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Lone Star Surrender
Undercover agent Constantine Vega sacrificed three years of his life building up the case of a sinister drug lord. But only days before the trial, after threats against his life, Constantine is on the run with tantalizing federal prosecutor Nicole Ward--a desperate journey promising both sin and sensation...
Nicole has been trying her best to follow the rules...rules that she once broke with disastrous results. But the magnetic and passionate force of Constantine Vega threatens to unleash every tempestuous feeling inside her. With so much at stake, can she trust Constantine with her body--and her life?
Nicole has been trying her best to follow the rules...rules that she once broke with disastrous results. But the magnetic and passionate force of Constantine Vega threatens to unleash every tempestuous feeling inside her. With so much at stake, can she trust Constantine with her body--and her life?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 25, 2008
2 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Renee Jones
372 books14.7k followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with.
In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.
In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 13, 2009
This book was ok. I enjoyed parts of it I felt it could never decide whether it was a romance or a thriller. It just didn't get the balance right for me as a romantic suspense title.
I like the conflict that wa sthere between the hero & heroine but it negated the suspense part of the plotline for me. It took me three days to read. i kept getting distracted. For a Blaze for me, that's not good.
I like the conflict that wa sthere between the hero & heroine but it negated the suspense part of the plotline for me. It took me three days to read. i kept getting distracted. For a Blaze for me, that's not good.
January 6, 2009
This book was rather dry and boring. I purchased it in audio format and that just made it worse. The narrator just completely butchered Constantine's accent. He is suppose to be of Latin descent, but she was off the mark with her impression of it. There didn't seem to be any real fire between Constantine and Nicole, it seemed a little forced.
August 7, 2023
Good story about an undercover FBI agent Constantine Vega who for 3 years has been building a drug case that is fixing to go to trial. Days before threats force him and the federal prosecutor who is sexy as can be to be running from threats against his life.
Lots of sex and good character depth which makes you want to read on to see how these two are going to manage to stay alive and find a life for themselves. Nicole Ward, the prosecutor, was in a bad marriage before and is not ready for the long haul. She broke rules before and the results make her unready to break any now.
Lots of sex and good character depth which makes you want to read on to see how these two are going to manage to stay alive and find a life for themselves. Nicole Ward, the prosecutor, was in a bad marriage before and is not ready for the long haul. She broke rules before and the results make her unready to break any now.
April 29, 2011
Reviewed by Jamaica Layne (http://www.jamaicalayne.com)
It had been a long time since I curled up with a novel from Harlequin's red-hot Blaze line, so when the good folks at Book Talk asked me to review this book as my first guest review on the blog, I jumped at the chance. It had been quite a while since I'd read any series romance at all; in fact, so I was curious if the line had changed any in the four or five years it's been since I last read it. As an erotic romance author myself, I'd been a fan of Blaze (Harlequin's sexiest line of traditional romances until they began the Spice line a year or two ago) from its earliest days.
If Lisa Renee Jones' Lone Star Surrender is any example, it seems Harlequin has turned up the heat in its Blaze line considerably. The book opens with a sex scene, in fact---and this is no ordinary sex scene, either. The book's heroine, Nicole Ward, a federal prosecutor in South Texas about to try the case of her career, meets a mysterious and sexy Latino man in a crowded bar, who without even giving his name, brings her to orgasm right in the middle of the bar. Nicole----freshly divorced and on the lookout for a one-off fling---doesn't yet know that this mysterious man is going to be a very big part of her life very soon.
Nicole is about to prosecute a sinister drug lord named Alvarez. The feds have been building a case against him for three years, and Nicole is literally risking her life trying the case. After a threat on her life by one of Alvarez' men, she is placed under FBI protection until the trial begins by one of the undercover agents who helped the feds infiltrate Alvarez' drug empire. To Nicole's shock and surprise, the undercover agent assigned to protect her is none other than the mysterious stranger she hooked up with in the bar a night earlier. His name is Constantine Vega, and he's a dark, mysterious man, far more than Nicole ever bargained for.
Lone Star Surrender is a cross between a traditional sexy romance and a suspense thriller. The story is fast-paced and addictive as it follows Nicole and Constantine as they try to evade Alvarez' assassins before Nicole has a chance to try and convict him. There are machine-gun-filled ambushes, sex-filled hideouts in caves, dirty cops and corrupt lawyers----along with plenty of red-hot sex. I had trouble putting this book down. Still, there are a few continuity issues (one scene has Nicole and Constantine seemingly trapped inside a desert shack while surrounded by gunmen; yet on the next page, they somehow have escaped to the woods, but no explanation is given how they managed it).
Despite a few rough patches, Lone Star Surrender is an engaging, entertaining read. I'll look forward to Lisa Renee Jones' next book.
It had been a long time since I curled up with a novel from Harlequin's red-hot Blaze line, so when the good folks at Book Talk asked me to review this book as my first guest review on the blog, I jumped at the chance. It had been quite a while since I'd read any series romance at all; in fact, so I was curious if the line had changed any in the four or five years it's been since I last read it. As an erotic romance author myself, I'd been a fan of Blaze (Harlequin's sexiest line of traditional romances until they began the Spice line a year or two ago) from its earliest days.
If Lisa Renee Jones' Lone Star Surrender is any example, it seems Harlequin has turned up the heat in its Blaze line considerably. The book opens with a sex scene, in fact---and this is no ordinary sex scene, either. The book's heroine, Nicole Ward, a federal prosecutor in South Texas about to try the case of her career, meets a mysterious and sexy Latino man in a crowded bar, who without even giving his name, brings her to orgasm right in the middle of the bar. Nicole----freshly divorced and on the lookout for a one-off fling---doesn't yet know that this mysterious man is going to be a very big part of her life very soon.
Nicole is about to prosecute a sinister drug lord named Alvarez. The feds have been building a case against him for three years, and Nicole is literally risking her life trying the case. After a threat on her life by one of Alvarez' men, she is placed under FBI protection until the trial begins by one of the undercover agents who helped the feds infiltrate Alvarez' drug empire. To Nicole's shock and surprise, the undercover agent assigned to protect her is none other than the mysterious stranger she hooked up with in the bar a night earlier. His name is Constantine Vega, and he's a dark, mysterious man, far more than Nicole ever bargained for.
Lone Star Surrender is a cross between a traditional sexy romance and a suspense thriller. The story is fast-paced and addictive as it follows Nicole and Constantine as they try to evade Alvarez' assassins before Nicole has a chance to try and convict him. There are machine-gun-filled ambushes, sex-filled hideouts in caves, dirty cops and corrupt lawyers----along with plenty of red-hot sex. I had trouble putting this book down. Still, there are a few continuity issues (one scene has Nicole and Constantine seemingly trapped inside a desert shack while surrounded by gunmen; yet on the next page, they somehow have escaped to the woods, but no explanation is given how they managed it).
Despite a few rough patches, Lone Star Surrender is an engaging, entertaining read. I'll look forward to Lisa Renee Jones' next book.
August 1, 2011
Lisa Renee Jones has become another favorite author of mine over the last year. I’ve only read a few of her category romances so far, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and devoured each one.
Both the hero and heroine in this book have hardened their hearts against love and marriage, but when they meet it’s instant attraction. However, Constantine is on a mission to insure he lives through his current assignment. That doesn’t stop the fierceness of their lust at first touch, however. He’s the one who walks away, knowing getting caught up in a woman, one who can make his lose control, even one who will have a hand in whether he lives or dies, isn’t something he can afford at the moment. He’s deep undercover, infiltrating a drug lord’s domain. A bust is about to go down, so he needs to know if the Deputy District Attorney is clean or not. Having his hands all over her within minutes of their meeting hadn’t been in his plans.
Nicole is one of the best at her job, putting criminals away for a change. She still harbors deep regret over the mistake she made in private practice when a case in her past ended in disaster. With a huge case just days away, she finds herself on the run from the man she’s going to prosecute, accompanied by an FBI agent who stirs something in her that’s been dormant for so long and who is her ticket to getting home alive to put their pursuer behind bars for good.
The chemistry between these two is sizzling. Even on the run, not knowing if they’ll live or die, the physical attraction between them can’t be denied, even when they still have trust issues to deal with in the light of day. They go through hell together for several weeks, never knowing who trust. Constantine knows he has to walk away when everything is settled, he’s not the marrying kind, his job won’t allow such happiness. Nicole has been afraid to love for so long, but she’s willing to give it a chance with him, if he’d only stay. I enjoyed how they worked together, both during their ordeal and in the end to give their love a chance, even when they’re not sure things will work out for them.
We’re kept in the dark along with Constantine and Nicole as to who the unknown villain is who helps keep the really evil villains a step ahead of their plans. The action moves along quickly, the love scenes are hot, and emotions swirl out of control. A terrific combination to keep you glued to the pages until the last word.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
Both the hero and heroine in this book have hardened their hearts against love and marriage, but when they meet it’s instant attraction. However, Constantine is on a mission to insure he lives through his current assignment. That doesn’t stop the fierceness of their lust at first touch, however. He’s the one who walks away, knowing getting caught up in a woman, one who can make his lose control, even one who will have a hand in whether he lives or dies, isn’t something he can afford at the moment. He’s deep undercover, infiltrating a drug lord’s domain. A bust is about to go down, so he needs to know if the Deputy District Attorney is clean or not. Having his hands all over her within minutes of their meeting hadn’t been in his plans.
Nicole is one of the best at her job, putting criminals away for a change. She still harbors deep regret over the mistake she made in private practice when a case in her past ended in disaster. With a huge case just days away, she finds herself on the run from the man she’s going to prosecute, accompanied by an FBI agent who stirs something in her that’s been dormant for so long and who is her ticket to getting home alive to put their pursuer behind bars for good.
The chemistry between these two is sizzling. Even on the run, not knowing if they’ll live or die, the physical attraction between them can’t be denied, even when they still have trust issues to deal with in the light of day. They go through hell together for several weeks, never knowing who trust. Constantine knows he has to walk away when everything is settled, he’s not the marrying kind, his job won’t allow such happiness. Nicole has been afraid to love for so long, but she’s willing to give it a chance with him, if he’d only stay. I enjoyed how they worked together, both during their ordeal and in the end to give their love a chance, even when they’re not sure things will work out for them.
We’re kept in the dark along with Constantine and Nicole as to who the unknown villain is who helps keep the really evil villains a step ahead of their plans. The action moves along quickly, the love scenes are hot, and emotions swirl out of control. A terrific combination to keep you glued to the pages until the last word.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
September 13, 2010
Constantine Vega is an undercover FBI agent, who has spent the last three years collecting evidence against Drug Lord Alvarez. The trial is only a few weeks away and he doesn’t want to take any chances. He needs to know if this federal prosecutor can be trusted to put Alvarez behind bars. So he has been following Nicole Ward for a few days to see if she is clean from Alvarez influence.
Nicole Ward is a federal prosecutor and assigns to Drug Lord Alvarez’s case. She has left her father’s law firm, so she can put these criminals behind bars instead of keeping them out. Now she needs to convince her sister to decline their father’s offer to join the company and build a life of her own.
Then one night she meet this stranger while she’s out celebrating her sister’s passing of the bar exam. The attraction is huge between them and before she knows it, he’s giving her the best pleasure in her life and then walks away.
Lone Star Surrender by Lisa Renee Jones is the first book I ever read of this author and I have to say it didn’t disappoint me, at matter a fact I’m definitely going to check out her other books. This novel kept my attention from the first page and I had to finish it to see how it would end.
Constantine Vega is a strong determined FBI agent. He’s been undercover for the last three years and he doesn’t want anyone blow up this case. Even if that means checking out the federal prosecutor and make sure she’s on the good side of the law. He knows she is going to be mad, when she finds out who he really is.
Nicole Ward is a determined young woman, who wants to prove to her father that she can do this on her own. She left his law firm to fight and get these criminal behind bars this time. But her life is about to turn up side down, when she finally meet her crown witness in her case against drug lord Alvarez. It turns out to be a FBI agent and also her one night stands Constantine.
I love to see the total trust Nicole gives Constantine when they realize they have a mole in the agency and that Nicole’s life is in danger. Alvarez will do anything to prevent them continuing the case, so he won’t go to jail.
Lisa Renee Jones surprised me with his book, the combination of action, danger and sexual attraction made me stay on the couch and turning the pages so I could see what happens next. I’m looking forward reading more of her work.
Nicole Ward is a federal prosecutor and assigns to Drug Lord Alvarez’s case. She has left her father’s law firm, so she can put these criminals behind bars instead of keeping them out. Now she needs to convince her sister to decline their father’s offer to join the company and build a life of her own.
Then one night she meet this stranger while she’s out celebrating her sister’s passing of the bar exam. The attraction is huge between them and before she knows it, he’s giving her the best pleasure in her life and then walks away.
Lone Star Surrender by Lisa Renee Jones is the first book I ever read of this author and I have to say it didn’t disappoint me, at matter a fact I’m definitely going to check out her other books. This novel kept my attention from the first page and I had to finish it to see how it would end.
Constantine Vega is a strong determined FBI agent. He’s been undercover for the last three years and he doesn’t want anyone blow up this case. Even if that means checking out the federal prosecutor and make sure she’s on the good side of the law. He knows she is going to be mad, when she finds out who he really is.
Nicole Ward is a determined young woman, who wants to prove to her father that she can do this on her own. She left his law firm to fight and get these criminal behind bars this time. But her life is about to turn up side down, when she finally meet her crown witness in her case against drug lord Alvarez. It turns out to be a FBI agent and also her one night stands Constantine.
I love to see the total trust Nicole gives Constantine when they realize they have a mole in the agency and that Nicole’s life is in danger. Alvarez will do anything to prevent them continuing the case, so he won’t go to jail.
Lisa Renee Jones surprised me with his book, the combination of action, danger and sexual attraction made me stay on the couch and turning the pages so I could see what happens next. I’m looking forward reading more of her work.
Want to read
February 17, 2017I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13104038
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13104038
June 10, 2010
Constantine Vega has been working as a cop deeply undercover for a powerful drug lord for last few years. Finally, he has acquired enough dirt to put him away for a long time. Before he exposes his cover, he needs to make sure that the lawyer for the state, Nicole Ward isn't crooked. Constantine agrees to meet covertly with her and during their meeting they end up on the run. Constantine's cover is blown and the drug lord is onto them. Nicole and Constantine will have to hole up together in order to stay safe.
The problem I seem to have with category books is that they are just too short for my tastes. It really is a catch 22, because I picked this book specifically because it was short. Lone Star Surrender flowed smoothly along and was an enjoyable read. Constantine and Nicole were pleasant characters, albeit somewhat predictable. I will admit, I was a little surprised that the first sexual encounter between Nicole and Constantine took place on page 25, after they had barely met. I wasn't quite expecting that level of steam, but then again, this is a Blaze.
I think for those readers who like category romances will enjoy this story. Those readers who tend to shy away from shorter novels because they need more depth won't exactly find that here. But if readers are ever in the mood for a quickie that is entertaining with some steam then I would recommend it.
The problem I seem to have with category books is that they are just too short for my tastes. It really is a catch 22, because I picked this book specifically because it was short. Lone Star Surrender flowed smoothly along and was an enjoyable read. Constantine and Nicole were pleasant characters, albeit somewhat predictable. I will admit, I was a little surprised that the first sexual encounter between Nicole and Constantine took place on page 25, after they had barely met. I wasn't quite expecting that level of steam, but then again, this is a Blaze.
I think for those readers who like category romances will enjoy this story. Those readers who tend to shy away from shorter novels because they need more depth won't exactly find that here. But if readers are ever in the mood for a quickie that is entertaining with some steam then I would recommend it.
July 30, 2010
Honest answer: I didn't like this book at all. Granted, I think this is the kind of book that might qualify as something that appeals to certain people, so there may be others who like it, but several times I wanted to stop reading this book. Keeping in tradition with my point of finishing books regardless, it was a tough read.
Reason being, for a suspenseful romance, it was sluggishly paced and the chemistry between Constantine and Nicole didn't feel genuine. I should also add that the narration wasn't very good, as the reader for the particular audiobook couldn't really carry the character voices that well. I kept wishing for a point where the characters to have more flesh and for them to have some sense of substance in the overall plot. Despite being in peril, it didn't convince me. The sensual scenes were carefully constructed, but that's about all that was in the collective story.
Definitely not picking up this again. I may try the author again to get to my Harlequin 100 Reads, but I sincerely hope that her other stories are much better for this particular line of books.
Overall score: 1/5
Reason being, for a suspenseful romance, it was sluggishly paced and the chemistry between Constantine and Nicole didn't feel genuine. I should also add that the narration wasn't very good, as the reader for the particular audiobook couldn't really carry the character voices that well. I kept wishing for a point where the characters to have more flesh and for them to have some sense of substance in the overall plot. Despite being in peril, it didn't convince me. The sensual scenes were carefully constructed, but that's about all that was in the collective story.
Definitely not picking up this again. I may try the author again to get to my Harlequin 100 Reads, but I sincerely hope that her other stories are much better for this particular line of books.
Overall score: 1/5
October 11, 2011
The plot was interesting enough to finish but for every action made someone spent twice as long thinking about it and they weren't very respectful to each other. Federal prosecutor Nicole learns last minute of key witness, an FBI agent Constantine who spent three years undercover building the case.
November 13, 2012
The plot the well worn, but well done. The character development is superb. I got so deep inside the psyche of this couple that I could feel them falling in love and the tension in the room when they were at odds.
December 26, 2012
Smokin hot read!
July 9, 2016
Well....this almost made a 4! I liked the characters and even the story line but for some reason afterward, i just had the feeling of, "eh" or "blah".
August 7, 2012
Didn't really work for me, the story was okay but didn't engage me emotionally.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews