I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Every Last Breath is the first book in the brand new Final Hour series and this title was really enjoyable. I can’t wait to read this authors future titles.

On a retrieval mission, Maddox is shocked to discover that Cole,the man that she loved nine years ago, is still alive. Now Cole is the key to information that can stop a pandemic. Both Maddox and Cole have feelings of betrayal, but they need to work together to stop the release of the virus. This is the start of a very suspenseful book. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This book is an intense romantic thriller that you don't want to miss. I really liked this book and didn't want to put it down. The action is almost non-stop. I recommend this book.

Shades of Tom Clancy and John le Carre, this book has everything a reader could want out of a spy thriller. The action starts at the very beginning and doesn’t let up until the last pages. There are chases, twists, the evilest of bad guys, a global threat, and a rekindled romance. Honestly, this was a page turner that I could not read fast enough. I love a book that makes me feel like I’m watching a movie, and this one definitely fit the bill. Visit my blog at www.firefliesandfreekicks.com for a more detailed review, but trust me, this is one exciting novel, and I hope to read more by this author. This review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC provided by NetGalley.

Juno Rushdan is a new author, and since I love romantic suspense, I had to give Every Last Breath a try. Especially since she’s a former Air Force active duty member. As the wife of a retired Air Force airman, I try really hard to support fellow military spouses and active duty members that write novels. At least romance novels. (Other genres just don’t interest me, I’m sorry to say.) So I thought I’d give this new author a try. And let me tell you...I’m now anxiously awaiting the next 2 books in this series! There were parts of the plot that got a little confusing, but in the end, it was just a really good read!

Romantic suspense is my great love. The deeper the intrigue and the more twists and turns, the more I love the story. And this one had them all in spades. It’s a longer novel, but it was very fast-paced, and I found myself up way too late because I could NOT put this sucker down. For lovers of contemporary romantic suspense, you’re going to love this book. It’s also a second chance romance, and that’s also one of my favorite tropes.

Now...I’m not so patiently waiting on book two!

NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan 4.5 stars!

First time read for this author. The story exploded out of the gate and kept my interest until the end. The characters were well-developed and the storyline immensely believable. Will definitely be looking for other novels by this author.

Maddox works for a special government unit and is just a capable of holding her own as the guys. When her unit gets wind of a plot of a lethal bioweapon, her unit is sent to stop this from happening. When Maddox is sent to meet a man to get help from him preventing this disaster, she had no idea whe would be coming face to face with the love of her life, who was presumed dead, Cole. The story is not only about stoping the bioweapon but it was also about how Maddox and Cole now have a second chance...will they make it work? I couldn't read this fast enough--there was suspense, passionate and redemptive. I'd never heard of this author before but look forward to more books--this was book one of the Final Hour series. I highly recommend!!! Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me in the best way possible. I loved the suspenseful spy thriller atmosphere with some romance thrown in - the combination was perfect. I NEED MORE!!

Content warnings: [late miscarriage (not in book but character recollects it), discussion of past episode of depression and suicidal ideation, description of woman and child killed in a bombing (hide spoiler)]

This is simultaneously an angsty second chance romance and a fast-paced thriller, and, oh boy, did that work for me!

“Why?” After all this time of playing dead and pretending she didn’t exist—­nine years of not giving two shits about her. “What do you want in return?”
He cupped her neck with a familiar and fierce tenderness, bringing their bodies flush, their gazes clashing. A quiver danced in her chest and waltzed to her thighs. For one insane and reckless moment, she thought he’d kiss her. Even more insane and reckless, she hoped he would.
“I want closure. To be free of you.”


Nine years ago, Maddox betrayed the love of her life, resulting in his death and eventually leading to her job as an operative at a government agency so secret that even its name is classified – or so she thinks. On the heels of a failed mission, she’s ordered to collect an asset that can help them gain access to an auction of a bioweapon. Problem is – that asset just happens to be Cole, the man Maddox still loves. Cole is just as surprised to see her, and is still hurting from her betrayal. Forced together by this mission, can they put aside their hurts – and still electric attraction – long enough to stop the terrorists from releasing a bioweapon?

“Cole,” she said, lowering her voice, “this thing between us is a distraction. You’ve no idea how hard I work to measure up. I’ve sacrificed, suffered, bled to be here. I’m good at what I do, but out there, I need to be objective. Not emotional.” An operative. Not a woman. “You have to back off.”
If she wasn’t a good operative, she was nothing.”


I loved Maddox, and I loved how well Cole fit with her. They both had such complicated backgrounds. Maddox grew up around the world as he dad worked for a state department – or so she thought. Cole grew up as the son of Russian mobsters (and his brother still carries that on), and as his family was constantly harassed by the feds, he takes a dim view of them now. Seeing the woman he still loves deeply embedded in that environment is a shock and almost an additional betrayal to him. While Cole lays the blame for his father’s death at her feet, Maddox blames him for letting her believe he was dead. Both of them are scarred – emotionally and physically – from previous events, but once the lines of communication are open, they’re able to start working through their resentments and mistakes. At times, Cole got a bit overprotective, but he also accepted that Maddox was a badass secret government agent in her own right. Cole found his own way of dealing with the results of Maddox’s mistake, but Maddox suffered, too, and basically poured all her pain into being the best operative possible, and she isn’t willing to let anything district her from that – even Cole. I also liked that he was the one to pursue rekindling their relationship, because I generally agreed with Maddox that he more more in the wrong than her. Both of them alternately blew hot and cold on the relationship, and while that’s normally an annoyance for me, in this case I felt like there was so many issues between them that it would be unrealistic for them not to have conflicting emotions.

I loved meeting the other characters on her team, including her brother, Castle, but there was a lot of obvious setup of other couples for later in the series. It was a little too overt and heavy handed and took away from learning more about each character individually. I thought the identity of the mole was pretty obvious, but I’m still very interested in what happens next in terms of the thriller plot. And I think that was definitely one of the best parts of the book – the romance is layered in with a very compelling thriller plot, and I felt like both were given equal attention and played well off each other. I’m not a terribly big fan of romantic suspense, especially not this government spy/terrorist type, but I had a hard time putting this down. I also normally don’t like reading the POV from the bad guy’s point of view, but I found it very well done and almost sympathetic. I was also relieved that, partially because of the bad guy’s particular ethos, even when the heroine is under attack by the bad guy, there’s no hint of sexual assault. It seems that that’s a common way for a bad guy to threaten a heroine, and I thought what the bad guy did in this case was much more chilling.

Overall, I enjoyed this much more than I expected, and I’m very grateful that Stefani from Sourcebooks recommended this book. I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series. If you love angsty second chance romances, I’d recommend this to you even if you’re not usually a fan of thrillers. And if you're a fan of thrillers, you are absolutely going to love this!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

EVERY LAST BREATH by Juno Rushdan is book One in the Final Hour Series. This is the story of Cole Matthews and Maddox Kinkade.
Maddox is a tough women who is a part of the black ops unit. Maddox thought Cole was dead which broker her heart because she loved him and she has grieved for years over him. But now she learns that he isn't dead and he thinks she might have been a part of the betrayal that was done to him. Of course their feelings and attraction is going on full force, but can they get past their feelings where both felt they were wronged? There is evil nemesis who is lurking in the shadows that adds to the drama of this story. I really enjoyed this second chance at love and the page turning story line. Hope to read more from this author.

Maddox Kincade is an Agent at a totally secret agency in the US called the Gray Box. The Gray Box is made up of ex-military, special ops, Navy Seals and genius IntelliGence analysts. Maddox has been assigned to retrieve and recruit Cole Matthews. Cole Matthews presence was needed to be able to access an auction for a biochemical bomb. If this bomb is purchased by another country, this could be devastating for the world at large. There’s just one problem, when Maddox confronted this Cole Matthews, she realized that he was her missing fiancé, whom she had been told was killed. Cole Matthews last name used to be Resnikov. The Resnikov family was fueled by the Russian Mafia. Cole changed his name to distance himself from the family name and the entanglement of the Russian Mob. Now Cole Matthews is working for an elite security company called Rubicon, Inc. Can you imagine Maddox’s reaction, she. She finds out that her fiancé is still alive, especially after she suffered from his death for 9 years? There is an assassin, Aleksander and his son, who are working towards attaining the biochemical bomb. What will happen between Maddox and Cole? Will they work together to prevent the biochemical weapon from falling into the wrong hands? Will they capture their life together, once again, or will the torment from the past keep them from their future together? This book was a fast paced book with never ending drama, intrigue and mystery. The plot was definitely well thought out and keeps the reader completely engaged in the book. The character development was very realistic and the reader could relate to all the different personalities. I thoroughly enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to the next one.

This is just the type of thriller I regularly seek out but rarely find It was faced paced, gripping, and the concept was downright scary. Add into the mix an indomitable female who’s come back fighting after seemingly losing the love of her life, and the story becomes even more rewarding.

