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Phoenix Rising #1
Rogue
Reeling from the death of her daring Navy SEAL brother, reserved McKenzie Prescott decides to honor him in the only way she can think of—by finishing his bucket list. Suddenly, she’s doing things she’s never dreamed of—like jumping off waterfalls... and inviting the intoxicating stranger she meets in Las Vegas to help her with some of the more racy items on the list…
Noah Payne used to be a Navy SEAL… until his job cost him his family. Now he wants revenge, and he’s not above playing dirty to get it. His current mission—to find a missing shipment of guns—is the last piece of the puzzle. But his only lead is Liam Prescott’s bucket list. Noah figures that by getting close to Liam’s sister, McKenzie, he’ll soon get his hands on the list. Only keeping his hands off a suddenly sexy McKenzie is turning out to be the real challenge!
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2017
68 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Brynley Blake
13 books63 followersA lifelong reader with a taste for adventure, Brynley Blake (also known as Brynley Bush writes the writes the kind of books she likes to read: steamy contemporary romances featuring smart, sassy heroines with a sense of humor and strong, dominant alpha males who love their women a little feisty.
She lives in Texas with her family and an assortment of pets, and loves rainy days, hot coffee, cold beer, red wine, traveling, and spending time with her family. She writes contemporary and erotic romance as Brynley Blake and Brynley Bush.
She lives in Texas with her family and an assortment of pets, and loves rainy days, hot coffee, cold beer, red wine, traveling, and spending time with her family. She writes contemporary and erotic romance as Brynley Blake and Brynley Bush.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 15, 2017
ARC provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rogue by Brynley Blake is a sexy, fast paced entertaining romantic suspense that takes readers on hell of an adventure. A bucket list. Let’s face it, we all have our own bucket list and for Mackenzie, she decided to do her brother’s bucket list. When her brother, Liam died during a Navy SEAL mission, Mackenzie decided that she wanted to fulfill his list and step outside of her comfort zone. This list was something she felt Liam wanted her to do.
As Mackenzie fulfills the list, she doesn’t realize that she was made a target. It seems there is a dangerous man who wants that list as well. So when Mackenzie is partying it up in Las Vegas, she meets a broody handsome stranger. Little did Mackenzie know that Noah Payne has her marked.
He’s sexy as hell with his bad-boy good looks, but it’s more than that. It’s his confidence that borders on arrogance, that edgy carnality, and the way he seems to command the very air around him. I want to breathe him in and fill my lungs with the heady sensations he evokes before it disappears. I want to embrace this newfound sensuality and live in the moment like Liam.”
When Mackenzie informs Noah that she plans to sail around the islands in the Philippines, she didn’t expect Noah to be there. Soon she finds herself sailing the islands with Noah and exploring a new sexual side to her. As they begin to get close and intimate, Mackenzie begins to have deep feelings for Noah. What happens when she discovers the truth about Noah? Will Noah also be able to finish his mission and get the list or will he discover that Mackenzie might be worth the risk going rogue for?
While I enjoyed Rogue, this book left me feeling a little bit angsty for the next book since the author did not give us a happily ever after. It did end with a happily for now but the mystery of Mackenzie’s brother secrets are still left unsolved. This is the first book that I have read from this author and it surely won’t be my last.
Brynley Blake
Rogue by Brynley Blake is a sexy, fast paced entertaining romantic suspense that takes readers on hell of an adventure. A bucket list. Let’s face it, we all have our own bucket list and for Mackenzie, she decided to do her brother’s bucket list. When her brother, Liam died during a Navy SEAL mission, Mackenzie decided that she wanted to fulfill his list and step outside of her comfort zone. This list was something she felt Liam wanted her to do.
As Mackenzie fulfills the list, she doesn’t realize that she was made a target. It seems there is a dangerous man who wants that list as well. So when Mackenzie is partying it up in Las Vegas, she meets a broody handsome stranger. Little did Mackenzie know that Noah Payne has her marked.
He’s sexy as hell with his bad-boy good looks, but it’s more than that. It’s his confidence that borders on arrogance, that edgy carnality, and the way he seems to command the very air around him. I want to breathe him in and fill my lungs with the heady sensations he evokes before it disappears. I want to embrace this newfound sensuality and live in the moment like Liam.”When Mackenzie informs Noah that she plans to sail around the islands in the Philippines, she didn’t expect Noah to be there. Soon she finds herself sailing the islands with Noah and exploring a new sexual side to her. As they begin to get close and intimate, Mackenzie begins to have deep feelings for Noah. What happens when she discovers the truth about Noah? Will Noah also be able to finish his mission and get the list or will he discover that Mackenzie might be worth the risk going rogue for?
While I enjoyed Rogue, this book left me feeling a little bit angsty for the next book since the author did not give us a happily ever after. It did end with a happily for now but the mystery of Mackenzie’s brother secrets are still left unsolved. This is the first book that I have read from this author and it surely won’t be my last.
Brynley Blake
July 4, 2020
Three books featuring three deliciously dirty SEAL’s and three ladies who discover a fondness for the less-vanilla end of the bedroom antics scale make up this series, and taking us to destinations full of heat in more ways than one, there’s no scrimping on said antics.
Kink starts here.”
Whilst each romance is a stand-alone with an ongoing suspense storyline spanning across the three books, I definitely recommend reading in order. And with falling for your mark, friends-to-lovers and best-friends older brother all featuring, there’s three reasons right there why this series worked for me.
Kink starts here.”
Whilst each romance is a stand-alone with an ongoing suspense storyline spanning across the three books, I definitely recommend reading in order. And with falling for your mark, friends-to-lovers and best-friends older brother all featuring, there’s three reasons right there why this series worked for me.
September 10, 2017
**3.5 Stars**
McKenzie, a wedding dress designer, is taking the plunge. No, not marriage, an actual plunge. She's in Costa Rica getting ready to jump into a waterfall. McKenzie is honoring the memory of her older brother, Liam, a SEAL, who recently died during a mission. She's systematically working through Liam's bucket list, the one he's had and continually added to since they were kids. As McKenzie works up the courage to jump, she sees a man, dressed in black, emerge from the trees, and as she's plummeting to the water below, hears gunshots. Thankfully, as she realizes from Jorge, her tour guide, upon waking, a bullet only grazed her shoulder.
Noah, a former SEAL, is finally close to exacting his revenge for the deaths of his wife and daughter. Yes, he's become acquainted with some bad people due to his determination, but it'll be worth it. He's currently meeting with the leader of a cartel, and the man wants to know about the weapons shipment he paid Noah for, especially since the person responsible for acquiring them, Liam, is dead. Something Noah didn't know. He then informs Noah the information he needs is probably with Liam's sister, disguised as a bucket list.
The two meet in Vegas as McKenzie is fulfilling another item on the list. When she sees the sexy man watching her at the club, she decides to live as her brother did, to the fullest. Plus, there are some tasks she'll need help with and she has the feeling he can fulfill the kinky sex requirements. Though the chemistry between them is explosive, and they're on their way to exploring it, they're interrupted by Noah's cell and the night ends differently than McKenzie had hoped.
A week later, Noah has ensured McKenzie will have to rely on him for the next section of the bucket list. Plans he's aware of because she accidentally left the list in his hotel room. McKenzie accepts, hoping they can follow through on what they'd started in Vegas. But McKenzie doesn't know Noah is there, with her, for his own purposes.
Will Noah succumb to the passion between him and McKenzie? Or will he deny them both, knowing it's a line he shouldn't cross? How far will Noah push McKenzie's boundaries? What happens when the connection they share becomes so much more? How far is Noah willing to go for his revenge? Has Noah truly gone to the other side? How will McKenzie react upon learning Noah's ulterior motive for getting close to her? Can she ever trust him again? Can she believe his declarations of love? Who is behind the attempts on her? Can Noah keep her safe? Will McKenzie ever forgive Noah? Was Liam truly selling weapons? If not, was he framed and can his name be cleared? Can they both move on from their individual painful pasts? Is there a HEA for Noah and McKenzie?
One-click now and follow along as a man falls for his target, the woman who can help him in his quest for revenge. I liked this premise and the characters. The chemistry between Noah and McKenzie was intense and the sex scenes were steamy. I'm looking forward to book two, Walker's, a teammate of Liam's, story.
On a purely personal note, I wish McKenzie had been the first woman Noah had been with since losing his wife, Sarah. Also, the number of years since Sarah's death varies. It starts off at three and a half, then Noah is mentally thinking (as he's waking up snuggled with McKenzie) how it's been almost six years since he woke up next to a woman, not allowing himself to spend the night with one since losing Sarah. Another scene we have Noah telling McKenzie what happened and he says almost four. So, which is it? I'm guessing the former (and the almost four) as it's the one mentioned the most, but some continuity would be nice.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
McKenzie, a wedding dress designer, is taking the plunge. No, not marriage, an actual plunge. She's in Costa Rica getting ready to jump into a waterfall. McKenzie is honoring the memory of her older brother, Liam, a SEAL, who recently died during a mission. She's systematically working through Liam's bucket list, the one he's had and continually added to since they were kids. As McKenzie works up the courage to jump, she sees a man, dressed in black, emerge from the trees, and as she's plummeting to the water below, hears gunshots. Thankfully, as she realizes from Jorge, her tour guide, upon waking, a bullet only grazed her shoulder.
