Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd met six years ago when they were in the same class at the FBI Academy. She was top of the class smart and he was top of the class in everything else. Both are competitive and it quickly turned to hating each other guts. Fast forward 6 years, Jessica has been in California and has just moved back to Chicago after finalizing her divorce. John has just applied to join the Hostage Rescue Team after walking in on his girlfriend and best friend having sex behind his back. Put together for an undercover assignment John and Jessica have a chance to change their relationship, professionally and personally.   

I liked this book. The story is good. This is a second chance romance and even though they used to hate each other back at the academy, everyone knows that it was actually attraction that couldn't be acted on. John is hot and Jessica is all sass. There were inside jokes and memories from the academy. Plus a whole 'he said, she said'.

I had a great time with this book. It was funny and sweet and very very sassy.

The Thing about Love is the enemies to lovers story of Jessica and John. I love the way James writes her characters-they are smart, determined, driven, and witty. I will say though, I am not a fan of Jessica. She comes off as immature and bitchy, especially during the flashbacks to how her and John met.

John has been in the FBI for 6 years and before that he was an Army Ranger. He and Jessica met at the academy and it was hate at first sight! Now they have been teamed up for an undercover op and have to get over their past. John recently discovered his girlfriend was having an affair with his best friend and Jessica recently went through a divorce. Both are looking to make life changes: John tries out for the HRT division of the FBI and Jessica moves back to Chicago after years in LA.

The Thing about Love has the classic witty banter James is known for. Jessica and John are entertaining for sure! Jessica is so hell bent on proving herself that I found it difficult to really like her. I wanted her to stop assuming the worst about everyone (especially John!). But, then I have no idea what its like to be in a male dominated profession and perhaps she did have to be defensive all the time. So, I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. John is a great character though! I loved him and really wanted him to get his HEA! Both of them have struggled with love; neither of their significant others accepted the pressures of being with an undercover agent in the long term. Jessica and John have a unique job that has ruined their previous relationships; sadly, they are so caught up in hating each other and competing, they can't see how similar they are!

The subplot of their undercover assignment adds some drama to the story, but the main focus is on the relationship between these 2 and the sexual tension that has always been present. Their undercover job adds some interesting events that help keep the story moving, but overall, I thought the book felt a bit long.

If you like enemies to lovers tropes, whip smart characters with razor tongues, and steamy sexual tension, The Thing about Love is a great pick! If you have enjoyed James' other FBI/US Attorney books, The Thing about Love is a great addition to the series that you won't want to miss!
(link live on 4/14/17)

THE THING ABOUT LOVE by Julie James delivered haters to lovers FBI undercover agent story. The tale filled with banter, snark, and heat also delivered an equally balanced case that left me smiling. Friends, family, and agents added to this delicious romance making me yearn to return to this Chicago field office.

Coffee dates with The Thing About Love

First Date: We first meet smexy, undercover agent John Harlow on the flight back to Chicago. He has just finished a stint in Detroit and is looking to mend things with his girlfriend of two years. Only he comes home to find she's been getting along just fine without him. Agent Jessica Harlow is just returning to the windy city after transferring from the LA office. After her divorce, it seemed like the perfect time to head home. John and Jessica have a competitive, somewhat snarky history together at Quantico so imagine their surprise when they are paired up to work an undercover stint in Florida. I am all in. I like both characters, from the competitiveness to the underlying sexual tension.

Second Date: James gave us chapter flashbacks from each characters time at Quantico giving us a sense of their shared history and thoughts. It was nice getting an insider look at their initial interactions, and it helped add depth, humor, and understanding as these two engaged. I loved the competitiveness, the tension, admiration, and banter it gave the romance a light, fun, feel. Because John is waiting to hear if he is accepted by the elite Hostage Resue Team, their building partnership, friendship, and tantalizing chemistry didn't have the pressures of what next. Of course, their romance was predictable, but the case and how was all in play keeping reading into the wee hours. Secondary characters from Jessicas siblings and bestie to John's brother and friends added humor and gently nudge each into question their actions and feelings.