Maddox Kinkade is an Agent for Gray Box, an organisation tasked with handling impossible situations and hunting down terrorists worldwide. When reports reach Gray Box of an auction for weaponized smallpox, the team are immediately put on high alert and know they must do everything they can to get in on the auction. However, when Maddox learns that Ilya Reznikov is one of the invited auction attendees, she is forced to face past memories she had wished never to revisit. Having been in love with Ilya’s brother, Nikolai, and lost him without warning, Maddox knows that this particular mission is going to test her in more ways than one.

Gray Box’s first job is to retrieve and recruit someone with close ties to the Reznikov family, Cole Matthews. With the Russians also looking for Cole, Maddox’s team must act fast but she is stunned when she comes face to face Cole and has to relive a memory which almost killed her. Cole is equally surprised to see Maddox, especially when he realises she is now an Agent but agrees to help her with her mission. With Cole on-side, Maddox and her team start their mission to find out who exactly wants the enhanced smallpox virus and why.

The story is not without violence, as expected, but there is also a struggling romance trying to be released from its heartbreaking and emotional tethers. With time, Maddox and Cole find themselves falling for each other and yet the more Cole pushes the more Maddox tries to resist him, fearful of her emotional fragility.

When the mission and story reach its conclusion, it leaves readers with more questions than answers, especially as the story ends of a cliff-hanger. Will this be the end of the Ghost, who is Cobalt and who is the high-profile, well-informed Broker who is behind the sale of the smallpox weapon.

I really did love this story and it kept me engrossed despite its length. The writing was strong and realistic, the mystery tantalizing and the romance volatile and endearing. For fans of romantic suspense/thrillers, this book will keep you highly entertained, page after page.

This is a great story with lots of action and romance. Maddox is a top-secret operative working for an agency that isn’t supposed to exist. A bio-weapon is being auctioned off to select criminal arms dealers. She must enlist the aid of the former love of her life whom she had presumed dead for the past nine years. There are a lot of hard feelings between the two of them but they must work together to stop a terrorist. They must find the device before it is detonated, killing masses of people. For the most part,I really enjoyed this book, there is non-stop action and plenty of intrigue. There was clearly a cliffhanger at the end and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. That being said, even though the author is a great storyteller, her addition of too many descriptive metaphors and similes took away from the flow of the story and were often unnecessary.. Some editing would make this a much more enjoyable book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I've read a lot of Romantic-Suspense authors and Juno Rushdan is truly unique. She writes a wonderful plot, hot as hades romance and seat of your pants action scenes. As a first book - I'm speechless. The hero and heroine are flawed people who grow and overcome a lot in the book. The supporting characters are just fantastic too. This is the start of a series and I can't wait to find out what happens to these people.

Maddox Kinkade is an Officer with the Gray Box, an ultra secret government outfit tasked with saving the world, this time from a lethal smallpox bioweapon. Maddox and her team are sent to acquire an asset, Cole Matthews, who can get them into the auction for the weapon. When they take Cole away from the Russians, Maddox comes face to face with a face from her past - the love of her life who she thought has been dead for nine years. That is enough to throw anyone off their Secret Agent game, but working with him - that is just dangerous to her heart.

All Cole Matthews thought about when he saw Maddox was how her betrayal hurt . . . and how beautiful she is. Helping her is going to be the real death of him. He has a really hard time reconciling the sweet girl he knew with the lethal agent he is now working with. Like it or not, she is stuck with him and he is going to protect her no matter what. 4 1/2-Stars

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca publishing for providing me with a free Kindle edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After nine agonizing years of believing the love of her life died because of her mistake, badass Grey Box officer Maddox Kinkade gets the shock of her life when the “asset” she has been sent to make contact with is none other than her former lover living under a new identity. Both Maddox and Cole struggle to face each other’s acts of betrayal as they must work toward their common goal of preventing a highly potent form of weaponized smallpox from selling on the black market to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, a father and son assassin team is picking off targets and we will soon discover how it’s all related…

I could not put this book down. Not only is Juno Rushdan an eloquent writer, but her ability to balance both the action and the inner turmoil of both Maddox and Cole was incredible. There was not a break in the pace of the novel when the former lovers struggled with their inner feelings for each other. I am eager for the release of the second novel in this series!

#netgalley #everylastbreath

‘Loving him hurt, but the pain was a skinned knee compared to the agony of losing him.’

When we were asked if we’d like to read Every Last Breath, the book in the Final Hour Series by Juno Rushdan, we immediately said yes after reading the synopsis. Talk about a heart-stopping introduction! If you’re in the mood for action-packed romantic suspense with tangible sexual chemistry, duplicity, and a whodunit that will keep you guessing, check out Every Last Breath! Explosive with an abundance of swoony second chance romance and a bit of enemies to lovers thrown in for good measure, what an accomplished and clever debut novel this was from Juno Rushdan.

‘Loving her had been the greatest danger. The biggest damn mistake.’

Every Last Breath is told in the pov of Cole Matthews, a man presumed dead, his ex-girlfriend, Maddox Kinkade, an operative for a top-secret special op, and Alexander Van Helden, an enemy who is hellbent on vengeance and retribution with zero sympathies for anyone who stands in his way, and each voice adds an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.

Cole’s reappearance in Maddie’s life knocks her for six. After all, she’s grieved the death of the love of her life for the past nine years. Maddox is in shock; Cole is full of animosity believing he was betrayed all those years ago. But what really happened all those years ago when it all went wrong? One thing is for sure, they have a lot of unresolved anger towards each other, but their feelings haven’t abated, and their sizzling magnetic chemistry is explosive!

“I’ve got you.”
“No. You don’t.”
“You let me go. You let me grieve. You let me fall.’

Maddox’s Special Ops team, Gray Box, needs Cole to help them stop the release of a deadly disease, but can Maddox and Cole put their past behind them and work together and get the job done?

“Who in the hell are you, Maddox? What’ve you become?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”

Although they’re wary of one another, Cole’s instincts scream to protect Maddox at all costs, a hard thing to do when Maddie is intent on putting herself in danger at every opportunity. This lady doesn’t shy from doing what needs to be done, and they’re both a force to be reckoned with.

‘Nine years ago, he’d been deadly. Today, he looked sixty-nine shades of lethal.’

We loved the adventure Juno Rushdan took us and buckled in as Cole and Maddox set about saving the world from a crazed, vindictive and dangerous hitman, all whilst dealing with their hearts in the process. The story will conclude Nothing To Fear, coming this August and we can’t wait!.

‘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.’

We really enjoyed impressive debut, and although there were times it felt a little repetitive, we’re chomping at the bit and eager to get stuck into the next book as we follow Maddox and Cole’s passionate and thrilling journey. The story continues……

‘Loving him hurt, but the pain was a skinned knee compared to the agony of losing him.’

When we were asked if we’d like to read Every Last Breath, the book in the Final Hour Series by Juno Rushdan, we immediately said yes after reading the synopsis. Talk about a heart-stopping introduction! If you’re in the mood for action-packed romantic suspense with tangible sexual chemistry, duplicity, and a whodunit that will keep you guessing, check out Every Last Breath! Explosive with an abundance of swoony second chance romance and a bit of enemies to lovers thrown in for good measure, what an accomplished and clever debut novel this was from Juno Rushdan.

‘Loving her had been the greatest danger. The biggest damn mistake.’

Every Last Breath is told in the pov of Cole Matthews, a man presumed dead, his ex-girlfriend, Maddox Kinkade, an operative for a top-secret special op, and Alexander Van Helden, an enemy who is hellbent on vengeance and retribution with zero sympathies for anyone who stands in his way, and each voice adds an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.

Cole’s reappearance in Maddie’s life knocks her for six. After all, she’s grieved the death of the love of her life for the past nine years. Maddox is in shock; Cole is full of animosity believing he was betrayed all those years ago. But what really happened all those years ago when it all went wrong? One thing is for sure, they have a lot of unresolved anger towards each other, but their feelings haven’t abated, and their sizzling magnetic chemistry is explosive!

“I’ve got you.”
“No. You don’t.”
“You let me go. You let me grieve. You let me fall.’

Maddox’s Special Ops team, Gray Box, needs Cole to help them stop the release of a deadly disease, but can Maddox and Cole put their past behind them and work together and get the job done?

“Who in the hell are you, Maddox? What’ve you become?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”

Although they’re wary of one another, Cole’s instincts scream to protect Maddox at all costs, a hard thing to do when Maddie is intent on putting herself in danger at every opportunity. This lady doesn’t shy from doing what needs to be done, and they’re both a force to be reckoned with.

‘Nine years ago, he’d been deadly. Today, he looked sixty-nine shades of lethal.’

We loved the adventure Juno Rushdan took us and buckled in as Cole and Maddox set about saving the world from a crazed, vindictive and dangerous hitman, all whilst dealing with their hearts in the process. The story will conclude Nothing To Fear, coming this August and we can’t wait!.

‘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.’

We really enjoyed impressive debut, and although there were times it felt a little repetitive, we’re chomping at the bit and eager to get stuck into the next book as we follow Maddox and Cole’s passionate and thrilling journey. The story continues……

Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan

Romantic suspense. Non stop action.
The bad guys were always one step ahead. A bit of a cliffhanger with one big thread left hanging which obviously makes this the beginning of a series.
By the end, I was breathless.

The heroine, OMG, she’s a kick butt fighter. As a government operative, she needs to be tough. And she definitely has the skills.
The hero is just as strong, and I liked their chemistry together but his past is a bit glossed over.

“She wore her bossy pants well but he didn’t take orders.”

I will look for future books by this author. It was an exciting read.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I intend to buy a copy as well to share.

A sexy, fast-paced action and suspense thriller…

This is the first book in the Final Hour series that can be read as a standalone.

Nine years ago Maddox Kinkade, daughter of a man who worked for the CIA, chose to follow in her father’s footsteps after her life imploded, she’d lost the future she was looking forward to upon the death of the man she loved by a mistake she’d made. Now she works for Gray Box, an off-the-books clandestine team. Intelligence received alerted the group to a bioweapon being sold through a black market auction and Maddox is tasked with turning a man, identified as having the needed contacts to obtain an invitation to the sale, into an asset. She wasn’t told who the man really was and the shock when she learns his true identity is soon accompanied by rage.

Living under an alias, Cole Matthews, son of a family involved with the Russian mafia whose father brought his family to America with the intention of going legit, lost his family nine years ago with the exception of his brother due to betrayal by the woman he’d loved. On a forced vacation from Rubicon Security, he finds himself the subject of attention from not just the Russians but said woman who wants his assistance. The two brothers chose different paths, Cole ran away from his past, his brother delved into it and has the invitation to the black market auction that Gray Box requires. Should Cole help them?

Maddox had thought Nikolai Reznikov dead and learning he was alive brought back emotional pain she’d thought buried deep, now he’s the needed asset and she’s angry he let her think he was dead. She can hold her own as an operative but at times feels vulnerable and this mission will take everything she has. Still angered at her betrayal Cole can’t deny the emotions he still feels for this woman and he’s not a monster, the mission will save lives. But can they survive each other and stop a madman?

This was a sexy, fast-paced action and suspense thriller that opens with a bang and doesn’t let you go. It’s a second chance romance with some enemies to lovers thrown in, their anger was palpable as was the attraction that had never died. Nine years apart and one thinking the other was dead didn’t destroy their love. The protagonists had much baggage to work through but the kind of connection they had was worth it. Nothing was a given, they had to battle it out while completing a mission and it was an intense and incendiary process that made for an interesting story. This was the first time reading this author and I was impressed, this lover of romantic suspense was quite satisfied with the intricacy of the storyline, the level of intrigue, the surprising twists and turns, the depth of the characters and the intense emotions. I look forward to the next book in this series.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Great Book. The story didn't lag and kept my interest the entire book. I hope that this becomes a series of books. I love books where there is a strong female lead that also is a real women with real issues.

HOLY WILD RIDE! Every Last Breath might be Juno Rushdan's first step into romantic suspense but it did not show at all. This spy games romance was dangerous and never took its foot off the gas. The opening alone gave me the big eyes and had me questioning exactly what I had gotten myself into.

There was something about Maddox that made me root for her. Maybe it was her being a woman in a mans world. Maybe it was the way she wore her bravery on her sleeve. Maybe it was her broken heart that still beat for Cole. And when it turns out Cole isn't dead, just hiding in plain sight, and very much a vital part of stopping a disaster, it was Maddox who was called upon to get his help.

These two had a lot of issues to work through. The fallout of their relationship being the biggest one (besides Cole being alive). With tensions high and the threat of catastrophe looming, they had to put their feelings on the back burner to get the job done. Except it wasn't that easy for the old lovers. Because despite the betrayal, lies and deception, that flame still burned bright. And when Maddox is put in the crosshairs of a madman, it was Cole who couldn't keep a level head.

I found the mystery and danger of Every Last Breath spot on. The romance, however, was a bit lacking. It was obvious they cared for each other, even if a lot of it was animosity at first. I just wanted to feel more of the emotional connection between Maddox and Cole because their sexual chemistry was off the charts.

I will say that Juno Rushdan did a good job of setting up this series. The cast of characters that surround Maddox were pretty great and only added to the depth of the story. And that ending- holy smokes! I have my guess, but honestly no clue and am looking forward to see that part of the story continue in the series.