Monday, January 27, 2014

REVIEW: The I-Team Series by Pamela Clare


I will be doing things differently with this review as I am reviewing the entire (current) series. So first you can read the blurbs to each of the books and then I will share my thoughts.

Extreme Exposure – Book 1

Blurb:

It's been years since her child's father dumped her, and since then Kara McMillan has kept men at bay - although every day she aches more for a lover's touch. But to get that, the hard-boiled journalist must become vulnerable - a feeling she vowed never to have again.

With his dangerous good looks, charm, and power, Senator Reece Sheridan could have just about any woman he sets his piercing eyes on. But he's intrigued by only one. This Kara, this gutsy investigative reporter, has a sensuality that arouses him to no end. If she's a firebrand in print, he guesses, she must be just as fiery in bed...

But this is no fling. A sudden political scandal - and attempts on Kara's life - could very well drive them apart. Or maybe, just maybe, adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces.

Heaven Can’t Wait – Book 1.5

Blurb:

Lissy Charteris and Will Fraser are two weeks away from getting married when Lissy suggests they put a bit of traditional romance into their lives by giving up sex until their wedding night. Though Will thinks it’s a crazy idea, he’s not about to admit he can’t do it. The two end up making a bet, vowing not to be the first to ask for sex. But what starts as a bet turns into a game of no-holds-barred seduction—winner take all.

Hard Evidence – Book 2

Blurb:
After the murder of a teenage girl, a mysterious man in a black leather jacket was seen lurking near the crime scene. Investigative reporter Tessa Novak has him in her sights as the culprit.
That man was Julian Darcangelo, an undercover FBI agent working with the Denver police. He’s closing in on the trail of a human trafficker and killer. Tessa’s accusations could blow his cover, and he wants her off the investigation.
But just as Tessa has made Julian a target of interest, she is now a target of the killer. And as they are forced to trust each other, their physical attraction escalates as intensely as the threat from a ruthless murderer who wants to see both of them dead.
Unlawful Contact – Book 3
Blurb:
Taken hostage by a convicted murderer while reporting at a prison, Sophie Alton has no idea that the man holding the gun to her head is the bad boy who was her first love in high school. Condemned to life without parole, Marc Hunter finds himself with no choice but to break out of prison after his younger sister disappears with her baby.

Though he regrets what he has to put Sophie through, he can’t let anything get in the way of his stopping the corrupt officials who are set on destroying what’s left of his family. But being near Sophie rekindles memories for both of them. As the passion between them heats up, so does the conspiracy to put both of them in their graves.
Naked Edge – Book 4
Blurb:
The day Navajo journalist Katherine James met Gabriel Rossiter, the earth literally moved beneath her feet. Nearly killed in a rockslide while hiking, she found her life in the tall park ranger's hands. Although she can't forget him she thinks she'll never see him again. She is crushed when she recognizes her rescuer among the law enforcement officers raiding a sweat lodge ceremony one night, throwing her and her friends off Mesa Butte, land they consider sacred.

Gabe long ago swore he would never again lose himself to a woman not even one with long dark hair and big eyes that seem to see right through him. But from the moment he first sees Kat, the attraction he feels is undeniable. Appalled by what he has been ordered to do, he's determined to get to the bottom of recent events at Mesa Butte and to keep Kat safe.

But asking questions can be dangerous almost as dangerous as risking one's heart. And soon Kat and Gabe's passion for the truth and each other makes them targets for those who would do anything, even kill, to keep Native Americans off their sacred land.
Breaking Point – Book 5
Blurb:
While investigating border violence in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Denver journalist Natalie Benoit is caught in a bloody ambush and taken captive. Alone in the hands of ruthless killers, she will need every ounce of courage she possesses to survive. 

Betrayed by another operative, Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride has endured a week of torture and interrogation at the hands of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Ready to give his life if he must, he remains unbroken—until he hears the cries of an American woman. 

Although Natalie is only a voice in the darkness of their shared prison, her plight brings renewed strength to Zach's battered body. With her help, he overpowers their captors, and they flee through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun. 

But past loss and tragedy leave both of them reluctant to follow their hearts, even when the passion between them reaches its breaking point. Faced with feelings neither expected, they fight to stay ahead of the danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both…
Skin Deep – Book 5.5
Blurb:
An I-Team Spin Off 

Broken on the inside

Megan Hunter has worked hard to get back on her feet, leaving the nightmare of her teenage years behind. The last thing she wants or needs in her life is a man. But when she is attacked by someone from her past, a scarred stranger intervenes, saving her life and that of her little girl. Looks can be deceiving, for despite the man’s rough appearance, she feels safe with him. And for the first time in her life, she knows the stirrings of desire.

Broken on the outside

Nathaniel West paid a high price serving with the Marines in Afghanistan. He returned to his family’s ranch in the Colorado mountains to heal—and be alone. Disfigured as he is, he has put all thoughts of sex and romance aside. But something about Megan brings him back to life, heats his blood, makes him feel like a man again. As danger pursues her, and the truth about her past is revealed, he vows to protect her—and to heal her wounded spirit.

But confronting the past is never easy—especially when it’s carrying a gun. Megan will have to learn to trust Nate to survive and to claim a passion that is much more than … Skin Deep.

Includes a Bonus Story, Marc & Julian Make a Beer Run

Ride along with Marc, Julian, Zach, Gabe, Reece, Nate, and Joaquin as a beer run turns out to be more than they bargained for.

First Strike – Book 5.9

Blurb:

Warning: This story ends with a cliffhanger.

Just a weekend…

Laura Nilsson knows what she wants: a successful career as a broadcast journalist—and a little fun between the sheets now and again. What she doesn’t want is marriage or kids. When a ripped and sexy stranger intervenes to stop a couple of drunks from harassing her in a hotel bar in Dubai City, all she can think about is spending the rest of the weekend with him—in her bed. There’s just one little problem. Unmarried sex is illegal in Dubai.

… of no-strings sex …

Navy SEAL Javier “Cobra” Corbray is on his way home from a rough deployment in Afghanistan when he finds himself having dinner with “the Baghdad Babe.” What she wants from him—sex with no strings—could land them both in prison. Still, he’s more than happy to oblige her. She’s confident and sexually assertive, and he’s secure enough to lie back and let her make the first strike. But, as she’s about to find out, he’s more than her match.

… or the beginning of something more?
Yet, neither Laura nor Javier has any idea what lies ahead—or how this weekend of mind-blowing sex will impact their emotions. Will they act on their new-found feelings in time, or will they let something special slip away… perhaps forever?

Warning: This story ends with a cliffhanger.

Striking Distance – Book 6

Blurb:

Her past is a secret—even to her.
Discovering it will be the most dangerous move of her life.


TV reporter Laura Nilsson, known as the "Baghdad Babe," spent eighteen months in an Al Qaeda compound after being kidnapped live on the air. Two years later, she's still wondering why.

No rescue mission in Javier Corbray's fourteen years as a Navy SEAL affected him the way Laura's rescue did. No woman has stirred his protective instincts the way she has. And he wants her more than he's ever wanted anyone.

As Laura and Javier's passion ignites, so does Laura's need to discover the mystery of her past. Especially when she learns that her abduction was not random—and that she's still a target for a killer with an impenetrable motive. Now Javier will have to rely on his skills to keep the woman he loves from being struck down before she dares uncover the truth.

Adri’s Over-all thoughts:

Okay I have to say that each and every one of the books in this series will have you on the edge of your seat not wanting to put it down. Each one has adventure and action with a very healthy dose of romance. 

The shorts (novella's) between each of the longer length stories gives us a little glimpse into the lives of not only all our main characters but a few of our smaller supporting characters. Which for me are characters I fell in love with and wanted to know more about so I am very happy to get to see little bits of what's happened in their lives. So each one is worth the read for sure. 

Now I have to say that I will lump up all the longer books together... and I will do that by telling you which is my favorite male character, female character, plot line and character interaction over all. 

My favorite male character has to be and will always be Julian... Man he has that sexy, dark, mysterious thing going for him, as well as a wicked sense of humor.

My favorite female character is Natalie... Her strength, determination and gumption are incredible. She makes you wish you had the will that she has to help her and Zach survive through what they do in their book.

My favorite plot line is definitely Marc and Sophie's... its that love story of the ages... that no matter how much time passed between the last time they'd seen each other... no matter what they'd been through in life... to still have those strong feelings... yeah what's not to like there.

And my favorite character interaction over all... I have to say all those sexy Alfa males spending time together ribbing each other makes for such a fun time. Especially when Marc and Julian start to rial each other up is fantastic. 

Also I have to add that as someone who lives in Colorado and gets to see the beauty of the Rocky Mountains each and every day. I absolutely adore how well Ms. Clare captures it and brings it out in the books. 

I highly recommend you run out and buy each of the books and take a week to hide out from the world so you can submerge yourself into the adventurous and amazing life of the I-Team.

Happy Reading... Adri

PS... Just know that just because I didn't comment about a particular character, book or couple it wasn't because I didn't enjoy it, but because this review was already long enough and I had to chose one.

1 comment:

  1. Great review!!! I think this series is one of the best, if not the best, romantic suspense series I have read. I agree that Natalie is the best heroine, but for me, Gabe will always have my heart. This guy literally gave his life for Kat and he didn't let anything stand in his way, no matter how challenging.. plus he was HOT!!!. I hope Pamela continues this series for many books to come!

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