Jackson: NAC & The Holly Group

Alpha Team #1

by Chelsea Handcock

Jackson Thorp believes in tangible facts, military precision and having a good time. Never forming attachments to females and never letting them attach themselves to him. His policy is love em’ and leave em’. It works, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. At least that was what the thought. The fates seem to have a different plan, and one little redhead seems to have blasted the top off his world. He starts to question everything his sanity, his history, and the legends of the past. Could she really be the answer? Ryleigh Quinn has her life all planned work, work, and more work. Save as many lives as possible and fill her heart with the good she helped come into the world. She has never been normal and doesn’t even want to be. When a mission brings up memories from her childhood, she if forced to confront the one man she thought would never lie to her. The events that follow also forced her to realize that maybe all work and no play isn’t what she really wants out of life. Fate has a way of making a person change their minds. Her fate just happens to come in the form of a delicious, infuriating, dominating bear shifter. Who would have thought? **Content Explicit love scenes, naughty language, and lots of sexy secrets. Intended for mature audiences.

Genres: Paranormal, Shapeshifters

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2017

Reviews

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

First claiming...

5 Star Kindle Unlimited Read
I was drawn to this book by its cover. I assumed that it was an MC series as I first came across "Ruthless Bastard's MC, #1". When I first started reading I became aware that it was a spin-off. So I look up this series.

I was surprised but elated that it was a paranormal series. Paranormal was what I mostly read for over 30 years..

I love how the author created characters that made you care what happened to them. Also, they were just normal everyday men and women that choose to make a difference and that happen to have a little extra.

You get a mix of mystery, drama, suspense, romance, alpha men, strong women, all with a paranormal twist so far from this series.

I'll definitely be continuing with book 2, "Dalton!"

[Jodi Sonoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

This was brilliantly written. Alphas, women with past that made them stronger. Great storyline, flowed seamlessly and I was enthralled from the first page. Digging into book 2 now.

[Nikki Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this story!! Anyone who follows my reviews knows I'm a sucker for a good shifter and paranormal romance. Add in the imaginative storyline and fantastic descriptions and this one certainly doesn't disappoint!

Chelsea Handcock sure knows how to build up a great story and steamy romance. There's quite a bit of word building in the beginning but stick with it because the love affair between Jacks and Ryleigh was sexy, HOT, and full of snarky banter. Loved their relationship and how they overcome personal demons. Ryleigh has a hell of a past and my heart just ached for her but good thing alpha Jacks is there to help her through the tough times. He's my kind of male lead - sensual, handsome, smart, caring, protective, and HOT AF. Not to mention he's an adorable flirt. Win, win in my book.

The characters in this book are my kind of strong heroines and sexy alphas and I can't wait to read the rest of the series and find out more about the other members of NAC & The Holly Group. Well-written, action-filled, and sexy fun, this is one book you don't want to miss!

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 4.5/5
Story Flow: 4.5/5

Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5

[Toni Pulley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Jackson's and Ryleigh's story was the first one I read in this series. I really enjoyed reading about NAC and The Holly Group. Great read.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (4/5/2018)!💝

[Barrie Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this book caught my eye. I love Paranormal romances and this is a good shifter book! SO much going on with all the teams and people so the series can go on for a while. Detail was good but dialogue needed some work...at times, the characters sounded like kids instead of adults with what they said. In addition, the book was told instead of showed....but overall, this was a good, entertaining read! Can't wait for the next books!

[Rachele (Colosimo) Durkee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start to a very interesting set of characters and plot. I love Alpha's and Jackson is 100% that. Ryleigh is a complex awesome heroine that has some lessons of her own to teach. The chemistry between the two is off the charts and the adventure is just beginning for them. I can't wait to start the next book.

[Gucci 35 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stard

I liked this story but it the beginning seems to start off slow. The characters are enjoyable and interesting. The storyline has all kinds of different things are happening all at once and at parts could of been confusing. . This story is left on a cliff hanger in my opinion and book is available to read. I am going to keep reading the series because I want to see were Handcock will take the story. Happy Reading!!

[Sivutha · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was unexpected. It just ended when it was getting good. Big cliffhanger

Jacks is a total alpha with a Capital A and that Capital A can be called......
He is part of a group called NAC and he has met his match when the CO daughter is teaming up with them to solve a case.

