Cover Image: Emma's Element

Emma's Element

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Member Reviews

A heart buckling. ride of romance with Emma and Marcus. A serious page turner.
Many thanks to Author Collective 20 and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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What a super book. It's so refreshing to see a woman, Emma, a specialized soldier,in a place of strength and power for a change, instead of the wimpy actress being taught by her hero male soldier. A really fun read!
thank you NetGalley for providing this copy. The opinion here is solely my own.

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This is a good book. The two main characters are Emma and Marcus. There is an instant attachment at their meeting. Marcus realizes he can bring Emma into his world it would destroy her. But a chance meeting later makes him realize he needs her in his world.

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Congratulations on an eye-catching cover! It caught my eye and made me read the synopsis. Overall an enjoyable read!

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This story will draw you in quickly to the plot. This book was hard to put down once I started to read. This is a great way of writing such twists in a relationship. Building trust and finding how well the characters she created to blend together is worth the read. The whole series from this author is a must-read. I found no errors in the writing or within the format of the book. This book does seem to have a slow plot as if the author wants to prolong you reading because she wants you to see these characters are real.

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Overall I did really enjoy this book but there were a few factors that kept me from giving it a higher rating.
My favorite thing about this book were the friendships and how all of the side characters were fleshed out and each brought something unique to the story. We all love a good found-family here.
The dynamic between Marcus and Emma was very sweet right from the start - there was clear chemistry and I found myself invested in where their relationship was going to go. That said, the central conflict to their relationship for the first 50% of the book was not compelling and I found myself getting annoyed with it. Once that one was solved, then we had *too many* conflicts with none of them sticking for more than a couple pages.
Once we reached the third act, met the real Big Bad and the final conflict, that's where we started really having fun. I wouldn't call the final betrayal a huge plot twist per se but there were aspects of it that I didn't see coming and thoroughly enjoyed. It added some grit to the story and brought Marcus' story full circle.

While this book didn't hit all the marks for me, will I read more from this author? Most likely, yes. I really liked the Nighthawk team she's created and the way she writes both her characters and the relationships between them.

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My Review
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Book is already out.
I have really got to stop picking up books that are part of a series when I have not read the first book. Often times I haven’t a clue what is going on with the characters for the first few chapters of the book because of this. Thankfully, even though Emma’s Element is part of a series, it is a standalone, or I would have been lost and confused from the start.
I loved Emma and Marcus. I loved how strong Emma was as a person and how Marcus does his best to protect her even though he knows she could protect herself.
This book was a lot of fun. Marcus’ thoughts made me laugh from the first page. I really liked seeing both he and Emma come to respect and love each other. I am just so happy that I decided to give this book and author a try.
Would I read more from? Yes. Would I go back and read the series? Yes. I enjoy the story and while this is my first book by Amanda Zook. It would not be the last. I want to read about the rest of the Nighthawks and see them get their happily ever after.

Until next time peace and happy reading.

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"Emma's Element" is a book nicely written, with some intriguing ideas and feel-good characters. It didn't quite engage me, unfortunately: I guess my expectations derailed me and I just never managed to tune back into the book.

Let's take it from the start.
Emma's Element is the third book in the Nighthawk Search and Rescue Series.
The Nighthawk Search and Rescue team call themselves family: a very close group of colleagues and friends, with interesting back stories and exceptionally lovely personalities.
Emma joins the Nighthawks after her job at the cost Guard, needing to turn page and recover from a traumatic experience.
Marcus is a Hollywood actor, who reached stardom through his portrayal of a super hero, with a busy schedule filming sequels and promoting them. He loves outdoor activities, away from the crowd and the fame: being in the nature alone allows him to recharge his batteries, before diving into the the filming industry frenziness again.
The outdoors is where Marcus crosses paths with the Nighthawks and, later on, with Emma.
He is enthralled by their sense of family and loyalty, the feeling of mutual trust and the knowledge that they can rely on each other anytime anywhere.
Perfect mix.
Marcus and Emma get to spend time together as Marcus is planning on making a movie on the Nighthawks and Emma has been requested to organize Marcus's training schedule, as she is the best trainer the Nighthawks have.
The table is set for an easy obvious match, but past wounds and present threats make the path to happiness a bumpy one.

I liked the concept, I loved the Nighthawks idea and how the side characters' stories connected to each other. I enjoyed Emma, not being the classical damsel in distress without overplaying the tough lady persoanlity. I liked the passion Marcus and Emma shared for the outdoors and the search for quietness. The writing was smooth and flowing nicely.

Certain aspects did not work for me. As interesting as the cover and the summary can be, I think they don't do justice to the story and the characters (hence my comment on expectations at the beginning): they are less "beefy" and the story is less fast-paced. I found the plot quite predictable: the way characters, backstories and events were presented led to the subsequent events with no unforeseen plot twists. Lastly, and that's me, I am not a fan of characters miscommunicating (or non communicating at all) on the basis of "I won't tell him/her because he/she has too many worries already": I get the concept of wanting to protect your dearest, but it just doesn't resonate with me.

