Review: Sexy, Fun, and Exciting!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 9, 2013
First Impression .... This is going to be So. Much. Fun.The Story... Barely Undercover is the second book in the Legal Heat series, but can easily be read as a standalone, as I did. Lana, a character from Legal Heat, is a PI. On a dangerous job, she follows her mark into a sex club, but when she catches his eyes, Lana is the one being chased. Rex won't take no for an answer. But in walks Lana's ex, James Hunter, who's undercover as a member of Rex's MC. James comes to Lana's rescue, and in order to go with the flow and keep Rex away, she must pretend to be James's -undercover as Ice - Old Lady. This puts the former lovers back within dangerous territory, balancing knowing they should stay apart with the need to keep Lana safe. Throw in the out of control intense chemistry, and Barely Undercover is a suspense and sexy story.The Characters ... James and Lana were likeable, complex, funny, and intense characters. Lana is a woman with a mysterious past, one she won't share even with her best friend. She is a strong woman who refuses to be beaten down by life. Yes, she's closed off and tends to run, but she can't be blamed in the slightest. Her only weakness is James, but even with him, it's all SASS. And I loved it. The way they sparred and riled each other up was hilarious and sexy. And speaking of sexy, yep, James was that and a whole lot more. An undercover cop, James left Lana to protect her. Life in the MC has changed him, but it's for the better. He was intense, but could make a joke or a wicked come-on in a heartbeat. What I liked about him was that even though he was intense and super Alpha, he was also nice, listened to Lana, and learned how to treat her in the way that worked for them both.Barely Undercover also had an excellent supporting cast. Jackie, Lana's best friend, matched her head-to-head in the sass and attitude department. I would love to get her story. We also get James/Ice's fellow MC members, most of them awful, except for Kickstand and Ryder. These two were fun and hot and I hope it's not the last I've seen of them either.The Writing .... Having read Castille's work before, I knew that I liked her writing. While I liked her other book, I really, really liked this one. I even had moments bordering on love. The characters were engaging. The story had a brisk and intense pace that never lagged a bit. It was so so funny, with me laughing so hard at times my husband came to see what was going on with me.The Heat ... was smokin'. "Warning: The book contains violence, explicit sex, light bondage, heavy swearing, motorcycle sexytimes, bad-ass biker naughtytimes, and an exceptionally hot hero who will get down and dirty anywhere but under the covers." <---That just promises a good time, right? Once again, being familiar with Castille's work, I knew she could bring the heat. James and Lana had fabulous chemistry, combined with loaded history. This led to serious sparks on the page. Their intimate moments were plentiful, but never took over the story.Could I Put Barely Undercover Down? .... I could, when necessary. But I didn't want to. In fact, I stayed up way to late and woke up early so I could get a few more pages in before starting the day.Did Barely Undercover "Grab My Balls"? (Okay, I know this may be crass -or even offensive, but I have a reason. When we talk books, the first question my friend Jessica asks is "Did it grab your balls?" Is this a book that rips you open, consumes you, won't let you go? It's valid logic.) Barely Undercover didn't exactly grab them, but it did grab my funny bone, and with Lana's vulnerability combined with her resolve, and James's passion/aggression, it hit me right in The Feels.In the End ... Barely Undercover was an excellent read. It made me laugh. It got me all steamed up. There was action, adventure, and a winning love story. I will definitely be reading more of the Legal Heat series in the future.