This was a great book! I am so happy I got to read this book it was suspenseful and intense just when you think they are going to make progress something happens and they almost end up at square one. The romance was pretty intense too. Ten years ago Maddox knew Cole under a different name, they were so much in love that they were willing to stand up to their families to be together but that didn't work out quite the way they planned and Cole wound up having to fake his own death. For the last ten years Maddox has grieved for Cole, she never quite moved on from the pain and the guilt that she thought he died because of her. Now Maddox works for an off books black ops organization and they received a tip that a someone has weaponized smallpox and is ready to sell it to the highest bidder. Maddox doesn't find out until it's to late that their way into the auction is Cole.

The writing in this book was fantastic, great action with a nice build up which lead to the anticipation of a great fight scene all very intense. This story wraps up all nice after a climatic end but it does leave a little bit of the story open for the next book. Maddox and Cole are hot! I'm addicted to these characters already, all of them, I definitely want more, especially Castle, or Reece, or maybe Gideon, no I want Sanborn the boss.

It has been a while since I’ve read a romantic suspense novel and this one did not disappoint. This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and I will be looking for more work. The writing was great, the story line flowed at a rapid pace, and the relationships were so well fleshed out. Honestly, at first, it was hard to catch what was all happening since there were quite a few characters and point of views, but once you got into the book, it was really hard to put down. I kept finding little spaces of time to read a chapter or two when I could just because it was so good. I wanted to find out what happened next. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres to read and this definitely hit the mark.

Maddox is an officer for the Gray Box, an organization so deep undercover that most people in the know, don't know about it. Nine years ago Maddox told her father, who she didn't know worked for the CIA, about a gathering of Russian mobsters that resulted in her almost fiance's, Nikolai, father's death and eventually Nikolai's. Maddox sees the work she does for Gray Box, neutralizing threats against the U.S. and taking out terrorists, as repentance.
Cole Matthews is what was emerged from the ashes of his former life but when some Russian mobsters attack him, he knows his cover is blown. When he is recused by Maddox and swept into a fight to stop a bio terror attack, he realizes that the past is never really the past.

They’d been as close as two people ever could be. He’d lived for her, killed for her, and, in a million ways, died for her.

Every Last Breath, is the start to the new series Final Hour and was a high energy, quick moving, and loaded story. There are numerous characters and story threads thrown at the reader right from the beginning, Maddox's co-workers at the Grey Box, the father and son villains, the threat of the enhanced small pox strain releasing, and Cole and Maddox's history. I had some problems keeping all the Grey Box characters and their relationships clear in my mind. Castle works with Maddox and is actually her brother but even though it seems they aren't that close (there was mention of how much Castle took care of her in the past) I still felt like their familial bond wasn't felt, her brother could have been any of the characters.

There is a lot happening in this story, Maddox trying to get Cole, who turns out to be the fiance she thought was dead, to help get her into an underground auction to buy an enhanced small pox strain, Aleksander and Val (the two villains) maneuvering to buy that same small pox strain and then trying to orchestrate releasing it on American soil, and the story thread of a mole in the Grey Box. These action threads pretty much dominate the story. The romance thread of Maddox and Cole having a past and then reconnecting didn't have enough time or breathing room to have me emotionally connecting to them. Their past has them already having feelings of love, we don't really get to see them develop them. They spend a good amount of time together but the hunt for the villains takes up most of the time and emotional energy, what we get is Maddox shying away from trusting Cole after he lied to her about his death and Cole still smarting over what he feels was a betrayal by Maddox and being super protective of her, even though she has the skills and knowledge to take care of herself in this world.

As a romance story, this fell short because Maddox and Cole didn't have the depth and time to emotionally grip me but as a suspense, this definitely had the energy and danger to capture my attention. The beginning is very busy with a lot of characters thrust at you and as the story progresses, plots and threads add up but my attention was still captured. Now that the introductions have been made and characters, along with some relationships, and threads have been laid out, I'll look forward to more of a focus and development of more emotional aspects in the next. This series looks to have the potential to have a lot of thrills.

I requested this book via Netgalley because it claimed to be ‘romantic suspense’. I love romance. I love suspense. I figure romantic suspense should be right up my alley. Well, if this is indicative of the romantic suspense genre I’m in trouble.

First, the suspense part… Our leads are young fit special ops types. They get to ride motorbikes and dress up for 'white tie' parties. There’s guns and gadgets and snipers. There’s underground bunkers full of special spies, enemy agents wanting to purchase bioweapons and the obligatory double agent. Less suspense, more action.

As I’ve only read a couple of books that technically fall into this category, I can’t judge but I must say I think it’s false advertising. After all, would you class a James Bond as a ‘suspense’ book? Would you class a Mission Impossible movie as ‘suspense’? No, you’d call them action thrillers.

I must admit Rushdan writes the action pretty well. I found it easy to follow the action/fight scenes. What I didn’t find easy to follow was the characters. There’s a lot of them and characterisation is not Rushdan's strong point. I needed a spreadsheet to keep them all straight as they tended to blend in to each other. Some are obviously going to feature in the book’s sequels and I suppose a couple stood out as interesting. But, overall, there were just too many.

I’d probably cope with all this if it wasn’t for the ‘romantic’ aspect. Maddox and Cole are attracted to each other. We know this because they keep thinking it. Over and over. Inner thought after inner thought by both Maddox and Cole, telling us they were once really in love and meant for each other because they had such incredible chemistry and sex. (In one particularly silly inner thought, Maddox thinks back to the time they even had sex three times in one day and this proves they were something special.) I can’t even. Not romantic.

Let’s just call it ‘lustful action’ and be done with it.

Not my cup of tea. 2/5

Every Last Breath was an enjoyable read that exceeded my expectations. I felt like a kid chasing an ice cream truck, only it was my mind that wasn't moving fast enough. I wanted to know more about Maddox and her history with Cole, what he's been doing for the last nine years, her work at the Gray Box, the threat they faced and why, and additional details about Maddox's team and Cole's family. It took a few hours, but I finally got my ice cream.

I did have some small issues while reading this one, so we'll get those out of the way first. There's a pretty big cliffhanger. Yes, I understand it's there to set up the next book. No, I don't care. We spend a good portion of the book trying to determine something, but it's left unresolved. It's a big something, too. I kept waiting for the answers to click into place, but the book ends and we're left with a clue that makes zero sense. The story itself wrapped up the main conflict, but I don't like feeling like a baited fish when I finish a book.

My second issue: inconsistencies. I read a review copy, so it's likely some of the details were ironed out before publication, but they still stuck with me. Maddox's boss told her she shouldn't tell Cole the truth under any circumstances. It was an order, and they all pride themselves on following orders. However, she caves and tells Cole the truth the second he asks, and no one ever says anything to her about it. If it really was a big deal, her boss would have reprimanded her in some way for compromising her cover and the mission. There were other small details that didn't mesh with the rest of the story, but they were easy to look past.

Moving on to better and brighter things! The relationship between Cole and Maddox was sizzling. They have a complicated past, have both dealt with horrible losses, and neither of them were willing to completely forgive the other. It takes a lot of time for them to reconnect and talk about the things that really matter. It was realistic, heartbreaking, and honest. They've been through so much, yet they're still willing to put their lives on the line for one another.

Even though it took them awhile to sort out their feelings, there was no denying their chemistry! Car sex has never sounded so appealing! They've had sex before, nearly a decade ago, so things were both familiar and new. If your like you romances hot and steamy, Rushdan knows what she's doing. There was some macho-manning, but Maddox doesn't let the guys fight her battles. She's savvy, smart, and can take care of herself (but also knows when she needs help).

The romance was great, the friendships were interesting (but not elaborated on), and the story was a doozy. I can understand why the author left a lot unsaid about the secondary characters, because she wants you to question everyone's motives, which I did. Even the people Maddox trusted with her life became suspects in my mind. On top of all that, she still has to work with her team to stop a maniac with a biological weapon. It was crazy with a slice of insane. There was so much going on in this story, but everything flowed together and never felt crowded.

Every Last Breath was full of action and intrigue, and I enjoyed all of it! Rushdan leaves a very big question mark at the end of this one, which was disappointing, but forgivable. I definitely plan on continuing this series!

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on May 6, 2019.

I love finding new-to-me-authors to add to my ever-growing auto-buy list and also to my bookshelves (which I already have too many books as per my husband, but he doesn’t understand I love having my library at home.) This was my first book by Author Juno Rushdan and won’t be my last. It also was my first Romantic Thriller book. The minute I started reading the first chapter I knew I would have a hard time putting it down. The main characters and the secondary characters kept me intrigued, and the storyline left me on the edge of my seat. I’m now looking forward to the rest of the series and also checking out what other books Juno decides to write later on too.

Maddox Kinkade works at the Gray Box, which is a special operations agency/team with other teammates that have to neutralize threats that could end up causing biomedical disasters, etc. They are different from the FBI, CIA, and any other government agency. This agency is not funded like those agencies. Maddox has found out that a killer is on the loose that wants a biomedical weapon that could cause a pandemic. Her team ends up recruiting Cole Matthews, but he used to go by another name several years ago. Maddox was very close to Cole and thought he was dead. She has to work with him because he can help catch the killer that wants to cause a pandemic in the United States. Truths will be revealed between Maddox and Cole and what happened to them. There will also be truths behind the killer too.

Maddox is a kick-butt female character who can handle her own, especially when it came to dealing with the ruthless bad guys. She tended to get herself caught in so many different situations but managed to get through them without any help from the male characters, and it drove Cole crazy in the book. Cole is another kick-butt character, but he has a back-story that is told in the book too that I found interesting. I can understand why he didn’t like Maddox at first when she noticed him, but once he found out the truth, then he changed. I loved learning about the other characters too and finding out that someone is not who they seem they are to the team. The bad guy was awful in this book, but he was only getting revenge for his family. This book is what I would consider a ‘blowback’ situation of how the government did something they shouldn’t of and innocents got caught in the crossfire.

I loved this story by Juno, and I can’t wait for the second book. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy thrillers and romantic suspense. Yes, there are steamy moments in the book too, so it has romantic elements. The main characters are a previous couple that is going to get a second chance together, and I love those kinds of stories.

Story Rating: 5 stars
Steaminess Rating: 3 stars
Standalone or part of series: Part of the Final Hour Series.
Do I recommend this book? Yes, most definitely.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes.
Tropes/Elements: Special Ops; Suspense; Lethal Bioweapon on the loose; Kick-butt characters; Secrets; and so much more.

Fantastic. I loved it. Fast paced and interesting. I can't wait to read book #2. I need to know who the mole is...

I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. The writer captures your attention and then keeps building up the suspense to keep you hooked. I think it was very well written. Maddox and Cole make a great couple that truly work well together to complete their mission. I felt very invested in the story and the characters. This is the first thing I’ve read from this author but I am definitely looking forward to reading more from them in the future.

I think this one may just be a case of not the book for me, or maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for this genre, but I had the hardest time getting into this story. I think some of the problem lay in the writing style and cutesy ways of describing things because that certainly wore thin for me. There really weren't any serious lag times in the book despite its length. In fact, it's packed full of action and what should've been an edge of your seat plot. I did find the character development lacking, especially on the relationship front. It felt like most of the angst there took place in the character's heads rather than anything actually being hashed out between them. This one does have unanswered questions in the end, so maybe there will be more character development in upcoming books, but I think I'll pass given my feelings for this one.

Maddox has worked hard for her position and to gain the respect of her fellow officers at the Box. That's why she wasn't surprised when she was tagged to be lead a priority op after not even being back stateside for three hours. She had to develop a plan to beat the Russians to the targeted asset and convince him to help with the op to prevent the sale and release of a deadly virus. But she never expected to come face to face with a man she believed had been dead for nearly a decade.

Cole was on a forced vacation and hating it. He also sensed trouble brewing and it didn't take long for it to arrive. Suddenly he was surrounded and trying to fight his way out and then he was waking up restrained and looking at the woman he'd being trying to forget for almost a decade.

Maddox and Cole have to figure out a way to work through the hurt and the lingering attraction between them to identify the individual planning the deadly attack and his intended target. Can they learn to trust each other in time to save thousands of lives?

A thrilling read. A nail biting, heart pounding and edge of your seat suspense filled story. The author does an excellent job of building the drama and chaos that makes a great thriller. The characters are exquisite and testosterone filled. Maddox and Matthews make a great kick a$$ couple. This is the beginning of a great series and the upcoming books should hold great things.

Maddox Kincade is an agent for the Gray Box. It is a top-secret offshoot agency of the CIA. Gray Box has learned that an auction for a deadly biological weapon for high profile criminal buyers. Gray Box informs Maddox that she needs to get an invitation by contacting a Cole Matthews and recruit him to help her. Unknown to Maddox, Cole Matthews aka Nikolai is her “dead fiancé,” whose family was Russian mafia. Maddox accidentally got his parents and siblings killed when she told her CIA father a secret she learned from Nikolai’s father. Nikolai has it appear that he has died breaking Maddox’s heart. Nikolai is now Cole Matthews to live a life uncomplicated by anyone. When they meet he feels the chemistry between them. He tries to ignore it, does he? Will Maddox ignore it too? The biological weapon is stolen in front of everyone at the auction. Will Maddox and Cole b able to get the biological weapon before it is used.

I enjoyed reading this fast-pace and exciting novel. The author has written a novel hat has secrets and lies in it. It kept me enthralled with its intense scenes. I hated when the book stopped. I want to know more! There are still some unknown answere as to who is a mole in the Gray Box. I can’t wait to read the next book!

She betrayed him and now she needs him. Together they need to stop a bio-terrorist within 48 hours. There are adrenaline rush thrillers out there, but it takes a delft hand to write solid layers of background, setting, description, characterization, and complex plotting so that a villain has personality and depth and a spec ops team has camaraderie and heart while, best of all, a sizzling romance pair can nearly destroy each other and nine years later stand side by side and back to back. Oh, and did I mention this was a debut novel?
Review

Every Last Breath centers around a top secret agency getting the assignment to stop the sale and use of biological weapon. Maddox heads the team and her first task is to recruit a man who has every reason to hate her and want nothing to do with the mission. She was his fiance and she betrayed him. Then, she thought he died because of what she did and she’s been an ice-cold operative who lives for her job ever since. When her in to get to the private auction for the bio-weapon involves cozying up to the man she betrayed, she knows that only the truth will do even though a web of lies is her stock in trade. Can she lead this mission and not let it get personal?

Cole finds himself agreeing to do his part to help Maddox’s team and he plans to stay angry and distant after what she did to him and his family, but she’s not that same girl who made the choice to betray him. She’s a razor sharp, confident woman who has her own anger on for him letting her think he was dead all this time. But, the personal stuff has to be stowed away because they have a job to do and he’s pretty sure that her precious agency has a mole the way the target knows more than he should. He left her once, but he’s got her six this time around.

Spies, missions, webs of lies and secrets, save the world situations, spy gadgets, and counter-spying are some abso-fab story elements that I eat up. Many times, I either like the suspense or the romance element in a story like this, but rarely are both of equal strength and integrated well. This one did. I was vested in both sides of the coin. What’s more, I totally respected the main characters, their actions in the romance and their mission, and the overall cast. I even enjoyed getting the villain’s perspective and it didn’t reduce the story’s tension one iota to have that present. The villains were worthy opponents for a group of pros like this and there is even an unnamed villain or two that are part of the series arc.

Maddox and Cole were fabulous individually and sizzled when together. Can I say just how much I appreciated having people who are written as pros at this sort of work act like it? Not, that they were too perfect to be believed. Emotions ran high and there was the need on Maddox’s part to be better than everyone else because she’s the woman and doesn’t want to be the team liability and Cole fought the urge to jump into protect mode when only back up was needed. And, they were mature about their past while still needing to work through all that never got dealt with when what they had exploded them apart.

The Gray Box agency group is a sensational nucleus of players that are perfect as the core backdrop for the series. I loved meeting all the players, getting hints at personalities and some attractions, and even that tetchy bit that one of these people is a betrayer. Can’t wait for the next installment.

All in all, my breath was stolen with this fantastic first in series and I am craving more. Romantic Suspense aficionados must grab this one in short order.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it! I’m usually not a fan of romantic suspense novels where the military man saves the woman, but this is definitely not that type of novel! Maddox lost the love of her life 9 years ago when he was killed and has since thrown herself into work involving top secret missions at Gray Box, a covert unit of the CIA. Her latest mission to stop the black market sale of weaponized smallpox requires that she and her team kidnap a Russian national named Cole to help them intercede in the sale. Cole, however, turns out to be Nikolai her fiancé she thought was dead. Unbeknownst to Maddox, he faked his death to protect her from the Russian mob even though her actions led to the death of Cole’s father. The storyline creates a level of distrust between the two that only heightens the undeniable sexual tension.

This is a new author for me and I’m so glad I grabbed this novel on a whim looking for something new! Ms. Rushdan an is an ex-military intelligence officer and her experience shines through in her work. I will say it was a bit slow in the beginning, but about 15% in I was hooked. Looking forward to reading more from this author. I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in suspense, spy thrillers, or romantic suspense. Thanks to #sourcebooks and #netgalley for the ARC of #everylastbreath in exchange for an unbiased review. Kudos to Ms. Rushdan for a exciting, fast-paced, page-turning read!

This was what I call a spy thriller! Add a bit of romance and I’m hooked! Rushdan truly kept me on the edge of suspense to the point that I was reading and missed my stop. Definitely recommend this romantic thriller and would read from this author again!

Oh wow! I never thought I would find another romantic suspense series to rival Roxanne St. Claire’s Bullet Catchers, but here it is folks! This has everything you could want - action, romance, mystery.

Maddox works for the Gray Box, an off books government organization. Tasked to stop weaponized smallpox from getting out in the world, she is shocked to discover her old love Nikolai, now Cole, is alive after nine years and the one to help them.

First in the series, we have many characters who need their own adventure and I look forward to those stories. There is a mystery that will apparently carry through the series, so fair warning. The main story and romance wrap up in this book, but one mystery remains.

A new to me author, I’m glad I took a chance and tried this book out. I have definitely found a new series for me.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

The Fast & The Furious meets Jason Bourne in “Every Last Breath.” In this debut novel, Juno Rushdan has firmly established herself as the author to watch in the mystery/thriller genre, not just romantic thrillers.

The opening chapters were explosive. Adrenaline pumping due to all the action, it was also heartbreaking as star-crossed lovers Maddox Kinkade and Cole Matthews met after almost a decade of being apart.

What followed was 24 hours of fighting for their lives, fighting their feelings for each other and then finally accepting they could try again. But they were in a mission and failure is not an option! As they set aside their love, they were faced with a life and death situation. One of them might not come out alive!

Disclosure: My favorite mystery/thriller author is the late Robert Ludlum. I’m a big fan of Jason Bourne long before Matt Damon made it a household name. The main reason why I like Ludlum is because his heroes gets hurt and actually face death. Case in point – Jason Bourne.

Juno Rushdan gives her characters the same way Ludlum did. Their styles are different and of course they come from different eras. Still, Rushdan writes with a flourish that have the same sparkle as Ludlum’s.

I can see The Final Hour series wherein “Every Last Breath” is the first book to become a movie franchise, be it on the big screen or in Netflix or Hulu, even Amazon. It has all the qualities of a blockbuster. Maddox and Cole are so alive!

In fact, all the characters beginning with their mysterious boss to the team members are three-dimensional. Even the villain, The Ghost had a background story.

I will give it 6 stars if the rating system allows it. But, it doesn’t, so 5 stars it is! “Every Last Breath” is Rated M for Mature due to violence and some sexual content.

Every Last Breath is a gritty, edgy thriller romance written by Juno Rushdan. Being a new author for me to read. I was impressed. It is a no holds barred, tell it like it probably would really happen, James Bond type story. Of course, without the savvy James Bond but with a totally get the job done female heroine. The whole bioweapon elimination makes for a compelling read but the mystery of what exactly happened years earlier between Maddox and Cole/ Nikolai is just as intriguing. These two complex characters try to keep their emotions in check. However, for the readers, the author opens them up, exposing all. But then again, Cole is a romantic son of a gun too.

The title fits this novel because there is hardly time for anyone to have time to simply exhale; not the characters nor reader. It is an edge of your seat read. It should come with a warning; don’t start if you have anything else scheduled to do. You will probably be skipping it just to keep reading. Then lastly, I was fascinated by the entire agency in which Maddox worked. I want to know more about it along with the other people who work there..

For romantic thrillers, with exciting action Every Last Breath can’t be beat. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Non-stop action keeps you on the edge throughout the book. A relationship that may be beyond repair adds another stressor within the story. Almost felt like you would miss something important if you set the book down. Exciting read.

If you like a book full of suspense, you will love this one! It is a fast paced thriller with lots of action and romance. This book has it all. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.