Forsaken Duty

Red Team #9

by Elaine Levine

The long awaited conclusion to the Red Team saga is almost here! 

 

The only truth Owen Tremaine's certain of is that everything in his life has been a lie. Not only is his former fiancée alive, but so is their son...a child he never knew existed. Raised as a fighter in the resistance against a violent and secretive cult, Owen abandons his team, his family, everything to extract the woman he once loved and the son he's never met from the clutches of his enemy.

Adelaide Jacobs has only loved one man...Owen Tremaine. She grew up in the long shadow he and her brother cast, toddling after them as much as her brother tolerated. Owen's visits were the best memories of her childhood...until the day he saw her as a woman. They had one night together before hell took over her life in a war that's framed her world ever since.

Now she's a fighter too, battling an unknown disease that consumes a little more of her each day. She'll never forgive her brother for bringing Owen into her hell. Is there enough time to find the cure so they can have the future they both thought they'd never have? Or is now--this very moment--all the time they'll have?

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Military Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

460 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2017

About the author

"Elaine Levine is a wonderfully fresh and original voice in western romance.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME

"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK

"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER

Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER

* * *

ABOUT ELAINE:

Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.

Reviews

[Judith Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent ending to a fantastic series. Elaine Levine takes you a roller coaster ride you never want to get off! Her characters are well written and believable. Owen and Addys story wraps everything up but leaves nice little teasers for the spin the off series which I am so looking forward too. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who likes alpha warriors who falls for strong independent females.

[Wendy Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally we get some answers and some things get settled in this intense and suspenseful read, some is sad and not always easy to understand how families especially parents can have put their kids through what they have. There is excitement and a bit of violence as things come to a head towards the end. I felt for Addy and for Owen, both have had to fight in their own ways and Addy has been through hell. Both needing to understand what has been done to them and to find their son. Elaine has written a complex and intricate series that needs to be read in order from the beginning or it wont make sense, it is interesting and spell binding keeping me enthralled throughout. It is also a series I shall re-read at some point just so I can go through without the breaks of waiting for the next book to be written. Owen has always seemed a little distant but this book gives the answers to why, I love that he found Addy after believing her to be gone. This is a slightly futuristic type series but something that is also quite believable in this day and age of gadgets and technology. The continuation has been all kept in perspective so no gaps left, everything if not answered straight away does become clear as you go through the series and it is well worth reading.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad that we have resolution with this series, but I sort of feel let down with how the bad guys were taken down. The big fight to end things wasn't all that big and over so quickly. It's a good thing that I had something else to keep me interested and that was Owen and Addy. I liked watching them back into each other's lives. They had a lot of years to make up for, a lot of misinformation that was so very wrong. I liked how Owen reacted, nothing didn't matter but being near each other and he showed Addy at every turn. It was these actions that helped win her over, along with her son. It was rainbows and puppies with no issues, but at each turn Owen forced Addy to talk about things, letting her know he would never react like those people that had been in her life.

I loved the big Thanksgiving meal, loved how the family was all together and ready to start living again!

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and am sorry to see it end. I enjoyed how in each book we get to know more and more about the characters. Those we have had their own stories still grow in the new ones. The story line took us on an emotional as well as suspenseful journey. As a reader I was hooked from beginning to end and Owen's story was no different. Owen remained a little aloof in the other books but oh my did my heart hurt for him in this one. To see such a strong and honorable man so vulnerable. Addy seemed so broken but was much stronger than she knew. Watching them find one another. Val, Ace, Greer, Jax and Owen all having to come to terms with their parents decisions and how painful that was for each of them but how love helped them withstand. Elaine thank you for taking us on this exciting, harrowing, painful and happy journey.

[Hope Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, I love Owen and Addy's story but the wrap up of the King story was a bit lackluster. We spent 9 books gearing up for this war, and with the turn of a page it was over. I guess I just expected...more. Additionally, finding out who King actually is, I am curious why his kids weren't mentioned as having other siblings (trying to be cryptic because I don't want to put in any spoilers). I mean, it was a big deal when anyone found out they had other family within this series, but then, the biggest bad guy had kids and nothing was mentioned about that connection. I am also not a huge fan of the nano technology thing, it was a bit more paranormal than I normally enjoy in a RS book. All in all, I love this series. I love the guys and I hope to see more of them in the future.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's back!

SPOILERS++++Now this book had the substance that her earlier books had. Even though Owen didn't end up with Serena as I had hoped, this story actually brought me to tears which is not easy.
Loved all the interaction between the team members and watching Owen's coldness be cast off and some of his feeling start to return after being squelched for so many years.

No Spoiler*****Highly recommend this book. It neatly tidies up a major skirmish against the battle the team has been fighting since the beginning of this series. But don't think the war is over. Ms Levine has left an opening for the Red Team to do further battle. I'm pretty sure you haven't seen the last of them!

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25☆

I thought Forsaken Duty was a very enjoyable story. Which drew me in from the start and at times was extremely hard to put down. Mainly because I was so desperate to find out what happens to the team, Owen, the watchers and the Omni. And this book certainly does answer a lot of those questions. But it also reveals more new information, secrets and starts to send the story in a new direction. Especially after the showdown in the silos and I'm certainly looking forward to finding out what comes next. And would happily recommend this story to others.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved

I loved this book and I would recommend the complete series. We got a lot of the answers who was who and what side they were on. It was a great ending, but left me wanting more. Can’t wait for the next book/series Elaine Levine writes.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great conclusion!

So happy Owen finally found his Laidy! Great conclusion to a fantastic series. This story really tied up a lot of loose ends.

[Susan Jordens · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing conclusion to this wonderful series. From start to finish each page had me spell bound. There was so much content filled with drama, suspense, tension and of course romance. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend this to you.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Troy stole the whole show in this book. The kid was just too stinking cute and I loved the ending scene. Owen and Addy had a lot to work through and even more working against them at the start of this book. I really enjoyed seeing them reconnect and learn about the people they had become while they were apart. I'll be excited to check in with them and the rest of the team in the upcoming wedding novellas.

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: FORSAKEN DUTY: The Red Team Series, Book 9 by Elaine Levine https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-awV
Publication Date: November 30, 2017
Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars

I had big plans to do some baking today, but that fell by the wayside when I picked this book up. I love the closeness of the Red Team and their families, it pulls you in and won’t let you go. I did have to work hard in the beginning to get back on track with all the players, groups, factions and relationships – but soon found myself immersed in the story. Owen is the perfect hero to face the turmoil of Addy and her sons. He’s romantic, determined and capable in everything thrown at him. Addy’s character was harder to connect to, due to her life’s circumstances – but they made a great pair and blended in great with the team. Danger, intrigue and romance…it had it all, and I loved it.

*Review copy purchased via Amazon.


Kindle $4.99 http://amzn.to/2hV6jEh

BOOK 1 IS FREE!
✦FREE ➢ The Edge of Courage By Elaine Levine
Kindle http://amzn.to/1xXmYMc

Red Team Reading Order: Amazon http://amzn.to/1Dck86s
1. The Edge of Courage
2. Shattered Valor
3. Honor Unraveled ➢ Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-Fa
3.5. Kit & Ivy ➢ Review 4 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-16A
4. Twisted Mercy ➢ Review 5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1FC
4.5. Ty & Eden ➢ Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-2b2
5. Assassin's Promise ➢ Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-36T
6. War Bringer ➢ Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-53E
6.5. Rocco & Mandy: A Red Team Wedding Novella
7. Razed Glory
8. Deadly Creed
9. Forsaken Duty ➢ Review 4.5 Stars: https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-awV

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars suspense, thriller, adventure etc. etc. etc.

Firstly, it's a great book.
Secondly, if you haven't read the series for a while, it might be worth it before you read this. There is a refresher but it took me a while to get into the book because I couldn't remember some points and I couldn't understand some motivations.
Thirdly, you can't buy this without reading the other books. It's not a standalone.
So, it's a really good book with the Omnis ever present and intrigue permeating the story.
It starts with Owen finding Addy and her response to him. It is quite horrific what has happened to her. It's not graphically detailed so it depends on your imagination. Owen needs to find their son that he's never known. Characterisation is good, you really get involved with them. Main characters from other groups make an appearance.
It falls slightly into the realms of science fiction but heavily relies on the strides into science that is happening all over the world - scary...
I dropped half a star because I had a few unanswered questions, I also felt Owen's character change, especially leading to the end, was just not quite right for me, but as I'm not the brilliant author, it's just my opinion.
It's well worth buying, as is the series.
Fabulous.

[Busybeth76 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tin Man Finds his Heart

Owen Tremaine is special ops ex-military. He is now head of Tremaine Security, which is a top flight operation seeking terrorists both at home and internationally. Owen is a mysterious, distant but determined leader. His team is highly effective, specially trained and also determined to rid the world of a secretive, poisonous organization called the Omni World Order, which has infiltrated governments, corporations and societies worldwide to achieve it's own nefarious goals. As this series has progressed, each Team member has found his true love, it hasn't been easy. Owen believes the woman he's loved his entire life is dead. When he finds she is not, and that she has his son, nothing will stop him from finding Addy and his son, Augie. So, the conclusion to the overarching arc to this series begins to end. Owen is the stalwart, patient, hopelessly in love hero who will see this adventure finished. Addy is a strong, resilient woman caught in a sinister web of lies and deceit. This series conclusion is satisfying, but leaves us still wanting more. This Team and the various so called secondary characters are far from done. And they scream for more stories to complete their lives.

[Patricia's Book Kingdom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Moly, that was quite a ride! Since the very beginning, Owen has been a big mystery and we didn't learn much about him, to the point where I contemplated whether he is actually one of the bad guys. It wasn't until Rocco and Mandy's Wedding Novella where Owen has found that that his fiance who he thought was dead was actually alive, that we see him show any sort of emotions. Until that moment, he was perceived to have emotion span of a robot.
In Forsaken Duty, Owen, after abandoning his team in Razed Glory, reunites with his fiance who he thought had died in a train accident 10 year prior. But death would have been more merciful that the things that Addy had to go through during those years she was separated from Owen. I honestly felt so disgusted with the people in Addy's life that have let this happen to her.
Although it wasn't quite the reunion that Owen for sure had in mind, he slowly got under Addy's skin and started to earn her trust again. It was such a beautiful story. Loved seeing Owen's loving side. It was quite the sight.
I honestly love this series as a whole and would recommend everyone to read it. Each story is unique, but you need to read all the books in the series in order to get the whole picture and to get the most out of this series. Otherwise a lot of things will not make sense.
Applause to Elaine Levine for creating this world full of beautiful and complex characters and a story-line so gripping that you just can't put the book down in anticipation of what comes next.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

To every ending is a new beginning. Such a GREAT SERIES!

It's always sad when a series ends. I've been following this series since the beginning. It was serious enough that I would put the release dates on my calendar so I wouldn't miss any release dates. The thought of this being over was actually unsettling so although it's good to finally see how all the puzzle pieces fit, I was oh so thankful to learn Elaine was working on a spin-off series which would continue to feed my addiction.

Owen is definitely the "Still Waters Run Deep" kind of guy. Adelaide broke my heart and put it all back together again with her continued fight for survival. Troy is my favorite character out of the entire book. Such a sweetie. There are so many layers to this story, hope, survival. I recommend reading from the beginning to really understand, it will be worth it.

Looking towards the future, we have the wedding novellas and I wonder where Selena's story lead. Happy Reading!

[Carol orr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion to the series

I was conflicted about the rating I awarded, hovering between four or five stars. I went with four mostly because of the character development in this book.
Owen was always the unknown and slightly threatening figure, the one who was authority personified. Yet in the book although he shows a lot of admirable qualities I also felt like shaking him at times.
I felt some of Owen and Addie's backstory was cringeworthy and couldn't resolve my feelings of revulsion when he knew he was in love with her as a small child. There was no sexuality to that, but still it made me uncomfortable.
The storyline really surges forward in this book and overall I have to admit that the author has crafted an excellent series.
Be warned there are potential triggers relating to domestic abuse, violence and rape.

[Deb B · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have absolutely loved every book in this series but, i just wasn't sure about this one. i put if off a couple of days after bringing myself up to date with the rest of the series but knew i just had to give it a chance .. and, am so glad that i did. it was a great way to tie up the whole series (though i would have liked a hint of Sel's hea). brilliant writing, fantastic story arc and characters you can't help but love. plenty of action. plenty of romance. danger, love, hate and everything in between. highly recommend every book but you do need to read them in order

[Tracey Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously good

Long awaited and no disappointments here, actually there is one, it ended! The whole series is a joy to read, suspense, strong alpha guys, the women who bring them to their knees, good v evil, the whole shabang, oh some saucy fun, issues brought into the open, and a thoroughly great read. Shouldn't be missed, even re-readable multiple times. Cannot wait for the next.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great conclusion

The Red Team Series has been an amazing experience. This series takes you to places where you can experience the ups and downs of life, and so much mire. I am not eloquent all I can say is you won't be able to put them down so hold on to the bar its a rude of a lifetime.

[Chris Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man of Mystery

Owen has always been a mystery to his team and as this whole series unfold you get these tiny pieces of his puzzle. In Forsaken Duty you follow him on his own personal journey. With all the twists and turns it is an exciting book. I feel you have to read the series first in order to understand.

[Avid Reader 1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forsaken Duty is well written and gives closure to the many strands that have made up the network of suspense in the ongoing storyline. A couple of those strands were, in my opinion, too easily handled but after the last few books and the intensity of their storylines, maybe that is for the best.
I was not as invested in Addy as I was in the other women in the series. I don't know why.
The book is good though and seeing Owen as a normal, feeling human made me like him more than ever. I liked him when he was stoic and reserved, too, so...
I will miss this group of warriors and their families.
I just wish Selena had gotten her HEA.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!!

I was so happy to read this book. I found it very quick to read and enjoyed all the action drama and suspense. The love story between Owen and Addy was very sweet with some hot love scenes. I'm really looking forward to the spin off series. Highly recommend this whole series to those who love action packed romance stories.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definite must read book & series

This has been an incredible series with so much going on that at times it's difficult to keep straight, especially who's the good vs bad people, but in the end, everything works out exactly how it was meant to be.
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and outstanding author.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wait was worth it!

Awesomeness!!!! I have been waiting on Owen's story forever it seems.
To find his Laidy. He thought her dead.
Now the fight of the Red Team gets even better.
Here is hoping Selena gets her happily ever after.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW

WOW, that's all I can say.......the pieces finally fell together....but WOW!!

I am going to miss this Red Team. I know they will have wedding novellas and I hope the international red team has the cohesiveness of this team. .

[Mandi Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I started out wanting to hate this one. I wanted Owen to have his happy ending, but with Selena. I ended up liking the story and Addy by the middle. And by the end...oh boy, I loved them.

I am sad it’s over. I am sad Selena didn’t get her happy ever after. But I loved this series.

[Candy Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

I have waited for Owen's story. I was not disappointed. I am so glad he got his love back. I am glad Jax was a good guy. HAPPY, that is what this book was for me. GREAT STORY!! Do you think Jax is Selena's man, just saying😍

[Ruth Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I can't believe the series is over. There's a lot of resolution in this book but it still left me feeling like I want more, want to know what happens next. Great book, great series. I'll be looking out for more stories from Elaine Levine.

[Linda Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ecstatic

Iv really been hooked on the red team series its made me laugh and cry but so sad it was coming to an explosive end then the author said more to come in season 2 all I can say is thank god