Member Reviews
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Reckless Honor" is book #5 in the HORNET series and centers around Jean-Luc Cavalier, the good-time, carefree, ladies' man. His love interest, Claire, is a virologist with a groundbreaking new antiviral treatment, but a biotech firm has hired mercenaries to steal her research. Jean-Luc and Claire met in a previous book (which was an entertaining meeting!), and in this book, he finds her again in Africa trying to help with an outbreak of a deadly, new virus. Together, they (and HORNET) try to keep Claire's research safe and stay alive.
I read this in one sitting and when it ended, I felt like I was in the equivalent of a book "show hole". It can be read as a standalone, but having read the previous novels, I really enjoyed seeing the rest of the team and how the author is setting up for the remaining books.
The book is written well and the characters are well developed. Jean-Luc has always been a likable, lovable character and Claire is a good match for him. I love an intelligent, strong female lead and a believable romance! It's an exciting storyline and I can tell that a lot of research went into crafting the plot.
Thoroughly enjoyable read and I highly recommend checking out the entire series.
I really enjoyed this latest in the series. The storyline felt tighter and more convincing than the last one. I wasn’t a fan of Quinn and Gabe getting sidelined so quickly into the series but this had a bit of a reboot feel to it. The characters are better established and you can see there’s an idea for where they’re going. A big bad was clearly established letting the series have a continuity again. PTSD wasn’t used like it was for the first three books. The introduction of Jace of pilot and then dropping him still confuses me. I do like Tuc’s people being involved though. Ian continues to surprise me and I’m excited to get to his story. I like the idea of Mercedes with him but it seems it might be Marcus (who I thought would be with Danny’s widow). I’m reenergized with the series and what looks to be a good direction.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
This story starts like an action movie, right from chapter one you have some serious problems going on and Claire is in a third world country where a serious virus has 100% fatality rate and has taken out several villages. Claire our heroine is a Dr. that studies diseases she has been on the run from some mercenaries who want the research she has been doing on a cure for diseases. Jean-Luc is being held captive by some mercenaries because he went to look for Claire. There is so much intense moments just from the beginning and such sweet tender moments and it keeps going throughout the whole book. Needless to say this story kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time and I couldn't put it down because I had to have more of Jean-Luc and see what would happen next. I want to read more this was awesome.
Jean-Luc has been a fun and interesting character from the beginning and I've waited patiently for his book. It was well worth the wait! I loved this book...even though it kept me up way too late and woke me up way too early. I could not put it down! The plot was more than suspenseful and there really wasn't even a moment to catch my breath. The entire cast of characters is richly developed and the bad guy is truly that and more. Jean-Luc was fun, smart, and relatable, and his devotion for Claire made me believe he was a changed man. This book is exactly what romantic suspense should be. Nailed it! 4.5 Stars (if that was possible)
When the training mission in Martinique went south in the last book, Jean-Luc Cavalier risked his life for Dr. Claire Oliver and told her to run. She was the target of a deadly group determined to steal her ground-breaking research and samples of Akeso, an anti-virus panacea. Trouble is that Claire has done an excellent job of running and hiding, so much so that Jean-Luc has difficulty finding her. That is until an outbreak is reported in Nigeria and he knows she’s most probably in the thick of things.
HORNET is one of my most favorite series for consistency and excitement. From the first page, I’m hooked and my blood pressure elevates from the tension and suspense. It’s always a really good story set in interesting locales and this time is no different. The challenge here was crafting someone to be up for the colorful and free-spirited Jean-Luc and Claire was ideal. She’s smart and fearless underneath a veneer of serenity and good looks. She’s a skilled doctor and definitely well matched with the Cajun. There are many harrowing situations and the science was always at the forefront. I found that element compelling and intriguing. But, most of all, I loved how well these two characters were developed. Before this story, I didn’t take Jean-Luc seriously and boy has my image of him advanced! I loved their relationship.
There’s a lot going on with the team and I could see several more stories teed up, which makes me so, so happy. I loved this book and love this series. Hope it never ends.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
4.5 stars.
Oh, this was so good!
Now we meet Jean-Luc and his charming ways. He was such a fun character and the more we read, the more depth we find in him. It was great to see the real Jean-Luc behind his façade.
We also meet Claire a scientist who has a great research work that could change the world for the better, so of course bad guys want to get her research first. I loved her and loved getting to know her and her interactions with Jean-Luc.
There was lots of action here, which kept the story moving quite nicely. It was so fun!
This book shows what happened after the actions in the previous book, so putting both books together gives you a better sense of this particular adventure. So I recommend doing that.
