REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: HARD TO PROTECT by INCY BLACK

 

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Hard to Protect
Black Ops Heroes #3

By: Incy Black

Releasing March 20, 2017
Entangled Ignite

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In Hard to Protect (Black Ops Heroes #3) by Incy Black, Special Agent Will Berwick can't believe the tricky assignment he's been tasked with, which he's not allowed to refuse. Seducing the woman he's dubbed the Ice Queen isn't going to be easy, but he isn't above using any means necessary to get the information he needs from her. However, he never expected she'd be the one to unravel his hardened heart and have him contemplating happy ever after. Will he be able to let the past go, so that he and Angel can have a future together?

 

What a gripping and thrilling ride this author takes readers on, which had hooked me from the moment I started reading and didn't let go until the end. Really, this story is romantic suspense at its best with its fast-paced plot that encompassed numerous twists, the gripping action and suspense, and compelling characters with such heart-breaking back stories that deserve forever love after all that they've been through. The way this story started had me liking the hero immediately because of the situation he's dealing with. What will he do to his superior officer? Will he challenge the man? 

 

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories and everything they go through on their journey to happy ever after. Is Will able to overcome his past to find happiness with Angel? Will Angel finally be able to deal with how she believes she let down her brother who clearly needed help? However, the dialogue wasn't all intense. There were some light hearted moments between the main characters that made me smile. They both have a way of getting under each other's skin with their words and their actions. Certainly, Will has the skills to tempt Angel, but she knows just how to tempt his as much. Who will win their game of seduction? A game where Will is trying to get her to expose her secrets while Angel is determined to make sure she doesn't reveal what he wants to know. 

 

Both the main characters had me hooked by their back stories, how far Will is willing to go to get Angel to spill the information he needs, and the way they challenge each other. Angel and Will have both gone through a lot in the past, and it was understandable why the heroine didn't trust easily. Because the last time she trusted someone, things went horribly wrong and her family suffered. And even though she's still affected by the past, she's strong, brave and I liked how determined she was to protect someone she loved, even if her loyalty wasn't in her best interest. But what I liked most about the heroine is that she didn't settle for the kind of relationship Will could give her, because she deserved more, especially if he couldn't let go of the past and his guilt.

 

While the hero, he's confident, ambitious and I liked how protective he was of the heroine once he realized that things aren't always what they seem. He has a lot of guilt over what happened to his ex, and I could sympathize with why he wouldn't want to give love another chance. He's already let down one woman he cared a lot about, and he wouldn't do the same to another. Except Angel isn't anything like his ex, which is proven by how much she's survived in the past.  

 

Overall, Ms. Black has penned a superb read in this romantic suspense, where Angel and Will have plenty of chemistry and delivered a good dose of hot romance. The way this story ended had me concerned for the main characters and shocked by the admission of someone one of the main characters thought they could trust. How would Will keep Angel safe, or would it be her skills that would keep him safe? I would highly recommend Hard to Protect by Incy Black, especially if you enjoy romantic suspense or the enemy to lovers trope.

 

OVERALL RATING:

 

 

BLURB:
Some Black Op missions are too dark—even for him.
 

 Volcanic hot and ambitious Special Agent Will Berwick doesn’t give a damn what his orders are, he’s not taking the enemy—the lovely, but arctic Dr. Angel Treherne—to bed. Nor will she die on his watch, most certainly not by his hand. Oh, he’ll root out her secrets. But his own way—teaching her a much-deserved lesson while he’s at it: that no one messes with his career plan just because they’re a little peeved with him.  

Caught up in a tangled web of deceit and betrayal, psychotherapist Angel trusts no one—certainly not alpha-cocky, cunning Will Berwick. First he’s hostile, then he’s charming, now he wants to protect her? Why? What’s he hiding? With her life—and heart—on the line, she needs to know. 
 

With the risks high and personal, can Will and Angel agree the dangerous choices they must make?

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What he wanted was an explanation as to why she’d nixed his return to active duty. He grinned, instead. “You seem more piqued than usual by my silence, Doc. Pre-menstrual tension?”

No flinch. No sharp intake of breath. She didn’t even blink. But the sudden chill she threw damn near caused his balls to retract.

Then, like an assassin’s blade in the dark, she sliced. “Suffered any symptoms of impotency since your injury, Berwick?”

Perversely, his groin heated. Well, apparently, if he wasn’t going to dignify her surprising and utterly unprofessional counter-challenge with a response, his dick would. Odd, when to-date, this woman hadn’t stirred so much as an extra pulse-throb from him.

Not that she was unattractive. On the contrary, her classical beauty could launch ships. Flawless bone-structure. Complexion creamy, lustrous as a pearl. Fathomless grey eyes intent enough to make a man’s soul hum. Wide mouth. Generous lips, blush-pink and ripe. Hinting at dirty.

Her demeanor though—do-not-touch frigid.

Jesus, if someone had told him a Nordic God had carved her out of ice and then had second thoughts about getting close enough to breathe some warmth into her for fear of forevermore ejaculating snowflakes, he wouldn’t have argued.

Without breaking eye contact, he vaguely imagined what she might look like with that tight French braid of hers loosened, the tips of her breasts peeking through the untidy fall of blond tresses, as she lay naked, writhing beneath his hands.

And gave himself a mental slap.

Never going to happen. No way would he take this female to bed. Even if he survived the encounter, he doubted she would. Someone, or something, had damaged her. No woman wrapped herself in that many layers of frost without good reason. She may have crossed him, and for that she would pay, but he didn’t want to break her, for Christ’s sake.

He’d shattered Diana, and in return her death—suicide—had shattered him. A joyride through hell he preferred not to repeat.

No, he’d cajole the whereabouts of Treherne’s brother from her in a way that didn’t require physical contact or, at least, not deep physical contact. The odd affectionate caress he’d allow, purely as a sign of friendship. He had a feeling she could do with an ally. “What would have to happen for you to agree to have dinner with me?”

“Both ice caps would have to melt.”

He choked back, Well, you would know, and widened his grin. To hell with his reservations. This wintery beauty shared none of Diana’s frailty. The Doc could take care of herself.

Game on.

 

 

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To escape the frenzy of three children aged under 4 years, two mad dogs and four very odd cats, Incy Black committed to a law degree (University College, London), first to piss off those who said she didn’t stand a chance, and second, because she’s never learned to walk a hill when there are mountains to be climbed.

When not fighting injustice and righting wrongs on ‘Planet Incy’ via her love of writing romantic action adventures, she works as a Marketing Director…also cook, cleaner and homemaker.

Living in the UK’s West Country, her (now five) children are well versed in what scares her (most things) and delight in pushing her neurotic buttons—at their peril.

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