Third Date: I enjoyed John and Jessica's romance, their time partnered undercover and interactions with their friends and family. Both find themselves feeling more and having doubts as John prepares to depart for Virginia. I Kept waiting for one to declare things more, and James provided some twists, and unexpected happens involving the case. I loved that the tale was drama free even if I wanted them both just to stop, analyze and admit this was more than a fling. You think two FBI agents would realize they were smitten? It was lovely seeing them fall and James gave me lots of swoony and awe moments. I loved the ending and even had a good laugh with the epilogue the author provided.

I ended my dates with THE THING ABOUT LOVE smiling and satisfied. I love when a romantic suspense is well balanced between the case and romance, and James does it effortlessly. I am sincerely hoping we revisit the Chicago field office.

I adored this book! It checked all my "swoony romance" checklist:

Swoony hero? check
Capable and sassy heroine? check
Witty banter? check
Feel-good romance factor? Double check!!

Jessica Harlow and John Shepard are FBA agents who started off as enemies during their FBI training to frenemies as they worked on their first case together to eventually becoming lovers.

If you're looking for plot-twisting, ulcer inducing, angsty story, then this book won't be for you. But if you are in the mood to read about two people who had to work on changing their perceptions about each other, fall in love and then learn navigate and balance their growing love for each other and their chosen careers, then this book is for you.

Julie James has a way of crafting stories that just oozes romance from page one 'till the end. I love her heroes and her heroines, and these two couples are no exception. Their chemistry is palpable throughout the book. I loved how these two characters fit together and how they work hard to make their relationship work, how willing they both were to change considering that their first meeting wasn't exactly the best.

Another thing I really liked about Ms. James is the way she incorporates work-life balance into her stories. Most of the time in romance books, after the couple gets together, work sorta fades into the background, like you won't hear as much how work takes over and affects the relationship. You get a sanitized version and no matter how stressful the heroine or hero's work is, once the relationship starts, everything just falls into place. Heck, some characters forget to go to work and everything is fine.

Here, it's different. Their job as FBI agents play a big role in the development of their romance and their characters. There are stakes involved. High stakes. And that made me appreciate the overarching elements of being FBI agents and being lovers in the book. It made my wait for this book worth it.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd met six years ago when they were in the same class at the Academy. Both hated each other guts at the time and, believe me, some things never change. Now, both out of relationships that went wrong, they’re in need of a fresh start and what better than to be assigned as each other’s partners in an undercover assignment?

The story is good. This is a second chance romance and even though they used to hate each other back at the academy, everyone knows that the feeling wasn’t actually hate. John is super attractive and Jessica is such a sassy woman. I had a good time reading this book mostly thanks to their inside jokes and memories from the academy. 

But at the same time this was disappointing. Not because the story is bad or because they’re not perfect for each other. It’s just that the book is mostly about their assignments instead of their love as I was expecting. I will even say that 70% of the book is dedicated to FBI cases and only the remaining to their relationship.

Anyhow the book is enjoyable!

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the ARC.

James continues to write strong, ambitious professional women in male-dominated professions who can go toe to toe with their male colleagues and male lovers, especially when it comes to verbal sparring. Her pair in this book are two FBI agents with a past (super-competitive during their days together in FBI training school) who meet again when one is transferred to the Chicago office and is assigned to work a bribery investigation with the other. Both Jessica Harlow, who specializes in white collar crime cases, and John Shepherd, who works in the organized crime group, are coming off bad breakups—Jessica a divorce from a film producer husband who could not accept her commitment to her job rather than to his, John from a live-in lover who slept with his best friend while he was assigned for months out of town on a case.

Neither is ready for a new relationship, but the old animosity from their training days soon seeps out as the sexual tension that it has always been. James gives us flashbacks their time at Quantico, in "She Said" and "He Said" chapters that show how easily misunderstandings blossom in environments where women are forced to guard carefully against both harassment and disparagement of their talents, and men take their gender privilege for granted.  Jessica's "we really shouldn't/oh, let's" back and forthing when it comes to engaging in physical intimacy with John is less annoying than it might have been, given this establishment of the costs to women for moving beyond the boundaries of professionalism.

James' agents note several times in the book how different (more boring) real FBI work, even undercover work, is compared to the way it is portrayed in books and on television; the truth of this makes the extortion case Jessica and John are involved in more realistically depicted, and thus not quite as compelling as it might have been in the hands of an author less devoted to accuracy.

FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army ranger clashed during their training at Quantico, gladly going their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to run into each other again–assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.

For both of them, being paired with a former rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work as a team–a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic, beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a whole lot more complicated. . .

Jessica and John were in FBI training together.  What John thought at first was a fun, friendly competition and maybe some flirting, Jessica saw as him being an ass.  When John finally realized there was no flirting involved it got down to serious competition.  After training John went back to Chicago and Jessica went to LA.

Now Jessica is back in her hometown of Chicago after having transferred and she’s almost immediately put on an undercover case…with John.  They pose as a married couple and end up traveling to Florida together which gives them time to talk.  They finally realize they were both looking at their training situation wrong.  When they each finally admit to their attraction they burn up the sheets.  Unfortunately John has just finished a training that would take him away from Chicago permanently which would be death to their budding relationship.

Julie James strikes again.  She writes such great romances and love reading them.  Her characters, her writing and her stories just grab me from page one and don’t want to let go. I read this in one sitting and didn’t even want to get up to eat!

In this book John and Jessica had gotten a rough start to their relationship.  Once they got past all the issues with their past they were awesome together.  Each personality was so complimentary to the other, I just loved it. I also loved how smart both of the characters were.  James isn’t afraid to give her heroines intelligence and she does it well.  John was no slouch either and it just worked.  

Rating: 4 out of 5

This review was posted on Goodreads on 4/4/17.

Everything you wanted to know about FBI Special Agents and Black Ops training.  Oh you wanted more romance, well you might have to wait a long while in this read but eventually the hero, John , and the heroine, Jessica, do get around to lusting after each other.  Of course their first meet, 6 years prior, was competitive smack-down, bullying sessions at their initial FBI Academy training. Not exactly conducive to romance although our hero insists that’s the way he rolls in attempts at generating romantic interest.  Yes, I do have issues with this book.  And, now don’t be surprised, I liked it even in spite of those issues.

I do like a book where I learn about a subject heretofore not in my wheel house, the FBI training. I liked the info about undercover work.  Since I am a newbie to this subject I can only assume the author has her facts straight. That these two people who hated each other fell in love was a stretch but at least we finally get some romance in this romance book.  I thought there were several missed opportunities for some action and crisis since we only get that at the very end of the book and then it is nothing much.

Do I recommend it? With reservations. If you are a fan of this author, yes. If you want to learn about the FBI, sure. If you want action and romance, not so much but it is steamy and sexy.

I love Julie James but this book just didn't resonate as much with me. I liked the back story between the two characters and how they addressed it pretty quickly. However I felt like the rest of their relationship moved too quickly, especially him giving up his job and hem moving in together. I did like their working dynamic and how he let her shine. Just some of the magic and feels were missing

This book kept me reading until I found out how it would end.  A good read that keeps you guessing.

I was very excited for a new book by Julie James. She has written some of my favorite contemporary romances in the past. I'm not sure why but I found The Thing About Love to be rather boring. Usually, she writes couples with chemistry that you can almost feel on your skin, but here, while I saw the chemistry between John and Jessica from time to time, it wasn't as potent as I've come to expect from Julie James. After a while, I started to get bored with them, and ultimately, I didn't think that they stood out particularly for me. I did really enjoy the flashback scenes of them at Quantico. I thought the chemistry was definitely there between them when they were younger. I will say that both John and Jessica were likable enough characters as individuals, and they had lots of traits I found to be endearing. I particularly enjoyed John's loyalty and love for his family, and Jessica had a great bond with her siblings too. I just wished they had more of a spark together as a couple. I wasn't a big fan of the plot involving the corrupt politician either. It was predictable and once again, a little boring for me. So yeah, overall, I wasn't impressed by Julie James latest. If you're new to her books, I definitely recommend one of her older books. They are more addicting than this one was!

Have I been living under a rock? Where have I been that that this is my first Julie James novel? I couldn't put this story down. I was sucked in from the beginning and I resented anyone who got in the way of me getting to spend time with John and Jessica.

This a story "about a valiant heroine and an ex-Ranger hero who'd come a long way from their days together at the FBI academy."

These two really came a long way from their time spent together at academy; it was tumultuous depending on who's point of view you want to believe. I loved getting to hear their thoughts on academy from each of them, it really adds depth the their story. I loved getting to see them immerse themselves in their undercover roles, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through them and some moments were really high-intensity moments for me to read. 

I laughed, and swooned and my heart even broke a few times throughout the story. I hated the ending, not because it was a bad ending, but because I had to say goodbye to Jessica and John and I really don't want their story to be over yet.

There’s simply nothing quite like a Julie James novel. The Thing About Love has everything I’ve come to love about Ms. James’s work: intelligent, interesting characters, crackling chemistry, an engaging romance, and sharp attention to detail. It’s a story that feels light on its feet but also has substance, and I loved every bit of it.

John and Jessica are irresistible characters who grabbed my attention from the first. Jessica is quite possibly my favorite of Ms. James’s heroines. Not only is she incredibly smart, she’s the best example I have ever seen in a contemporary romance of a woman working to build a successful career in a male-dominated field. From the moment she starts training at Quantico, Jessica is aware that her gender and height are working against her. Jessica doesn’t waste time feeling sorry for herself because she has a disadvantage. She works hard to overcome the obstacles in her path and I have an incredible amount of respect for her dedication, strength, and resourcefulness. Her nemesis at the Academy is John, a former Army Ranger for whom the more physical aspects of FBI training are a breeze. John is no slouch in the academic department, but there are areas where he has to work just as hard to succeed as Jessica does when it comes to the more athletic areas of their training. The two of them push each other constantly, their competitiveness bringing out the best agents in them – though they’d be loath to admit it.

The flashbacks to Quantico set the stage for John and Jessica’s reunion six years later when she transfers to the Chicago FBI office. When the two of them meet again, they pick up bickering right where they’d left off at the Academy. But having to work together undercover means they need to play nice, and I loved watching them work through their issues and come to understand one another. With that understanding comes increasingly strong sexual tension. Theirs is a slow-burn romance, and the payoff is worth it. John and Jessica have fantastic chemistry both as partners and as lovers. I honestly enjoyed watching them work together as much as I adored their romance. They complement one another perfectly, and there’s no false drama to detract from their story. The obstacles hampering John and Jessica’s romance feel realistic to the characters and their jobs and the resolution that gives these two their happily ever after left me with a huge smile on my face.

Every Julie James novel I’ve picked up features characters who feel whole and real, with fully developed personal and professional lives. The Thing About Love is no exception and it makes Jessica and John’s story all the better. When you combine Ms. James’s well-developed characters with her snappy dialogue and a romance that’s both spicy and sweet, it’s easy to see why I adored this book. I highly recommend The Thing About Love to any contemporary romance fan!

I'll never forget the first Julie James book I picked up to read. Something About You was the beginning of my fall into Ms James' FBI/US Attorney books. I've read almost every one of her books over the past few years, and her romantic wit and humor continue to captivate me.

The Thing About Love was such a fun book to read. Jessica and John are such fun characters - and their chemistry is palpable. From their first interactions at the FBI Academy to the final scene when John meets her family, their verbal sparring and interplay is nothing short of a delight. There were moments I was laughing out loud and shaking my head, and then there were moments I was blushing profusely. 

I love that our main characters have a history together. It's not a "love at first sight" or a love triangle - it's an unexpected second chance. Both Jessica and John had more hate than love for the other by the end of their time at the academy. There was an attraction, but it was pushed aside because of misunderstandings and high-stakes competition.

Six years later they're expected to work together undercover. Not only are both coming off bad break ups, but they still hate each other. Fortunately, they both know how to be professionals and put work first. That is until that first kiss... 

I not only enjoyed our characters, but the FBI investigation was a fun scenario as well. I loved all the details Jessica researched for the case. I also enjoyed all the tidbits about HRT as John went through the selection process and NOTS. 

Another great book from Julie James - you won't be disappointed.

The Thing About Love by Julie James is another one of her wonderful adult romances.  Julie James is one of my favorite romance authors, who always gives us a wonderful story, great couples that are successful in their careers, with a perfect blend of sassiness and hot sexual chemistry.  

Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd, met each other 6 years ago, during their FBI training at Quantico. The competition was fierce, and snarky; when the training was over, they both walked away not caring if they would ever meet again.  In present time, Jessica returns to her home town of Chicago, after a broken marriage.  John is coming off of an undercover job, only to find his girlfriend in bed with his best friend.  When Jessica is given an assignment in an undercover sting,  involving a corrupt mayor of Jacksonville, she is shocked and not too happy to see her new partner in this case is John.  Needless to say, John, who is already in a bad frame of mind, isn’t too keen on seeing Jessica again.  Their old hostilities resurface, but they are now seasoned professionals and determined to work together in the sting operation.

In a short time, both Jessica and John will reveal things from their training time that causes them to realize that their perceptions were off base.  The attraction for each other begins to heat up, and their chemistry together was super hot.   They also made a great team, setting up the mayor for the fall.  I loved watching both of them fall in love with each other, and at the same time become impressed with their partner’s skills.  

The story was very well done by James, as she is an expert in FBI suspense types of stories, with a wonderful romance filled with fun banter, sassiness and a sexy couple.  With our couple both coming off of their own heartaches, it helped add to the story, especially when John tries out for the elite counterterrorism Hostage Rescue Team.  Jessica was our perfect heroine, who being a woman, had it harder to prove her worth as a smart savvy kick-ass agent.  John, having been an army ranger before signing up for the FBI, was not only tough, but was also a hot hunk.  I loved everything about them both, as they were super great characters that Julie James always seems to give us.  

From the moment I started to read this book, I could feel my happiness, as I thoroughly enjoy the entire book.  When so many romances are about those in their twenties when it comes to reading about two people successful in their lives, and in their thirties, beyond the angst of those just starting out…no one does it better then Julie James.  I love her stories; her awesome couples; the fun & sexy romances, which you just can’t get enough of.  I strongly suggest you read The Thing about Love, and if you have not read Julie James, what are you waiting for?

I enjoyed the characters and the interactions.  The back and forth dialog was refreshing.  Two FBI agents at odds with each other working towards a common goal with tons of chemistry in the mix.  John Shepard was a cool badass with a large heart.  Altogether an enjoyable read that left me with a happy feeling.

I think I've been waiting for this story from Julie James ever since loving FBI Special Agent Nick McCall and the undercover op in A LOT LIKE LOVE...

Here, the hero and heroine are both FBI undercover agents (yesssss!), and as a special bonus, they have an antagonistic past from their Academy days. James has a particular talent writing this trope, where the lines between hate, lust, grudging respect, and a slow-burn romance deliciously blur, and I thought it was particularly well done and believable in The Thing About Love.

I do think readers may need to have more than a passing interest in FBI special agents and undercover work in particular to stick with this story, though, especially early on. There are a lot of details about the training and inner workings of an undercover investigation, as well as the life and work of an FBI agent. I, personally, am fascinated by this, so the extra exposition didn't bother me. In fact, I really enjoyed the balance between the work narrative and romance; however, I can see how some readers might get antsy and find the early pacing too slow, especially taking into account all of the backstory from John and Jessica's Academy days that was also required for the story's setup.

Loyal fans of James's FBI/US Attorney series will enjoy the brief cameos included in this one, and rest assured, even though John and Jessica's romance is slow to develop, it eventually burns nice and hot.

RATING: B+ (4½ stars)

FBI agent Jessica Harlow transfered from the L.A. office to the Chicago office when she divorced her husband.  FBI agent John Shepherd just finished an undercover assignment in Detroit.  They are assigned to work together on an undercover assignment in Florida to trap a crooked politician.  But they have a past.  Their training in Quantico didn't exactly put them in the best friends category.  You might say "professional nemesis" is a better title. 

Why I started this book: I was eager to get my hands on it, I loved James's previous books.

Why I finished it: Fun read, I enjoyed the "her side"/"his side" of the meet cute.  Strong characters and believable action.

It’s actually been a loooong while since I’d read a Julie James book, but something about this one sparked my interest, so I picked it up. Good choice, Past Jen!

Jessica Harlow (which, incidentally, is a super cool name for a heroine, no?) recently transferred to the Chicago FBI office. Her first case is to go undercover posing as an investor to catch a corrupt politician. The problem is, she’s paired with John Shepherd, her arch rival from the FBI Academy. John has been groomed to join the ultra-elite Hostage Rescue Team since he was first recruited to the FBI, but he’s been dragging his feet on applying. When his current relationship blows up at the start of the book, he decides it’s time to finally to do what he was groomed for and sign up for HRT. Jessica wants her first case in the new office to be a success to impress her new colleagues, and John wants to go out with a win. The problem is, neither one can stand the other. They have to figure out how to put aside their differences, and a pesky case of attraction, to get the job done.

I really loved the “he said, she said” premise of the conflict in this book. While Jessica and John share a history, they definitely did NOT experience that history in the same way! Hearing them each tell their own version of their time at the Academy was funny and very illuminating. Jessica obviously had a bit of a chip on her shoulder, but it felt very justified because she was a woman in a world dominated by hot shot men. She had to be tough, and it’s easy to see how that would make her seem standoffish and unapproachable. John has a very different take on the situation, and to him he was just trying to be friendly while she was the one being condescending. For example, both Jessica and John recall an incident from their very first meeting, where John makes a jokey comment and winks at Jessica. He meant it as a friendly, welcoming introduction, with no other agenda. She interpreted it as flirting and patronizing her. Yes, Jessica seems harsh in that scene, but to me it was such a clear example of how a man might not even consider that a gesture like a wink could seem off putting to a woman used to dealing with misogyny and harassment. For his part, John tries to be open and friendly with Jessica, until she starts obviously competing with him, which triggers his own insecurities about being all brawn and no brain. Both of them had perfectly understandable interpretations of the past, and both of them were very wrong about the other.

As usual, James does a wonderful job making the investigation details seem realistic. Jessica and John are both scarily good at their jobs, and both act like actual investigators would act (or at least how I imagine they would act!). While there’s a little bit of light action at the end, for the most part this book is all about the well-planned white collar investigation, not shoot-em-up high stakes battles. What James does so well, though, is blend the competent job performance and the intriguing personal relationship into an engaging story you want to keep reading.

There were a few missteps, though. First, I felt like the conflict with John’s friends and the kerfuffle over his girlfriend never really went anywhere. There was never any real resolution there, so I didn't quite understand the point. Also, John leaving to do HRT seemed a little forced. I mean, that was sort of the point because he clearly was clearly conflicted, but I felt like his conflict went on a little too long. I also wanted Jessica to be more honest with John. Some of the end drama would have been resolved by both John and Jessica just having a solid conversation earlier, instead of dragging out the angst.

Still, this story had a unique perspective and characters I liked getting to know.

Grade: 4 out of 5