I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining. The characters were complex while being completely entertaining.

4.5 Stars. I didn't love this one quite as much as the first in the series, but it was still a super enjoyable read. It's has two of my favorite tropes - second chance romance and fake relationship, but I personally could've done with a little less cult stuff. I do enjoy that this case was so different from the previous book and love the Steele/Wright family dynamics. I hope that we'll get to see so much more of these characters.

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for the copy to review.

This is the 2nd book of the Steele Ops series.
Top FBI profiler Grace Steele was just a girl when she escaped the Order of the New Dawn, and she’s spent the last seventeen years trying to forget her time there. But when private security firm Steele Ops needs her help extracting a young woman from the secretive cult’s clutches, she’s all in. Even though the mission requires posing as the fiancée of the only man who’s ever broken her heart.
Grace grew up in the Order of the New Dawn and her mom is still there and mean just as ever. I felt really bad for Grace and was glad to know that she has a new family she can count on. But going back there to rescue someone was hard for her and brought back a lot of memories for her.
Reading this book brought back memories for me watching the news when a cult would be all over the place and the amount of people who die in them.
This book was well written and thanks to Forever and NetGalley for sending me an ARC.

Lately I have read more than a few books with people who have managed to escape from cults and who have managed to really make something of their lives. In Lethal Redemption by April Hunt, our female protagonist Grace Steele, now an FBI profiler, was able to escape the Order of the New Dawn when she was much younger, and has done her best to bury her troubling memories while she was there. However when the Steele Ops private security agency requests her help rescuing a woman named Sarah Brandt, she agrees, even though she knows she will be plagued by disturbing memories.

Cade Wright, who works with Steele Ops is the man that Grace will be working with in order to rescue Sarah. This could be problematic because Cade and Grace have a past, one that ended over nine years earlier. Working together just might give Cade another chance with Grace, a chance to prove to her that he has changed, that he is worthy of another chance.

Lethal Redemption is an incredibly intense book! We have at least three things going on in this book - rescuing Sarah, Grace's traumatic past with the cult, especially considering who one of the cult members were and how this still affects her today and then the growing relationship she has with Cade. These scenarios, with a mix of past and present, work remarkably well together to create an incredibly compulsive read.

I loved how Grace and Cade had to "pretend" to be a couple in order to infiltrate the cult. Their history, which at one point ended on a very bad note, combined with long-buried feelings forcing their way to the surface, added an incredible amount of tension to what was already a compelling story. The first book in this series, Deadly Obsession, was equally impressive, leaving me excited to read the next book in the series, Fatal Deception, which is currently in my TBR.

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I am excited for book 3 in this series. I really loved the first two books They were the perfect set of romantic suspense. Thank you for letting me read and review this book.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review your titles. I have chosen to DNF this title...actually, I did a while ago but wanted to wait (although I didn't intend to wait this long) to post this so it didn't impact review decision for other reviewers.

I look forward to the next title from your authors/company.

Thanks,
Laura

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: FBI profiler Grace Steele knows what it’s like to be the prisoner of a cult, she escaped the Order of the New Dawn as a child and has tried for 17 years to move past it. Then private security firm Steele Ops asks for her help extracting a young woman from that same cult and Grace can’t get there fast enough, even if it means having to work with the man who broke her heart. Cade Wright broke Grace’s heart nine years ago and he’s regretted it ever since, more so now that they’ll be pretending to be engaged in order to get into New Dawn. As they get pulled deeper and deeper into the cult, Grace’s demons resurface and Cade will have to do whatever it takes to keep her safe.






Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? April Hunt delivered an emotionally driven, action packed romance that delved into the dark world of cult culture with two likable, relatable lead characters.

Grace and Cade’s second chance romance was one that I wanted to happen. With what Grace went through as a kid shaped her but what I loved about her was that it didn’t stunt her growth as a person. She was more than capable of living and loving life. She was strong, capable, and intelligent but at the same time she had moments of vulnerability and uncertainty. I loved that she remained completely competent in her job even after she started working with Cade. I hate heroines who go “dumb” just because the object of their attraction is in close proximity.

Lethal Redemption ‘s pace started a bit slow. Introducing Grace and Cade and dipping into their pasts took a bit of time but after that the book moved along at a moderate pace and gave the two characters ample opportunity to hash out what happened between them in the past and work towards a second chance together. My only complaint is that Grace and Cade’s second chance didn’t have the amount of angst or build up that I thought it would given the circumstances. I think that there needed to be more sexual tension between them to draw out the will-they-or-won’t-they part of the romance. Other than that I thought these two deserved a second chance at love.


