This was a good mix of romance and suspense. Tori and her hatred of the DEA teaming up with Decker with his distrust of doctors sets up story with built in conflict. The story started out a little bit slow for me as the characters were introduced. The story line, however, was interesting and the typical elements of a romantic suspense were all there. As trust develops and then is lost it’s great to see how Tori and Decker find their way back together for a lasting relationship. The story evolves with lots of action to keep the reader engaged. Great story of timely topic.

This was a great read that grabs you from the start. I can’t wait to read more in this series.
I found it to be accurate in both medical and first responder terms.

The story between Deck and Tori is so good. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC of this book.

Oh man, this fast paced story had me on the edge of my seat! I'd never read a DEA agent story before, but this felt so relevant and I could see it play out like a tv show in my mind. I loved the authors voice and the third person worked well for this one, but would have loved a dual POV as well. Solid story, and while I predicted what would happen, I still enjoyed every single second! Thor is my favorite!!!!! 4.5. stars!!! Will definitely read more by this author.

This book was fantastic! Well-written, well-crafted, well-researched and well-edited. Great characters that you totally empathise with. Fabulous plot that feels so real, so immediate.

Tough Justice is Tee O'Fallon first book in the K-9 Special Ops series. Tee O'Fallon is a new author for me and at the end of this book, I have to say that I'm fast becoming a fan. I really like the style and the great world building. Being the first book of any series, usually readers are laden with loads and loads of info dump but not so in this book. The writing is seamless and I genuinely like the H and h, of course the doggo too!

I'm looking forward to the next book already.

Tough Justice, book one in the new K-9 Special Ops series is a story with the perfect blend of suspense and intrigue combined with passion and steamy moments as Special Agent Adam Decker (Deck), a K-9 DEA agent and part of Denver’s Special Ops Task Force with his dog Thor join forces with an unlikely candidate, Victoria (Tori) Sampson, an ER doctor. They have both seen the adverse consequences of the opioid epidemic and the toll it is taking on their community and they are now working together to take down the drug ring. What they didn’t expect was the connection they found with one another. Can they put aside their differences and make this relationship work? This story will take you on their dangerous adventures and their moments of passion, but there are definitely a few surprises. So hold on and enjoy!

I cannot describe the chemistry that exists between Tory and Deck (also, honorable mention to our furry friend Thor). It's truly off the charts. And their scenes together are everything. Not only are they full of banter and sexy times. But they are also intimate and through them, you can see how much the characters develop.
I also love that there's conflict but not a crazy amount of unnecessary drama. And, the final scenes felt just like an action movie!
Tee O'Fallon is the only author I found this far that manages to keep my attention through the romance AND the suspense. And this has happened 3/3 times. So I don't think it's a fluke.
In fact, after writing this review, I'm going to go and buy myself a physical copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy. All the opinions are my own.

What a way to start off a series…..I loved this book!!! It’s got it all crime, suspense, romance, steam and a great HEA. Tori a doctor and Deck a DEA agent. Hopefully working together will stop so many overdoses. This book was fast paced and kept you wanting more.

Tough Justice by Tee O’Fallon
K-9 Special Ops #1

Great introduction to a new series – Enjoyed meeting the team and finding out how Tori & Deck get together.

What I liked:
* Adam “Deck” Decker: DEA K-9 officer, leader, team player, has issues with doctors that are brought out in the story, interesting backstory that explains why he is a DEA agent, hates Opioids
* Victoria “Tori” Sampson: Emergency Room Physician, intelligent, guarded, has issues with the DEA that are explored in this story, guarded, dealing with too many opioid overdose deaths in the ER
* Thor: K-9 partner to Deck, affectionate, protective, has canine skills not all dogs acquire
* Getting to meet some of the DEA K-9 team that will show up in future books
* That the topic is relevant
* The mystery of who the drug lord selling gray death is
* Finding out who the drug lord was – though I had an inkling
* Meeting Tori’s sister and father
* The discussion Tori’s father had with Deck when they had a family meal together
* The police procedural and medical aspects of the story
* Contemplating how likely it would be for a civilian physician to be taken along on some of the activities mentioned in this book
* Reading an author’s work that I have enjoyed books by before

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly who and what I was meant not to like – it was easy to hate the bad guys!
* Knowing that the drug crisis exists and that OD’s occur all too often

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Press, and Inkslinger PR for the ARC – This is my honest review

4-5 Stars

My opinion after reading Ms. O'Fallon's first book has not changed. She wowed me with that book and this one has done the same.

TOUGH JUSTICE has everything that will keep a reader riveted - a well written story with lots of action and great buildup to the finale, engaging characters, an enemies-to-lovers romance and interesting secondary characters. The subject matter of the story itself is quite dark, but the author handles it with delicacy, just as she does with the emotional upheavals the main characters go through.

DEA Agent Deck and Dr. Tori Sampson have legitimate reasons to not get along, but for the sake of the people at the mercy of the deadly opioid wreaking havoc on the city they have to find common ground and work together to avoid more casualties. Falling for each other along the way is a bonus, an enjoyable one.

The tempo of this story keeps climbing from the first page until you're at the edge of your seat by the end of the book. My favorite thing about her writing is all those details, which may seem tedious to a lot of people, but paint a picture of the story in technicolor for me. And another thing, her books read like something I would enjoy watching on the big screen.

Whether you are a lover of romantic suspense or new to the genre, this book is a must read.

The DEA tore Tori Sampson’s family apart and broke her heart. She loathes everything about the agency. So when Agent Decker turns to her for help, she has no interest in working with him, even if he’s gorgeous. Tori’s taken an oath to help people though and realizes she can fill a unique role in the efforts to stop the opioid epidemic so she reconsiders. This is a fast-paced story with interesting characters and lots of action, which I really enjoyed. The characters drew me in, especially Thor. Tori and Deck are great together and their story left me wanting more, although I did enjoy the ending.

Some of the scenes felt rushed and there was one twist that just seemed a little too silly. That detracted from the story for me, which is why this is only four stars. That said, I liked it and recommend the book. This author is new to me but I’m looking forward to more because this is a great start to a new series.

My first book by Tee O'Fallon and I definitely enjoyed this romantic suspense. I don't read too much in this genre, and after this book...I feel like I need more if it! So well written and I was pulled into the story quickly. These characters seemed so real, and the story was full of mystery and suspense. Can't wait to check out more from this author!

Tori is an ER doctor who does not trust federal agents, especially the DEA. Deck works for the DEA k-9 unit. When a string of overdoses of a new kind of opioid hit the area, Deck and Tori must work together to find the source. Then as they get deep into the investigation, they begin to think there could be a murderer to blame.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Great way to kick off the series! Tori is an ER doctor, overwhelmed with the amount of OD cases she's been losing lately. After she saves the life of a DEA agent, she ends up working with them in order to crack down on who's behind it all.

Deck is the alpha male we all want in a book boyfriend. He's baffled as to why Tori immediately despises him, but is just as determined to catch the criminals and bring an end to the death count.

Thor steals the scene every time throughout the book. I'm here for all the danger, suspense, animal loving and romance. I can't wait for more in this series and will definitely be reading them all!

The only thing I was sad about, was that I figured out the villain about 30% of the way in, but I still enjoyed watching the mystery be solved and how everything unfolded.

3.5 stars

This is a new-to-me author, although I see she has many romantic suspense stories under her belt. I’m not a big dog person in real life, but there’s something about dogs in suspense books that I just love.

Tori is not a fan of the DEA, and that’s an understatement. Something happened to her father that landed him in prison in the past, and that was almost an issue for me. Not what her dad did or that she had a distrust of the DEA because of what her dad did, but because that “big secret” went on a bit too long from this reader’s perspective. It was bordering on getting annoying before we finally got the backstory of her dad’s arrest. I’m not a huge fan of the “big secret” trope, especially when it goes on too long. There was a lot of other story that didn’t deal directly with this issue so it kept me engaged, but when it would pop up I just wanted to know the story already.

Deck is gruff and uncompromising, but he’s also extremely loyal and kind. While Tori had not love lost for the DEA, Deck is adamantly opposed to any sort of drug, even those that are prescribed. Just like Tori has a reason behind her hatred, so does Deck. Both are valid, both characters are bit too rigid in their though process. No matter that they are, in a way, on different sides of the issue, they cannot deny they have chemistry. Plus, for what they are trying to accomplish to get a new deadly drug off the streets, they kind of need each other.

The pull these two have toward one another, no matter their resolutions to themselves, was intense and kept me turning the pages. So, although there was the plot point that was too drawn out and a few continuity issues, overall, I found this story to be great. There was a point where I thought too many characters were being introduced, but it sure kept me jumping around with my suspicions at first.

I’d love to check out more of this author’s books. I had a lot of fun with this story.

Fast paced and suspenseful romance that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I really enjoyed the story and how it seemed to be pulled straight from current headlines. Tori and Deck have amazing chemistry and a great enemies to lovers tension. A super fun and steamy read. *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A new lethal designer drug is on the streets of Denver leading to an outbreak of overdoses. The danger comes into sharp focus for K-9 DEA Agent Decker, “Deck” when his partner is almost killed executing a search warrant. Dr. Tori Sampson makes an impression while saving his partner’s life. Her inside knowledge and access to victims gives Deck an idea that may help lead him and his team to the brains behind the production and distribution of the “Gray Death.”

Dr. Tori Sampson has noted a marked increase of overdoses in her ER but is less than thrilled with Deck’s proposal to work together since the DEA ruined her father’s professional life. However, Tori doesn’t want to lose another patient, so she begrudgingly agrees.

Deck and Tori start out more like enemies with Tori hating anyone representing the DEA, and Deck’s mistrust of doctors over the role they played in his sister’s addiction and overdose. However, a common desire to rid the community of the Gray Death forces them to put aside their prejudices and work together. Respect and admiration grow between them, as well as attraction, which soon becomes impossible to ignore.

I loved the addition of Deck’s K-9 partner, Thor! He was just adorable and so smart! Deck and Thor made such a great team and I was touched by the loyalty between them.

Tough Justice was fast paced, and action packed. I enjoyed seeing Deck and Tori fall hard for each other while trying to hunt down the bad guy. I thought here was just the right amount of chemistry and sizzle balanced with the mystery, suspense, and danger. It was easy to figure out the identity of the bad guy but that didn’t detract from the story at all. I like the feeling of my suspicions being validated.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/03/31/tough-justice-by-tee-ofallon/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

It's no surprise to my regular readers that I love this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/318232-k-9-special-ops" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>K9 Special Ops</strong></em></a> series.  Apparently this is a new series, not exactly the same as the<em><strong> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/232003-federal-k-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal K9</a> </strong></em>series.  I'll be interested to see how the series develops.

Our main characters are Deck (Adam Decker) who is a DEA agent,  who lost his sister to the opioid crisis with his K9, Thor.   When a new version of drug nearly kills his partner, he decides to try to work with a doctor, hoping to learn from the victims who live anything they might know to help them catch dealers.

The doctor, Tori Sampson,  has a bad history with the DEA since her father was punished for helping people.   So she is not favorable to helping but she also doesn't want more people to die.  And people are overdosing daily.

As always, I could have used more time with Thor working, but I was glad to see the team's dogs working and also some of their training.   The mystery and romance are well balanced.  It was a little over the top how each character had the exact bias to not like the other for their job without knowing the person.

Deck and Tori work through their personal issues of trust with each other, building respect for each other as they slowly take down bad guys.  When one warrant seems to be a setup with not the expected dealer,  the DEA fears they have a leak.  Some suspect Tori.  It's a deadly race to take down the head dealer before he hurts Tori or Deck.  The suspenseful pace to the finish is exciting!

&nbsp;

This is book 1 in the K-9 Special Ops series. Although I don't remember this character in the other K-9 series, it does feel like it's interconnected although it does standalone! Adam (Deck) Decker works with the DEA as a K-9 agent. He is tracking a drug that seems to have high overdose rates, especially showing up at one hospital. He doesn't trust doctor's but he is hoping that he can get help from one ER doctor despite that. Dr. Tori Sampson is an ER doctor that had her whole family torn apart, and she blames the DEA for that. But when multiple overdoses start showing up in her ER, she knows that she has to help figure out what is happening. No matter her distrust of the DEA. But the more they bring to light, the more they start to realize that something more may be at work than just a new drug.

Ok, so I really liked this book but I did have my issues with some parts of it. Deck is a very likable character and his backstory is heartbreaking. I loved him from the start along with his K9, Thor. Tori I had a little bit of an issue with. She blames the DEA for everything that imploded in her life. But it all started with her Dad's decisions. Yes, he had the best of intentions but he is the one who willingly and knowingly broke the law. The law is there for a reason and he broke it, not the DEA. And blaming them for enforcing the law is simply ridiculous. So, it made it hard for me to like her. I did end up liking her later in the book, but it definitely made it hard for me. The story is fast paced and the suspense was good. I like this author's books and this book was no different-for the most part, I liked most of it! And I really feel like it was more of a pet peeve of mine in not taking responsibility for one's own actions. I'll still read the next book just because despite that, I still enjoyed the story!

An action-packed and tense thriller. This is a quick read. The plot moves along at a speedy pace. The world-building is done very well. We instantly get a connection to Deck, the DEA agent whose sister died from an overdose at sixteen. Dr Tori's family has had a bad relationship with the DEA ever since her dad went to prison for six months for violating laws to do with his pharmacy practice even though it was for altruistic reasons. Both protagonists meet in the opening scene where Dr Tori is tasked with saving an agent's life.
There is a good mix of action and drama at crime scenes and it highlights some of the dangers that officers and the K-9 units face. I would say that the author planted too many clues as to who the drug lord was and I had it figured out a quarter way through the book.
The romance was a nice secondary story. The two didn't like each other on sight so it was interesting to watch them mellow towards one another.
A great start to the series.

This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the first book in the K-9 Special OPS series. I loved the characters in this book, and I love the K-9 dog in this book. The two main characters has a hate to love thing going on, and they have a lot of chemistry. There are a lot of steamy times in this book. This book did keep me guessing, but I had a feeling of the who did it. The ending was so good. This book is packed with action and suspense. The romance was also really good in this book. I did not want to put this book down after I picked it up. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Entangled: Amara) or author (Tee O'Fallon) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.