Under Pressure by Lori Foster starts the new Body Armor series that is interconnected to the Ultimate series but can easily be read as a standalone. Leese Phelps is a hunky new guard hired to find and protect Catalina, the client’s stepdaughter. But what’s the real story? Who’s the predator? As the heat picks up and the chemistry sparks, much steam ensues as the Leese and Catalina clash.

Catalina Nicholson possesses a dangerous secret, one her powerful stepfather would kill to keep hidden. When she first meets Leese Phelps, she’s certain that he’s been sent to do just that. Instead, Leese reveals that he’s a bodyguard there to protect her. The two travel to Cincinnati to keep Catalina safe, and along the way sparks begin to fly. Romance suspense isn't my go-to genre, but I do think that. Lori Foster’s first installment in her Body Armor series will be a good fit for fans of romantic suspense.

Another great series by Lori Foster! This is the first book in a new series, and its all about Leese. After meeting Leese in previous books, I was super excited to read his story. After retiring as an MMA fighter, Leese is now works as a bodyguard when he is hired to guard Catalina, daughter of a wealthy businessman. Cat is on the run from some pretty scary people and has a secret that she is scared to share. Leese does all he can to protect her, and to fight their growing attraction. Leese makes her feel safe, but can he keep himself safe too without falling head over heals in love?

This is a great story and a wonderful start to a must read series. Lori Foster knows how to write hot and sexy romance. If you have a fan of that, you don't want to miss this book!

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book.

Foster included the colorful and loyal supporting cast from the Ultimate series for familiarity with a sense of bond and family. It had been a while since I read their stories but I quickly picked back up where we left off.

All in all, it was a great start to a new series. It was enjoyable and entertaining. Foster provided teasers so we know the next book will highlight Justice in Hard Justice

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect to the story. As I didn't completely finish this book, I will not be publishing a review. We do not feature uncompleted books on the blog. Although this title didn't work for me, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Leese is here, and he is delicious! He works as a Bodyguard for Body Armor. When Leese was first introduced, and had a roll in Denver and Cherry's book Holding Strong (part of the Ultimate series) I thought he was a jerk, but in Under Pressure, boy did he redeem himself.

Cat is running from a few people including a sicko named Tesh. Enter Leese her bodyguard..

I loved Leese, and Cat. Leese: Sexy, hot, strong, protective, patient, heart-melting, panty melting. Cat: Quirky, funny, strong, sassy, tuff, and selfless. Cat has a secret, and it's a killer. Each trying to keep the other from harm. Oh, and the villains are evil...intrigued? Yeah, you'll love it!

We get more of Justice, who's book is next in the series, and the wait will be torture! We get cameos of Denver, Miles, Stack, and Armie. Rally around boys.

I'm not one for spoilers, so with that being said you gotta read this book plain and simple. Ms. Foster has such a talent of weaving a fabulous story that leaves a lasting impression, and Under Pressure is no exception, and a definite re-read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Under Pressure is the first in yet another spin-off series from Lori Foster. I've become rather invested in all of the characters from the previous series, so naturally I was eager to dive into Leese's story despite him being rather unlikable when we first met him. Of course, expect some cameos from the previous series to pop in, but the Body Armor series definitely has set itself apart with Under Pressure.

Now I'm just going to come right out and say it, but this story definitely had an instant-love feel to it, and I feel like the chemistry always felt just a bit off as a result. Sure these two do have a connection given the situation they are thrown in, but I just never felt the romance was one that would last beyond the drama they found themselves in. I will say, however, that I was thoroughly entertained with the banter between Leese and Catalina. They had me laughing out loud a few times, and she was an even match for him in may ways so I did enjoy that aspect. I don't think that MMA was ever where Leese truly belonged and more like something he stumbled upon, so I was also happy that Leese finally found his niche with becoming a bodyguard.

Overall, there were some high and low points for me reading, but I did enjoy reading Under Pressure and thought it a good start for a new series. I can't wait to find out what happens with the remaining cast of characters from the previous series, but I do also hope that we get a few books with the new secondary characters as well.

Wowzer!! What a fantastic start to this series. This book captured my interest from the very beginning. It is intriguing and kept me wondering what was going to happen. I couldn't put it down. The plot is unique and only something Lori could come up with. I love that about her books, they aren't the typical romance stories.

I've liked Leese since he was introduced in the Ultimate Series and have loved watching his transformation. I loved Cat's strength and independence, even in the face of danger. When these two meet, you feel the instant attraction, but more so the connection. The chemistry is off the charts between Leese and Cat, you can feel the sparks flying. This book is hot, sexy, witty and action packed.

And I absolutely loved having the characters from the Ultimate Series make appearances. I'm excited for this series!!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid start to the Body Armor series. As a Lori Foster reader, I've been interested in Leese's story, let's face it, he had some redeeming to do.
Was he redeemed? Totally! I ended up REALLY liking him and I enjoyed his and Catalina's HEA.

Sigh... nothing can beat a Lori Foster book. Absolutely nothing. She's always a winner in my review book and UNDER PRESSURE was no different. As a start to a new series it set a very high precedent for what is to come in the following books and let me tell you the bar is high. Cat and Leese's relationship was super sexy and refreshing!

I loved Under Pressure & could not put it down. This is the first book in Lori Foster's new Body Armor series, a spin off from the Ultimate books. This is Leese Phelps's story, he left MMA fighting when he realized he would never be a champion fighter. He became a body guard, working for Sahara Silver at her agency. His assignment is to protect Catalina, the step daughter to a privileged man from an unknown threat. He does get frustrated when she keeps useful information from him that could help him protect her but she wants to protect him & the others in the agency.

Cat makes it clear she likes Leese & finds him attractive but he doesn't want to take advantage of a woman in danger, one that he has promised to protect. It was great to see how Leese had grown as a man from when we first meet him in Holding Strong. And I loved meeting Cat, she is his match in every way.


We also get cameos by Cannon, Armie, Stack, Denver, Justice & Miles-it was fun to see those characters as well as meet some new ones.

Lori Foster has started a great new series. This one is worth checking out!

Under Pressure is the debut in a new spin-off series from Lori Foster, an author I always love reading. Under Pressure kicks off the Body Armor series with a sexy, thrilling, and exciting start. I loved it!
The book opens with Cat (Catalina) on the run and trying to get into hiding in an attempt to save her life. Hired to be the one to protect her, Leese steps in, and immediately the sparks start to fly. Once the mystery start to unfold as to who is after Cat and what exactly they are in for, I was hooked. I mean when you’ve got wealth, power, scandal, and murder, how could I not be? I loved Leese and his loyal, cool under pressure, sexy style. I love Cat’s ability to take a stand for what was right and her non nonsense attitude when it came to speaking her mind. Together the sexual tension was off the charts and I loved the push and pull between them in Cat making no bones about her attraction and Leese trying to keep a professional distance (of course I’m sure you can guess it won’t last the whole book 😉 ) From start to finish this was a great read!
I also have to say how much I loved seeing some of our old friends from Ms. Foster’s Ultimate series. That crew of fighters is still one of my faves!
With developed characters and plot filled with thrilling excitement, I know you’ll love Under Pressure as much as I did!

I always enjoy reading Lori Foster! There’s something so very charming and captivating about her heroes and heroines, interesting plots and the crossover/spin off series are always my favorite.

Her latest series, “Body Armor” and I’m late getting to this series, is just as absorbing and delightful as her other stories. First in the series, “Under Pressure” has ex-MMA fighter Leese Phelps fighting to save his heart. After a rough past, he has managed to get to a point of respectability and make a good life as a bodyguard with Body Armor. And it looks like nothing can protect him from the sassy and on the run Catalina Nicholson.

With secrets that threaten to kill her, Catalina runs right into Leese as he saves her from being kidnapped. Never mind that Body Armor was hired to keep her safe, but as the truth comes out, it looks like Leese is going to keep Cat under lock and key literally and with proximity those sparks of attraction seem to ignite Leese and Cat.

I’ve always loved the way Lori Foster makes sure all bases are covered in her romances, be it supporting characters, closing loops and paying attention to details. I loved how she brings in the characters from her previous series and I thoroughly enjoy reading about them. A definite good read for me.

Received an ARC from Harlequin via NetGalley for an honest review.

Lori Foster does what she does well in this first addition to her new series: Alpha men with muscles and iron-hard...umm...convictions, and intelligent women in need of protection from being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Leese has just enough rough stuff in his background to keep him from being boring as a character, and Catalina is the same. Their unfolding relationship was surprisingly cute and fun, and the subsequent heat and violent opposition they face is balanced well.

3.5 stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I always get excited when I see a new title from Lori Foster. She has a knack for series writing; always keeping the focus on the main couple while still managing to give us glimpses into secondary characters that leave the reader wanting more. Under Pressure was no different and I truly enjoyed it.
I totally fell for Leese right along with Cat. He’s a hot former MMA fighter turned bodyguard and he definitely had me swooning. I appreciated him trying to fight his feelings, concerned that Cat might just be responding to him because of their current situation. But the chemistry there was just undeniable.
I loved how the author portrayed Cat. She wasn’t just some spineless, scared female character. She’s smart and protective; someone who is trying to do the right thing. I admired her-she’s someone I would want to be friends with.
The relationship between the two of them was totally believable and delivered the heat I’ve come to expect (and enjoy) from this author. The suspenseful part of this book kept me intrigued while the romance definitely had me smiling and falling for yet another book boyfriend. I would definitely recommend this and can’t wait for the next book in this series.

This book was so good, I read it in one sitting, I couldn't put it down! Leese has been working as a bodyguard for a year after retiring from being an MMA fighter. His next assignment is to protect Catalina, the daughter of a wealthy businessman from a unknown danger. From the get go things are more complicated then his boss originally told him, Cat is on the run from some very dangerous, powerful people who will do whatever it takes to keep her quiet. Adding to that, his attraction to Cat is off the charts and definitely against the rules, but Leese won't take advantage of a woman running for her life. His control is tested when Cat makes her attraction to him known and is hellbent on breaking his control, Leese is only a man, not a saint. Cat has feared for her life for months and though she only just met him, being with Leese has made her feel safer then she can ever remember being and the fact that he is super easy on the eyes doesn't hurt either. Cat knows who is after her but is afraid to tell Leese, their relationship has progressed so far beyond bodyguard and client and she doesn't want to endanger him anymore then he already is by just being with her. After an attack leaves several people injured and Leese with a gunshot wound, Cat has to tell him the truth about who is after her, she is done running and just wants her life back, one that will hopefully include Leese. I have been waiting for what seems like forever for this book!!! You get to see a little bit of Cannon and the rest of the guys for which I was excited to read. Sahara is the boss of Body Armor and she is pretty unconventional and highly entertaining, I enjoyed how she seems to pull the whole thing together. Justice's book is next and I will be waiting, maybe a bit impatiently, to read it, this series already promises to be just as good, if not better, then the MMA fighter series it was spun off from. Keep them coming!!
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book*

3.5 Stars. I've been a Lori Foster fans for a long time. She has a unique way of putting together a story that infuses all of the elements of a romance, with action and suspense and the result is very interesting. Her characters are flawed but their hearts are always so big. They stand up for what's right even when the path is treacherous. Leese and Catalina are no exception to the winning formula.

Catalina is in trouble and Leese is sent to protect her. He takes his role seriously and, at first, fights their attraction. I want to say that I felt the chemistry but to be frank, I didn't feel it as much as I have with other characters of Ms. Foster. Their intimacy was still hot, don't get me wrong, but I just wasn't feeling the connection to the characters on the level that I've found myself engaged in the past. The action was conveyed in a manner that allowed me to form my own imagery of the scenes. The writing was superb, as always. The plot progressed well with perfect timing and transitions. I loved the setup for additional stories/couples and will definitely continue the series. Safety: No others for either, though Catalina flirts with a guy to get some essentials while she's on the run. No rape or abuse.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I've not read many books by this prolific author, but I will be reading her in the future if this novel is a good example of her work. Under Pressure is the first novel in her Body Armor series, and it gets a 4.5 star rating from this reader.

Body Armor is the name of a security/bodyguard agency, run by the enigmatic Sahara Silver, who tends to hire ex-MMA fighters, which is how we meet Leese Phelps, the hero of this novel, although it's apparent that he's appeared in a lesser role in some previous novel by this author. His assignment is to act as bodyguard to feisty Catalina (Cat) Nicholson, daughter of a wealthy, well-positioned family of movers and shakers, headed by her father, Webb, who doesn't approve of her chosen profession as an art teacher for young children, thinking she's meant for bigger and better things, and she meets Leese as she's trying to get away from her last appointed bodyguard, who wanted to do more than just guard her body. We meet one of the villains early on too, Tesh Coleman, bodyguard/aide de camp to a shady political character whose depraved secrets Cat accidentally overheard, and who's ordered Tesh to find her and kill her, but what he doesn't know is that Tesh wants Cat for himself and his own sadistic sex games.

Cat's experiences among the rich and privileged have taught her not to blindly trust anyone, and she's knows how powerful and dangerous a secret she's carrying, but Leese, seconded by his MMA fighter friend, Justice, slowly try to gain her trust in order to protect her, and I do mean slowly. Cat is certainly drawn to Leese, she thinks he's perfect--gorgeous, built, polite, caring and protective, so much so that she's afraid to tell him what she knows, fearing that his life will also be endangered by that knowledge.

While I loved the central part of this novel because in addition to the rising sexual tension between Leese and Cat, Ms. Foster gives us real depth and character development--something that's become a rarity in romantic suspense novels lately and something I've been complaining about in book reviews for years. I was thrilled to see these two characters actually interact, converse, and learn about each other. While much appreciated by this reader, this central section did go on for a bit too long and certainly slowed down the pace of the novel almost to a standstill, which is the main reason for my 4.5 rather than 5-star rating.

The pace and suspense really ratchet up in the last 20% of this novel and it's a hang-onto-your-hats race to save the damsel in distress and arrive at the expected HEA ending. Aside from the aforementioned pacing issues, this was a rich, deep, exciting, emotionally satisfying read, with characters you'll not soon forget, and I'll most definitely be following this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel.