KILL WITHOUT MERCY by Alexandra Ivy: Review

Posted December 29, 2015 in Favorites, Reviews / 0 Comments

KILL WITHOUT MERCY by Alexandra Ivy: ReviewKill Without Mercy by Alexandra Ivy
Series: ARES Security #1
Published by Zebra
Publication Date: December 29th 2015
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon  B&N  Kobo

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

From the hellhole of a Taliban prison to sweet freedom, five brave military heroes have made it home—and they’re ready to take on the civilian missions no one else can. Individually they’re intimidating. Together they’re invincible. They’re the men of ARES Security.

Rafe Vargas is only in Newton, Iowa, to clear out his late grandfather’s small house. As the covert ops specialist for ARES Security, he’s eager to get back to his new life in Texas. But when he crosses paths with Annie White, a haunted beauty with skeletons in her closet, he can’t just walk away—not when she’s clearly in danger…

There’s a mysterious serial killer on the loose with a link to Annie’s dark past. And the closer he gets, the deeper Rafe’s instinct to protect kicks in. But even with his considerable skill, Annie’s courage, and his ARES buddies behind him, the slaying won’t stop. Now it’s only a matter of time before Annie’s next—unless they can unravel a history of deadly lies that won’t be buried.

 

Review

KILL WITHOUT MERCY is an absolutely exciting start to the ARES Security series and if the rest of the books are anything like this one, then the series is sure to be a winner and that’s saying a lot considering how popular her PNR romances have been.

Here’s why. Ms. Ivy combines romance, suspense, mystery and my favorite, bonds and connections that make people into a family, into a story that makes me want to be a part of what they’ve got going on.

Take five military guys with who have forged an unbreakable bond in captivity, each with a skill that complements the others’ and have them come together to open a security company. That’s just where the fun begins because that bond becomes the foundation of everything for them and they’ll be there for each other unconditionally, no questions asked.

 Rafe Vargas is off to Newton, Iowa to clean out his grandfather’s house and put it up for sale. The plan is to get in and get out as quickly as possible, and get back to establishing their company. Until he walks into a diner and sees Annie White. And his priorities get a makeover. Rafe at the core of him is a protector and he’s not going to walk away from someone who’s in danger, especially not the woman who just captured all of his attention.

Annie used to live in Newton until the scandal surrounding the town’s most infamous serial killer, the Newton Slayer led to her leaving. It’s been fifteen years and just when she thinks she’s put the past behind her, she started having visions of the killings again, but how is that possible considering that the alleged killer has been dead for fifteen years? The compulsion to find out if her visions have any basis in reality drives her to Newton and right into Rafe’s path.

Let me confess this: I have a big, fat crush on Rafe! He’s gorgeous, he’s sexy, he’s down to earth but most of all, he’s the heart of the group and the glue that keeps everyone together. He relies on his gut and makes decisions on the fly in the field, so it’s no surprise that it doesn’t take him long to decide that he wants Annie in his life permanently and get right on making it happen, in spite of the less than ideal timing. I love the connection between him and Annie, how protective he is of her and how he also respects her freedom to make her own decisions even if they are not exactly to his liking. I also love how the team enfolded her into their unit and gave her the family she had always wanted. 

The story itself has got some major suspense going on, lots of secrets, mysteries and shadows, and just when you think you have it all figured out, everything changes and you’re scrambling to keep up. I could go on talking about just how much I enjoyed reading this book and just so you know, I went searching for information on the next book in the series (couldn’t find any). I’ll definitely recommend this to anyone who loves romantic suspense and even those who haven’t tried it. If Ms. Ivy is open to suggestions, I would love to read Lucas’s story next.

 

 

 

 

About Alexandra Ivy

ALEXANDRA IVY graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage.

She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons.

To stay updated on Alexandra’s Guardian series or to chat with other readers, please visit her website.


Sign up for my Newsletter

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.