Hunted

ALIAS #2

by Lisa Hughey

Trapped in a snowy cabin + workplace romance + player hero/inexperienced heroine + off limits = Dwayne and Maria in Hunted There’s only one thing worse than seeing your unrequited crush every day at the office…and that’s getting trapped with him in a snowy mountain cabin.

Maria Torres has been through hell and back. A former kidnapping victim, she’s used to having people handle her with kid gloves, and she is sick of it. Dwayne Lameko, the man of her dreams, is no different. Dwayne is a total player who keeps his physical encounters to one night only. With the needs of his mother and sisters, he can’t handle one more responsibility. He finds his co-worker Maria irresistible, but she is off limits. When a client requests her presence on an op, Maria believes she’s ready to spread her wings and show everyone–especially Dwayne–that she’s not as fragile as they think. But danger follows them into the wilderness, and Maria has to prove to herself and Dwayne that she’s strong enough to handle anything…even his love.

Maria Torres was first introduced in the Family Stone series, Still the One. She finally gets her happily ever after.

Hunted is the second book in Lisa Hughey’s ALIAS Private Witness Security Romance. Adams-Larsen Inc and Associates helps ordinary citizens in danger when they need to disappear.

Genres: Suspense

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2017

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa Hughey started writing romance in the fourth grade. That particular story involved a prince and an engagement. Now, she writes about strong heroines who are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves and the heroes who love both their strength and their vulnerability. She pens romances of all types—suspense, paranormal, and contemporary—but at their heart, all her books celebrate the power of love.

She lives in Cape Ann Massachusetts with her fabulously supportive husband, two out of three awesome mostly-grown kids, and one somewhat grumpy cat.

Yoga, hiking, and traveling are her favorite ways to pass the time when she isn’t plotting new ways to get her characters to fall in love.

You can find her on the web at http://www.lisahughey.com
Instagram: @lisa.hughey
FB https://www.facebook.com/LisaHugheyRo...
Email: lisa@lisahughey.com

She loves to hear from readers!
Happy reading!

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I loved the first book in this series and really looked forward to this one. Unfortunately, I had a tough time relating the characters in this book. They were superficial and the first part of the book made it difficult to dig into. I felt like I was wading through mud. There were some real and serious issues between Maria and Dwayne that I felt were never dealt with. Not everything can be resolved by a case of lust. By the time they start to be honest, the book ends.

Dwayne and Maria have been avoiding each other for over a year. Each has made conclusions about the other that are totally wrong. These two start the book circling each other like a junk yard dog and an ally cat who now must co-habit and play nice. That each had the hots for the other and not about to make the first move made this a real case of miscommunication, or rather, no communication.

Maria has made tremendous progress since she was rescued and started a new life working for ALIAS. One area where she has made no progress, at all, is the case of terminal lust she has for hunky former FBI Agent, Dwayne. She can't even be in the same space with him without getting all tied in knots. Now, they are assigned a case and must pretend to be a loving married couple. To make this the assignment from hades, Maria is convinced that Dwayne pities her because of what happened to her and all she wants is to jump his bones. Throw in a client who is hiding something and this op is going to be sooooo much fun.

Dwayne has admired and lusted after Maria since she came to work for ALIAS, but he determined he was absolutely not going to make a move on her. She gave off vibes that she didn't even like him and he sure didn't need another person in his life to take care of. With a mother and six sisters all he wants from a woman was sex, but Maria just didn't seen to be that type. When they are assigned client Bitsy, he has a bad feeling form the start that she is not telling the whole truth. With Maria's past being in close proximity is difficult for him. When she makes the first move, how can a guy possibly say "no"? There is so much more to Maria than her past and when the op goes sideways, Dwayne sees a whole new side to her and just can't help falling hard.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This started out confusing. It involves a girl who's story was touched on in #1 and started in a whole different series. Since I never read those, it was a wee bit hard to get into let alone follow.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[~Mandi~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunted
ALIAS #2
Lisa Hughey
3.5 Stars

This was a suspense/ romance that was a continuation of a previous series. I had not read any of her previous books. I was able to pick up pretty quickly what was going on and who everyone was. So even though it's part of a series I feel it could be read as a standalone if you wanted. This book has a little bit of everything.
Hunted: There’s only one thing worse than seeing your unrequited crush every day at the office…and that’s getting trapped with him in a snowy mountain cabin.

