A sexy soldier… Yes, please!!!

Political fixer, Rook Daniels, can fix any problem and make her client come out on top after any scandal. She’s married to her job and hasn’t got time for love or commitment. In walks Lt. Colonel Zoey Granger and does more than turn Rook’s head. Zoey is coming off a big military scandal, and when she meets Rook, she doesn’t expect the sparks to fly.
When both Zoey and Rook end up working together on a political investigation involving the military, the more time they spend together, the less they can ignore the chemistry building between them. But will their jobs and work ethics stand in their way?

Carsen Taite is the go-to author for anything to do with the law. And while this book touched on the law, it focused on the Military and crime more. I really enjoyed this book and found myself really embedded in and focused on the backstory as much as the romance.

I think this book was great, but it really needed (In my opinion) an epilogue. I know this is a bugbear with me, but I can’t help it if I want more of the happily ever after… right?

Character chemistry was excellent, and I think with such an intricate background story going on, it was remarkable that Carsen Taite didn’t lose the character’s romance in that and still kept it at the front and centre of the storyline. Also, both Zoey and Rook were smashing characters, and I hope they appear as secondary characters in other books.

A great book that kept me on my toes from start to finish!

Star Rating: 4 Stars

I picked this book up a while ago. I read about 30% and then got an itch for horror, so I sat it down. For a *while.* Luckily, I stumbled back across it while updating my Kindle last week, and I picked it back up. I'm glad I did. I finished the remaining 70ish% in two days.

Major Zoey Granger is fresh off of exposing her colleagues for their misdeeds. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun, but it was the right thing to do. Now, she's got a new assignment in the Pentagon, investigating some military students association with prostitutes. What seems to be an simple, open and shut investigation, however, may just turn into intriguing espionage. Rook Daniels prides herself at being able to fix just about anything. Her high profile (and very rich) clients depend on it. When an old friend pulls her into a Pentagon investigation, Rook was not planning on having to actually work with the attractive Major Zoey Granger. As the two dig deeper into the case, they may not be able to resist the pull to one another indefinitely.

I enjoyed this book. Once I got back into it, it was a quick read, and I wanted to know about the investigation almost as much as I wanted to watch Zoey and Rook's relationship unfold. I'm a sucker for military romance, and I loved that both Zoey and Rook were stubborn and dedicated to their jobs. It made for some heated arguments as well as some hard-core chemistry. They argue as well as they kiss, and I appreciate that kind of passion. 

So, while this review is way overdue, you should still check out the book.

A woman in uniform that has spent most of her life running and found pleasure in the military.  I loved that it kept me on my toes through the whole story.

This is a military suspense novel including a little romance between two main characters.  Major Zoey Granger is called to Washington, DC, to report to a congressional committee regarding corruption in the ranks at her previous post.  While at the airport she runs into Rook Daniels, a political “fixer”.  Although they feel a spark of interest in each other, they assume it is just a passing attraction.

Once Granger completes her report, she finds herself assigned to a Pentagon position and is up for promotion to Lt. Colonel.  She is given the responsibility to investigate a scandal that could possibly hurt the creditability of the military.  Rook has very close ties to the White House and is asked to assist Major Granger in the investigation of this scandal.  Unfortunately, Zoey is not happy to have Rook work on this case even though there is a mutual attraction.

Zoey is a very head strong woman who is by the books military.  It is no wonder she has been selected to take on this case.  Rook is extremely successful as a “fixer”.  She owns the business and can pick and choose her cases.  However, when the White House requests her assistance, she reluctantly agrees and looks forward to seeing Zoey again.  Due to personal reasons, she does not look forward to dealing with the military.

I felt that Ms. Taite did a nice job of character development.  The storyline is very interesting.  What I had some trouble with was the amount of time in which the investigation occurred.  Ms. Taite was doing a great job of presenting the facts of the case and building suspense, but it all seemed too fast.  Also, I feel more narrative could have been added to the ending.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  I have read all of Ms. Taite’s books and recommend them.  This is not one of her best, but it is definitely worth reading.  I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

It is a well written military / political drama with intrigue and romance. It is quite enjoyable and the writing, like many other books by this author, is thight and with many law/ political facts and jargon.