As I understand, Amanda Zook is a fresh new writer: I congratulate her on the Nighthawks concept and the many characters she has invented and gradually developing. She has her personal style (which is not an easy feat!) and I can see her potential: I will gladly check back on her next books.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Fun read with a solid plot. The characters were solidly well rounded, and the dialogue sections were really enjoyable. Very fun banter! All in all, I would read others in the series.

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This book had me hooked from the very beginning! Every book in this series has been wonderful, and this one is no different. These two seem like they have it all, but looks can often be deceiving and your past can haunt you for years to come. When the truth comes to light, who will they really be able to trust? Will they even be able to trust themselves?

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I thank Netgalley for giving me access to this novel, but unfortunately as soon as I got to chapter four, the format went haywire. I tried everything I could in my settings and nothing worked. I was quite engrossed in the story and I bought it from Amazon where I had no problem whatsoever and to read the whole book.

It's quite engrossing. A celebrity actor meets a search and rescue professional during an unfortunate accident. Marcus is renowned for his role in a Titan movie when he meets Emma wo works on the Nighthawks team. She is responsible for his training even if she has preconceived ideas about his celebrity status. During their training sessions she discovers that he is nothing like what the media portrays and as they get to know each other, they start to develop feelings. Emma thinks he is unattainable whereas he doesn't want to expose her to the circus of the media. They keep their distance until they no longer can. There are so many things that dictate that they shouldn't be involved. He leaves to a avoid the media exposure, but he doesn't realise that there is a plot to blackmail him. He is is devastated and shocked to discover who is behind the ploy. They plan to extort his money. He has been betrayed so many times in the past that he doesn't trust anyone anymore. Emma changes all that.

It's an intense story about two people living in different lives and when they collide they work through all the difficulties thrown at them. It's very well portrayed and Marcus and Emma are strong and endearing. The romance is compelling and despite all odds, the fairy tale comes true. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Don't believe everything that's written in the press, especially not if it's about superstars with headline grabbing and sensational font all over the internet. Marcus is one of these celebrities who's constantly chased by the paparazzis, hardly able to even go for a short walk without being hassled. He is most happy when he manages to escape the hustle and bustle and go hiking on his own. During one of these events he has an accident and needs rescuing by the Nighthawks, a search and rescue team of volunteers.

Impressed with their professionalism and skills, Marcus arranges to be trained by them in preparation for a new film he's planning, and their best coach Emma is assigned to him. She couldn't care less for the superstar and tries to wriggle out of the assignment, but reluctantly agrees.

Working together, Emma and Marcus start to develop a mutual respect and Marcus slowly becomes one of the Nighthawk team. Public life is full of challenges and being the super start Marcus is, he gets more than his fair share of it. He tries to shield Emma from it all, including walking away from her.

This is the third book in the Nighthawk Search and Rescue series, but if you like me haven't read the previous two books you can still happily read it and thoroughly enjoy it! PS. There's a fourth book in the series, and all are available on Kindle Unlimited when I write this review.

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Wow, Book 3 of the Nighthawk Search & Rescue series. This series is phenomenal!

This book focuses on Emma, a former soldier and member of the Nighthawks, and Marcus, an actor who is determined to produce and star in a movie about the Nighthawks. Emma has been chosen to teach him how to be a Nighthawk. Appearances are deceiving. As they discover who the other really is as they handle the many obstacles, they must overcome to reach their HEA. Another outstanding story that you won’t be able to put down. I highly recommend this story as well as the previous two Nighthawk books. Amanda – they keep getting better and I can’t wait for the next one.

I received a copy of this book from Author Collective and NetGalley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions are my own and not solicited in any way.

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This was another great book in the Nighthawk series. Emma is such a strong woman who has been through a lot but never let it affect who she is. When she is tasked with training Marcus on all parts of their search and rescue techniques, she never expected for things to turn out the way they did. Falling for Marcus was something she never wanted, but here she is doing so. He is such an amazing man who does so much good for the world and he cares about people more than anyone knows. After discovering this side he keeps hidden from the fans and public, she can’t help but love him. She didn’t expect for him to feel the same, but love never comes easy. Will they be able to survive all of the challenges thrown their way? I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I recently found this author and I am so glad I did!! This series sucked me in from the very first book. I am a sucker for one of the MC's walking away to "save" the other one, just gets me every time! I thought I knew where this plot was going but I was so wrong, I highly recommend you go into this book blind like I did because it made it that much better! I really enjoy how the author handled the couple's issues and disagreements, they weren't immature and full of tantrums but instead had real conversations. The steam was always very well written, what are you waiting for, go start at the beginning of this series and read them all!

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I am fond of celebrity romance stories and this was a very good one, kept my attention the whole time. I loved the undeniable chemistry between Marcus and Emma, also loved his determination to keep her, to cherish their love. Thrilling story.

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