Maria Torres has been through hell and back. A former kidnapping victim, she’s used to being famous for all the wrong reasons and having people handle her with kid gloves. And it seems that the man of her dreams, Dwayne Lameko, is no different.

So when an ALIAS client requests her presence on an op, Maria believes she’s ready to spread her wings and prove all her co-workers wrong…especially Dwayne. But when danger follows them into the wilderness, Maria has no choice but to prove to herself and Dwayne that she’s strong enough to handle anything…even his love.

Maria Torres was first introduced in the Family Stone series, Still the One. She finally gets her happily ever after.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Book Him Danno · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1\2 out of 5
This book isn't quite a standalone Novel because the author uses a characters from the very first book she wrote in the Family Stone series. I even read that book and I was a little lost on who and what was going on at first. Causing this reader to struggle trying to decide it to read on or quite the book. I have a rule about never giving up on a book.
Lisa Hughey wrote a book where the female lead doesn't sweep her PTSD under the rug. We are able to see the dept at which people will got to insure that PTSD doesn't keep them from trying to live a life. The romance in the book seems a little off and almost off putting when she goes from shy and quite to LETS have FUN! I think readers needed either shut the door sex or more leading up to the Lets have fun.
The main male lead is very one dimensional and doesn't have nearly if any dept to the characters making it feel lopsided.
The boo had great potential but something just didn't quite mesh right causing it to fall flat at one point dragging on not to mention the issues that arise never seem to get resolved.
Not a bad book just nothing to write home about.
Advance Copy from Netgalley

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria has a tragic past as a kidnap victim however has risen above to join ALIAS. She needs to prove to all that she is capable of doing the job and keeping it together especially to Dwayne.
Good flow with characters and action. This a character from author's other series to get her story and future told.

Ebook from Net Galley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mind can’t even work through all that Maria has gone though. She was kidnapped and held captivity for 8 longs years. On her escape she got help from Stones and ALIAS who relocated her giving her a job as receptionist in one of their offices. Ready for more she and goes on a job in the field on a protection detail with her secret crush, what could be better a simple job with the man who holds her heart. The author gives you action and a few thrills with excitement. Trauma and PTSD can be heart wrenching the author does a great job giving details of all she went through and how she learned to deal with it. Anyone going through what she has will have survivor guilt and many will have tough choices to make and some will not make the right ones. Guilt can drive you mad making you think you are worthy of living, making you do thinks you wouldn’t normally do. I thought the author gave vivid details to help us understand all that went on in her life.

This is a very passionate with characters that have strong feelings for the other but for one reason or another they are reluctant to show their hand. They make a great couple dealing with their own issues of a relationship and at times hurt the other. I thought this was a good story with a good plot but at times felt it was rushed a little. I have not read book one but did not feel lost at all. I thought the author covered all the points very well. I did like how their relationship unfolds and the chemistry between the two. I would have liked to have a little more insight on a few things. I really enjoyed the story and thought it was well worth my time. I thought the author really showed true emotions with her characters and gave a balanced story.
**********************

[Ira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book that I've read lately where sex trafficking is an issue. In this book we don't have to deal with it directly but Maria, our heroine has survived eight years of solitary imprisonment whereas her friends who had been kidnapped with her were sold as sex slaves.

You can feel Maria struggle to learn how to lead a normal life and you learn about her friends who have been rescued as well and who have to learn to live with everything that happened to them. Even though we don't learn much more about them, the reader and the heroine are always aware of their suffering. At least I was.

You just have to admire Maria and her iron will to survive and to live her life no matter how ard that may be. Enters Dwayne - the gentle giant, the protector. Sounds like a good combo? Right... yeah. Might be, IF those two weren't determined to misinterpret everything. Whereas Dwayne is afraid of upsetting Maria whom he admires, because of everything that happened to her, Maria is convinced that he doesn't like her. Like - at all.

Obviously this is a wonderful recipe for disaster but somehow this thing called chemistry appears on the scene and decides to throw in some sparks and - yep. Things get going. Unfortunately they have to deal with a rather annoying (and lying) client at the same time and suddenly Dwayne's protective abilities are more needed than ever before....

I really loved reading this book and will definitely read it again as well as other books by the author.

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria Torres is slowly getting her life back. After being held against her will for 8 years, she made her escape and now works for the firm that helped keep her safe during her captors trial. She still has issues with being touched but she has understanding co-workers. But she thinks that all they see now is the victim that she was not the survivor she has become!

Dwayne is no different, he can laugh, joke and flirt with all the other females, but around her he is Mr Stank back. If only he didn't star in the steamy dreams she has. She may still be a virgin but she has a romantic novel collection to rival no other! When a new client won't go into hiding without Maria, putting her on the front line for once, Maria decides it's time to test her mettle!

Dwayne is the glue that holds his family together, after his fathers death on 9/11. When he is sent undercover to hide a witness with Maria, the poor man has a conniption! Maria is untested in the field but worse, he has a major crush on the timid female and being in confined quarters with her may be his undoing!

I really enjoyed this read. I hadn't read book 1 but was o worse off for that. Dwayne and Maria are great characters and really leapt into my heart. Bitsy...well she was an acquired taste for sure. I know she was trying to do good but her total rich beatch attitude really grated on my nerves. Now off to find the first book to read!

[Tracey Tranter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read. Highly addictive book.

I would recommend you read the fist book in this series, Stalked, before reading this one, but not totally necessary.

Another fantastic read from Ms Hughey. I enjoyed reading this book more than the first in the series.

[Glenda Bettin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Belinda Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her books and this one didn't disappoint at all. A true tribute to all the survivors out there. Keep'em coming.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This standalone romantic suspense features a character from the first book in an earlier series. Maria Torres was kidnapped at age fifteen, then held in isolation for eight years. She engineered her escape and afterward was helped by the Stones and ALIAS. She was relocated and given a job as receptionist in their east coast office. She wants more though, and when she gets the chance to join Dewayne, her secret crush, on a simple protection detail, she takes it.
Tupua "Dewayne", "the player", Lameko has had a thing for Maria since she began working for Adams -Larson, aka ALIAS, a year earlier. But two things keep him at a distance: her past and his responsibilities. She is still emotionally fragile, or so he thinks. So when Jill Larsen, their boss, says Maria is going on the op, he objects, strongly. But Dewayne is overruled and arrangements are made for them to travel to California as a couple. Their client is traveling separately in a private jet.
Bitsy Vandenbeek is the twenty four year old stepdaughter of a pharmaceutical company head. He is facing a Senate hearing and his mistress was recently murdered. Bitsy is afraid she'll be next because of what she knows. But Dewayne has a bad feeling Bitsy isn't telling them everything. And he just wishes he knew her real end game. Because her duplicity could put Maria in real danger on what is supposed to be a simple op.
I loved book one in this series, but had a harder time connecting with the characters in this book. They are more two dimensional, spent most of the book hurting each other, and the issues between them are never resolved, just go away. I would have liked more depth of character, genuineness between Maria and Dewayne, some discussion of why they behaved as they did, and how that has changed. It was all a little rushed, especially toward the end.
This voluntary review is of a prerelease copy. The thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[Sarita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is Maria Torres's story, a kidnapped victim who spent 8 years in captivity. We met her in book 1 from the Family Stone series. From the time I was first introduced to her, I wondered if there would be a follow-up story for her. Ms. Hughey gave great insight into some of the trauma and PTSD that Maria was left with and how she manages to cope. It was also great to read about her efforts to move on with her life. Even knowing what her friends, who were also kidnapped went through, Maria had a lot of survivor guilt. As a result she made difficult decisions that benefitted her and her well-being. There were a couple of areas where I wish the story could have expounded on. I wish Dwayne's character could have been developed more. We know he is close to his family; he led the family after his father died; he was a player; and he cared for Maria. I just wish there was a bit more depth to him or we could know more about him. I also wish the book had a bit more suspense and action with the storyline of their client that Maria and Dwayne were protecting. This was Maria’s first time in the field and I felt like the suspenseful part of the story happened in the last 75% of the book. A good 50 percent of the book was back and forth with Maria and Dwayne lusting after each other in the cabin at Lake Tahoe. To describe Maria as bumbling to speak and shy bwhen Dwayne was in the room in the beginning of the story to by the time they were in Lake Tahoe being bold enough to ask him for to “play around” and then for sex as a bit out of character for her. It seemed as though she went from a shy person to a very confident woman overnight. I just wished that the story was a bit more developed as her previous stories were in this series. I felt like an opportunity was missed with turning this victim into a true flower. I also didn't feel as though the issues with Maria and Dwayne were ever resolved.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dwayne is just perfect for Maria, she has endured so much and he is so patient and considerate of her past circumstance. Maria has been self educating herself about intimacy so she thinks she more than ready to explore new things and since she is already attracted to Dwayne, why not go for it. Dwayne knows that she is still dealing with her past abduction so he doesn't think she is ready for an experienced man like him. There is only so much temptation a man can handle though. Enjoyed Maria's story and glad to see that she is functioning with more confidence, living life one day and experience at a time.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I voluntarily received an Advance Reader Copy of this book**

