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The Corrupted #2

Shielding Jemma

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Jemma lives her life by a set of rules.

A woman with a dark past, she has no intention of settling down because getting comfortable would mean death.

When a chance encounter with a handsome man at her gym makes her the target of a deadly crime boss out of New York, she has nowhere to run except right back into the crossfire of a life she was determined to forget.

Agent Caid King has always done things by the book.

So when the blonde bombshell he meets at his gym turns out to have ties to his current case, he shelves his attraction and tries to focus on his mission at hand.

Caught between two worlds, Caid is forced to choose between seeking justice, and being the one who deals it out.



Shielding Jemma is the second book in J.W. Ashley’s intertwined suspense series where love and duty collide, resulting in one hell of a ride.

Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2018

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About the author

Jessica McCrory

10 books237 followers
Hi everyone!!!My name is Jessica and I started writing when I was a teenager. I have always had a love of reading and that influenced me to write my own stories!! I am married to a wonderfully supportive man and we have two beautiful kiddos together! I spent seven years in the Texas Army National Guard and after I got out, I started putting more time into my writing! My absolute favorite genre is fantasy romance or anything that is considered paranormal. The different worlds you can visit through those types of books absolutely fascinate me!
I love red wine (its my end of the day treat to myself) and I am a sucker for sappy love stories, but who isn't right?

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews134 followers
Want to Read
March 16, 2020
🎁 Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (3/16/2020)! 🎁
Profile Image for  ❤️MaLu_Reads❤️.
422 reviews92 followers
February 12, 2018

★3.5 Stars★

This book was so unexpected for many reasons...Good and bads.

Willow is the daughter of one of the most dangerous criminal...You think that being the daughter of the most fearful and rich man, she would have a wonderful life, but actually, it was the exact opposite. She was tortured and hurt mentally and psychologically. He killed her mother and forced Willow to watch as he did it because she went to the FBI, she betrayed him, thinking that once he would go down, she was free, able to live a normal life. But the FBI betrayed her mother, and so he killed her...Now, her father was going to force her into a marriage she didn't want with one of his business associates. So after years of torture...now was her chance to escape. 

trophy wife abby

Three years had past and Jemma still has nightmares and panic attacks. She has a strict routine...gym, shooting and home. No friends, no trust in anyone, never out before and in the dark. But she knows that the monster is near and he will find her any day now...Agent Caid King buries himself in work, to forget about his ex-fiance cheating and marrying his ex-partner and ex-best friend.



He has done a wonderful job, bringing down to justice some corrupted agents from the FBI. Now he is back home in New York working on one of the most important case, The Runner...What he doesn't know is that he is so close to solving this case and more important to heal his heart and change his life...He meets a girl at the gym. And that girl starts everything.



I'm not going to tell you more about the book. Only that the book is full of action, twists, and turns. It really is a beautiful story and I really enjoy it. But...here come my bads...I really don't know where to start...

The story was very good and interesting, captivating even, but it was written very simply. I'm not a fan of the details, but in this book, they sure were needed. The story moved to fast, I did not find it very consistent and cursive. Sometimes was very predictable. Were moments when I thought that Jemma was the agent, and Caid the victim that needed protection. She was some really BB (badass barbie).
"Hello....you're an FBI agent, how can you not see these things. It's so obvious"

Imagini pentru seriously gif

I didn't feel the connection between the two main characters. The book was exactly like a movie, some parts and details were missing, the ones to mold and ties the story...But also some things were unexpected, in a good way, and the ending was one of them...and that, I liked it.

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Profile Image for Heather.
247 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2018
So perfect! I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down! Starts out with a fantastic prologue that grabs your attention and pulls you right in. I love that Jessica wrote such a strong female lead, that always makes for a great book. This book was so suspenseful and kept you on your toes. Great writing with an amazing plot! 5 stars all the way!!
Profile Image for Shayay.
2,846 reviews55 followers
March 5, 2020
Loved the suspense and the whole premise is something I really enjoy reading. Escaping the bad guy, needing to stay in hiding, and meeting a protective lawman to help take down the bad guys; all of this is so fun to read about! Jemma’s father is a horrible man that does many horrible things; even killing her mom in front of her when she was around 9 years old and torturing Jemma. Jemma finally escapes at 22, but needs to keep hidden so she’s not taken back to be her father’s prisoner. It’s a few years after her escape, Jemma still has some serious anxiety and has panic attacks, so she does sparring and such at the gym to help combat those feelings. She’s become a pretty awesome fighter! It’s awesome that she took action to improve her strength so she can protect herself if she needs to. At the gym, she ends up meeting FBI agent Caid; she doesn’t know he’s an FBI agent and he doesn’t know she’s on the run, so there’s some secrets going on there, but these two feel a connection that draws them together. Unfortunately, things aren’t going to be easy going for these two. Lots of dangerous people out to get them; it’s difficult to trust anyone when there’s such corruption in places of power.