Super fun story and totally recommendable.
*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
Great continuation of this series. I am enjoying the men and women of HORNET. Claire is a strong heroine and Jean Luc the sort of hero you fall in love with. Add in an outbreak and it's just my kind of romance.
Gotta love those Cajuns. Jean-Luc and Claire's romance is blazing. Strong solid characters. Excellent plot. LOVED IT!
This is book 5 in the Hornet series and it features Jean-Luc and Claire. A good romance never comes too easy and things are pretty scary for a while for these two. It’s hard to imagine the good time Cajun falling for just ONE woman but that seems to be the case here.
This was a very emotional read. Deadly diseases are a very scary thing and this book was full of them. I can’t wait to read more from this fantastic author of this great series.
Tonya Burrows takes us back into the thrilling international world of secrecy and sabotage with the latest installation of her HORNET series, Reckless Honor. Here we have another large cast of characters, another race for their lives and another chilling dose of black-hearted villains.
HORNET operative Jean-Luc Cavalier met Dr. Claire Oliver two months ago at the Infectious Diseases Summit in Martinique. They had an instant connection, but when terrorists stormed the resort, it cut off any possibility of sexy times between the two. During the melee, Claire’s friend and lab colleague, Tiffany, was killed, delivering a devastating blow to the development of Claire’s antiviral drug, Akeso.
Claire escaped, but went underground to evade those mercenaries. She’s studying Zika in the field when her oldest friend, Dr. Sunday Reggie-Fubara, calls her to Nigeria to investigate the strange instance of a fatal virus that presents with elements of a hemorrhagic fever and a hantavirus — diseases from different hemispheres with no transmission methods in common. So, imagine the worst human illnesses out there — both agonizing and gruesome in nature — combined into a single, hellish virus: Niger Delta Hemorrhagic Fever. And it’s wiping out 100% of its victims within days.
Weeks after Claire’s escape, Jean-Luc still couldn’t sleep or get past his unresolved feelings for Claire, so he and fellow HORNET operative Marcus Dealgelo set out to find her. They were captured and separated — Marcus managed to escape, but Jean-Luc was imprisoned in a village rife with the Niger Delta Hemorrhagic Fever. It was only a matter of time before the virus in Egbesu camp infected Jean-Luc, and even his bigger, healthier body doesn’t prevent him from falling victim to the scourge. He’s lucky because the Egbesu camp is in the epicenter where Claire is searching for the virus’ starting point, but by the time she finds Jean-Luc, the virus is raging in him. Although he is elated to see her again, he doesn’t want her to witness his inevitable death and urges her to find Marcus.
Now we have a race against time and science, but Claire is up to the task. Jean-Luc is literally drawing his last breaths when Marcus gives his consent for an experimental treatment, and Akeso’s success is confirmed. That’s both good and bad news, because Jean-Luc has just become the first human to trial the drug in the field, which makes him as valuable a target as Claire and Akeso.
Of course, Jean-Luc thinks he’s Deadpool now, since Akeso cleared out not only the Niger Delta Hemorrhagic Fever, but sealed up a bad gash on his arm. But like he says, “Akeso doesn’t make you bulletproof,” so while he’s cured of the disease, he and Claire are far from being out of danger. The bioterrorists who’ve been after her are doubling their efforts now that they know the drug is successful, and everybody is in danger. Steffan Ostermann is a supervillain worthy of an adversary like Claire and her super drug. He’s got crazy plans to overhaul the world, and in Akeso he’ll have a virus cure-all for the bioweapons he’s been developing.
The setup is elaborate, the villain Bond-like, but the story is real enough that it’ll make you stop and think. Escaping the Nigerian makeshift hospitals is not the end of the road for Claire and Akeso … it was sort of only the beginning. This was an exhausting book because there were so many good twists and turns, but my conspiracy theory mother will tell you: This seems like a plausible story. One day I’d love to see a super drug that cures HIV, but for now, I’ll settle on looking forward to Ian’s story. I can’t wait to find out what made him change sides and choose HORNET.
*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2018/05/03/dolly-r-sickles-recommended-romantic-suspense-reckless-honor-tonya-burrows/
Jean-Luc Chevalier is determined to go against orders all for Dr. Claire Oliver and when he finally finds her, he's determined to keep her safe. But when an ultra-deadly virus is released and causes a number of deaths, Jean-Luc knows Claire isn't the only one that he needs to save. Will they be able to find the person responsible for releasing the dangerous virus or will they die trying, especially if Claire and her research aren't enough to save them?
