Ohhh that was an enjoyable book. Pure entertainment if you like your entertainment served with a kickass, resourceful thief-heroine who hides the tools of her trade in her garter belt.

Bianca St Ives is a thief because her dad, a man known in legal and criminal circles as the Traveler, taught her to be. At the beginning of the book they’re on a big job that goes sour and soon she’s receiving threats from someone who could bring her dad, and by extension his innocent family members, not-so-innocent family members (including herself), and his crew, down. Can she take on another job and isolate the threat against them before it’s too late?

The thriller parts of this book are pretty straightforward. It’s obvious, for example, who the villains are. But there are still surprises and enough breadcrumbs dropped that I couldn’t wait to start book 2. Likewise for Bianca’s relationship with her dad; I want more engagement with that topic from both sides and I’m crossing my fingers for it in the next installment.

From the beginning of The Ultimatum the action is edge of the seat, high stress, and I loved seeing how Bianca evaded capture from the people chasing her...including the handsome Micky, a man she assumes is in law enforcement. The scenes when she puts one over on him are absolutely delicious and the chemistry between them is undeniable. This book definitely wouldn’t be characterized as a romance—and in fact, we really don’t much about Micky at all—but *once more for the seats in the back* I’m hoping that more’s revealed in the next book.

I did feel like there are a couple of comments regarding physical appearance that seem kinda tone-deaf (vis a vis ethnicity and race), but on the whole this book is an energetic, high-stakes, and frankly fun thriller.

4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for my complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Readers of Karen Robards' titles are rarely surprised. They know to expect romance, action, and adventure in all of her books. When I read the first couple of pages of this one, I did not find it as easy to read as some of her previous works. I closed the book and came back to it a few days later. On my second attempt, something clicked, and I stepped into the story. I soon realized that this would be a series that would develop more slowly than some of her other works.. Romance might come, but not in a hurry. Mysteries would be solved, but not necessarily in Book One or Two of the series. By the end of The Ultimatum, I found myself waiting in anticipation to learn more about this interesting and strong female character. I highly recommend it to readers of contemporary romance and suspense. Thanks to Net Galley for the advance reading copy.

The Ultimatum is the latest from one of my "go to" authors and the first in a new series. To be honest, this story is kind of hard to summarize without giving away spoilers. So, read the synopsis to get the idea. I am torn about this book. On the one hand I was entertained enough to want to finish the story. Yet, on the other hand, I found parts of the book confusing and kind of boring.

The book started out strong with the opening scene, but then it quickly slowed down to a snail's pace. I swear it took forever for the main character to get out of that party in the first quarter of the book. There were a lot of characters introduced in the story and that got confusing at times. A couple of them seemed to be important, but were abandoned about halfway through the book. I'm not sure why. Perhaps they will show up again later in the series? There is a big reveal toward the end of the book that I found very intriguing, but no real further explanation was offered. The story also ends with a huge cliffhanger. Not one of my favorite endings as you know.

I'm not sure this would be classified as a romantic suspense. There is an attraction between Bianca and "Micky" but it's not fully explored. In fact, we also really know nothing about Micky. Except, he wants to catch Bianca's "boss". While it's not my favorite of hers, it was still worth reading. Most of my disappointment with the book comes from the unanswered questions that the cliffhanger ending left me with. I'll probably pick up the next one because I want to know what happens next. -Kari

The ultimate question when starting a new series is - do I like this story line enough to want to continue to read more books? With The Ultimatum, the answer is yes.

The female lead, Bianca St. Ives, is a bit James Bondish. She smart, beautiful, quick thinking and a good problem solver. While she frequently gets herself into difficult situations, she always finds an interesting way out. I find these kinds of stories to be pure escapism. Something just to have fun with. And the ending? The author left us with quite a cliffhanger (an inside joke for anyone who reads this).

ARC from Harlequin, via Netgalley

Good start to a new series by Robards. Great characters, an interesting storyline, and lots of action make this one a winner!

This book took awhile to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it. A bit sad, when a Bianca finds out her father is still alive, but she ties it all together at the end. I like Bianca and hope to see another book with her in it.

As soon as I finished this book I had to check that it was the first in a series. Thankfully it is (The Guardian). The prologue grabs you and when chapter one starts 22 years later you have Bianca's background firmly in your mind. Fast moving and heart stopping action have you reading as fast as you can. I cannot wait for book two, The Moscow Deception. Bianca works for her father as a modern Robin Hood who steal from criminals. Great story as always from Karen Robards.

Intriguing start to a new series. I look forward to reading what happens next.

Three stars: An exciting thriller that opens with a bang, but then fizzles.

Bianca is not your average girl. She is a highly trained thief, manipulator, con artist and killer, and tonight she is once again testing her skills. Unfortunately, the heist goes wrong quickly, and Bianca’s must use all of her training and tools to escape. Just when she thinks she will make the boat, disaster strikes. Three of her comrades are caught and killed, one of whom is her father. The very man who trained her. Reeling, Bianca returns back to Savannah and opens a security firm as she tries to figure out her next step. She monitors her father’s email for any activity, and soon she is forced to act. Is her father really dead?
What I Liked:
*I am not going to lie, The Ultimatum is a book that opened up with a bang, and dragged me in. The first chapter is gut wrenching, quickly followed by a thrilling heist which turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Think Oceans Eleven meets Mission Impossible. I was loved the intrigue, the danger and the thrilling action. The first part of this book is riveting, I couldn’t put it down.
*Bianca is a fascinating character. After tragedy strikes for her at a tender young age, she is raised by her father, who turns her into a deadly weapon. Bianca has some mad skills. She is a thief, a con artist, master of disguise and capable of pulling off some of the most difficult jobs around. I loved seeing her in action. This girl is capable of some impressive stunts. She was a terrific character.
*The story had some interesting twists and turns, and I was never sure which direction it was going to take. I liked the surprises and that this book continued to shock me time and time again.
*The ending, though a cliffhanger, was certainly exciting. There are some jaw dropping developments that changed everything. I was caught completely off guard.
And The Not So Much:
*The book ends with a dramatic, life hanging in the balance type cliffhanger. That left me completely frustrated. I hate cliffhangers like that.
*As I mentioned, I was completely drawn in by the first part of the book. The action and danger are thrilling and the book moves at a break neck speed. Then once it hits the midway point, the story loses its momentum. I didn’t like the direction the story took after Bianca leaves Savannah on a wild goose chase. The plot felt flimsy at that point. The book felt disjointed, and it didn’t flow well.
*There are some big developments at the end that will take the future books in an entirely new direction. I am not sure how I feel about that, and not sure if I want to continue. I was frustrated.
*I didn’t like there was a great deal of time on some of the secondary characters, and then they were left behind and forgotten. I was enjoying getting to know the gang in Savannah.
*There is this weird sort of romance, and I am still not sure what to make of it. It wasn’t really a relationship, but there was a definite attraction. I am not a fan as of yet.

The Ultimatum is a book that I wanted to love as it opened with a bang. I loved the action, the danger and the riveting suspense in the earlier chapters. Sadly, the second half of the book flounders with a slow plot, disjointed story lines and a dramatic cliffhanger. If you like books with a Mission Impossible/ Ocean’s 11 vibe, you might like this one. I enjoyed the first half, but was disappointed in the second. This is one I would recommend borrowing if you are wanting to read it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I will not be able to review this book. I have deleted it from my system and will buy the book if I decide to read it on my own.

Thank you
Ruby

I received this ARC for review consideration. My library is likely to purchase this title.

The Ultimatum starts off quickly as we find our heroine Bianca in the midst of a caper to steal money out of an Arab Prince’s vault. When she discovers somebody beat her team to the money, the robbery turns into an escape for their lives and we get a hint of what is to come in this book; action, romance and danger. Essentially all of the ingredients I have come to expect from a romantic suspense novel by Karen Robards.

Bianca St. Ives is an interesting heroine. She has been brought up as a con artist. Definitely not your typical upbringing. She was raised in boarding schools with a father who only visited when he needed her for a con, and didn’t show affection.. She has only ever had one friend, not letting people get too close because she has to hide who she really is- someone who isn’t sure of her own identity.

Even though I enjoyed Bianca’s take charge attitude and strength of character, she was a little cold. I could understand her need to keep her livelihood private, but her actions didn’t carry a lot of warmth making it really hard to see her as three demonsional even coming across as a little robotic. When she meets Mickey, who is an undercover agent protecting the Arab Prince’s money from being stolen, he was easily identifiable as her love interest. They had instant chemistry, however, when they came face to face later on in the book they don’t get beyond that surface chemistry again reinacting the same type of scene as their first meeting. I found that a bit frustrating and confusing wanting their relationship to become more established and expecting a romantic suspense novel. You know, with a couple becoming romantic. Unfortunately, the book ended before they established anything other than a flirtation, leaving us and the plot hanging in limbo until the second book is written. Even though the writing was good, the plot interesting, that lack of connection left a bad taste in my mouth. If the next book resolves this plot point, All will be forgiven, but will I want to take the chance and read it? Still undecided.

RATING: 3 STARS
​​(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)

(Review Not on Blog)

I am missing Karen Robards's Dr. Charlotte Stone series! I was excited to see that Robards had a new book out and that it was also book one in a new series. As I sat down to read this the first chapter had me gripped. It was so suspenseful in what was to come...long descriptive scenes are what came. You could forward 50 pages and the same scene is still in play. The cliffhanger ending didn't even keep me craving for more. And, if there is no suspense it's hard to keep interested. I enjoy Robards's book but not enough to forge through these issues. I also think that because this was more of "agency" (former special-ops) book rather than FBI or detectives this further dampened my mood towards this book.

This was definitely an action packed book and it starts out with a bang and a bust. The bust being the two million dollars that Bianca with her dad and their team was set up and in position to steal. However, that was kind of hard for them to do as the vault was empty when they got there. Having been found out, the chase is on and Bianca's father was killed in the getaway, or was he? No one really seems to know. No one has heard from him in years, including his daughter.

Bianca then decides to go legal and opens up a security firm. She handles legit security for several companies. She is still also on the look out for signs that her father is still alive. Unfortunately, there are others who want him punished that are also looking for him.

This was one of those books wherein the action just kept coming. It was definitely an entertaining and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Harlequin and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The Ultimatum is a fun con artist\thief style of book similar theme would be the oceans 11 type of movie. The characters are a little over the top but human enough to be enjoyable. The Ultimatum is well paced story that will keep reader engaged even with the cliffhanger readers will be satisfied with the ending.
The female character is likable and readers will connect with her from start to finish.
Karen Robards is able to create a fast pace story that seems to have the perfect blend of backstory, character building to keep readers connect to the story and excited for the next in the series.

My one complainant would be the grammar errors I found that were simple error I assume will be corrected in the final proof. A few more comma used in the right place would help with the pacing of the story.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance Copy

Bianca St. Ives grew up learning martial arts and how to handle explosives. She runs a multinational firm with her father where they swindle con men. After being raised in this lifestyle Bianca will learn that her whole life has been a lie with some shocking and unbelievable revelations.

I've enjoyed many of Karen Robards' books in the past, but I must also admit to finding a few of them way too over the top for my taste. So I was eager to read and review The Ultimatum, if only to see whether I'd love it or dismiss it. Fortunately, this opening novel in her new Guardian series comes pretty close to the love mark.

Bianca St. Ives has never been like other girls. Growing up, she learned martial arts from the masters and spent her free time attempting to dismantle explosives with the help of ex-security services operatives. It might not be the life other girls her age live, but it's all Bianca knows. Plus, it's the life her beloved, if very distant father, wants for her, and that's enough for Bianca.

Now an attractive and highly competent woman of twenty-six, Bianca has taken her place as one of her father's elite team of thieves and con artists. Some say she's surpassed Richard St. Ives in skill, but Bianca is not fully convinced of that. He's taught her everything she knows, and she's determined to make him proud, even if doing so puts her on the wrong side of the law.

The team's current mission is to steal two-hundred-million dollars and some top-secret government documents from a Middle Eastern prince. Bianca has infiltrated the lavish ball the Prince is throwing, and is slowly, strategically working her way toward the hidden vault where the treasure is stored. But when she gets there, she is stunned to find someone has beaten her to it. The vault is empty! Is this a trap set by the Prince, or is someone else playing a very dangerous game with Bianca and her father?

The escape from the palace is quite harrowing, leaving Richard St. Ives presumed dead by his daughter. The trouble is, various covert government agencies are not convinced he really died, and they plan to use Bianca as bait to trap him.

As Bianca races to stay one step ahead of a group of ruthless men she's sure mean her harm, she is faced with a number of questions related to her past. What really happened to her mother, and why can't she remember much about her early childhood years? Then Richard's enemies raise the steaks, and Bianca is pushed into a life or death game that will tax her many skills to their limits.

There's a lot to love about this book. Bianca is super smart, incredibly resourceful and can get herself out of practically any situation without waiting for someone to happen by and rescue her. Ms. Robards crafts high-octane action sequences that had my heart racing throughout much of the book.

I also really loved Bianca's very unique profession. I'm not sure what this says about me, but books about con artists and thieves are one of my guilty pleasures. I love the quick wit and impressive skills such characters possess, and Bianca is one of the best I've come across in recent years.

Almost the only criticism I have is that book's prologue gives the reader a bit too much insight into Bianca's past. I would have much rather figured things out along with her instead of having them spelled out for me so early on. Plus, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of a romance. Ms. Robards is known for writing romances that sizzle with sexual tension, and I was hoping for more of the same here. There are a couple of hints as to who Bianca could end up with in future books, and I hope the author fleshes those out.

The Ultimatum does not end on a cliffhanger of any sort, but the author does leave plenty of room for expansion. I can't wait to get my hands on book two in what promises to be a highly suspenseful, action-packed series.

I am a fan of Karen Robards and always buy her books as soon as they are leased. I was so happy to receive this request approved on NetGalley. Overall I enjoyed this book. I found the story a little a long to unfold. Although think we know Bianca, Beth well, I still dont think we know anything about Mason and that bothered me a bit. The initial plot, stealing from the thief, was attention grabbing but the end...well I dont want to add spoilers but the end was a little too out there......Also when Mason is thrown off the boat...aren't there sharks in those waters?

I loved this book! It pulls the reader in from the very first page and doesn't let go until the last page. Bianca has led a very unusual life, beginning with a traumatic childhood she can barely remember. Since she was a child, Bianca has been taught martial arts, how to pick a lock, shooting, and other skills that most girls don't learn. She is a master of disguise too which comes in handy in her line of work. Bianca and her father con criminals who con others. This results in some dangerous situations, suspense, and intrigue as they try to avoid the police as well as the people they're conning.. I especially enjoyed the relationship Bianca develops with a man who seems to be following her. Great story. I hope there is a sequel!

Bianca St Ives has been trained by her Father from the time she was young. She has learned martial arts, how to get into any safe and how to change her appearance. All the things a master burglar needs to succeed. When their latest job goes terribly wrong Bianca manages to escape and retreats to her cover life, a successful legitimate business.

I think this book is going to be the start of a new series for the author. The ending left room for another book. There was suspense but not much romance. The book was a bit predictable at times, but I did still enjoy it. There was a twist at the end, part of which was predictable, part I didn't expect. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.