What do you think?
Rate this book
Florida Wildlife Warriors #1
Beyond Risk
The river runs wild …
Former Fish & Wildlife Officer Charlotte “Charlee” Tanner still carries the guilt of a tragic drowning accident that occurred on her watch. She hoped moving back home to the wilds of central Florida would provide a safe haven—until she learns the death was no accident, and she’s the intended target.
… But no wilder than their passion.
Tough and decisive, Lieutenant Hunter Boudreau loves his new job as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Charlee is his best friend, so when she comes under fire, he’s not letting her out of his sight until the killer is caught. But Charlee won’t sit by and let anyone else die for her.
As danger closes in and Charlee and Hunter’s attraction threatens to consume them, Charlee has to decide if she can trust Hunter. And to save Charlee, Hunter will have to trust her, too.
Former Fish & Wildlife Officer Charlotte “Charlee” Tanner still carries the guilt of a tragic drowning accident that occurred on her watch. She hoped moving back home to the wilds of central Florida would provide a safe haven—until she learns the death was no accident, and she’s the intended target.
… But no wilder than their passion.
Tough and decisive, Lieutenant Hunter Boudreau loves his new job as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Charlee is his best friend, so when she comes under fire, he’s not letting her out of his sight until the killer is caught. But Charlee won’t sit by and let anyone else die for her.
As danger closes in and Charlee and Hunter’s attraction threatens to consume them, Charlee has to decide if she can trust Hunter. And to save Charlee, Hunter will have to trust her, too.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 29, 2019
About the author
Connie Mann
15 books231 followersConnie Mann loves taking readers on heart-pounding, suspense-filled adventures featuring strong, determined women who fight for what they believe – and for those they love. Her Speranza Team novels center around a modern-day secret society of women who travel the globe helping other women, especially those trying to make the world a better place.
Connie is also the author of the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, the Safe Harbor series, Angel Falls and Trapped. She has won several writing awards and loves encouraging writers through mentoring and writing workshops.
Connie has been a USCG-licensed boat captain for 20 years and gets to introduce Florida visitors to dolphins and manatees, which is as much fun as it sounds. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle through education and entrepreneurship.
She and her husband love spending time with family and friends and exploring new places, especially if they involve water and boats. Visit Connie online at www.conniemann.com and sign up for her newsletter for all the latest news.
Connie is also the author of the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, the Safe Harbor series, Angel Falls and Trapped. She has won several writing awards and loves encouraging writers through mentoring and writing workshops.
Connie has been a USCG-licensed boat captain for 20 years and gets to introduce Florida visitors to dolphins and manatees, which is as much fun as it sounds. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle through education and entrepreneurship.
She and her husband love spending time with family and friends and exploring new places, especially if they involve water and boats. Visit Connie online at www.conniemann.com and sign up for her newsletter for all the latest news.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
January 30, 2019
Beyond Risk by Connie Mann is a 2019 Sourcebooks Casablanca publication.
Over the past several years I have really lost contact with the romantic suspense genre and its authors. At one time I read more RS than any other genre, but when the style began to shift and the genre morphed into something entirely different, I lost interest.
However, recently I have tried to reacquaint myself with the genre, hoping things had improved. This book doesn't follow the old school romantic suspense format, which I still enjoy, nor does it follow the newer military hero/ alpha male style of RS, either, which is a good thing. The story got off on solid ground, but unfortunately it quickly spiraled out of control, and never regained its footing.
I did enjoy the action scenes, at first, but there were too many of them, and the story began to rely too heavily on them to maintain its momentum. There also seems to be some kind of mini-trend going on in recent publications, where there are entirely too many characters to keep up with.
Between the overpopulation of people and the numerous action scenes, the plot and characters remained underdeveloped, which naturally affected the romantic elements, as well.
This story also followed another troubling trend I’ve picked up on recently. This story reads like it is the second or third book in a series, instead of the first. It’s like the author assumed I was already familiar with the characters and what their individual backstories were. I felt like I was walking into a movie already in progress.
I nearly gave up on this one, to be honest. Not only was it hard to follow at times, but it was perhaps just a bit too long, as well. But, of course, I had to find out who the killer was. My diligence, unfortunately, didn’t pay off. I wasn’t impressed with the motive, which was entirely too far-fetched, in my opinion.
So, it's back to the old drawing board when it comes to romantic suspense. 😕
2 stars
Over the past several years I have really lost contact with the romantic suspense genre and its authors. At one time I read more RS than any other genre, but when the style began to shift and the genre morphed into something entirely different, I lost interest.
However, recently I have tried to reacquaint myself with the genre, hoping things had improved. This book doesn't follow the old school romantic suspense format, which I still enjoy, nor does it follow the newer military hero/ alpha male style of RS, either, which is a good thing. The story got off on solid ground, but unfortunately it quickly spiraled out of control, and never regained its footing.
I did enjoy the action scenes, at first, but there were too many of them, and the story began to rely too heavily on them to maintain its momentum. There also seems to be some kind of mini-trend going on in recent publications, where there are entirely too many characters to keep up with.
Between the overpopulation of people and the numerous action scenes, the plot and characters remained underdeveloped, which naturally affected the romantic elements, as well.
This story also followed another troubling trend I’ve picked up on recently. This story reads like it is the second or third book in a series, instead of the first. It’s like the author assumed I was already familiar with the characters and what their individual backstories were. I felt like I was walking into a movie already in progress.
I nearly gave up on this one, to be honest. Not only was it hard to follow at times, but it was perhaps just a bit too long, as well. But, of course, I had to find out who the killer was. My diligence, unfortunately, didn’t pay off. I wasn’t impressed with the motive, which was entirely too far-fetched, in my opinion.
