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katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Grace Steele is an FBI profiler - who is called upon to help on a special mission she is uniquely qualified for. It isn’t her profiling skills that are needed this time - it’s her knowledge and history.
When Grace was a little girl, her mom moved them to live with the Order of the New Dawn - a cult. Now someone very important is in the cult and it’s up to Grace and the Steele Ops team to extract her. If that wasn’t already the last place she wanted to be - she’s also going to have to go undercover partnered with Cade, her first love that ended badly 17 years ago.
This book was a wild ride with so many great elements:
✔️Second chance romance
✔️Cult
✔️Suspenseful moments that will have you on the edge of your seat
✔️A plot that will have you rapidly turning pages to see what happens next
This is the second book in the series and while I do think it added something to have read the first, you could also read it as a stand-alone.
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
When Grace was a little girl, her mom moved them to live with the Order of the New Dawn - a cult. Now someone very important is in the cult and it’s up to Grace and the Steele Ops team to extract her. If that wasn’t already the last place she wanted to be - she’s also going to have to go undercover partnered with Cade, her first love that ended badly 17 years ago.
This book was a wild ride with so many great elements:
✔️Second chance romance
✔️Cult
✔️Suspenseful moments that will have you on the edge of your seat
✔️A plot that will have you rapidly turning pages to see what happens next
This is the second book in the series and while I do think it added something to have read the first, you could also read it as a stand-alone.
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
sblyon's review against another edition
4.0
In this 2nd installment of the Steel Ops series by April Hunt, Cade & Grace must work together to bring the VP’s daughter out of the cult where Grace was once a member until the age of 13, and where her mother still resides. The pair the have to figure out how to work together, despite a history of deep love and deep hurt, to succeed in their mission and find a new path forward.
whiskeyinthejar's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Grace's job as a FBI profiler has pitted her up against some of the most dangerous people. When the Vice President of the United States asks for her help in rescuing his daughter she can't say no, even if it involves going back to the cult she escaped seventeen years ago.
Cade will never stop loving his bestfriends' cousin Grace, even if he felt he had to walk away from her nine years ago. When she has to put herself in danger for the mission, he's going to be right there beside her.
Grace and Cade may have their second chance at love but they'll have to stop the murderous rage of a cult first.
Her worst fear---or one of them---was about to come to fruition. The other had been watching the man she loved---and trusted---walk away and out of her life.
Lethal Redemption is the second installment of the Steele Ops series, a group of former military men and women who have built their own security business. They operate out of a beer distillery and do operations that the U.S. government doesn't want their name attached to. The Vice President's daughter has fallen into The New Order of the Dawn, a cult, and needs to be rescued but the Vice President doesn't want any media attention. If you read the first in the series (Deadly Obsession) you'll remember Grace and Cade as the antagonistic twosome that obviously still had feelings for each other. Even though we got glimpses of these two in the first, you could still comfortably start here.
After seventeen years of being free of Father Teague's daily Blessings and her mother's nonstop disapproving lectures, she was headed back to New Dawn...and back to the people who stole eight years of her childhood.
Grace came to live with her four male cousins when she escaped from the Order of the New Dawn cult. Her father had died and her mother had dragged her into the cult. Cade and his sister Zoey (heroine from book one) were friends with the four Steele cousins and thus Cade and Grace grew-up together. They dated while in college and had big plans put Cade decided to reenlist in the Army without telling Grace and they broke up. I really missed watching Grace and Cade grow to be in love. Their second chance romance didn't get as much page time as I would have liked because of the cult storyline dominating the plot. The two did have a nice flow to their interactions but the feelings and attraction build-up has already happened and we get more of “well, let's try this again”, some fear from both sides, and then “we're together again”. These actions and emotions don't necessarily cycle through quickly, but they didn't have the number of steps and depth I need to really get involved with a couple.
She trusted him.
Now it was up to him to make sure she never regretted it.
Grace was the much more shaded in character, with her time in the cult, escaping, adjusting to living with cousins, Cade issues, and then having to go back into the cult and seeing her mother again. There is some ground work laid from the first book about the issues Cade has with his father but Cade was mostly in the story to support, get protective if Grace put herself in danger, and be there for the sex scenes. The fact that they had previously developed feelings of love and the cult plot really stole any page time from their romance.
The New Dawn cult, their workings, was interesting but the conclusion to how the Vice President's daughter fit in and the threads that untangled to reveal the who and what, made for a somewhat muddy and trying too hard to be clever climax. There are still some Steele Ops members that need their happily ever after and a possible Vice President's daughter and Secret Service Agent. This author does always manage to pull me into the story, there's an easy of flow and movement to characters that I enjoy, so I'll still be checking out the series next romance and adventure.
Grace's job as a FBI profiler has pitted her up against some of the most dangerous people. When the Vice President of the United States asks for her help in rescuing his daughter she can't say no, even if it involves going back to the cult she escaped seventeen years ago.
Cade will never stop loving his bestfriends' cousin Grace, even if he felt he had to walk away from her nine years ago. When she has to put herself in danger for the mission, he's going to be right there beside her.
Grace and Cade may have their second chance at love but they'll have to stop the murderous rage of a cult first.
Her worst fear---or one of them---was about to come to fruition. The other had been watching the man she loved---and trusted---walk away and out of her life.
Lethal Redemption is the second installment of the Steele Ops series, a group of former military men and women who have built their own security business. They operate out of a beer distillery and do operations that the U.S. government doesn't want their name attached to. The Vice President's daughter has fallen into The New Order of the Dawn, a cult, and needs to be rescued but the Vice President doesn't want any media attention. If you read the first in the series (Deadly Obsession) you'll remember Grace and Cade as the antagonistic twosome that obviously still had feelings for each other. Even though we got glimpses of these two in the first, you could still comfortably start here.
After seventeen years of being free of Father Teague's daily Blessings and her mother's nonstop disapproving lectures, she was headed back to New Dawn...and back to the people who stole eight years of her childhood.
Grace came to live with her four male cousins when she escaped from the Order of the New Dawn cult. Her father had died and her mother had dragged her into the cult. Cade and his sister Zoey (heroine from book one) were friends with the four Steele cousins and thus Cade and Grace grew-up together. They dated while in college and had big plans put Cade decided to reenlist in the Army without telling Grace and they broke up. I really missed watching Grace and Cade grow to be in love. Their second chance romance didn't get as much page time as I would have liked because of the cult storyline dominating the plot. The two did have a nice flow to their interactions but the feelings and attraction build-up has already happened and we get more of “well, let's try this again”, some fear from both sides, and then “we're together again”. These actions and emotions don't necessarily cycle through quickly, but they didn't have the number of steps and depth I need to really get involved with a couple.
She trusted him.
Now it was up to him to make sure she never regretted it.
Grace was the much more shaded in character, with her time in the cult, escaping, adjusting to living with cousins, Cade issues, and then having to go back into the cult and seeing her mother again. There is some ground work laid from the first book about the issues Cade has with his father but Cade was mostly in the story to support, get protective if Grace put herself in danger, and be there for the sex scenes. The fact that they had previously developed feelings of love and the cult plot really stole any page time from their romance.
The New Dawn cult, their workings, was interesting but the conclusion to how the Vice President's daughter fit in and the threads that untangled to reveal the who and what, made for a somewhat muddy and trying too hard to be clever climax. There are still some Steele Ops members that need their happily ever after and a possible Vice President's daughter and Secret Service Agent. This author does always manage to pull me into the story, there's an easy of flow and movement to characters that I enjoy, so I'll still be checking out the series next romance and adventure.
robinlovesreading's review against another edition
5.0
Lately I have read more than a few books with people who have managed to escape from cults and who have managed to really make something of their lives. In Lethal Redemption by April Hunt, our female protagonist Grace Steele, now an FBI profiler, was able to escape the Order of the New Dawn when she was much younger, and has done her best to bury her troubling memories while she was there. However when the Steele Ops private security agency requests her help rescuing a woman named Sarah Brandt, she agrees, even though she knows she will be plagued by disturbing memories.
Cade Wright, who works with Steele Ops is the man that Grace will be working with in order to rescue Sarah. This could be problematic because Cade and Grace have a past, one that ended over nine years earlier. Working together just might give Cade another chance with Grace, a chance to prove to her that he has changed, that he is worthy of another chance.
Lethal Redemption is an incredibly intense book! We have at least three things going on in this book - rescuing Sarah, Grace's traumatic past with the cult, especially considering who one of the cult members were and how this still affects her today and then the growing relationship she has with Cade. These scenarios, with a mix of past and present, work remarkably well together to create an incredibly compulsive read.
I loved how Grace and Cade had to "pretend" to be a couple in order to infiltrate the cult. Their history, which at one point ended on a very bad note, combined with long-buried feelings forcing their way to the surface, added an incredible amount of tension to what was already a compelling story. The first book in this series, Deadly Obsession, was equally impressive, leaving me excited to read the next book in the series, Fatal Deception, which is currently in my TBR.
Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Cade Wright, who works with Steele Ops is the man that Grace will be working with in order to rescue Sarah. This could be problematic because Cade and Grace have a past, one that ended over nine years earlier. Working together just might give Cade another chance with Grace, a chance to prove to her that he has changed, that he is worthy of another chance.
Lethal Redemption is an incredibly intense book! We have at least three things going on in this book - rescuing Sarah, Grace's traumatic past with the cult, especially considering who one of the cult members were and how this still affects her today and then the growing relationship she has with Cade. These scenarios, with a mix of past and present, work remarkably well together to create an incredibly compulsive read.
I loved how Grace and Cade had to "pretend" to be a couple in order to infiltrate the cult. Their history, which at one point ended on a very bad note, combined with long-buried feelings forcing their way to the surface, added an incredible amount of tension to what was already a compelling story. The first book in this series, Deadly Obsession, was equally impressive, leaving me excited to read the next book in the series, Fatal Deception, which is currently in my TBR.
Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
emac021's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
earl_of_book_dragon's review against another edition
DNF. I just wasn’t interested enough to finish.
onceupon_a_bookdream's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5⭐
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Lethal Redemption is the second book in April Hunt's Steele Ops series. This story brings us the story of FBI profiler Grace Steele and Cade Wright of Steele Ops security. Grace and Cade used to be together and in it for the long haul but 9 years ago Cade made a decision that derailed that plan and Grace hasn't forgiven him. Now they have to work together to save a government officials daughter from a cult. The same cult Grace escaped from when she was a young girl. Grace has a lot on her plate from bringing the woman home safe, facing her past, and risking her heart to Cade again.
"She barely survived losing Cade the first time. She didn't know if she could handle it again."
I really enjoy April Hunt's writing and her characters. My struggle with this was the plot line itself . One of my least favorite story lines are ones that have to do with cults. But that aside the story kept my interest and I really loved Grace and Cade's relationship. They worked really well as a team. Their connection both emotionally and physically was realistic and believable. Grace is such a bad a** woman who doesn't take sh*t from anyway and I admired that. She wasn't your typical woe is me damsel in distress. Yes, she wasn't perfect and had emotional trauma that still haunted her, but she didn't let it hold her back. She took every situation by the reins and owned it.
"Grace was so exhausted from all of the heart. She wanted hope. She wanted trust. She wanted to redemption. Most of all, she wanted them
Lethal Redemption was a good addition to the Steele Ops series. I am very excited for the next book in the series and I am dying to get into Roman Steele's head.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Lethal Redemption is the second book in April Hunt's Steele Ops series. This story brings us the story of FBI profiler Grace Steele and Cade Wright of Steele Ops security. Grace and Cade used to be together and in it for the long haul but 9 years ago Cade made a decision that derailed that plan and Grace hasn't forgiven him. Now they have to work together to save a government officials daughter from a cult. The same cult Grace escaped from when she was a young girl. Grace has a lot on her plate from bringing the woman home safe, facing her past, and risking her heart to Cade again.
"She barely survived losing Cade the first time. She didn't know if she could handle it again."
I really enjoy April Hunt's writing and her characters. My struggle with this was the plot line itself . One of my least favorite story lines are ones that have to do with cults. But that aside the story kept my interest and I really loved Grace and Cade's relationship. They worked really well as a team. Their connection both emotionally and physically was realistic and believable. Grace is such a bad a** woman who doesn't take sh*t from anyway and I admired that. She wasn't your typical woe is me damsel in distress. Yes, she wasn't perfect and had emotional trauma that still haunted her, but she didn't let it hold her back. She took every situation by the reins and owned it.
"Grace was so exhausted from all of the heart. She wanted hope. She wanted trust. She wanted to redemption. Most of all, she wanted them
Lethal Redemption was a good addition to the Steele Ops series. I am very excited for the next book in the series and I am dying to get into Roman Steele's head.
bookbruin's review against another edition
4.0
I don't often read romantic suspense, but I really enjoyed Lethal Redemption. It was a fast paced and entertaining read. I am a sucker for second chance romances, especially childhood sweethearts, so I was rooting for Grace and Cade from the very start. Throw in the fake relationship trope and lots of action and I was sold! This is book 2 in the series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. I have not had a chance to read book 1 yet and did not feel lost with the different characters and background of the story/series.
Grace was a really intriguing heroine. I loved her intelligence and take no prisoners attitude. Her chemistry with Cade was undeniable and their banter and back and forth was fantastic. As much as I loved Grace and Cade though, the cause of their separation didn't quite sit right with me. It felt too sudden and drastic after hearing about their supposed epic love. Second chance always has lots of angst, but I almost felt like this had too little. Yes, nine years have passed, but things flipped relatively quickly. I didn't like that things fell to Grace with the drama at the end either. I felt like Cade needed to do more groveling and play a more active role this time around.
The plot of the story and discussion about cults was fascinating. I thought the writing was stellar and I really felt like I was getting a glimpse into that world. The different layers and ideaology behind the fictitious Order of the New Dawn were well thought out and made for a compelling and unique backdrop for the story. This was an action packed read and I didn't see some of the twists coming. This is my first April Hunt book, but I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.
3.5-4 stars
*I voluntarily read and advance review copy of this book*
Grace was a really intriguing heroine. I loved her intelligence and take no prisoners attitude. Her chemistry with Cade was undeniable and their banter and back and forth was fantastic. As much as I loved Grace and Cade though, the cause of their separation didn't quite sit right with me. It felt too sudden and drastic after hearing about their supposed epic love. Second chance always has lots of angst, but I almost felt like this had too little. Yes, nine years have passed, but things flipped relatively quickly. I didn't like that things fell to Grace with the drama at the end either. I felt like Cade needed to do more groveling and play a more active role this time around.
The plot of the story and discussion about cults was fascinating. I thought the writing was stellar and I really felt like I was getting a glimpse into that world. The different layers and ideaology behind the fictitious Order of the New Dawn were well thought out and made for a compelling and unique backdrop for the story. This was an action packed read and I didn't see some of the twists coming. This is my first April Hunt book, but I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.
3.5-4 stars
*I voluntarily read and advance review copy of this book*
thenaptimewriter's review against another edition
4.0
Lethal Redemption
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.
April Hunt’s Lethal Redemption offers a cornucopia of tropes for the romance lover: it’s a second chance, lovers-to sorta enemies-to lovers, best friend’s sibling romance with plenty of thrills.
Cade, Steele Ops employee and brother to Zoey (whom we met in the first book in the series), is willing to do anything to re-kindle his relationship with Grace. They grew up together and dated for several years when, without any advance notice, Cade re-upped his military contract and he and Grace split up. Now their relationship is mostly comprised of a combo of antagonistic and so-cold-you’ll-get-frostbite treatment. Not exactly conducive to a deep romantic connection.
But then the Steele Ops and the Vice President ask FBI profiler Grace to assist with a rescue mission. The VP’s daughter is living in a cult that Grace was a member of as a child. Of course, this mission will require that Grace confront her own past and the partner she’s unwillingly saddled with—Cade.
The sexual tension between Cade and Grace is great, but the real challenge for them is the emotional work they both have to do to get anywhere close to a HEA. I wanted a bit more groundwork on how their separation actually happened—the treatment felt a tad vague—but Hunt does provide sufficient background into why it’s so hard for Grace to learn to trust again.
Cade and Grace have some confronting & self-reflecting to do, and both handle it maturely, without anything feeling too angsty. I love how Grace eventually shows that she’s willing to fight for them, and she becomes someone who’s not willing to let decisions be made for her.
While this book didn’t hit me quite as hard as the previous book in the series did, Lethal Redemption’s got the “good stuff” I’m starting to associate with an April Hunt book: sexy, consuming romance set against a dramatic, fast-paced story, and a set of characters that I really like spending time with. Can’t wait for Roman’s story!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.
April Hunt’s Lethal Redemption offers a cornucopia of tropes for the romance lover: it’s a second chance, lovers-to sorta enemies-to lovers, best friend’s sibling romance with plenty of thrills.
Cade, Steele Ops employee and brother to Zoey (whom we met in the first book in the series), is willing to do anything to re-kindle his relationship with Grace. They grew up together and dated for several years when, without any advance notice, Cade re-upped his military contract and he and Grace split up. Now their relationship is mostly comprised of a combo of antagonistic and so-cold-you’ll-get-frostbite treatment. Not exactly conducive to a deep romantic connection.
But then the Steele Ops and the Vice President ask FBI profiler Grace to assist with a rescue mission. The VP’s daughter is living in a cult that Grace was a member of as a child. Of course, this mission will require that Grace confront her own past and the partner she’s unwillingly saddled with—Cade.
The sexual tension between Cade and Grace is great, but the real challenge for them is the emotional work they both have to do to get anywhere close to a HEA. I wanted a bit more groundwork on how their separation actually happened—the treatment felt a tad vague—but Hunt does provide sufficient background into why it’s so hard for Grace to learn to trust again.
Cade and Grace have some confronting & self-reflecting to do, and both handle it maturely, without anything feeling too angsty. I love how Grace eventually shows that she’s willing to fight for them, and she becomes someone who’s not willing to let decisions be made for her.
While this book didn’t hit me quite as hard as the previous book in the series did, Lethal Redemption’s got the “good stuff” I’m starting to associate with an April Hunt book: sexy, consuming romance set against a dramatic, fast-paced story, and a set of characters that I really like spending time with. Can’t wait for Roman’s story!