2.5 Stars

Before anyone goes to read this book, they need to know that it is definitely a part of a series and I would recommend it not be read as a standalone. Also, while there is a "happy ending", I wouldn't necessarily call it a traditional HEA, because the overall storyline is left unresolved. I really wish it would say somewhere in the description that it should be read after finishing the other books in the series.

I have not read the other books in the series, so this is my perspective based on reading this book alone.

I would say the first quarter of the book was difficult to follow simply because it picks up right where the last one left off apparently. There was no reintroduction of characters or story lines; it very much so assumes you know what's going on and barrels forward. It was hard to follow who had what job and why, what the dynamics were between individuals, who to trust or be suspicious of, and just what the actual plot that you should be following was.

Also because of this, it was hard to judge the relationship between the two main characters. Obviously they had a history, but how well it was established in the other books isn't clear, and there was no clear description of their professional relationship either. Who was supposed to be protecting who got very muddled. Did Carmen like it when Dozer took charge or didn't she? And vice versa with how Dozer felt about her? All of their hesitations and hangups fell flat for me, and the overall storyline honestly just felt a bit forced and contrived. It just felt like we were getting a snapshot of a bigger picture, but not in a satisfying way.

However, all of that aside, the writing was really good and there was enough to keep me intrigued enough to finish the book. The pacing was solid and there was always a lot going on. Some decent witty banter as well! I also enjoyed the structure of the book and how it was set up as a timeline rather than individual perspective chapters. It made it feel different than a lot of other books I've read recently. I have a feeling I would have felt much more positive about it if I had read the previous books in the series. I'm definitely tempted to go back and read those and then come back to this one again!

If anyone takes anything away from this review, let it be that this book should not be read as a standalone, and should definitely be read in order with the other books in the series!

Julie Rowe is always a sure bet when it comes to writing edge of your seat suspense with the perfect amount of romance thrown into the mix. Her characters, along with the plot have made this series an absolute must read for me. This was yet another 5 star plus read.
Carmen Rodrigues MD heads up the CDC Outbreak task force and she's dealing with yet another mystery outbreak in Florida. Cases of measles are being reported, people are dying at alarming numbers putting Carmen and her team at the ready. Add to the mix is John Dozer, her liaison with Homeland Security who is still recovering from an attempt on his life with a delicious subplot of his history with Carmen. The banter between the two is endless, throw in a new addition a man known as Drill Sergeant and the dialogue will have your glued to the pages. DS is protective of Carmen, as is John along with the rest of the team. The known bio-terrorist group FAFO is of course suspect and Carmen is called to the site in Florida with a team, while dealing with a not only the patient population, but attempts now on her life as well as Dozer's and a traitor in the CDC. This story just spun in so many directions it was the perfect intense suspense and I love the medical aspects of the story as well.
Carmen waits while her lab gives her a definitive of what they are looking at and the possibilities of treating it meanwhile the disease is spreading to major cities. I love Carmen, she's brilliant, speaks well, does not deviate from her goal (even while dealing with her feelings for Dozer) and her ability to problem solve-except maybe with Dozer but that's a story you have to read. I'm not giving anymore details of this over the top book, read it! It does not disappoint. Julie Rowe really blew this right out of the water! And the end.......

arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review.

"Almost" his boss should be a deterrent.

This hospital needs a metal detector.

I wish I had that memory technique.

At least she had enough sense to be wary.

How old is she?

I had no idea measles was so scary.

Rawley, who died and made you God?

Burn. Damn, girl!

What's with the high-protein meals?

I don't think he is smothering her at all.

Poor Ketner. It was obvious, but it's still sad.

I wonder if there will be another book.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book from Julie Rowe. I’ve read other books by this author this one was just as good as those. I really enjoyed the story and the characters were well thought out.

When I was waiting for this ARC, I decided to read the previous book in the series. Each book can be read as a standalone since she gives enough backstory to not feel lost. I've enjoyed the medical/bioterrorism aspects of these stories. They are clearly written by someone who knows what they are talking about medically, and coming from a family of nurses, I appreciate that.

This story follows Dr. Carmen Rodrigues and John Dozer. I will say that liked Joy and Gunner's story from the previous book a little better than Carmen and John's. I think it was just because Carmen and John were in constant danger ALL THE TIME. There was just no rest for those two. So because of that, we saw them more in crisis situations rather than working together and such. However, I appreciate when men fall hard and man, does John fall hard. Since they've know each other for while, there are trust issues and miscommunications they have to get over. But in the end, it all works out. Man are they steamy ;)

Great story! I can't wait to read the previous books in this series even though this is considered a standalone novel. I didn't mind learning about the characters in a round-about way as the author did a good job of giving the back story as the suspense built in the book, but I like to follow along as the whole series progresses. By no means is it necessary to read the first story first, though.

