Thrilling finale! I had no idea this would be the last Black Knights book. We know all the other couples have their HEA, Spider is the villain and two new couples join together. It's an epic adventure through Moldova and an exploration of the past. Angel has a deep and scary past but he's not sure if Sonja should hear it. Sonja remembers the man she loved but still can't forget her feelings. And of course, Ace and Rusty love to bicker as much as they love each other. Rusty is fighting with reason when deciding to out himself and Ace just loves him. Their love as been building for awhile and it's been hilarious to read their conversations. Love this entire series and have looked forward to each book, sad to read the end but it's been a wild ride. My copy was sent through Netgalley and m review written voluntarily.

Julie Ann Walker's latest novel, Built to Last, is one hell of romantic suspense tale. Inside, I got to follow a strong yet determined man to bring down an evil force. But in doing so he loses his identity and goes undercover. However, he's not the only one...his former love, Sonya, does the same thing. Thinking she lost him, she went undercover to bring down the bad guys. She still loved Angel. Angel has not forgotten her either and is doing all he can to accomplish his mission, keep his love safe, and get them out of there alive. 

I immediately got lost within this world of fiction. Built to Last, is one emotional journey that I won't ever forget. The characters were so real. Charming, strong, and clever...it was hard not to love them. The book's title described Sonya's and Angel's love perfectly. Despite the danger, the risks, and the final outcome-whatever that will be-their love remained intact. Priceless...a romance that wrapped its way into my heart and pulled me deep into its fast-paced plot. This read had so much action and surprises, I was constantly guessing. Overall, I highly recommend this hot book to readers worldwide.

4.5 stars

"It took courage to answer the call of duty. Courage to give up your hopes and dreams for the greater good."

That’s the crux of Built to Last, Julie Ann Walker’s 12th installment of her popular Black Knights series, BUILT TO LAST. Black Knights, Inc. (BKI) is a motorcycle shop front for a “covert government defense firm” that is always, it seems, the final barrier between bad guys bent on world domination and death and destruction on a global scale. Walker’s bad guys would eat a Bond villain as a snack and never even pause for a sip of water to wash him (or her) down. The flip side of that, of course, is that her heroes and heroines are equally badass and dangerous.

Ten years ago, a Mossad agent fell in love with an Interpol agent before he walked away from her to answer the call of duty. Whether he answers to Mark Risa, Majid Abass or Jamin “Angel” Agassi, his 10-year separation from Sonya Butler never dimmed his love for her, even though he continued to keep his distance after his assignment in Iran finished.

Witnessing Mark’s murder had nearly killed her, so imagine her reaction when the love of her life walks in … sort of. There’s just a tingling of awareness, really, as the spirit recognizes itself. But it’s powerful enough that it throws Sonya for a loop, in a situation where being off of her A game could get her killed in a heartbeat.

Angel knew Sonya would be part of this assignment going in, but there’s no way he can risk confiding in her — after all, she’s working for Lord Asad Grafton: “A weapons dealer. A human trafficker. A procurer of blood diamonds and financial supporter of piracy. A collector of assets. A destroyer of lives.” Otherwise known as the “Spider.” At first glance, she seems completely ingrained in Grafton’s life. She never leaves his side and is under constant surveillance. And come on, 10 years is a long time. People change.

As you can imagine, a lot of moving parts are needed to kill off a Mossad agent, have him assume the identity of another man, then create and populate multiple double-agent scenarios. And that’s before Angel gets hooked up with BKI — and 11 books’ worth of characters. And lest we question the intelligence and duty and integrity of Sonya, she’s forged her own valiant undercover battle for Interpol these last few months. Like I said: a lot of moving parts.

So many things have changed for Angel and Sonya, yet so many remain the same. Angel’s most obvious changes are physical. His eyes, his voice, his face. Sonya is more somber, playing her role of mourning in discreet ways, like swapping out her signature pink sparkly fingernail polish for “bare nails filed to a subdued length.” But inside, both are fighting for justice and truth. In the end, this is a second-chance love story. And while the road to forgiveness is fraught with danger and intrigue, it is also paved with hope and love.

Walker set this up to potentially be the final BKI book, since this final mission to take down Grafton has been completed and the agency is slated to shutter … but with its elaborate Six Feet Under-like epilogue wrap-up, she sure does leave readers with a lot of what-ifs and maybes. Like, maybe Rusty and Ace will have their own story … just sayin’.

*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2018/06/21/dolly-r-sickles-romantic-suspense-rec-built-to-last-julie-ann-walker/.

In this the final? Black Knights Inc. installment Angel and Ace find their happys and we finally find out who the Spider is and take him down. Angel is mysterious and gorgeous and the Knight we know little of. Boy oh boy what we didn’t know. Ace is in love with Rusty but refuses to be with a guy who won’t come out of the closet. Been there done that. The mission to bring down Spider once and for all brings all kinds of secrets out of the closet maybe Rusty will come out too. I’ve really enjoyed this series and hope that the hint of a spin-off is true. If not I can still re-read and hang out with the Knights.

Wow! What a way to close out a series! I have loved the men of the BKI since book 1. All the intrigue, the action, the romance. Watching all the men meet their HEA has been a lot of fun. Now, we get the final chapter. Along with Angel and Sonya's story, we also get the wrap up of the story arc of Spider--world renowned super villian.

It was a delight to read. All the little pieces fell into place. Light humor thrown in to take off some of the tension with the action. Loved seeing all the team together. And of course--the epilogue...sigh....I wish Ace and Rusty had their own book---maybe a future novella??? Regardless, great series and a wonderful set of characters.

The problem with a Julie Ann Walker book is that once I start reading I don’t want to put it down. (This is only a problem because I have to do mundane things like go to work on a regular basis.) Built to Last is no exception. I was hooked in the first few pages and very reluctant to put it down. While I hated to see the BKI story come to a close, this was the perfect ending. I can’t wait to see what Walker has next. If history repeats, I won’t be able to put a new series down either. If her epilogue is any indication I’m all in and can’t wait!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

This is the final story to a much loved series that I will surely miss. A group of deep cover operatives that work out of a souped-up motorcycle shop in Chicago. Angel Agassi is an operative that works deep undercover within the BKI organization. His identity is well hidden as he works to bring down world known criminals. Throughout his career he has taken on many different identities in order to carry out his missions. This final mission will bring him in contact with Sonya Butler, an Interpol agent. This mission will come to a climatic conclusion with some deeply hidden secrets. I am sad to see this series come to an end. But there is an elusion that there is possibly a spin-off to this series----hopefully!

Built to Last was a good end to a great series. While it was sad to see things wrap up for the Black Knights it was nice that there was resolution to all the characters. Angel's story is one that needed to be told and it felt right to be the one that wrapped up the series.

3 1/2 stars out of 5
Built To Last is possibly the last in the Black Knights Inc Series. With all ends to a series it has a lot to live up to and it seems to be a tradition for authors to catch up readers with what is happening with couples from the other books.

Unfortunately this book falls flat that readers will skip to the end to find out how the author brought readers favorite couples to their Happily Ever After.

Angel and Sonya story is told though different points of view as well as flash backs that don't drive the story forward just fills in the holes when the romance takes over and Sonya fall quickly for Angel. The story feels rushed leaving long times fan disappointed with the outcome of the two love stories.

The action and suspense didn't really live up to the exceptions. It was slow, filled with too many monologues, bad dialogue, and a villain that could have been scary. Instead the author gave us a villain that was nothing more than a wasted character.



Built to Last falls flat in a story, feels unfinished, lacks character development and finishes out a series with a dud instead of a bang.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks for the advance copy of Julie Ann Walker Built To Last.

This is the last book in this series. You absolutely need to read the books that come before this one or else you will be very confused as to what is going on in this book. All the other books lead up to this book and are part of the main story ARC that has been established previously. This one is about Jamin “Angel” Agassi and Sonya Butler. Angel has always been a very mysterious character in the previous books. No one really knows anything about him or his past. All they truly know is that he has the contacts and the means to help make the world a better place and to help the missions to succeed. Now he is being sent in undercover to help capture Spider and to complete their final mission for the previous president. Sonya seems to be the completely in line with whatever Spider tells her to do and to the world-she seem's like a dirty agent. Even to the man who knew her best when they were younger.

I absolutely loved this book! I was not wanting this series to end because I love the characters and this world so much but this book definitely does it justice! Angel has always been this character that you don't really know anything about. All you know is that it is for his own safety. You never really think about what he gave up or left behind in his past. Or who it may have hurt. From the end of the last book and through the beginning of this book you think Sonya is an agent gone rogue. Until they actually start having conversations and you realize exactly what is going on. But you also realize exactly how much someone can hurt another. I loved it! Angel and Sonya are perfect together, and once they work out all their issues and realize what is truly important it ends on a beautiful note! This was the perfect way to end this series!

Built to Last by Julie Ann WalkerJamin “Angel” Agassi has been with the Black Knights Inc. since about book 3 or 4. He has had extensive plastic surgery and changed his name (the handsome visage they gave him was part of the reason for his nickname.) Before he had all the work done, he was in love. But he had been trained that the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few.

He's absolutely shocked to see Sonya Butler, his love, acting as the secretary to the evil crime lord known as the Spider. She's not at all like he remembered her, cowed and subservient. At least, she is until the firefight. Then all hell breaks loose and each finds out that the other is not what they seem. Not the first, second, or even third layers.

An interesting end to the BKI series with the promise that there may be a group of new operatives to follow. This was a slow start (story wise, not as much action wise) but tied up a lot of loose ends in the BKI series.



Three and a half stars

This book comes out June 26

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

This is the last of the Black Knights Inc novels from Julie Ann Walker about a bunch of black ops guys who hide their identities behind a custom motorcycle shop in Chicago. The whole premise of the series is totally over the top, but I’ve enjoyed the romance/action novels. This one is no different. The heroes and heroines are basically interchangeable with a few added quirks added in for each one. The guy in this book, Angel, is a former Mossad agent who was supposedly responsible for planting the Stuxnet virus in the Iranian nuclear weapons research. He has had a total makeover so the Iranians can never find him. I don’t know if any of this is possible, but just roll with the idea that he could have had a completely undetectable plastic surgery that would make him into the best looking guy on the planet. He’s also had his vocal cords scraped and fingerprints removed.

But he’s given up all that anonymity in order to entice the secret, powerful criminal known as Spider into bringing him in so that he can bring down Spider. There he finds the woman he was deeply in love with, Sonya, before he faked his own death and went deep undercover. Together they get involved in selling enriched uranium that Spider intends to sell to al Qaeda in order to blow up BKI HQ back in Chicago. They have to go on the run in Moldova.

So it’s major suspend-your-disbelief time for every aspect of this plot. Meanwhile, Walker writes with her customary snark as the characters have pages-long internal monologues while in the midst of life-or-death situations. They have to pause in such moments to think about sex and how hot the other person is. So there is nothing believable in any moment of the book. I don’t buy the characters, the plot, or the dialogue. It’s still a fun and fast read and, if you’ve enjoyed her other novels, you will enjoy another dish of exactly the same thing again in this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Angel, one of the BKI Brotherhood, is determined to bring down the biggest drug king of Chicago. So is Sonja, an Interpol agent .These two are at odds with each other from the start but, that spontaneous combustion works to bring them together to fight whoever and however they have to in order to bring this syndicate down.
This book was an all consuming, thrill of a ride!
Don't miss it!

Wow -- the end of the BKI series. I have loved these books from the get-go. Even though I felt Ms. Walker began to wander a little with the last few books, I was pleased to see Angel's story finish on a STRONG note.

The writing was sound. The adventure was just what we expected to receive for Spider's downfall. It was great to see Angel and Sonya find each other thru the chaos.

My favorite parts -- Rusty & Ace. . .plus a full wrap-up of our BKI favorites.

I've been saying for the last couple of books, it was time for a spin-off. Hoping we might still catch a glimpse of our BKI favorites should Ms. Walker continue with a new crew of Black Knights!

Built to last is the final book of the series and it did not disappoint. This book was amazing. The characters were great and the main couple we're fantastic together.

Built to Last is the final book in the Black Knights current series. And it finished with a spectacular ending. As all the books in this series, it was filled with action, adventure, humor, steamy scenes and most importantly, hot alpha men. Angel has been a mystery since his introduction. Being able to really “meet” this character has been a long standing wish of mine. I was not disappointed. I refuse to put spoilers in my reviews so I will just leave it with….. you won’t be disappointed with this story either.

I have loved this series , and even though this one was not my favorite story , the guys at BKI will be missed.
The book centers around Angel Agassi and Sonya Butler .
Angel had to changed his look and identity but never forgot his love for Sonya. The one he left when he chose country over love.
It’s an engaging story filled with suspense, danger and lots of bad guys. But it’s also a story about second chances in love . We get the opportunity to visit with the rest of the BKI men and women we came to love .
Thank you Ms Walker so such a great series.
I received this copy from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Angel, the lead male character in the story has had so many identities it is hard to keep track. He has given up his personal life to work for his country. In doing so he has given up Sonya, the love of his life. Sonya has been blackmailed into working for a king of the underworld when they come into contact again. Angel has had extensive plastic surgery and is unrecognizable, but there is something there that Sonya senses.

I had trouble connecting with Angel and Sonya as a second chance couple. Angel claims to have never stopped loving Sonya but that hasn’t stopped him from sleeping with countless women along the way over the time they have been separated. Also with all the bad things he has had to do for his job he has the nerve to judge Sonya because she is working for an underworld crime boss. I have liked books by this author in the past, I just had trouble with these two characters which is my reason for the 3* review. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

In Built to Last, the 12th and final installment in Julie Anne Walker’s, Black Knights Inc. series we get not only Sonya and Angel’s story but a summation of where everyone else ends up as well. This book can be read by itself but the reader will get a lot more out of it if they’ve read the series. Having read only three or four of the series, I sometimes felt a little lost with the supporting characters.

Sonya has never gotten over her first and only great love, Mark. She’s spent 10 years mourning him and reliving watching him be murdered. Angel’s had his entire appearance changed and his voice altered to erase any clue to his original identity. Both find themselves deep undercover in the operation of the notorious “Spider”.

Angel immediately recognizes his one true love when their paths cross again but he too easily believes her cover story which includes losing her career protecting a lover. He’s hurt that she doesn’t appear to have mourned him the way he did her. He’s angry and disinclined to get close to her again at first but soon decides he wants her but wants her to love the man he’s become, not just the man he was.

Sonya has no reason to think Angel is her lost love Mark but she sees similarities. It can’t be him though, can it?

The two are working hard, separately, to bring down one of the world’s worse criminal masterminds. Not an easy task. Soon the two are on the run and falling back together because, of course, no great love will ever be denied!

It was also good to get more of the story between Rusty and Ace. A frightening tragedy finally brings them together in a touching way.

Walker’s writing is full of great characters and well-timed suspense and I really like the clever phrases she comes up with. The book and what I’ve read of the series are solid, enjoyable choices to add to your “to be read” list.

reviewed by Jem

For the last book in this series I'm a bit underwhelmed with this one. I really had a hard time buying into the attraction/relationship between Sonya and Angel. Part of that is I find it hard to believe that Mark would walk away from the woman he loved to go into an undercover mission that he expected to die in. Another part that I had issue with is how after he lives he never sought out Sonya when he was finally free, yet when he encountered her now he was all in again. That seems at odds.

I was glad that the guys caught the Spider, loved how the whole crew took him down. I feel like Ace and Rusty got shorted on their romance. I was actually more interested in how things ended up with them, happy to see how things worked out for them. Rusty's parents were so funny!

But even with my issues, I liked how this one ended. I look forward to reading the spin off series and to see our characters mentor a new bunch.