Melt-your-Kindle hot and a great romantic story with a wonderful, smart, sexy hero. Loved this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was not a bad story; it was just different than I expected. I liked Leland (go, nerdy guys!), and I liked Dawn (go, survivors!), but it just fell a little flat for me. I was hoping for a little more suspense, so my reaction is neutral.

I am really loving the direction Nancy Herkness is taking her characters in her new series and The Hacker is a great addition. This one is about Leland Rockwell the R in the KRG and the cyber genius of the company. We met Dawn Galioto in the first book and is a trainer that needs Leland's help but has a dark secret of her own. As the case they are investigating moves forward so does their romance but can a hacker and trainer really make a go of it?

The Hacker is a classic Nancy Herkness story with a lot of great dialogue, characters and a very detailed story. The book is fast paced with a great payoff at the end. While this is part of a series you can read it as a stand alone and it's so worth the time.

4.25 stars--THE HACKER is the second instalment in Nancy Herkness’ contemporary, adult THE CONSULTANTS romantic suspense series focusing on three friends and business partners Derek Killion, Leland Rockwell, and Tully Gibson who own KRG Consulting Group and their Small Business Initiative offering complimentary assistance to local businesses . This is cyber security specialist Leland Rockwell, and personal trainer Dawn Galioto’s story line. THE HACKER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Dawn is Alice’s best friend (The Money Man #1).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Dawn and Leland) THE HACKER follows the building relationship between cyber security specialist Leland Rockwell, and personal trainer Dawn Galioto, and the complaints regarding the Wi-Fi issues at Work It Out gym where Dawn is employed. Unable to get a decent response from the gym’s current owner and IT staff, Dawn’s friend Alice suggests cyber security specialist and her fiance’s business partner Leland Rockwell, an in effort to uncover what is happening and why. When all offers of help are refused by the owner, Leland Rockwell goes undercover as a member, in an effort to ferret out the reasons why. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Leland and Dawn, and the potential fall-out as Leland uncovers a dark web connection to the Work It Out gym.

The relationship between Dawn and Leland is an acquaintance to lovers relationship when Dawn is contacted by Leland Rockwell as a favor for his partner’s fiancé. Dawn has been attracted to Leland since the first time they met but Dawn felt intimidated by her lack of a degree and Leland’s genius status and overall smarts. Back and forth emails left Dawn wondering about the who and why of our leading hero when his attempts at getting to know Dawn stir something deep within our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large colorful and energetic cast of secondary and supporting characters including Derek and Alice (The Money Man #1), Leland and Derek’s business partner Tully Gibson, hair stylist and Alice’s friend Natalie, as well as gym owners Vicky and Ramon Vazquez, and trainer Chad.

THE HACKER is a story of intrigue and suspense; secrets and lies; relationships, friendships and love. The premise is captivating and entertaining; the romance is flirtatious and seductive; the characters are dynamic and spirited. THE HACKER is a welcome and enjoyable addition to The Consultants series.


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It been a while since my last book by Nancy Jerkiness and this brought back everything I loved about her writing.

It was funny, steamy, had a bit of a mystery and drama to the story that will keep you rotted to your seat until you reach THE END.
I adored both MC's and the way they came about. I absolutely loved Dawn. She had so much happen to her and she came out stronger on the other side. Leland was so much more that just an IT guy.
I loved how much they help each other in order to get past their issue.

I'm more than ready to read the next book in the series ❤️

This is the first book I have read by Nancy Herkness and I was very pleased with her writing style and the way she handled the trama that happened to Dawn when she was younger. There is a scene that could be a trigger to someone that has lived through something similar. I personally had figured out what had (almost) happened to Dawn when she was away at college as it was very obvious because of the way she acted and lived. I believe too that it was a normal (and well written) way to present someone with that trama. Leland was just a good guy. He was in a bad place because he lost his mother recently, but other than that-he was really wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a solid 4 stars. Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

5 stars

This is the second book in The Consultants series by Nancy Herkness.

I am really digging these three part series by Herkness. I think they are some of my favorites in the romantic suspense genre.

In this second book we get to see more of Leland, the computer nerd for KRG. Dawn, a friend of Alice from book one, seeks out Leland’s help for some wifi issues at the gym she works for. Turns out this internet connection issue is much bigger than anyone realized. Dawn and Leland team up to uncover what is really going on and then put themselves both in danger.

I totally resonated with Leland. He had recently lost his mother three months earlier and it is the same with me. I could just feel his pain and knew how much he suffered because I had already been there too.

Loved this book and totally recommend it! Looking forward to book three.

If you like romantic suspense books, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I loved Leland so much in The Money Man and wanted to see this wonderful tech nerd have his happily ever after. Dawn was intriguing and I wanted her back story. The Hacker was full of intrigue and truly poignant moments as well as some fun banter that kept me interested throughout. Steamy fun as well. Calling in KRG seemed like the right thing to do and the easy thing until things got scary and hairy (as these things tend to do in their business). In the end, there is some pain and some love, some bad guys and some great guys. I look forward to another story in this series.

While I usually like romantic suspense, this book was not for me. Both Dawn and Leland had interesting backstories however I didn’t connect with either character. I also felt the suspense part of the story trite.

Dawn enjoys her career as a personal trainer as the classes she teaches gives her a feeling of power over the past. When the gym where she works encounters internet issues and there are no answers to be found she is referred to Leland by their mutual best friends.

Leland has not only overcome his modest beginnings of being raised by a single loving mother, but he is also still trying to heal from a tragic loss. He is a partner in a security company and his IT skills are second to none.

There is no denying the chemistry between them but both guard their emotions very closely for very different reasons. The author manages to balance both the romance and suspense of the story and has you invested not only in their happy ever after but uncovering the truth of what is going on. It is also a bonus to catch up with Alice and Derek as well.

THE HACKER is the second book in THE CONSULTANTS series, and it was nice to be reunited with characters we met in the first book, THE MONEY MAN. Leland, Derek, and Tully are the co-founders of KRG, an international corporation set in Manhattan. Each has a specialty which involves computers, finance, or security, respectively. They also have a Small Business Initiative program that offers free assistance to small businesses as their way of giving back since they are all so successful.

So far, the businesses they’ve helped are in a small town in New Jersey. This is Leland and Dawn’s story. Be prepared for a hot, deep, emotional read that will make you want to read more!

Dawn is a trainer at a gym, and she’s concerned about the poor WI-Fi and high data usages customers are complaining about while they’re there. When she brings it to the attention of the owners, her concerns are dismissed and she’s told it’s under control. But she has her friend (who happens to be Derek’s fiancee) mention it to Leland, the computer whiz of the company. Things take off from there to solve the problem.

The relationship between Dawn and Leland heats up when their attraction grows, although Dawn feels she’s out of his league. They both have secrets that contribute richly to a story filled with intrigue and intriguing secondary characters.

The epilogue, which takes place six months after the story ends, had a few surprises I liked. There’s one more consultant, Tully, and one more of their friends, Natalie, left without a love interest. Will the next story be theirs?

A fast-paced, romantic suspense with great emotion and keen storytelling. THE HACKER is a keeper!

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

I loved The Hacker by Nancy Herkness! I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. I really liked Dawn and felt myself rooting for her from the beginning. Leland was a great hero. This was a perfect romantic suspense in my opinion and I can't wait to read more from Nancy.

THE HACKER by award-winning author Nancy Herkness pushes the romance genre boundaries, even the "suspense romance" ones.

The story already touches difficult topics, why not making it a true testament to the Me Too movement? Why not overcome the "troubled past" through own commitment and therapeutic work without just sugarcoating it by finding Mr. "Right,” one of the reasons that give romance a bad rep?

"Troubled past" is a euphemistic description, because Dawn might have wanted to do something against the "anxieties that come with it" instead of keeping it all to herself.

Dawn and Leland's story is very dark. Not just a moderate 72% bitter chocolate dark, or the stronger 86%, but 95%, which is dark even for the most devoted chocolate lover. It is the stuff you may not want to read about in a romance novel when looking for a break from reality. You might want to indulge in an executive chef's creations, or getting entangled with a meteor hunter or maybe even a mathematics genius - all most wonderful previous main male characters of Nancy Herkness'.

THE HACKER is trying so much. While not failing - hence the four stars - it is not fully succeeding either unless you overlook some crucial facts.

The steamy parts of the romance are tastefully done, albeit I never got into the chemistry between Dawn and Leland. Yes, she has shiny hair, and he has broad shoulders, but unfortunately, I didn't get it, which is purely personal. However, the novel's plot is well built and skillfully written. It deserves four stars because most of my critique points seem to be personal preferences, yet the "troubled past" handling is a hard stop for me, hence no five stars.

It would be helpful if the book came with a bit more context what to expect, so readers can make up their minds whether they would like to dive into the story or not. The off-page sexual assault and the on-page memorization of it should be made clear beforehand. There is some more dark topic matter that not everybody wants to be exposed at.

*RECEIVED AN ARC FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW*

My first read from this author and while I like the premise, the execution was a bit off for me. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline potential but found myself skimming then skipping around.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆
Dawn is a personal trainer at a local gym. When a few of her clients complain about the Wi-Fi not working properly, she mentions it to her best friend who is also a client. Alice recommends she call Leland, who works with her fiancé, Derek. Leland, Derek, and Tully run KRG together and Leland is the computer genius.

Dawn and Leland send a few emails that have a flirty vibe to them. As they talk back and forth, the sizzle between them grows. Then they come up with a plan for Leland to pretend to be a new client so he can check out the Wi-Fi. What he finds out is not what they were expecting.

Is Dawn's beloved boss a part of the mess they find? Will their relationship end when they solve the Wi-Fi issue? Will there be a happily ever after for Dawn and Leland?

I really liked this story, and the suspenseful side of the story was the best for me. I love romantic suspense and Leland and Dawn are a great couple. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Tully. This is a really good series if you are looking for a fun, flirty story with a happily ever after for each couple.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series. The Money Man introduced us to the trio of talented men who set up a consultancy, and do pro bono work for small businesses. I really enjoyed the financial issues which were dealt with in that storyline, and having met Derek's partners, was confident that this would be a good read. I would recommend that you read them in order, but this is a good stand-alone story too.

Leland is the computer genius of the partnership. He is currently working every hour he possibly can, to keep the sadness and memories at bay. His mother died suddenly and alone, and he cannot get over the guilt. So when Alice's self-defence teacher, Dawn, mentions a Wi-Fi problem at the gym, she persuades Leland to take a look. And then the mystery and the danger follow, along with a very healthy dose of chemistry. I won't say anymore, but you may start to pay more attention to the usage of your data allowance after reading this!

As Dawn and Leland work together, it is difficult for them not to recognise how they both are benefitting from their time together. Now the challenge is for them to trust that they deserve happiness.

Another winning story for me from the talented Harkness – I am very much looking forward to Tully getting his chance in the spotlight!


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Romance, mystery

Dawn is a successful personal trainer and loves her job. But when she starts hearing that clients are not happy with the Wi-Fi in the gym, she goes to the owner and poses the question of what's going on. The owner's wife is in charge and says that she's on it. But with things not improving, Dawn reaches out to Leland. Leland is an acquaintance who is also a sexy nerd.

Leland is not your typical hacker. He is also quite fit and wants to get to know Dawn more. He's met her a few times but has never really gotten a chance to get to know her. When he is asked to help figure out the issues at her gym, he jumps at it.

What follows is a mystery that will take both of them to figure out. And while it's a fun, quick read, the attraction and romance were lacking. I wanted more heat between the characters, and this mainly felt like a mystery and not really a romance. I will say that I didn't read book one, but never felt that I was missing anything.

This book was solid escapist read with some action, mystery (WiFI problems at the gym turn out to be more) and steamy romance. The dialogues were well done, and it flowed smoothly, but I wasn't terribly drawn in to any particular aspect of the story. Sometimes you get an intensive romance that you feel to your bones, or a head scratching mystery, or adrenaline pumping action. Here, It was all fine, but it's not a book that will stick with me.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 Stars with a Warning.
This has all the elements of a light suspense/romance. It has an author who has all the crafting., However, there is an element in this book that deserves a trigger warning. It is presented with no warning and for those who have experienced difficult experiences similar to this element should know it is coming and be able to make the decision as to whether they wish to have this experience while reading a romance book.

A trigger warning would not take away from the idea of the book.

Dawn has a troubled past. She was assaulted a few years ago, and instead of wallowing in self pity, she vowed to move forward and get self defense classes. Ramon the owner of the gym, offered her a job as a trainer, knowing this would make her more self assured plus she was excellent at her job.

When Dawn’s customers complain about the gym’s WiFi, she reports it to Ramon, and his crazy wife Vicki, who also happens to be there, says she will take care of it. The odd thing is that it continues to happen, this is when Dawn contacts KRG. Her best friend Alice had an issue with hackers and they solved her problem, plus Alice is now engaged to one of the owners. After Leland contacts her, he tells her that he’s going to join the gym and do his sleuthing undercover. What he finds out is really scary. This puts them working together, and their chemistry is red hot!

Leland has never met a woman like Dawn and he would like to take this chemistry further and see where it takes them. However, Dawnmis holding back and he can’t figure out what it is.

This book had everything, romance, suspense and great sex! I can’t wait to read the next one in this series!

I generally don’t review books that are DNF’s for me. However, my reason for not finishing Nancy Herkness’s The Hacker was because I felt blindsided by what was in the book, and left shaken. I wanted to warn others, so they wouldn’t feel the way I did.

The Hacker is one of those books that NEEDS to come with a trigger warning. Nowhere does Nancy or Montlake mention that there is at least one scene in the book that could be a trigger for someone. Not on a page at the front of the book, not on Nancy’s website, or any of her social media accounts. The blurb only mentions the heroine, Dawn, has a troubled past.

Dawn and Leland know each other because their best friends from The Money Man are now engaged to be married. The two have spent time together as part of the group, but have never really been one on one with each other. When some of Dawn’s clients at the gym she works for start complaining about wi-fi not working and attempts by management to fix the problem seem to fail, Dawn turns to Leland for help. What he uncovers is more than he expected and becomes a problem he can’t turn his back on. During this time, the two act on their mutual attraction. Leland knows that Dawn is holding herself back, but he doesn’t know why.

60% into the book, Dawn relives what happened to her at the age of 19/20 years old when she was seconds away from being sexually assaulted by three guys. I think Nancy is a wonderful author. She writes scenes that really put the reader into them. Dawn reliving the most tragic day of her life was no different. As I said, there was no warning this scene was going to be in the book. Dawn and Leland went from having a really good time in the pool, to her remembering what the day was like and what she was doing. Now, for some people, this might not be a big deal. But for others, this is real. The scene Nancy described has happened to someone. In fact, I will say it has happened hundreds of times to multiple someones. I feel it is callous to put the scene into the book and just be like oh well. It’s as if the thought is that someone who has been assaulted wouldn’t read a romance book. The romance genre is all about overcoming your past to find love.

Reading is escapism for people. Reading romance allows you to fall in love over and over again. People need to know that they are worthy and deserving of love. People need to know that their past doesn't dictate their future. Men and women need to know that there are good, decent, understanding people in the world, just waiting to meet them and fall in love with them. People who won't treat them poorly. Authors and publishers are in a fantastic position. They have the power to let readers know that through the books they produce that all of this is true. They just need to remember there's a fine line between fiction and reality. Things authors and editors think up can, will, and do happen. Give readers a heads up. Let them decide if they are in a place where they won’t be traumatized.

While I stopped reading The Hacker at 60% of the way through, I can say the true suspense part is extremely slow going. Outside of knowing something really bad is happening at the gym, the suspense is non-existent. I have no doubt that there will be a scene or chapter that will ramp things up and have you on the edge of your seat, as Nancy did in The Money Man.

Rating: 1 Star DNF at 60%

This book was a pretty enjoyable read. But for me it was a little slow starting out but it really picked up in action in the last 25%. I liked the fact I didn’t really know till half way through the book who the bad guys were. It really had me guessing. This a new to me author and I cannot wait to read some of her other books. I can’t wait until Tully’s story comes out.