Maria and Derek's story is very passionate. Both characters have strong feelings for each other, but are very reluctant to let them show.

The drama really sets in when they are sent on assignment together. Maria's first assignment is not one she will never forgetting any time soon.

I really enjoyed this story. Maria is a very strong heroin who has overcome adversity and thrived.

[Emma bramley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic read from this author. This is a stand alone romantic suspense story. I was hooked from the first page, I just couldn't put this book down till I'd finished it. The characters were amazing, their relationship grows the more you read. This is the second book in the series and I can't wait to read more in this series. I cant wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Kim Vanravenswaay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected a little more suspense. Other than that I enjoyed, Hunted.
Maria is such a survivor, and Dwayne is a protector. He tried to protect Maria from himself, but she finally had enough and tells him what she wants. I guess that's one way of getting the man to notice you.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunted is the second in the series. Maria has gone through something no one should ever have to. Her character is full of strength. She escaped literally from her ordeal and is making huge strides towards regaining her life.

Dewayne had to change his life too thanks to situation that happened in his past. Now working for ALIAS he has made choices to go through women like water, work his butt off, and be there for his family. Around Maria he acts like a fumbling idiot. She struggles around him to.

They will go on a mission to keep an heiress safe and while away they will discover quite a few things not only about themselves but each other too. I enjoyed this one.

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book it's the second in this series and really should be read from the beginning.This book had me sucked in right from the start.Just loved Dwayne he was perfect for Maria he was so sweet with her a super read loved it

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maria Torres has had a large part of her life taken away from her. She was kidnapped and held captive for many years until she finally had the courage and opportunity to escape. That experience has been haunting her life, making it very difficult to establish relationships and even trust others.

Dwayne Lameko has had a crush on co-worker Maria Torres since she joined the company. He can charm most women, except for her. She shuts down when he is near and refuses to tell him anything about herself. She shocks him when she volunteers to go in on a mission and is even more shocked when he is assigned to be her partner. Can they get over their awkward boundaries and work together as a team?

I read the first book in the series, Stalked: ALIAS #1, and I enjoyed the fast pace and high-powered action scenes. The plot in that book was well developed, as were the characters, and there was a great balance between action and passion. That being said, this book was a bit of a let down. I went into Hunted expecting the same level of pace and character development but the story line felt truncated. It focused more on the awkward romance growing between evasive Maria and alpha Dwayne than the thrill of the mission.

I would not recommend this book for readers who may be sensitive to violence, sexually explicit scenarios, kidnapping, rape threats, and foul language.

Please note: an electronic copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tonya Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a fantastic book. Maria was kidnapped for 8 yrs and when she got out she had to learn things some mentally and some physically. While working in DC at a place that protected others like herself, her Co worker Dwayne while for the the last several months has been secretly Crushing on him but she wonders if he even notices her? Highly addictive book.

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an ARC for my fair review for netgalley. This is the second book in the Alias series, however it is my first one. Dwayne is an operative for Alias, and he is attracted to the fragile receptionist Maria, who was previously held captive for eight years. I almost stopped reading it, right at the beginning, because I hate it, when the authors make all the hero's into manwhores, and since Dwayne felt like he could not act upon his attraction to Maria, he has one night stands every night. Why? Why? I don't get it, either act upon it, or let it go, but dont insist that they are doing this because they care about this person and can not give them more of themselves. Well I did continue to read it, and it wasn't bad, kept me fairly entertained and of course Maria and Dwayne, do get together.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never read a book by this author before although I did have a few in kindle ready to read. It started off strong, the pace was good but I found the end to be abrupt.