I read a lot of romantic suspense and I'd have to say that this is one of the best romantic suspense stories I've read this year. Really, it had everything I love in a romantic suspense such as incredible main characters that have plenty of chemistry and their super hot romance does justice to their potent chemistry; highly entertaining dialogue that drew me in from the very beginning and kept me reading till the very end; and plot twists that made this story exciting and had me on the edge-of-my-seat, especially in the moment where the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time because of the pair face and whether she can use her life's work to help.
With the main characters, the heroine was strong and brave in dealing with the crisis she faces. I also liked that she didn't give up when the going gets tough, which it surely does and some moments are heartbreaking because unfortunately doctors can't save everyone. I also liked that she gave the hero a chance. At least she knows she can trust him after everything he's done and continues to do to keep her safe from the people after her and her research. While the hero, he's confident, cool under pressure and I liked that he gave the heroine a chance, even though he doesn't think he's good enough for her. I also liked how protective the hero was of the heroine and that he would do anything to keep her safe, even if it means putting himself in danger or staying away to protect her from himself. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was the close friendships he shares with his HORNET teammates and that they would do anything for each other, which is proven by how far they're willing to go to make sure Jean-Luc and Claire are all right.
Overall, Ms. Burrows has delivered an utterly superb read in this book, which I believe is the best of the series yet. The way this story ended had me worried for the main characters, but had me loving that Claire never gave up hope in what she had to do. Then again, Jean-Luc needs her, so she can't give up. I would recommend Reckless Honor by Tonya Burrows, if you enjoy romantic suspense or books by authors Tee O'Fallon, Allison B. Hanson, Cathy Skendrovich and Laura Griffin.
An excellent addition to the series! I'm glad it came out so quickly after the previous title, since we were left wondering about Jean Luc and Claire.
It was great that Claire is such a capable female doctor when the world often assumes doctors are men. It's such an interesting premise, providing for excellent suspense.
My only question was if Ebiere actually survived the virus. If so, how Ostermann would react knowing some non-chosen people would survive.
No one, and I mean no one, can write better adrenaline-fueled bad-assery than Tonya Burrows! Her heroes are flawed, hot, alpha and, well, badass. In this story, the hard-drinking, women-loving, brilliant linguist and “Ragin Cajun” Jean Luc Cavalier gets his front and center to flex his hero muscles and obtain the redemption he feels he needs but doesn’t deserve…
This book picks up from the end of Code of Honor (HORNET #4); although you do not need to read that book before this one, but you will want to devour that one too! Starting in Nigeria and ending in New Orleans, this HORNET adventure is an over-the-top thrilling explosion of science, sex and a little too-real doomsday scenario. The plot is chilling, vivid and engrossing…..exactly why does someone want Dr. Claire Oliver and her antiviral research so bad that anything goes to get her? Hiring murderous mercenaries to kidnap her? Check. Killing innocent people to flush her out? Check. The level of villain involved in this story is truly the stuff of nightmares! Ah, but the romance - that is the stuff of dreams!
At first blush, Claire and Jean Luc seem like total opposites. The serious, studious virologist versus the laughing, over-sexed HORNET operative. But these two have more in common than you think! Jean Luc hides his hurt from a rough childhood under that booze and sex-soaked facade, because underneath lies a brilliant mind that can pick up languages at the drop of a hat. The CIA had tapped into that and now HORNET is blessed with his skills. And our serious Dr. Oliver has quite the dirty-talking vixen side to her, not to mention strength to spare. I LOVED this couple, with their complexity and many sides. Who couldn’t love a nerdy scientist with a passionate core, and a easy-going hottie who knows 15 languages fluently?
Once again, Tonya Burrows delivers a powerful story that is well-written, well paced and well plotted. In the midst of mayhem, Ms.Burrows can make us chuckle; the many body parts and multitasking line from Jean Luc to Claire regarding…...well, you have to read that! A+ +
This was such a fantastic romantic suspense read. There were moments when I did not know how Tonya was going to make things work for Claire and Jean-Luc. I also loved seeing all the past characters and how they all worked together like the family that they are.
I can't wait to see what else Tonya has in store for us!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I've been a fan of Jean-Luc since the beginning of this series, he's that kind of fun-loving, irresistible ladies man who you just know would break your heart but you can't help falling for anyway. He's charming, funny and would be great company but he's never been one for sticking around in the past. We saw his first meeting with Claire in the previous book, she is the doctor he helped escape from the hostage situation and she is one of the rare women who turned him down flat which of course makes him want her even more. Ever since the previous book Claire has been on the run from the mercenaries who killed her research partner and who are now after her so they can steal her life's work. Jean-Luc knows she is in trouble and he's determined to find her first so that he can protect her.
This series is getting better with every book and things take an even darker turn in Reckless Honor, much of the story is set in the middle of a hot zone where Claire and her colleagues are trying to save the lives of hundreds of people who have been infected with a deadly virus. Jean-Luc has guessed she'll be there trying to help and he knows the mercenaries after her won't take too long to catch them up but she refuses to walk away when there is a chance she could save lives by staying. I loved how strong Claire was, she was working in horrific circumstances and it would have been easier for her to run away and let someone else deal with it but she cares about her patients and wants to make a difference. She's a lot more serious than Jean-Luc but he brings out a more light hearted side of her and they make a really good match. I think what I liked most was that it wasn't just Jean-Luc walking in and rescuing a damsel in distress, yes Claire is in trouble but she gives as good as she gets and she rescues Jean-Luc as many times as he saves her.
There were some really interesting revelations about a certain HORNET team member in this one that definitely has me curious to see what is going to happen next in this series. I have a feeling some of the characters are going to be in for a bumpy ride but I really want to see them all get their own HEAs.
Having read a couple of this authors books I am always on the look out for them with success once in awhile like this one. Having one of those books been in this series makes this one sweet for sure. When reading about Jean-Luc you can hear the Cajun coming off the pages of this one. Of course it gets even louder when Claire comes into the picture. The heat and the danger combined in this one will curl your toes and have ya pulling your hair out with scrumptious and thrills. The danger is real which makes it real good reading.
This book had all the necessary requirements for a romantic suspense. The nerdy heroine, sexy ex-Cia hero, danger with world-ending consequences. Jean-Luc is a playboy who does whatever he wants with anyone he wants with little guilt. Until he meets Claire, a virologist creating an experimental treatment.
I liked it! It was a quick read. I didn't realize that this was part of a series. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read at least the previous book. However, the author did a good job of giving some details about what happened previously, so the plot still made sense. At the same time, there weren't too many details, so if you had read the previous book, it wouldn't feel like too much. There was also a lot of humor in the book, which I enjoy.
I was pleasantly surprised by Jean-Luc. I loved his character. I was worried about where he was a man whore in the past. Sure there where some things I could have done without knowing, but overall it was a great book.
After Jean-Luc meet Claire, he was done for. She was all he thought about day in and day out. I love how smitten he was with her. I like when the man whore gets tamed by the innocent/ shy girl.
The main plot of the book was what I really liked about the book. I love books about viruses. It's like a guilty pleasure of mine.
If you like books about viruses outbreaks, military units with alpha males, and so forth, This book is the perfect one to check every mark. I loved Claire and Jean-Luc and his team. Claire and Jean-Luc worked so well together.
We first met Claire in Code of Honor when playboy Jean-Luc took one look at Claire and knew that she was it for him. Unfortunately, that evening her partner was killed, Jean-Luc was injured while rescuing Claire and Claire is on the run from the people who want her research.
Two months later Jean-Luc is healed and is on a mission to find Claire even if it has not been cleared by Hornet. He ends up in Nigeria where he ends up imprisoned and everyone around him is dying from a deadly virus and he is getting sicker by the day. When Claire finds him she brings him to the hospital, but will she be able to find him, and will they be able to stay ahead of the mercenaries who seem to be closing in?
This story is filled with non-stop adventure and suspense and features two strong, honorable and independent characters who will do whatever is necessary to ensure that those around them are protected. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
When the training mission in Martinique went south in the last book, Jean-Luc Cavalier risked his life for Dr. Claire Oliver and told her to run. She was the target of a deadly group determined to steal her ground-breaking research and samples of Akeso, an anti-virus panacea. Trouble is that Claire has done an excellent job of running and hiding, so much so that Jean-Luc has difficulty finding her. That is until an outbreak is reported in Nigeria and he knows she’s most probably in the thick of things.
HORNET is one of my most favorite series for consistency and excitement. From the first page, I’m hooked and my blood pressure elevates from the tension and suspense. It’s always a really good story set in interesting locales and this time is no different. The challenge here was crafting someone to be up for the colorful and free-spirited Jean-Luc and Claire was ideal. She’s smart and fearless underneath a veneer of serenity and good looks. She’s a skilled doctor and definitely well matched with the Cajun. There are many harrowing situations and the science was always at the forefront. I found that element compelling and intriguing. But, most of all, I loved how well these two characters were developed. Before this story, I didn’t take Jean-Luc seriously and boy has my image of him advanced! I loved their relationship.
There’s a lot going on with the team and I could see several more stories teed up, which makes me so, so happy. I loved this book and love this series. Hope it never ends.