I usually at least like and sometimes really like Carsen Taite novels, and so I was really surprised that for the most part this novel put a frown on my face. Perhaps it's just me and where I was in the moments I was reading this book, but,while I thought the plot was interesting I couldn't stand the characters.

It's the story of Rook and Zoey. Rook is a DC fixer for whom works is life. Zoey is a Major in the Army for whom the Army is life. They meet a couple of times unofficially in various settings and then they're told to work together or an investigation into the son of a big time general. There's a lot of back and forth during that. Personally and business-wise. And lots of twists in the investigation too.

My problem was that I never really liked Rook at all. She never seemed to grow during the book either. By the end of the book she says some different stuff, but how she acts stays mostly the same. And with Zoey it just seemed like what was said about her totally contradicted what the character actually said and did.

I did like seeing Julie and Addison again. And then there was George. I think he was my very favorite character in the book.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Bold Strokes Books.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley.  I was really impressed with this book; I found that I just couldn't put it down.  If you are a fan of the T.V. show scandal, you will especially like this book as Rook's job is basically Olivia Pope's.  I felt as if I was watching an episode of Scandal at some points! This was a great read, and I loved Zoey and Rook's adventure.  This will be a book I will be revisiting again shortly.

Overall decent book. I'm a Carsen Taite fan, so I immediately wanted to read this book. It was a very engaging and suspenseful read. I was sitting on the edge waiting to see what happened. I was a little disappointed at how long it took the characters to fully engage and react to each other though. They had good chemistry from the beginning but seemed to dance around the elephant in the room nearly the entire book. The book was nearly at its end when they finally realized there was something between them. I definitely felt the romance was late and then rushed, I just expected more. I  still recommend the read as the story line was very interesting and engaging from the beginning to end.

I'm firmly in the camp of readers who prefer covers featuring women with faces rather than headless bodies. Especially if the woman actually looked the part. In this case, it was the first thing that caught my eye. I thought the model used was a nice balance between attractiveness and believability. And she's a pretty good visual representation of the straight-shooting, no-nonsense whistle-blower Major Zoey Granger.

Hailed as a hero by the media for exposing a military/civilian bribery scandal, but hauled to one investigation after another by the powers that be who have all but ostracized her, Zoey finds herself stuck in an airport trying to avoid the tabloid press frenzy. She is rescued from the media horde by a dashing and mysteriously powerful stranger. But they had to part ways before phone numbers can be exchanged.

Before long, Zoey realizes her knight in shining armor is actually a top Washington "fixer"--a euphemism for a spin doctor. She struggles to reconcile the chivalrous Rook Daniels she knows, who so easily and unselfishly came to her defense--versus the Rook Daniels she sees, defending assorted unsavory political characters. Who is the real Rook? And can Zoey ever trust the words of an expert in political doublespeak?

As the fates would have it, our two main characters find themselves working the same case, but with different, and possibly opposing orders: Zoey from the military top brass, and Rook straight from the White House. If that isn't complicated enough, Zoey and Rook find out their undeniable mutual attraction is annoyingly getting in the way of the case, or is it the other way around? :)

At first the case seems like an open and shut one, but after a shocking development involving a witness, the whole case may just be a smokescreen, and what they've unearthed may just be the tip of the iceberg.

This is a sophisticated and tightly-plotted piece of political intrigue, with a delicious side of romance. I loved the gradual build-up of tension paralleling the gradual build-up of attraction. The plot reminded me of that old edge-of-your-seat thriller 'No Way Out' and I kind of expected the same pulse pounding tension. But this is a romance first and foremost. And as such, romantic moments occasionally intrude, sometimes at the most inopportune circumstances. (How the leads could be thinking romantic thoughts at certain critical moments, not to mention acting on them, had me scratching my head. For two professionals characterized as no-nonsense that felt...nonsensical. Though it can be argued that they were so overcome with love, or rather lust. ;) But the way these two are written? Nah. Actually, the really egregious thing happened only once btw, so I'm just being overly dramatic and nitpicky. But... it was such an important plot point my ocd self wouldn't let it rest.)

My only other beef is with the resolution. The big reveal and the netting-the-big-fish part. It's a bit underwhelming. What was I expecting? I'm not sure. A more involved and better played out hunt? Maybe the leads (especially Major Granger) had perhaps a more active instead of reactive role? Doing something smarter, like say, an entrapment to flush out the bad guys, instead of (view spoiler) There's still a lot to like about the rest of the book though, for lesfic romance lovers. This is clearly written with that audience in mind.

4.40 stars

ARC from Netgalley and BSB

This is a political and military themed story, which involves a Major that just has uncovered a case of bribbing and embezzlement and a lawyer that has specialized in fixing complicated situations concerning high profile people. Both women have strong personalities and has been putting their personal relationships in a second plane, focussing in their careers first and foremost. As she usually does, the author has construct a story that engages you from the beggining till the end, with some twist and tricks that keep you wondering and that makes it difficult to put down the book . The main characters are interesting and fit despite their diferences. And also as usually, my main complain is the few and short romantic scenes between the starring couple.

I have rated this book 3.5 stars.

What I enjoy most about Taite's books are the crime investigation parts which I find she does well. I felt myself pulled into the story as we try to discover the mystery behind what seems to be a minor scandal that turns into something much bigger.

Where I find Taite falls down for me is the romance. It is always rushed and find that there isn't always a natural progress of the relationship. I found the characters at times to contradict themselves, like at the end when Zoey was thinking about why her and Rook couldn't be together and then 5 minutes later she was telling Rook that didn't bother her. The ending I found was too quick.

However I forgive Taite for these things because I do enjoy her stories, yes I would love her to improve on the romance aspect of her books but I will still buy them and enjoy them enough.

*I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review*

As a new fan of Taite’s, I was very excited to get to read this. Taite has a very distinct writing style that lends itself to intrigue and is quite thrilling. 

This particular book centers around DC and a scandal, considering reality anymore I was concerned that this would be too real for me at the moment. I really enjoyed this book: It was fast paced, had enough suspense to keep me guessing, and while I’d had an inkling who the bad guy was, it was still a great reveal. I like her use of both perspectives, and that in all of her work, she centers on strong independent women. 

Anyone who is a fan of Taite’s, and anyone who likes a some romance and a good story can’t go wrong with this one.

Carsen Taite is one of my favourite lesfic authors (see my complete list at https://lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com/my-top-tens/). She excels in writing legal thrillers by using her own experience as a criminal defense attorney. It's a pity that lately she abandoned the use of legal issues in her books as they are very realistic and enjoyable. 'A more perfect union' can be considered a mystery mixed with military and political intrigue and a bit of romance on the side. The story focuses on Zoey Granger, an army Major with impeccable credentials who is called by the Pentagon to investigate a scandal involving army officials and escorts, and Rook Daniels, a spin doctor contracted by the White House to monitor the enquiry. As the investigation progresses, so does their relationship and involvement. Will they discover the underlying complot and the culprits before their lives are at risk?

There's no doubt that Ms. Taite can write and she shows it again in this book. However, this plot didn't grab my attention as much as some of her previous books. For me, this wasn't a page turner as a mystery/intrigue should be. The pace only picked up a bit at the end but not enough to consider it a thriller. I found the romance timing was a bit off and it wraps up quite fast at the end. The author, who normally manages the sexual tension with proficiency (for example in 'It should be a crime') fell a bit short on this one. I think that Zoey and Rook's character traits and their initial antagonism in their investigation roles had a lot of potential to exploit in terms of tension.

Overall, an ok read for those fans of political/military intrigue that deals with very current political issues. 3.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at 
www.lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com

href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36684779-a-more-perfect-union" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A More Perfect Union" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1513065343m/36684779.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36684779-a-more-perfect-union">A More Perfect Union</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2829153.Carsen_Taite">Carsen Taite</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2214722943">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books provided me with an ARC for review.<br />Ms. Taite has written a smart political/military romance thriller which ends too soon. Readers of her work won't be disappointed.<br />4 stars.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

Carsen Taite knows how to tell a story. Zoey Granger has just exposed corruption between the soldiers under her command and a military contractor that has cost the military millions. Her reward is getting to work at the Pentagon under the supervision of her mentor who she believes to be a honorable man, a man she has great respect for. Rook Daniels owns a company that makes problems go away for the rich and famous. Seemingly they won't have anything in common but life other plans. This book like many others written by C T is a romance with a good mystery throw in. Another very enjoyable read.

This was another well-written story by Ms. Taite. The plot and characters were well-developed, and the intrigue of the storyline made me want to continue reading until the end.  The only negative from me was that the ending was way too abrupt.

After reading many Carson Taite books and I have to say this was not my favorite. 

Some of the things I liked... 
The plot its self was interesting and pretty well paced out in regards to the mystery and crime aspects.  I did like the background when it came to military politics and things that took place at the pentagon. It was nice getting to see some of my favorite characters from previous Taite stories and feeling like it was all connected. As a story teller, Carson Taite keeps me hooked time after time and this book is no exception

Some of the things I did not like...
I just wasn't too drawn to the main characters. I could not find much chemistry between them. It wasn't quite a taboo or hate/ love moral compromising attraction but it almost could have been. I guess what I am saying there didn't seem to be any obstacles so I felt like I was just watching two people get together quickly. There was potential in their dynamic it just seemed to fizzle out at every point.

I loved this book! I can't believe that this was my first Carsen Taite?! I know I'm going to have a busy Christmas holiday reading all her other books! 

Zoey arrives in Washington, D.C. to speak at a congressional hearing exposing corruption in the military. Her role as a "whistle-blower" earns her a promotion and a top positon at the Pentagon investigating a new case with Rook Daniels. Rook Daniels is a fixer. She went to law school once upon a time, but now puts her skills to use spinning PR tales and saving her clients from legal messes. Can the two very different women, on very different sides work together? 

I was hooked from the very beginning, from the very first interaction. Every single interaction between Rook and Zoey had something sensual about it. I don't know what it was about it but their chemistry sizzled. And still this was a slow burn romance. It was delicious.

I thought this was going to have a lot more politics, but there was lots of mystery and intrigue in  uncovering the military corruption. I really liked the pacing in the novel. Fast paced mystery, unveiling just enough little details to keep us guessing until the end, and slow burn romance. 

Rook and Zoey are really strong characters. Their jobs and their sense of right and wrong mean everything to them. I loved that they didn't compromise that in their relationship. It was real and healthy and nice.  I loved the supporting characters too, not just for supporting the story but for supporting Rook and Zoey. These two women have high powered job, in one of the most high stress environments in the US, but they're surrounded by good and loyal people. I loved that. I don't know if it's realistic in such a cut throat environment either, but I liked Rook and Zoey as characters and as people, so I'm really glad they had people around them. Sappy, but true!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Standard fare by Ms. Taite, reflecting her long history of language concision and tight plot pacing.  However, the romance reached its climax far too quickly and the ending felt too abrupt.

A More Perfect Union by Carsen Taite is a military scandal with the potential to rock Washington to its core with a small side of romance. This web of deception is riveting to the end.

Lt. Colonel Zoey Granger has arrived at our nation's capital to tell members of Congress the corruption she uncovered while stationed at Fort Bragg. A whistleblower who knows that her life is going to be turned upside down, but her sense of honor about doing what is right overrules anything else. 

Rook Daniels is a fixer. She, like Olivia Pope, handles the scandals that D.C. breeds and changes their narrative to assist politic's elite. This has made her one of the whos-who of Washington D.C. 

A chance run-in at an airport bar, Rook helps Zoey get out of the eye of the media for a short time. These two immediately hit it off and have that moment where you wish you were anywhere else, not dealing with a work disaster. Never fear, they will meet again. Only this time the corruption is much direr and includes the Oval Office. The problem is they are working on the same case just one for the heads of military and Rook straight for the White House.

This is a fabulously written tightly woven political/military intrigue with a large helping of romance. I enjoyed every minute and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. This one is a great read! 4.25 stars