As for the action, suspense, and mystery of Lethal Redemption, I have no complaints. I was drawn in by the plot and the twists and turns of cult culture. I think that Cade and Grace grew more as characters because of the situation.

Click It or Skip It? Click It. Despite wishing that Grace and Cade’s relationship had more angst and tension, Lethal Redemption is a solid book by April Hunt.

The Steele Ops series is quickly becoming a favorite for me! April Hunt knows how to write romantic suspense that has me begging for more!

When I realized this book was about Grace and Cade, I could not devour it fast enough. I loved learning the bits and pieces about what happened with them through the other standalones in the series, but finally having a front row seat to all the angst, heartache, and danger... let's just say it was worth the sleepless night and extra cups of coffee in the morning.

This second chance romance is everything. I loved the bonds that tied these two together, the ones that can't seemed to be severed no matter how hard they try. I loved that Cade understood what he did wrong and refuses to let Grace slip through his fingers again. The tension between Cade and Grace is electrifying! Add in a healthy dose of meddling family members and sparks of comedy and you have yourself a 5 star read!

A fast-paced, second chance romantic suspense story that was highly entertaining. I loved Grace and Cade and really enjoyed the fake relationship aspect as well. Great read!

The first book in this series, DEADLY OBSESSION, was good, I enjoyed it. But LETHAL REDEMPTION blew me away! The suspense storyline (I’m a sucker for a cult-involved romantic suspense), the well-rounded characters, the sexual tension, the BANTER. I loved it. Brava, Ms. Hunt!

This second chance romance, romantic suspense novel follows childhood friends and former teenage sweethearts Cade and Grace. They’re racing to take down the cult Grace grew up in before they corrupt the Vice President’s daughter. Give me all this delicious forced proximity any day!

As I mentioned, there is something scary and intriguing about cults and Ms. Hunt did a great job of freaking me out, but not so much that I wanted to stop reading. Grace and Cade’s romance was well intertwined into the suspense plot, which made for a well balanced read. The mystery and the romance worked together as opposed to fighting for supremacy.

I think my favorite character in the whole book was Grace. She was a strong and independent woman who pulled herself out of a terrifying situation as a child and then willingly dove back in for the sake of her country. Her longing for Cade and heartbreak when he left added a layer of vulnerability that kept her relatable.

Overall, I’m now full invested in this series. Consider me a big time April Hunt fan! I just snatched up a bunch of her backlist books and I marked the date of her next release on my calendar. I’m ready!!

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Grace is a profiler with family law enforcement connections. Cade is her ex. When the vice president's daughter ends up willingly aligning herself with a cult and sequestering herself on their compound, Cade is tasked with working side by side with Grace to bring her home... Willing or not. Grace grew up in this particular cult but escaped with the help of family despite leaving her mother behind. Despite not wanting to work with Cade, the two end up going back in to the cult as a couple with Grace pleading for a second chance to correct her wayward ways. Not everything is as it seems in the cult, and the danger they found reaches much farther than just the vice president's daughter.

Grace and Cade make a nice couple. Both are fierce and fearless, and despite their past differences, they work well together and have good chemistry. The plot moves along fairly quickly and has plenty of action, intrigue, and interesting characters.

Net Galley provided an ARC for honest review.

Lethal Redemption is a fast-paced and thrilling second-chance romance between FBI profiler Grace Steele and security firm operative Cade Wright. I absolutely loved the chemistry between the leads -- their initial breakup was pretty messy, and truly broke Grace's heart, and so it was great seeing how they navigated having to deal with each other again. There was tension in terms of Grace being super cautious about opening her heart up to Cade again, but there was also an undeniable continuing attraction between them, and also mutual respect born from a friendship that started from childhood.


More than the romance between the leads, however, I really loved the relationships between the family members, and between Cade and the Steele family. Grace was adopted into the Steele family after escaping a cult as a young child, and so it was heartwarming to see how much she found love and belonging with her brothers. The banter between the brothers and with Cade felt natural, and I could believe they'd known each other for most of their lives.

I also loved the mystery aspect of the novel, which isn't often the case as romantic suspense for me is often touch and go. I usually find myself being more interested in one of the plot threads, and wishing there was more of it, but this was a book where I love how the mystery/thriller and the romance really meshed with each other. I also find stories about cults fascinating, particularly how a leader -- no matter how charismatic -- manages to bring so many people under their spell, and how someone can manage to break that hold on a large scale.

