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11th Hour #1
Raw Power
They fought for their country. Now they fight for you.
To find the people lost in the shadows, you need the men who live in them. The former soldiers of 11th Hour are unaffiliated, unacknowledged, and definitely illegal. They protect the innocent, destroy the guilty--and capture hearts along the way . . .
Rugged, skilled, and hard-bodied, Jack King's whole life was the Marines until an injury left him discharged from active duty. But he finds a new purpose when he's recruited by a special unit that employs ex-military to do very special jobs. Yet he's not impressed when his first assignment is babysitting the pretty, perfect daughter of a politician--especially when she's far from the angel she appears to be . . .
Callie Hawthorne hates politics, and she hates playing the part of a senator's goody two shoes daughter even more. It only gets worse when her father decides she needs a security detail 24/7--and the bodyguard happens to be the most insanely hot guy Callie's ever seen. Still, she's not going to be ordered around just because of some half-assed threat to her father. . . . But when it turns out her dad's no angel either, Jack has to kidnap Callie in order to protect her. And as danger closes in, he'll need all his considerable talents to keep them both alive. The greater challenge will be to keep his hands off her . . .
Praise for Jackie Ashenden's Dirty for Me
"An intense scorcher of a story that is sure to delight fans and win her a legion of new devotees. . . . Unforgettable." --RT Book Reviews, Top Pick
"Tension and heat pervade the frequent sex scenes . . . Readers will eagerly anticipate future installments in the series." --Publishers Weekly
"Explosively sexy." --Heroes & Heartbreakers
To find the people lost in the shadows, you need the men who live in them. The former soldiers of 11th Hour are unaffiliated, unacknowledged, and definitely illegal. They protect the innocent, destroy the guilty--and capture hearts along the way . . .
Rugged, skilled, and hard-bodied, Jack King's whole life was the Marines until an injury left him discharged from active duty. But he finds a new purpose when he's recruited by a special unit that employs ex-military to do very special jobs. Yet he's not impressed when his first assignment is babysitting the pretty, perfect daughter of a politician--especially when she's far from the angel she appears to be . . .
Callie Hawthorne hates politics, and she hates playing the part of a senator's goody two shoes daughter even more. It only gets worse when her father decides she needs a security detail 24/7--and the bodyguard happens to be the most insanely hot guy Callie's ever seen. Still, she's not going to be ordered around just because of some half-assed threat to her father. . . . But when it turns out her dad's no angel either, Jack has to kidnap Callie in order to protect her. And as danger closes in, he'll need all his considerable talents to keep them both alive. The greater challenge will be to keep his hands off her . . .
Praise for Jackie Ashenden's Dirty for Me
"An intense scorcher of a story that is sure to delight fans and win her a legion of new devotees. . . . Unforgettable." --RT Book Reviews, Top Pick
"Tension and heat pervade the frequent sex scenes . . . Readers will eagerly anticipate future installments in the series." --Publishers Weekly
"Explosively sexy." --Heroes & Heartbreakers
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2018
44 people are currently reading
654 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Ashenden
487 books976 followersJackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
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March 1, 2018
Raw Power is book one in Jackie Ashenden’s new series, 11th Hour. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is gritty, emotional, dark and hot as heck.
Jack King is an ex-Marine. One decision, one bad call, and his military career was over with the scars, both emotional and physical, to remind him of what happened. After months of rehab, he’s ready for civilian life. But after six months of looking, he can’t find a job. His injuries make him undesirable. When he’s about given up hope, he is approached by someone from the 11th Hour. She said they deal in last resort type of scenarios. Not entirely legal, yet not entirely illegal either. It’s Jack’s chance to be a part of a team again and he wants in. His first job and sort of introductory way to prove himself is he is assigned to travel to Boston and provide 24/7 protection to the Senator’s daughter. Jack is not happy at all. He’s a marine and he gets assigned baby sitting duties?!
Callie Hawthorne is twenty two years old and has grown up in a very controlled environment. Controlled by her father. She has only briefly known freedom and it was yanked away from her as quickly as she found it. Her one avenue of escape that she keeps secret from her father is her music. It is what she lives for, both listening and dancing to it, and playing it on her guitar. It’s the only bright spot in her life. Her father is both emotionally and physically abusive, controlling every aspect of her life. Now he has hired her a body guard, claiming there have been death threats on her life. Now what little bit of freedom she finds will be gone. But when the new body guard, Jack, finally tracks Callie down, although she is angry with this new man, he makes her feel something else, something entirely new to her.
“There was something about Callie Hawthorne that got under his skin. She was small and fragile and yet there were those intriguing glimpses of stubbornness, of steel. They teased him, taunted him, and he couldn’t figure out why it felt like they reached inside him and twisted hard, but they did. Touching his heart.”
For the last two years, Jack has not touched a woman. First because he was healing, then because he just wasn’t attracted to anyone. What was it about Callie that called to him? But she was his assignment. She was off limits. With all Jack’s training, he was taught to recognize certain things, like fear. And he saw fear in her eyes, a fear he knew of himself of long ago secrets he kept buried.
Things just aren’t adding up. Jack senses there is something going on here. His assignment is to protect Callie, and when he realizes that the threat is closer than he thought, he needs to get her out of Boston, to take her back to San Diego where he can protect her from the real danger.
“There was a wildness in her that called to the darkness in him. That made him ache, that made him want…But he couldn’t want. And he couldn’t have.”
Jack and Callie discover similarities in their pasts. Something that binds them, a reason they understand each other. When they come together, it’s not soft and gentle, but rough and hard, both of them exorcising their demons. They fill something in each other, something long thought lost.
Like I said above, this book is not a violins and roses romance. It’s dark and gritty and emotional. These two are holding so much pain. Callie, though, is a tough one. She’s had enough and once Jack has gotten her away from her lifetime of darkness, she knows she will not go back, no matter what. For me, it was a little too dark. I think I wanted a little more softness in these two. But that’s just me because it really wouldn’t have fit who these two are. And the ending left me with one issue unresolved that bothered me a bit. Perhaps it will be addressed in future books in the series.
“Wounds always hurt when they heal, Callie. That’s how you know you’re getting better.”
“You saved me, Jack.”
Jack King is an ex-Marine. One decision, one bad call, and his military career was over with the scars, both emotional and physical, to remind him of what happened. After months of rehab, he’s ready for civilian life. But after six months of looking, he can’t find a job. His injuries make him undesirable. When he’s about given up hope, he is approached by someone from the 11th Hour. She said they deal in last resort type of scenarios. Not entirely legal, yet not entirely illegal either. It’s Jack’s chance to be a part of a team again and he wants in. His first job and sort of introductory way to prove himself is he is assigned to travel to Boston and provide 24/7 protection to the Senator’s daughter. Jack is not happy at all. He’s a marine and he gets assigned baby sitting duties?!
Callie Hawthorne is twenty two years old and has grown up in a very controlled environment. Controlled by her father. She has only briefly known freedom and it was yanked away from her as quickly as she found it. Her one avenue of escape that she keeps secret from her father is her music. It is what she lives for, both listening and dancing to it, and playing it on her guitar. It’s the only bright spot in her life. Her father is both emotionally and physically abusive, controlling every aspect of her life. Now he has hired her a body guard, claiming there have been death threats on her life. Now what little bit of freedom she finds will be gone. But when the new body guard, Jack, finally tracks Callie down, although she is angry with this new man, he makes her feel something else, something entirely new to her.
“There was something about Callie Hawthorne that got under his skin. She was small and fragile and yet there were those intriguing glimpses of stubbornness, of steel. They teased him, taunted him, and he couldn’t figure out why it felt like they reached inside him and twisted hard, but they did. Touching his heart.”
For the last two years, Jack has not touched a woman. First because he was healing, then because he just wasn’t attracted to anyone. What was it about Callie that called to him? But she was his assignment. She was off limits. With all Jack’s training, he was taught to recognize certain things, like fear. And he saw fear in her eyes, a fear he knew of himself of long ago secrets he kept buried.
Things just aren’t adding up. Jack senses there is something going on here. His assignment is to protect Callie, and when he realizes that the threat is closer than he thought, he needs to get her out of Boston, to take her back to San Diego where he can protect her from the real danger.
“There was a wildness in her that called to the darkness in him. That made him ache, that made him want…But he couldn’t want. And he couldn’t have.”
Jack and Callie discover similarities in their pasts. Something that binds them, a reason they understand each other. When they come together, it’s not soft and gentle, but rough and hard, both of them exorcising their demons. They fill something in each other, something long thought lost.
Like I said above, this book is not a violins and roses romance. It’s dark and gritty and emotional. These two are holding so much pain. Callie, though, is a tough one. She’s had enough and once Jack has gotten her away from her lifetime of darkness, she knows she will not go back, no matter what. For me, it was a little too dark. I think I wanted a little more softness in these two. But that’s just me because it really wouldn’t have fit who these two are. And the ending left me with one issue unresolved that bothered me a bit. Perhaps it will be addressed in future books in the series.
“Wounds always hurt when they heal, Callie. That’s how you know you’re getting better.”
“You saved me, Jack.”
February 23, 2018
3.5 Stars!
Raw Power is the beginning to a new series about a security firm employed with ex-miliatry. Jack is newly recruited and he isn't impressed with his first job of babysitting a Senators daughter, Callie.
At first look, this is your typical bodyguard falling for the a rich socialite trope. However, Jackie Ashenden did a great job of taking a common trope and giving it a little twist.
Overall, it's a great start. I do wish we got more information on the security team....very little is revealed and I felt Jack just jumped in with out investigating if they were the real deal.
The focus was more on Jack and Callie which normally is not a bad thing but I actually think it would have benefited to bigger picture of the whole team, as well as the couple.
The next book is about a current team member so I will be curious if we do get more information about thew team as a whole in Kellan's book.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Raw Power is the beginning to a new series about a security firm employed with ex-miliatry. Jack is newly recruited and he isn't impressed with his first job of babysitting a Senators daughter, Callie.
At first look, this is your typical bodyguard falling for the a rich socialite trope. However, Jackie Ashenden did a great job of taking a common trope and giving it a little twist.
Overall, it's a great start. I do wish we got more information on the security team....very little is revealed and I felt Jack just jumped in with out investigating if they were the real deal.
The focus was more on Jack and Callie which normally is not a bad thing but I actually think it would have benefited to bigger picture of the whole team, as well as the couple.
The next book is about a current team member so I will be curious if we do get more information about thew team as a whole in Kellan's book.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
February 21, 2018
3 Stars - 3 Flames
Ex-Military theme? Check. Suspense? Check. Drama? Check.
If you're in to Military, damsel in distress stories, I'm pretty sure that you'll enjoy this one. It might not be the "best" Military book you'll read, but it's still entertaining.
Although I was completely pulled in by Jack's character, I found Callie's character to be extremely annoying. I could understand Jack's attitude and macho demeanor, but the stubborn, careless and down right defiant demeanor of Callie kept pulling me from the story so much that it was hard to enjoy it.
Was the underlining meaning of the story good? Yes. But getting there was sometimes difficult to read through. Especially when the stories were told over and over again. So let's move on. Let's talk about the series title for a second. Because now that this story has been read, I'm looking forward to reading the next one. Hello, Kellan!
Ex-Military theme? Check. Suspense? Check. Drama? Check.
If you're in to Military, damsel in distress stories, I'm pretty sure that you'll enjoy this one. It might not be the "best" Military book you'll read, but it's still entertaining.
Although I was completely pulled in by Jack's character, I found Callie's character to be extremely annoying. I could understand Jack's attitude and macho demeanor, but the stubborn, careless and down right defiant demeanor of Callie kept pulling me from the story so much that it was hard to enjoy it.
Was the underlining meaning of the story good? Yes. But getting there was sometimes difficult to read through. Especially when the stories were told over and over again. So let's move on. Let's talk about the series title for a second. Because now that this story has been read, I'm looking forward to reading the next one. Hello, Kellan!
March 1, 2018
I have not been a fan of the last few books I have read by this author so I was hesitant to request this book. However, the description intrigued me enough to forge ahead.
Jack King is scarred down the entire left side of his body from a grenade attack which earned him a medical discharge from the marines. It took 2 years to recover and spending the last 6 months unsuccessfully looking for employment has left him floundering. Faith approaches him one night as he’s heavily drowning his sorrows and offers him a job with the 11th Hour. He runs her off but she leaves her card. Two weeks later, still unemployed, he seeks her out.
The 11th hour special operations unit is staffed with ex-military men and women. They specialize in last resort efforts. The current members: Isiah, Kellan, Sabrina and Faith appear to be familiar with each other. The group is funded by the mysterious Mr. Night. We are told he is very powerful, rich and well connected. No one on the team has ever met him. I find it hard to believe that ex-military personnel of this supposed caliber would go to work for anyone in this type of setting without thoroughly vetting them first.
For his first assignment, Jack is offered a job of “protecting some politician’s socialite daughter.” With nowhere else to go, he reluctantly takes it.
Jack tracks Callie Hawthorne down at a nightclub. Their eyes connect across the room and boom, instant connection. Until they discover who the other is.
Callie starts off acting like a petulant, childish, pain in the rear. It really grated. We soon discover the reason for the attitude and behaviors. She is twenty two but acted more like a teenager in the beginning.
The story is told in dual POV. LOTS of talking in their heads. It was necessary to get a real feel for where they were both coming from. However, I also wanted more conversations between them. These two tortured beings had horrific childhoods with added baggage from their adult lives. They both tugged at my emotions and I was totally rooting for them to succeed. They were balms to the other’s soul. This is about acknowledging the past, healing, moving on and finding your place in the world.
I totally wanted to run over Callie’s parents with a steam roller and then back it up to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Despicable, vile, loathsome people.
A few steamy sex scenes with very mild BDSM. Domestic violence, emotional, physical and mental abuse.
The book moved along at a good pace until the end. It felt rushed and unfinished. I wanted more detail and explanations. While there are some predictable and unrealistic/unbelievable moments, but I didn’t care because I was so wrapped up in Jack and Callie’s stories, individually and together.
This doesn’t feel like a first book in a series. It feels more like a second or third in series and I missed important details by jumping in with this one without reading the previous books. I wanted more background filled in. One thing I always find annoying is when the cover model doesn’t look like the hero’s description. There are no scars on him anywhere and his tattoos are on the wrong side.
I am very curious about the secondary characters. And I want answers to the multitude of questions I was left with.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
Jack King is scarred down the entire left side of his body from a grenade attack which earned him a medical discharge from the marines. It took 2 years to recover and spending the last 6 months unsuccessfully looking for employment has left him floundering. Faith approaches him one night as he’s heavily drowning his sorrows and offers him a job with the 11th Hour. He runs her off but she leaves her card. Two weeks later, still unemployed, he seeks her out.
The 11th hour special operations unit is staffed with ex-military men and women. They specialize in last resort efforts. The current members: Isiah, Kellan, Sabrina and Faith appear to be familiar with each other. The group is funded by the mysterious Mr. Night. We are told he is very powerful, rich and well connected. No one on the team has ever met him. I find it hard to believe that ex-military personnel of this supposed caliber would go to work for anyone in this type of setting without thoroughly vetting them first.
For his first assignment, Jack is offered a job of “protecting some politician’s socialite daughter.” With nowhere else to go, he reluctantly takes it.
Jack tracks Callie Hawthorne down at a nightclub. Their eyes connect across the room and boom, instant connection. Until they discover who the other is.
Callie starts off acting like a petulant, childish, pain in the rear. It really grated. We soon discover the reason for the attitude and behaviors. She is twenty two but acted more like a teenager in the beginning.
The story is told in dual POV. LOTS of talking in their heads. It was necessary to get a real feel for where they were both coming from. However, I also wanted more conversations between them. These two tortured beings had horrific childhoods with added baggage from their adult lives. They both tugged at my emotions and I was totally rooting for them to succeed. They were balms to the other’s soul. This is about acknowledging the past, healing, moving on and finding your place in the world.
I totally wanted to run over Callie’s parents with a steam roller and then back it up to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Despicable, vile, loathsome people.
A few steamy sex scenes with very mild BDSM. Domestic violence, emotional, physical and mental abuse.
The book moved along at a good pace until the end. It felt rushed and unfinished. I wanted more detail and explanations. While there are some predictable and unrealistic/unbelievable moments, but I didn’t care because I was so wrapped up in Jack and Callie’s stories, individually and together.
This doesn’t feel like a first book in a series. It feels more like a second or third in series and I missed important details by jumping in with this one without reading the previous books. I wanted more background filled in. One thing I always find annoying is when the cover model doesn’t look like the hero’s description. There are no scars on him anywhere and his tattoos are on the wrong side.
I am very curious about the secondary characters. And I want answers to the multitude of questions I was left with.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
May 5, 2018
I won a copy the a first reads giveaway.
I liked this book but felt it could have been so much more.
It started out with lots of detail and really into the characters minds on why they were the way they were.
Then it just seemed to rush and try to sum up everything very quickly but did not really succeed. I felt robbed with how it just raced thru what could have been a very exciting interesting encounter and then ended.
Also the cover model bothered me, if the male is facially scarred, put scars on the cover model! Other stories I have read do this and it helps so much when building the characters in your head.
I liked this book but felt it could have been so much more.
It started out with lots of detail and really into the characters minds on why they were the way they were.
Then it just seemed to rush and try to sum up everything very quickly but did not really succeed. I felt robbed with how it just raced thru what could have been a very exciting interesting encounter and then ended.
Also the cover model bothered me, if the male is facially scarred, put scars on the cover model! Other stories I have read do this and it helps so much when building the characters in your head.
January 27, 2018
Raw Power is the beginning of what will be an awesome series. I loved how sarcastic and feisty the heroine was and that the hero was grumpy, scarred and yummy. Callie and Jack were scorching hot together which I loved. I also loved their brand of kink and cannot wait to read more of this series. I enjoyed the glimpses we got of the other members of team and I'm hoping a certain characters shrouded in mystery will get his story told.
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
March 1, 2018
OK let me take a breath here, what a story I am gobsmacked, this one is powerfully emotional, so very sensual the static between the hero and heroine could light up New York, Jack Knight is scarred physically and emotionally, Callie Hawthorne is so emotionally scarred it is a wonder she can get herself out of bed in the mornings, so what brings these two together and makes them fall in love? Jack needing a job and Callie supposedly needing protection. I can highly recommend this book first in The 11th Hour series woohoo.
Callie should be a happy healthy twenty two year old, she comes from a well to do family her father is a senator and they appear to be a happy family on the surface, but underneath lies a family controlled by an abusive father and husband. Callie learns to smile and do as her father wants but she also loves music and when she can she escapes to enjoy the nicer things in life and this is where she spots Jack across a dance floor he is scarred and gorgeous and she soon realizes that he wants her, he is her new 24/7 bodyguard assigned by her father.
Jack was in the marines until he was badly injured and discharged it has taken him years to heal and now he wants a job not some pen pushing job either so he is now in San Diego and applying to work for 11th Hour an unacknowledged company run by a very wealthy man Mr Knight, they are not so legal and are mostly ex-military, but for Jack to get this job he needs to prove himself and first job, protection of a wealthy senator’s daughter and from their first meeting Jack is feeling emotions that have been long buried and he sees in her things that he has kept from his past as well.
I loved this story from page one so many emotions flying off the pages it is compelling and mind boggling what both Jack and Callie have gone through, they are both from families where abuse was the norm, Callie has never known gentleness or love and when they come together their joining is dominant and rough but both are stunned by the heat and strength that they get from it. When Jack learns the truth about Callie he kidnaps her and all hell breaks out with her father and 11th Hour, but their love grows and Jack denies it at first he is convinced he is no good for Callie bit in the end it takes Callie, her music and some help from 11th Hour employees for the to find happiness, a beautiful HEA. I look forward to more in this series. MS Ashenden you rock a fabulous story.
Callie should be a happy healthy twenty two year old, she comes from a well to do family her father is a senator and they appear to be a happy family on the surface, but underneath lies a family controlled by an abusive father and husband. Callie learns to smile and do as her father wants but she also loves music and when she can she escapes to enjoy the nicer things in life and this is where she spots Jack across a dance floor he is scarred and gorgeous and she soon realizes that he wants her, he is her new 24/7 bodyguard assigned by her father.
Jack was in the marines until he was badly injured and discharged it has taken him years to heal and now he wants a job not some pen pushing job either so he is now in San Diego and applying to work for 11th Hour an unacknowledged company run by a very wealthy man Mr Knight, they are not so legal and are mostly ex-military, but for Jack to get this job he needs to prove himself and first job, protection of a wealthy senator’s daughter and from their first meeting Jack is feeling emotions that have been long buried and he sees in her things that he has kept from his past as well.
I loved this story from page one so many emotions flying off the pages it is compelling and mind boggling what both Jack and Callie have gone through, they are both from families where abuse was the norm, Callie has never known gentleness or love and when they come together their joining is dominant and rough but both are stunned by the heat and strength that they get from it. When Jack learns the truth about Callie he kidnaps her and all hell breaks out with her father and 11th Hour, but their love grows and Jack denies it at first he is convinced he is no good for Callie bit in the end it takes Callie, her music and some help from 11th Hour employees for the to find happiness, a beautiful HEA. I look forward to more in this series. MS Ashenden you rock a fabulous story.
July 5, 2018
As a longtime fan of Jackie Ashenden’s writing, you’ll find that most of my reviews for her books feature words like ‘Intense!’ and ‘Steamy!’. This applies whether she’s writing erotic romances like her Living In … and Lies We Tell series or riveting romantic suspense like her Nine Circles series. I’ve come to expect a certain style from her, where dominant heroes straddle the line between good and bad and heroines range from self-sufficient to younger, damsel-in-distress types. In Raw Power, the first of her new romantic suspense series 11th Hour, a wounded ex-military man finds purpose in working for a shadowy security agency though he inconveniently starts to care more about his client than the job at hand. Long-time fans will be happy with the result, and new ones will have a large backlist to add to their to-read shelf.
Ex-Marine Jack King is at a loose end. Wounded in action when he was unable to resist the siren call of women and children in danger in a trap set up exactly for men like him, he’s been honourably discharged and is looking for somewhere he can apply his skills. When he’s recruited by an under the radar security company, he’s given the opportunity to ‘audition’ for a permanent position with them by taking on a bodyguard position for a senator’s daughter. She’s a party girl, a spoiled selfish young woman who needs protection from death threats. Jack’s a professional, and he can handle anyone. But things aren’t quite what they seem, and the more Jack learns, the more he wonders exactly where the threat lies.
Callie Hawthorne is used to being under the emotionally abusive thumb of her father, the man who controls everything in her life from her relationship with her cold and distant mother to her day to day activities. He’s got plans for higher political appointments and expects her to appear as the perfect supportive daughter. Sneaking out from a charity event to escape her reality at a nightclub for a few hours, her first meeting with Jack, her new bodyguard, makes her keenly aware of how different he is from the other men in her life. Scarred face notwithstanding, he’s a man who exudes power and confidence. He’s also the enemy if he works for her father.
Forced to put up with Jack in her house twenty-four hours a day, the attraction between them simmers into a full boil. With it comes the real danger. Jack’s job is to protect Callie from external threats, including those close to home. When she becomes more than just a client, will he risk blowing his first assignment to keep her safe and in his life for good?
Raw Power is a good start to what looks to be an intriguing new series. I like the concept of a group of military veterans looking to find new meaning in their lives after leaving the service. Jack is described as having some serious facial scars (though the book’s cover shows otherwise) and also limps due to a severe leg injury that he has covered with tattoos. He may not have the same level of physical adeptness as he used to, but he’s quick witted, strong and motivated to prove himself still capable of assessing and removing threats. A bodyguard assignment seems pretty benign and boring but he’ll do it if it means he gets an ‘in’ into the agency, where he’ll presumably get better assignments once he’s proven that he can handle a small job. It just doesn’t turn out to be so small after all.
Callie is a young woman in her early twenties with very little power and control due to her abusive father. She lives on her own (though we soon find out that she doesn’t have as much privacy there as she’d thought) and in her experience, showing any sort of caring or desire for something means it will be used against her. She comes across as snobby, unfeeling and concerned only looking out for herself but it’s her way of protecting herself. She finds solace in one thing – her music. She has a guitar and composes melodies to express her emotions. Jack isn’t like anyone she’s ever met before, especially when he appears to actually listen to her and see past her spoiled brat act. The sexual chemistry between them startles her too. She pushes Jack into admitting his own desire for her and there are some hot and sexy scenes, consensual but bordering on rough sex as Jack tries to scare Callie off. It doesn’t work. The more they spend time together, especially when Callie realizes that she can make Jack lose control around her, the more she can contemplate regaining control in other aspects of her life too.
While Callie has her problems, Jack has childhood trauma to deal with. An abusive, alcoholic father, the death of his sister, and his own personal need for revenge color his world with dark thoughts. Callie becomes someone he can confide in, though he doesn’t believe he is worthy of her love; fortunately, she is able to convince him otherwise as the danger they face heightens the emotions between them. There are action packed and intense scenes in the second half of the story that lead them to their happy ending.
If I have a complaint about the book overall, it’s that there is not much time spent building the team dynamics for the 11th hour operatives, who are introduced at the start but don’t seem a particularly cohesive unit. This may be because Jack spends very little time with them while on his assignment. Unlike other series where one thinks the ‘I can’t wait to read his/her story!’ after finishing one particular book, I’m left with a feeling of ambiguity about who I’d want to read about next. But no worries, I intend to pick up the next one because with a Jackie Ashenden romance, I can always be assured of an intense and steamy read.
This review also appears at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Ex-Marine Jack King is at a loose end. Wounded in action when he was unable to resist the siren call of women and children in danger in a trap set up exactly for men like him, he’s been honourably discharged and is looking for somewhere he can apply his skills. When he’s recruited by an under the radar security company, he’s given the opportunity to ‘audition’ for a permanent position with them by taking on a bodyguard position for a senator’s daughter. She’s a party girl, a spoiled selfish young woman who needs protection from death threats. Jack’s a professional, and he can handle anyone. But things aren’t quite what they seem, and the more Jack learns, the more he wonders exactly where the threat lies.
Callie Hawthorne is used to being under the emotionally abusive thumb of her father, the man who controls everything in her life from her relationship with her cold and distant mother to her day to day activities. He’s got plans for higher political appointments and expects her to appear as the perfect supportive daughter. Sneaking out from a charity event to escape her reality at a nightclub for a few hours, her first meeting with Jack, her new bodyguard, makes her keenly aware of how different he is from the other men in her life. Scarred face notwithstanding, he’s a man who exudes power and confidence. He’s also the enemy if he works for her father.
Forced to put up with Jack in her house twenty-four hours a day, the attraction between them simmers into a full boil. With it comes the real danger. Jack’s job is to protect Callie from external threats, including those close to home. When she becomes more than just a client, will he risk blowing his first assignment to keep her safe and in his life for good?
Raw Power is a good start to what looks to be an intriguing new series. I like the concept of a group of military veterans looking to find new meaning in their lives after leaving the service. Jack is described as having some serious facial scars (though the book’s cover shows otherwise) and also limps due to a severe leg injury that he has covered with tattoos. He may not have the same level of physical adeptness as he used to, but he’s quick witted, strong and motivated to prove himself still capable of assessing and removing threats. A bodyguard assignment seems pretty benign and boring but he’ll do it if it means he gets an ‘in’ into the agency, where he’ll presumably get better assignments once he’s proven that he can handle a small job. It just doesn’t turn out to be so small after all.
Callie is a young woman in her early twenties with very little power and control due to her abusive father. She lives on her own (though we soon find out that she doesn’t have as much privacy there as she’d thought) and in her experience, showing any sort of caring or desire for something means it will be used against her. She comes across as snobby, unfeeling and concerned only looking out for herself but it’s her way of protecting herself. She finds solace in one thing – her music. She has a guitar and composes melodies to express her emotions. Jack isn’t like anyone she’s ever met before, especially when he appears to actually listen to her and see past her spoiled brat act. The sexual chemistry between them startles her too. She pushes Jack into admitting his own desire for her and there are some hot and sexy scenes, consensual but bordering on rough sex as Jack tries to scare Callie off. It doesn’t work. The more they spend time together, especially when Callie realizes that she can make Jack lose control around her, the more she can contemplate regaining control in other aspects of her life too.
While Callie has her problems, Jack has childhood trauma to deal with. An abusive, alcoholic father, the death of his sister, and his own personal need for revenge color his world with dark thoughts. Callie becomes someone he can confide in, though he doesn’t believe he is worthy of her love; fortunately, she is able to convince him otherwise as the danger they face heightens the emotions between them. There are action packed and intense scenes in the second half of the story that lead them to their happy ending.
If I have a complaint about the book overall, it’s that there is not much time spent building the team dynamics for the 11th hour operatives, who are introduced at the start but don’t seem a particularly cohesive unit. This may be because Jack spends very little time with them while on his assignment. Unlike other series where one thinks the ‘I can’t wait to read his/her story!’ after finishing one particular book, I’m left with a feeling of ambiguity about who I’d want to read about next. But no worries, I intend to pick up the next one because with a Jackie Ashenden romance, I can always be assured of an intense and steamy read.
This review also appears at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
April 9, 2018
I won this book in a giveaway, and I chose it out of the stable of books on offer because I'd heard good things about the author's skill.
Eh.
So...no. For competent military and ex-military heroes and heroines I guess I'll stick with Suzanne Brockmann and the like who bring dimension and depth and COMPETENCE to their books.
Eh.
So...no. For competent military and ex-military heroes and heroines I guess I'll stick with Suzanne Brockmann and the like who bring dimension and depth and COMPETENCE to their books.
February 9, 2018
3.5
Out of all her series that I have read, I think I may enjoy reading this one the most. All former soldiers for the government in one way or another. Also, all injured in one way or another. Now united to form a unit called the 11th hour. Our hero's first assignment is to protect our heroine the pampered daughter of a politician.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Out of all her series that I have read, I think I may enjoy reading this one the most. All former soldiers for the government in one way or another. Also, all injured in one way or another. Now united to form a unit called the 11th hour. Our hero's first assignment is to protect our heroine the pampered daughter of a politician.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 23, 2018
**My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
This is the first book in a new series in which retired former soldiers get a second chance with a job that is not entirely legal, but not illegal either.
Jack King was injured in the line of duty and has not been able to get a job, until now, when a woman hands him a card for the 11th Hour.
Jack has a protective streak and when his first assignment is for Callie Hawthorne his sensors go on red alert from the beginning. One for the responses that she brings out from him and the second with her situation.
Callie is fed up of being her fathers pawn and with the arrival of Jack initially believes that he is there to take away her had won freedom. However her simmering attraction to Jack has her acting herself for the first time in forever.
The chemistry between the two is explosive and their pasts are not light hearted at all.
We get our happy ever after and introductions to the rest of the team, however the secretive Mr Night has me captivated, so i hope we get a story with him at the helm.
A brilliant start to the new series.
This is the first book in a new series in which retired former soldiers get a second chance with a job that is not entirely legal, but not illegal either.
Jack King was injured in the line of duty and has not been able to get a job, until now, when a woman hands him a card for the 11th Hour.
Jack has a protective streak and when his first assignment is for Callie Hawthorne his sensors go on red alert from the beginning. One for the responses that she brings out from him and the second with her situation.
Callie is fed up of being her fathers pawn and with the arrival of Jack initially believes that he is there to take away her had won freedom. However her simmering attraction to Jack has her acting herself for the first time in forever.
The chemistry between the two is explosive and their pasts are not light hearted at all.
We get our happy ever after and introductions to the rest of the team, however the secretive Mr Night has me captivated, so i hope we get a story with him at the helm.
A brilliant start to the new series.
July 9, 2024
Jack was medically discharged from the Marines. He gets recruited to "11th Hour" a group of former veterans tasked with doing difficult jobs. Only catch? He has to complete a job first before he is officially part of the group. He is not happy to find out his first job is to be bodyguard to a Senator's daughter, Callie. Callie is not happy to have another bodyguard and makes their first meeting difficult.
Jack believes Callie to be a spoiled rich bitch and calls her "Princess" their first meeting (and thereafter). However, things aren't as they seem and it turns out Callie is not at all who he thought. They share details of their past lives and Jack decided to help Callie.
This was a bit darker; both characters are victims of parental abuse. I hated that Jack continued to call Callie "princess" despite her not caring for the name. I wasn't too crazy about some of the sex scenes, they made me uncomfortable; they did not come off as romantic knowing both characters back stories. When all was said and done, I was more curious about the 11th Hour and the mysterious Mr Night.
RBSB: But Daddy I Love Him
Jack believes Callie to be a spoiled rich bitch and calls her "Princess" their first meeting (and thereafter). However, things aren't as they seem and it turns out Callie is not at all who he thought. They share details of their past lives and Jack decided to help Callie.
This was a bit darker; both characters are victims of parental abuse. I hated that Jack continued to call Callie "princess" despite her not caring for the name. I wasn't too crazy about some of the sex scenes, they made me uncomfortable; they did not come off as romantic knowing both characters back stories. When all was said and done, I was more curious about the 11th Hour and the mysterious Mr Night.
RBSB: But Daddy I Love Him
January 24, 2018
Loved, loved, LOVED this book! This is the start to a new series that promises to be fantastic - what could be hotter than a group of former military that steps in to help when all legal avenues have been exhausted or do not exist.... Jack is one such soldier - as a Marine Force Recon vet, he left the Marines after surviving a grenade blast and is angry about no longer serving and with slightly tarnished honor.
Jack's first assignment is to protect Callie, the pampered daughter of a politician. He finds it a bit insulting and well beneath his skill set, but must complete the assignment to secure a regular position with the 11th Hour. Callie, however, is not quite the pampered princess he expected, and he quickly learns that a golden cage is still a cage and the very real danger to her exists within that cage. He puts everything on the line to protect her and ends up finding himself along the way.
This is a sexy and hot novel that fans of the genre will love - this is a must read. No one can create a tarnished hero like this author - she made me fall in love with these characters and care about their story. I was so engrossed in this novel that I was sorry when it ended. The author is on my must read authors' list and should probably be on yours as well.
Jack's first assignment is to protect Callie, the pampered daughter of a politician. He finds it a bit insulting and well beneath his skill set, but must complete the assignment to secure a regular position with the 11th Hour. Callie, however, is not quite the pampered princess he expected, and he quickly learns that a golden cage is still a cage and the very real danger to her exists within that cage. He puts everything on the line to protect her and ends up finding himself along the way.
This is a sexy and hot novel that fans of the genre will love - this is a must read. No one can create a tarnished hero like this author - she made me fall in love with these characters and care about their story. I was so engrossed in this novel that I was sorry when it ended. The author is on my must read authors' list and should probably be on yours as well.
February 25, 2018
Just when I'm firmly convinced that Jackie Ashenden can't possibly write a novel that's better than her last one, she proves me wrong, and she did it again with this first novel in her new 11th Hour series, which gets a 5-star rating from this reader.
One of the things that drew me to her novels from the very first one I read, Hold Me Down, her entry in the Deacons of Bourbon Street series, is how completely she is able to immerse the reader into the minds, hearts and souls of her characters, as well as the drama, angst, fear and suspense of their stories, and Raw Power is no exception to that fact.
We first meet Jack King, in the prologue. He's a Marine in Force Recon, stationed in Afghanistan, and he's trying to rescue a houseful of women and children when it turns out to be a trap and literally and figuratively blows up in his face, as he's standing too close to an exploding grenade thrown by an insurgent.
We next catch up with Jack two years later. He's been medically discharged from the military, is wounded and scarred after the explosion, has had multiple surgeries and rehab, and he doesn't know what to do with himself. He's been unable to find a job that matches his skill set, and he certainly doesn't want to end up as a bouncer in a nightclub. But a chance meeting and a proffered business card lead him to Mac's Bar, a cover for an ex-military group known as the 11th Hour, operated by a mysterious figure known only as Mr. Night. He's offered his first mission, as bodyguard for the socialite daughter of presidential hopeful, U.S. Senator Hawthorne, against whom death threats have been made, and although babysitting is not something he wants to do, he soon learns that this bodyguard job is a test, and he'll only be allowed to join the team after he successfully completes his mission, and, since he has no other options, he accepts.
Jack finally catches up with his charge, Callie Hawthorne, in a nightclub, after trying all day to track her down. She's an elusive but beautiful, blonde, 22-year-old, and he's surprised that she's not put off by his orders, his scarred appearance, or his insistence that he's not leaving her side and that he's going to do his job with out without her cooperation. He can't help but be attracted to her feisty nature, and intrigued by the fear he sees in her eyes, but as a former Marine, he won't allow her to keep him from completing his mission.
Jack King embodies everything I love and want in a fictional hero--he's big, strong, protective, sexy and driven to succeed at whatever life throws at him, while at the same time being wounded, scarred and damaged, both physically and emotionally. But Callie Hawthorne is a surprise, since she isn't at all cowed by her new bodyguard--in fact, she's attracted to and intrigued by him, but it will take quite a while for her to understand why. When Jack finally gets her out of the nightclub, and her limo driver is called to pick them up, Jack's plans take on whole new aspect, when Callie accepts that the new driver is a last minute replacement for her usual driver, and jumps into the limo, ignoring Jack's order to wait. When the limo driver goes for his gun, Jack knocks him out, and all his previous plans change, as Jack breaks protocol to keep Callie safe, and that's just for starters.
Jack no longer trusts his team, Callie doesn't at first trust Jack, and from this point on the suspense and the heat these two generate ratchets into high gear, so prepare yourself for some fireworks and some tears, because these two characters are far more alike than they or the reader first realizes, and Ms. Ashenden's uncanny ability to make us feel and fully understand the depth of their pain, their uncertainty, and their damage is unparalleled. At this point, I must also mention that this novel contains scenes of rough sex with BDSM overtones, and that it is definitely for mature readers only.
While there's so much more I'd love to say about this novel, I don't want to spoil it for you. What I will tell you is that I absolutely loved every single word of it, was totally and completely engrossed in and moved by both the characters and the plot, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. While I wish Ms. Ashenden had given us more background information on the 11th Hour team, I'm sure that it will come in future novels, and I, for one, cannot wait to read them.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
One of the things that drew me to her novels from the very first one I read, Hold Me Down, her entry in the Deacons of Bourbon Street series, is how completely she is able to immerse the reader into the minds, hearts and souls of her characters, as well as the drama, angst, fear and suspense of their stories, and Raw Power is no exception to that fact.
We first meet Jack King, in the prologue. He's a Marine in Force Recon, stationed in Afghanistan, and he's trying to rescue a houseful of women and children when it turns out to be a trap and literally and figuratively blows up in his face, as he's standing too close to an exploding grenade thrown by an insurgent.
We next catch up with Jack two years later. He's been medically discharged from the military, is wounded and scarred after the explosion, has had multiple surgeries and rehab, and he doesn't know what to do with himself. He's been unable to find a job that matches his skill set, and he certainly doesn't want to end up as a bouncer in a nightclub. But a chance meeting and a proffered business card lead him to Mac's Bar, a cover for an ex-military group known as the 11th Hour, operated by a mysterious figure known only as Mr. Night. He's offered his first mission, as bodyguard for the socialite daughter of presidential hopeful, U.S. Senator Hawthorne, against whom death threats have been made, and although babysitting is not something he wants to do, he soon learns that this bodyguard job is a test, and he'll only be allowed to join the team after he successfully completes his mission, and, since he has no other options, he accepts.
Jack finally catches up with his charge, Callie Hawthorne, in a nightclub, after trying all day to track her down. She's an elusive but beautiful, blonde, 22-year-old, and he's surprised that she's not put off by his orders, his scarred appearance, or his insistence that he's not leaving her side and that he's going to do his job with out without her cooperation. He can't help but be attracted to her feisty nature, and intrigued by the fear he sees in her eyes, but as a former Marine, he won't allow her to keep him from completing his mission.
Jack King embodies everything I love and want in a fictional hero--he's big, strong, protective, sexy and driven to succeed at whatever life throws at him, while at the same time being wounded, scarred and damaged, both physically and emotionally. But Callie Hawthorne is a surprise, since she isn't at all cowed by her new bodyguard--in fact, she's attracted to and intrigued by him, but it will take quite a while for her to understand why. When Jack finally gets her out of the nightclub, and her limo driver is called to pick them up, Jack's plans take on whole new aspect, when Callie accepts that the new driver is a last minute replacement for her usual driver, and jumps into the limo, ignoring Jack's order to wait. When the limo driver goes for his gun, Jack knocks him out, and all his previous plans change, as Jack breaks protocol to keep Callie safe, and that's just for starters.
Jack no longer trusts his team, Callie doesn't at first trust Jack, and from this point on the suspense and the heat these two generate ratchets into high gear, so prepare yourself for some fireworks and some tears, because these two characters are far more alike than they or the reader first realizes, and Ms. Ashenden's uncanny ability to make us feel and fully understand the depth of their pain, their uncertainty, and their damage is unparalleled. At this point, I must also mention that this novel contains scenes of rough sex with BDSM overtones, and that it is definitely for mature readers only.
While there's so much more I'd love to say about this novel, I don't want to spoil it for you. What I will tell you is that I absolutely loved every single word of it, was totally and completely engrossed in and moved by both the characters and the plot, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. While I wish Ms. Ashenden had given us more background information on the 11th Hour team, I'm sure that it will come in future novels, and I, for one, cannot wait to read them.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
March 23, 2018
Jack King is struggling with life after his military career came to end because of an injury. Discharged from active duty, he has no idea what to do with himself until the 11th Hour -- former soldiers that are determined to keep on helping people -- come to him and make an offer he doesn't know whether he can refuse, especially since it'll give him purpose for his life instead of drinking it away. However, babysitting a politician's daughter isn't what he had in mind for his first assignment, but it seems he has no choice. Will he be able to keep Callie Hawthorne safe while doing his best to keep his hands off her, or will discovering the person responsible for the threats to her life make them both more of a target?
This was such an intriguing and thrilling tale, of which I loved how it started because the hero needs a purpose for his life instead of continuing to be stuck in the same rut he's been in since he was discharged from active duty. Will the 11th Hour be just what he needs to get his life back on track? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time that had me smiling, as the heroine proves quite the challenge for the hero. Will he have to use the strong-arm tactics he threatens in order to get her to understand she's a target?
As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories that had me sympathizing with both of them, as the hero's injury forced him to leave the career he loved and he doesn't know what to do with himself anymore while the heroine wants freedom from her father and I could understand why she pushes the boundaries of what she should and shouldn't be doing because her dad is an arrogant jerk that expects her daughter to do what she's told when she's told. Will she ever fall into line with her father's plans?
With the main characters, I thought both were fantastic, as the heroine provides quite the challenge for the hero. Will she eventually give him a chance? Will she finally realize how serious the threat is to her life? Will the hero discover who is threatening the heroine? And if he does, what lengths will he go to in order to keep her safe? Moreover, the heroine is resilient, feisty, and courageous in standing up for herself because she doesn't need anyone. Yet, in saying that, I liked how she took a chance on the hero once he proves how determined he is to protect her. While the hero, he's been through tough times and I liked how working with the 11th Hour and protecting Callie gives him purpose for his life, which is something he needs. I also liked how protective the hero was of Callie, especially once they realize where the threat is coming from. No way was she going to continue to let someone try to have control over her life.
Overall, Ms. Ashenden has delivered a read that had me hooked from beginning to end because of the strong chemistry between this couple that spilled over onto the pages in really steamy sex scenes that showed how much Jack likes control; and the ending wrapped this story up wonderfully because the heroine finally has the chance to help the hero and herself. No longer does she need to worry about the person responsible for the threats to her life. I would recommend Raw Power by Jackie Ashenden, if you enjoy the sexy protector trope, the opposites attract trope, or books by authors Katee Robert, Katie Reus, Sharon Hamilton and Lindsay McKenna.
February 25, 2018
This book is a GoodReads giveaway win.
Callie is the daughter of Senator Hawthorne. Senator Hawthorne is a Presidential candidate and has hired the 11th hour group to protect his daughter because of death threats.
Jack King is a marine without a unit because the military decided he was unfit for duty after a bombing left him severely injured. 11th Hour contacted Jack about joining them. Jack is a natural protector and needs a cause, plus no one will hire him with his past injuries. So he goes to check it out and is NOT happy with the assignment. His first assignment is "babysitting" a rich man's daughter. He does the job or he can't join the group and Jack really misses being part of a team.
Callie does all see can to avoid meeting her new bodyguard. She has next to no freedom as it is. Jack is excellent at his job and finds her anyway. When these two meet...it's like brick meet wall! Callie is stubborn and Jack is immoveable...at first. Things aren't what they seem.
I liked this for a few reasons, first Callie isn't the typical spoiled rich girl just throwing fit about freedom, all the crap she has gone through basically since birth and she's been able to keep most of it buried enough to function, she's spunky.
I think this book touches on a hard subject without causing offense. I like that they both characters are basically missing the same thing, although it's sad.
I feel this book was well written and will be watching for a book 2. I'd like to know more about the mysterious Mr. Night.
Callie is the daughter of Senator Hawthorne. Senator Hawthorne is a Presidential candidate and has hired the 11th hour group to protect his daughter because of death threats.
Jack King is a marine without a unit because the military decided he was unfit for duty after a bombing left him severely injured. 11th Hour contacted Jack about joining them. Jack is a natural protector and needs a cause, plus no one will hire him with his past injuries. So he goes to check it out and is NOT happy with the assignment. His first assignment is "babysitting" a rich man's daughter. He does the job or he can't join the group and Jack really misses being part of a team.
Callie does all see can to avoid meeting her new bodyguard. She has next to no freedom as it is. Jack is excellent at his job and finds her anyway. When these two meet...it's like brick meet wall! Callie is stubborn and Jack is immoveable...at first. Things aren't what they seem.
I liked this for a few reasons, first Callie isn't the typical spoiled rich girl just throwing fit about freedom, all the crap she has gone through basically since birth and she's been able to keep most of it buried enough to function, she's spunky.
I think this book touches on a hard subject without causing offense. I like that they both characters are basically missing the same thing, although it's sad.
I feel this book was well written and will be watching for a book 2. I'd like to know more about the mysterious Mr. Night.
February 24, 2018
Jake and Callie electrify readers with passion and determination in the first book of the brand new 11th Hour series.
The characters are strong, compelling and easily hook readers on their story as they struggle to find their way through a roller coaster of emotional turmoil and conflicts which continuously plague Jake and Callie. Not only do they have to find a way to get a handle on the situation but they fight an undeniable attraction that has them engaging in some hot and steamy embraces.
This story is fast paced and full of surprising twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats with danger and thrills. Jake’s unhappiness with the assignment adds to the confusion of the situation and he tries to determine just where the danger to Callie is coming from and when he does, he faces a couple of major decisions that will impact both his and Callie’s future which adds to the suspense and anticipation of the story, ensuring that readers want to know every last detail of this explosive relationship.
Jackie Ashenden has a gift for creating powerful, raw and thrilling stories that are full of enthralling characters that grab my attention and refuse to let go. She brings her worlds to electrifying life which makes it easy for readers to imagine each and every scene and feel as if they are part of the story taking place. I was completely caught up in Raw Power from the very beginning and I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series.
The characters are strong, compelling and easily hook readers on their story as they struggle to find their way through a roller coaster of emotional turmoil and conflicts which continuously plague Jake and Callie. Not only do they have to find a way to get a handle on the situation but they fight an undeniable attraction that has them engaging in some hot and steamy embraces.
This story is fast paced and full of surprising twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats with danger and thrills. Jake’s unhappiness with the assignment adds to the confusion of the situation and he tries to determine just where the danger to Callie is coming from and when he does, he faces a couple of major decisions that will impact both his and Callie’s future which adds to the suspense and anticipation of the story, ensuring that readers want to know every last detail of this explosive relationship.
Jackie Ashenden has a gift for creating powerful, raw and thrilling stories that are full of enthralling characters that grab my attention and refuse to let go. She brings her worlds to electrifying life which makes it easy for readers to imagine each and every scene and feel as if they are part of the story taking place. I was completely caught up in Raw Power from the very beginning and I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series.
February 27, 2018
Raw Power by Jackie Ashenden begins a new series on the 11th Hour Agency. These guys are all former military, served their country well and paid the price by suffering injury. Now they are the ones called when there is no other hope. Not always following the rules, but making them up as they go along since they must make instant decisions. Jack King fit that description to a T as he protects a Senator’s daughter, Callie Hawthorne.
I have had mixed feeling about the characters in some of Jackie Ashenden’s books, simply because they do not always walk the ethical side of life. She has given the reader a character in Jack, who will get the job done but may use unconventional methods to do so. I found that I like him, understanding his motives as well as his actions. Callie Hawthorne came across as a strong, stubborn woman. I wasn’t sure if she was going to use common sense or not in the beginning. Still they are a well matched couple.
This is a series that I will want to read more of the books. These flawed heroes, who still have a sense of honor, in a must read plot makes great escape reading. I give a thumbs up on this new series starting with Raw Power.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have had mixed feeling about the characters in some of Jackie Ashenden’s books, simply because they do not always walk the ethical side of life. She has given the reader a character in Jack, who will get the job done but may use unconventional methods to do so. I found that I like him, understanding his motives as well as his actions. Callie Hawthorne came across as a strong, stubborn woman. I wasn’t sure if she was going to use common sense or not in the beginning. Still they are a well matched couple.
This is a series that I will want to read more of the books. These flawed heroes, who still have a sense of honor, in a must read plot makes great escape reading. I give a thumbs up on this new series starting with Raw Power.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 19, 2018
A fabulous book to kick off what should be an exciting new series. The operatives of the 11th Power are all the best of the best. Exceptionally trained and fully committed to helping those who have no one else. That's why Jack King doesn't understand the first assignment he's given. Babysitting the privileged daughter of a high powered politician is not what he was expecting and it's not what he signed up for. The last thing Callie Hawthorne wants is a bodyguard. Thanks to her father there are always threats. What makes this latest round any different? Well she's not going to put up with the over the top, bossy Jack King following her around 24/7. When the threats prove to be real Jack takes the drastic measure of kidnapping Callie to keep her safe. On the run and on their own the pull between these two will surely be explosive!
This book has it all. Suspense, action, steamy hot passion and panty melting characters. Put this on the must read list, you don't want to miss it. I can't wait to read the next book!
This book has it all. Suspense, action, steamy hot passion and panty melting characters. Put this on the must read list, you don't want to miss it. I can't wait to read the next book!
March 21, 2018
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author. (netgalley) We meet Jake who was a marine, but once a marine always a marine. Jack had been hurt and scarred in his last mission and now is jobless and wondering what he is going to do. He gets approached by a company called the 11th hour and he is intrigued but in order to actually join the group he has to work on his first assignment which ends up babysitting a senators daughter. Callie was really rude to him, and he discovers that she gets bitchy because she is terrified, but of who is the question? It doesn't seem she is scared of her death threat more of someone. When he discovers who it is he runs away with her, but now who is on his side?
March 5, 2018
What a fantastic book this is by Jackie Ashenden. I absolutely loved everything in this book. The intrigue, adventure and action are fantastic and entertaining which makes this book one of the best books in this genre of 2018. The storyline really hooked me in and kept my attention the whole way through and the characters had me one the edge of my seat and turning the pages as quickly as I could to see what was going to happen next between them and the story. Their interactions are amazing and the chemistry between them is just perfect for this story. Love this author and her books and this is another one in my favourites by her and I would definitely recommend this book
February 11, 2018
Raw Power would definitely have to be my favourite read to date by Jackie Ashenden. The first in a brand new series, it promises to be the intro to an exciting and well-developed world of complex, scarred and emotionally distant heroes
I loved all the characters and Ms Ashenden provided some seriously touching and passionate moments that drew more than one tear from this reader. A beautifully written story with depth, action and romance to die for; I can’t wait to see what will happen with Kellan.
I loved all the characters and Ms Ashenden provided some seriously touching and passionate moments that drew more than one tear from this reader. A beautifully written story with depth, action and romance to die for; I can’t wait to see what will happen with Kellan.
February 28, 2018
Jackie Ashenden can write.....steamy love scenes that require reading with a fan, solid story lines, great character development.... Raw Power has all of that. I don't recap stories in my reviews, I just try to convey to a potential reader what I thought and/or whether I think its a good read. For Jackie Ashenden's Raw Power I will say this: I was so into the story that I lost track of the fact that I was reading on my kindle and caught myself reaching up to turn the page. Yes, it's that good.
February 14, 2018
I received a ARC of this book via Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Strong characters and a great story line. I can't wait to read more from Jackie's work too. I just couldn't put this book down once I started reading it.
March 1, 2018
Raw power
I was given ARC in exchange for my honest opinion .
Jack King has an assignment to do in order to be able to join the 11th hour. And that job was to protect Miss Callie Hawthorne the daughter of Senator.
Callie Hawthorne is trying to live a secret life that her father doesn’t know anything about. However there are death threats against the family so Jack is hired to watch over Callie and she isn’t happy with that.
When Jack realized that Callie’s father is abusing her and controlling her life he take her away to protect her from her father.
Callie is grateful to be away from the life she was living until her father shows up.
Jackie Ashenden’s new series is so hot it’s a must read!!!!
I was given ARC in exchange for my honest opinion .
Jack King has an assignment to do in order to be able to join the 11th hour. And that job was to protect Miss Callie Hawthorne the daughter of Senator.
Callie Hawthorne is trying to live a secret life that her father doesn’t know anything about. However there are death threats against the family so Jack is hired to watch over Callie and she isn’t happy with that.
When Jack realized that Callie’s father is abusing her and controlling her life he take her away to protect her from her father.
Callie is grateful to be away from the life she was living until her father shows up.
Jackie Ashenden’s new series is so hot it’s a must read!!!!
March 22, 2018
An awesome start to a brand new series!!
February 13, 2018
To wordy in the mushy sections. The females descriptions of abusebwere told and then the males. It was like rereading the same one over again. Too wordy!
February 18, 2018
So good! Lots of action and suspense! Also a lot of heat! I loved it! Jackie always knows what to write to make you addicted! I can't wait for more!
February 21, 2018
This one sadly didn't work for me. It was very descriptive and in the characters minds too much. I need dialogue. The story just wasn't pulling me in and probably had to do with "telling" vs. "showing." Also, I felt some things were repetitive. I also didn't really care for Callie's character.
February 1, 2018
Another great start to a new series. Jack is scarred, protective and oh so alpha. What is not to love. The parallel between Jack and Callie’s backstories and the way they came together to learn that it is not what happened in the past but who you become is beautifully told and yes, again, Ms. Ashenden knows how to pull the tear card.
Definitely need to read about the other members of the 11th Hour. Next up, Kellan.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Definitely need to read about the other members of the 11th Hour. Next up, Kellan.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
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