Noah, a former SEAL, is finally close to exacting his revenge for the deaths of his wife and daughter. Yes, he's become acquainted with some bad people due to his determination, but it'll be worth it. He's currently meeting with the leader of a cartel, and the man wants to know about the weapons shipment he paid Noah for, especially since the person responsible for acquiring them, Liam, is dead. Something Noah didn't know. He then informs Noah the information he needs is probably with Liam's sister, disguised as a bucket list.
The two meet in Vegas as McKenzie is fulfilling another item on the list. When she sees the sexy man watching her at the club, she decides to live as her brother did, to the fullest. Plus, there are some tasks she'll need help with and she has the feeling he can fulfill the kinky sex requirements. Though the chemistry between them is explosive, and they're on their way to exploring it, they're interrupted by Noah's cell and the night ends differently than McKenzie had hoped.
A week later, Noah has ensured McKenzie will have to rely on him for the next section of the bucket list. Plans he's aware of because she accidentally left the list in his hotel room. McKenzie accepts, hoping they can follow through on what they'd started in Vegas. But McKenzie doesn't know Noah is there, with her, for his own purposes.
Will Noah succumb to the passion between him and McKenzie? Or will he deny them both, knowing it's a line he shouldn't cross? How far will Noah push McKenzie's boundaries? What happens when the connection they share becomes so much more? How far is Noah willing to go for his revenge? Has Noah truly gone to the other side? How will McKenzie react upon learning Noah's ulterior motive for getting close to her? Can she ever trust him again? Can she believe his declarations of love? Who is behind the attempts on her? Can Noah keep her safe? Will McKenzie ever forgive Noah? Was Liam truly selling weapons? If not, was he framed and can his name be cleared? Can they both move on from their individual painful pasts? Is there a HEA for Noah and McKenzie?
One-click now and follow along as a man falls for his target, the woman who can help him in his quest for revenge. I liked this premise and the characters. The chemistry between Noah and McKenzie was intense and the sex scenes were steamy. I'm looking forward to book two, Walker's, a teammate of Liam's, story.
On a purely personal note, I wish McKenzie had been the first woman Noah had been with since losing his wife, Sarah. Also, the number of years since Sarah's death varies. It starts off at three and a half, then Noah is mentally thinking (as he's waking up snuggled with McKenzie) how it's been almost six years since he woke up next to a woman, not allowing himself to spend the night with one since losing Sarah. Another scene we have Noah telling McKenzie what happened and he says almost four. So, which is it? I'm guessing the former (and the almost four) as it's the one mentioned the most, but some continuity would be nice.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
July 27, 2017
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
Hold on tight. Rogue is sure to take you on a fast-paced, adventure filled, sexy ride. This first book of the Phoenix Rising series sets us up perfectly for the future books of this series without bogging us down with background. I feel like first in series books sometimes suffer from all background and setup while neglecting the current story and what the reader needs to really connect. Brynley is the queen of balance. I can't wait to read on and find out what exactly is going on, but was very invested and connected to the characters of Rogue.
Noah was always proud to be a SEAL but when he crossed the wrong people and lost his wife and daughter because of it he could think of nothing but getting revenge even if that meant partnering with other bad guys to achieve his ultimate goal. It was all a game of give and take. He gets what these guys need and they give him the assistance he needs to take down the man he wants. So, when asked to find info on missing weapons and Noah finds that a pretty young woman possibly holds this information he is convinced it'll be a walk in the park.
McKenzie has always been the cautious, thoughtful one in the family. But, losing her Navy SEAL brother has enticed her to shake things up a little. Armed with his precious bucket list McKenzie has decided to complete it oblivious or in spite of the danger she is placing herself in.
Noah was heartbreaking and focused not seeming to care who he took down in his mission of vengeance. There were times where I was unsure if his grief had such a hold that he couldn't shake it to see the gift of a second chance that was literally thrown right in his path. I loved how the romance between this couple developed without seeming rushed but also not drawn out unnecessarily. Again, Queen of balance our Brynley Blake. The drama came from the external forces going on around the couple rather than manufactured between them. I cannot tell you how much of an annoyance it is when characters create more drama between themselves than necessary or makes sense to have.
We're left with unanswered questions, but not exactly what I would call a cliffhanger. That doesn't mean you won't be waiting on the edge of your seat for the next book. I know I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Hold on tight. Rogue is sure to take you on a fast-paced, adventure filled, sexy ride. This first book of the Phoenix Rising series sets us up perfectly for the future books of this series without bogging us down with background. I feel like first in series books sometimes suffer from all background and setup while neglecting the current story and what the reader needs to really connect. Brynley is the queen of balance. I can't wait to read on and find out what exactly is going on, but was very invested and connected to the characters of Rogue.
Noah was always proud to be a SEAL but when he crossed the wrong people and lost his wife and daughter because of it he could think of nothing but getting revenge even if that meant partnering with other bad guys to achieve his ultimate goal. It was all a game of give and take. He gets what these guys need and they give him the assistance he needs to take down the man he wants. So, when asked to find info on missing weapons and Noah finds that a pretty young woman possibly holds this information he is convinced it'll be a walk in the park.
McKenzie has always been the cautious, thoughtful one in the family. But, losing her Navy SEAL brother has enticed her to shake things up a little. Armed with his precious bucket list McKenzie has decided to complete it oblivious or in spite of the danger she is placing herself in.
Noah was heartbreaking and focused not seeming to care who he took down in his mission of vengeance. There were times where I was unsure if his grief had such a hold that he couldn't shake it to see the gift of a second chance that was literally thrown right in his path. I loved how the romance between this couple developed without seeming rushed but also not drawn out unnecessarily. Again, Queen of balance our Brynley Blake. The drama came from the external forces going on around the couple rather than manufactured between them. I cannot tell you how much of an annoyance it is when characters create more drama between themselves than necessary or makes sense to have.
We're left with unanswered questions, but not exactly what I would call a cliffhanger. That doesn't mean you won't be waiting on the edge of your seat for the next book. I know I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 14, 2017
This book was hands down romance and suspense at its best. I absolutely loved it! Brynley Blake delivered a thrilling plot nestled within a beautiful, picturesque background with intriguing and complex characters who are guaranteered to steal your heart. This great story has completely captured my interest from the very beginning, making me eager to unravel the mystery behind Liam's bucket list and trying to guess Noah's true motives. There were some twists and turns I definitely didn't see coming. The huge cliffhanger at the end of Rogue left me excited and begging for more. I can't wait to see how the Phoenix Rising series continues and which further secrets are going to be revealed and tricky puzzles solved.
McKenzie Prescott has always been the good girl who preferred to live a boring, quiet life. Her older brother Liam, a Navy SEAL, who was the polar opposite of her, died during a dangerous rescue mission leaving her lots of money and a bucket list he never got the chance to finish. McKenzie decides to honor him by crossing off all the items left on it - by pushing herself to do things she never dared to dream about. Like jumping off waterfalls but also inviting a gorgeous stranger she meets in Las Vegas to join her on her journey and help her with the racy items on Liam's bucket list.
Noah Payne used to be a Navy SEAL until his job cost him his beloved family. Now all he wants in his lonely life is revenge - and he’s ready to do everything necessary to get it. His current mission is to find a missing shipment of guns for a drug lord. But his only lead is Liam Prescott’s bucket list. Noah figures that by getting close to Liam’s sister he will soon get his hands on the list. What he didn't expect was to fall for the beautiful, tempting and brave McKenzie. She is a woman that makes him wish to be a better man - one who hasn't already sold his soul to the devil and who still has a heart left to give it away to her.
Noah and McKenzie were two amazing lead characters. I absolutely loved them. They have both experienced great loss in life which changed them. Each of them has his own demons to fight. McKenzie brings calmness, light and laughter into Noah's dark existence whereas Noah pushes McKenzie out of her comfort zone by encouraging her to be more bold and to embrace the self-confidence and strength that undoubtedly lie within her.
I've enjoyed this read very much and highly recommend it. It was a great start to a very promising new series. Brynley Blake, I'm hooked and can't wait to see what you have in tow for the characters and how the story continues. 5 kinky stars!
*I've received an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
McKenzie Prescott has always been the good girl who preferred to live a boring, quiet life. Her older brother Liam, a Navy SEAL, who was the polar opposite of her, died during a dangerous rescue mission leaving her lots of money and a bucket list he never got the chance to finish. McKenzie decides to honor him by crossing off all the items left on it - by pushing herself to do things she never dared to dream about. Like jumping off waterfalls but also inviting a gorgeous stranger she meets in Las Vegas to join her on her journey and help her with the racy items on Liam's bucket list.
Noah Payne used to be a Navy SEAL until his job cost him his beloved family. Now all he wants in his lonely life is revenge - and he’s ready to do everything necessary to get it. His current mission is to find a missing shipment of guns for a drug lord. But his only lead is Liam Prescott’s bucket list. Noah figures that by getting close to Liam’s sister he will soon get his hands on the list. What he didn't expect was to fall for the beautiful, tempting and brave McKenzie. She is a woman that makes him wish to be a better man - one who hasn't already sold his soul to the devil and who still has a heart left to give it away to her.
Noah and McKenzie were two amazing lead characters. I absolutely loved them. They have both experienced great loss in life which changed them. Each of them has his own demons to fight. McKenzie brings calmness, light and laughter into Noah's dark existence whereas Noah pushes McKenzie out of her comfort zone by encouraging her to be more bold and to embrace the self-confidence and strength that undoubtedly lie within her.
I've enjoyed this read very much and highly recommend it. It was a great start to a very promising new series. Brynley Blake, I'm hooked and can't wait to see what you have in tow for the characters and how the story continues. 5 kinky stars!
*I've received an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
May 8, 2017
The book starts off with McKenzie in Costa Rica jumping off a waterfall to check off one of the items left on her late brothers bucket list. Coincidentally she's also shot at while she makes the jump. Minor flesh wound that is tended by her guides wife and she returns home. Liam was a Navy SEAL and was killed during a rescue op in the Middle East. McKenzie owns a wedding business with her two friends, she designs the one of a kind dresses. She also has a bit of a panic disorder. Next up on the list is a trip to Vegas so the three girls head out, it's there she meets the sexy Noah. Love at first sight? Nope.
Noah is a retired SEAL,now working for a US drug lord and only doing it to avenge his wife and daughters death by a Mexican drug lord. The gist of the whole story is that it appears that Liam was selling weapons to this El Gato the American, Liam gets the money, dies and meanwhile the guns are missing. Someone decides his bucket list, which his sister possesses contains the clues to where the guns are, or even she might know something. Noah is sent in to get the info from her. In any way, shape or form.
Took me a bit to really get into this book and I had to weave my way around the sex scenes at times, not that I'm not all for hot and steamy because I love them, I thought it was a tad overdone. It over road the storyline at times. Since Noah knows where she's going next, he turns up there and manipulates the situation and her to get her aboard his boat to check off the next few items. Meanwhile these two seem to fall for each other. And there are several twists and turns where McKenzie's life is in danger also. Things are not as they seem.
When Walker, a friend from Liam's team shows up in Malaysia and he's also best friends with one of her best friends and business partner, he tries to tell her Noah is...... well not the Noah she thinks. Then yet another twist, and a few awkward moments to say the least and they decide to join forces to solve this. Divide and conquer. Yup that's what I thought!! But guess what? The book ends with a cliffhanger!!
Looks like I'll be diving into the deep water while I wait for book two to come out.
It's a good story, my first read from the author and a good start to hopefully a series. I'd like to see a little Walker and Gemma.
**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**
Noah is a retired SEAL,now working for a US drug lord and only doing it to avenge his wife and daughters death by a Mexican drug lord. The gist of the whole story is that it appears that Liam was selling weapons to this El Gato the American, Liam gets the money, dies and meanwhile the guns are missing. Someone decides his bucket list, which his sister possesses contains the clues to where the guns are, or even she might know something. Noah is sent in to get the info from her. In any way, shape or form.
Took me a bit to really get into this book and I had to weave my way around the sex scenes at times, not that I'm not all for hot and steamy because I love them, I thought it was a tad overdone. It over road the storyline at times. Since Noah knows where she's going next, he turns up there and manipulates the situation and her to get her aboard his boat to check off the next few items. Meanwhile these two seem to fall for each other. And there are several twists and turns where McKenzie's life is in danger also. Things are not as they seem.
When Walker, a friend from Liam's team shows up in Malaysia and he's also best friends with one of her best friends and business partner, he tries to tell her Noah is...... well not the Noah she thinks. Then yet another twist, and a few awkward moments to say the least and they decide to join forces to solve this. Divide and conquer. Yup that's what I thought!! But guess what? The book ends with a cliffhanger!!
Looks like I'll be diving into the deep water while I wait for book two to come out.
It's a good story, my first read from the author and a good start to hopefully a series. I'd like to see a little Walker and Gemma.
**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**
May 23, 2017
Smoking hot and full of suspense. What better way to get through a bucket list than with a hot ex-SEAL, traveling the world?
McKenzie is not the adventurous type. Never really given the opportunity to do all of these crazy things or let loose she finds herself trying to finish her brother's bucket list. Doing things she never thought she wold, going places she never dreamed of and all with a dangerous, mysterious and unexpected tour guide.
Noah is not what he appears, on a mission to find something that is missing and the only person who can get him what he wants is this unlikely badass female, McKenzie. Noah is guarded and a bit jaded but total alpha/dominant who's restraint is coming to an end.
This was a pretty captivating story and it was interesting that while some of the story is over, it's not over. The over-all story arc is not completed and it made me feel a little let down but also anxious for more. This was a pretty fast read and packed some serious heat. Who knew a bucket list could bring a ton of sexual chemistry along with discovering oneself. Both characters where strong and worked well together. While some things moved a bit fast for my liking, overall it was enjoyable, sexy and kept you guessing.
July 21, 2017
Yet again it seems I'm the odd one out with my review so take it for what it's worth...
DNF 30%
I liked the premise of the book but I found McKenzie's character to be far too naive. You have a girl reeling from the death of her brother who she knows was on a top secret mission who decides to just jump on a boat with someone who knows absolutely nothing about to finish her brother's bucket list. While I liked the idea of these together, the notion that she is so trusting doesn't fit with what she knows about her brother's death.
This was a sticking point I just couldn't get past unfortunately.
** ARC received from Netgalley **
DNF 30%
I liked the premise of the book but I found McKenzie's character to be far too naive. You have a girl reeling from the death of her brother who she knows was on a top secret mission who decides to just jump on a boat with someone who knows absolutely nothing about to finish her brother's bucket list. While I liked the idea of these together, the notion that she is so trusting doesn't fit with what she knows about her brother's death.
This was a sticking point I just couldn't get past unfortunately.
** ARC received from Netgalley **
August 14, 2017
DNF at less than 30%..McKenzie's brother dies and then she gets boat with with a stranger to finish her brother's bucket list !?!?!!? That is CRAZY!!
May 15, 2017
Oh, I hated this book. Hated it. So many reasons to hate it. And when I didn't hate it, I was just bored and disappointed.
Full review, in all its ranty glory, is up on TBQ's Book Palace.
If you wish to look at some quotes/thoughts I highlighted, please check out my Twitter feed
Full review, in all its ranty glory, is up on TBQ's Book Palace.
If you wish to look at some quotes/thoughts I highlighted, please check out my Twitter feed
May 20, 2017
I have loved Brynley's writing from her Black Brother's Trilogy. I know she can write hot man in tantalizing stories with juicy love scenes, so I was excited to see this book published.
Rogue is a crazy, unique story that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering, imagining and trying to figure the plot line out before it's revealed. But give up, now, don't resist. Just enjoy the story because you WON'T figure it out. Brynley's mind is one twisted, crazy mind and her story line here is just as evil. My mind is still running with the many possibilities and I have finished the book. But I will say, you can go on a tropical vacation in this book imagining all the beautiful places the characters sail to as Brynley describes each destination in gorgeous detail. It makes you feel like you are right there with the characters as they try to complete their mission.
So we meet McKenzie Preston, young innocent girl who has two close friends who are her family. She has lost her real biological family and these girls are all she has left. McKenzie's brother, Liam, was a Navy SEAL who was killed in combat. He left behind a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Since he couldn't finish them, she decides to check the items off one at a time. Now these are not little everyday items. Try jumping off of a waterfall in Costa Rica, or snorkeling in the Philippines, and diving in Malaysia. But there is one tiny problem for McKenzie. She is scared to death of getting out of her comfort zone. So as the book opens, she is ready to take that first leap and I think she would rather throw up first. Accomplishing this list will be no easy task, but she is determined to do it. Maybe her brother can help her live her life to the fullest. But she can't do it alone. So help is around the corner but is it good, honest help or does she find trouble lurking in the shadows?
Her brother Liam has been suspected of engaging in some illegal activity and the people involved want their products. These bad people think McKenzie knows where their shipment is hiding and send an ex-Navy SEAL, Noah, to find her and their merchandise. But he doesn't plan for the unexpected feelings that develop. Noah has shut off and walled up his heart after losing his family to the drug lords. Now Noah must protect his heart and his life while trying to complete the mission at hand.
The story heats up when there is conflict that the couple encounter. Unknown forces are trying to also find the items and the couple, so you never know when they will have company or conflict as they try to complete the list. The chemistry grows between them and gets very hot. Thank goodness there is water surrounding them for most of the story. You need to cool off after a night on the boat. The scenery is gorgeous and relaxing and the main show on the boat is hotter than you will imagine. I like McKenzie's character, she is timid and shy due to her past but learns to be strong. In a way her brother helps her find strength to be a stronger person and want to be happy and take life by the horns, so to speak. Especially with some of the bucket list items. Noah has a dominating personality who has some internal issues to figure out. Listen to his heart or his head and at the same time, keep them safe from whatever unknown forces are after them. Being an ex-Navy SEAL, you can imagine he has a nice body and a strong personality that can be harsh and demanding at times but it fits his character well.
Walker, Liam's Navy SEAL brother, is introduced later in the story and is there to more or less look after McKenzie. When he catches wind of the adventure McKenzie and Noah are on he steps up to help them. Now with the extra help, there should be some answers. My mind is wandering and I still don't know whether to trust Noah or even Walker. Someone knows something and they aren't talking. I just hope McKenzie doesn't get her heart broken or else I will come after Noah myself. LOL.
I am looking forward to the rest of this series. I need to know the answers to all of my questions. Brynley has left me on the cliff in Costa Rica waiting for answers but I know they will be good when they come! I can't wait!
Rogue is a crazy, unique story that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering, imagining and trying to figure the plot line out before it's revealed. But give up, now, don't resist. Just enjoy the story because you WON'T figure it out. Brynley's mind is one twisted, crazy mind and her story line here is just as evil. My mind is still running with the many possibilities and I have finished the book. But I will say, you can go on a tropical vacation in this book imagining all the beautiful places the characters sail to as Brynley describes each destination in gorgeous detail. It makes you feel like you are right there with the characters as they try to complete their mission.
So we meet McKenzie Preston, young innocent girl who has two close friends who are her family. She has lost her real biological family and these girls are all she has left. McKenzie's brother, Liam, was a Navy SEAL who was killed in combat. He left behind a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Since he couldn't finish them, she decides to check the items off one at a time. Now these are not little everyday items. Try jumping off of a waterfall in Costa Rica, or snorkeling in the Philippines, and diving in Malaysia. But there is one tiny problem for McKenzie. She is scared to death of getting out of her comfort zone. So as the book opens, she is ready to take that first leap and I think she would rather throw up first. Accomplishing this list will be no easy task, but she is determined to do it. Maybe her brother can help her live her life to the fullest. But she can't do it alone. So help is around the corner but is it good, honest help or does she find trouble lurking in the shadows?
Her brother Liam has been suspected of engaging in some illegal activity and the people involved want their products. These bad people think McKenzie knows where their shipment is hiding and send an ex-Navy SEAL, Noah, to find her and their merchandise. But he doesn't plan for the unexpected feelings that develop. Noah has shut off and walled up his heart after losing his family to the drug lords. Now Noah must protect his heart and his life while trying to complete the mission at hand.
The story heats up when there is conflict that the couple encounter. Unknown forces are trying to also find the items and the couple, so you never know when they will have company or conflict as they try to complete the list. The chemistry grows between them and gets very hot. Thank goodness there is water surrounding them for most of the story. You need to cool off after a night on the boat. The scenery is gorgeous and relaxing and the main show on the boat is hotter than you will imagine. I like McKenzie's character, she is timid and shy due to her past but learns to be strong. In a way her brother helps her find strength to be a stronger person and want to be happy and take life by the horns, so to speak. Especially with some of the bucket list items. Noah has a dominating personality who has some internal issues to figure out. Listen to his heart or his head and at the same time, keep them safe from whatever unknown forces are after them. Being an ex-Navy SEAL, you can imagine he has a nice body and a strong personality that can be harsh and demanding at times but it fits his character well.
Walker, Liam's Navy SEAL brother, is introduced later in the story and is there to more or less look after McKenzie. When he catches wind of the adventure McKenzie and Noah are on he steps up to help them. Now with the extra help, there should be some answers. My mind is wandering and I still don't know whether to trust Noah or even Walker. Someone knows something and they aren't talking. I just hope McKenzie doesn't get her heart broken or else I will come after Noah myself. LOL.
I am looking forward to the rest of this series. I need to know the answers to all of my questions. Brynley has left me on the cliff in Costa Rica waiting for answers but I know they will be good when they come! I can't wait!
May 15, 2017
Rogue is hot romantic suspense! McKenzie is living out her deceased brother, Liam's, bucket list, trying to be bold and fearless like he was.
"I want to be like Liam--reckless and bold and fearless."
From Costa Rica to Vegas and the Philippines to Malaysia, his bucket list will take McKenzie all over the globe and give her the adventure (and love and sex) of a lifetime. What McKenzie doesn't know is that Liam's bucket list isn't just valuable to her for its sentimentality, it's valuable to a drug kingpin to whom Liam had sold arms and then never delivered those arms to him. So now that kingpin has sent his man Noah after McKenzie. Noah's mission is to get the list, figure out the clues it has to contain, and do what he will with McKenzie. What Noah didn't expect was to fall in love with McKenzie, his mark.
As Noah and McKenzie meet in Vegas and then later in the Philippines, they don't know they're about to embark upon not just an adventure, but a journey where they'll fall in love. At first Noah is hot and cold with McKenzie. He's trying to hold back from the connection he feels with her because he doesn't want to hurt her anymore than he knows he will when he disappears with the list, but he can't ultimately resist her. He's a dominant man, and McKenzie is just begging for him to show her what a little BDSM with a dominant guy like him will do for the goddess just waiting inside her. And show her, he does! In lots of hot, sexy ways with rope and feathers and ice and leather and restraints and blindfolds. But, Noah doesn't have it in him to love another (or so he thinks) after knowing he got his wife and daughter killed, so he doesn't realize he's fallen for her until she's kidnapped from right under his nose. Will Noah be able to rescue her? Will he ever get to tell her he loves her?
If you like your romantic suspense with loads of steamy sexy, lots of suspenseful action and beautiful locations, you absolutely have to read Rogue. Not only are Noah and McKenzie hot and sweet together, but this is just the start of a new series. Walker's book is next, and if he lives up to the promise he showed in Rogue, it's going to be just as great as Noah and McKenzie's story.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
From Costa Rica to Vegas and the Philippines to Malaysia, his bucket list will take McKenzie all over the globe and give her the adventure (and love and sex) of a lifetime. What McKenzie doesn't know is that Liam's bucket list isn't just valuable to her for its sentimentality, it's valuable to a drug kingpin to whom Liam had sold arms and then never delivered those arms to him. So now that kingpin has sent his man Noah after McKenzie. Noah's mission is to get the list, figure out the clues it has to contain, and do what he will with McKenzie. What Noah didn't expect was to fall in love with McKenzie, his mark.
As Noah and McKenzie meet in Vegas and then later in the Philippines, they don't know they're about to embark upon not just an adventure, but a journey where they'll fall in love. At first Noah is hot and cold with McKenzie. He's trying to hold back from the connection he feels with her because he doesn't want to hurt her anymore than he knows he will when he disappears with the list, but he can't ultimately resist her. He's a dominant man, and McKenzie is just begging for him to show her what a little BDSM with a dominant guy like him will do for the goddess just waiting inside her. And show her, he does! In lots of hot, sexy ways with rope and feathers and ice and leather and restraints and blindfolds. But, Noah doesn't have it in him to love another (or so he thinks) after knowing he got his wife and daughter killed, so he doesn't realize he's fallen for her until she's kidnapped from right under his nose. Will Noah be able to rescue her? Will he ever get to tell her he loves her?
If you like your romantic suspense with loads of steamy sexy, lots of suspenseful action and beautiful locations, you absolutely have to read Rogue. Not only are Noah and McKenzie hot and sweet together, but this is just the start of a new series. Walker's book is next, and if he lives up to the promise he showed in Rogue, it's going to be just as great as Noah and McKenzie's story.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
May 25, 2017
The synopsis drew me in; a little sister of a Navy SEAL completing his bucket list to honor him but quickly gets in over her head and in the line of danger before she even knows it is happening. Needless to say another Navy SEAL swoops in and helps her complete the bucket list and keeps her out of danger. Sign me up, please!
While the synopsis drew me in, the book kept me at a constant level of okay-ness (is that a word?). McKenzie starts out as this meek character, trying to fulfill her brother's list by jumping off a cliff and into a waterfall and not really questioning why she is being shot at on her way down. This doesn't deter her from continuing checking off the boxes on the bucket list and that is when she meets Noah. Nothing makes her question that when she meets him in Vegas, and then he starts showing up everywhere she goes, that something might be off. Out of the whole world to run into someone, McKenzie runs into Noah a few times around the globe. However, she thinks that it is destiny; that since he is a Navy SEAL he can protect her from whatever harm comes her way. I think I would question Noah's random presence and his complete willingness to help participate in helping for what she believes is nothing. Needless to say, I felt that McKenzie was a little naive about the world around her but I will say as the story progressed, she got a lot stronger in her character than she was in the beginning.
Noah, on the other hand with his sneaky-sneakiness, sides up to McKenzie to find out of her brother's bucket list has any clue as to where he hid the guns. While helping McKenzie complete each task, he starts getting to know her and slowly sees her open up and become a stronger person but he refuses to fall for her...he refuses to lose anyone else in his life. So while Noah protects McKenzie from the dangerous people coming after her, he also protects her from himself.
When it comes down to it all, I will say that McKenzie never once wondered why Noah was so dedicated to helping her; she just always appeared certain that it is what one Navy SEAL would do for another. She let him blindly lead her and I had a few problems with that, as you can tell. So the book was good but I felt that it had some character flaws that weren't the flaws that you build from to show progress of a character throughout the pages but that were just flaws.
While the synopsis drew me in, the book kept me at a constant level of okay-ness (is that a word?). McKenzie starts out as this meek character, trying to fulfill her brother's list by jumping off a cliff and into a waterfall and not really questioning why she is being shot at on her way down. This doesn't deter her from continuing checking off the boxes on the bucket list and that is when she meets Noah. Nothing makes her question that when she meets him in Vegas, and then he starts showing up everywhere she goes, that something might be off. Out of the whole world to run into someone, McKenzie runs into Noah a few times around the globe. However, she thinks that it is destiny; that since he is a Navy SEAL he can protect her from whatever harm comes her way. I think I would question Noah's random presence and his complete willingness to help participate in helping for what she believes is nothing. Needless to say, I felt that McKenzie was a little naive about the world around her but I will say as the story progressed, she got a lot stronger in her character than she was in the beginning.
Noah, on the other hand with his sneaky-sneakiness, sides up to McKenzie to find out of her brother's bucket list has any clue as to where he hid the guns. While helping McKenzie complete each task, he starts getting to know her and slowly sees her open up and become a stronger person but he refuses to fall for her...he refuses to lose anyone else in his life. So while Noah protects McKenzie from the dangerous people coming after her, he also protects her from himself.
When it comes down to it all, I will say that McKenzie never once wondered why Noah was so dedicated to helping her; she just always appeared certain that it is what one Navy SEAL would do for another. She let him blindly lead her and I had a few problems with that, as you can tell. So the book was good but I felt that it had some character flaws that weren't the flaws that you build from to show progress of a character throughout the pages but that were just flaws.
August 26, 2017
Excellent writing with a wonderful balance between suspense, humor and heat
This is a new author for me so I wasn't sure quite what to expect, plus suspense stories (I'd class this as romantic suspense mixed with a bit of erotica) can be a little hit or miss for me--for example, heroines who are too stupid to live tend to push stories into the latter category. I'm very happy to say this story was an unmitigated hit.
I adored McKensie; she's working hard to overcome her fears by completing the bucket list her Navy SEAL brother left behind, she shows her intelligence more than once and she's far braver than she thinks she is. And Noah is perfectly swoon-worthy as the alpha, ex-Navy SEAL determined to avenge the deaths of his wife and child.
I thought the writing was excellent and I enjoyed the descriptions of the exotic (to me, at least) locations. I also really liked how the author handled McKensie being introduced into the world of kink. There was one scene in particular where McKensie panicked briefly; it seemed much more realistic to me than treatments I've seen where a novice sub just blithely enters into the lifestyle.
The plot and pacing, so key in a suspense story, were perfect. From the first scene where McKensie is waiting to jump down a waterfall to the last, the story keeps moving right along and I so did NOT see the plot twist near the end coming. While not a true cliffhanger, not all the questions get answered and it ends as a happy-for-now story rather than an HEA. With writing that's a wonderful balance between suspense, humor and heat, I'm adding this author to my must read list and I can't wait to read the next story in the series. 5 stars
B2B Kelly
This is a new author for me so I wasn't sure quite what to expect, plus suspense stories (I'd class this as romantic suspense mixed with a bit of erotica) can be a little hit or miss for me--for example, heroines who are too stupid to live tend to push stories into the latter category. I'm very happy to say this story was an unmitigated hit.
I adored McKensie; she's working hard to overcome her fears by completing the bucket list her Navy SEAL brother left behind, she shows her intelligence more than once and she's far braver than she thinks she is. And Noah is perfectly swoon-worthy as the alpha, ex-Navy SEAL determined to avenge the deaths of his wife and child.
I thought the writing was excellent and I enjoyed the descriptions of the exotic (to me, at least) locations. I also really liked how the author handled McKensie being introduced into the world of kink. There was one scene in particular where McKensie panicked briefly; it seemed much more realistic to me than treatments I've seen where a novice sub just blithely enters into the lifestyle.
The plot and pacing, so key in a suspense story, were perfect. From the first scene where McKensie is waiting to jump down a waterfall to the last, the story keeps moving right along and I so did NOT see the plot twist near the end coming. While not a true cliffhanger, not all the questions get answered and it ends as a happy-for-now story rather than an HEA. With writing that's a wonderful balance between suspense, humor and heat, I'm adding this author to my must read list and I can't wait to read the next story in the series. 5 stars
B2B Kelly
May 21, 2017
Hmmm. Where to start...
If you're looking for a hot, steamy read that won't ask for too much thinking on your part, then this could be the book for you. The smexy scenes are plentiful and long.
If you're one to get hung up on details though--like why people who think someone knows vital information would shoot at her from a distance when they could kill her in so doing and therefore not get any information from her at all, or how we could see inside someone's mind in a first person POV for so much of the book and still not know something as vitally important as who their employer is while they're on the job--then you might want to give it a pass. (Also, how is it that a guy who's been so devastated by the death of his wife and daughter that he's dedicated the last 3 years of his life to avenging their death doesn't think about them once from about 15% in until 80% in, all the while he's becoming obsessed with McKenzie? Zero guilt, zero thinking about his dead wife as he ties up and blindfolds another woman and calls her baby? I mean, okay, men and women are different with regards to emotions and dealing with grief and all that, but really--not one thought of her intrudes on his sexy times with another? Poor Sarah.)
Also, how did her gunshot wound heal so darn fast? I know it was just a graze, but really.
Sigh.
The main question here--where the guns are, if indeed there are guns to be found--is not answered; presumably this will be a recurring thread running through the series. However, I'm not sure I'll be reading on to find out--too many holes here for me.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars / C-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
If you're looking for a hot, steamy read that won't ask for too much thinking on your part, then this could be the book for you. The smexy scenes are plentiful and long.
If you're one to get hung up on details though--like why people who think someone knows vital information would shoot at her from a distance when they could kill her in so doing and therefore not get any information from her at all, or how we could see inside someone's mind in a first person POV for so much of the book and still not know something as vitally important as who their employer is while they're on the job--then you might want to give it a pass. (Also, how is it that a guy who's been so devastated by the death of his wife and daughter that he's dedicated the last 3 years of his life to avenging their death doesn't think about them once from about 15% in until 80% in, all the while he's becoming obsessed with McKenzie? Zero guilt, zero thinking about his dead wife as he ties up and blindfolds another woman and calls her baby? I mean, okay, men and women are different with regards to emotions and dealing with grief and all that, but really--not one thought of her intrudes on his sexy times with another? Poor Sarah.)
Also, how did her gunshot wound heal so darn fast? I know it was just a graze, but really.
Sigh.
The main question here--where the guns are, if indeed there are guns to be found--is not answered; presumably this will be a recurring thread running through the series. However, I'm not sure I'll be reading on to find out--too many holes here for me.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars / C-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
May 26, 2017
This book started off with a bang and continued with hit after hit as the story unfolded. Blake has created an interesting world, where it isn't always clear who is the good guy and who might be bad for your health. The book is well paced and not easy to put down.
Our protagonist, McKenzie, is determined to finish her brother's bucket list since he died too soon, and our alpha male and Navy SEAL, Noah, is determined to figure out where her brother hid something so he can get on with his life. Well, he wants to get on with his revenge and then move on with his life, but until he solves the mystery, he is stuck working for someone who has no conscious. He becomes entangled with McKenzie and soon finds himself protecting her rather than using her to get what he wants.
McKenzie is sweet, a bit naive, and learning to be feisty, but she is strong and determined. Her story is sad and at the same time, waiting to learn what her brother was involved in is intriguing. She struggles to define who she is going to be now that she is alone and when she comes across Noah, she learns more about the type of man her brother was before he died. At the same time though, they both discover they are attracted to each other and the time they have together is limited. What might they do with that time and what will they do with the other people who are after McKenzie since they are all sure she knows where he's stashed the items? She's clueless, but it will take more than just a good looking guy to get her to look beyond the obvious and figure things out.
Great book. Great characters. Great story. Well rounded and great first read of this author. I'm looking forward to more from her!
Our protagonist, McKenzie, is determined to finish her brother's bucket list since he died too soon, and our alpha male and Navy SEAL, Noah, is determined to figure out where her brother hid something so he can get on with his life. Well, he wants to get on with his revenge and then move on with his life, but until he solves the mystery, he is stuck working for someone who has no conscious. He becomes entangled with McKenzie and soon finds himself protecting her rather than using her to get what he wants.
McKenzie is sweet, a bit naive, and learning to be feisty, but she is strong and determined. Her story is sad and at the same time, waiting to learn what her brother was involved in is intriguing. She struggles to define who she is going to be now that she is alone and when she comes across Noah, she learns more about the type of man her brother was before he died. At the same time though, they both discover they are attracted to each other and the time they have together is limited. What might they do with that time and what will they do with the other people who are after McKenzie since they are all sure she knows where he's stashed the items? She's clueless, but it will take more than just a good looking guy to get her to look beyond the obvious and figure things out.
Great book. Great characters. Great story. Well rounded and great first read of this author. I'm looking forward to more from her!
May 15, 2017
Rogue is the first in a romantic suspense series by Brynley Blake. Who doesn't love Navy SEALs, right? In Rogue, McKenzie's brother died while on a mission with his SEAL team. She is determined to finish out his bucket list for him. First on the agenda is jumping off of a waterfall in Costa Rica. She didn't expect to get shot at while doing it. Noah seems to wants to help her finish out the list, but he has completely different motives for sticking close.
This was a pretty quick read and while I did enjoy the book, there were things I had a hard time buying into. I really liked the action scenes in the book. The cave scene in particular was kind of terrifying and the reason I would never go kayaking into a dark cave. I also really liked McKenzie. I had to give her credit for being willing to do dangerous things to help fulfill someone else's bucket list. That takes guts.
What I had a hard time buying into was her hooking up with Noah. She heads to another country to take a long boat ride along the coast and this guy she met for a few hours in Las Vegas shows up and happens to have the only boat available. She never questions it, ever. Did her SEAL brother teach her nothing? She also assumes her brother's team mates sent him to protect her, yet she never asks him out right. I mean, we all know he's a good guy, but she doesn't. Anyway, I did ultimately like them together, even if the I love yous came a bit fast for me.
The book ends in a kind of a cliff hanger. Hopefully in the next book we will get some questions answered.
This was a pretty quick read and while I did enjoy the book, there were things I had a hard time buying into. I really liked the action scenes in the book. The cave scene in particular was kind of terrifying and the reason I would never go kayaking into a dark cave. I also really liked McKenzie. I had to give her credit for being willing to do dangerous things to help fulfill someone else's bucket list. That takes guts.
What I had a hard time buying into was her hooking up with Noah. She heads to another country to take a long boat ride along the coast and this guy she met for a few hours in Las Vegas shows up and happens to have the only boat available. She never questions it, ever. Did her SEAL brother teach her nothing? She also assumes her brother's team mates sent him to protect her, yet she never asks him out right. I mean, we all know he's a good guy, but she doesn't. Anyway, I did ultimately like them together, even if the I love yous came a bit fast for me.
The book ends in a kind of a cliff hanger. Hopefully in the next book we will get some questions answered.
May 12, 2017
** ARC provided by author in exchange for honest review **
Rogue by Brynley Blake is full of mystery, action and explosive steam of intimate chemistry between McKenzie & Noah! Who knew a bucket list can cause so much trouble…
Everyone has a bucket list right? Usually it’s your own and not someone else's. NOT McKenzie Prescott. She is determined to finish her brothers bucket list since his death. Events she never imagined doing. Her brother was the adventurous one… not her, so, on a whim in Vegas, she invites Noah Payne along for the ride and to help with some of the..ahem… more intense items on the list! She thinks he’s along for the ride for the thrills, but soon she finds he has ulterior motives… what happens when she learns the truth?
Noah is out for revenge. Liam Prescott holds the last pieces to his puzzle in his bucket list and to get those pieces he must journey with McKenzie and get close with Liam’s sister. This proves to be a challenge. Can he get the pieces of the puzzle to extract revenge for his late-family?
Even though things might seem fine, there are twists and turns that keep you on edge and McKenzie is not as safe as what she realizes.
This action packed romance does not end in a HEA, BUT this book does lay a great foundation of great developed writing for a continuation in the series. Don't let the knowledge of a cliffhanger deter you from reading this adventurous novel!
4 Stars!
Rogue by Brynley Blake is full of mystery, action and explosive steam of intimate chemistry between McKenzie & Noah! Who knew a bucket list can cause so much trouble…
Everyone has a bucket list right? Usually it’s your own and not someone else's. NOT McKenzie Prescott. She is determined to finish her brothers bucket list since his death. Events she never imagined doing. Her brother was the adventurous one… not her, so, on a whim in Vegas, she invites Noah Payne along for the ride and to help with some of the..ahem… more intense items on the list! She thinks he’s along for the ride for the thrills, but soon she finds he has ulterior motives… what happens when she learns the truth?
Noah is out for revenge. Liam Prescott holds the last pieces to his puzzle in his bucket list and to get those pieces he must journey with McKenzie and get close with Liam’s sister. This proves to be a challenge. Can he get the pieces of the puzzle to extract revenge for his late-family?
Even though things might seem fine, there are twists and turns that keep you on edge and McKenzie is not as safe as what she realizes.
This action packed romance does not end in a HEA, BUT this book does lay a great foundation of great developed writing for a continuation in the series. Don't let the knowledge of a cliffhanger deter you from reading this adventurous novel!
4 Stars!
August 28, 2017
McKenzie is mourning her brother Liam's death. He was a Navy Seal who was killed in action. His best friend Walker comes back to tell her details that happened, but also the rumors that he was illegally dealing arms.
Noah was a Navy Seal who's identity was discovered by a Mexican drug lord that they were attempting to take out. His wife and daughter were brought to Mexico and held to get him to go to work for the drug lord. He refused and the wife and daughter were killed.
Liam left a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Some he added when he was younger some a couple weeks before he died. Now El Gato a Mexican drug lord who was a rival to the one who killed Noah's wife and daughter wants the guns Noah had paid Liam for but didn't receive before he died. He wants Noah to get the guns and believes McKenzie knows something and that the bucket list which she is finishing in his memory holds the clue to where the guns are.
Noah arranges to accidentally meet McKenzie as she checks off a item on the bucket list- spending a night in Vegas. What he doesn't count on is being attracted to her.
As McKenzie and Noah continue on the journey marking off items on the list, danger lurks around every corner.
Brynley Blake is a new author for me and I will definitely read more! I can't wait for the next book in this story and I highly recommend this book. Steamy, filled with mystery, intrigue and love!
Noah was a Navy Seal who's identity was discovered by a Mexican drug lord that they were attempting to take out. His wife and daughter were brought to Mexico and held to get him to go to work for the drug lord. He refused and the wife and daughter were killed.
Liam left a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Some he added when he was younger some a couple weeks before he died. Now El Gato a Mexican drug lord who was a rival to the one who killed Noah's wife and daughter wants the guns Noah had paid Liam for but didn't receive before he died. He wants Noah to get the guns and believes McKenzie knows something and that the bucket list which she is finishing in his memory holds the clue to where the guns are.
Noah arranges to accidentally meet McKenzie as she checks off a item on the bucket list- spending a night in Vegas. What he doesn't count on is being attracted to her.
As McKenzie and Noah continue on the journey marking off items on the list, danger lurks around every corner.
Brynley Blake is a new author for me and I will definitely read more! I can't wait for the next book in this story and I highly recommend this book. Steamy, filled with mystery, intrigue and love!
December 29, 2017
"McKenzie is mourning her brother Liam's death. He was a Navy Seal who was killed in action. His best friend Walker comes back to tell her details that happened, but also the rumors that he was illegally dealing arms.
Noah was a Navy Seal who's identity was discovered by a Mexican drug lord that they were attempting to take out. His wife and daughter were brought to Mexico and held to get him to go to work for the drug lord. He refused and the wife and daughter were killed.
Liam left a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Some he added when he was younger some a couple weeks before he died. Now El Gato a Mexican drug lord who was a rival to the one who killed Noah's wife and daughter wants the guns Noah had paid Liam for but didn't receive before he died. He wants Noah to get the guns and believes McKenzie knows something and that the bucket list which she is finishing in his memory holds the clue to where the guns are.
Noah arranges to accidentally meet McKenzie as she checks off a item on the bucket list- spending a night in Vegas. What he doesn't count on is being attracted to her.
As McKenzie and Noah continue on the journey marking off items on the list, danger lurks around every corner.
Brynley Blake is a new author for me and I will definitely read more! I can't wait for the next book in this story and I highly recommend this book. Steamy, filled with mystery, intrigue and love!"
Noah was a Navy Seal who's identity was discovered by a Mexican drug lord that they were attempting to take out. His wife and daughter were brought to Mexico and held to get him to go to work for the drug lord. He refused and the wife and daughter were killed.
Liam left a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died. Some he added when he was younger some a couple weeks before he died. Now El Gato a Mexican drug lord who was a rival to the one who killed Noah's wife and daughter wants the guns Noah had paid Liam for but didn't receive before he died. He wants Noah to get the guns and believes McKenzie knows something and that the bucket list which she is finishing in his memory holds the clue to where the guns are.
Noah arranges to accidentally meet McKenzie as she checks off a item on the bucket list- spending a night in Vegas. What he doesn't count on is being attracted to her.
As McKenzie and Noah continue on the journey marking off items on the list, danger lurks around every corner.
Brynley Blake is a new author for me and I will definitely read more! I can't wait for the next book in this story and I highly recommend this book. Steamy, filled with mystery, intrigue and love!"
May 15, 2017
3.5 stars
Rogue by Author Brynley Blake is book one in the Phoenix Rising series.
"I want to be the swell of the ocean that drives you higher than you ever dreamed possible and your safe harbor when you fall."
McKenzie has always played it safe, until the death of her brother and the discovery of his bucket list. This list of things to do to experience life is soon infiltrated with "him", and her life takes turns she never expected.
"...the real truth, the one I can only admit to myself, is I’m tired of living life in the shadows—afraid and cautious and always worried. I want to be like Liam. I want to feel alive and to experience everything in all of its technicolor brilliance."
Rogue was an arousing and tempting read filled with suspense and danger. Hot, sexy, alpha-male, Noah, caused the pages of Rogue to sizzle, making me want to follow every command as he dominated the pages of this story and my libido. The sexual tension and arousal grew, page after page, as our heroine, McKenzie, was challenged to stretch her boundaries with our hero as her forbidden fruit. This was an erotic start to a new series that is sure to produce many more intense and gratifying stories.
"I want you to let go and let me take you to edge of the abyss, so close that you can glimpse the dark depths, while trusting me to never let you fall. I want you to have no limits with me.”
Rogue by Author Brynley Blake is book one in the Phoenix Rising series.
"I want to be the swell of the ocean that drives you higher than you ever dreamed possible and your safe harbor when you fall."
McKenzie has always played it safe, until the death of her brother and the discovery of his bucket list. This list of things to do to experience life is soon infiltrated with "him", and her life takes turns she never expected.
"...the real truth, the one I can only admit to myself, is I’m tired of living life in the shadows—afraid and cautious and always worried. I want to be like Liam. I want to feel alive and to experience everything in all of its technicolor brilliance."
Rogue was an arousing and tempting read filled with suspense and danger. Hot, sexy, alpha-male, Noah, caused the pages of Rogue to sizzle, making me want to follow every command as he dominated the pages of this story and my libido. The sexual tension and arousal grew, page after page, as our heroine, McKenzie, was challenged to stretch her boundaries with our hero as her forbidden fruit. This was an erotic start to a new series that is sure to produce many more intense and gratifying stories.
"I want you to let go and let me take you to edge of the abyss, so close that you can glimpse the dark depths, while trusting me to never let you fall. I want you to have no limits with me.”
May 23, 2017
Brynley Blake is a new author to me, but after reading Rogue, she is now firmly in my list of favorites! Wow! This book was a thrill from the get-go, and learning that this was the beginning of a series? I’m hooked! I stayed up the entire night to finish this, because once I started, I didn’t put it down.
McKenzie Prescott is a nice, boring girl who has decided to honor her brother’s legacy by completing the items on his bucket list. Her brother Liam was a Navy SEAL who was her complete opposite, and died during a rescue mission in the Middle East. But, she’s shot at while diving off a waterfall. Figuring it’s a fluke, she heads off to Vegas where she meets Noah Payne. Noah is an ex-SEAL whose wife and daughter are killed by a drug kingpin, and all he lives for is revenge. McKenzie is surprised to see Noah again when she goes to complete another item on her bucket list, but is it because he wants to help her or himself?
These two have the best chemistry I’ve seen in ages! I positively loved this book so much that if I could give it more than 5 stars I would! I am positively hooked on this series and can’t wait for the next one to come out. Ms Blake has created a series that will be talked about for years to come, with magnetic characters that jump off the pages. Simply excellence!
McKenzie Prescott is a nice, boring girl who has decided to honor her brother’s legacy by completing the items on his bucket list. Her brother Liam was a Navy SEAL who was her complete opposite, and died during a rescue mission in the Middle East. But, she’s shot at while diving off a waterfall. Figuring it’s a fluke, she heads off to Vegas where she meets Noah Payne. Noah is an ex-SEAL whose wife and daughter are killed by a drug kingpin, and all he lives for is revenge. McKenzie is surprised to see Noah again when she goes to complete another item on her bucket list, but is it because he wants to help her or himself?
These two have the best chemistry I’ve seen in ages! I positively loved this book so much that if I could give it more than 5 stars I would! I am positively hooked on this series and can’t wait for the next one to come out. Ms Blake has created a series that will be talked about for years to come, with magnetic characters that jump off the pages. Simply excellence!
July 3, 2018
A dangerous adventure fueled by love…
I really enjoyed this high-octane, adventure-filled romantic suspense. McKenzie was mourning her brother but charging that grief with determination. In his memory she was going to complete his bucket list. Just because she is shy and quiet, not adventurous at all, doesn’t mean she can’t accomplish all the exciting things Liam had left to do. She may have joked ‘even if it killed her’. Never, ever tempt fate…
“This is for Liam.”
Noah was on a quest of his own but he didn’t expect McKenzie to be as brave and fearless, and intoxicating, as she turned out to be. He needed to get close to her and that wasn’t a hardship until the lies became too much. He wanted their desire and chemistry to be based on truth, not lies…
“She’s nothing but a job – the mark I’m supposed to get close to…”
Bullets were flying but the sizzle between Noah and McKenzie trumped it all. Noah was ex-military strong and more than capable to handle the harrowing situations. Surprisingly, McKenzie rose to the challenge and met every situation head on, going with the flow even when she was scared witless. Working together, even with Noah’s hidden agenda, they made a great team.
It was good writing and an intriguing story that didn’t end even with this couple’s HEA. There’s more to come and I’m looking forward to it! ~Diane, 4 stars
I really enjoyed this high-octane, adventure-filled romantic suspense. McKenzie was mourning her brother but charging that grief with determination. In his memory she was going to complete his bucket list. Just because she is shy and quiet, not adventurous at all, doesn’t mean she can’t accomplish all the exciting things Liam had left to do. She may have joked ‘even if it killed her’. Never, ever tempt fate…
“This is for Liam.”
Noah was on a quest of his own but he didn’t expect McKenzie to be as brave and fearless, and intoxicating, as she turned out to be. He needed to get close to her and that wasn’t a hardship until the lies became too much. He wanted their desire and chemistry to be based on truth, not lies…
“She’s nothing but a job – the mark I’m supposed to get close to…”
Bullets were flying but the sizzle between Noah and McKenzie trumped it all. Noah was ex-military strong and more than capable to handle the harrowing situations. Surprisingly, McKenzie rose to the challenge and met every situation head on, going with the flow even when she was scared witless. Working together, even with Noah’s hidden agenda, they made a great team.
It was good writing and an intriguing story that didn’t end even with this couple’s HEA. There’s more to come and I’m looking forward to it! ~Diane, 4 stars
July 12, 2017
Received an ARC for my fair review for netgalley. Hmmm. What to say. It was not bad, and it did keep me entertained, however, it did contain, for me anyway, too much sex, that I felt detracted from story. McKenzie was still grieving the death of her brother Liam who she had on a pedestal and believed he could do no wrong. Liam was a Navy Seal killed in the line of Duty, and he leaves a bucket list behind and she feels she has to complete it, and while she is doing this she comes in contact with danger and she also feels closer to Liam. While doing this she meets Noah, who she is instantly attracted to. Noah is working for a drug cartel and assigned to get the bucket list from McKenzie, but when he sees her, she is not what he expected and there are sparks flying, he tries to fight the chemistry, because he has an agenda, which is to get revenge on those who killed his wife and daughter, and getting involved with McKenzie could disrupt that. He manipulates the situation so that she has to get his help in finishing list and they fall in love. Of course, she ends up finding out who he is and what he does, and is heartbroken, but who is he really? We do not get all the answers in this book
May 9, 2017
This was my first experience with this author, although it won't be the last since many threads are left hanging at the end of this book. I will definitely need to find out what happens with Walker and Gemma. So, this book was seriously sexy, like burning hot. McKenzie started off pretty timid but determined to compete her brother's bucket list. Noah was sent by the cartel to see if her brother's list was more than it seemed. McKenzie has no idea who he really is and readily accepts his help with some of the more tricky list items. Noah doesn't intend to fall for her. Despite his intentions, the couple has amazing chemistry, and they bring out the best in each other. When attempts are made on McKenzie's life, they realize more is going on than either imagined.
I didn't go into reading this book knowing it was a cliffhanger. I still would have read it, but I like to know going in. Thankfully, the relationship aspects got resolution even though the suspense aspects did not. I was hooked in quickly, and I'm glad Net Galley gave me a chance to check out an author who was unfamiliar to me in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't go into reading this book knowing it was a cliffhanger. I still would have read it, but I like to know going in. Thankfully, the relationship aspects got resolution even though the suspense aspects did not. I was hooked in quickly, and I'm glad Net Galley gave me a chance to check out an author who was unfamiliar to me in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2019
McKenzie Prescott’s brother Liam died while he was on a mission in Afghanistan, Liam was a Navy SEAL and a huge adrenaline junkie / daredevil. McKenzie is a wedding dress designer who is a bit more safety conscious than her brother was, but she is trying to complete his bucket list, waterfall diving, scuba diving, swimming with sharks, join the mile-high club, sail around the Philippine Islands, etc.…
Noah Payne lost his family while he was in the SEALs, now he’s on a mission of revenge to get the people who killed his family. He’s working with a cartel member, until he meets McKenzie in Las Vegas, he’s following her to find some guns her brother Liam stole and hidden, he thinks McKenzie might know where they were, but he soon finds out she doesn’t know anything about the stolen guns or anything that Liam was into.
Chemistry is strong between McKenzie and Noah and with some dangerous twists and adventurous turns can they find their happily ever after or will they just be strangers who met one night?
Great story, amazing characters and well thought out twists. Can there be a happy medium between living on the edge and sitting in the seats?
Grab your copy and find out!
Noah Payne lost his family while he was in the SEALs, now he’s on a mission of revenge to get the people who killed his family. He’s working with a cartel member, until he meets McKenzie in Las Vegas, he’s following her to find some guns her brother Liam stole and hidden, he thinks McKenzie might know where they were, but he soon finds out she doesn’t know anything about the stolen guns or anything that Liam was into.
Chemistry is strong between McKenzie and Noah and with some dangerous twists and adventurous turns can they find their happily ever after or will they just be strangers who met one night?
Great story, amazing characters and well thought out twists. Can there be a happy medium between living on the edge and sitting in the seats?
Grab your copy and find out!
May 16, 2017
rogue kicks off the phoenix rising series, where it seems like the central mystery will be a through line throughout the whole series, so just be prepared for that. i was at 80% of the novel and realized that there was no way we would learn the truth about liam prescott and his bucket list. but that's okay, because it just means i get to spend more time in this world with these characters.
mckenzie prescott was always the kind of girl who played it safe. she let her big brother liam be the risk taker. so when he dies on a mission in afghanistan she decides to complete his infamous bucket list as a way to honor his memory and as a way to stay close to him.
little does she know that her brother may not have been on the up-and-up. he'd apparently brokered an arms deal with noah payne, former navy seal and current mercenary for a drug lord. with the drug lord out thousands of dollars with no guns to show for it, noah is asked to track down the shipment. figuring that mckenzie is the person most likely to have intel on what liam might have done with the guns, noah is tasked with getting close to her.
having lost his family due to his career as a seal, the last thing noah intends to do is fall for a mark. but mckenzie has a way of getting under his skin. and the chemistry between them is explosive. he tries to keep her close and at a distance, but when this doesn't work he gives in to the magnetic pull between them. somehow he will get his job done and protect her. and the best way of doing that is staying close.
but noah is keeping too many secrets and the gun shipment is too valuable a prize to keep mckenzie out of other bad guy's sights. when things go haywire and the truths start to reveal themselves it will take a lot of explaining and leaps of trust for noah and mckenzie to figure everything out. the suspense and intense sexual chemistry keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the novel. and when there are as many questions as there are answers at the end, you can't help but wish for what ever comes next to publish quickly!
**rogue will publish on may 15, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (brazen) in exchange for my honest review.
mckenzie prescott was always the kind of girl who played it safe. she let her big brother liam be the risk taker. so when he dies on a mission in afghanistan she decides to complete his infamous bucket list as a way to honor his memory and as a way to stay close to him.
little does she know that her brother may not have been on the up-and-up. he'd apparently brokered an arms deal with noah payne, former navy seal and current mercenary for a drug lord. with the drug lord out thousands of dollars with no guns to show for it, noah is asked to track down the shipment. figuring that mckenzie is the person most likely to have intel on what liam might have done with the guns, noah is tasked with getting close to her.
having lost his family due to his career as a seal, the last thing noah intends to do is fall for a mark. but mckenzie has a way of getting under his skin. and the chemistry between them is explosive. he tries to keep her close and at a distance, but when this doesn't work he gives in to the magnetic pull between them. somehow he will get his job done and protect her. and the best way of doing that is staying close.
but noah is keeping too many secrets and the gun shipment is too valuable a prize to keep mckenzie out of other bad guy's sights. when things go haywire and the truths start to reveal themselves it will take a lot of explaining and leaps of trust for noah and mckenzie to figure everything out. the suspense and intense sexual chemistry keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the novel. and when there are as many questions as there are answers at the end, you can't help but wish for what ever comes next to publish quickly!
**rogue will publish on may 15, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (brazen) in exchange for my honest review.
May 8, 2017
I enjoyed Black Brothers series by Brynley Bush and was glad to discover that she also writes as Brynley Blake. I had high expectations for Rogue and I am happy to report that this book did not disappoint. I really liked the combination of mystery, adventure and smoking hot romance. Noah and McKenzie are complex and interesting characters, who both experienced tragedy in the past and are grieving for their loved ones. Their connection is instant and their chemistry is off the charts. They have a lot of hot sex but their relationship develops much deeper. I loved how they helped each other heal and move on past their respective tragedies.
The mystery of missing guns adds another dimension to the story and has some twists and turns that I didn't expect. The mystery is not resolved in this book but the foundation is laid for the next book, which already promises to be a great read. Rogue ticked all the right boxes for me and I can't wait for the next installment.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The mystery of missing guns adds another dimension to the story and has some twists and turns that I didn't expect. The mystery is not resolved in this book but the foundation is laid for the next book, which already promises to be a great read. Rogue ticked all the right boxes for me and I can't wait for the next installment.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2017
I'm sorry to say that this book wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the characters or feel that pull to know what was going to happen next. It wasn't suspenseful enough for me.
I'm generally not a fan of female characters but occasionally along comes a strong feisty woman who isn't needy but still needs a strong man. I can see how McKenzie is supposed to go through this change from being timid to finding her strength but it just didn't ring true for me. Noah, I warmed to a bit more as the story unfolded.
This book definitely has potential as its well written and edited. There's a great basis for a story here but it needs a bit more atmosphere. I think I probably felt this way because for a good duration it's just the two of them.
Walker was intriguing but were given such a tiny glimpse of him, that it's barely enough to whet my appetite.
Of course all this is only my opinion and there will be readers who will love this book. I wish the author all the best in the future.
I'm generally not a fan of female characters but occasionally along comes a strong feisty woman who isn't needy but still needs a strong man. I can see how McKenzie is supposed to go through this change from being timid to finding her strength but it just didn't ring true for me. Noah, I warmed to a bit more as the story unfolded.
This book definitely has potential as its well written and edited. There's a great basis for a story here but it needs a bit more atmosphere. I think I probably felt this way because for a good duration it's just the two of them.
Walker was intriguing but were given such a tiny glimpse of him, that it's barely enough to whet my appetite.
Of course all this is only my opinion and there will be readers who will love this book. I wish the author all the best in the future.
May 16, 2017
This was a short romantic suspense novel that was sexy and filled with a lot of traveling and action. Mackenzie pays tribute to her action loving, Navy SEAL brother who has recently died. She takes his bucket list and starts doing it from jumping off a cliff in Costa Rica to a fun-filled gambling night in Vegas. This is where she meets dark and mysterious Noah who happens to be a willing partner in the sexy part of that list. Little did she know that Noah has his own ulterior motives in seducing her. As the travel around fulfilling everything on the list, little did Mackenzie know that the guy she trusts with her life is the same one who might end it.
Rogue is a very sexy, lighthearted suspense thriller that really keeps readers guessing on Noah's ultimate end game and when Mackenzie will start questioning his motives and where the relationship is ultimately headed.
*ARC provided thru NetGalley*
Rogue is a very sexy, lighthearted suspense thriller that really keeps readers guessing on Noah's ultimate end game and when Mackenzie will start questioning his motives and where the relationship is ultimately headed.
*ARC provided thru NetGalley*
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