The cult in this novel is personal to the main characters, since it's the same one Grace escaped from when she was little, and her birth mother is still in love with and second in command to the cult leader. So that personal connection brings even more drama into the mix, and raises the stakes for Grace and Cade. I loved how the author explored Grace's psychological fallout from her experience with the cult, and how complicated it was for her to have to confront her birth mother again in such a charged situation.

Overall, this was a fun and emotionally gripping read. From the excerpt of the next book at the end, I'm definitely hooked on Roman and Isabel's upcoming story as well. I also fell in love with the character of Liam (the nerdy Steele brother) in this book, so I'm really excited for him to have a romance of his own as well.

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Thanks to Forever Romance for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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The review link below will go live on my blog on Jan 13, 2020 at 8 am.

I recieved a copy of this book for a honest review. I recognized the authors name so I accepted, thing was I didn't go onto reading the description and realized that this had a cult situation going on with it and I instantly got into doubting if I'd like this book. I had it so I figured I'd give this book a fair chance and act least decide if I liked it until the end of this book. I will have to tell you after reading this book that it is pretty good. I found myself enjoying the interesting set of characters and while there was a bit of romance between the two reuniting characters I loved that it didn't overpower the book. I thought it was interesting seeing the process of them infiltrating the cult. Then there was the whole mess of getting the vice presidents daughter and wondering what kinda conditional she may be like, she could really be brain washed or maybe even there against her own will. Then there's the wondering how and if they are caught. There was so much to keep the readers hooked from start to end and reocmmend you lovely readers to check this book out and see for yourselves why this book is worth a read.

The chemistry between Cade and Grace completely combustible...With intense drama to a marked wittiness this book will check all of your box. April Hunt really delivers you a must read book!

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

The first book in this series featured a serial killer, top of my list of hated tropes. This book has a cult as the focus, number 2 on that same list. Yet . . . I really, really liked this book, and the series as a whole is supremely crafted and structured. The series is centered around a family of former Special Operators, the Steele family, who open a security/dark ops business with a trendy brewery as a cover. The family and friends and plots are just wonderful and I can't wait for the next book.

When Grace Steele was five her father died and her mother joined a cult. Grace just wasn't cut out for the one size fits all concept and at thirteen she escaped the Order of the New Dawn, with a little help, found her father's family, who accepted her for who she was and never asked questions. She became a top FBI profiler, fell in love and had her heart broken. Now, the Vice President of the United States needs her help to rescue his daughter from that cult.

Cade Wright knew when he reenlisted and left Grace nine years age that it was the biggest mistake of his life. Being close to her family and seeing her on occasion only brought home just what a mistake he had made. When the Vice President needs Steele Ops to rescue his daughter and he needs to work closely with Grace, he can only pray that she will give them another chance.

There's a lot going on in this book, but it all comes together nicely. Alexandra Ivy has a great voice, and a great mind for suspense. I'm sometimes iffy on second-chance romances because in life I'm not a fan of breaking up and getting back together, and breaking up and getting back together ... so it tends to bleed over into literature for me. But Lethal Redemption renews my hope for forgiveness and, well, redemption. The cult storyline is fascinating because, even though the Jim Jones and Charles Manson eras predate me, any glimpse into that mindset holds my attention. I would've liked a little more depth to Cade and Grace working through their emotional development, but the suspense was spot-on.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

I think this is my favorite book in the series. I like the background information and seeing Grace struggle and come to terms with her past by facing it. I love how Cade understood what Grace was going through and supporting her and just being there. Not trying to explain things away, not pushing her but supporting her. He didn’t want to lose her to the demons.

Cade was a great character. He had his flaws and that is what draws you to him. He isn’t perfect but he is for Grace. He keeps her grounded. Grace does the same for him. Grace is the sharp tongued, strong and smart girl that Cade let go of due to fear. Their banter draws you to them and watching them grow close and let each other in again keeps you there.

The story is very intriguing. A agent who comes back to face her demons and bring down a cult while trying to get someone out and in the process she learns more than she wanted to know. She learns who her mom really is. And boy is she a piece of work.She learns to let someone from the past back in and to trust them again. To see and listen to him and see what he went through as well. Sometimes we let our pain keep up from seeing and listening and I was glad Cade got her to open up to him again.

The cult that Grace was a part of as a child is crazy. They are also more dangerous than when she was there. When her and Cade go undercover we see a cult that has gone beyond the dark side and acts more on revenge and anger. On one that finds you gaining enlightenment only by harming others and making others suffer. These two were in a situation that was dangerous but also could get them involved in a cult in ways they didn’t want to be. Grace had to ingratiate back into the flock and at times you worried for her. She is a strong person though and with Cade for support she kept her wits even as she found out truths about her mom that no one would want to face.

The romance was a slow burn and filled with great sarcastic banter and steamy times. But more than that it was a second chance romance where they had to become friends and learn to trust one another once more. That had to find their way back to one another through opening up and confiding in each other. By facing their own demons and admitting to them. And letting the other in.

a great story filled with danger, intrigue, steamy romance, friendship, family, love and loyalty.

eries, yet this is the first story in this series that I’ve read and I fell right into this world with no trouble, not feeling the least bit lost. So, I will say that I was able to read and enjoy it as a stand-alone title but will definitely go back for the first book, DEADLY OBSESSION, and will be following the series onwards.

Grace and Cade have a history, a not so great one since he walked away from her almost a decade ago. But they cannot allow that to get in the way of their mission which is to rescue the Vice President’s daughter from the clutches of the cult Order of the New Dawn – the same cult that Grace escaped from years ago. Now she’s a talented FBI profiler who is temporarily working with her brothers, and Cade on this particular case. Yet, perhaps all is not exactly as it seemed all those years ago as Cade and Grace must work together closely and those old feelings never really died. A second chance doesn’t come around for everyone, but can Grace trust him and believe him this time.

I love a fast-paced, intense Romantic Suspense and that is exactly what is delivered in LETHAL REDEMPTION. There is plenty of action, twists, turns and surprises that you’re unprepared for, and a really scary look into the workings and the collective mind of a cult. I was quickly flipping pages and completely engrossed in Grace and Cade’s story. I’d not hesitate to recommend this title to any Romantic Suspense reader who enjoys a solid story, likable, believable characters and an ‘edge of your seat’ feel to the story. I was hooked and now need the next story… soon.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This book was perfect for a romantic suspense novel. It is listed as Steele Ops book 2 but I didn’t miss anything by jumping in to this one. There was always something to look forward to and piecing together more of the puzzle. I love how strong and awesome Grace was. Nothing can stop her or get in her way. I also love how supportive Cade was. You can feel their chemistry through the book! This was a great read for those who are a fan of second chances romances and romantic suspense!

Lethal Redemption is the second book in April Hunt's Steele Ops series and it's also the first time I've read one of her novels, and this one worked just fine for me as a standalone, although it did take a bit of time before I understood the familial relationships between Grace, the heroine, and her cousins, who own and operate Steele Ops, and who took her in when she escaped from a cult at age 13, Sanctuary is the location and home to The Order of the New Dawn, a cult to which her mother brought her at age five. All I can say is, how have I not read April Hunt before now? Because this is one heck of a well-written, well-plotted, sexy, suspenseful, romantic suspense novel, and it gets 4.5 stars from this reader.

Grace Steele is one tough, strong, FBI agent, and a talented FBI criminal profiler. When the daughter of the U.S. Vice President, Pierce Brandt, is either taken in by, or voluntarily joined The Order of the New Dawn, the Vice President wants Grace to go and retrieve his daughter, already knowing that Grace was raised there, her mother is still there, and hoping that her foreknowledge of the cult will be quite an advantage in getting his daughter, Sarah, away from the cult that Grace still has nightmares about. Helping in the effort to infiltrate the Order, Grace, who was living and working in New York, heads back to Washington, D.C. and her cousins at Steele Ops, and see the one person she least expected to see, the man who broke her heart 9 years earlier, Cade Wright, when he deviated from their long-held plan to marry and raise a family, and instead, without mentioning it to or discussing it with Grace, Cade re-upped in the Army for four more years

The plan to get back inside the cult is to have Cade and Grace pose as a loving, engaged couple of likely new recruits, and faking their relationship to gain entry to Sanctuary, which is so off the grid that no one has the first clue exactly where it is located. To say that emotions run high between Cade and Grace during this process is putting it mildly, but it's clear to see that neither of them has gotten over their previous relationship, and the two still strike sparks off one another. Cade may be willing to get involved with Grace again, but she no longer trusts her heart to him, and fears getting close to him again, expecting him to walk away from her yet again when the op is over--and what an op it is.

I love a good second chance romance, and this is a very good one, but combine it with page-turning, edge of your seat danger and suspense, the discovery that the goings-on inside Sanctuary are markedly different, more frightening, and more militaristic, when compared to the cult Grace left 9 years earlier, not to mention the fact that Grace's troubled relationship with her mother, who has now risen high in the ranks of cult members and that she no longer seem to feel anything but animosity for her daughter, and this novel was virtually impossible to put down.

All in all, this was one very good read, with memorable characters, and an excellent, gritty plot. I'll be backtracking to read the first novel in this series, as well as any future novels in this series by this very talented, new-to-me, author.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.