There was plenty of action and adventure and, I hate to say it, but the premise of the story is a scary sort of a nightmare. There was enough technical and medical info without it being all about the science of what was happening with John and Carmen. I found myself making little notes about the characters as they were presented just so I could keep them straight in my mind.

It was a hard book to put down . . . long enough that I couldn't read it without real life pulling me away to do boring stuff like work, cooking and all that jazz. I received a free advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion and I'd like to say great book Julie Rowe!

In ‘Search and Destroy’, Julie Rowe amps it up with a serious but sudden outbreak of measles, the mobilisation and the rush to contain yet another outbreak. In a straight, unapologetic continuation from the previous book (those who haven’t yet started from scratch might find themselves in a bind here), there’s finally a sense that something bigger and more sinister is brewing. Bioterrorism? Political wrangling? All of the above? There’s more than what meets the eye, but it isn’t all clearly laid out just yet.

What I did find questioning though, was the forced chemistry and sex between Carmen and Dozer very early on—all of which would have been alright, except that it left Carmen alternating between being a simpering wimp when it came to Dozer’s supposed masculinity and being the strong, take-charge boss as the action wore on. Dozer’s less-than-appealing alpha behaviour in contrast, made him walk a dangerously close line to being a possessive alpha arse, and oddly enough, a side player in the bigger scheme of things.

In fact, I thought Rowe put Dozer’s and Carmen’s relationship on the backburner along with the questions that the reader typically has in favour of the action, which I found more believable than their relationship. As a result, Carmen/Dozer was a questionable pairing despite their very, very brief history 9 years ago and that their reunion suddenly sparked off Dozer's sudden need to only keep Carmen now (why not any time sooner despite all the regret?) was bewildering.

Instead, the memorable character that stood larger than life throughout the series turned out to be the Drill Sergeant whom I found hilarious but also charismatic the moment he appeared on the pages and that alone you could say, makes every book in the series worth reading.

This isn’t to say that ‘Search and Destroy’ isn’t smartly and well-written…it certainly is, even if it’s the rare book of Rowe that has gotten me a little more disappointed than excited. Rowe makes it very clear that the series has a mini arc within a larger narrative arc that will keep going for some time with the sequels to follow. Yet because of this, ‘Search and Destroy’ felt incomplete and particularly rushed with Carmen/Dozer’s relationship that went from zero to a hundred in a space of a few days, carved out in small pockets that frankly, did feel like blippy speed bumps in the otherwise pacey and thrillingly consistent storytelling.

I seriously love this series SO. MUCH. Every time I love the story, and every time I can hardly wait for the next one. This one was so great, and I loved learning more about the task force boss lady!

Dr. Carmen Rodrigues is the director of the Outbreak Task Force at the CDC in Atlanta. She is always, calm, efficient, and trying her best for her people, and for the world at large. And her best is worth quite a lot. She's brilliant, hardworking, and dependable, which is why she's running this unit at 30 years old. When she was an aid worker in Afghanistan 9 years ago, she met, and fell for, her bodyguard, John Dozer. They had one night together, but then she left, and took some bad information, and anger, with her. When he showed up in her office less than a year ago, as the CDC's liaison agent from Homeland Security, both of them were shocked, to say the least.

John Dozer retired from the military, and took a job with Homeland. He volunteered for the liaison position, but had no idea that Carmen would be his contact there. She's been acting all-business since they met again, and he's followed her lead, but he's SO tired of that garbage. He still wants her, and he thinks it's finally time to make that apparent, and clear the air between them about the past. Especially since someone keeps trying to kill him. He's worked well with the task force, and he hates being physically unfit for duty while they need him. But, he won't let Carmen go investigate a new outbreak alone without protection. All her team works in pairs, and he is her pair. He's going with her as her bodyguard only, since he's not supposed to be working the investigation.

Carmen and John's underlying attraction, led to steamy chemistry, and finally to them both divulging their truths about the past, and how they wish it happened differently. I really enjoyed their honest communication in working through their issues. But Carmen carried a lot of anger about the past, in addition to her worries that John's overprotective behavior towards her must mean he doesn't trust her to be a competent, capable adult. And if he can't trust her, then she can't trust him. Their connection was tenuous, but they worked to strengthen it, and I adored watching them attempt it, amidst all the things happening around them.

There's been a building suspense plot throughout this series of a homegrown domestic terror group inflicting harm across the U.S., via bombs, guns, and general mayhem, as well as the spread of infectious diseases in certain areas. The Outbreak Task Force has been dispatched to these areas to investigate, and has gotten caught up in it every time. I've really loved getting to know this team, and falling for them amidst the ongoing drama. The suspense plot is always smart, engaging, and keeps me coming back for more, and that was true in this story as well. It feels like every time they get closer to pinning this group down, the next bad thing will happen and they'll be back to the beginning.

Most of the side characters here were characters from prior books, so that's always fun. The Drill Sergeant is an especially hilarious and satisfying character. I really enjoy this entire team, and I loved finally digging into the boss, after meeting her only peripherally in the last few books. She and Dozer's connection has been a remarked upon mystery in the other stories, so it was awesome to finally get some answers. I really enjoyed this one and, as always, I'm SO EXCITED for the next one. I'm REALLY hoping it's going to be CDC lab tech Henry. He seems like a delicious, grumpy puzzle, and I'm anxiously awaiting his story.

Outbreak Task Force series has a real feel when it comes to the medical side of the story due to the authors background. This background bring a romance into something more intense and almost frightening.

The author takes characters who are black and white about life and creates a world that pushed them into a world of color, mystery, suspense and romance.

The romance is steamy, the story moves quickly, fast pace action and deadly viruses that could be taken from events in the news.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Entangled Publishing Amara for the advance copy of Julie Rowe Search and Destory.

We finally get to see what all sexual tension between John and Carmen has come from! One hot and steamy encounter, miscommunication, conniving sexual predators and now their weird working dynamic has stacked up against our couple but all that tension and chemistry has to go somewhere and it's about to explode!

Dozer is recovering from the injuries sustained in the previous book. Sadly I think this man has a trouble magnet and these aren't the only injuries he is going to have to suffer through. The FAFO seem determined to make him their number one target. Carmen is in charge of their unit but can she really compartmentalise her feeling when poor John keeps getting himself banged around?

Never judge a book by its cover because still waters run deep with Carmen and when the romance starts to take flight, she jumps in with both feet.

Needless to say, a certain senior citizen with the voice of a foghorn makes an appearance as the CDC factotum, he almost steals the show with his very inventive insults!

Wow, just wow! Search and Destroy, is an awesome addition to the Outbreak Task Force series. Dr. Carmen Rodrigues finally gets her own story. I loved it. My favorite parts were the banter between Dozer and DS. It was really hard to put this book down.

**I received a copy of Search and Destroy from Entangled Amara Publishing and Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions below are mine and not solicited in any way**

Search and Destroy by Julie Rowe is the fourth book in her Outbreak Task Force series and I can sum up this latest addition to the series in one sentence... "You'd better hold on honey because it's going to be a bumpy ride" Search and Destroy is one thriller that grabs hold of you from page one to the very last one and you're going to love it. With much of the country last year and this one under the Measles outbreak umbrella I can totally relate to the pathogen reeking havoc in Search and Destroy, but it's Dr. Carmen Rodriguez, John Dozer and the undeniable sarcastic snark from our beloved DS that will have you from the first page. He will also sum up the best line in the book:
“Don’t think of me as old,” DS said, his tone mild. “Think of me as skilled, experienced, and irritated.”

We find Dr. Carmen Rodrigues with a measles outbreak in Florida at an amusement park spreading like wildfire and John Dozer still recovering from the IED from the last book insisting that he go with her to set up mobile units. But when they find out from Henry where the virus came from and who possibly weaponized it so that the usual medicines don't work it will take everyone to find a cure especially when both of them become one of the infected. But we finally get to see if Carmen and John can get beyond their issues to see if their feelings can become a HEA.

John Dozer has loved Carmen since their first meeting in Afghanistan when she ran from him before they could see if if there was something more for them in the cards. But when someone tries to kill both of them which in turn stalls his healing from previous attacks even the Surgeon General won't be able to keep him from keeping her safe. But when the person started the outbreak it will take everyone at the CDC, DS, SG and John to get her well when she becomes a patient after taking on the former employee determined to kill everyone. But how deep does the betrayal go and will they find out who is helping the FAFO with their Bioterrorism attacks? How deep within the government does their reach go?

I loved this book and can't wait for the next one except when will my beloved DS get his story?

SEARCH AND DESTROY continues the story of the CDC task force as they fight against bioterrorism- and find some romance. John Dozer is in the hospital, healing from massive injuries, and his life is in danger from whatever they think he saw before the explosion. His boss, Carmen, who leads the task force, wants to keep him safe, and the best way to do that might be by having him come with her.

They are investigating a new case, potentially of measles. However, Carmen and John also have a romantic history that makes working together romantically dangerous. As the case heats up, so does their romance.

This is an action-packed romantic suspense which is great for fans of the other books in the series. It moves quickly from the start, which makes it helpful to have read the previous books so you know what is happening and who everyone is. The romance is equally as big a part of the book as the case. I found this couple a little hard to get into- surly and slow to reveal details to make you like them together. For me, I didn't get the same chemistry that lit up the pages of the past books, but this one does have a place for people who like a bit of push-and-pull and emotionally-laden history in their couples.

The CDC cases are fantastic- I could really get into that plot and wanting to know more. It definitely keeps the pages turning! Recommend for anyone looking for a different type of procedural mystery/suspense with a heavy dose of romance. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Search and Destroy is fast-paced, gripping, scary, and authentic. Hold on to your seats as people get shot at, blown up, threatened, and targeted, and the body count rises at an alarming rate.
I'm a big fan of Ms Rowe's bio-terrorism stories as they are both insanely suspenseful and incredibly realistic. It's shocking how frightening the scenarios outlined in her stories are because this shiz could totally happen, and it's not all that hard to make a reality. On top of that, the stories get the adrenalin pumping as danger stalks the characters as they race against time to save countless lives at risk of being easily infected with deadly infectious diseases and adding to the high death toll. Ms Rowe certainly doesn't pull any punches as she writes these fictional (thank goodness!), what-if scenarios that seem all to possible.
John Dozer and Carmen are not easy people to figure out, and they have a past that ties them together in more ways than one. It takes monumental effort on both their parts to get beyond what happened to them to begin to forge a future for themselves as a couple.
Carmen is prickly. That's the best way to describe her. She's been hurt in the past by John and because she was young, she ran instead of dealing with it as an adult and communicating. Each time I read about her reacting to John as though it was nine years ago, I flinch. So many years wasted because of a stupid misunderstanding and the lack of communication. This sort of thing pisses me the heck off. It's a cop out but I also understand why Ms Rowe did it. Carmen was very young. She needed time to grow up and come into her own and become the strong woman she today, capable of being the Head of Infectious Diseases at the CDC. In their nine years apart, she's grown into a confident, competent woman, a decisive leader, and a compassionate woman, dedicated to the people she serves. That said, I had a hard time warming to her because she was reluctant to let John explain himself, unwilling to forgive, and held a grudge. She held all of their past against John and used it as an excuse to push him away. It takes extreme circumstances and a long time for her to finally realise what a waste of energy and effort her unbending stance was.
John, on the other hand, is a neanderthal. He's dominating and protective, and there's nothing he won't do for Carmen. He's utterly dedicated and devoted to her and he will put himself in danger every time to protect her. He has a hard time trusting she can take care of herself because he's so focused on being the one in the line of fire and keeping Carmen safe. I loved his single-minded focus on her well-being but I can also understand Carmen's frustration. It's hard to be independent when your man wants to wrap you in protective cotton wool. Still, I loved that John made an effort to explain himself, make amends, and get beyond their past. It bothered me that with John continuously putting himself in the emotional hot seat to work things out, Carmen kept shutting him out. Granted, they were also dealing with a national crisis at the time, but they had a few quiet moments to themselves too.
I love Ms Rowe's bio-terrorism stories but crikey, they scare the heck out of me. I keep reading them though. I really want the bad guys caught because for goodness' sakes, they are destructive mofos. They do make a fantastic read though so if you haven't read any of her books, I highly recommend them.

Yet another intense story from this author that had me absolutely glued to my kindle ! As this particular story begins John Dozer is still in hospital recovering from his recent injuries when a would be assassin working for a terrorist group tries to kill him and John isn't exactly sure why or what they think he knows. Carmen doesn't care why John is a target but she is sure that if he can't or won't protect himself than the best thing is to keep him by her side. Yes they have history but it's a complicated mess.
You would think tip toeing around their feelings would be angst enough but no this author continues this series with an even more deadly disease on the loose and its clear Carmen has her work cut out trying to prevent wide spread death and mayhem. The trouble is this epidemic and it's origin are very close to home with terrorists seemingly getting the upper hand. Carmen and John are up against the clock and still have to work through their past but when lives are on the line it's time to simply try to live !
I never know what to expect and can truthfully say this story was absolutely gripping. Bio terrorism is a new enemy to me and I thought the author did an amazing job of making the reader feel just how pervasive and intense it would be. I did like the couple but question their steamy romance or if precise it was the timing initially that surprised me.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Carmen is director of the CDC Outbreak Task Force Team. A pathogen has been released and they race against the clock to find out what it is, who sent it, and a vaccine for it. Nine years ago Carmen was fresh out of medical school and working in Afghanistan when she meet John. They fell for each other but she finds out that John lied to her and she takes off. Now John is the liaison with the CDC and Homeland Security but was shot. As the outbreak grows larger, they must travel to Florida where it started. But someone is leaking information about Carmen and John and several attempts have been made on their lives. They know someone in CDC is the mole but will they be able to find them in time?
Never read a book by this author before but I could not put it down. It’s a little scary thinking this could actually happen. Sex, action, and mystery.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *

Loved it, loved it. This book is about a CDC doctor named Carmen and a homeland security agent named Dozer. How a terrorist organization is trying to kill them and how an outbreak of a dangerous disease might end a love that’s is just getting restarted. If you like medical/military type romances this is the book for you. It’s so good I went back and bought the 1st three books of this series.

I read this book as an arc from NetGalley. I gave it 5 stars

And the mayhem continues in this 4th part of Outbreak Task Force series. John Dozer hasnt even recovered from his injuries from a bomb in the 3rd book when he's thrown in the middle of another outbreak – this time deadly strain of the measles.

This series really needs to be read in order as its one long plot continuation from book to book – yes the couples are different and a new virus/pathogen is unleashed in each book – but the over all plot is continued through each book. Each story has you on the edge of your seat from all the suspense, deadly infectious diseases, and sizzlin romance. 

One of the things that makes this series so fascinating to me is that even though its fiction its liberally sprinkled with real life situations. An out of control measles outbreak is no so far fetched in the USA.


Search and Destroy finally gives us CDC Director Dr. Carmen Rodrigues and Homeland Security agent John Dozer's story. These two have a history going back nine years when they both were in Afghanistan. That didn't end well but while trying to stop the latest outbreak triggered by domestic bio-terrorists they work through their past issues.

Loved this book! This is the fourth book in the Outbreak Task Force series and is just as good, if not better, then the prior books in the series. This novel focuses on Carmen and John's story as they investigate a horrific illness that is rapidly killing people and seems resistant to everything they try. Carmen is the CDC physician tasked with leading the investigation and John is the Homeland Security agent tasked to protecting her.

This is fast paced romantic suspense at its best. If you enjoy the genre, you will love this book. This is a stand alone novel, however, it's so good that you really owe it to yourself to read them all. The author is on my must read authors' list and I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

What’s not to like about a romantic thriller with a bit of a Sci-Fi twist? Theoretically, it should be a blue ribbon winner but sometimes the recipe results don’t match up to the description, which was pretty much the case with “Search and Destroy” by Julie Rowe. The plot premise of a possible pandemic of a new and virulent strain of measles is reasonably believable and definitely stirred my interest. The male and female protagonists are each strong characters in their own right, with enough weaknesses and imperfections to let them be more than cutouts. And while the writing is syntactically correct, throughout the first 10 - 12 chapters, it was devoid of any real emotion and I was sorely tempted to DNF it all the way up to about chapter 16. The problem was short, choppy sentences with little to no continuity between dialogue and actions of the speakers and the action scenes were lacking in detail and authenticity. Emotions were alluded to, and even described, but I couldn’t get caught up in it. Instead I felt like a disinterested observer. The good news is, once the action got into high gear, the pace picked up and I was able to engage with the story and the characters.

While this book is advertised as a standalone, it IS part of a series and as such, the conclusion leaves lots of dangling loose ends to whet the appetites of those who’re yearning for more of John Dozer and Dr. Carmen Rodrigues, Director of the CDC Outbreak Task Force. My preferred rating would be three and a half stars but since Net Galley doesn’t give us that option, I’ll round it up to four stars.

My thanks to Net Galley for providing an ARC (Advance Reader’s Copy) in ebook format. “Search and Destroy” is scheduled for publication on 26 August 2019 by Entangled Publishing LLC. While it is advertised as a Romance, in my opinion it is more of a Romantic Thriller.
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