I love RS books by Kat Martin and I don't care if they're farfetched. Martin always scribes an awesome storyline and HOLY COW did the ending blow me away. The romance portion was just right with a perfect amount of steaminess. I also liked that the rich guy was just a regular guy with money. I'm looking forward to Beau's story next.

This is the beginning of a new series by Ms Martin, a series that promises to be a winner.
The main characters in tyhis story are Caryl Drake and Linc (Lincoln) Cain.
Caryl is the new owner of Drake Trucking, a company her deceased grandfather owned. She is facing bankruptcy, had one of her employees was murdered and she is receiving threatening phone calls.
Linc is a millionaire that thanks to Carly’s grandfather, had a second chance in life when he got out of prison. His promise to a dying man, has him going to Caryl to offer his help.
These two have an immediate attraction. Though at times, I wanted to give Caryl a shake to bring her to her senses. Her insecurities were the only negative thing in the story. Otherwise, it was a story filled with suspense, bad guys, whodunit, vandalism, hunky guys and of course romance.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I was gifted this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Beyond Reason by Kat Martin
Texas Trilogy #1

Carly Drake returned to help her grandfather run his trucking business only to have him die suddenly. The business is threatened financially and also by a “bad guy” named El Jefe. Wealthy businessman Lincoln Cain got a hand up from Carly’s grandfather and promised he would look out for Carly should she ever need help and with her grandfather gone, the company in trouble and then her in trouble, too, he feels more than obligated to do what it takes to make sure all is right with Carly. He doesn’t always see eye to eye with Carly but they get along for the most part.

This romantic suspense novel has a lot going on. I wrote a partial list and it definitely was not a short one: embezzling, murder, protesters, smuggling, human trafficking, terrorists, gun battles, bad guys, relative never heard of before shows up, motor cycle club friends, Linc’s friends that could have books written about them, Cary’s friends that could have books written about them…and more. It kept my interest but at times, especially toward the end, I thought “really?” a time or two.

I liked the fact that Cary was strong and able to stand up for herself but sometimes I thought she was had “fits of stupid” that I found hard to believe would occur in someone who had been on her own so many years and was otherwise rather intelligent. Her reasons for thinking men are all players might fly – as did she as an airline attendant – but they didn’t ring true to me as a valid reason for one of her decisions near the end.

So, did I like the book? Yes. It was a fast-paced page-turner that kept me interested from beginning to end. I liked the relationship between Carly and Linc and felt they made a balanced couple. I am taking off a star for my in ability to believe all that happened but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I know it is about Beau, Linc’s business partner, but wonder who book three will be about. Will it be Linc’s brother or one of his three good friends from high school OR someone else entirely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – this is my honest review.

4 Stars

This was okay - nothing special, and nothing I am going to remember reading in a week, but not offensive in any way. Nice to bring to the beach, but there was nothing to it which felt fresh or innovative in any way

Kat Martin books are ones that I will one-click without even reading what it is about. I haven't read a bad book by her yet. Beyond Reason was a very good suspenseful book. The characters were well developed. The story had so many twists and turns that kept me right on the edge of my seat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley

Romantic suspense at it's best! The story had enough twists and turns to keep the story interesting and the romance that develops between Carly and Linc is a sweet slow build. As Carly takes over her grandfather's trucking business she finds herself not only on the threshold of bankruptcy but also burying the company's top driver. She finds herself in a position that she has no choice but to rely on the help of Lincoln Caine. Linc had a special relationship with Carly's grandfather and he gave the man his word that he would look out for Carly. It becomes clear quickly that someone is trying to drive Carly out of business. Who and why isn't something they seem to be able to tie down.

I highly recommend this one.

Beyond Reason by Kat Martin is the 1st book in her new Texas Trilogy series. Beyond Reason is a fantastic read that had a bit of everything; action, suspense, romance, great couple, and a bad villain.

Carly Drake, our heroine, has just recently come home to take over her deceased grandfather’s trucking business. Before she can settle in, one of her top drivers is murdered, adding to her other problems, which includes a failing business & threats on her life. Enter Linc Cain, our hero, who is determined to help Carly survive. Linc, a wealthy entrepreneur, has fond memories of Joe Drake (Carly’s grandfather), who helped him when he was a kid; Linc always felt he owed his successful life to Joe. When Linc tries to buy Drake Trucking to take away her burden, she flatly refuses; Carly wants to fix things on her own.

But when things start happening that threatens Carly, Linc will force himself into her life to help her no matter how she feels. In a short time, their romance will heat up, but neither wants any long term relationship. The action in this story is non-stop, and always in the forefront, with the romance being sweet and sexy, but not overtaking the story line. Linc and Carly was such a great couple, I loved everything about them. She was a strong, independent woman, who also felt that there was no future for her in Linc’s fast paced, wealthy life. He was a pure alpha male, determined to use his resources to help and protect Carly, and along the way he found himself falling in love with her.

The villain in this story was bad all the way through, keeping his identity hidden, and forcing Carly and Linc to do his bidding or lives will be lost. The last half of the book was a thriller a minute, filled with attacks and even weather destruction. It was so suspenseful, with a few surprises and traitors within; but Martin did such a great job balancing the wild ride with the beautiful romance building between Linc and Carly. I thought their chemistry was sizzling, and sweet at the same time. Besides this great couple, the secondary characters were also very good. I cannot wait to read more about them in the next two books of this trilogy.

If you enjoy action, suspense, thriller and a sweet wonderful romance, then you need to read Beyond Reason. I was impressed with how well it was written by Kat Martin, as she held my attention throughout the entire book, and I could not let go. Awesome read.

Another winning book!I loved the book,so many twists and turns in this romantic suspense story I had no idea what was coming next.Linc was a man with a past who overcame it with the help of Carlys grandfather.When Carly came back to her grandfathers funeral and to take over his trucking business,she finds Linc offering to by the business.He promised her grandfather he would take care of her and boy does he.Story has terrorists,traffickers,murder,embezzlement,lost relatives and plenty of action.I am so lucky to hsve been given this book as an arc and definately looking foward to the next book about Beau.

Good beach read, nothing to heavy. Good characters and interesting story.

Beyond Reason is the first book in the Texas Trilogy and there were some things I really liked about and a few things that were just okay. The premise of the book was interesting and I liked Carly. I liked Linc as well although I wanted more of his personality to relate to his time in prison and misspent youth. Instead he seemed more of a typical billionaire without the edge I wanted him to have given his background. Don't get me wrong I liked Linc but I wanted more from his character.

I really liked the RS portion of the book for the first half but once the bad guy was really introduced it went a little of the rails for me. It just seemed a little silly that he thought he could bribe/threaten anyone without any consequences. I can understand thinking he could intimidate Carly but why he thought he could intimidate Linc made no sense. The man is rich and powerful so one would think that the bad guy would pick someone a little more easily pushed around (he is obviously not going to just accept the orders given by the bad guy without fighting back) and yet the villain expects him to do exactly that. I had to completely suspend my belief for the final climax with the villain of this book.

The romance also seemed a little rushed maybe because the suspense took up a big chunk of the book so I wasn't as invested in Carly and Linc as a couple as I wanted to be. I did really like the secondary characters and so I will probably give the second book a chance. So while enjoyable it isn't a book that will remain with me.

Ms. Martin pens a great romantic suspense in every story of this genre I've read by her, and this story opens her new Texas Trilogy brilliantly with its perfect blend of suspense and romance, two intricate main characters that had me so wrapped up in the story that I was finished way faster than I thought I'd be, and an array of bad guys that had my spine tingling with the tiniest amount of fear and worry for the hero and heroine. As the two main bad guys were more dangerous than Lincoln and Carly could have ever imagined. Could the hero and heroine stay one step ahead of the bad guys?

The dialogue was well-written, full of intensity and kept me on the edge-of-my-seat every time the bad guys did their best to scare Carly. Would Lincoln be able to keep her safe, especially with the team of men he has on his side determined to help him investigate who was behind trying to get Carly to fall in line with their plans? However, it isn't easy for Lincoln to win the heroine over. Seriously, she's way too stubborn for her own good in the beginning, but as the story progresses and things become more dangerous for Carly, I liked that she finally started to begin to trust that together she and Logan could make things right and stop the bad guys from succeeding in their plans. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine is that she doesn't back down from anything, just because things get tough. She's determined to do what's right for her grandfather's company and that means sticking with things, no matter how dangerous the trouble she faces is.

While Logan, he's been through a lot in his life and it's understandable why he doesn't trust the police of the town. He's had trouble with the law before, and I liked that he's willing to go head-to-head with the sheriff -- a man that doesn't like him -- for Carly. I also liked that he's willing to do whatever it takes to keep the heroine safe and ensure he kept the promise he made to her grandfather, even if it means putting his own life on the line. But what I liked most about the hero is how he's managed to turn his life around from being a troublemaker in his teen years to a complete success that has business meetings with people that Carly couldn't believe he was having meetings with.

Overall, Ms. Martin has penned a superb romantic suspense in this book, which was full of twists and turns that kept taking me by surprise, especially the one with the bad guys being more dangerous than what any of the main or secondary characters could have imagined. The way this story ended had me concerned for the main characters and a certain secondary character that ends up having his life threatened because of his connection to Carly. However, I liked how everything worked out in the end and the epilogue wrapped this story up wonderfully, because of a letter the main characters received. It's shows that someone was looking out for Carly and Lincoln's future. I would recommend Beyond Reason by Kat Martin, if you enjoy romantic suspense or books by authors Jennifer Ryan, Maya Banks or Kaylea Cross.

Will post at Romance Reviews Today soon. http://romrevtoday.com/

BEYOND REASON – Kat Martin
The Texas Trilogy, Book 1
Zebra
ISBN: 978-1-4201-4315-7
June 2017
Romantic Suspense

Texas – Present Day

After her grandfather’s death, Carly Drake is struggling to run the family trucking business, but faces a setback when her top driver is murdered. One day, billionaire (and rival trucking business owner) Lincoln Cain walks into Carly’s office offering to help. He can either buy her company or help her get it back on its feet. Why is Cain doing this? Because he is grateful for Carly’s grandfather helping him when he was an out of control young man just out of prison. Carly resists his offer, but when she is threatened by a gang leader that if she doesn’t transport a mysterious load for them she’ll die, it’s Cain who steps in to protect her.

Cain has always valued his privacy, but he’s also believed in helping others, which is why when he got a letter from Carly’s grandfather after the man died asking him to help her, he agrees. Carly is independent, but she might be too much so, especially in trying to fend off the bad guys. Whether Carly wants it or not, she needs Cain’s assistance. He has the resources to help her and to protect her. Add in that there is this ultra-hot chemistry brewing between them, then it’s no wonder it doesn’t take long before they’re having a torrid fling. Both think once the danger is over that they can walk away, but what if love entangles their emotions? Meanwhile, danger is soon exploding around them.

Kat Martin provides readers with another thrilling read in BEYOND REASON, the first book in her new Texas Trilogy series. Cain was a bad boy who ended up in trouble and prison as a teenager. But once he got out, Carly’s grandfather took him under his wing and helped mold him into a man who went on to create a business empire. The men kept in touch, though Cain never interacted with Carly as she was first too young, then as an adult she’d taken off to forge a career. She came back shortly before her grandfather died, and her plan is to rebuild the floundering company. After she is briefly kidnapped and threatened with death if she doesn’t agree to transport a mysterious load, she’s understandably scared. If it wasn’t for Cain being by her side and protecting her, she isn’t sure what she’d do. But the threat is real, and before long it turns out the bad guy may have international connections that threaten the United States.

Meanwhile, the hot affair that blossoms between Carly and Cain continues to heat up even hotter. Carly feels as if she’s floundering a bit as she is way out of Cain’s social circles as he is a very much in demand bachelor in Dallas. Her uncertainty has her pulling away, even as Cain assures her that he has no plans to break up anytime soon. In addition to the badass gang that is threatening Carly, there is also another man after something he thinks she has . . . turns out Carly has a young male cousin she didn’t know existed. She and Cain take the boy in, but will it only bring more danger when the boy’s father comes after her? There’s a lot going on in BEYOND REASON, and readers will be constantly kept on the edge of their seats.

BEYOND REASON features two strong, kickass characters who, together, create explosive chemistry in and out of bed. Carly and Cain aren’t afraid to fight back at those wanting to hurt them. Sit back awhile and enjoy yourself while rooting for them to save the day in BEYOND REASON.

Patti Fischer

Beyond Reason by Kat Martin is the first book in the Texas Trilogy. I love Kat’s books however this was not my favorite. So if you are new to her writing, don’t just it by this book.

Beyond Reason is a romantic suspense. Carly was a flight attendant who has inherited her grandfather’s trucking company. There are problems aplenty as she takes over. Coming to her rescue is Lincoln Cain. Cain feels he owes her grandfather, Joe for his success. Joe gave him a job and family when he didn’t have any. Joe asked Cain to watch after her. Cain was a billionaire and a biker. There was plenty of romance and chemistry between the characters but was constantly overshadowed by Carly’s self-doubts from her previous relationships. Cain’s character would pick up on it and try to reassure her which was refreshing from the storylines where the female goes running off with a misunderstanding. I started to get annoyed with her.

There were several storylines intertwined and I found them easy to keep up with even if I questioned the purpose of some of them.

Beyond Reason is a well written romantic suspense just not Kat’s best work. I am anxiously awaiting Beau’s story next!

Sexual content: sex throughout the story, seemed to be the answer to every problem,
Violence: people are murdered, beaten, abducted, threatened
Language: profanity f-word - 9, b@stards - 11, b1tch - 4
Alcohol/drug use: drinking throughout, one drunk scene

This one moved slowly and the characters' sexual thoughts were too often, too unrealistic within the plot timing and silly to me.

So happy to review BEYOND REASON for NetGalley. Kat Martin has always been one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints. I didn't want to put this book down..... Linc is the perfect hero.. Tall, handsome, rich, protective and a bit of a troubled past. Carly is a strong woman who doesn't trust men after her two broken engagements....her father she never knew and even her uncle Joe who was twice divorced. There is plenty of action in this book and laughter and tears...both happy and sad. I got my HEA and can't wait for the next TEXAS TRILOGY ... BEYOND DANGER ...Beau and Cassidy's story ....

An exhilarating read! Carly and Linc were such an exciting couple. They both were passionate hardheaded people. The chemistry between the two was off the charts. Linc is a true sexy, alpha book boyfriend. I love a good romantic suspense book and this one was great. Lots of twists and turns. It was like a puzzle and pieces would click into place.

Beyond reason is a well crafted story that will keep romance readers happy and suspense readers enjoying every last word.
Each characters has a purpose that drives the story forward bringing together or pulling apart the leads in the story. The secondary characters in the story comes to life as well as Kat Martin sends readers into the lives of two completely opposite individuals who were meant to fall in love.
Beyond Reason takes a readers into the lives of Kat Martin world that comes to life with each passing page.
While there was a lot of sex in the book sometimes the author closed the door and other times she let the readers in the bedroom.
I can't wait to read more by this accomplished writer.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advance Copy and I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Can you keep a promise to an old man? Carly will do anything to save her grandfather's trucking business but everywhere she turns the harder things become. Linc knows that he has to look out for Carly and if that means buying the business from her it isn't a problem as he has more than enough money and he has to keep his promise to her grandfather. She has too much pride to ask for help that is until she realizes that she has no choice but to accept his help. Can Linc convince her that he can help with finding out who killed one of her driver or will she carry on been stubborn? The more they dig the worse things become as Carly might have to lose some of her goodness but Linc won't allow that to happen. Their relationship is complicated and it can't go on further but can either of them walk away? A great story full of action, hope and a start of a new beginning. I found that I lost interest in the middle of the book and it was really hard going but it did pick up later on.

Beyond Reason is a third persona story composed by Kat Martin. The setting was disheartening since the opening happens at a memorial service. One of Drake's workers was murder and the truck commandeered. Do the police have a thought who the offenders were, or do they even truly mind. Thus, the obligation is dependent upon Carly to discover. With the assistance of a companion of her granddad. Carly and Linc go on a high-octane ride to discover who, and why of this riddle.

For a puzzle anticipation Beyond Reason was an alright read. I particularly appreciated the result of this story. I haven't perused an excessive number of books by Kat Martin. Be that as it may, I may need to keep my eyes out for the second book in this new Texas Trilogy. Because I see with regards to mystery and suspense she knows how to catch a person attention.

This is the beginning of a great new series by Kat Martin. As usual she provides plenty of action and entertainment. Carly Drake has returned home after the death of her grandfather and is now running his trucking company. Soon as she buries her grandfather the number one driver for the company is murdered with no leads to his murder. It soon becomes obvious there are some things going on with the trucking business.

Lincoln Cain made a promise to Carly's grandfather that he would look after her. Now they both are tied up with threats against their lives and the trucking business. Along the way they find themselves drawn to each other.