I really liked this book, and was glad to finally read it, after waiting for so long.

Allison has no problem calling Liam out on his crap, “mixed signals,” she said, nodding. “You say you don’t want to get involved, and the next minute you’re grabbing me and kissing me crazy.” Liam is a strange one at times, “a ruckus?” He put his arms around her and gave her a quick hug . “I like that word. Want to make a ruckus in the bedroom?” he asked with a laugh." I liked seeing Allison give the FBI hell, especially when she gives it to Liam.

I love Julie Garwood, although I haven't read her in years. However this book didn't work for me at all and sadly I didn't even finish it.

This book's publishing date had been pushed back several time. I made sure to get the ARC just to make sure it really existed. I enjoy this series by Julie Garwood. The characters are well formed. It was great to see a woman coder portrayed. Sometimes it felt like there was too much going on. I think the plot could have been streamlined to be more cohesive. Overall an enjoyable read.

This is such a great story! I loved seeing The Buchanan family again! The concept of the computer nerd and the FBI agent was great. I loved how she was a female Robin Hood too! Her crazy family made you feel for her. Another fabulous Julie Garwood read! Guaranteed hours of pleasurable reading! I totally loved Allison and Liam!

Great book! Adventure, mystery, and romance - what more could I ask?!

DNF

I’ve officially given up on Julie Garwood. I’ve been singing that tune for her past 5-6 books, after each proved to be as big a disappointment as the last... but they’re far enough apart that every time a new ARC comes up for review I always think “maybe this time”. No more. I’m finally breaking up with the author that so wonderfully introduced me to the romance genre many years ago (THE SECRET and RANSOM in middle school).

Admittedly, WIRED is not the worst of her post-FIRE AND ICE work-- that (dis)honour falls to SWEET TALK, in my opinion-- but it is the first of her books that I have put down without finishing. Could I have made the effort and read through the book in a reasonable amount of time? Sure. Would I want to wade through 300+ pages of vapid characters with the personalities of doorknobs and the emotional range of a teaspoon, zero plot, and what feels like the prose a preteen would put in her diary? Not when I have much meatier romantic suspense and thriller tomes that boast knuckle-biting plots, heinous villains, and awe-inspiring displays of craft in my ARC TBR pile. Everything Julie Garwood has written since FIRE AND ICE (or even, arguably, SHADOW DANCE, the 6th book in the Buchanan-Renard series circa 2006) has fallen into a very awkward no-man’s land between romantic suspense and contemporary romance that satisfies neither craving. In RS, I want taut pacing, emotional tension, and an impending sense of urgency… not a tepid attempt at a plot that’s made RS-y simply by having the hero be in law enforcement. In contemporaries, I want humour, wit, sexy banter, and a hero & heroine who give me the warm fuzzies… not an insipid heroine who behaves like an idiot despite being a genius, a cardboard hero, and nothing that approaches realistic human interactions. With WIRED I get… nothing. And I deserve better as a reader. So, as much as it pains me, Julie Garwood officially goes fro the must-buy author of my youth to the never-buy author of adulthood.

Worth the wait for this book to be published. Vintage Garwood. I "sure as certain" laughed and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I loved the newest Garwood. It makes me extremely happy that the main character is a female hacker. The suspense was great and the romance believable. Julie Garwood never disappoints.

Julie Garwood used to be one of my go-to authors back (way back) in the day—a dim, dark time when only historical romances ruled my world—and I must admit that reading ‘Wired’ was part-curiosity, part-RS-driven-motivation to see how Garwood tackles contemporary romance when so much has changed since then. It’s my first Buchanan-Renard book and ‘Wired’ seemed like an appropriate insertion point to see what the hype is all about.

I wish I could say that it was akin to coming back to an old, trusted friend, but ‘Wired’ wasn’t really that experience for me. I do think though, that my changing tastes are responsible for framing the way I read romances these days and because of that, I found Garwood’s story an odd mix of omniscient narration, inexplicable perspective switches and showing-rather-than-telling, along with protagonists that seem be variants of Mary/Marty Sues. In short, Allison and Liam are perfect protagonists with perfect attributes who can do nearly no wrong—they’re elevated ideals to which I can’t relate at all, let alone empathise with.

Not that I have a problem with beautiful, fictionalised characters who are also capable, but Allison bucks even this trend, as she’s gorgeous enough to be a model, and so brilliant a hacker that she tops all the other experts…all before she graduates from college. The rather convenient immunity the FBI grants her after trying her to recruit her for her skills, along with the rather unbelievable dialogue, and the hype about just how good Allison really is, simply got annoying after a while.

In short, I’m afraid that Garwood’s style is just one that I’m not used to anymore. As a result, I had a hard time just getting into the first quarter of the book with scenes that just didn’t seem to further the plot, let alone buy into a romance between two characters who don't seem to have sufficient chemistry together for me to want more.

Julie Garwood has added another great read to her Buchanan series. This book has dealt with some very current issues especially in the world of hackers and electronics. While not as suspenseful as some of her other Buchanan books, this book seems to tackle a great number of things that you see on the news everyday. Sometimes when you read a book like this you wonder if the FBI or other organizations have the kind of power to dig into your private life and information about you that Ms. Garwood talks about in this book. It really gets you thinking!

This story was just ok. It was muddled by too many "bad guys" and the story was a bit dull.

Garwood has written another winner. Allison's story and her connection to the Buchanan's make this a great read. Filled with plenty of romance, there is also just enough intrigue to keep the mystery aspect moving.

Full review to be published online in early August.

WIRED is the latest entry in Julie Garwood’s long running “Buchanan-Renard” series, and this series is still going strong. Allison Trent is a college student, model and hacker, but the chaos doesn’t begin until her grabby Uncle and Aunt start harassing her whenever her cousin gets into trouble. However, when she attends a seminar to support her friend, Jordan, they soon start to take over the seminar talking codes and ways to hack while everyone around them dissolves. Except one particular FBI Agent. Special Agent Liam Scott is desperate to find a hacker who can go undetected while finding a mole in the FBI; one who is currently releasing vital information on classified cases. When he goes to a seminar, he finds Allison Trent. However, she’s nothing like he expected, but everything he needs.

Allison makes a deal with Liam to find his culprit, but when physical attraction starts to make an appearance will these two be able to keep their emotions in check, or will someone's heartbreak before the deal is done and the bad guy cornered?

WIRED is a very nice addition to Garwood’s RS series; and I have to say it was exactly what I wanted. Liam Scott a down to earth guy, but also is a smooth talker and he knows it. His confidence throughout the book was completely sexy. Allison was also a fun character; even if though there are times she makes the reader want to bang their head against a wall in frustration with her. Her need for seeing the good in people is great, but also I found it a bit naïve, because there seemed be no limit when she needed to let go. However, Julie Garwood did remedy that, closer to the end of the book. The storyline was consistent and I did enjoy the whole book. WIRED can easily be read standalone; and is a recommended read.

A female hacker? Hell, yes! Finally a book where the hacker is a woman and a very smart one at that. Meet Allison, drop dead gorgeous with a brilliant mind. Julie Garwood has done an excellent job in giving Allison a wonderful character. A mix of nerd with a touch of dark humour and a quick wit. But also with a lot of insecurities, due to her past with her devilish uncle and aunt.

And then we have Liam Scott, a hunky dory FBI agent, who has been tracking down the leak in their midst. But he doesn't succeed. Certainly not because of lack of confidence, because the guy just oozes self esteem and sex appeal. (Did I already mention he is hot???). He needs help, and via his best friend he comes into contact with Allison. After he sees her in action, he really wants her on the team. But since Allison is hiding some facts, that would most likely put her on the Most Wanted posters of the FBI, she flat out refuses to work with him.

As the story unfolds, we meet the evil uncle and aunt, and Allison's protective big sister Charlotte. And slowly we begin to understand how Allison's mind works and what her capabilities really are. When Allison's home is being ripped apart and when scary things start happening to her, she realizes she may be in over her head. And not only in the code, but maybe also with Liam...

As a semi-nerdy girl myself, I could really relate to Allison and her need to prove herself to 'the guys'. I experience her struggles as my own. Even last week, at work at a customer, I received the comment to 'not busy my little blond head over the technical design of the datamodel. I should stick to the functional design...' I mean, really??? Of course my need to show of (just as Allison did with Brett) resulted in shocking the shit out of my colleagues by drawing them the total technical data design from the top of my head. So I'm not technical enough??

So yeah, you could say I'm an Allison-fan all the way! Five out of five stars for Julie Garwood for showing females (let's not forget about Jordan) can be masterminds as well. And since I discovered afterwards that this book is part of a series (part 13 to be exact) I reckon I have a lot of catching up to do! Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for this ARC.

***ARC Provided by the publisher via NetGalley***

Julie Garwood is a go to author for me, and has been from the first book I read of hers. So, when I got the opportunities to rad this one, I dropped everything else I had on my ever growing "to be read" and started this one.

What a pleasure to enjoy it as much as I did.

When you read one of Ms. Garwood's books, you know you will get a great story with interesting characters. And, for me, its the characters who keep me coming back. They are so balanced. The men are strong, whether they are FBI agents, or in a swamp, or running a hotel. They are complex, but not too much so as to be boring or cold.

Liam was exactly this. A man with a job to do, who was dedicated to this job, who would see it through... but so was also incredibly attracted to an "asset" in a current case.

Allison is a hacker, and the asset. I loved that she was both strong and vulnerable. I seriously disliked her family.

The plot of this book was so perfect. The way the development of the relationship so real that you believed it. Neither of them were the "all in right away" type. It wouldn't have worked if they were portrayed that way.

But, oh my did this work. Heat, chemistry, compelling characters and a story line that grabbed you from the start.

Yes, there was a bit of a wait to get this book. But, good things come to those who wait. And this book is one of the good things.

I recommend this book.

I was totally sucked into reading this one because of the description of the heroine: "behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code." Unfortunately her brilliance was really the only thing about this story I found interesting.

While Allison's turbulent family history and dual identity as a model/computer hacking genius is interesting in theory, Garwood still falls into the trap of making her so neat and tidy - too perfect in my taste. Where's the messy psychological rage and insecurity that should've resulted from her emotionally abusive home? Maybe I just know too many people like myself who've grown up in this kind of environment to believe that you can come out of it as pristine as Allison.

Liam I just found kind of boring. There were definitely also his multiple moments of cringe-worthy dialogue; when she asks if he has someone significant in his life (not too long after they met): "Are you applying for the job?" Yikes.

2 stars.

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

Not my favorite Garwood novel, but an enjoyable evening read. It's good to know she's back, as her books are some of my favorite comfort reads. I look forward to adding the print version to my personal collection.

I love all of Julie Garwood's books - and I have read them all. I was not disappointed with Wired. Just a good read. Loved the characters. Now its just sad that there is too long before another book.

I once spent an entire summer reading every book Julie Garwood has ever written. In fact the man at the checkout counter of my local used bookstore told me "I hope those work out for you" in the creepiest way when I purchased about 10 of them at one time. With this in mind, Wired was a good walk down memory lane for me. However, my tastes as a contemporary romance novel reader have evolved and something just didn't work for me. I understand the appeal of an alpha hero, but when a woman says no I want a man to listen. Even if he thinks he knows better. For that reason Allison and Liam's relationship was a huge turnoff to me.