Loved the connection between Jemma and Caid. Sweet and sexy moments between these two. Both are likable characters and show some great strength. I do think there were times that they weren’t exactly using their brains. Things like not making copies of important things, not following someone you suspect is lying about a missing person, and not seeing some obvious signs of people’s guilt. Also, why weren’t they going after people for kidnapping and shooting at the FBI and the police? I would think multiple people being eyewitnesses; including FBI agents and cops, would be enough evidence, but I suppose maybe not. Still felt a little weird to me; things seemed to just take too long, so it felt like they weren’t very good at their jobs as agents and such. I also wish Jemma used her fighting skills more successfully; she had some awesome moments, but there was a bit of let down there when she really could’ve shined. Those are my only gripes; everything else kept me engaged in the story. Some cool action keeps the story interesting! I’ve really enjoyed both books in this series so far and hope there will be more!
Profile Image for Books Laid Bare.
2,275 reviews37 followers
February 15, 2018
Action packed from the get-go, this was a well written entertaining read.
I thought the characters had enough going on to stop me for drifting and the pace of the read made sure that I was encouraged to keep a steady timber. I think it would be easy to get distracted with the story, the fact that it was told in the third person was a break from the norm for me at the moment, I seem to spend so much time reading for the characters points of view that it took a little recalibrating to get myself back in the swing of third party, but once I had it was a breeze.
Jemma has a father that I totally despised. The guy was a total piece of work who for the most part was ambivalent to the fact he had a daughter all, unless of course it suited him. He was totally immersed in his business, when he should have put a little more care into being a parent but then again, some people just don’t seem to play by the same rules as the rest of us and that was very much the case here, because in both business and family life Jemma’s father was well and truly on the dodgy side of the fence.
Caid was just the sort of I wanted for Jemma, he was as solid as a rock, honest and astute, really there was little that this hard as nails FBI agent didn’t do right and that included being the guy that Jemma needed in her life.
Jemma was a match in every way, it was difficult to see her as part of her father’s world, she had almost inserted an invisible divide, she was everything he wasn’t.
Whilst the two of them took a little time to find a path that would work for them, I wasn’t surprised that they hit more than one or two roadblocks along the way, I couldn’t help but root for them. Jemma deserved Cain, and vice versa
As a standalone read I thought this came across well but there are secondary characters that I would like to hear more about, so I will be looking out for more works from this author.
Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.7k reviews186 followers
February 16, 2018
The Runner's Daughter was my first trip into Jessica McCrory's world, and I find that I don't want to leave it! Normally, I don't tend to like to spend my time in the third person world, but in this instance, her very talented writing style shined so brightly, that it didn't even phase me, as I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough, and I was deeply imprinted on the characters like first person. See, Jemma Saige was born to an evil father that had her running at the first chance she had, and had gone to ground to the point that she only went to the gym to keep the panic attacks at bay. And FBI agent, Caid King is a man hard on the cast to take down The Runner's organization while trying to get rid of all the corruption within the agency. He never saw Jemma coming, and he never thought she would tie into his biggest investigation. And that's all of the plot that I'm giving away because obviously this is a romantic suspense novel, so anything else just threatens spoiler douchery, which is just uncalled for & wrong. Now I LOVED Caid & bada** barbie Jemma so much, & thankfully neither had too many hang ups that had me wanting to shake them. Yeah there were some moments, but when you're on the run from a psychopath, sometimes there are issues because of stress levels of who you can trust. So you know, the twists & turns had my f-bomb dropping skills strong as they were loud throughout! And it seemed like there was a bit of a cliffy although Jemma & Caid were wrapped up, so I CANNOT WAIT to read more by this absolutely new addiction on my list in the future, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!
Profile Image for Jessica Bronder.
2,015 reviews32 followers
February 15, 2018
Jemma Saige has a secret. She is the daughter of a brutal drug lord with his hands in all kinds of illicit activities. Jemma was forced to watch him kill her mother for trying to go to the FBI. Jemma is on the run and has been hiding for three years. Everything has gone well for her until she meets Caid King at the gym.

Caid is getting over his ex-girl friend cheating on him with his ex-partner/best friend. But he has a huge case he is working on and is not planning on finding someone new. But he finds himself drawn to Jemma. Then she disappears and comes back with a lot of trouble following her.

I really liked this story. Jemma has gone through hell but has come out the other side stronger for it. Caid is tough yet sweet with his determination to stop the corruption in the FBI and to help out Jemma. Of course her father is the one he is looking to stop.

There is action, adventure, thrills, and chills with this story. And I loved the relationship between Jemma and Caid. It’s not as hot and steamy as a lot of contemporary romances but I liked the connection between the two of them. I couldn’t get through this book fast enough but then was sad that the book is done.

If you like thrilling contemporary romances you need to check out this series. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

I received The Runner’s Daughter from the author for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
Profile Image for Ingrid Vermeulen-Quakernaat.
1,230 reviews10 followers
December 4, 2019
You will be drawn into the story from the first page and it will never let you go!

Caid was introduced at the end of the book Deceived as a member of the FBI, on the good side of the law. In Concealed you can read the story of him and Jemma.
Jemma is the daughter of the most wanted man by the FBI. What she has seen means that she knows she must flee as soon as she can. After being in hiding for 3 years and always being cautious, she meets Caid and is charmed by him. However, all the years that she thought she was safe, she was being watched and now that she has been in contact with an FBI agent, her father comes after her. Caid manages to save her time and time again but loses his heart during his rescue efforts and knows that Jemma is more important to him than his own life. And while he tries to catch De Runner, the wrong men and women still seem to be booming within the FBI
Caid, a real man! Courteous, straightforward and protective to the people around him. Jemma, especially not a victim who trained herself in combat and weapons to cope with her father. She learns to trust Caid and gives her heart to him. Together they experience a lot, which only makes them stronger

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Atlanta Whitlock.
907 reviews14 followers
February 22, 2018
After reading The Charitable Bastard by Jessica McCrory I was super excited to see what would happen in this next book and yet again she managed to achieve perfection. This is the second book by Jessica I've read and honestly, I have a feeling that this author will be going pretty far, she has some amazing talent and if you haven't read this series yet, then I highly suggest that you go and start. Yet again she managed to throw me off guard and the way she done it was pretty superb, I couldn't find fault with this book at all and I am looking forward to seeing if she can achieve perfection again.

Jemma never lived a normal life, you'd think that considering when she was younger she would be able to have pretty much everything that she could ever ask for, nope you are completely wrong. All she has ever wanted was to escape the hell that she is living in, yet whilst she manages too does it seem like she is living in a dream where she has escaped for good or is it only time until her past catches up with her? I would go into more detail but if I do then I feel like it would ruin the book for you.
Profile Image for A Book Lover's Emporium Book Blog.
2,816 reviews171 followers
February 11, 2018
I need to confess that I am not a fan of third person writing style, I much prefer to be in a characters head. This is probably why it took me a while to get into the flow of The Runner's Daughter. However, once I got into it, the characters definitely won me over.

Caid is an FBI agent, tough, intelligent and honest. Jemma also has these attributes, but she earnt hers the hard way. Raised by a nasty father who cared more for his illegitimate business dealings than his own daughter. I felt for Caid and Jemma, their start was a rocky one and I was hoping for their "Happily Ever After". I was also impressed by the development of the side characters. I would like to read more about Lance and explore his family more.

At the start, there were some timing issues, and there were a few convenient coincidences that were too perfect to be true. I guessed many of the surprises, but I read a lot so it takes a lot to keep me guessing!

All in all, it was an enjoyable read, recommended for lovers of police/FBI romances. I would like to read more from this author.
Profile Image for Candice Royer.
27 reviews2 followers
January 27, 2018
This was my first Jessica McCrory book, and I loved it! Action-packed from start to finish, the book keeps the reader on her toes following Jemma Saige as she fights for her freedom from the demons of her past with the aide of Caid King, an FBI Agent Jemma meets at the gym. Their attraction to each other is a slow burn in this contemporary romance, and don't expect graphic scenes. This book is more on the sweeter side of romance -- if you don't count the murderous drug lord, human trafficking, dirty FBI agents, cops describing prisoners being gutted like fish . . . you get the picture. Ha ha!
I'll be going back to catch book one in the series, but I had no trouble following the story as it stood.
I love finding new authors to enjoy, and I love variety in my reading. I truly enjoyed "The Runner's Daughter" and believe you will, too.
Profile Image for Noël.
124 reviews
February 15, 2018
Sigh - So inlove with these characters!

So from the start it is grab your seat gripping and thrilling. It's definitely one of those books you don't/can't put down till the end because you need all the pieces and just can't wait to find out whats all going on from all the different sides.

I kind of adore how strong and amazing Jemma is even with her Panic Attacs she finds a way to get through them, to fight them. Even though in some ways she may come off as weak, she is so much more then that. Jemma is a fighter whom doesn't want to loose anymore of herself. She is trying her hardest to stay above it all.
Caid is going through so much, and he sees this beautifully broken women who has this pull on him. He definitely doesn't understand it, but he wants to be near her for sure.
488 reviews7 followers
December 5, 2019
This story is about a young woman named Willow who has an incredibly evil father who killed her mother in front of her and then basically kept her imprisoned until he could marry her to a man of his choice. Willow is able to escape and create a new identity so she is called Jemma for the rest of the story.. She meets an FBI agent named Caid who doesn't know who she is but happens to be after the criminal nicknamed The Runner, who is her father. Jemma and Caid fall in love while many events occur, including many efforts of her father to find and send attackers after her. There are shocking surprises, betrayals, and efforts by Jemma and Caid to capture her father. Readers will love the romance and adventurous events!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cynthia Carpenter.
1,683 reviews16 followers
February 8, 2018
Jenna is hiding out from her father she managed to stay hidden till she meets Caid King at gym and he helps her over her panic attack. They have a instant chemistry they Caid won't act cause he is working on a big case for the FBI. When Jenna disappears and he is trying to find her. Things go from bad to worse when she turns up and they are on the run. As things go by and Caid finally learns the truth will he be able to see past who is she or will he let her go. Will Jenna be able to deal with all her past and finally figure out the truth that had been kept from or will she continue to run and hide. This book keep you on the edge with twist and turns and some you might not expect. It makes you cry and laugh and get mad. Amazing read can't wait for book 3
Profile Image for Kali McQuillen.
1,957 reviews38 followers
February 15, 2018
*4.5* FBI Agent Caid King wants the guy they call the Runner. He's been after him for a long time now and he won't rest until he gets him. He doesn't expect to run into a hot woman at his gym that makes his blood heat.

Gemma has been on the run for a long time, she's finally escaped and wants to stay that way. She wants to bring down the man that held her captive. She can't trust anyone. She starts trusting the guy that she spars with before her life implodes.

I was waiting with bated breath to see if they were going to trust the wrong person. To see if the people that they did trust was someone that they shouldn't.

I am really liking this new author to me. This is the second book of hers that I've read and I will continue to read what she writes!!
Profile Image for Amanda .
204 reviews4 followers
February 17, 2018
Jemma (Willow) is the daughter of a very powerful, evil man. Being raised by him after he killed her mom right before her eyes. Jemma has to find a way out of his control, but knows he has people that work for him all over. How can she hide?
Caid met his match at the gym one night, immediately smitten with this woman, he can't stop thinking about her. He can sense some of her fears, but when she dissappears he has to find her, and make sure she's safe. His FBI instincts will hopefully give him the advantages he needs.
There are many twists along the way, the most amazing is when Jemma finds out that she surprisingly has a twin brother.
This is another fantastic book from Jessica McCrory! It will grab ahold of you and not let go until the end. I can't wait for book 3!!!
Profile Image for Leanne.
537 reviews48 followers
February 9, 2018
Well I say!
This is a belter of a book by Jessica McCrory.
It can be read as a standalone but for full effect I thoroughly recommend reading book 1 goes, there are a few crossover story lines that will make more sense, particularly once you get to the end of this book.

As always, Jessica has done a brilliant job of keeping this action packed story flowing and ensuring are perched right on the edge of your seat. The twists are really quite unexpected and the whole story just packs a punch.

I REALLY can't wait to get my hands on book 3 and delve further into this country wide scandal of corruption and murder. This is one evil mastermind I am sooooo looking forward to meeting!

476 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2018
Another great read from this author. The story line is packed solid of twists and turns which keep you hooked. Not only are the characters well thought out and rounded, even the really bad guys, you can feel how each of them feels and what they think before you even read it. I am not going to go into the story line as that would spoil it for any future readers, but know that this novel is well worth the time and effort (no effort in fact) reading. Loved this read as so will you. Thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series which sets out the characters, but you don't need to read it first to enjoy this one.
Profile Image for Amelia.
446 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2024
The book was good but there are 2 things that really irritated me. 1. Hero calls her BB (badass Barbie). She does all this training and shooting, giving everyone in the gym a run for their money and then gets attached, drugged, surprised, kicked around by everyone including her female neighbor. She is weak in real world. 2. Hero is an FBI agent that's basically hunted by top 10 wanted criminal and then goes to dinner at his parents house for Thanksgiving, leading his whole family into danger so he can take heroine to a family dinner. How stupid can one person be?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jamie.
1,117 reviews5 followers
May 29, 2018
Romantic suspense

I was on pins and needles to the very end of this book. The author keeps you guessing til the very end who the mole was in investigation. Jemma was brought up with tough love when it came to her father. She was just a pawn in the game that her father had her in the middle of. Caid was smitten with Jemma the first time he met her. Caid was a godsend to Jemma as she need protection and her father brought down.
Profile Image for Heather W.
4,068 reviews35 followers
December 15, 2019
Concealed is the second book in The Corrupted series.

I loved this story and cannot wait for the next one in the series. The characters are well developed, strong, smart, and complex. The storyline is well written, capturing my interest from the start and keeping it until the end. This story has death, danger, drama, suspense, intrigue, and romance.

I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
Profile Image for Jenna.
76 reviews
December 16, 2017
Another great suspense romance from Jessica McCrory. Jemma doesn't live a easy life, living her life in hiding from her cruel father. Although she is broken and scared Jemma is still one tough bitch. Better know as Badass Barbie courteous of Caid. Who is determined to protect Jemma with everything he has. This book is full of action from the get go. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Melissa  Wright.
533 reviews9 followers
February 3, 2018
Talk about twists and turns, the Runners Daughter is a fast paced keep you guessing joy ride. Jemma is a bad@ss barbie and Agent Caid is there to help her bring the Runner down. They have a super hot chemistry together that will definitely keep you on your toes. Great second book of the series looking forward to book 3.
Profile Image for Gina Burkart.
3,698 reviews52 followers
February 16, 2018
Wow Jessica has done it again. This book is action packed from the first page tell the very end. This book will grab your attention from the beginning to the very end. This book will keep You on edge from its action packed. This book is very hard to put down so be ready for the excitement that will keep you on edge.
Profile Image for Heather.
247 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2018
So perfect! I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down! Starts out with a fantastic prologue that grabs your attention and pulls you right in. I love that Jessica wrote such a strong female lead, that always makes for a great book. This book was so suspenseful and kept you on your toes. Great writing with an amazing plot! 5 stars all the way!!
7,813 reviews65 followers
December 16, 2019
This is a great read with an awesome storyline that has well developed and engaging characters that have lots of chemistry. The smooth flow of the storyline makes for a good reading time. It’s always a pleasure to read books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Rachel Talavera.
687 reviews7 followers
March 12, 2018
This book is knock your socks off amazing. Caid is an amazing hero and Jemma is one of my all time favorite heroines EVER. If you like a good rollercoaster ride that will leave you with a book hangover from you know where then this book is for you.
Profile Image for Ana *.
519 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2019
This is the second book in the series, as with all series I recommend that you read the books in order. This was one of those books that just grabs you from beginning to end and you can't put it down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Heather.
104 reviews11 followers
February 16, 2018
i really enjoyed this book, it was action packed and moved at a good pace. I think it could have used a bit more details bit could still follow it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews