Dark Alliance #1
By: Kate SeRine
Releasing June 28, 2016
Zebra
Blurb
Luke Rogan’s assignment is simple: secure young Elijah Scoffield and his mother and bring them back to headquarters–just an ordinary mission for an operative of the Dark Alliance. But Elijah is no ordinary kid. He’s the grandson of one of the country’s most influential politicians–a man privy to the Alliance’s most valuable secrets, including its centuries-long connection to the Knights Templar. And someone else is attempting to capture the boy–someone who’s proven he doesn’t give a damn about collateral damage. . .
Heartbroken at the lies that tore her world apart, Sarah Scoffield will do anything to protect her son–even if that means teaming up with a deadly stranger. But Sarah soon finds herself falling in love with her dark hero. And as danger stalks ever closer, the fiery desire that claims them awakens in Sarah passions she’d thought dead and buried long ago. . .
Review:
This sexually-charged, action-packed romantic thriller is the introduction to an intriguing series sure to wow not only romance lovers, but suspense, mystery, and thrill seekers as well!
Rogan is the epitome of alpha-male, laced with hot sexiness and romantic chivalry. He’s laid down a lot of people – permanently- and he never loses sight of his objective- helping to rid the world of evil-doers. A former marine, he knows how to handle himself, and no one has ever gotten the best of him; that is, until he meets Sarah and her son, Elijah.
Protecting them is his job. Loving them is his choice, albeit it, one made reluctantly. His life is not the life of a family man, and no matter how attracted he is to Sarah, and how drawn he is to Elijah, he wants them safe, even if he has to protect them from himself as well. Sarah is not as fragile as every makes her out to be. She has some surprises for those who underestimate her – herself included. Her life hasn’t been as boring as she thinks, and discovering her own secrets adds that much more umph to the story.
. SeRine has created some powerful, head-strong characters. They are loyal, intelligent, and flawed – all elements that make them worthy of the attention readers are sure to give them. The pace is fast, the flow is smooth. The dialogue is compelling, the action mind-grabbing. The subplots are as stimulating as the main plot, and although this is a cliffhanger, there is a small sense of closure. I like the way the end sets up the next story, and I’m superexcited about reading more.
Rating system: Cups of Coffee (the less the better)
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 0 cups of coffee
Praise for Kate Serine
“Dark, dangerous, edgy, and deliciously sexy!” –Julie Ann Walker, New York Times bestselling author
“Kate SeRine knows how to pack a punch!” –Donna Grant, New York Times bestselling author
Author Info
Kate SeRine (pronounced “serene”) is a hopeless romantic who firmly believes in true love that lasts forever. So it’s no surprise that when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed her characters would always have a happily ever after.
Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project—probably while consuming way too much coffee.
Kate is also the author of the award-winning Transplanted Tales paranormal romance series and the Protect & Serve romantic suspense series.
Connect with Kate at www.kateserine.com, Facebook.com/kateserine, or on Twitter @KateSeRine.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
“I thought we were safe here,” Sarah said, her arms crossed over her chest.
“We’re as safe here as anywhere until we get to my place,” Luke assured her.
She lifted a brow. “Yet you’re acting like you expect someone to come barging in and attack us at any moment.”
He took a step closer and immediately realized his mistake when his heart started pounding at the nearness of her. Shit. He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from touching her. “If being paranoid is what’s going to keep you and your son alive,” he said, “then guilty as charged.”
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, Luke,” she began, edging closer, damn it all, “but why does it matter so much to you if Eli and I are safe? You don’t know us. I get that you’ve been given an order, but I also heard you talking to your commander and know you’d rather be somewhere else. If you’d insisted that someone else watch over us, I would’ve understood. I can just go to the police, tell them what happened. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Luke stared at her for a long moment, trying to figure out the answer to her question. Hell if he knew why it mattered so much to him that he keep them safe. In the technical sense, he protected people every day and had for going on fifteen years when he added up his time in the military and then working for the government and now with the Alliance. But she was right—this assignment was hitting him on a level he hadn’t anticipated.
“I guess because, when I wasn’t much older than Eli, someone took my mother and me in, watched over us when we needed it,” he finally said, not sure where the explanation was even coming from. “And someone else did the same thing for me again a few years ago when I was in a really dark place—except this time the enemy I was up against was myself. If it wasn’t for that person stepping in, I don’t know where I’d be. But dead is a damned good bet.”
Sarah straightened. “Oh. God. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Luke told her. He shook his head as his vision went a little blurry. Suddenly too tired to stand, he leaned against the edge of the sink. “I made a promise to keep you and Eli safe, Sarah. I’ll keep it. There’s no way I’d abandon you, so don’t worry about it.”
The next thing he knew, Sarah’s arms were around his neck, hugging him tightly. He resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, to bury his face in her hair and let the warmth of her wash over him. But when she pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered, “Thank you,” in his ear, he almost gave in.
Fortunately, before he could move, she stepped away and hurried back into the room with Eli, leaving Luke gaping at the empty doorway and wondering exactly what the hell he’d gotten himself into…
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
You’re welcome. I really enjoyed this. It is a cliffhanger, but some issues are resolved. I think it’s a wonderful setup for the next in the series. I’ll have to watch out for it.