So, it's back to the old drawing board when it comes to romantic suspense. 😕
2 stars
December 28, 2018
2.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Beyond Risk starts off the Florida Wildlife Warriors series dropping the reader into relationship drama and murder mystery. There are a lot of characters to keep track off and I have to say, I didn't quite get a handle on who was who until the second half of the story. Our heroine Charlee is a former Fish and Wildlife Officer who is starting to take over her parents' business of selling outback supplies and offering guided kayak rides down the rapids. Last year a teenage boy was killed on one of her guided trips and now on the anniversary, another teenager is almost drowned and shot. Last years accident is starting to look like murder and the murderer is back.
Along with Charlee, we have her two big brothers Pete (cop) and Josh (Fish & Wildlife Officer), her younger sister Natalie, an ex-boyfriend who doesn't want to be one, an employee who has a big crush on her, another younger male who has a crush on her (or at least her cupcakes), the two different families of the teenage victims, a father and mother (recovering from a stroke), and last but not least, our hero Hunter. There are some other minor characters but you can tell by that cast list what I was talking about a lot of who to keep track of.
The story does start off right the bat but I checked twice to make sure this wasn't second in the series or if I had missed some prologue story. Charlee and Hunter's friendship starts and develops before this book starts, so when we come in, the ground work is already laid and feelings have already developed, they now have full blown crushes and want to get together. This was disappointing as that is why I read romance, to witness and enjoy the building blocks of romance. The case work of putting the pieces together, racing to rescue everyone of Charlee's family members (dad isn't targeted I guess, but everyone else has danger moments), and searching for a possible murderer; it all started to feel a bit repetitive.
The chemistry between the leads felt pretty dry, Charlee doesn't know if she can trust her instincts towards Hunter. This started to feel very forced as Hunter constantly is great to her and she is always thinking how his actions put her agency first (there is an ending scene to cause some friction between them to angst this up). Hunter has the ever present storyline of not feeling good enough for Charlee, even though he only really pushes her away twice and then actively is trying to be with her. This was fairly clean overall, their sex scene goes by pretty quick and is cloaked in water rafting metaphors, think something about riding the rapids. They came off as probably would work in real life couple but not particularly romantic, inspiring, or fun to read about.
The murder mystery simply had too many characters along with their backstories to explain motivations, it was confusing and not all that believable in certain parts. There were obvious red herring characters but as they faded into the background or were left abandoned, I couldn't help but think what was the point of them as they only clogged up the story. Charlee supposedly has this great relationship with her siblings but they never really interact in many scenes, leaving an empty hole in feeling their relationship. I did enjoy the one or two scenes she had with her mother, these were heartfelt and added to the emotional feel of the story and brought depth to both characters.
Characters felt a bit like they were standing still as the story weaved around them, instead of feeling like they were a part of and guided the story. The building of the romance and relationship between Charlee and Hunter seemed to happened before the reader is brought in and some secondary characters clogged the story instead of added to it. This was pretty fast paced and if reading about two characters who like each other while stop and go driving around trying to figure out a possible murder mystery, with some crocodiles, a snake, and the hero calling the heroine cher (many, many times) making appearances, there is plenty of that here for you.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Beyond Risk starts off the Florida Wildlife Warriors series dropping the reader into relationship drama and murder mystery. There are a lot of characters to keep track off and I have to say, I didn't quite get a handle on who was who until the second half of the story. Our heroine Charlee is a former Fish and Wildlife Officer who is starting to take over her parents' business of selling outback supplies and offering guided kayak rides down the rapids. Last year a teenage boy was killed on one of her guided trips and now on the anniversary, another teenager is almost drowned and shot. Last years accident is starting to look like murder and the murderer is back.
Along with Charlee, we have her two big brothers Pete (cop) and Josh (Fish & Wildlife Officer), her younger sister Natalie, an ex-boyfriend who doesn't want to be one, an employee who has a big crush on her, another younger male who has a crush on her (or at least her cupcakes), the two different families of the teenage victims, a father and mother (recovering from a stroke), and last but not least, our hero Hunter. There are some other minor characters but you can tell by that cast list what I was talking about a lot of who to keep track of.
The story does start off right the bat but I checked twice to make sure this wasn't second in the series or if I had missed some prologue story. Charlee and Hunter's friendship starts and develops before this book starts, so when we come in, the ground work is already laid and feelings have already developed, they now have full blown crushes and want to get together. This was disappointing as that is why I read romance, to witness and enjoy the building blocks of romance. The case work of putting the pieces together, racing to rescue everyone of Charlee's family members (dad isn't targeted I guess, but everyone else has danger moments), and searching for a possible murderer; it all started to feel a bit repetitive.
The chemistry between the leads felt pretty dry, Charlee doesn't know if she can trust her instincts towards Hunter. This started to feel very forced as Hunter constantly is great to her and she is always thinking how his actions put her agency first (there is an ending scene to cause some friction between them to angst this up). Hunter has the ever present storyline of not feeling good enough for Charlee, even though he only really pushes her away twice and then actively is trying to be with her. This was fairly clean overall, their sex scene goes by pretty quick and is cloaked in water rafting metaphors, think something about riding the rapids. They came off as probably would work in real life couple but not particularly romantic, inspiring, or fun to read about.
The murder mystery simply had too many characters along with their backstories to explain motivations, it was confusing and not all that believable in certain parts. There were obvious red herring characters but as they faded into the background or were left abandoned, I couldn't help but think what was the point of them as they only clogged up the story. Charlee supposedly has this great relationship with her siblings but they never really interact in many scenes, leaving an empty hole in feeling their relationship. I did enjoy the one or two scenes she had with her mother, these were heartfelt and added to the emotional feel of the story and brought depth to both characters.
