Publisher: Berkley Heat
Publish Date: Out Now
How we got this book: NetGalley
After she infiltrated his business and betrayed his trust, a disavowed CIA agent must seek sanctuary in the bedroom of a man who will either help her, kill her, or bring her to her knees…
Becca Ford is on her own. Eight months after she headed up a sting operation to take down millionaire club owner Jarrett Holt, the other agents in her special ops team have been eliminated under odd circumstances, and she needs a place to hide.
Jarrett is a man who prefers darkness to light. He deals in the only truly valuable currency—information—and his supper club caters to an exclusive clientele. It was an uncharacteristic moment of weakness when he let a woman into his life. But it’s not luck that the criminal charges disappeared . . . as did the evidence.
When Becca returns to the club seeking his help, Jarrett doesn’t want to hear her story. But he does want her body, and demands that she give it to him. He’ll keep her safe—for now—but it’ll be in his bed and on his terms, until he says they’re done.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
1. Thoughts on Heroine
MinnChica: Oh Becca! You poor, sweet thing. I love the idea of her having to crawl back to her former lover, after almost destroying his entire life, because she is now on the run. I love the idea of having to face the fact that she screwed up big time before, and having to ask the one man she loves for help, and tell him she was wrong. I thought she had some major balls, crawling back to Jarrett, and also accepting his wrath with the right amount of humility and spunk.
Lou: I really liked and admired Becca. She kept a cool head when her life was in danger, and had the guts to go back to the man that she loved—and betrayed—for help and protection. But when it came to close contact with Jarrett and sex, all that logical thinking of hers went out the window. They were both each other’s weakness.
E: Becca had such a rough time of it; betrayed as a child, living a life of constant lies, betrayed once more, and left trusting her life to the man she betrayed. I loved how she was determined to figure out who betrayed her team and would do anything to get revenge. I also thought the way she continually pushed the boundaries Jarrett imposed a very telling sign of her personality. As much as I liked Becca, I also felt sorry for her because she was so steeped in lies and betrayal she had a hard time believing anyone but she was also willing to question if things weren’t quite adding up.
2. Thoughts on Hero
MinnChica: Although Jarrett comes across as a bit of an asshat at first, I really felt for the poor guy. For someone who never let anyone in, he fell hard for Becca. To find out she was just infiltrating his life was a huge blow to his ego. Watching him struggle with finding ways to punish her was both hard and funny. I hated the way he treated her at times, and yet when we were allowed into his mind, and saw how much he struggled with NOT loving her, it was bittersweet.
Lou: I really enjoyed Jarret’s character. Yes, he could be an ass at times but considering his girlfriend betrayed him and sent him to prison, I gave the guy a break. Like Minn mentioned, Jarret struggled with keeping an emotional distance from Becca. It was clear from the start it was an impossible task for him. A lot of Jarret’s murky past was told but I never got a super dangerous or calculating vibe from him. But I liked that he’s now on the straight and narrow, and I loved the friendship he had with Wade and Sebastian. Loved the bromance going on!
E: Jarrett *sigh* poor wounded, secretive, broody, and so much fun. At first I was prepared to feel sympathy for him but then I wondered how Dimon was going to redeem him enough so I could believe him as a hero. Boy did she manage to play with my emotions as I alternated between loving him and wanting him to pull his head out and see what was happening. He was so emotionally torn and had a legitimate reason to distrust Becca but as I started to see what was going on in his head and some significant incidents of his past I became firmly on his side regardless of his occasional idiocy.
3. Favorite Scene
MinnChica: Oh man… there were a lot of really good sexy ones, but I think the one I liked best would probably have to be the big standoff between Becca, one of her co-workers, Jarrett, and his business associate and lawyer. It gave the reader the chance to see just how far Becca would go for Jarrett, just how much the side romance between Wade and Elijah had developed, and another side to Sebastian. It was such a pivotal scene for everyone, and I loved the tension!
Lou: The sex scenes were super hawt. Like, really hawt. I especially loved that we saw m/m action. I adored Wade and I can’t wait for him to have his book. I hope he gets his book, though I’m not 100% sure on Eli. He broke Wade’s heart *sobs*
E: So I have to say that the drawback of adding your thoughts last is sometimes an earlier commentator takes the scene you were going to choose. In this case BOTH MinnChica and Lou grabbed my scenes. I LOVED the standoff because it really showed just how deeply a couple of individuals had begun to care about others. I also thought the m/m secondary relationship was very well done and I have hopes. I really want to see those two work through their issues and watch Eli perform a massive grovel.
4. Dislike?
MinnChica: Like I said before, Jarrett was a bit of an asshat in the way he treated Becca in the beginning, and I had a hard time liking him at first. He used sex as a way to try and punish her, and sometimes that came across as degrading. However, like I said, when we got to see into his thought process, it was all understandable. It was just a little difficult to get through at first.
Lou: Jarrest was an asshat at times, like Minn mentions, but I think he and Becca were on the same wavelength at times when it came to sex. I suppose my only dislike was that I thought Eli was sometimes whiny, especially towards Becca. I’m guessing he’s Wade’s HEA but I hope he stops whining and controls that childish temper of his because he hurt Wade pretty badly with his carelessness. I love Wade. Wade needs his heart mended!
E: I struggled a little bit believing the unexpected support Becca, Eli, and Jarrett received at the end. I didn’t quite buy the motivation given the behavior of that individual through most of the story. I am being deliberately vague so I don’t go into detail about what I consider a major spoiler. It was enjoyable I just wish I had noticed more of a transition.
5. Misc. Thoughts and Grade
MinnChica: All in all, I thought Dimon had an amazing first book in a sexy new series. I loved all the secondary characters, especially Wade and Sebastian. I can’t wait to see how Wade’s relationship with Elijah develops throughout the series, and what’s in store for Sebastian next. This book was super sexy, and had lots of intrigue. I can’t wait to read the next one!
I give Mercy a B+
Lou: Mercy was a sexy romance with hawt smexing that was so engaging on an emotional level also. There is a lot of smexing in this book but for me it really worked because of the dynamic of Jarret’s and Becca’s relationship, which I thought was about power at times. I loved the secondary characters, especially Wade, and I’m looking forward to Sebastian’s book.
I also give Mercy a B+
E: I thought Dimon really stepped up both the heat and her character development in this first installment. I found it an enjoyable and captivating read. Like the other reviewers I can’t wait to see what happens with the secondary m/m relationship and the other supporting characters I grew to enjoy. I am looking forward to seeing what Dimon comes up with next.
I am also giving Mercy a B+