Ryleigh is from the Holly Group and she is super strong. The only thing that is making her weak is?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it new and interesting.

[Stephanie Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was aggressively bad.
Here are some things that were not good:
The first conversation of the book takes 38 pages. 38 real full pages. I didn’t read this as an ebook, this was actual paper that took 38 pages to have 1 conversation

The main character has as orgasmic response and has “never tasted anything like this” to spaghetti. Look I love spaghetti but girl no.

Jackson forces her to sleep in a nightgown without panties while he sleeps fully in the nude because they are pretending to be married. That’s actually disgusting. This is a woman who fights to get other women out of terrible situations and you are just going to have a man immediately place her in a position where she could be assaulted? I’m supposed to root for this man who is forcing her to do this??

I don’t think the author has ever met a Physical Therapist. They are doctors and while they do get an order from a Physician they are not told what to do and they are not doing massage and TENS for an hour. You don’t even have to get an order to see a PT in most states, because they are doctors and can treat people without oversight.

I also don’t think she knows how TENS units work because it would be extremely hard to kill someone with the electricity in one and you definitely can’t use it like an AED??? Google is free

And finally, our main character is underweight per her BMI (which yes is a bad way of assessing health but hear me out) because she says she is 5 foot 2 and 105#. But is also described as having huge breasts and is extremely fit (takes out a grown man). So she is either tiny or buff but also has significant boobs but is also under weight for her size.

[Annie Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing start to a great series. Was definitely not what I expected, and that is good! I read a lot of shifter/paranormal books and this has just become one of my new favorites.
Jackson is a definite Alpha male and he has never felt what Ryleigh makes him feel. Ryleigh had a horrific childhood and now the one person she trusted had been hiding secrets from her. With all that has happened will she be able to let Jacks in? Is he gonna be able to control his animal?
Let's just say I had an awesome time finding the answers to these and many other questions. I just know we need stories for the men in NAC and the Holly Group women as well. Definitely going to be following this author closely in the future!

[Cathy Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chelsea Handcock is AMAZING!!! I loved this book. Chelsea gave us more than just a shifter type book. Usually you read about the animal and the clan not so much on the man, but Chelsea focused on the man..the whole time was I like When is he gonna shift, when is he gonna shift? Jackson on,y shifted once and it was save his girl. Jackson “Jacks” Thorp and Ryleigh “Rye” Quinn are first up! They are working together in order to find a kidnapped girl. They end up “married” on this mission in order to get more information and well they kinda fall for each other. You meet all kinds of Alphas in this book cannot wait for more.

[rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this might have been really early on writing . The conversation sounded forced and to professional it was off . The story was good but to much back story and not enough centered on the actual couple in the book . I will still read the other books to see if she grew as a author .

[Twinsie Talk Angie J · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars


Check out this review and others at
www.Twinsietalk.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
www.Twitter.com/Twinsietalk
www.Tsu.co/Twinsietalk
www.instagram.com/twinsietalk
Newsletter : http://eepurl.com/brwkPv

I purchased this book.

I am HUGE Shifter fan and when I saw this book pop up as an attending author for a book signing I was attending, I was sold!! I mean shifters….YUM. I bought this book and had to wait a month before I had time to read because being a teacher at the end of the school year…yeah no time!! When I made my list of top priority books this was number 2 on my summer reads knowing I will probably want to read the other 5 ASAP too.

So Jacks *Shiver* what a tall drink of water. AmIRight???? Holy Sweet Baby Jesus the Swagger and the smirks but his cocky arrogance was pretty much the right combo for me.

Ryleigh was the perfect blend of sweet, sassy and feisty for our heroine. The fact her dad was going to kick Jacks ass made it even that much better!! LOL But the fact she could kick ass was even THAT much more awesome. I loved seeing her put the guys in their place when they thought she was a weak human.

The story is about some bad people trying to make shifter kids from human and shifter DNA. Not cool and definitely not ok. Ryleigh’s Alpha Dragon Shifter adoptive father saves her, and help protects her but also helps train her for the war that is most defiantly brewing.

Ryleigh and Jacks meet when her dad asks his men to help her team of highly trained women in saving other females much like her and them. The chemistry was instant between the two and Jacks is flipping off his rocker. Naïve and sweet Rye is kinda a hot mess because she has never had a boyfriend so this lust thing was alllll kinds of new to her.

So the book was REALLY slow to get started. I put it down a few times because I just wasn’t getting into it. I know with Paranormal you have to world build but I felt a little too much at first. It was like a meeting between the characters was forever…..like 15 chapters long. BUT once the meeting was FINALLY adjourned, the book FLEW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was really invested and couldn’t put the book down at all. I was reading too fast and then like DAMN its over!!!

The books had a lot of secrets, twists, turns and deceits that totally threw me each and every time. The more we learn about the characters and their pasts, the more invested in the characters I became. I really don’t know which guy I like the most as of right now. They all have a spot in my heart but if I have to pick I would say it’s a tie between Jacks and Cash. Jacks for the above reasons but Cash *Dreamy sigh* for his heartache.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackson is the first book in the NAC & The Holly Group Series. Jackson is a shifter and alpha of his group of the NAC, recovering lost children. Ryleigh is a founder of The Holly Group, a background group dedicated to helping in anyway that they possibly can, all females, and all special. After a girl goes missing, the NAC and The Holly Group combine forces, combine ideas, and a whole lot of life-changing truths come out about shifters. Jackson and Ryleigh feel instantly drawn together, work undercover together, and only get closer. But as they get closer to their information, danger is following Ryleigh.

Oh my goodness, this book is intense and emotional and just one of those books that you read more than once just to catch new information each time. I’m not going to sugar coat it, the beginning of the book is filled with information, and it’s a little heavy at times, but if you stick with it, the ending plays out the information - kind of like establishing the rules before playing a board game. I think this is a really unique take on shifters and I love what Ms. Handcock has created! Jackson is the definition of an alpha shifter, with a cocky attitude, lots of dominance, and a protective streak a mile wide. Ryleigh is so strong and just as protective, but a survivor and just a good person. I loved their banter which turned into a really strong bond as the book continued! This was just a really great book and I look forward to what comes next!

[⚜️ Lacey ⚜️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

-Extremely cheesy dialogue.
-Terrible editing, (if this has been re-edited, I’d hate to see what this was like before it was re-edited).
-Extremely immature back and forth between main characters prior to them deciding to give “them” a chance.
-Entirely too much time was taken to set up the story at the beginning. Like waaaay too much time.
-A good part of the beginning had very little or no dialogue.
-The end of the book was very anti-climactic because things happened off-page.
-I didn’t feel the connection between Jacks and Ryleigh.
-For someone who is supposed to be as intellectually gifted as Ryleigh is supposed to be, she sure was a dense, ignorant, naive dumbass about a lot of things.

The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of the required minimum of 1 is because how this story ended was at least interesting enough (to me) for me to not DNF it.

[BL · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my first book to read in the shifter genre and I must say that I liked it. I have read books by this author before and she has always been able to hold my focus.

In this book, you learn that there are shifters in the world and they have been for a long time, their species is dying out since no females have been born in generations.

You have a rescue, family, love, love at first sight, betrayal, friendship, kidnapping, happiness, and sadness. It takes you on a hell of a ride, I think it was a great book, and so much so that I bought the box set to read more.

[Mackenzie Raye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did … it captured me until the end. I couldn’t seem to turn the pages fast enough. Who wouldn’t want Jackson as mate? Great details to set-up the series. Read it all, don’t give up on it!

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writing is awful added to a lack of editing

[Jill Fultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I not a big parnormal romance reader. BUT loved this series.

[Saskia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author and I enjoyed the book and the writing style. It flows very well.

It is full of action, suspense and humor and there is a great chemistry between the main characters. I have to say my favorite character was the dog, he was a personality.

[LuDena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacks

Awesome story ! Kept me engaged and entertained throughout the book . I look forward to reading the rest of the series .

[MRS. · Rating 3 out of 5]

SHIFTERS

Just from reading the book summary I would not uave realized that this was a shifter book with it's quirks and more.

[Debra Johnson]

Prch Amz March 26, 2020

[Michelle]

DNF - was a LOT of inner dialogue, rambling and re-stating things that had just been thought/said. May try to pick up again later.