4.5 Smooches!

Synopsis

Meet Quinn…one of the Undaunted Men
a new series by J.C. Cliff

(Undaunted Men Series Book 1)

​They’ve done all kinds of work, from private investigations to highly classified governmental operations. Former military, their tight-knit brotherhood is now Atrox Security. These men fear nothing, they are unwavering, unafraid, and unrelenting. They are the Undaunted Men.

*~*~*

He doesn’t want to take the job, but he has no choice. He owes a debt to the Moretti mob, and last he checked, they don’t take no for an answer.

He takes a moment to soak in the information. A pregnant mafia princess, wanted for murder, and he’s supposed to track her down.

The professed father is a childhood friend, yet he’s considered a potential enemy of the family. This could get very interesting.

What starts out as a simple task, one that could easily take him one day to execute, has turned into so much more than he bargained for.

They’re each fighting their own personal demons, and it’s more than just a chase at hand. They both have secrets, hearts are on the line, and he resolves himself to go above and beyond the call of duty for reasons he can’t understand.

The last thing he ever intends on finding is an angel.

*~*~*

Join Quinn and Alexis as their unique story unfolds in two full-length novels released three weeks apart. You will fall in love with Kimber, a lovable retired military working dog who becomes an integral part of the storyline.
There is adventure, passion, and suspense in this contemporary erotic romance. Along with J.C. Cliff’s trademark steamy, hot sex scenes that will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end.

CLIFFHANGER WARNING
You know you have a love/hate relationship with a good cliffhanger in a book, but if
you’ve read my previous books, you are no stranger to this simple fact.
I – LOVE – CLIFFHANGERS. I have to live up to my name, after all.

Warning: **Mature Audiences Only** This book is intended for adults of mature age only (18+). This book contains themes that could be considered offensive.

Review

“I’m backed into a corner with nowhere to run.”

Twenty-seven-year-old Alexis Moretti has her back to wall. The mob boss’ daughter has no choice but to run from her life, well, unless she wants to go to jail for a murder she didn’t commit or, worse, succumb to a marriage with the man who trying to blackmail her into it. Devastated at the prospect of leaving her family, her friends, her job and her beloved horse, Griffen, behind, she takes off into the wilderness – alone – in a desperate attempt to escape the manipulation of her former childhood friend and ex-lover, mafia made man, Vince.

“I just love it when I woman who has just met me thinks she’s got me pegged.”

Quinn, retired special forces and one of the owners in Atrox Security, is a strict one-night-only kind of guy. He makes that very, very clear to every single woman he brings to his bed. The official techie amongst his former special forces team members turned business partners, he’s got a favor to repay to mob boss, Tony Moretti. When the mobster reaches out to him for help in tracking his supposedly pregnant, on-the-run daughter who has apparently committed a murder recently, a very hesitant Quinn has no choice but to take this assignment.

“You can’t fix my life… nobody can. It’s in shambles.”

A surprise offer and a chance to escape the mess that has become her life, Alexis accepts an offer from a friend to run. He’s worked out all the details of this plan, which includes sending her to hide out for a few weeks while hiking the Appalachian Trail before resurfacing on the other side to a safe house and a new identity. She doesn’t want to do this, and she questions whether she can even trust the friend offering her this out. She very reluctantly agrees to this plan – it’s either jail or marriage to the manipulative monster who set her up – and heads into the mountains on her adventure. At the end of the first day of her hike, with aching feet and a heavy heart, she finally succumbs to the reality of her situation and all that’s happened to her in the last few days. It is in the midst of this private pity party when Quinn finds her. His deep baritone voice, speaking so gently to her, along with his sweet dog, Kimber, immediately set her at ease. It’s not long before Quinn manages to convince her to let him hike along on her adventure. Given her obvious lack of experience, along with the threat of bears and the fact that she’s genuinely scared, it’s not surprising that she agrees.

“You’re so lost, and I just found you. Whatever lies ahead, we’re intended to discover it together.”

Quinn is pleasantly surprised by Alexis. She is not the spoiled, pampered mafia princess he was expecting. No, she’s down-to-earth, genuine and there is an innocence in her eyes that defies the world that she grew up in. He’s intrigued by this woman, more so than he’s ever been before. So instead of bringing her back to her father, he decides to tag along on her adventure, using the time to get to know her and find out why she ran, because if there is one thing about her that is obvious to him, it’s that she’s hiding something. As the days on the trail pass, a deeper connection is forming between them, and Quinn is struggling with his feelings. The quiet of the night gives him plenty of time to reflect, though, and he finally comes to terms with the realization that this woman is meant to be his. The sexual chemistry crackles between them, but until she shares her secrets, he won’t go there. Their adventure is full of twists and turns, and I’m not just referring to the trails. It takes being almost bitten by a rattlesnake and a violent confrontation with two trackers sent by Vince for Alexis to finally opens up to Quinn and tell him everything.

“I’m confused, angry and hurt…”

But Alexis isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Quinn hasn’t told her his last name or his profession, nor has he told her who sent him or why he’s there. So when she overhears a private sat phone call and his side of that conversation reveals what appears to be some startling and devastating information, a brokenhearted, confused and angry Alexis decides it’s time to part ways, setting a plan to escape from Quinn in motion. Will the novice hiker/camper be able to make it on her own to the resurface point? Or does she find herself walking straight into Vince’s hands? Will Quinn find her before she does?

“Is this all an act? Because damned if his intentions don’t feel genuine.”

When my Blogger Boss, Miranda, told me I’d been assigned this book, I read the synopsis, liking what I was reading, until I got to those two little words that never fail to freak this reviewer right the heck out:  CLIFFHANGER WARNING.  I admit it, I pouted to her, but she just virtually patted me on the head and basically told me to suck it up. So, suck it up I did, and – shhh, don’t tell her this, because I don’t want a full slate of cliffies to review or anything – I was surprised as all get out at how much I loved it! Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m dying over here. I want to know what’s going to happen next – BAD! Believe me, March 15 can’t come soon enough!

This book was very well written, and I really like how the plot is developing. I love how effortless and easy Quinn and Alexis are together. The build up for their first time was absolutely delicious – trust me when I tell you that JC Cliff sure knows how to stoke that fire. You need to take the cliffhanger warning seriously, because no joke here, it left off right in the middle of something HUGE. I literally screamed out “NO!” when I flipped the Kindle page to see just one measly little sentence finishing out this half of the story along with a tongue-in-cheek reminder from the author that she is true to her name. BAH! So, needless to say I’m anxiously awaiting the next book, and truth be told, I’m pleasantly surprised how much I loved this book in spite of the cliffhanger. I will definitely be reading the second book, no matter what, and I’d happily read more of JC Cliff’s work, cliffhangers or not.

So it’s 4.5 smooches from me for JC Cliff’s Quinn!

~ Danielle Palumbo

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