Characters felt a bit like they were standing still as the story weaved around them, instead of feeling like they were a part of and guided the story. The building of the romance and relationship between Charlee and Hunter seemed to happened before the reader is brought in and some secondary characters clogged the story instead of added to it. This was pretty fast paced and if reading about two characters who like each other while stop and go driving around trying to figure out a possible murder mystery, with some crocodiles, a snake, and the hero calling the heroine cher (many, many times) making appearances, there is plenty of that here for you.
Read
January 25, 2019DNF @35%. Started out promising with a lot of action, but I just can't get into this one. I'm not engaged and I keep having to force myself to pick it up again. The writing and characters feel one dimensional, and contrived. The romance does nothing for me, and their reasons for keeping each other at arm's length seem weak. Not a good sign when you keep looking at the % to see how much longer you have to read.
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2019
Beyond Risk is an exciting and suspenseful start to a new series by Connie Mann. Having enjoyed the Safe Harbor series and being a Florida resident, I was looking forward to this new series and was not disappointed. This series is centered around Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and how crazy life in the wild can get. Charlotte "Charlee" Tanner is a former officer and now runs her family's kayaking and canoe business near Ocala. She worked a side job as water guide while she worked for FWCC but quit after a tragic circumstance led to the death of a young teenage boy and a near drowning of his sister. She was able to save Nora. As the story starts out, it is the one year anniversary of JJ's death and she is leading a group of kayaking on the river. She has never recovered from the incident and is especially anxious about this trip and with good cause. She spent the night before baking cupcakes for her friend's cafe to keep her mind off of being nervous. Another teenage brother and sister are on this trip. Things are going along fine on the trip until Brittany drops her phone overboard and jumps in after it. Only, she doesn't come back up to the surface. Another young man on the trip and Charlee jump in to look for her. She is finally able to find her and get her to shore but then someone starts shooting at them. Both Brittany and Charlee are hit but Charlee's is a graze on her head and Brittany is doing well until she dies unexpectedly...or is murdered. One after another of the Tanner family is targeted, with a water related attempted murder. Best friend and maybe something more, newly promoted Lt. Hunter Boudreau sticks to Charlee like glue as the whole FWC crew and Marion County Sheriff Department work to solve the case. Charlee's brother Josh is a FWC officer and brother Pete is a sheriff deputy. It will takes all hands on deck to figure this mystery out but not before lives are in danger from an unknown assailant. All clues seem to led back to the incident a year ago but who, why and how? This is a mystery that is hard to figure out and there are many possible suspects. People are not who they appear to be. Ms. Mann does a great job when the setting descriptions and character development. I could visualize the tannic acid colored waterways, cypress trees and knees and Spanish moss dripping off the oaks.
This is looking to be another great series by Connie Mann.
I received a complimentary ARC from the author through NetGalley. All thoughts and opnions are mine only.
This is looking to be another great series by Connie Mann.
I received a complimentary ARC from the author through NetGalley. All thoughts and opnions are mine only.
January 27, 2019
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
In full disclosure, I have an auto-approval from this publisher, Casablanca Sourcebook. In truth, I haven't read a book from them that I really liked. This one started out soooo promising. the plot, the characters and the setting all intrigued me. The writing is fairly good too, with one exception: the story of Charlee's kayaking accident should have been told as a Prologue. Having it told during a current incident was confusing for me. Overall, the story worked, until I got to know Charlee and Hunter. So much angst and both MC's trying to outdo each other for supreme martyr really messed up a pretty good plot.
Charlee was a Florida Wildlife Commission officer. In her spare time she guided kayak groups. A year ago a group got caught in bad weather and a teenage boy drowned. Charlee took it really hard, quit the FWC and basically hid from life. She is taking another group out when someone starts shooting, wounding Charlee and a teen girl. They both survive but the teen is later murdered in the hospital. Charlee feels it is her fault for not protecting the girl. Hunter, a FWC Lt, is sure someone is targeting Charlee and vows to protect her. Someone is after Charlee, but the why and who are the mystery this story turns on.
In full disclosure, I have an auto-approval from this publisher, Casablanca Sourcebook. In truth, I haven't read a book from them that I really liked. This one started out soooo promising. the plot, the characters and the setting all intrigued me. The writing is fairly good too, with one exception: the story of Charlee's kayaking accident should have been told as a Prologue. Having it told during a current incident was confusing for me. Overall, the story worked, until I got to know Charlee and Hunter. So much angst and both MC's trying to outdo each other for supreme martyr really messed up a pretty good plot.
Charlee was a Florida Wildlife Commission officer. In her spare time she guided kayak groups. A year ago a group got caught in bad weather and a teenage boy drowned. Charlee took it really hard, quit the FWC and basically hid from life. She is taking another group out when someone starts shooting, wounding Charlee and a teen girl. They both survive but the teen is later murdered in the hospital. Charlee feels it is her fault for not protecting the girl. Hunter, a FWC Lt, is sure someone is targeting Charlee and vows to protect her. Someone is after Charlee, but the why and who are the mystery this story turns on.
December 30, 2018
Wildlife! Big family! A mystery! Romance! New to me author and series! Oh my, yes! I thought I had found the perfect match as soon as I latched eyes onto this book. I ended up finding it moderately engaging.
Beyond Risk opens with Charlee, a former Fish & Wildlife Officer, getting ready to start over at the family-owned river rafting business. She had a shake up when she lost a client out on the water the year before and the guilt is still troubling her, but family support and a family friend who is becoming something more have her ready to start again. Only, a new misadventure on the water has everyone realizing that the first drowning was no accident and Charlee is the intended target.
Hunter is determined to do well at his new job as Lt. in the Fish & Wildlife after the last one tarnished his name by taking bribes, but he is more concerned about who is after Charlee and why because he wants to be more than the family friend.
So, Beyond Risk, by all early indications should have been a fabulous read for me, but, it was more along the lines of moderately engaging. I didn't hate it, but found myself out of sync with this book from the beginning and never finding a good connection. It dove right in to the middle of the story and had me checking more than once that I didn't grab a book in the middle of an existing series or checking to see if I accidentally picked up the first in a spin-off series that needed the first series to feel cohesive. But, that wasn't the case, at least that I could find. It jumped in to the middle of an existing problem and an existing developing relationship.
A passel of people were thrown at me in the opening pages as well as some conflicts. I sorted them out soon enough, but it was distracting for a while there. Later on, the author goes back and gets into the past situations to make sense of the earlier confusion, but I never did feel connected.
The mystery was decent though it wasn't difficult. It did make a nice element in the overall story and added spikes of excitement.
The romance was so-so for me, too. I liked both characters and liked them for a couple with their shared interests and experiences, but it was a case of not buying into what was holding them back. Charlee was wary of a relationship and her reasons weren't good enough to hold Hunter at a distance the way she did. Hunter's issue was more solid and fortunately he only used his concern about her family reaction and his work conflict once or twice before really going for it. The wildlife euphemisms for lovemaking were not weird per se, but a little quirky for me.
What I thoroughly liked was the setting and backdrop of the life along the Florida river systems and focus on the wildlife. Charlee's big family and the business were also great fun and a good nucleus for the series.
So, I ended up liking it, but not loving it. I might give the next book a go to see if I do better now that I might not have that sense of being off beat with the book and the romance. I think others who enjoy romantic suspense might not experience that and would enjoy the book.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beyond Risk opens with Charlee, a former Fish & Wildlife Officer, getting ready to start over at the family-owned river rafting business. She had a shake up when she lost a client out on the water the year before and the guilt is still troubling her, but family support and a family friend who is becoming something more have her ready to start again. Only, a new misadventure on the water has everyone realizing that the first drowning was no accident and Charlee is the intended target.
Hunter is determined to do well at his new job as Lt. in the Fish & Wildlife after the last one tarnished his name by taking bribes, but he is more concerned about who is after Charlee and why because he wants to be more than the family friend.
So, Beyond Risk, by all early indications should have been a fabulous read for me, but, it was more along the lines of moderately engaging. I didn't hate it, but found myself out of sync with this book from the beginning and never finding a good connection. It dove right in to the middle of the story and had me checking more than once that I didn't grab a book in the middle of an existing series or checking to see if I accidentally picked up the first in a spin-off series that needed the first series to feel cohesive. But, that wasn't the case, at least that I could find. It jumped in to the middle of an existing problem and an existing developing relationship.
A passel of people were thrown at me in the opening pages as well as some conflicts. I sorted them out soon enough, but it was distracting for a while there. Later on, the author goes back and gets into the past situations to make sense of the earlier confusion, but I never did feel connected.
The mystery was decent though it wasn't difficult. It did make a nice element in the overall story and added spikes of excitement.
The romance was so-so for me, too. I liked both characters and liked them for a couple with their shared interests and experiences, but it was a case of not buying into what was holding them back. Charlee was wary of a relationship and her reasons weren't good enough to hold Hunter at a distance the way she did. Hunter's issue was more solid and fortunately he only used his concern about her family reaction and his work conflict once or twice before really going for it. The wildlife euphemisms for lovemaking were not weird per se, but a little quirky for me.
What I thoroughly liked was the setting and backdrop of the life along the Florida river systems and focus on the wildlife. Charlee's big family and the business were also great fun and a good nucleus for the series.
So, I ended up liking it, but not loving it. I might give the next book a go to see if I do better now that I might not have that sense of being off beat with the book and the romance. I think others who enjoy romantic suspense might not experience that and would enjoy the book.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2020
Beyond Risk by Connie Mann is the first book in a romantic suspense series that kept me engaged from the first page. Ms. Mann is a "new to me" author but I'll be looking for more books by her now. The plot was smoothly paced, the action and twists were scary and realistic and the characters (many were introduced in this book)were well drawn and compelling. I figured out the culprit before the reveal but not the disguise that was used. I look forward to the next one in the series.
I received a copy of the Kindle book from my local library.
I received a copy of the Kindle book from my local library.
January 30, 2019
Received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, Beyond Risk was for me a major let down. I am not going to sit here and type all the things that i disliked and liked even though there wasn't much. I personally had very high hope with this story but it didn't work out for me. The story has a lot of characters in it, and the main couple have already a strong connection. The murder mystery aspect, was very confusing and i was confused to actually get it. Each to there own. My thoughts are that and you may pick this up loving it and i hope you do.
December 14, 2018
BEYOND RISK is a delightful mixture of small-town romance, high-octane suspense, and breath-taking outdoor settings in the rivers and waterways of Florida. But what truly sets it apart is its focus on family and friendships. I loved the heroine's family, the Tanners. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she has some hunky sexy brothers who are wildlife officers. And it was so much fun seeing a heroine who could out shoot, out think, and out smart just about anyone--and could also bake a pretty mean cupcake. Charlee (Charlotte) is a real pistol and you'll find yourself rooting for her all the way when it seems like her whole world is collapsing around her. She proves how capable she is, over and over, and that she doesn't "need" a man to protect her. But gorgeous Hunter Boudreau, with his sexy cajun drawl, is still going to do everything he can to try to take care of the woman he's falling in love with. Mr. Yummy, as Charlee's best friend calls him, is the perfect match for fiesty Charlee. Sparks fly between these two and they learn to work together to figure out who is trying to kill Charlee and everyone she loves. I truly enjoyed the story. And unlike Charlee, who is determined to save herself, I'd let Hunter save me any time!
January 24, 2019
Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: BEYOND RISK by Connie Mann https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-b0o
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars
This was a whitewater-rapids ride, with danger and suspense around every turn. I loved it. Charlee and Hunter were both believable and relatable, their backstories woven seamlessly into the story so that you became invested in them early on. I’m used to more graphic sex, but I did not miss it in the least, as the romance and physicality of it flowed well with the rest of the story. I could not put it down until I knew for sure who the bad guy was. Some situations may have been a little improbable, but they were sure fun to read. I’m looking forward to book two!
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/2CJkpTi
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars
This was a whitewater-rapids ride, with danger and suspense around every turn. I loved it. Charlee and Hunter were both believable and relatable, their backstories woven seamlessly into the story so that you became invested in them early on. I’m used to more graphic sex, but I did not miss it in the least, as the romance and physicality of it flowed well with the rest of the story. I could not put it down until I knew for sure who the bad guy was. Some situations may have been a little improbable, but they were sure fun to read. I’m looking forward to book two!
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/2CJkpTi
March 6, 2019
In Connie Mann's Beyond Risk, the first installment in the Florida Wildlife Warriors romantic suspense series, this debut will knock your socks off and keep you in suspense. For Charlotte "Charlee" Tanner, she couldn't get over the guilt she had from a drowning accident a year ago. Now as a former FWC officer, she works at her family's Outpost for kayaking and canoeing adventures on the water. But when she took out a group of young people out in the ocean, things turns grisly and almost deadly when someone shot at them and caused one of them to have an accident. Little did she know, that someone has a bloody ax to grind with her. And it's personal with a capital P. On the scene is FWC Officer Hunter Boudreau, a Cajun lieutenant who has feelings for Charlotte and do anything to protect her, though he couldn't shake his own inner demons from his brother's death. Thing get dicey for Charlee, when Brittany Harris mysteriously died in the hospital, and this maniac went after her brothers with eerily similar accidents in the water. The chemistry between Charlee and Hunter is smoking hot when they're together. In a race of time, they would find out who done it and the real reason why.
January 29, 2019
If you have never read a book by Connie Mann this is an excellent place for o start. It is the beginning of a new series that is sure to be a resounding success. Charlee and Hunter are drawn into solving a crime that is somehow centered around a past incident involving Charlee. The story is filled with mounting suspense as each clue is revealed, tested and kept or discarded. As more people’s lives are put in danger the tension ratchets up and the suspect pool continues to grow.
The author does an excellent job of building and heightening the suspense and drama as the plot builds to a crescendo. The clues to the Gillian are kept away from the reader almost to the last 2 chapters which is an amazing feat. You get thoughts of who it might be but you are never sure until Hunter and others make the call.
Of course this is also a love story between Hunter and Charlee. It is built on rock solid friendship and respect for each other.after all the issues are cleared with the case they are able to fully focus on building a life together.
The author does an excellent job of building and heightening the suspense and drama as the plot builds to a crescendo. The clues to the Gillian are kept away from the reader almost to the last 2 chapters which is an amazing feat. You get thoughts of who it might be but you are never sure until Hunter and others make the call.
Of course this is also a love story between Hunter and Charlee. It is built on rock solid friendship and respect for each other.after all the issues are cleared with the case they are able to fully focus on building a life together.
January 4, 2020
Beyond Risk was a good start to a new romantic suspense series. I really liked the setting and the backdrop of several of the characters working for the Florida Wildlife Commission.
Main characters Charlee and Hunter were likable and had good chemistry together. I liked the way Hunter was so protective, not just of Charlee, but also of his team. The storyline was interesting and fast-paced.
I look forward to seeing some of the secondary characters become main ones as the series continues.
Main characters Charlee and Hunter were likable and had good chemistry together. I liked the way Hunter was so protective, not just of Charlee, but also of his team. The storyline was interesting and fast-paced.
I look forward to seeing some of the secondary characters become main ones as the series continues.
November 21, 2018
Charlee Tanner is a former fish and wildlife officer. Last year a boy drowned while she was guiding for the family business. What she thought was an accident wasn’t. On the one year anniversary of the drowning, she finds herself in an eerily similar situation.
Hunter Bourdeau is Charlee’s best friend. He is the first on the scene when she is being shot at. He is a lu Now he is charge of finding out who’s out to get Charlee before it’s to late. I loved this book. It had plenty of mystery, romance, and adventure.
Hunter Bourdeau is Charlee’s best friend. He is the first on the scene when she is being shot at. He is a lu Now he is charge of finding out who’s out to get Charlee before it’s to late. I loved this book. It had plenty of mystery, romance, and adventure.
October 29, 2018
This book really dives straight into the action and suspense. So Charlie is back at work trying to get her life back on track after a tragedy happened on her watch a year ago. Now another incident happens and it looks like someone is out for revenge. There is several suspects and Hunter, a Cajun with a sexy accent, will do anything to protect Charlie.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
July 11, 2019
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I enjoyed it. It has a lot of action and suspense, plus a nice undertone of romance between the two lead characters, Charlee and Hunter. There were times early on when I felt like I was missing something, like maybe there was a book before this one, but nope, this is either a standalone or the first in a new series, I guess, and the things that are mentioned in passing early on that made me think I was missing something are all dealt with throughout the book; I just had to be patient. I hope this is the first in a new series; if so, I will definitely read the others. If you like romantic suspense, give this one a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC for review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC for review.
