a captivating journey about a couple hopefully finding their way back to each other to achieve their happy ever after; a hero needing to remain under the radar from the bad guys while trying to discover the evidence to take them down; and a heroine that will do anything to protect her son, even if it means deceiving a very bad man. The way this story started had me concerned for the hero, as aggravating the son of a mob boss is dangerous, which is proven by what happens to Jack. Will he be okay?
As for the dialogue, it was well-written, intense and took me on a wild ride due to the challenges Jack and Callie face and I was drawn in by the emotional rollercoaster these characters endure. Everything from the joy their son provides them to the anger towards the situation Jack has found himself in to the fear that something will happen to one of them and the love Jack and Callie have for each other had an effect on me, and had me turning the pages quickly determined to discover what these two would face towards the end to achieve their happy ever after.
Both the main characters are captivating due to their back stories and their growing relationship. All Callie has ever wanted was to be loved and be a part of a family, which was something she never experienced with her own. However, learning the truth about Angelo and his father was devastating and I could understand why she took the measures she did for her and her child. Do the rewards outweigh the risks? Moreover, the heroine is resilient, courageous and I liked how determined she was to keep her son safe, even if it meant doing something she didn't want to do. I also liked that she was willing to take the risk that she did, because she and Jack needed to be free of the threat to their lives, if they were to ever be together.
While Jack, he goes through so much in this story and I couldn't help but sympathize with his situation. He broke the rules by getting involved with Callie, and yet, it's the best thing he's ever done. Moreover, I liked how Jack did everything in his power to be there for Callie and his son, no matter how dangerous it could be for him. I also liked how protective he was of those he loved, and that he would do anything to keep them safe, even if it meant doing the hardest thing he's ever had to do in respecting Callie's wishes. Will he be able to keep his distance?
Overall, Ms. Lemor has delivered a scintillating read in this book where the chemistry was riveting; the secondary characters entertained me just as much as the main ones; and the ending took me completely by surprise with what happened to the bad guy, yet left me with a bright smile on my face because of how things turned out between Callie and Jack. They're so lucky and deserve all the happiness they achieve in the end, especially Callie's surprise. I would recommend Running Target by Kari Lemor, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the second chance romance trope, the sexy protector trope or books by authors AJ Nuest, Kelly Moran, Laura Griffin or Cate Beauman.
July 5, 2017
running target is part romance, part suspense/thriller, part angst-fest. by no means do i mean that in a bad way. it's just that these two leads are so good together, callie and jack clearly love each other, would do anything for one another, and they can't be together. at least not until the bad guy, victor cabrini is caught and out of their lives.
what is interesting about this romance is that we don't actually get to see callie and jack fall in love. we meet them after that. when things get complicated. jack is an undercover fbi agent and callie is an fbi informant. they should have never gotten close, but they did. and then callie gets pregnant. and when her fake boyfriend, victor's son angelo, figures it out he tries to kill jack and their baby.
except things get even more complicated, because jack escapes and angelo dies, and suddenly callie is beholden to victor, who believes that callie's son is his grandson. and they are trapped in this terrible pretense, for years they pretend. they pretend jack is dead. and he stays away and only sees his son via skype. and they pretend that angelo is their son's father, even though the only thing jack wants in this world is a life with callie and his son.
and so we get to witness how they live this half-life, together but not together. in love but unable to admit it. and it's so painful. even though we don't see them fall in love, they show their love for each other every chance they get. and they love their kid too. i'm not always a huge fan of kids in romance novels, but here, jonathan is the living proof of their love. and as he understands the situation more and more, things get harder and harder.
and you start to wonder will they ever get their big break? can they ever get rid of cabrini so that they might live the life they've been meant to live? it feels like it will never happen. and you just want it so much for them. i can't tell you how much i enjoyed their relationship. i love angst though, so this was the perfect formula for me.
**running target will publish on july 4, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington books (lyrical underground) in exchange for my honest review.
what is interesting about this romance is that we don't actually get to see callie and jack fall in love. we meet them after that. when things get complicated. jack is an undercover fbi agent and callie is an fbi informant. they should have never gotten close, but they did. and then callie gets pregnant. and when her fake boyfriend, victor's son angelo, figures it out he tries to kill jack and their baby.
except things get even more complicated, because jack escapes and angelo dies, and suddenly callie is beholden to victor, who believes that callie's son is his grandson. and they are trapped in this terrible pretense, for years they pretend. they pretend jack is dead. and he stays away and only sees his son via skype. and they pretend that angelo is their son's father, even though the only thing jack wants in this world is a life with callie and his son.
and so we get to witness how they live this half-life, together but not together. in love but unable to admit it. and it's so painful. even though we don't see them fall in love, they show their love for each other every chance they get. and they love their kid too. i'm not always a huge fan of kids in romance novels, but here, jonathan is the living proof of their love. and as he understands the situation more and more, things get harder and harder.
and you start to wonder will they ever get their big break? can they ever get rid of cabrini so that they might live the life they've been meant to live? it feels like it will never happen. and you just want it so much for them. i can't tell you how much i enjoyed their relationship. i love angst though, so this was the perfect formula for me.
**running target will publish on july 4, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington books (lyrical underground) in exchange for my honest review.
June 11, 2017
I received an arc via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.
A very well written suspense/romance. Great plot and characters.
A very well written suspense/romance. Great plot and characters.
June 16, 2017
“Love is all about Risk.” Running Target by Kari Lemor is the second romantic suspense novel in her Love on the Line series. From the first chapter, you can feel how much the main characters, Jack and Callie love each other. Unfortunately, not only is their relationship complicated, but their lives and the life of their son is in constant danger as the plot takes twists and turns throughout each chapter. Jack is an FBI agent working undercover to take down mobster Victor Cabrini when he falls in love with Callie who is dating Cabrini’s son, Angelo to gather incriminating evidence for the FBI. Jack kills Angelo in self-defense and needs to go into hiding leaving a pregnant Callie to falsely raise their son as the grandson of Cabrini.
Lemor left me in suspense throughout the entire book, doubting that love would ever be enough to give Jack, Callie, and their son Johnathan the happily ever after they deserved while being hunted by the mob. We are introduced to many supporting characters in this novel including Jack’s Army buddies who all served in Afghanistan together, one of them being Chris Shaunessy from Wild Card Undercover. The rest of the soldiers, Keith, Scott, Drew, and Nick are rumored to be featured in their own upcoming Lemor novels! As much as I loved the strength and determination of Callie and Jack to become a family, I found myself also routing for a secondary relationship between Jack’s brother, Scott and Callie’s best friend, Heather. They are contracted to have their own novel, Fatal Evidence, being released later this year and it can’t be released soon enough.
Running Target has a plot that captures humor, romance, action, and suspense while developing characters and relationships that kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages ever so quickly and holding my breath worrying that Cabrini and all his infiltrated spies were going to pop up on the next page and end this romance.
Lemor left me in suspense throughout the entire book, doubting that love would ever be enough to give Jack, Callie, and their son Johnathan the happily ever after they deserved while being hunted by the mob. We are introduced to many supporting characters in this novel including Jack’s Army buddies who all served in Afghanistan together, one of them being Chris Shaunessy from Wild Card Undercover. The rest of the soldiers, Keith, Scott, Drew, and Nick are rumored to be featured in their own upcoming Lemor novels! As much as I loved the strength and determination of Callie and Jack to become a family, I found myself also routing for a secondary relationship between Jack’s brother, Scott and Callie’s best friend, Heather. They are contracted to have their own novel, Fatal Evidence, being released later this year and it can’t be released soon enough.
Running Target has a plot that captures humor, romance, action, and suspense while developing characters and relationships that kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages ever so quickly and holding my breath worrying that Cabrini and all his infiltrated spies were going to pop up on the next page and end this romance.
May 11, 2017
I was completely intrigued during this entire read and a nervous wreck most of the time.
Complete wreck worrying for Jack is his on the run from the mob boss, Victor Cabrini, who thinks Jack (well Waters) killed his son whom Victor thinks fathered Callie's child. Little does Victor know that Jack is the dad and his son wasn't who he seemed. Victor's hatred has Jack in hiding and no one can know he is that child's father for the safety of everyone. Jack is forced to have yearly secret in person visits with his son and video visits frequently so little Jonathan knows his Dah-dee. Jonathan was absolutely sweet and adorable and just enamored with his daddy. I was a nervous wreck when Victor was around that he would question this child and find out who Jonathan was calling daddy. So many close calls and Callie is torn to pieces what to do.
Corruption abounds with the FBI and Jack can trust no one and Victor seems untouchable.
The love Jack and Callie have for one another is sweet and you completely root for them to be together despite the seemingly insurmountable problems lingering.
Great read that will pull out every emotion. Loved it.
Complete wreck worrying for Jack is his on the run from the mob boss, Victor Cabrini, who thinks Jack (well Waters) killed his son whom Victor thinks fathered Callie's child. Little does Victor know that Jack is the dad and his son wasn't who he seemed. Victor's hatred has Jack in hiding and no one can know he is that child's father for the safety of everyone. Jack is forced to have yearly secret in person visits with his son and video visits frequently so little Jonathan knows his Dah-dee. Jonathan was absolutely sweet and adorable and just enamored with his daddy. I was a nervous wreck when Victor was around that he would question this child and find out who Jonathan was calling daddy. So many close calls and Callie is torn to pieces what to do.
Corruption abounds with the FBI and Jack can trust no one and Victor seems untouchable.
The love Jack and Callie have for one another is sweet and you completely root for them to be together despite the seemingly insurmountable problems lingering.
Great read that will pull out every emotion. Loved it.
July 26, 2017
Continuing in the romantic suspense line of Lemor's previous work Wild Card Undercover, Running Target features a suspenseful plot mixed with a unique love story. What I love most about this book is that we're treated to a different kind of romance. Jack and Callie are clearly in love and value the son they had, regardless of the complications surrounding them. But we enter the real meat of the story later in their relationship, when things have reached a breaking point. Learning how they fell in love, how they struggled to stay in love, and watching them find their happily ever after is what I enjoyed most about this book. Lemor once again produces a skeevy villain, but it's the dedication Jack and Callie show to their family and their goals for a future that truly stuck with me.
July 13, 2017
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3/5
How much I enjoyed it: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3/5
How much I enjoyed it: 4/5
August 16, 2017
Another WINNER from author Kari Lemor! I read this book in an afternoon because I simply could not put it down.
Lemor has not only given her readers a fast past, edge of your seat story, but a hero and heroine you can get behind in every way. I lovedlovedloved Callie Lansing. I want to be her BFF! She’s the perfect foil for superhot Jack Holland. These two singed my fingers while I turned the pages to read their story.
I hate spoilers, so I don’t want to reveal too much about the twisty-turny plot line, but you won’t be disappointed when you read it.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and I want to say thankyou thankyou thankyou for making my day! It is such a pleasure to read a story about people you feel you want to know in real life, and whom you care about when you turn the page!
Lemor has not only given her readers a fast past, edge of your seat story, but a hero and heroine you can get behind in every way. I lovedlovedloved Callie Lansing. I want to be her BFF! She’s the perfect foil for superhot Jack Holland. These two singed my fingers while I turned the pages to read their story.
I hate spoilers, so I don’t want to reveal too much about the twisty-turny plot line, but you won’t be disappointed when you read it.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and I want to say thankyou thankyou thankyou for making my day! It is such a pleasure to read a story about people you feel you want to know in real life, and whom you care about when you turn the page!
June 20, 2019
Book #2 of Kari's Lemor's series isn't your average romance. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love and live happily ever after. In this book, we don't meet Callie and Jack until it's too late. They were in love, but Jack's cover has been blown, he's been critically injured, and he's forced to abandon the woman he loves - and their unborn son - or die. This cruel separation is the driving force at the center of this novel, and every moment you root for the characters to find a way for it to finally end.
It's a sweet romance with a side of bitter. (Which I love.) The family moments Callie and Jack managed to steal for themselves are heartwarming, and little Jonathan is too precious for words. Meanwhile, the plot twists and turns, danger always lurks nearby, and you never know who to trust. The drama gradually builds steam (of all kinds. Oh my. *fans self*) and before you know it, you're racing toward a riveting and scary as hell final confrontation with the mobster, Victor Cabrini. All in all, I'd say it's quite a ride.
For sure, worth the read.
It's a sweet romance with a side of bitter. (Which I love.) The family moments Callie and Jack managed to steal for themselves are heartwarming, and little Jonathan is too precious for words. Meanwhile, the plot twists and turns, danger always lurks nearby, and you never know who to trust. The drama gradually builds steam (of all kinds. Oh my. *fans self*) and before you know it, you're racing toward a riveting and scary as hell final confrontation with the mobster, Victor Cabrini. All in all, I'd say it's quite a ride.
For sure, worth the read.
August 23, 2017
There’s so much to love about this book! It’s a fast paced, thrilling story with a sizzling romance, nefarious villains, and heroes worth falling in love with.
Once again, Kari Lemor does a great job of creating characters you want to know. I wish Callie was my best friend, and there was no denying the attraction to smokin’ hot FBI agent, Jack. Their mutual love for their son pulled on my heart strings and made me root for this sweet family to be reunited.
Their captivating love story wrapped up in an edge-of-your-seat suspense had my heart racing and me flipping through the pages as fast as I could read. Loved it!
**I was given a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Once again, Kari Lemor does a great job of creating characters you want to know. I wish Callie was my best friend, and there was no denying the attraction to smokin’ hot FBI agent, Jack. Their mutual love for their son pulled on my heart strings and made me root for this sweet family to be reunited.
Their captivating love story wrapped up in an edge-of-your-seat suspense had my heart racing and me flipping through the pages as fast as I could read. Loved it!
**I was given a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2017
Not technically a sequel to Lemor's first Love on the Line series, this story does have interconnecting characters. Callie and Jack's love story is so incredibly sweet. Jack is a tough former FBI agent on the run who will stop at nothing to clear his name and reunite his family. Fast paced, fun side characters, and a heroine who you are rooting for. Do put this on your to be read list for its July release.
September 4, 2017
Great read! I enjoyed the second installment in the Love on the Line series. Fast-paced, interesting, with lots of twists and turns. Highly recommend!
October 28, 2017
FBI agent Jack fell for his informant on an undercover job. Callie was a diversion for Angelo, the son of a mob boss. He used her to mislead his father and was never actually interested in her. She and Jack, who infiltrated the organization by working as a chauffeur, couldn't stay away from each other and this resulted in a pregnancy. Angelo found out and wanted to harm Callie, which led to a fight that Angelo didn't survive and which almost killed Jack. Ever since Jack has been on the run, a reward is on his head and there are very few people he can trust.
Callie had a son, Jonathan, and Angelo's father Victor thinks Jonathan is his grandson. Victor is a vicious man. He won't stop looking for Jack, the man who cost him his son. Jack hardly ever sees Jonathan because he constantly has to hide. Callie has a hard time pretending Victor is her child's grandfather, but she must in order to keep them safe. Jack is trying to put the man behind bars, but Victor has a lot of influential friends in high places. Is there a chance he can stop running and live with his family and does the woman of his dreams still want him back after everything that's happened?
Running Target is an amazing intriguing story that captivated me straight away. Jack is a good guy. He's a sweet and devoted father and he's a true gentleman. He loves with all his heart, but knows that staying away from the woman of his dreams and his beloved son is what's best for them. It's getting more and more difficult and I could feel his frustration and pain. Kari Lemor writes about it in a fabulous raw and honest way. Callie has to raise Jonathan on her own, while she could have had a perfect family. She's strong and fierce, which is the only reason she can handle being around Victor. I loved her protective personality. Callie and Jack deserve a second chance together and I flew through the pages, anxious to find out if they would get it.
Kari Lemor has written another incredibly gripping story. I loved the combination of crime and true love. It's clear from the beginning that Callie and Jack are the one for each other. They deserve much more than they get and I instantly disliked the cruel Victor. I love it when I feel so much when I read a story. Kari Lemor makes her main characters come to life incredibly well, mainly because of her great strong dialogue. I especially liked reading Jonathan's words, he's adorable. Running Target is a charming, engrossing and mesmerizing story, it's a real page-turner.
Callie had a son, Jonathan, and Angelo's father Victor thinks Jonathan is his grandson. Victor is a vicious man. He won't stop looking for Jack, the man who cost him his son. Jack hardly ever sees Jonathan because he constantly has to hide. Callie has a hard time pretending Victor is her child's grandfather, but she must in order to keep them safe. Jack is trying to put the man behind bars, but Victor has a lot of influential friends in high places. Is there a chance he can stop running and live with his family and does the woman of his dreams still want him back after everything that's happened?
Running Target is an amazing intriguing story that captivated me straight away. Jack is a good guy. He's a sweet and devoted father and he's a true gentleman. He loves with all his heart, but knows that staying away from the woman of his dreams and his beloved son is what's best for them. It's getting more and more difficult and I could feel his frustration and pain. Kari Lemor writes about it in a fabulous raw and honest way. Callie has to raise Jonathan on her own, while she could have had a perfect family. She's strong and fierce, which is the only reason she can handle being around Victor. I loved her protective personality. Callie and Jack deserve a second chance together and I flew through the pages, anxious to find out if they would get it.
Kari Lemor has written another incredibly gripping story. I loved the combination of crime and true love. It's clear from the beginning that Callie and Jack are the one for each other. They deserve much more than they get and I instantly disliked the cruel Victor. I love it when I feel so much when I read a story. Kari Lemor makes her main characters come to life incredibly well, mainly because of her great strong dialogue. I especially liked reading Jonathan's words, he's adorable. Running Target is a charming, engrossing and mesmerizing story, it's a real page-turner.
May 13, 2021
Another great read!
I love this series! Good triumphing over evil, love surviving even insurmountable odds, lots of suspense! There are times when you just Want a book that will be so engrossing that you just have to read the whole book in one or two sittings! On to book 3.........
I love this series! Good triumphing over evil, love surviving even insurmountable odds, lots of suspense! There are times when you just Want a book that will be so engrossing that you just have to read the whole book in one or two sittings! On to book 3.........
February 27, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book and spent the entire book wanting to see how Jack and Callie got their happy ending. As a romantic suspense, it was a given that there would be a happy ending, but there were several times during the book that I found myself thinking that it would be very hard to get to that point... I appreciated that Callie was put in risky situations rather than restricting these to Jack simply because he's male and (ex-)FBI. I'm only a little sad that we didn't get to see more of their life after things worked out.
Looking forward to reading the next book in this series since both the hero and heroine of that book were key people in this story.
Looking forward to reading the next book in this series since both the hero and heroine of that book were key people in this story.
December 23, 2017
I believe I liked this book even better than Kari's first book Wild Card Undercover. The books are part of a series, but they read as stand alone. In this one, Jack wants to be with Callie, but he's on the run from a vengeful mob boss who's put a hit on him. Not a spoiler (this is revealed right away) - Callie's raising Jack's son, but the mob boss believes the boy to be his grandchild which gives him a reason to keep Callie close, which is exactly why Jack has to stay away. They do find time to spend together though, and I'd risk spoiling if I shared anything more. This is another fast-paced thrill with a lot of romance. It's a fast fun read.
July 5, 2019
Oh, my goodness. This book doesn't just tug at your heart, it wrenches it! Poor Jack has to go on the run just when he finds out the woman he loves is pregnant. And Callie is raising their son on her own and doing everything she can to send Jack pictures and other things. I turned the pages so fast in this book, let me tell you. It was a great story! Suspense, courage, true love -- it had it all!
March 22, 2020
I loved it. It kept me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. I love how the relationship between Jack and Callie was. And the ending was "perfect".
September 4, 2017
I’ve had this book in my reading queue for quite a while - almost four months - and decided it was finally time to read it. I was quite sucked in within the first several pages.
As you read in the synopsis, our hero Jack Holland has an affair with the supposed girlfriend of a mob boss’s son, which results in a child. The story starts out with Angelo (the mob boss’s son) confronting Jack about Callie’s pregnancy. Angelo is killed, Jack is on the run, the baby is born. (These are not spoilers - this is exactly what the book synopsis tells you!) You get no backstory about Jack and Callie’s relationship, just BAM right into the action. And I was okay with that.
The first third of the book was really good...
Two years later, you see how Callie is coping with her life. She is a single mother, has two good friends there to support her, she deals with the mob boss on a regular basis (because he believes the child is his grandson). And she is in touch with Jack. She’s relatively happy with her life, but longs to have a real relationship with the father of her son.
Because there is a hit out on Jack, he lives on the run. He works construction for his cousin’s company and moves around frequently. I loved reading about how torn Jack was that he couldn’t be with Callie and his son, Jonathan. He hated the life he had to live - always looking over his shoulder, unable to find anything to put Victor away for his crimes. But his top priority was keeping Callie and Jonathan safe.
Then the middle fifty percent happened…
And it was full of repetitive writing. Callie loves seeing Jack with his son, but wishes he felt the same for her as he does for Jonathan. Jack loves his son and wishes he could be a real father to him, but knows it isn’t safe for him to be around Callie and Jonathan. And on and on and on.
The thing about repetitive writing, is that at some point the idea being conveyed to the reader stops having the effect it did the first several times it was written. So, while it was heartwarming the first several times to read how Jack lovingly watched his son sleep and placed a gentle kiss on his head before leaving the room, after the fifth time he did it I didn't even care anymore. And after the fourth time we read how frustrated he was that he hadn’t found anything to use to put Victor in jail, I was frustrated because I hadn’t read about anything that he had ACTUALLY done.
Thankfully, the final twenty percent was good...
Jack actually comes up with a plan to DO SOMETHING! Callie also decides she wants more with Jack, and takes her own steps to bring Victor down. It was all exciting, and action packed, and a good ending to the book.
I found myself very conflicted about my rating for this book. The parts that were good were really good. But that still leaves half the book that, for me, was just meh. If you’re going to call a book suspense, there needs to actually be suspense and action. Not just talking about it. And when you put the main plot of the story in the synopsis and have the story continue from there, that takes away a bit of the suspense as well. However, despite this book leaving me underwhelmed, I’m certainly interested in reading more from Kari Lemore.
*thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Lyrical Underground for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
As you read in the synopsis, our hero Jack Holland has an affair with the supposed girlfriend of a mob boss’s son, which results in a child. The story starts out with Angelo (the mob boss’s son) confronting Jack about Callie’s pregnancy. Angelo is killed, Jack is on the run, the baby is born. (These are not spoilers - this is exactly what the book synopsis tells you!) You get no backstory about Jack and Callie’s relationship, just BAM right into the action. And I was okay with that.
The first third of the book was really good...
Two years later, you see how Callie is coping with her life. She is a single mother, has two good friends there to support her, she deals with the mob boss on a regular basis (because he believes the child is his grandson). And she is in touch with Jack. She’s relatively happy with her life, but longs to have a real relationship with the father of her son.
Because there is a hit out on Jack, he lives on the run. He works construction for his cousin’s company and moves around frequently. I loved reading about how torn Jack was that he couldn’t be with Callie and his son, Jonathan. He hated the life he had to live - always looking over his shoulder, unable to find anything to put Victor away for his crimes. But his top priority was keeping Callie and Jonathan safe.
Then the middle fifty percent happened…
And it was full of repetitive writing. Callie loves seeing Jack with his son, but wishes he felt the same for her as he does for Jonathan. Jack loves his son and wishes he could be a real father to him, but knows it isn’t safe for him to be around Callie and Jonathan. And on and on and on.
The thing about repetitive writing, is that at some point the idea being conveyed to the reader stops having the effect it did the first several times it was written. So, while it was heartwarming the first several times to read how Jack lovingly watched his son sleep and placed a gentle kiss on his head before leaving the room, after the fifth time he did it I didn't even care anymore. And after the fourth time we read how frustrated he was that he hadn’t found anything to use to put Victor in jail, I was frustrated because I hadn’t read about anything that he had ACTUALLY done.
Thankfully, the final twenty percent was good...
Jack actually comes up with a plan to DO SOMETHING! Callie also decides she wants more with Jack, and takes her own steps to bring Victor down. It was all exciting, and action packed, and a good ending to the book.
I found myself very conflicted about my rating for this book. The parts that were good were really good. But that still leaves half the book that, for me, was just meh. If you’re going to call a book suspense, there needs to actually be suspense and action. Not just talking about it. And when you put the main plot of the story in the synopsis and have the story continue from there, that takes away a bit of the suspense as well. However, despite this book leaving me underwhelmed, I’m certainly interested in reading more from Kari Lemore.
*thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Lyrical Underground for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! Beautiful! Stressful! Intense!
But good, so good! Two people who love each other but can't be together at the same time they have child together... Can this help to be in each other life? Life can be harsh sometimes and you need to do a brave things to get what you want!
But good, so good! Two people who love each other but can't be together at the same time they have child together... Can this help to be in each other life? Life can be harsh sometimes and you need to do a brave things to get what you want!
March 21, 2024
Good book
September 29, 2017
Uggg NO.
This entire book was conversations the characters had in their heads! After a while reading people's thoughts instead of conversations gets irritating. I just wanted to slap someone and tell them to say it out loud to get the story over with!
2 stars barely
This entire book was conversations the characters had in their heads! After a while reading people's thoughts instead of conversations gets irritating. I just wanted to slap someone and tell them to say it out loud to get the story over with!
2 stars barely
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews