Member Reviews
First, I have to let you know you really need to read "Before the Storm" before you read this book.
It is a short novella, that lets you see how the H & h meet and what happens when they spend a night together.
Wow, this book is suspenseful and Intriguing with lots of action and danger. Everything that Xavier has planned and hoped for has gone wrong. Starting with him telling a lie on the only woman he has really fell for since his girlfriend walked out on him when he was injured and almost died. Now not only is his plan being taken over and changed but Aubrey has showed up too. She is understandably not really happy to see him. In real short order they realize something is terribly wrong when they find a dead body.
As the danger thickens along with a wild winter storm, both Xavier and Aubrey will have to work together just to stay alive. During this many secrets will be told, feeling tested and the attraction they first felt deepen along with a Hugh secret Aubrey has for him.
There is nothing in this book not to love except the evil ones and what they do and why.
Other wonderful book from Rachel to keep us either up all night or not doing anything during the day but reading till the end. You don't want to miss either of these books. Some of the best I have read this year and I've read 130 so far !!!
I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving
it.
The beginning of a new series by Rachel Grant and it is a can't be missed book. Everything readers love with about Rachel Grant you will find Into the Storm. The author creates a world where readers will find themselves in the shoes of Xavier or Audery as they try and figure out what is going on around them during a cold winter storm.
Audrey and Xavier are the perfect teams as they fight the bad guys to save The day.
Romance is as always steamy, strong men who can kick butt, old guys who will make you cheer and just the right amount of History for readers to learn something new.
Thank you to Rahcel Grant and Netgalley for a copy of Into The Fire.
This was an excellent thriller. It was so exciting and a brilliant unique style of thriller. Picture this. A Washington Park, a geologist who gets stuck there, add a military operation, both mix and a few blasts from the blast then everything starts getting very exciting. When things start to become a real military problem it gets all wow now this is thrilling. There is definitely plenty of action with unexpected twists and turns that have you on the edge of your seat. The pace is fantastic with a medium to fast pace. This book is definitely one to take you on an fantastic roller coaster ride. I found it impossible to put down. It was so close to getting that 5th star. The story-line was brilliant and was realistic and believable. The characters were fantastic each with there own quirks and faults that make them very interesting and easy to love or hate. This book would make an amazing film. I was definitely picturing this book in my mind as I read it. I might of inserted myself and ant Middleton as the leading male. Whoops lol. Whatever you do don't fall into the trap of saying I love thrillers but not military thrillers. Believe me when I say this is in no way a military thriller. They are just characters in a cool uniform. This book is definitely a kidnap type thriller. I can't recommend this book enough it's perfect for thriller fans.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this wonderful and very unique thriller that took me on an exciting journey. Ps you will definitely love the ending. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this fantastic author.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog yesterday https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/into-the-storm-by-rachel-grant-janus-publishing-4-5-stars either under my name or ladyreading365
This book is wild - you have to suspend belief quite a bit but if you're in the mood for a chaotic romantic suspense novel this book is for you. There is so much jam packed in the pages, there is constant threat, constant danger, constant action. Xavier and Audrey what seems to be never-ending stamina. Their history of meeting and the drama that ensues is a little convoluted, but I was so drawn into all of the high-anxiety action that nothing really bothered me! The setting is really superb, with really great imagery of the weather, the storm and the location. I really felt transported. In my opinion some of the spicy romance felt gratuitous especially for the seriousness of the plot, but that was really my only criticism. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.
This was an adventure filled romantic suspense that kept me turning pages! Told in multiple POV’s (so the reader could get a full overview of the situation) the ‘good guys’ (main and secondary characters) faced calamity after calamity after calamity. The military and archeological information was informative. The romance nicely tied into the story but was not the main focus (IMO). The couple of scenes of intimacy were steamy but not drawn out or over the top. I felt it was a little heavy on the “rah, rah, American SEALS”, but I’ve come to expect this in this trope.
This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope she writes more! I am totally hooked!
This is such a fantastic book and I was hooked from page one. This book kept me on edge, and I will be re reading it. I felt for Aubrey as Xavier betrayed her and he believes she’ll never forgive him. He has his reasons. The plot is pretty crazy, why are mercenaries after them? Loved the teamwork tween them as they try to stay safe. Can. Xavier make it to his team in team to let them know of the dangerous ops they find themselves in? I went through so many emotions and thankfully they finally get a very happy ever after. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy and I highly recommend this book.
Into The Storm is a fabulous romantic suspense by Rachel Grant. Ms. Grant has provided readers with a well-written book that will keep you glued to the book. The characters in this story are spectacular. Xavier is an injured SEAL that is now in charge of a training exercise for the men he used to work with. Audrey is the park archaeologist in the Olympic National Park and after rejecting and being overridden in the decision to close the park for the training exercise, she still ends up at the park when her cameras go dead. Audrey and Xavier's story is packed from cover to cover with drama, action, spice, suspense and an occasional chuckle. I enjoyed reading Into The Storm and look forward to my next Rachel Grant book. This book is book 1 of the Evidence: Under Fire Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliffhanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Into the Storm by Rachel Grant in return for my honest review.
Into the Storm is book one in the ‘Evidence: Under Fire’ series by Rachel Grant and the first I have read by this author. If you enjoy Navy Seal action/ romance books then you’ll love this one, it had me hooked from the start till the end. This is a story full of action with a few twist thrown in once you start this you won’t want to put it down, can’t wait to see where this series goes next.
Into the Storm - Evidence: Under Fire #1 by Rachel Grant is an intense read right from the start. Ms. Grant is a wonderful romance suspense writer who aptly balances the suspense with the romance. Again she has does so with this first book in the new spin-off series.
Archaeologist Audrey Kendrick and Navy SEAL, Xavier Rivera are such complex characters, great people but far from perfect. What begins as a training exercise turns deadly but not before t turns awkward. Audrey and Xavier have a one-night stand history with a little lie coming to light. I am not a great fan of the one-night stand trope but this time it shows everything that can go wrong. So besides trying to survive along with the team there is this between them too. What a great story no matter how these two met all I was thinking about while reading is that would they all live through the ordeal
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A amazing start to a great new series from Rachel Grant. Full of suspense and intrigue Into The Storm grabbed me from the opening chapters as the hero and heroine, Xavier and Audrey, must overcome their differences and work together as a team if they are to save not only their own lives but those of Xavier’s fellow Seals who are unaware of and unprepared for the danger lurking in the forest. But there is history between Audrey and Xavier with Audrey believing he used her for his own ends. Can she overcome her distrust of Xavier and depend on him to make sure they both survive?
With credible characters, a suitably atmospheric setting of the Olympic Peninsula and a plot full of twists and turns; secrets and betrayals; angst and romance, the tension gradually built throughout this book before reaching a suitably dramatic conclusion. Full kudos to Rachel Grant for her wonderful writing. Her words painted a vivid and evocative picture and it was so easy to picture Into The Storm play out in my mind as I read. Rachel was a ‘new to me’ author but if this book is anything to go by I’ll be happy to read more from her in the future.
INTO THE STORM is exactly the right description for this story because you will be buffeted by the excitement and high-velocity action; not to mention the suspense, emotional conflicts, and deep-seated passion. Deep in Olympic National Park, CWO Xavier Rivera is haunted by a mission gone wrong, so when his training op is obviously compromised, he’s determined to save his SEAL teams and root out the tangos responsible for the sabotage. What he didn’t count on was back-up from park archaeologist Audrey Kendrick, the woman with whom he not only shared a memorable one-night stand but also betrayed for the good of this op. You can already see the potential for an interesting conflict but throw in armed terrorists and unarmed Navy SEALs and you have the makings of a thoroughly engaging and totally captivating tale. This is definitely all of that and SO MUCH MORE!! You are not going to be able to put this one down. I guarantee it is going to keep you completely enthralled from beginning to end!
Into the Storm is book one of Evidence: Under Fire. It is the story of Dr. Audrey Kendrick and Naval Seal Officer
Xavier Rivera. Having met a month ago after an intense one-night stand, Audrey is hurt and angry when Xavier betrays her and risks the job she’s always wanted.
Xavier doesn't feel right about his betrayal, but there wasn't any other option to use Olympic National Park for a secret SEAL training exercise. As this operation is about to start Audrey is trying to uncover why there is a power outage and if it is due to a looter or something else. When her keys do not work, she is captured by Xavier Rivera, the father of her unborn child.
Trying to make sure the operation stays on track he suspects Audrey is trying to sabotage the training before it gets started. But Audrey is totally unaware as she explains her reasons for being there. Both are unaware of information regarding the site and outside influences. Now Xavier will have to keep Audrey safe as they work together when they find a dead man. This quickly turns from a training exercise to a full-on mission.
This was an action-packed story with lots of drama with romance as Audrey and Xavier fight for their lives and each other. There were twists and turns that made the story intense and one in particular that I questioned. I was rewarded for my patience when it was revealed I was right about an incident. I loved the story and the ending. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
I ended up liking the book more than I thought I would. The story is non-stop action and you are fed little bits and pieces of the underlying cause of the current predicament to keep your interest high throughout the story. As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I found the setting wonderful and especially enjoyed George's storyline.
Thank you to Janus Publishing, Rachel Grant, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Into the Storm by Rachel Grant
Evidence: Under Fire #1
Pulse-pounding thrill-ride from beginning to end – Couldn’t put this book down!
What I liked:
* Audrey: intelligent, woods-savvy, knows the terrain, strong, independent, caring, protective, controlled, has a secret too share with Xavier, s…really admired and liked her
* Xavier: strong, lethal, injured on a mission – now works in training, in charge of important SEAL training operation, willing to do what it takes, protective, would like a second chance with Audrey
* The way Audrey and Xavier worked together and worked through some issues they need to deal with – strong team in more ways than one and well suited
* George: ex-Vietnam Veteran, master carver, artist, from the Kalahwamish tribe, cares about tribal heritage, good friend to Audrey, played a big part in helping save several people
* The plot, pacing, character development and writing style
* The location
* The backstories and how they played into the story
* The tension and suspense and feeling I was right there with the characters
* That all the threads of the story were pulled together by the end
* Reading a new-to-me author I will read again
* Knowing that there is another book to look forward to
What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Hoping that the bad guys would be taken out
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Janus Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
I’m worried I’ve been a little bit harsh with my rating of this book because honestly, I really loved reading it. For me, the vast majority of this book was a 5 star read: it was absolutely thrilling. I love Rachel Grant’s novels - I think she’s very talented at writing her very specific kind of romantic suspense - and she is absolutely in her element when writing a fast-paced story set over a short, narrow time period, featuring a romance with some kind of pre-established connection. I realise that’s a very specific set of criteria, but looking back over her other books, most of my favourites have been the ones where the couple have already met or been a couple at some point in the past.
For me, this book - particularly the first 70% or so - was a perfect example of Rachel Grant’s skill and writing. The execution of the tropes and the very complicated plot was spot on. Her writing is so readable and she really knows how to keep a reader’s attention. In the first half of this book, not a moment is wasted: Grant uses every moment of the story to ratchet up the tension. It was so exciting I almost felt breathless reading it. There were no dull spots, no slow moments: there was always something happening to progress the story, whether it was the intricate suspense plotline or Audrey and Xavier’s second chance romance.
To start with the suspense plotline, this aspect of the book was very thrilling. I’m not entirely sure I understood everything that was going on! But most of it was incredibly satisfying and exciting. I was on the edge for most of my time reading it and I had no idea where any of it was going or how it could possibly resolve, and parts of it were genuinely scary. It was just very well-done and I thought the inclusion of certain characters like George really made it for me. I loved how that all worked.
The romance was good, too. Grant is very talented at fitting the romance in, even when it seems like there can’t possibly be time for it. It really worked. She managed to pack in some really sweet moments and some really sexy ones, too, and the dynamic between them is just really fun. Grant mixes a few tropes here - and some of them won’t be for everyone - but I for one loved the choices and how it all played out. I was really rooting for them and I felt very satisfied with their happy ending.
However, I did feel like the last few chapters weren’t quite of the same quality; it lost some of its urgency towards the end and I felt like the ending meandered a little bit. There was a lot of filler that, personally, I didn’t find that interesting, before it began to get exciting again. It just felt a little bit protracted and dragged out.
But overall, this was a very, very, very good book. It was thrilling to read, and it was such a good blend of romance and suspense. Neither superceded the other: it was perfectly balanced, and I think that balance can be so delicate in a book like this, but Grant really pulled it off. I do wish the ending had been a little bit tighter, but it barely took any shine off it - this was a real thrill of a book and I had a great time reading it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Violence, gun violence, violence towards a pregnant woman, torture, blood, death, murder, decapitation, mentions of terrorism, mentions of chemical warfare / chemical attacks, concussion, head injuries, grooming of a child, death of a child (off-page but described on-page), strangulation, childbirth (non-descriptive), on-page sex, unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancy, mentions of divorce, mentions of infidelity / cheating.
Navy SEAL Xavier Rivera planned the exercise down to the smallest detail, but he didn't plan the arrival of archaeologist Audrey Kendrick, a woman he shared a passionate night with before betraying her in the worst way. As the storm is unleashed on the historic lodge it becomes clear the training has been compromised. Trapped by weather, isolated by the remote wilderness, and silenced as communication with the world has been severed. Audrey and Xavier must set aside their distrust and desire and work together to save a team under fire and survive in a battle against the wild.
The start of a new series, but it does feature a couple of characters from an earlier series. It drew me in from the start & I loved everything about it, strong characters, a fast pace, suspense & fighting for survival. I had read the prequel so was interested to see how Xavier could dig himself out of the hole he’d dug but this novel was so much more. It had me on the edge of my seat & I couldn't put it down. Start this book early in the day as once started you won't be moving
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Into the Storm by Rachel Grant.
Xavier Rivera planned the exercise down to the smallest detail, but he didn't plan the arrival of archaeologist Audrey Kendrick—a woman he shared a passionate night with before betraying her in the worst way. As the storm is unleashed on the historic lodge it becomes clear the training has been compromised. Trapped by weather, isolated by the remote wilderness, and silenced as communication with the world has been severed, unarmed SEALs face an unexpected and deadly foe. Audrey and Xavier must set aside their distrust and desire and work together to save a team under fire and survive in a battle against the wild.
A brilliant read. Couldn't put it down. 5*.
A secret test mission brings former seal and a park archeologist together and into conflict and adventure. Romance and mystery keeps the pages turning. Looking forward to more in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher . Opinions are entirely my own .
Into The Storm was an intense read. I loved the way the author wove this story. It was full of action, suspense, tension and romance. I truly enjoyed Audrey and Xavier’s journey. I didn’t think he could redeem himself after what he did at the end of the prequel, Before The Storm but he did. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this intense thrill ride of a series. I definitely recommend to romantic suspense lovers.