December 28, 2018
Someone is stalking Charlotte “Charlee” Tanner. It is now the job of Lieutenant Hunter Boudreau, Florida Fish & Wildlife, to figure out who is the culprit.
1) I don’t really care about the make/model of your gun.
2) There are too many people for my brain to keep track of.
3) Acronyms suck.
4) Is the enemy an alligator? Or bullets? Or rattlesnakes? A stalker? (Answer: all of these)
5) 97 times the hero calls her “cher”
6) Cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes.
Lots of action, suspense and mystery. 2 ½ Stars
1) I don’t really care about the make/model of your gun.
2) There are too many people for my brain to keep track of.
3) Acronyms suck.
4) Is the enemy an alligator? Or bullets? Or rattlesnakes? A stalker? (Answer: all of these)
5) 97 times the hero calls her “cher”
6) Cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes.
Lots of action, suspense and mystery. 2 ½ Stars
February 20, 2019
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
A year to the day since a teenage boy drowned on a trip Charlee was supervising, she is again on the river supervising a group of kayakers. When history starts to repeat itself and a teenager nearly drowns and the group is shot at, the question is: are the two events related? With all the talk of what happened a year ago, I wondered if I’d missed a book in this series and this was book two, but after checking Goodreads I learned Beyond Risk is in fact the first book in this series.
This story wastes no time getting going. We jump straight into the action and I loved the pace. The danger, hunt for the person responsible for the shooting and then further acts of violence against people connected to Charlee, and the romance between Charlee and Fish & Wildlife Officer Hunter are a great mix. I was sure I had a five-star book on my hands. I was excited and having a blast reading and loving all the different characters and threads to the story. And a bonus is I had no idea who did it or why, so I was hooked.
Problem for me is my logical brain started to get in the way. Why, after being submerged in water, was Charlee’s phone working? Why is the Fish & Wildlife Commission investigating murder and attempted murder? Why did the men in Charlee’s life keep leaving her on her own when they knew how much danger she was in? As the story hit the 70% mark, I was struggling to suspend my disbelief and my brain was killing my book buzz. Luckily for me though, I was drawn back into the story in the final 10% for the big finale, which was full of suspense and well done.
I struggled with whether or not to give this book three or four stars because the things that bugged me really bugged me, but ultimately, for most of the book I was having a ball and that is what matters. So four stars it is.
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series, and I am already looking forward to the next one. This is a really good romantic suspense, and as there are plenty of others who need to find their happily ever after too. Charlee and her family are a wonderful addition to the fictional world of people I now know. The world-building is done in a very organic way as the story develops. The plot is quite complex with some misdirections which work well, and I had half the solution before the reveal.
The tension of repeated attempts on Charlee and people around her certainly raised the danger levels, and sometimes I was confused by the lack of care that seemed to be taken on occasion, but it worked out. Most of the time she was lucky enough to be accompanied by Hunter, her best friend, and those feelings develop into something quite different. The timing is not great, but when cupid's arrow hits, there is little they can do to resist it.
There is a lot of humour in the relationship between Charlee, her brothers, parents, and Hunter, which lightens the tension. Bakery owner Liz, the ever-grateful recipient of Charlee's cupcakes in her store, is also integral to the story – ensuring that she gets all the details of the Hunter chemistry!
I shall be looking out for the next book with great interest.
Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
A year to the day since a teenage boy drowned on a trip Charlee was supervising, she is again on the river supervising a group of kayakers. When history starts to repeat itself and a teenager nearly drowns and the group is shot at, the question is: are the two events related? With all the talk of what happened a year ago, I wondered if I’d missed a book in this series and this was book two, but after checking Goodreads I learned Beyond Risk is in fact the first book in this series.
This story wastes no time getting going. We jump straight into the action and I loved the pace. The danger, hunt for the person responsible for the shooting and then further acts of violence against people connected to Charlee, and the romance between Charlee and Fish & Wildlife Officer Hunter are a great mix. I was sure I had a five-star book on my hands. I was excited and having a blast reading and loving all the different characters and threads to the story. And a bonus is I had no idea who did it or why, so I was hooked.
Problem for me is my logical brain started to get in the way. Why, after being submerged in water, was Charlee’s phone working? Why is the Fish & Wildlife Commission investigating murder and attempted murder? Why did the men in Charlee’s life keep leaving her on her own when they knew how much danger she was in? As the story hit the 70% mark, I was struggling to suspend my disbelief and my brain was killing my book buzz. Luckily for me though, I was drawn back into the story in the final 10% for the big finale, which was full of suspense and well done.
I struggled with whether or not to give this book three or four stars because the things that bugged me really bugged me, but ultimately, for most of the book I was having a ball and that is what matters. So four stars it is.
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series, and I am already looking forward to the next one. This is a really good romantic suspense, and as there are plenty of others who need to find their happily ever after too. Charlee and her family are a wonderful addition to the fictional world of people I now know. The world-building is done in a very organic way as the story develops. The plot is quite complex with some misdirections which work well, and I had half the solution before the reveal.
The tension of repeated attempts on Charlee and people around her certainly raised the danger levels, and sometimes I was confused by the lack of care that seemed to be taken on occasion, but it worked out. Most of the time she was lucky enough to be accompanied by Hunter, her best friend, and those feelings develop into something quite different. The timing is not great, but when cupid's arrow hits, there is little they can do to resist it.
There is a lot of humour in the relationship between Charlee, her brothers, parents, and Hunter, which lightens the tension. Bakery owner Liz, the ever-grateful recipient of Charlee's cupcakes in her store, is also integral to the story – ensuring that she gets all the details of the Hunter chemistry!
I shall be looking out for the next book with great interest.
December 2, 2018
This book is a great beginning to a series that promises to keep the readers on their toes while still having a good supply of romance.
The story centers around Charlotte/Charlee Tanner and Hunter Boudreau. Charlee, a former FWC (Florida Flish and Wildlife Conservation) officer, had her life change a year ago after a kayak accident resulted in a drowning. She left her job and is managing her family’s outpost. But her fears are still real, and her trust and confidence is shattered.
Hunter, a former Marine, and friend of one of her brothers, is now the acting Lieutenant of FWC. A position one of her brothers thought was his. So there is friction in that department.
While accidents and near drownings escalate, so does the attraction between Charlee and Hunter. They both admire each other, but past experiences have them not giving all of their hearts and Charlee also has trust issues.
The plot is engaging filled with intrigue, an unknown threat, and whodunit. Meanwhile, the characters are complex and intriguing.
For me, the only con in the story, is the cast of characters in the two major incidents that affect the plot. At times I had a hard time figuring out which minor characters belong to which kayak trip and the relationship amongst them.
That said, the story was well developed and the action continued till the end. Being a Florida resident for almost 35 years, I felt right at home and really connected to the locations of the story.
Can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us. Definitely another well written story by this talented author.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
The story centers around Charlotte/Charlee Tanner and Hunter Boudreau. Charlee, a former FWC (Florida Flish and Wildlife Conservation) officer, had her life change a year ago after a kayak accident resulted in a drowning. She left her job and is managing her family’s outpost. But her fears are still real, and her trust and confidence is shattered.
Hunter, a former Marine, and friend of one of her brothers, is now the acting Lieutenant of FWC. A position one of her brothers thought was his. So there is friction in that department.
While accidents and near drownings escalate, so does the attraction between Charlee and Hunter. They both admire each other, but past experiences have them not giving all of their hearts and Charlee also has trust issues.
The plot is engaging filled with intrigue, an unknown threat, and whodunit. Meanwhile, the characters are complex and intriguing.
For me, the only con in the story, is the cast of characters in the two major incidents that affect the plot. At times I had a hard time figuring out which minor characters belong to which kayak trip and the relationship amongst them.
That said, the story was well developed and the action continued till the end. Being a Florida resident for almost 35 years, I felt right at home and really connected to the locations of the story.
Can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us. Definitely another well written story by this talented author.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
February 5, 2019
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the first book in a new series, and I am already looking forward to the next one. This is a really good romantic suspense, and as there are plenty of others who need to find their HEA too. Charlee and her family are a wonderful addition to the fictional world of people I now know. The world-building is done in a very organic way as the story develops. The plot is quite complex, with some misdirections which work well, and I had half the solution before the reveal.
The tension of repeated attempts on Charlee and people around her certainly raised the danger levels, and sometimes I was confused by the lack of care that seemed to be taken on occasion, but it worked out. Most of the time she was lucky enough to be accompanied by Hunter, her best friend, and those feelings develop into something quite different. The timing is not great, but when cupid's arrow hits there is little they can do to resist it.
There is a lot of humour in the relationship between Charlee, her brothers, parents and Hunter, which lightens the tension. Bakery owner Liz, the ever grateful recipient of Charlee's cupcakes in her store, is also integral to the story - ensuring that she gets all the details of the Hunter chemistry!
I shall be looking out for the next book with great interest.
This is the first book in a new series, and I am already looking forward to the next one. This is a really good romantic suspense, and as there are plenty of others who need to find their HEA too. Charlee and her family are a wonderful addition to the fictional world of people I now know. The world-building is done in a very organic way as the story develops. The plot is quite complex, with some misdirections which work well, and I had half the solution before the reveal.
The tension of repeated attempts on Charlee and people around her certainly raised the danger levels, and sometimes I was confused by the lack of care that seemed to be taken on occasion, but it worked out. Most of the time she was lucky enough to be accompanied by Hunter, her best friend, and those feelings develop into something quite different. The timing is not great, but when cupid's arrow hits there is little they can do to resist it.
There is a lot of humour in the relationship between Charlee, her brothers, parents and Hunter, which lightens the tension. Bakery owner Liz, the ever grateful recipient of Charlee's cupcakes in her store, is also integral to the story - ensuring that she gets all the details of the Hunter chemistry!
I shall be looking out for the next book with great interest.
January 30, 2019
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
A year to the day since a teenage boy drowned on a trip Charlee was supervising, she is again on the river supervising a group of kayakers. When history starts to repeat itself and a teenager nearly drowns and the group is shot at. the question is are the two events related. With all the talk of what happened a year ago I wondered if I’d missed a book in this series and this was book 2 but after checking Goodreads I learned Beyond Risk is in fact the first book in this series.
This story wastes no time getting going. We jump straight into the action and I loved the pace. The danger, hunt for the person responsible for the shooting and then further acts of violence against people connected to Charlee and the romance between Charlee and Fish and Wildlife officer Hunter at a great mix. I was sure I had a 5 star book on my hands. I was excited and having a blast reading and loving all the different characters and threads to the story. And a bonus is I had no idea who did it or why so I was hooked.
Problem for me is my logical brain started to get in the way. Why after being submerged in water was Charlee’s phone working? Why is the Fish & Wildlife Commission investigating murder and attempted murder? Why did the men in Charlee’s life keep leaving her on her own when they knew how much danger she was in? As the story hit the 70% mark I was struggling to suspend my disbelief and my brain was killing my book buzz. Luckily for me though I was drawn back in to the story in the final 10% for the big finale which was full of suspense and well done.
I struggled with whether or not to give this book 3 or 4 stars because the things that bugged me really bugged me, but ultimately, for most of the book I was having a ball and that is what matters. So 4 stars it is.
A year to the day since a teenage boy drowned on a trip Charlee was supervising, she is again on the river supervising a group of kayakers. When history starts to repeat itself and a teenager nearly drowns and the group is shot at. the question is are the two events related. With all the talk of what happened a year ago I wondered if I’d missed a book in this series and this was book 2 but after checking Goodreads I learned Beyond Risk is in fact the first book in this series.
This story wastes no time getting going. We jump straight into the action and I loved the pace. The danger, hunt for the person responsible for the shooting and then further acts of violence against people connected to Charlee and the romance between Charlee and Fish and Wildlife officer Hunter at a great mix. I was sure I had a 5 star book on my hands. I was excited and having a blast reading and loving all the different characters and threads to the story. And a bonus is I had no idea who did it or why so I was hooked.
Problem for me is my logical brain started to get in the way. Why after being submerged in water was Charlee’s phone working? Why is the Fish & Wildlife Commission investigating murder and attempted murder? Why did the men in Charlee’s life keep leaving her on her own when they knew how much danger she was in? As the story hit the 70% mark I was struggling to suspend my disbelief and my brain was killing my book buzz. Luckily for me though I was drawn back in to the story in the final 10% for the big finale which was full of suspense and well done.
I struggled with whether or not to give this book 3 or 4 stars because the things that bugged me really bugged me, but ultimately, for most of the book I was having a ball and that is what matters. So 4 stars it is.
February 2, 2019
Danger and Romance Lurk in the Wilds of Florida
River Guide and former Florida Fish and Wildlife officer, Charlee Tanner, is swept up in the dark mind of a killer and targeted for death. But first, he plans to make her suffer.
Determined to protect herself and her family, she butts heads with FWC officer, Hunter Boudreau, a friend and colleague she holds firmly at arm’s length.
Unable to fight their feelings, and a killer, at the same time, Charlee and Hunter team up in a race to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Unique and interesting story about Florida Fish and Wildlife officers and what they do. Descriptions take you right into the heart of Florida and all the beauty it has to offer, all while delivering twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The sweet romance is all about two headstrong people learning to let down their guard and trust in love.
This book is the first in a series. Can’t wait to read more!
River Guide and former Florida Fish and Wildlife officer, Charlee Tanner, is swept up in the dark mind of a killer and targeted for death. But first, he plans to make her suffer.
Determined to protect herself and her family, she butts heads with FWC officer, Hunter Boudreau, a friend and colleague she holds firmly at arm’s length.
Unable to fight their feelings, and a killer, at the same time, Charlee and Hunter team up in a race to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Unique and interesting story about Florida Fish and Wildlife officers and what they do. Descriptions take you right into the heart of Florida and all the beauty it has to offer, all while delivering twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The sweet romance is all about two headstrong people learning to let down their guard and trust in love.
This book is the first in a series. Can’t wait to read more!
November 30, 2018
Wow, Beyond Risk, is packed full of mystery and suspense. I was kept in the dark guessing throughout the whole book. Poor Charlee, just how much can a person be put through before they fall apart. She sure is made out of strong stuff. Hunter plays second throughout the book. I liked that the main focus was on Charlee.
November 29, 2021
The plot of this book was really fun, but the level of romance really made me dread continuing. I made it to the end, but will not be reading any more of Connie Mann's books, unfortunately. I strongly disagree with pre-marital sex, and this book did not meet my expectations of a solid Christian book.
July 30, 2024
series "Flordia Wildlife Warriors". i was just chatting beach view ...now don't get me wrong i enjoy these but i prefer a snowy view because they are more calmer to me ...not so much warm or humid etc. Jan 29, 2019. police romance ebooks. police romance. romantic suspense. i look forward to read the next in this series and more from CM soon. and very soon. laters. i gotta read.
December 9, 2018
Charlee Tanner is a river guide for her families business. A year ago a client died on one of her trips. Charlee still hasn’t recovered from the guilt she feels. On the anniversary of the fateful trip someone shoots at her group and another client almost drowns. It turns out the first incident might not have been an accident.
This book is the start of a new series for this author. I enjoyed the story and look forward to more books in the series. There was plenty of suspense along with a romance. If you enjoy romantic suspense this is the book for you. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
This book is the start of a new series for this author. I enjoyed the story and look forward to more books in the series. There was plenty of suspense along with a romance. If you enjoy romantic suspense this is the book for you. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
December 29, 2018
What an amazing book! This author was new to me and what an action packed book. I couldn’t put it down! I highly suggest this book and I can’t wait for the next one in the series. I was given this arc for my honest review.
December 11, 2018
A somewhat sappy family oriented suspense drama. Overbearing brothers were somewhat annoying, but the actual suspense story was well written and intriguing. There are enough red herrings that it’s not immediately obvious who the killer is and keep you guessing.
August 9, 2020
Intriguing and suspenseful. Hunter loves his job, but it gets complicated when his best friend is in danger. He has to figure out to protect her. Loved it.
December 3, 2018
Danger PLUS. A stalker. WHY? Who can I trust? And this officer . . . can I trust him? SERIOUSLY read this book. SUPERB.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews