This is an incredibly difficult book for me to review. It has an interesting plot, quality characters - especially the strong females, a good storyline, and several twists and turns. The author builds tension throughout the story with several exciting scenes. He takes us from Jericho to New York, involves the Israeli Army, the Palestinian Forces, trading on Wall Street, and drug dealers. However, and this is where my difficulty comes in, he interrupts the tension with backstory. Several times I put the story down vowing not to finish. If I hadn't agreed to review it, I wouldn't have finished. For example, he provides a good beginning hook with, "The day it all happened..." Then it takes ten chapters to find out what "it" was. Sometimes I felt he was adding backstory only to lengthen the book.

Once again, the plot and characters are interesting there is just too much interruption of action with backstory.

This is a great book and, again, thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to an author I might not have read. Black Tequila takes the reader from the Israeli/Palestinian conflict to New York in lightening speed. A young, beautiful Palestinian woman, raised in a sheltered Islamic home, has a horrific experience at the hands of an Israeli solder setting off a calamity of a series of events. Leaving her homeland, she finds herself in New York, the recipient of help and a situation as equally joyous as the horror of what drove her to leave Palestine. Just wishing to live her new life in New York, meeting new friends and learning a culture totally foreign to her becomes impossible as those previous events begin to catch up to her. Intermingled with other mysterious plot lines, this is a story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

A very interesting story that takes us all over the globe and back again. Very realistic characters - very good tale filled with intrigue and romance, politics and money. Will definitely read more by this author.

This is the first book by J.D. Bernal that I’ve read. I was given a copy for my honest review. The story is great! Engaging, fast paced and entertaining. I just wish Bernal had a good editor. When I started the story I actually went back and checked to see who published it because it didn’t seem like it could be the finished work. There were several typos and occasionally it just didn't flow well. In fact, it is basically two separate stories that almost merged together but not quite. I did enjoy the stories and read it til the end. There were some great characters, story twists and surprises. I’m having a hard time deciding between 3 and 4 stars. Please J.D. Bernal, get a great editing team to help with those issues and I’ll promise to read whatever comes next! The novel just needs some fine tuning.

This book sounded really interesting, as it sounded like others I've read and enjoyed. However, I struggled with this one. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, and I didn't get pulled into the story as I'd hoped/expected.

Free ARC from NET GALLEY

Reminded me a bit of a young Jeffery Archer novel

Some will not like because you have to pay attention but if you do it pays off with a rich cast of characters and a story with detailed location and desperate lives and decisions. I liked it

Black Tequila was almost two books in one. The suspense with Rsnia, Abdul, and David Ackerman in Israel is spellbinding and then the scene changes suddenly to hedge funds In New York and suspense there. However, it is all tied together neatly by J. D. Bernal to bring an exciting novel to a conclusion

Starting with military operation near Jericho after suicide bombing in Jerusalem, which has terrible consequences for an innocent Palestinian girl from an American mother, the book moves to Wall Street and tales on insider trading. Great characters from the West Pointer who moves from Wall Street to the Israeli army, and then back to the US as a PI, to the CNN reporters and others. Lots of red herrings, and a truly sadistic cartel killer play in this as well, but who hired him is they key plot point that is only resolved at the end. Great descriptions of the high flying trader set in NY, and the travails of being in Jericho as a poor Arab female. An excellent read.

Love this book. Wouldn’t put it down. From Jericho to Wall Street, from fighting a war to insider trading to a serial killer, this book has it all. So many interesting characters, interweaving into this wonderful storyline. I did receive an unedited copy with grammar mistakes and misspelling. ,but to me it took nothing away from this story. I can see this book being made into a tv series or a major motion picture.

I really tried to get into this book. The premise sounded interesting and I was intrigued by the description of the main character. Once I started reading however, I found the writing rather simplistic and the characters one dimensional. I got through the first hundred pages and finally called it quits. The book had possibilities but just didn’t appeal to me.

I enjoyed this book. At times the story seemed to move too abruptly but overall I enjoyed the story.

Review of eBook

Raina Abdullah, a young Palestinian woman, leads a quiet existence until the death of the young man she loves shatters her life. As she tries to make some sense of things, finds herself on a collision course with an AWOL soldier and a horrific attack that leaves her badly injured.

Half a world away in New York City, Max Bogart, working as a trader, follows the fluctuating stock exchange. And when the most powerful banker on Wall Street makes him an offer, Max sees his career skyrocketing. But nothing can prepare him for what lies ahead . . . .

The intriguing, suspenseful story, with its focus on political and financial events, weaves several plotlines together to create an imaginative tale. However, the narrative suffers in its presentation with long sections of expository prose that short-circuit both the action and the suspense. In addition, procedural errors such as having Heather examine Max’s hard drive instead of a clone of the hard drive, tend to pull readers out of the story.

As the unfolding story pulls most of the plot threads together, readers will find unexpected interconnections keep the pages turning and the astounding twist at the end is a humdinger. However, the story ends without providing an explanation for Abdul Sid Alam’s stupefying actions after risking his life for the woman and child. This feels like a massive disconnect and is certain to be particularly disappointing for the reader.

I received a free copy of this eBook from AuthorBuzz and NetGalley
#BlackTequila #NetGalley

l really really really wanted to like this. Maybe I blew it up to big in my mind. It was an intense read, with multiple scenarios, characters and issues. They do tie in through the book. It really throws out that mankind is influenced by beliefs, how they were raised, and greed. This is a "big" book, i.e. huge plot. Mankind is its own worst enemy but there is always hope. .Thank you for the arc of Black Tequila. I freely offer my opinions.

First, I did like Black Tequila. It' my kind of novel. The characters were interesting, the scenarios suspenseful, and the locales full of life. Sometimes you don't want a book to end, but in this case, I did feel stretched. I wished that the author had trimmed some of the extraneous stuff. The Keko character was dropped with no fanfare. He could have been left out entirely. Just one example. The connection of a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem to events in New York worked pretty well. So I recommend the novel. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This book was not what I expected. It just wasn't my type of story and couldn't hold my interest. Just my opinion. Thank you to Netgalley for my honest review

I couldn't get into this book. I felt that the various story lines were disjointed and that the characters were not very well developed and rather simplistic. I felt no connection with anyone. I thought I would like this book as it starts out in Jericho in the West Bank, a Palestinian city occupied by Israel. It sounded like an interesting international spy thriller but left me bored. I couldn't finish it.

I requested to read and review this book for free. This book was amazing! It had a lot of information but was needed. This book will keep you guessing until the very end! It had lots of drama, mystery, history, romance. Some of the characters you will want to keep an eye on is Bill, Coach, Ackerman, Debra, Heather and Rania. This for mature readers only. Once you start this book you won't want to put it down!!

This was a most unusual novel. One of the heroines was a young Palestinian girl whose “dream” future husband becomes a suicide bomber in Jericho. Among the many people killed in the bombing are a young mother and one of her three year old twin daughters. Her brother, a troubled young man, is in the Israeli army and, when he learns of the deaths becomes intoxicated on Black Tequila and anti-depressants and abandons his post. He ends up running into the girl, assaults her and ends up dead. The army has sent out a search team to find him led by a Captain who has dual American Israeli citizenship. He also rescues the girl. After her overt wounds heal, she is sent to Egypt to peace together her life. Months later she goes to New York when she determines that she cannot return to Jericho. The novel, after giving the backgrounds, primarily takes place in New York and involves financial manIpulations, murders, the FBI, Mossad and a memorable cast of characters. It is well written and the plot has a series of twists that will make the reader wonder. Thanks to Net Galley and the Author for an ARC for an honest review.