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Always Ready
Subject: Damon Craig, Coast Guard lieutenant
Current Status: Always ready for action--of any kind!
Mission: Patrol his territory with vigilance. Arrest drug runners.
Obstacle: Lacey Sutherland. Irresistibly sexy. Potential smuggling suspect?
Damon is accustomed to being on the lookout for illegal activity on his watch, though it's not every day he suspects a gorgeous woman. Still, when Lacey suddenly appears at the Puerto Rico bar Damon's staked out, to meet a suspected smuggler, Damon's guard is up.
Unfortunately, so is his libido--way up! Lacey is up to something, and Damon's determined to uncover all her dark secrets. He's also quite ready to uncover Lacey herself. One mysterious inch at a time...
Current Status: Always ready for action--of any kind!
Mission: Patrol his territory with vigilance. Arrest drug runners.
Obstacle: Lacey Sutherland. Irresistibly sexy. Potential smuggling suspect?
Damon is accustomed to being on the lookout for illegal activity on his watch, though it's not every day he suspects a gorgeous woman. Still, when Lacey suddenly appears at the Puerto Rico bar Damon's staked out, to meet a suspected smuggler, Damon's guard is up.
Unfortunately, so is his libido--way up! Lacey is up to something, and Damon's determined to uncover all her dark secrets. He's also quite ready to uncover Lacey herself. One mysterious inch at a time...
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Rock
569 books1,455 followersJoanne Rock is a USA Today bestselling author of over one hundred works of popular fiction, including domestic suspense and romantic suspense. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree in Literature from the University of Louisville and has taught fiction, film, and writing at the college level. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel to gather new ideas.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 2, 2022
No because this one hits different. Reading this after up close and dangerously sexy, not to mention some spicy scenes, always ready hits different. They way Damon Craig said I love you to Lacey itttt soo*chefs kiss*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 16, 2009Always Ready
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Blaze
March 2009
March is Harlequin Blaze’s Spotlight month and they could not have chosen a better author than Joanne Rock to entice new readers of the line to become long –time fans. Ms. Rock is a consummate writer. Her Blazes are very passionate and emotionally packed. She flawlessly balances a steamy-hot read with dangerous illegal activity in Always Ready and still manages to have her characters form a strong and healthy relationship. She definitely gets your heart pounding and your fingers eagerly turning the pages.
A trip to Puerto Rico might be the key to saving Lacey’s internet dating service web-business. It would give her some great content for some blogs. Her business has been failing lately due to some new competition. But Lacey has a new program she hopes will change everything. Plugging her profile into her test run, reveals her near perfect match, Nicholas Castine, is in Puerto Rico. If all goes well on her working vacation, the new program should result in a dramatic increase in success stories and prove to herself and her competition that the key for a lasting relationship is compatibility and not physical attraction which her biggest competitor believes. Lacey is a firm believer that passion dies and if you don’t have a solid foundation of compatibility so also will your love die for each other.
Damon Craig, Coast Guard lieutenant, is the embodiment of the Coast Guard motto, Always Ready, which is one of the main reasons he is still single. He’s tried serious relationships but they always fail. It will take a special woman who can put up with her lover leaving in the middle of the night to go on precarious rescue missions or perilous drug busts, basically risking his life daily. He thought his ex might be the one but she proved him seriously wrong. Damon was so burnt by her that he hasn’t even thought of trying to find someone new. He was all work and no play.
Currently stationed in Puerto Rico, Damon is watching a suspected big-time drug smuggler, Nicholas Castine. He is a total scumbag that Damon will be happy to haul in. He will sit in every seedy bar he needs to if it will help him get the information needed to bring him in. Nicholas liked the date rape drugs the most and it was suspected that he was waiting on a big shipment. So it was a bit of a shock to Damon to watch a beautiful woman approach Nicholas with a smile on her face in a small tavern. She looked respectable so what was her business with him? She was the first woman to catch and hold his eye in months and Damon didn’t like the distraction or the thought of her with Nicholas. What if she was part of his smuggling ring?
It soon becomes obvious that she wasn’t thrilled with Nicholas and his groping hands and was in need his help. Damn, he didn’t want to come within the creep’s radar but neither could he abandon the woman. Damon wasn’t expecting the strength of his instant attraction or the complications to his case that his rescue would bring later. It seems Nicholas wasn’t about to forget the humiliation of Lacey’s rejection and she was now a victim to protect or maybe it was nothing more than a drug partnership failing but either way he would stick close to her. Only thing was the more time together that they spent, the hotter and hotter they both burned for each other.
Always Ready is the perfect title and not just because it is the Coast Guard motto. Damon is emotionally ready for love even if he doesn’t see it himself. Lacey is ready to branch out in her life and take a few risks. In a way, they were always ready for each other but now is the perfect time. Ms.Rock favors her readers with a pair of lovers facing hard and ugly real world issues and manages to help them discover happiness along the way. Read the book and discover how well she excels in this seemingly impossible feat of finding HEA’s in an otherwise dangerous and brutal situation.
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Blaze
March 2009
March is Harlequin Blaze’s Spotlight month and they could not have chosen a better author than Joanne Rock to entice new readers of the line to become long –time fans. Ms. Rock is a consummate writer. Her Blazes are very passionate and emotionally packed. She flawlessly balances a steamy-hot read with dangerous illegal activity in Always Ready and still manages to have her characters form a strong and healthy relationship. She definitely gets your heart pounding and your fingers eagerly turning the pages.
A trip to Puerto Rico might be the key to saving Lacey’s internet dating service web-business. It would give her some great content for some blogs. Her business has been failing lately due to some new competition. But Lacey has a new program she hopes will change everything. Plugging her profile into her test run, reveals her near perfect match, Nicholas Castine, is in Puerto Rico. If all goes well on her working vacation, the new program should result in a dramatic increase in success stories and prove to herself and her competition that the key for a lasting relationship is compatibility and not physical attraction which her biggest competitor believes. Lacey is a firm believer that passion dies and if you don’t have a solid foundation of compatibility so also will your love die for each other.
Damon Craig, Coast Guard lieutenant, is the embodiment of the Coast Guard motto, Always Ready, which is one of the main reasons he is still single. He’s tried serious relationships but they always fail. It will take a special woman who can put up with her lover leaving in the middle of the night to go on precarious rescue missions or perilous drug busts, basically risking his life daily. He thought his ex might be the one but she proved him seriously wrong. Damon was so burnt by her that he hasn’t even thought of trying to find someone new. He was all work and no play.
Currently stationed in Puerto Rico, Damon is watching a suspected big-time drug smuggler, Nicholas Castine. He is a total scumbag that Damon will be happy to haul in. He will sit in every seedy bar he needs to if it will help him get the information needed to bring him in. Nicholas liked the date rape drugs the most and it was suspected that he was waiting on a big shipment. So it was a bit of a shock to Damon to watch a beautiful woman approach Nicholas with a smile on her face in a small tavern. She looked respectable so what was her business with him? She was the first woman to catch and hold his eye in months and Damon didn’t like the distraction or the thought of her with Nicholas. What if she was part of his smuggling ring?
It soon becomes obvious that she wasn’t thrilled with Nicholas and his groping hands and was in need his help. Damn, he didn’t want to come within the creep’s radar but neither could he abandon the woman. Damon wasn’t expecting the strength of his instant attraction or the complications to his case that his rescue would bring later. It seems Nicholas wasn’t about to forget the humiliation of Lacey’s rejection and she was now a victim to protect or maybe it was nothing more than a drug partnership failing but either way he would stick close to her. Only thing was the more time together that they spent, the hotter and hotter they both burned for each other.
Always Ready is the perfect title and not just because it is the Coast Guard motto. Damon is emotionally ready for love even if he doesn’t see it himself. Lacey is ready to branch out in her life and take a few risks. In a way, they were always ready for each other but now is the perfect time. Ms.Rock favors her readers with a pair of lovers facing hard and ugly real world issues and manages to help them discover happiness along the way. Read the book and discover how well she excels in this seemingly impossible feat of finding HEA’s in an otherwise dangerous and brutal situation.
February 16, 2016
Hmmm well, other than the dumb and dumber moments...
Online dating - I've always been skeptical for the reasons the h experienced. The concept of meeting a total stranger that nobody I knew had vetted...just...no. Too risky. That and the frighteningly easy way to find yourself signed up through no effort of your own (someone - have no clue who - once signed me up with Match.com. I was unamused.) That the h, after the unpleasant meeting with her date, decided to do some investigating of the dating scene, and went to a sex club he'd suggested...
Is it any surprised the creep had someone put something in her drink? Fortunately for her, the H - a knight in shining armor if there ever was one - was present to save her butt the first time, and alert enough to call his coast guard buddy for rescue after the drugging.
He's not entirely off the hook - he knows the creep, who just happens to be a Person of Interest on the Coast Guard's radar, is following her. So when they get a promising lead, and an op is planned, he insists she get on an airplane back home where...don't you just know it...the creep is waiting on her. Fortunately, they were watching for the creep's various aliases and when a ticket was purchased in one's name, our H went on alert and charged after her, showing up in the nick of time.
What I don't get, is why the h - an apparently smart woman - would go off to Puerto Rico to meet a glorified blind date. That just screams suspicious. For that matter, why did she not test out the parameters on other profiles? She owned the matchmaking site, if you're wondering.
What I also don't get is why the H would let her out of his sight under the circumstances. It just seems odd to me on all accounts, particularly since earlier his CO had pretty much told him to play bodyguard. Seems like it would have made more sense for her to stay on the base under guard while they were handling the OP.
The interactions between the H and h were good though.
Online dating - I've always been skeptical for the reasons the h experienced. The concept of meeting a total stranger that nobody I knew had vetted...just...no. Too risky. That and the frighteningly easy way to find yourself signed up through no effort of your own (someone - have no clue who - once signed me up with Match.com. I was unamused.) That the h, after the unpleasant meeting with her date, decided to do some investigating of the dating scene, and went to a sex club he'd suggested...
Is it any surprised the creep had someone put something in her drink? Fortunately for her, the H - a knight in shining armor if there ever was one - was present to save her butt the first time, and alert enough to call his coast guard buddy for rescue after the drugging.
He's not entirely off the hook - he knows the creep, who just happens to be a Person of Interest on the Coast Guard's radar, is following her. So when they get a promising lead, and an op is planned, he insists she get on an airplane back home where...don't you just know it...the creep is waiting on her. Fortunately, they were watching for the creep's various aliases and when a ticket was purchased in one's name, our H went on alert and charged after her, showing up in the nick of time.
What I don't get, is why the h - an apparently smart woman - would go off to Puerto Rico to meet a glorified blind date. That just screams suspicious. For that matter, why did she not test out the parameters on other profiles? She owned the matchmaking site, if you're wondering.
What I also don't get is why the H would let her out of his sight under the circumstances. It just seems odd to me on all accounts, particularly since earlier his CO had pretty much told him to play bodyguard. Seems like it would have made more sense for her to stay on the base under guard while they were handling the OP.
The interactions between the H and h were good though.
May 16, 2015
I love Joanne Rock and this book did not disappoint me. Lacey and Damon was super-hot when they finally gave into the attraction between them. Joanne Rock always has a way of writing a hot sex scene and OH BOY; she delivered with these two characters.
There were times when the book had me laughing out loud and there were also times I just wanted to smack Lacey in the head because she was so clueless of the danger she was in (how stupid can she be) was what I was thinking. Damon would warn Lacey and she would just brush it off and that just irritated me. I also thought about all the dating sites on the internet today and how dangerous hooking up on the sites could actually be. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone.
There were times when the book had me laughing out loud and there were also times I just wanted to smack Lacey in the head because she was so clueless of the danger she was in (how stupid can she be) was what I was thinking. Damon would warn Lacey and she would just brush it off and that just irritated me. I also thought about all the dating sites on the internet today and how dangerous hooking up on the sites could actually be. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone.
August 27, 2010
Barely 2 stars. The plot is extra paper thin. I didn't like the female lead, Lacey, who wallowed in her insecurity and her sibling rivalry. The sibling rivalry, who was driving Lacey's business to ruins was not credible, neither was the genius twin sister. Lacey's history with sexual assault was used as a dramatic tool without any purpose other than having her being drugged, stalked and ultimately almost killed by the villain.
Both the villain and the male lead are driven by their libido. At least the male lead has some honour and good sense. The only character in the book who thinks before jumping in. Could have been interesting, it wasn't.
Both the villain and the male lead are driven by their libido. At least the male lead has some honour and good sense. The only character in the book who thinks before jumping in. Could have been interesting, it wasn't.
April 17, 2009
The hero is to die for and the heroine who seems to be clueless to the danger about her. A nice story concept...but the hero shines through as the brightest part of this book. Match him with a really deranged villain, and you have a winner.
March 22, 2012
I really liked this book. I would read it again. I liked the suspense and the different views on love that were expressed. I liked the ending for getting the bad guy, he had it coming. This would be one of the keepers within this imprint. I'd like to read the rest of this series though.
August 13, 2012
Always Ready is a quick sexy enjoyable read. The characters are instantly likeable with a good storyline about building relationships and finding love. This has plenty of hot sexy scenes, humour and suspense, this is a good addition to the Uniformly Hot series.
July 17, 2014
This is a standard military romance that features a member of the Coast Guard. One thing I loved is that the guy on the cover is exactly as described in the book. The story was ok but stretched the imagination. At one point the rapist wondered why Lacey preferred Damon to himself. Seriously?
July 26, 2009
3 stars – Romantic Suspense
June 13, 2009
It's a good book.
April 19, 2011
This book had a really good story-line and wonderful characters that you can connect to
November 4, 2013
(Read as part of March 2009 One-Click Harlequin Blaze)
October 16, 2016
3+ stars - HBZ #457
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews